Laurence Gruer
Biographic Data
| ID | 6162511 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Laurence Gruer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Laurence |
| FAMILY NAME | Gruer |
| SIGNATURE | GRUER L |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Glasgow |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1089-2896 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 13 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1991 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Neonatal mortality rates, characteristics, and risk factors for neonatal deaths in Ghana
BACKGROUND: Reducing neonatal mortality rates (NMR) in developing countries is a key global health goal, but weak registration systems in the region stifle public health efforts. OBJECTIVE: To calculate NMRs, investigate modifiable risk factors, and explore neonatal deaths by place of birth and death, and cause of death in two administrative areas in Ghana. METHODS: Data on livebirths were extracted from the health and demographic surveillance sy…
Face masks for the public during the covid-19 crisis
Trisha Greenhalgh and colleagues argue that it is time to apply the precautionary principle The precautionary principle is, according to Wikipedia, “a strategy for approaching issues of potential harm when extensive scientific knowledge on the matter is lacking.” The evidence base on the efficacy and acceptability of the different types of face mask in preventing respiratory infections during epidemics is sparse and contested.12 But covid-19 is a…
Life expectancy of different ethnic groups using death records linked to population census data for 4.62 million people in Scotland
BACKGROUND: Few countries record the data needed to estimate life expectancy by ethnic group. Such information is helpful in assessing the extent of health inequality. METHOD: Life tables were created using 3 years of deaths (May 2001-April 2004) linked to Scottish 2001 Census data for 4.62 million individuals with self-reported ethnicity. We created 8 ethnic groups based on the census definitions, each with at least 5000 individuals and 40 death…
Comparing the impact of personal and parental risk factors, and parental lifespan on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease
BACKGROUND: We aimed to identify which personal and parental factors best explained all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: In 1996, data were collected on 2338 adult offspring of the participants in the 1972-1976 Renfrew and Paisley prospective cohort study. Recorded risk factors were assigned to 5 groups: mid-life biological and behavioural (BB), mid-life socioeconomic, parental BB, early-life socioeconomic and parental l…
P1-352 Inequalities in health
Introduction Discussions on inequalities in health and trends in these often concentrate explicitly or implicitly on relative inequality. This paper explores practical and ethical implications of that tendency. Methods Trends in relative and absolute inequalities in coronary heart disease in Scotland between 1991 and 2006 were assessed using existing data. A hypothetical alternative scenario, featuring different trends, was devised and its implic…
O5-1 Smoke-free legislation
In recent years, legislation prohibiting or restricting smoking in public places (smoke-free legislation) has been enacted in an increasing number of countries. Where the effects of the legislation have been evaluated, most notably in Scotland, it has been found to have had very positive effects, measurably reducing the exposure of non-smokers to secondhand smoke and resulting in unexpectedly large and wide-ranging benefits for population health.…
The combined effect of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol on cause-specific mortality
Smoking and drinking 15+ units/week was the riskiest behaviour for all causes of death
Evidence, policy and practice
English While many of the drivers for evidence-based policy and practice are UK wide, there are some distinctive features of the policy and practice contexts in Scotland that have shaped the way in which evidence-based implementation is being forged. Within the field of health improvement policy and practice in Scotland, this paper focuses on what Nutley (2003) refers to as one of the prerequisites of evidence based policy and practice – the deve…
The role of Glasgow pharmacists in the management of drug misuse
Theatre in Aids education-a controlled study
Theatre is now widely used in HIV and AIDS education for young people. However, research concerning its effectiveness has largely been conducted without using comparison or control groups and there is little evidence that other types of intervention are more or less effective. The present study was designed to measure the effects of a theatre production on HIV knowledge, attitudes and risk behaviour of young people compared with that of a standar…
A primary health care service for Glasgow street sex workers-6 years experience of the 'Drop-in Centre', 1989-1994
In Glasgow, a health and social care centre opened in 1988 principally to facilitate HIV prevention among street prostitutes, most of whom are injecting drug users. During 1992 to 1994, 551 women made 17,554 visits to the medical room which is functional 5 nights per week. The mean age of the sex workers was 26 years (range 15 to 62) and 89% injected drugs. Fifty-five per cent of the attendances were for needle/syringe exchange only whilst the re…
Differences in HIV-related knowledge and attitudes between Caucasian and ‘Asian’ men in Glasgow
There is little available information about the possible differences in HIV-related knowledge and attitudes between ethnic majority and minority groups. Questionnaires were completed by 490 Caucasian males and 243 males with origins in the Indian subcontinent ('Asian') living in Glasgow. There were small differences between the samples regarding knowledge of modes of transmission of HIV or perceived adequacy of personal knowledge. The 'Asian' men…
Sexual behaviour and use of the condom among Ugandan students
HIV infection is widespread in Uganda. Have its university students, the country's leaders of tomorrow, taken appropriate action? A questionnaire was completed by 661 men and 270 women in a one-in-four sample of Makerere University undergraduates (93% response rate). More than 60% of the men and 36% of the women reported at least two sexual partners in the past year. Over 18% of respondents reported at least one episode of sexually transmitted di…
Life expectancy of different ethnic groups using death records linked to population census data for 4.62 million people in Scotland
BACKGROUND: Few countries record the data needed to estimate life expectancy by ethnic group. Such information is helpful in assessing the extent of health inequality. METHOD: Life tables were created using 3 years of deaths (May 2001-April 2004) linked to Scottish 2001 Census data for 4.62 million individuals with self-reported ethnicity. We created 8 ethnic groups based on the census definitions, each with at least 5000 individuals and 40 death…
Evidence, policy and practice
English While many of the drivers for evidence-based policy and practice are UK wide, there are some distinctive features of the policy and practice contexts in Scotland that have shaped the way in which evidence-based implementation is being forged. Within the field of health improvement policy and practice in Scotland, this paper focuses on what Nutley (2003) refers to as one of the prerequisites of evidence based policy and practice – the deve…
Sexual behaviour and use of the condom among Ugandan students
HIV infection is widespread in Uganda. Have its university students, the country's leaders of tomorrow, taken appropriate action? A questionnaire was completed by 661 men and 270 women in a one-in-four sample of Makerere University undergraduates (93% response rate). More than 60% of the men and 36% of the women reported at least two sexual partners in the past year. Over 18% of respondents reported at least one episode of sexually transmitted di…
Differences in HIV-related knowledge and attitudes between Caucasian and ‘Asian’ men in Glasgow
There is little available information about the possible differences in HIV-related knowledge and attitudes between ethnic majority and minority groups. Questionnaires were completed by 490 Caucasian males and 243 males with origins in the Indian subcontinent ('Asian') living in Glasgow. There were small differences between the samples regarding knowledge of modes of transmission of HIV or perceived adequacy of personal knowledge. The 'Asian' men…
Theatre in Aids education-a controlled study
Theatre is now widely used in HIV and AIDS education for young people. However, research concerning its effectiveness has largely been conducted without using comparison or control groups and there is little evidence that other types of intervention are more or less effective. The present study was designed to measure the effects of a theatre production on HIV knowledge, attitudes and risk behaviour of young people compared with that of a standar…
A primary health care service for Glasgow street sex workers-6 years experience of the 'Drop-in Centre', 1989-1994
In Glasgow, a health and social care centre opened in 1988 principally to facilitate HIV prevention among street prostitutes, most of whom are injecting drug users. During 1992 to 1994, 551 women made 17,554 visits to the medical room which is functional 5 nights per week. The mean age of the sex workers was 26 years (range 15 to 62) and 89% injected drugs. Fifty-five per cent of the attendances were for needle/syringe exchange only whilst the re…
The role of Glasgow pharmacists in the management of drug misuse
Evidence, policy and practice
English While many of the drivers for evidence-based policy and practice are UK wide, there are some distinctive features of the policy and practice contexts in Scotland that have shaped the way in which evidence-based implementation is being forged. Within the field of health improvement policy and practice in Scotland, this paper focuses on what Nutley (2003) refers to as one of the prerequisites of evidence based policy and practice – the deve…
The combined effect of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol on cause-specific mortality
Smoking and drinking 15+ units/week was the riskiest behaviour for all causes of death
P1-352 Inequalities in health
Introduction Discussions on inequalities in health and trends in these often concentrate explicitly or implicitly on relative inequality. This paper explores practical and ethical implications of that tendency. Methods Trends in relative and absolute inequalities in coronary heart disease in Scotland between 1991 and 2006 were assessed using existing data. A hypothetical alternative scenario, featuring different trends, was devised and its implic…
O5-1 Smoke-free legislation
In recent years, legislation prohibiting or restricting smoking in public places (smoke-free legislation) has been enacted in an increasing number of countries. Where the effects of the legislation have been evaluated, most notably in Scotland, it has been found to have had very positive effects, measurably reducing the exposure of non-smokers to secondhand smoke and resulting in unexpectedly large and wide-ranging benefits for population health.…
Comparing the impact of personal and parental risk factors, and parental lifespan on all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease
BACKGROUND: We aimed to identify which personal and parental factors best explained all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: In 1996, data were collected on 2338 adult offspring of the participants in the 1972-1976 Renfrew and Paisley prospective cohort study. Recorded risk factors were assigned to 5 groups: mid-life biological and behavioural (BB), mid-life socioeconomic, parental BB, early-life socioeconomic and parental l…
Life expectancy of different ethnic groups using death records linked to population census data for 4.62 million people in Scotland
BACKGROUND: Few countries record the data needed to estimate life expectancy by ethnic group. Such information is helpful in assessing the extent of health inequality. METHOD: Life tables were created using 3 years of deaths (May 2001-April 2004) linked to Scottish 2001 Census data for 4.62 million individuals with self-reported ethnicity. We created 8 ethnic groups based on the census definitions, each with at least 5000 individuals and 40 death…
Face masks for the public during the covid-19 crisis
Trisha Greenhalgh and colleagues argue that it is time to apply the precautionary principle The precautionary principle is, according to Wikipedia, “a strategy for approaching issues of potential harm when extensive scientific knowledge on the matter is lacking.” The evidence base on the efficacy and acceptability of the different types of face mask in preventing respiratory infections during epidemics is sparse and contested.12 But covid-19 is a…
Neonatal mortality rates, characteristics, and risk factors for neonatal deaths in Ghana
BACKGROUND: Reducing neonatal mortality rates (NMR) in developing countries is a key global health goal, but weak registration systems in the region stifle public health efforts. OBJECTIVE: To calculate NMRs, investigate modifiable risk factors, and explore neonatal deaths by place of birth and death, and cause of death in two administrative areas in Ghana. METHODS: Data on livebirths were extracted from the health and demographic surveillance sy…
Medicine (12 works) · Demography (7 works) · Environmental health (6 works) · Population (6 works) · Family medicine (5 works) · Sociology (5 works) · Gerontology (4 works) · Nursing (4 works) · Public health (4 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (3 works)