| |
 |
|
News and Events
 |
|
|
General News |
Health Risk Behaviors Associated With Lower Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Awareness --Findings also suggest less prostate screening likely -- August 11, 2008 -- According to a study conducted at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, health risk behaviors such as smoking and obesity are associated with lower awareness of the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), which could lead to a lower likelihood of undergoing actual prostate cancer screening. Although previous studies have explored predictors of PSA test awareness, this is the first research to focus on health risk behaviors, such as smoking, physical inactivity, obesity, and excessive alcohol consumption. The study findings were reported in the August issue of The Journal of Urology. Awareness of PSA testing is considered an important cognitive precursor of prostate cancer screening and it was found to contribute to differences in prostate cancer screening rates. Earlier studies have suggested that persons who seek out cancer information are more likely to acquire knowledge, demonstrate healthy behaviors, and undergo cancer screening. According to the Mailman School study, a quarter of the men older than 50 years without a history of prostate cancer who were among the population of 7,000 men studied, remain unaware of the PSA test. “Our primary findings suggested that smoking, physical inactivity and obesity are inversely associated with awareness of the PSA test. These risk behaviors are linked with higher prostate cancer morbidity and mortality,” said Firas S. Ahmed, MD, MPH, Mailman School of Public Health, and first author. This finding may be due to a general lack of concern about health maintenance or less interactions with health care providers by smokers, according to Dr. Ahmed. |
Researchers Find Early Cessation or Continued Breast-Feeding by HIV-Infected Women in Low-Resource Settings Give Comparable Child Survival at 24 Months July 24, 2008 – A new study by researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health addresses one of the most challenging issues in infant health and preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission in poor countries. In these settings, HIV-infected mothers had been advised that for the best outcome for their infants, they should exclusively breast-feed, followed by a rapid weaning four to six months after birth. But according to the study conducted in Lusaka, Zambia by Mailman School researchers, which was published in the July 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, abrupt cessation of breast-feeding by HIV+ mothers after the first four months of life did not result in any statistically significant benefit to infants in terms of HIV-free survival at 24 months, compared to those infants who were weaned at an average of 16 months of age (68.4% versus 64%). A further finding from the study indicated that infants who were HIV+ at four months of age had significantly higher death rates by 24 months if they were abruptly weaned than if breast-feeding were continued (74% versus 55%). Among infants who were breast- fed and not infected with HIV at four months, there was no statistically significant difference in HIV-free survival at 24 months — 84 percent for those who stopped breast- feeding early compared to 81 percent who continued to breast- feed. The study included 958 women with HIV and their infants. The proportion of new HIV infections between four and 24 months was not significantly different between the children whose mother abruptly stopped breast-feeding and those whose mothers continued to breast-feed indefinitely, and no significant differences were found in survival between them. Seventy-six percent of infants whose mothers stopped breast-feeding at four months survived to 24 months of age versus 75 percent of infants whose mothers continued breast- feeding for as long as the women chose. Four months was selected as the weaning time because this was the minimum duration of exclusive breast-feeding that was recommended at the time the study was designed. |
Prevalence of Pre-Cancerous Masses in the Colon Same in Patients in their 40s and 50s --New findings point to potential to begin colon cancer screening at a younger age-- June 9, 2008 -- The prevalence of pre-cancerous masses in the colon is the same for average-risk patients who are 40 to 49 years of age and those who are 50 to 59 years of age, according to a study published in the current issue of Gastroenterology, the journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. In comparing colonoscopy results by age group, the team of scientists found that in the 40 to 49 age group, 79 patients, or 14 percent, had one or more adenoma or pre-cancerous growth. Similarly, the 50 to 59 age group had 56 patients, or 16 percent, with one or more adenoma. Data from a centralized digital medical record system were analyzed by a team of researchers led by Alfred I. Neugut, MD, PhD, professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health and professor of medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and head of cancer prevention and control for the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and Andrew Rundle, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health. The researchers reviewed 553 screening colonoscopies for patients ages 40 to 49 and 352 screening colonoscopies for patients ages 50 to 59. Individuals who could be deemed "high-risk" because of a family history of colon cancer, a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, or any malignancy other than skin cancer were excluded from the sample. Currently, standard protocol recommends screening patients age 50 and over for colon cancer based on the increasing incidence of colon cancer at that age. Because observational studies have shown that it takes a decade for adenomas to develop and progress to cancer, the increase in colon cancer prevalence in the over-50 age group, in fact, may be the result of undetected adenomas that were present in the individuals in their 40s. |
Ezra Susser, MD, DrPH, Receives Distinguished Investigator Award from NARSAD April 16, 2008 -- Ezra Susser, MD, DrPH, Anna Cheskis Gelman and Murray Charles Gelman Professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health and professor of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, was awarded a 2008 Distinguished Investigator Award from NARSAD, the world's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to mental health research. Dr. Susser was selected for a study on famine and the genetics of schizophrenia taking place in China. The $100,000 award will allow Dr. Susser and an international team of researchers including Mary Claire King (University of Washington School of Medicine), David St. Clair (University of Aberdeen) and Lin He (Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences) to continue their research on the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to maternal famine increases subsequent risk of schizophrenia, and to better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying this disorder. The scientists are looking at genetic mutations among persons in China exposed in utero to the 1959-1960 famine and are collecting diagnostic data and DNA samples to evaluate these variations. Although the initial sample will include about 60 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and their relatives, the research group is also planning for additional funding to assess a much larger sample and appropriate control groups. In an August 2006 paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Dr. Susser and coauthors, Mary-Claire King and Jack McClellan, discussed how persons conceived during the height of two 20th Century famines experienced increased risk of schizophrenia, compared with unexposed persons, and new developments in uncovering the possible genetic bases. Concurrent to this work, Dr. Susser oversees a series of studies in the United States, known as the Prenatal Determinants of Schizophrenia (PDS), which is connected to a larger program of lifecourse and birth cohort research focused on early influences on adult health. Dr. Susser is also director of the Imprints Center for Genetic and Environmental Lifecourse Studies, at the Mailman School of Public Health and New York State Psychiatric Institute. |
PROGRESS REPORTED IN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SURVEILLANCE BUT GAPS REMAIN, ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS AT THE MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH July 16, 2007 -- The key to control any pandemic is early identification and rapid response. Although considerable progress has been made in global infectious disease surveillance, few scientists are optimistic that an effective early warning system is in place, and many gaps remain, according to researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. A paper entitled “Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Health Intelligence,” in the July/August issue of Health Affairs, calls for increasing resources for improved coordination and sharing of information, and additional research to develop the most rigorous triggers for action. Current concerns about the spread of infectious diseases, especially unexpected, emerging infections, have renewed focus on the critical importance of global early warning and rapid response. “The development of effective, interconnected systems of infectious disease surveillance is essential to our survival,” said Stephen S. Morse, PhD, associate professor of clinical Epidemiology in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School, and the paper’s author. “Fortunately, while the increasing availability of communications and information technologies worldwide does offer new opportunities for reporting even in low-capacity settings, resource constraints remain the missing elements for much of the world.” These information technologies include the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED), a scientist-to-scientist network connecting more than 30,000 subscribers in 155 countries, and the World Health Organization’s Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN). According to Dr. Morse, it is likely that the emergence of “novel” infections such as SARS, H5NI influenza and HIV/AIDS will continue and possibly even increase in the future, making early warning increasingly critical. “Unfortunately the outlook for global surveillance capabilities is variable in most of the world and varies from weak to virtually nonexistent.” He attributes the limited global capabilities to a combination of factors including health’s low priority on government agendas and the delayed reporting of disease information. “Governments are often reluctant to report disease information for fear of political embarrassment, economic repercussions, or concern that it may make the government look ineffectual,” noted Dr. Morse. He also suggests that infectious disease activities may fall victim to overall competition for limited public health resources. |
Alcohol Abuse and Dependence Remain High; Low Treatment Rates Persist, According to Mailman School of Public Health Study July 12, 2007 -- Almost a third of U.S. adults have abused alcohol during their lifetimes, and most said they didn't get treatment, according to a study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. People aged 30 to 44 showed the highest rate of abuse, and men were more than twice as likely as women to report struggling with a drinking problem, according to a survey of 43,093 people. Only 24% of those who reported being dependent said they got treatment. About 18% of adults reported abusing alcohol during their lifetimes, and almost 13% said They had become dependent on it, a condition defined by heightened tolerance and physical withdrawal symptoms when individuals stop heavy drinking. Alcohol abuse was defined by researchers as drinking particularly tied to hazardous use, including driving and drinking, as well as to legal and interpersonal problems. Dependence was tied to unsuccessful repeated efforts to cut down or stop, withdrawal symptoms, and considerable disability. “Treatments for alcohol dependence are as effective as treatments for many other medical conditions. Yet, most of the individuals surveyed reported not receiving the treatment they needed,” noted Deborah Hasin, PhD, lead author and professor of clinical Epidemiology in Psychiatry at the Mailman School’s Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and New York State Psychiatric Institute. “The rate of treatment has been at a standstill since the early 1990s. With U.S. costs for alcohol misuse estimated at $184.6 billion, health officials need to increase awareness of the dangers of alcoholism and the improved therapies available,” said Dr. Hasin. The research also found 8.5% of adults reported either abusing alcohol or becoming dependent within the past 12 months. Current alcohol abuse was more prevalent among men, white people and younger and unmarried people. According to the study, alcohol abuse developed at an average age of 22.5. The study was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and published in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. |
Cigarette Use May Explain Asthma Epidemic in Children, May 21, 2007 -- The rise in cigarette use by adults over the past century may explain the asthma epidemic in children according to a study by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health. The study is published this month in Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). The prevalence of asthma has increased at least threefold during the past several decades, but the cause for this remains unknown, said author Renee D. Goodwin, PhD, MPH, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health,. The increase is occurring most prominently in industrialized countries, but now developing countries are beginning to experience similar increases. “We have identified parallel increases in childhood asthma and cigarette use among adults during the past century in the United States. These parallel trends suggest that the increase in cigarette use may be a contributing factor to the rise in asthma among children during the same period through increased exposure to environmental tobacco smoke,” said Dr. Goodwin. |
Focus on “Down Low” Lifestyle May Hinder HIV Prevention, According to Mailman School of Public Health Study February 28, 2007 -- Depictions of the so-called “down low” or “DL” lifestyle may unwittingly influence health research and hamper HIV prevention efforts in the African-American community. Researchers from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, in collaboration with the University of North Carolina and Duke University, sent that caution to colleagues in a commentary published in the March issue of the Annals of Epidemiology. In recent years, stories have spotlighted men who maintain heterosexual relationships while also secretly having sex with men. The stories typically depict African-American men, and many accounts describe HIV-positive men who spread the infection to their female partners with indifference. According to lead author Chandra Ford, PhD, a Kellogg Health Scholar at the Mailman School of Public Health, these stories often imply that the DL phenomenon has fueled the HIV epidemic among black women in the United States. Dr. Ford and colleagues suggest that researchers and others exercise caution when conducting research that could stigmatize black sexuality. “The lifestyle referenced by the term the DL is neither new nor limited to blacks, and sufficient data linking it to HIV/AIDS currently are lacking,” the authors write. |
Living Near Shops, Subways Linked to Lower Body Mass Index in New York City, According to Mailman School of Public Health Study February 16, 2007 -- New York City dwellers who reside in densely populated, pedestrian-friendly areas have significantly lower body mass index levels compared to other New Yorkers, according to a new study by the Mailman School of Public Health. Placing shops, restaurants and public transit near residences may promote walking and independence from private automobiles. |
Men With No Sons More At Risk For Prostate Cancer, According to Mailman School Study -- Cutting Edge Program Examines Men's Reproductive Health and Role of Fathers January 2, 2007 -- In a new and unique study to determine if genes on the Y chromosome are involved in prostate cancer, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health in conjunction with Hebrew University of Jerusalem found that men who had only daughters had a higher risk of prostate cancer than men who had at least one son, thus signifying a possible defect on the father's Y chromosome. The results, published in the January 3, 2007 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, further indicate that the relative risk of prostate cancer decreases as the number of sons increases. The researchers in the Mailman School's Department of Epidemiology analyzed the relative risk of prostate cancer by the sex of offspring among fathers registered in a family-based research cohort in Israel. From this cohort of 38,934 men, followed from the birth of their offspring (in 1964 through 1976) until 2005, the authors conclude that genes on the Y chromosome may be involved in prostate cancer risk in this population. "We surveyed vital status and cancer incidence, and found a strong trend for a decrease in prostate cancer risk as the number of sons increased," said Susan Harlap, MD, professor of clinical Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, and the leader of the research team. "We anticipate that this finding will have a significant impact on the direction of research in this field going forward." Overall, there was a 40% increase in prostate cancer in men lacking sons. |
