Sozial- und Präventivmedizin
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Responders and non-responders in a study on medical end-of-life decisions in Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland.
To determine the direction and magnitude of participation bias in end-of-life research. ⋯ Non-participation does cause an overestimation of proponents of life-shortening, as well as of life-preserving end-of-life decisions. Non-responders more often have ambiguous attitudes towards end-of-life decisions than responders.
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Multicenter Study
Surveillance of sexually transmitted diseases in Switzerland, 1973-1994: evidence of declining trends in gonorrhoea and syphilis.
The HIV/AIDS epidemic has led to growing interest in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Switzerland. STD surveillance data from three sources are presented: reports from six policlinics of dermatovenereology since 1973, laboratory reports of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Treponema pallidum and Chlamydia trachomatis since 1988, and reports by the Swiss Sentinel Network between June 1991 and December 1993. The data indicate that there has been a decline in the number of cases of syphilis and, in particular, gonorrhoea since the early 1980s in Switzerland. ⋯ Evidence for two of the before-mentioned factors exists and these probably played important roles in the declines. Firstly, as a result of the emergence of penicillinase producing strains of N. gonorrhoeae, the introduction of new treatments for gonorrhoea in the early 1980s which were simpler to administer and more effective (in particular the use of spectinomycin). Secondly, the national AIDS prevention campaign which began in 1987 and has been associated with major increases in condom use in the Swiss population.