The critical factors for COVID-19 vaccination uptake are perceived vaccine effectiveness and the desire to protect others.

The proportion of the population vaccinated in Israel against COVID-19 in 2021 was significantly higher than that of the annual uptake rates of the influenza vaccine over time. Understanding the reasons behind the high vaccination rate may facilitate maintaining these rates if annual COVID-19 vaccination is required. Using a mixed-methods design, we characterized the individuals who were vaccinated and studied their attitudes toward vaccines and motivators for the COVID-19 vaccine. The first part was a cross-sectional study of adults aged 65 and over who were vaccinated against COVID-19. We stratified them according to their annual influenza vaccination patterns, and compared variables such as age, gender, health status, and timing of COVID-19 vaccination. The second part consisted of a questionnaire administered to a subsample of the above population, inquiring about vaccine hesitancy, motivators for vaccination, and intention to be vaccinated in the future. We found that motivating factors for COVID-19 vaccination are similar between those who regularly vaccinate against influenza and those who don't. Internal motivators such as perceived vaccine effectiveness and the desire to protect others were stronger than external rewards or sanctions. High adherence to annual influenza vaccine recommendations was associated with earlier COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Respondents with lower adherence to influenza vaccines were more likely to demonstrate higher levels of vaccine hesitancy. These factors should be addressed in future vaccination campaigns.

Continuity of care after attempted suicide: the primary care physicians' role.

BACKGROUND: Suicide prevention is an important public health concern, and primary care physicians (PCPs) often serve as the first point of contact for individuals at risk. Few interventions in the primary care setting have been linked to reduced suicide attempt (SA) rates. The Continuity of Care (COC) protocol was developed to improve the primary care treatment of high-risk suicidal patients. OBJECTIVES: This study examined PCPs' awareness of the COC protocol, its perceived effectiveness, and PCPs' attitudes towards post-SA-discharge visits. METHODS: A survey was administered to 64 PCPs who had a recent office visit with a patient who had attempted suicide. Data were collected between May and July 2021 and analyzed anonymously. RESULTS: Thirty of the 64 PCPs answered the questionnaires, giving a response rate of 47%. Most were unaware of the COC protocol. Seventeen physicians (57%) felt that the visit strengthened their physician-patient relationship, and while nearly half of the physicians (47%, n = 14) agreed they had the knowledge and tools to manage a post-SA-discharge visit, 43% of them (n = 13) preferred that the visit would have been handled by a mental health professional rather than a PCP. Analysis of open-ended questions uncovered three themes: knowledge gap, system limitation, and the PCP's role in maintaining the COC. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study highlighted the important role PCPs can play to prevent future SAs, as well as exposed gaps in the knowledge and system constraints that impede them from carrying out this role as effectively as possible.

Primary care physicians (PCPs) are often the first point of contact for individuals at risk of suicide and can play a critical role in suicide prevention. Our study examined the perceptions and attitudes of PCPs towards the Continuity of Care (COC) protocol, an intervention designed to improve primary care treatment of high-risk suicidal patients. The study surveyed 64 PCPs who had recently seen a patient who had attempted suicide, and 47% of them responded to the survey. While the study revealed areas for improvement, it also highlighted the perceived importance of the physician­patient relationship in preventing future suicide attempts. The study also revealed that many PCPs felt they had the knowledge and tools to manage a post-attempt discharge visit and that the visit strengthened their physician­patient relationship. However, the study also identified gaps in knowledge and system limitations that can impede PCPs from carrying out their role effectively. It is important to continue to improve training and support for PCPs in order to better equip them to handle high-risk suicidal patients and prevent future suicide attempts.

Public views on healthcare workers' burnout before and during COVID-19: A comparative study.

INTRODUCTION: Understanding burnout among nurses and physicians may mobilize public support for increasing budgets, personnel, and trust in both routine and pandemic times. The study aimed to examine public views of nurse and physician burnout both before and 1 year after the COVID-19 outbreak. DESIGN: This study was conducted in two phases in a pre-post design. METHODS: The general public (a random sample) responded to a structured questionnaire with 1-2 open-ended questions: (a) before the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2019 during routine life (n = 504) and (b) 1 year after the COVID-19 outbreak, in 2021 (n = 500). Quantitative and qualitative data on public perceptions of nurse and physician burnout, its sources and consequences, were collected. RESULTS: The public view was that hospital physicians and even more so hospital nurses suffer from higher burnout than those working in the community, and that this worsened during the pandemic. Three themes related to caregiver burnout were identified: (a) work overload, (b) lack of sensitivity, empathy, and motivation, and (c) impaired ability to provide quality care. CONCLUSIONS: The public is aware of the experiences of caregivers both in times of routine and in emergency. Healthcare management must influence public opinion in order to receive support for organizational steps. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Healthcare leaders should leverage public support in order to receive backing for organizational moves aimed at improving work conditions and, in turn, the quality of care and patient outcomes.

Real-world safety data for the Pfizer BNT162b2 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine: historical cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine showed a reassuring safety profile in clinical trials, but real-world data are scarce. Bell's palsy, herpes zoster, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and other neurological complaints in proximity to vaccination have received special public attention. We compared their rates among vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. METHODS: Individuals ≥16 years vaccinated with at least one dose of BNT162b2 were eligible for this historical cohort study in a health maintenance organization insuring 1.2 million citizens. Each vaccinee was matched to a non-vaccinated control by sex, age, population sector (general Jewish, Arab, ultra-orthodox Jewish) and comorbidities. Diagnosis of Covid-19 before or after vaccination was an exclusion criterion. The outcome was a diagnosis of Bell's palsy, GBS, herpes zoster or symptoms of numbness or tingling, coded in the visit diagnosis field using ICD-9 codes. Diagnoses of Bell's palsy and GBS were verified by individual file review. RESULTS: Of 406 148 individuals vaccinated during the study period, 394 609 (97.2%) were eligible (11 539 excluded). A total of 233 159 (59.1%) were matched with unvaccinated controls. Mean follow was 43 ± 15.14 days. In vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals there were 23 versus 24 cases of Bell's palsy (RR 0.96, CI 0.54-1.70), one versus zero cases of GBS, 151 versus 141 cases of herpes zoster (RR 1.07, CI 0.85-1.35) and 605 versus 497 cases of numbness or tingling (RR 1.22, CI 1.08-1.37), respectively. DISCUSSION: No association was found between vaccination, Bell's palsy, herpes zoster or GBS. Symptoms of numbness or tingling were more common among vaccinees. This study adds reassuring data regarding the safety of the BNT162b2 vaccine.

BNT162b2 Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing Asymptomatic Infection With SARS-CoV-2 Virus: A Nationwide Historical Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: There is strong evidence regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of the BNT162b2 vaccine in preventing symptomatic infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is a relative paucity of data regarding its effectiveness in the prevention of asymptomatic infection. METHODS: In this real-world observational study, we identified a subpopulation of individuals in a large health maintenance organization who were repeatedly tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We included these individuals in the study cohort and compared those who were vaccinated with BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine to unvaccinated individuals. A positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result was used as the outcome. The follow-up period was from January 1, 2021, until February 11, 2021. RESULTS: A total of 6286 individuals were included in the cohort. Seven days after the second vaccine dose, a rate of 6 positive PCR tests per 10 000 person-days was recorded, compared with a rate of 53 positive tests per 10 000 person-days for the unvaccinated group. The estimated vaccine effectiveness against infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus after 2 vaccine doses was 89% (95% CI, 82%-94%). The estimated effectiveness 2 weeks after the first vaccine dose was 61% (95% CI, 49%-71%). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, vaccination with BNT162b2 reduced infection rates among individuals who underwent screening by frequent SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing. Using a cohort of frequently tested individuals reduced the indication bias for the PCR testing, which enabled estimation of infection rates.

Survival benefit of coronary revascularization after myocardial perfusion SPECT: The role of ischemia.

BACKGROUND: Survival benefit of revascularization over medical therapy (MT) in patients with stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) is uncertain. We evaluated the prognostic effects of revascularization in patients with SIHD undergoing single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT-MPI). METHODS: Of 47,894 patients, 7973 had ischemia ≥ 5% of the left ventricle. Of these, 1837 underwent early revascularization (≤ 60 days after SPECT-MPI). The rest were MT subgroup. Follow-up period was 4.04 ± 1.86 years. Statin therapy intensity and adherence were assessed. Outcomes were all-cause mortality, death + non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and MACE [major adverse cardiac event = death + MI + late revascularization (> 60 days after SPECT-MPI)]. RESULTS: Among patients with moderate-severe ischemia (≥ 10%), death rate was lower in early revascularization compared to MT subgroup (1.42%/year vs 3.12%/year, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 0.67 (95% CI 0.50-0.90, P = .008). Death + MI and MACE rates were also lower, adjusted HR 0.69 (0.55-0.88, P = .003) and 0.80 (0.69-0.92, P = .003). Revascularization was beneficial in optimal statin therapy subgroup (death rate 1.04%/year vs 2.36%/year, adjusted HR 0.51 (0.30-0.86, P = .012). In mild ischemia (5%-9%), revascularization did not improve survival or MI-free survival, and was associated with higher MACE rate (8.86%/year vs 7.67%/year, adjusted HR 1.30 (1.12-1.52, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Compared to MT, revascularization was associated with reduced risk of death, death + MI, and MACE in patients with moderate-severe ischemia, incremental over optimal statin therapy. In mild ischemia, revascularization was associated with higher risk of MACE, driven by late revascularization, with no impact on death and death + MI.

Physicians' adherence to management guidelines for H. pylori infection and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a pivotal role in the management of illnesses of the digestive tract. The study aim was to assess the adherence of PCPs to the guidelines on the management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study during March-July 2017 using the survey platform of Maccabi Healthcare Services in Israel. The study questionnaire assessed adherence to the Maastricht/Florence guidelines on H. pylori infection and the American College of Gastroenterology guidelines on the management of GERD. We sent the study questionnaires to a random sample of 610 PCPs via electronic mails. We contacted those who did not respond by telephone; eventually 180 physicians completed the survey. RESULTS: Ninety (50%) and 60 (36%) of the responders reported using professional guidelines for the diagnosis and management of H. pylori infection and GERD, respectively. Of the 180 participants, 153 (85%) reported referring patients with suspected peptic ulcer disease to H. pylori testing, 109 (61%) reported referring patients with unexplained iron deficiency anemia and 83 (46%) refer relatives of gastric cancer patients. In caring for young patients who have dyspepsia without alarm symptoms, 127 (74%) reported referral to a urea breath test for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection, and 136 (81%) referral to a specialist in gastroenterology if alarm symptoms present. Triple therapy with proton pump inhibitors/clarithromycin/amoxicillin or metronidazole was reported as first-line therapy by 141 (83%) participants. For GERD, 94-98% of the participants followed the appropriate recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: We identified gaps between the practices of PCPs and the guidelines on H. pylori infection management, while guidelines on GERD management are well adopted. Simplification of the guidelines and exploring barriers towards their implementation by PCPs is warranted.

Associations of sociodemographic and clinical factors with perinatal depression among Israeli women: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal depression is a common problem that affects about 18% of women worldwide, though the heterogeneity between countries is great. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of perinatal depressive symptoms in a national sample of women in Israel, and to investigate associations of these symptoms with demographic, medical and lifestyle factors. METHODS: The study included all members of Maccabi Health Services, the second largest health maintenance organization in Israel, who filled the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during 2015-2016. Crude odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted ORs (aORs) are presented for associations of sociodemographic, medical and lifestyle factors with perinatal depressive symptoms, according to a score ≥ 10 on the EPDS. RESULTS: Of 27,520 women who filled the EPDS, 1346 (4.9%) met the criteria for perinatal depression. In a logistic regression analysis we found the following factors associated with perinatal depression: the use of antidepressant medications (aOR = 2.34, 95% CI 1.94-2.82, P < 0.001 and aOR = 3.44; 95% CI 2.99-3.97, P < 0.001 for ≤3 months and > 3 months respectively), a diagnosis of chronic diabetes mellitus (aOR = 2.04; 95% CI 1.22-3.43, P = 0.007), Arab background (aOR = 2.28; 95% CI 1.82-2.86, P < 0.001), current and past smoking (aOR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.35-1.94, P < 0.001 and aOR = 1.36; 95% CI 1.05-1.76, P = 0.021, respectively), and anaemia (aOR = 1.17; 95% CI 1.04-1.32, P = 0.011). Orthodox Jewish affiliation and residence in the periphery of the country were associated with lower perinatal depression (aOR = 0.48; 95% CI 0.36-0.63, P < 0.001 and aOR = 0.72; 95% CI 0.57-0.92, P = 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of perinatal depression in this study was 4.9%. Perinatal depression was associated with a number of demographic, medical and lifestyle factors, including the use of antidepressant medication, chronic diabetes mellitus, Arab background, current or past smoking, and anaemia. These risk factors may help identify women at risk of perinatal depression.

The Modifying Effect of Age on Survival in Parkinson's Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: To estimate the survival of a population-based cohort of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients stratified by age and sex over a 13-year period. METHODS: The dynamic PD cohort included 6,622 incident PD patients who initiated anti-parkinsonian medications at age >40 years. The reference population (n = 401,498) consisted of members of a large health maintenance organization. We estimated the PD patients' death risk and sex- and age-specific standardized mortality ratio (SMR). RESULTS: During a follow-up of 5.2 ± 3.3 years, 36% of the cohort died. Older age at first PD treatment was associated with a 55% increase in mortality (for 5-year increase, p < 0.01). More PD patients died when compared to the same age and sex reference population in all age groups, with significant results at age groups >60 years at first treatment. The age-pooled SMR was twofold (SMR for the males = 2.05, 95% CI 1.73-2.42; SMR females = 2.13, 95% CI 1.74-2.62). The highest excess death for males was 2.5-fold for those aged 60-69 years, decreasing to twofold for those in the age range 70-79 years and to 1.5-fold for those aged 80+ years. A similar trend was found among females. CONCLUSION: Our large-scale cohort enabled us to find an age-differential standardized death risk among PD patients, with the largest increased risk at ages 60-69 years. Comorbidities and other contributory factors warrant further investigation.

Anemia in men and increased Parkinson's disease risk: A population-based large scale cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between anemia and Parkinson's disease risk (PD) in men and women. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 474,129 individuals (aged 40-79 years at date of first Hb test, 47.4% men) with repeated Hb levels was derived from a large Healthcare Maintenance Organization that serves 2 million citizens in Israel (study-period 1.1.1999-31.12.2012). An annual anemia indicator [Hb levels (g/dL) for men <13; for women <12.0] was assessed for each individual and they were followed from first Hb test until the date of PD incidence, death or end of the study. Cox-proportional hazards models, stratified by sex and age, with time-dependent anemia covariate were used to estimate adjusted Hazard Ratio with 95% of confidence intervals (HR, 95%CI) for PD. RESULTS: During a mean follow up of 8.8 ±â€¯3.9 years (7.0 ±â€¯3.6 for men and 7.9 ±â€¯4.1 for women), 2427 incident PD cases were detected. Cumulative PD incidence at ages over 65 years was 3.3%. The mean levels of Hb at baseline was 14.8 ±â€¯1.1 g/dL among men; 12.8 ±â€¯1.1 g/dL among women. Anemia was associated with significant PD risk among men, age-pooled HR = 1.19 (95%CI: 1.04-1.37), with the highest risk between ages 60-64 years [HR = 1.41 (95%CI: 1.03-1.93)]. Anemia was not associated with PD risk among women across all age-groups. The age-pooled HR for women was 1.02 (95%CI 0.95-1.09). CONCLUSIONS: The finding that anemia was associated with PD risk in men, especially in middle age, warrants further investigations on common pathophysiologic processes between Hb abnormalities and brain dysfunction.

Survey of family doctors' attitudes towards statin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: Clinical guidelines advocate that cardiovascular benefits of statin treatment overweigh the risk of impairment of glucose metabolism. The aim of the study was to examine the attitudes of family doctors towards statin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We disseminated a questionnaire examining doctors' attitudes to existing clinical guidelines and the factors leading to a doctor's decision to prescribe statins to diabetic patients. RESULTS: Clinical policy and guidelines were defined by doctors as having the greatest influence on the decision to prescribe statins for diabetic patients particularly by salaried doctors in comparison to self-employed doctors (χ2 = 9.138, df = 3, p ≤ 0.01). When considering the ways healthcare services can assist cholesterol control, monetary compensation yielded higher importance by young doctors compared to mature doctors (χ2 = 8.15, df = 2, p ≤ 0.01), while nursing services in the clinic yielded higher importance by mature doctors in comparison to younger doctors(χ2 = 13.7, df = 2, p ≤ 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Doctors defined a list of priorities for organizational support mechanisms that are likely to lead to the formation of an intervention plan for increasing the percentage of balanced cholesterol levels in patients with diabetes.

Higher serum cholesterol and decreased Parkinson's disease risk: A statin-free cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Higher levels of serum cholesterol are well-established risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke. The role of serum cholesterol in neurodegeneration is not clear. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the association between serum cholesterol levels over time and the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) among statin-free individuals. METHODS: A population-based cohort study of 261,638 statin-free individuals (aged 40-79 years at their first serum cholesterol test, 42.7% men), with repeated measures of total, low, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was performed from 1999 to 2012. Individuals were followed from their first cholesterol test until PD incidence, death, or end of study. The PD incidence was assessed using a validated antiparkinsonian-drug tracing approach. Cox models stratified by sex and age with time-dependent cholesterol variables were applied to estimate PD hazard ratios. RESULTS: A total of 764 (3.3% patients aged 65 + years) incident PD cases were detected during a mean follow-up of 7.9 (±3.6) years. Among men, the middle and upper tertiles of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to the lowest were significantly associated with a lower PD risk. Age-pooled hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for middle and upper tertiles were 0.82 (0.66-1.01) and 0.71 (0.55-0.93), respectively, for total cholesterol, and 0.80 (0.65-0.98) and 0.72 (0.54-0.95) respectively, for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Among women, the association between total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels with PD risk was not significant. Null results were found for both sexes for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol among men over time indicated a decreased PD risk. The potential role of cholesterol in disease protection warrants further investigation. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Statin adherence and the risk of Parkinson's disease: A population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: While experimental data provided some compelling evidence on the benefits of statins on dopaminergic neurons, observational studies reported conflicting results regarding the potential of statins to effect the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between changes in statin adherence over time and PD risk. METHODS: A population-based cohort of new statin users (ages 40-79, years 1999-2012) was derived from a large Israeli healthcare services organization. Data included history of statin purchases and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Personal statin adherence was measured annually by the proportion of days covered (PDC). PD was detected employing a drug-tracer approach. Stratified (by sex, LDL-C levels at baseline and age) Cox proportional hazards models with time-dependent covariates were used to compute adjusted Hazard Ratio (HR) with 95%CI. RESULTS: The cohort included 232,877 individuals, 49.3% men. Mean age at first statin purchase was 56.5 (±9.8) years for men and 58.7 (±9.2) years for women. PDC distribution for the whole follow up period differed between men and women: medians 58.3% and 54.1% respectively. During a mean follow up of 7.6 (±3.4) years, 2,550 (1.1%) PD cases were identified. In a 1-year lagged analysis, we found no association between annual statin adherence and PD risk in all age-groups regardless of statin type and potency. Age-pooled HR (95%CI) for men and women with LDL-C levels at baseline ≤160mg/dL were: 0.99 (0.99-1.01), 1.01 (1.00-1.02); and for men and women with LDL-C >160mg/dL levels: 0.99 (0.98-1.01), 0.97 (0.98-1.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that statin adherence over time does not affect PD risk. Future studies should use large-scale cohorts and refining assessments of long-term profiles in statin adherence.

Comparison of Selegiline and Rasagiline Therapies in Parkinson Disease: A Real-life Study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare indicators of Parkinson disease (PD) progression between patients first prescribed either selegiline or rasagiline as their antiparkinsonian drugs (APDs) on the basis of real-life data. METHODS: Pharmacy data on members of a large Israeli health maintenance organization, treated as patients with PD during 2001-2012 and prescribed selegiline or rasagiline as their first APD, were analyzed. The first APD was selegiline for 349 patients (2001-2006) and rasagiline for 485 patients (2007-2012). Time from monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor prescription until initiating treatment with dopamine agonists (DAs) or levodopa was compared between the groups using Cox regression adjusted to sex and age at initiation of APD. RESULTS: The selegiline group was significantly older at first monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor purchase. In a similar follow-up time (3.0 [1.7] year for selegiline group, 3.1 y [1.4] for rasagiline group), the time to initiation of levodopa treatment did not differ between the 2 groups (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86-1.31). The time to initiation of DA treatment was longer in the selegiline group (adjusted HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.49-2.53). For those who were treated with DA before levodopa (n = 276), the time to initiation of levodopa treatment was longer in the rasagiline group (adjusted HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.56-1.07). CONCLUSIONS: The similarity in time to levodopa in both groups suggests no differences between selegiline and rasagiline in their effect on the natural history of PD. A possible interaction effect between rasagiline and DA might exist. A better symptomatic profile of selegiline more than that of rasagiline in the earlier stages of PD may explain the difference between the 2 groups in time to DA initiation.

Cancer incidence among Parkinson's disease patients in a 10-yrs time-window around disease onset: A large-scale cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidences of any cancer and specific types among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a 10-yrs time window around diagnosis, to that of the general population. METHODS: We conducted a population-based, retrospective large-scale cohort study on 7125 newly diagnosed PD patients who had just initiated anti-parkinsonian medications between 1.1.2000 and 12.31.2012; all members of Maccabi Health Services (MHS), a large Israeli HMO. Cancer incidence during the same period was collected from MHS cancer-registry. Standardized-Incidence-Ratio (SIR) accounting for age, chronological-year and sex were calculated to compare cancer risks of PD patients to that of MHS population. RESULTS: The PD cohort (54% males) had a mean age at initiation of anti-parkinsonian medications of 71.2 ± 10.3years. In a time-window of 6.6 ± 3.4years before and 4.0 ± 3.9years after PD was first treated, 21% of the men and 15% of the women were diagnosed with incident-cancer. We found no-difference in any cancer risk for the PD cohort compared to the reference population: SIR = 0.99 (95%CI: 0.92-1.06) for males and 0.98 (95%CI: 0.89-1.07) for females. Risks for lung and colon cancers in the PD cohort were significantly lower for both sexes compared to the reference population. Risks for breast, central nervous system, kidney, leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, ovarian, pancreatic, prostatic, rectal and thyroid were similar for the two populations. The SIRs did not differ between the sexes. CONCLUSIONS: We found no difference in the risk of any-type of cancer among PD patients compared to the general population, focusing on 10yrs time-window around the initiation of anti-parkinsonian medications.

Minority status and health information search: a test of the social diversification hypothesis.

Group differences in the search of health information were investigated, to test the diversification hypothesis that argues that disadvantaged groups in society will be more likely to use the Internet and computer mediated communication to access health information to compensate for their lack of social capital. Data were gathered from a sample of Internet users representative of the percentage of minorities in the general population in Israel (n = 1371). The results provide partial support for the hypothesis, indicating that in multicultural societies disadvantaged groups show greater motivation to use the Internet to access medical information than the majority group. We interpreted our findings as suggesting that minority groups that do not have access to specialized networks use the Internet to overcome their lack of access to specialized information. Implications of the finding are discussed.

Prevalence, risk factors and preventive strategies in work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Israeli physical therapists.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although physical therapists (PTs) have extensive knowledge of body mechanisms and injury prevention, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD) are quite common in this population. The purposes of this study were: to determine the prevalence and impact of WRMD among Israeli PTs; to investigate WRMD risk factors and to identify preventive strategies used by PTs; and to compare the risk of injuries in two professional settings: rehabilitation centres (RCs) and outpatient clinics (OPCs). METHOD: A validated, modified Cromie questionnaire, translated into Hebrew, was distributed to the PTs at their workplaces. The relationship between WRMD symptoms and professional settings was analysed by Pearson chi-square. The risk models were developed by logistic regression. One hundred and twelve PTs working in OPCs and RCs who defined themselves as healthy individuals were the subjects of this study. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of WRMD was 83%. The highest prevalence of WRMD was in the lower back area (80%). Rehabilitation treatment was associated with an increased risk of lower back (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05) and shoulder symptoms (OR = 1.04); manual treatment was associated with an increased risk of wrist/thumb symptoms (OR = 1.11). DISCUSSION: Work in RCs was associated with an increased prevalence of lower back/shoulder symptoms, whereas work in OPCs was associated with an increased prevalence of thumb/wrist symptoms. PT's used different strategies to reduce risk of WRMD, including altering practice technique. The respondents recommended administrative and ergonomic changes in the workplace. CONCLUSION: Workplace-specific interventions to reduce WRMD in PTs should be developed and tested in future studies.

Can a nationwide media campaign affect antibiotic use?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nationwide media campaign to reduce antibiotic overuse among children. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational study of the pediatric population of a health maintenance organization (HMO) comparing antibiotic use during the baseline (November 2004-February 2005) and study (November 2005-February 2006) periods. METHODS: During January 2006 the HMO conducted a media campaign to increase public awareness of the risks of misusing antibiotics, particularly for influenza-like diseases. Antibiotic purchasing rates during specific periods in the study winter were compared with those during corresponding periods in the baseline winter among children diagnosed with upper respiratory infection (URI), otitis media (OM), or pharyngitis. After the intervention, a random subset of the study population was surveyed by telephone to estimate the level of exposure to the campaign and attitudes toward antibiotic use. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 101,401 children in the baseline winter and 84,979 in the study winter. We noted reductions in antibiotic purchasing for URI, OM, and pharyngitis during the postintervention period compared with the preintervention period (URI odds ratio [OR] = 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.69, 0.81; OM OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.59, 0.72; pharyngitis OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.89, 0.97). Parents of children with URI exposed to the media campaign were more likely to agree with standards of appropriate antibiotic use than parents not exposed (F(1) = 4.18, P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: A media campaign aimed at changing patient behavior can contribute to reducing the rate of inappropriate antibiotic use.