Publications

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the association of risk factors for breast cancer with reported follow-up procedures after abnormal mammography among diverse women.

METHODS

Women ages 40--80 years were recruited from four clinical sites after receiving a screening mammography result that was classified as abnormal but probably benign, suspicious or highly suspicious, or indeterminate using standard criteria. A telephone-administered survey asked about breast cancer risk factors (family history, estrogen use, physical inactivity, age of menarche, age at birth of first child, parity, alcohol use), and self-reported use of diagnostic tests (follow-up mammogram, breast ultrasound, or biopsy).

RESULTS

Nine hundred and seventy women completed the interview, mean age was 56, 42% were White, 19% Latina, 25% African American, and 15% Asian. White women were more likely to have a positive family history (20%), use estrogen (32%), be nulliparous (17%) and drink alcohol (62%). Latinas were more likely to be physically inactive (93%), African Americans to have early onset of menarche (53%) and Asians first child after age 30 (21%). White women were more likely to have suspicious mammograms (40%) and to undergo biopsy (45%). In multivariate models, Latinas were more likely to report breast ultrasound, physical inactive women reported fewer follow-up mammograms, and care outside the academic health center was associated with fewer biopsies. Indeterminate and suspicious mammography interpretations were significantly associated with more biopsy procedures (OR=8.4; 95% CI=3.8-18.5 and OR=59; 95% CI=35-100, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Demographic profile and breast cancer risk factors have little effect on self-reported use of diagnostic procedures following an abnormal mammography examination. Level of mammography abnormality determines diagnostic evaluation but variance by site of care was observed.

OBJECTIVE

To explore messages of psychosocial needs satisfaction in cigarette advertising targeting women and implications for tobacco control policy.

METHODS

Analysis of internal tobacco industry documents and public advertising collections.

RESULTS

Tobacco industry market research attempted to identify the psychosocial needs of different groups of women, and cigarette advertising campaigns for brands that women smoke explicitly aimed to position cigarettes as capable of satisfying these needs. Such positioning can be accomplished with advertising that downplays or excludes smoking imagery. As women's needs change with age and over time, advertisements were developed to reflect the needs encountered at different stages in women's lives. Cigarette brands for younger women stressed female camaraderie, self confidence, freedom, and independence; cigarette brands for older women addressed needs for pleasure, relaxation, social acceptability, and escape from daily stresses.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychosocial needs satisfaction can be communicated without reference to cigarettes or smoking. This may explain why partial advertising bans are ineffective and comprehensive bans on all forms of tobacco marketing are effective. Counter-advertising should attempt to expose and undermine the needs satisfaction messages of cigarette advertising campaigns directed at women.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Associations of insurance coverage and source of care with use of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related health, mental health, and substance abuse services are examined in a large, diverse, highly active antiretroviral therapy-era cohort.

METHODS

Adults who were infected with HIV (n = 3818) were interviewed in clinics and community agencies in Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, and San Francisco regarding drug use behaviors, health status, and health care utilization.

RESULTS

Most participants were insured by Medicaid. During the previous 3 months, 90% of privately insured, 87% of publicly insured, and 78% of uninsured participants had visited any provider. Publicly and privately insured participants were similar in receipt of antiretrovirals, prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, substance abuse services, and antidepressants. Uninsured participants were less likely to receive antiretrovirals but were more likely to use substance abuse services. Participants with no usual source of care were less likely to receive PCP prophylaxis.

CONCLUSIONS

A lack of insurance is associated with barriers to care, but the advantage of private over public coverage appears smaller than in previous studies. PCP prophylaxis, substance abuse treatment, and antidepressants remain markedly underutilized. Educational initiatives about these treatments targeting providers and patients are indicated.

The binding of bacteria to platelets is a postulated central event in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. Platelet binding by Streptococcus gordonii is mediated in large part by GspB, a high-molecular-mass cell wall glycoprotein. Although Staphylococcus aureus has a GspB homolog (SraP), little is known about its function. SraP has a calculated molecular mass of 227 kDa and, like GspB, is predicted to contain an atypical N-terminal signal sequence, two serine-rich repeat regions (srr1 and srr2) separated by a nonrepeat region, and a C-terminal cell wall anchoring motif (LPDTG). To assess whether SraP contributes to platelet binding, we compared the binding to human platelets of S. aureus strain ISP479C and of an isogenic variant (strain PS767) in which sraP had been disrupted by allelic replacement. Platelet binding in vitro by PS767 was 47% +/- 17% (mean +/- standard deviation) lower than that of ISP479C (P < 0.001). In addition, a recombinant fragment of SraP containing srr1 and the nonrepeat region was found to bind platelets directly. Binding was saturable, suggesting a receptor-ligand interaction. When tested in a rabbit model of endocarditis, in which each animal was simultaneously infected with ISP479C and PS767 at a ratio of approximately 1:1, the titers of the mutant strain within vegetations were significantly lower than those of the parent strain at 1 and 24 h postinfection. These results indicate that SraP can mediate the direct binding of S. aureus to platelets and that the platelet-binding domain of this glycoprotein is located within its N-terminal region. Moreover, the expression of SraP appears to be a virulence determinant in endovascular infection.

A recent study has provided important clues towards the identity of the host genes that conspire to promote post-integration latency of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Various genes controlling transcription, histone deacetylation and proteasome-mediated protein degradation have emerged as potential players. If the desired, but difficult, goal of complete virus eradication in HIV-infected patients is ever to be realized, the latent reservoir of HIV proviruses must be cleared. Understanding the molecular basis for viral latency is the key first step.