Awareness of major cardiovascular risk factors and its relationship with markers of vascular aging: Data from the Brisighella Heart Study

Background and aimGeneral population awareness about cardiovascular risk factors is usually low. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the vascular aging of subjects aware and not aware to be hypertensive, hypercholesterolemic, hypertriglyceridemic or diabetics in a general population sample.Methods and resultsWe interviewed 1652 subjects without atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (M: 46.6%, F: 53.4%) about their awareness of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia or type 2 diabetes. Then we compared the augmentation index and pulse wave velocity of subjects aware and not aware of the investigated cardiovascular risk factors. 1049 participants declared not to be hypertensive, while 32 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 23.5% and 50% were hypertensive. Subjects not aware of their hypertension had significantly higher aortic blood pressure than aware ones (p < 0.001). 841 participants declared not to be hypercholesterolemic, while 60 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 18.1% and 40% were hypercholesterolemic. Subjects not aware of their hypercholesterolemia had significantly higher augmentation index than the aware ones (p < 0.05). 1226 participants declared not to be hypertriglyceridemic, while 200 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 19.2% and 44% were hypertriglyceridemic. Subjects not aware of their hypertriglyceridemia had significantly higher TG levels aware ones (p < 0.05), although this seemed to not related to increased arterial stiffness. 1472 participants declared not to be diabetic, while 20 were not sure. Among them, respectively, 2.0% and 25.0% were diabetics. Subjects not aware of their diabetes had significantly higher augmentation index than the aware ones (p < 0.05).ConclusionsIn conclusion, the lack of awareness of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia is relatively frequent in the general population and is associated to significantly higher arterial stiffness.     

成都市女性社区居民对宫颈癌及人乳头瘤病毒的认知度调查研究

目的 了解成都市女性社区居民对宫颈癌及HPV的基线认知水平；评价以医务人员为主导的健康教育能否有效提高社区居民宫颈癌相关认知水平。方法 2015 - 2018年每年妇女节期间通过对社区女性进行问卷调查，比较4年间（2015 - 2018）培训前后社区女性认知水平的变化情况以及疫苗上市前（2015 - 2016）和疫苗上市后（2017 - 2018）社区女性基线认知的变化。结果 健康教育前、后有效问卷分别为591、449份。健康教育前，32.1%的调查对象认为HPV病毒感染是引起宫颈癌最重要的原因，47.2%认为HPV的传播途径为性传播，25.2%认为HPV疫苗接种的最佳年龄为初次性生活前；健康教育后，以上比例分别增长至45.4%、73.7%、62.8%（P均＜0.05）。疫苗上市后，基线愿意接受筛查的调查对象比例由疫苗上市前的95.4%下降到86.1%（P＜0.05）。“医院展板”对基线认知的影响最大，接触过该途径人群的平均认知得分比未接触人群高3.4分（P＜0.05）。结论 成都市社区女性对宫颈癌及HPV相关的基线认知水平较低，疫苗上市后筛查意愿有明显下降趋势。以医院医生为主导的宫颈癌及HPV健康教育应当纳入社区人群健康教育的常规模式，同时应加强宣传疫苗接种后仍应进行宫颈癌筛查的重要性。     

A qualitative study of healthcare provider awareness and informational needs regarding the nine-valent HPV vaccine

The 9-valent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, 9vHPV, was licensed in the U.S. in December, 2014. We assessed healthcare provider (HCP) awareness of the newly approved vaccine and identified questions HCPs have about the vaccine. As part of a larger study, we used semi-structured interviews to ask 22 pediatric HCPs about their awareness of 9vHPV, questions they have about the vaccine, and questions they anticipate from patients and parents. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed then analyzed using inductive content analysis. Over half were aware of the vaccine but few HCPs claimed to be familiar with it. HCPs indicated several questions with common themes pertaining to efficacy, side effects, and cost. Only half of HCPs believed patients or parents would have questions. The results suggest strategies and areas for health systems and public health organizations to target in order to resolve unmet educational needs among HCPs regarding 9vHPV.     

Pharmacy patron perspectives of community pharmacist administered influenza vaccinations

Background

One approach to boost influenza vaccination coverage has been to expand immunization authority. In 2012, the province of Ontario gave community pharmacists the authority to administer the influenza vaccine.

上海市黄浦区社会办医疗美容机构《医疗美容管理办法》知晓情况调查

目的了解上海市黄浦区社会办医疗美容机构的管理人员和医师对《医疗美容管理办法》相关内容的掌握情况,发现存在的问题并提出改善建议.方法采用现场调查与现场问卷调查相结合的方式,对在上海市黄浦区开展医疗美容科目的所有社会办医疗机构(共计38家)进行全覆盖现场调查,并对其中的管理人员41人、相关医师31人进行问卷调查.结果38家社会办医疗美容机构中,美容外科和美容皮肤科的开展率较高,分别为96.8%和97.2%,而美容牙科开展率为52.4%,美容中医科开展率最低(25.0%).管理人员关于非主诊医师可在主诊医师指导下工作的知晓率仅68.3%.关于美容外科、皮肤科、中医科、牙科主诊医师应具备的工作年限,管理人员答对率为90.2%,医师答对率为72.0%,二者有显著性差异(P<0.05).结论社会办医疗美容机构中的二级科目设置需进一步优化,以减少资源空置.应加强对医疗机构管理人员和医师的法律培训,改变经营模式,制定明确的准入与退出机制,从而减少违法违规行为的发生.     

Report of the 21st Annual Meeting of the International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis (ISW-TBE): TBE − record year 2018

The 21st Meeting of the International Scientific Working Group on Tick-Borne Encephalitis (ISW-TBE) − a group of neurologists, general practitioners, clinicians, travel physicians, virologists, pediatricians, ecologists, and epidemiologists − was held under the theme “TBE – record year 2018″. Several key topics in the field of TBE were extensively discussed, among them current epidemiological developments in different countries, expansion of risk areas, virological and clinical aspects, importance of awareness, traveling and mobility, and latest news on TBE vaccination. The main goals that have been achieved by the ISW-TBE so far are, among others, an increased awareness in endemic and non-endemic countries, an increase of vaccination rates in various countries, getting TBE acknowledged and established as a travel-related risk, and building contact with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.     

Awareness and risk factors of autism spectrum disorder in an Egyptian population

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to determine the type and percentage of referral situations, risk factors, associated syndromes, and parental awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children who visited the Medical Research Centre of Excellence, National Research Centre in Cairo, specialized in ASD diagnosis and management.MethodsThe study included 530 children who were diagnosed with ASD. For those, full medical history, clinical examination, severity evaluation, and testing the language and cognitive development were performed. The process of diagnosis and assessment of parents’ awareness and knowledge about ASD was investigated using questionnaires.ResultsThe clinic was mainly visited by self-referral. About half of the participants (51.4 %) had previously visited other doctors (1–5 physicians) who were mostly pediatricians. The parents’ awareness was mostly limited to the term “autism”, but not the nature of ASD. Caesarean section was the most common risk factor (57.4 %), followed by jaundice (30.1 %). The most common presenting symptoms were language (81.5 %) and social (60.4 %) deficits. ASD severity was found to be high in association with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and electroencephalogram (EEG) changes (p = 0.001).ConclusionThe risk factors and associated syndromes in the Egyptian population studied were similar to those reported in previous studies performed in other populations, but their percentage was different. Perinatal problems were the most common risk factors, which may relate to the influence of gene-environmental interaction on the factors which could play a role in developing ASD or increasing its severity. The process of ASD diagnosis was commonly delayed among the participants. Increasing awareness and knowledge among health care professionals and parents is urgently needed to facilitate early diagnosis and intervention services, which will lead to improvement of the developmental outcomes for ASD children. The associated syndromes could be the driving force to seek medical advice and could influence the ASD severity.     

Awareness and attitude of general population regarding allograft skin donation in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia: Cross-sectional study

IntroductionBurns are one of the major health issues that considerably affect variable groups of the population, varying in age and severity. Despite advances in burn surgical and non-surgical treatments, patient's appearance still represents public health issue. In regards to surgical treatment of burns, skin grafting is still considered the gold standard. One of the major burdens in the burn surgical treatments is the availability of the skin for grafting. As for the non-surgical treatment different modalities of skin dressings or substitutes are still available as an option.MethodsA validated questionnaire based study was utilized to acquire assessment of the overall general population knowledge, awareness and attitude toward skin donation. In addition, it surveyed community personal willingness to donate their skin to a skin bank after being deceased, to help solve skin shortages due to the lack of skin banks in Saudi Arabia.ResultsA total of 698 individuals completed the questionnaire over the period of 5 months, from February 2018 till June 2018. Married, postgraduate females, with a history of burn in close family members or similar individuals showed a positive attitude toward skin donation. However, 22% of the participants did not agree to donate their skin due to religious reasons.ConclusionThe study concluded that the majority of participants were willing to donate their skin, and they were aware of the concept of skin donation and its crucial importance in surgical burn management. The current study showed the majority of participants were aware of skin donation and skin use for burn treatment, in addition to having positive attitude toward skin donation. Men were more aware than the women of skin donation. Religious concern was a major reason for participants’ skin donation refusal, an issue that can be addressed by contacting Islamic scholars to issue a Fatwa approving the cause.     

Factors influencing women’s decision making in hysterectomy

Objective

To explore factors influencing how well-informed women felt about hysterectomy, influences on their decision making, and on them receiving a less-invasive alternative to open surgery.