Efficacy of informational letters on hepatitis B immunization rates in university students.

A randomized, controlled trial was conducted at a private university to determine whether students who received an informational letter (n = 366) would be more likely to receive a hepatitis B vaccination than students in a control group (n = 366). Surveys were conducted to determine the students' reasons for deciding to be vaccinated. Rates of hepatitis B immunization were significantly higher among students assigned to the intervention group (10.7%) than among the control group (1.9%). Vaccinated students were more likely than unvaccinated students to report having had 3 or more sexual partners in the past 6 months. Students at higher risk for hepatitis B infection were more likely than others to be vaccinated. Although the overall rate of immunization was low, informational letters about the hepatitis B virus and vaccine were found to be efficacious in increasing hepatitis B immunization rates among students in the setting of a concurrent educational campaign.

Research in college health. 4: Analyzing and communicating results.

The final article in this series on research in college health deals with the analysis and communication of research data. The authors introduce descriptive and inferential statistics and summarize the applicability of different types of statistical analysis to college health research. Two major means of conveying results, conference presentations and journal articles, are also described and some guidelines for the effective communication of findings are offered.

Research in college health. 3: Representative designs and their challenges.

This article explores three research designs common to college health investigations: survey, epidemiologic, and experimental. It identifies the varieties of research questions addressed by these designs and notes examples from clinical nursing/medicine, mental health, and health education topics. In addition, it summarizes the unique challenges encountered in each of these designs, including issues of sample selection, adequate measurement, and control.

Research in college health. 2: Designing the study.

Building upon an initial article, which described the processes of literature review and hypothesis development, the authors summarize issues of research design. General issues encountered by researchers in college health settings include the establishment of a clear research focus, selection of a representative and adequate study sample, use of reliable and valid measures, and adherence to professional ethics. Specific means of addressing these design concerns are summarized, using examples from college health research.

Effectiveness of low-dose colestipol therapy in patients with moderate hypercholesterolemia.

Recommended doses of bile-acid binding resins have an established hypocholesterolemic effect, but data on responses to low doses, especially in women and subjects with moderate hypercholesterolemia, are sparse. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial of 3 low doses of colestipol hydrochloride was conducted in women and men with moderate hypercholesterolemia. Men and women with plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations greater than 4 mmol/liter (155 mg/dl) and triglyceride concentrations less than 2.82 mmol/liter (250 mg/dl) were recruited for the study. Eligible patients (54 women and 98 men) were placed on the American Heart Association step I diet 6 weeks before randomization. Participants were subsequently assigned to 1 of 4 drug treatment groups (placebo, and 5, 10 and 15 g/day of colestipol in 2 divided doses) for an additional 12 weeks. Of the 152 patients randomized, 141 completed all aspects of the study. For the treatment groups--placebo, and 5, 10 and 15 g of colestipol--LDL cholesterol reductions (mmol/liter) were observed respectively (n = 141): 0.10 +/- 0.49 (2.7%), 0.65 +/- 0.41 (16.3%), 0.98 +/- 0.36 (22.8%) and 1.17 +/- 0.47 (27.2%) (p less than 0.001). Similar changes were observed in total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations. The apolipoprotein B/LDL cholesterol ratio increased significantly with increasing colestipol dosage. Modest but insignificant changes in plasma triglyceride levels occurred, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels remained unchanged. A dose of 5 g/day of colestipol achieved 51% of the LDL cholesterol reduction noted with 15 g/day. Low-dose colestipol therapy is effective in the treatment of patients with moderate hypercholesterolemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Research in college health. I: An introduction to the research process.

College health professionals are often intimidated by the research process and thus miss opportunities to develop and communicate their ideas. The present article, the first in a series on college health research, describes the basics of the research process, including the purpose and nature of research and the ways in which ideas are developed into research hypotheses. The process of reviewing research literature is described in detail, including methods for computerized searching.

Screening for hypercholesterolemia in college students.

Two national panels have recommended similar, specific strategies for detecting hypercholesterolemia: selective screening for children aged 2 to 19, and mass screening for individuals aged 20 and over. It is, however, unclear how best to apply these recommendations to a college student population. In order to determine which strategy is more efficient, this study compared mass with selective screening of college students for hypercholesterolemia. In the mass screening strategy, all entering students were asked to have their cholesterol levels measured and to provide other coronary risk factor information. In the selective screening strategy, all sophomores with a family history of heart disease were asked to participate in a risk factor screening program. In this study, mass screening identified more hypercholesterolemic students with less effort per case found than did selective screening. We recommend that college health practitioners consider mass screening programs to identify students who could benefit from coronary risk reduction.

Feasibility of large-scale cholesterol screening: experience with a portable capillary-blood testing device.

We conducted a voluntary cholesterol screening in a medical/occupational setting using the Eastman Kodak Ektachem (desk top) blood analyzer. In 10 hours, five technicians performed a finger-stick puncture on 1,081 screenees, 17.7 per cent of whom were classified as moderate-to-high risk. The cost per screenee was under $3; cost per moderate-to-high risk case was under $16. Turn-around time from check-in to report of result was under one hour. This project suggests the feasibility and acceptability of large-scale cholesterol blood screening.

The effect of visiting on psychiatric patients in a general hospital.

A study of the visiting patterns of a general hospital psychiatric unit was undertaken to determine what difference could be detected between visited and unvisited patients. The physical rehabilitation floor at the same hospital was used as a "control." The results indicate that no significant differences could be found between the two groups of psychiatric patients but that a surprisingly large number, 40%, were not visited at all. A comparison of the visiting rates to both services favors rehabilitation 2:1 with visitors coming from a much greater distance than to psychiatry. A discussion of the data raises questions about the social isolation of psychiatric patients. The dynamics of visiting are assessed in light of their tratment implications for patients in both the hospital and the community.