Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1947.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1939.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1942. / Reproduced from type-written copy. "References" at end of chapters II-Iv.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1947.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1939.

Thesis (M.A.) in Mathematics and Statistics--University of Maine, 2002. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 45).

No description available.

BACKGROUND:Heart failure is sometimes incorrectly listed as the underlying cause of death (UCD) on death certificates, thus compromising the accuracy and comparability of mortality statistics. Statistical redistribution of the UCD has been used to examine the effect of misclassification of the UCD attributed to heart failure, but sex- and race-specific redistribution of deaths on coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality in the United States has not been examined.METHODS:We used coarsened exact matching to infer the UCD of vital records with heart failure as the UCD from 1999 to 2010 for decedents 55years old and older from states encompassing regions under surveillance by the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study (Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, and North Carolina). Records with heart failure as the UCD were matched on decedent characteristics (five-year age groups, sex, race, education, year of death, and state) to records with heart failure listed among the multiple causes of death. Each heart failure death was then redistributed to plausible UCDs proportional to the frequency among matched records.RESULTS:After redistribution the proportion of deaths increased for CHD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertensive heart disease, and cardiomyopathy, P<0.001. The percent increase in CHD mortality after redistribution was the highest in Mississippi (12%) and lowest in Maryland (1.6%), with variations by year, race, and sex. Redistribution proportions for CHD were similar to CHD death classification by a panel of expert reviewers in the ARIC study.CONCLUSIONS:Redistribution of ill-defined UCD would improve the accuracy and comparability of mortality statistics used to allocate public health resources and monitor mortality trends.

Objetivo: Discutir criticamente, descrever e analisar os dados de óbitos infantis disponibilizados pelos serviços públicos da província de Cabinda-Angola. Método: Foram estudados nascimentos vivos em hospitais da província de Cabinda, e óbitos de menores de um ano de idade, nos anos 2007 e 2008. Como fonte de dados foram utilizados os registrados nos livros de registro dos hospitais municipais, d o hospital provincial e do escritório provincial da OMS de Cabinda. Os dados são contextualizados pela experiência do autor como habitante da região. Resultados: Os resultados deste trabalho mostram que em 2008 morreram mais crianças no primeiro dia de vida (109) que nos 11 meses restantes (97). Contudo, evidencia-se que 200 óbitos (54,64 por cento ) ocorreram em menores de 28 dias de idade em 2007 enquanto que para o mesmo período em 2008 morreram 178 crianças, Quanto às causas básicas de mortes infantis, a malária é destacada como principal causa. Isoladamente a malária responde aproximadamente por uma morte a cada três crianças falecidas. Dentre as doenças evitáveis por vacinação, o tétano responde por cerca de 5 por cento das mortes. Entre as doenças controláveis por saneamento básico, as diarréias ocupam posição de destaque 9,83 por cento em 2007 e 3,27 por cento em 2008. A redução de 65 para 40 óbitos por pneumonia entre as crianças inscreve-a como segunda ou terceira causa mais importante de óbito entre as crianças cabindenses, partilhando espaço com a asfixia neonatal (17,75 por cento em 2007 e 26,90 por cento em 2008). Apesar das dificuldades e limitantes da qualidade das informações encontradas durante a coleta de dados, buscou-se valorizar as existentes e que foram analisa das neste trabalho. Conclusões: Os resultados obtidos indicam que em Cabinda, melhorias na qualidade de assistência pré-natal, ao parto e ao recém-nascido de risco, poderiam reduzir ainda que parcialmente a Mortalidade Infantil. Fatores como condições inadequadas de abastecimento de água, falta de saneamento básico, dentre outros, revelaram ter papel importante como condicionantes da elevada Mortalidade Infantil observada em Cabinda. Apesar de ser atraente priorizar investimentos dos recursos em ações curativas, este trabalho reforça a perspectiva revisitar as políticas locais de Saúde e priorizar as atividades preventivas nos municípios da grande Cabinda. Assim, sugere-se a implantação de uma rede primária de assistência à saúde e um investimento permanente na melhoria da qualidade das informações de Saúde / Objective: To critically discuss, describe and analyze the infant deaths data available for public services in the province of Cabinda-Angola. Method: A total of live births in hospitals in the province of Cabinda, and deaths of children under one year of age, in years 2007 and 2008. The data source were used those recorded on the records of municipal hospitals, the provincial hospital and the provincial office of WHO in Cabinda. The data are contextualized by the author\'s experience as an inhabitant of the region. Results: The results of this study suggested that in 2008 more children died in the first days of life (109) than in the remaining 11 months (97). However, it is clear that 200 deaths (54.64 per cent ) occurred in children younger than 28 day- old in 2007 while for the same period in 2008 died 178 children. As the root causes of child deaths, malaria is highlighted as the main cause. Malaria alone accounts for approximately one death every three children who die. Among the vaccinepreventable diseases, tetanus accounts for about 5 per cent of deaths. Among the diseases controlled by sanitation, diarrhea, occupy a prominent position in 2007, 9.83 per cent and 3.27 per cent in 2008. The reduction from 65 to 40 deaths from pneumonia among children falls as the second or third most important cause of death among children Cabinda, sharing space with neonatal asphyxia (17.75 per cent in 2007 and 26.90 per cent in 2008). Despite the difficulties, limiting the quality of information found during the data collection, we sought to enhance existing ones, which were analyzed in this work. Conclusions: The results indicate that in Cabinda, improvements in quality of prenatal care, childbirth and the newborn at risk, even partially could reduce infant mortality. Factors such as inadequate water supply, poor sanitation, among others, were found to have important role as determinants of high infant mortality observed in Cabinda. Despite being attractive investments prioritize resources on curative actions, this work reinforces the perspective of revisit policies and prioritize local health preventive activities in the great area of Cabinda. Thus, we suggest the establishment of a network of primary health care and an ongoing investment to improve the quality of information on Health

Birthweight is one of the most important health indicators for a newborn infant. Birthweight at either the lower or higher end is associated with adverse health outcomes in later life. In recent years, birthweight distribution in the United States has shifted to the lower end. This dissertation uses US vital statistics data from 1989 to 2007 to document recent birthweight trends in the US and examines the possible causes behind the trends. Results are reported for all births and by race/ethnicity/nativity. Descriptive analysis suggests that the lowering birthweight trend is the result of the rapid increase of lower-birthweight multiple births and decreasing birthweight among singleton births. The lowering birthweight is reflected in all birthweight measures. Low-birthweight rate is rising, mean birthweight is declining, and the proportion of macrosomic infants is decreasing. While this trend is most pronounced among US-born non-Hispanic whites and least among non-Hispanic blacks, it is prevalent among all race/ethnicity/nativity groups. Regression results suggest that much of the birthweight trend can be explained by shortened gestational age but common maternal socio-demographic, health and behavioral, and health care and medical intervention factors cannot fully explain the birthweight trend. Regression decomposition concludes that both the trends in maternal factors and the changes in the effects of these factors on birthweight contribute to the birthweight trend. Trend in gestational age is the biggest contributor, contributing more than 100% to the birthweight trend, while improvement in education, reduction of smoking during pregnancy and improvement in prenatal care have slowed down the birthweight decrease. Further research needs to be done to identify factors leading to the recent birthweight trend that are not available from the vital statistics. / text