Cochrane Db Syst Rev
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewWITHDRAWN: Home-based support for disadvantaged teenage mothers.
Babies born to socio-economically disadvantaged mothers are at higher risk of injury, abuse or neglect and health problems than babies born to more affluent mothers; disadvantaged teenage mothers are at particular risk of adverse outcomes. Home-visiting programs are thought to improve outcomes for both mothers and children, largely through advice and support. ⋯ This review suggests there is only limited evidence that home-visiting programmes of the kind described in this review can impact positively on the quality of parenting of teenage mothers or on child development outcomes for their offspring. For reasons discussed in the review, this does not amount to a conclusion that home-visiting programmes are ineffective but indicates a need to think carefully about the problems that home visiting might influence and about improvements in the conduct and reporting of outcome studies in this area.
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Mass media tobacco control campaigns can reach large numbers of people. Much of the literature is focused on the effects of tobacco control advertising on young people, but there are also a number of evaluations of campaigns targeting adult smokers, which show mixed results. Campaigns may be local, regional or national, and may be combined with other components of a comprehensive tobacco control policy. ⋯ There is evidence that comprehensive tobacco control programmes which include mass media campaigns can be effective in changing smoking behaviour in adults, but the evidence comes from a heterogeneous group of studies of variable methodological quality. One state-wide tobacco control programme (Massachusetts) showed positive results up to eight years after the campaign, while another (California) showed positive results only during the period of adequate funding and implementation. Six of nine studies carried out in communities or regions showed some positive effects on smoking behaviour and at least one significant change in smoking prevalence (Sydney). The intensity and duration of mass media campaigns may influence effectiveness, but length of follow up and concurrent secular trends and events can make this difficult to quantify. No consistent relationship was observed between campaign effectiveness and age, education, ethnicity or gender.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewOxcarbazepine in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder.
Some studies have suggested that oxcarbazepine has a role in preventing episode recurrence in bipolar affective disorder. This review attempted to investigate the existing evidence from randomised controlled trials for its use in the maintenance treatment of this illness. ⋯ There is an insufficient methodologically rigorous evidence base to provide guidance on the use of oxcarbazepine in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder. Given the need for more efficacious therapeutic agents, there is a need for good quality randomised controlled trials examining the therapeutic potential of this and related agents in bipolar disorder.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewWITHDRAWN: Mefloquine for preventing malaria in non-immune adult travellers.
Mefloquine is commonly prescribed to prevent malaria in travellers, and has replaced other drugs because Plasmodium falciparum is commonly resistant to them. However, mefloquine may be associated with neuropsychiatric harmful effects. ⋯ Mefloquine prevents malaria, but has adverse effects that limit its acceptability . There is evidence from non-randomised studies that mefloquine has potentially harmful effects in tourists and business travellers, and its use needs to be carefully balanced against this. Trials of comparative effects of antimalarial prophylaxis should include episodes of malaria and withdrawal from prophylaxis as outcomes.
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Cochrane Db Syst Rev · Jan 2008
ReviewAtypical antipsychotics for people with both schizophrenia and depression.
Many people (up to 50%) with schizophrenia also have co-morbid depression. It has been suggested that new atypical antipsychotic drugs are beneficial for people with the two diagnoses. ⋯ There are too few data to guide patients, carers, clinicians or policy makers. Current practice has to be guided by evidence other than that derived from randomised trials and more trials in this important area are indicated.