Adult health

The objective of this study is to analyse the social inequalities in health status, health related behaviours and mortality among the 25-64 years Spanish population. Data come from the 1997 Spanish National Health Survey, the 1999 Spanish National Survey on Working Conditions, the 2001 Yearbook of Labour and Social Affairs Statistics and the 1998 Mortality Statistics. Most health-related behaviours are more unfavourable for men (smoking, alcohol consumption and overweight) and for less privileged social classes. Among women, entrance into the labour market is associated with more unhealthy behaviours except for overweight. Low weight, however, is more frequent among employed females. Self-perceived health status is better among men, more privileged social class persons and among workers. Whereas classical physical job hazards and work injuries mostly affect men, the impact of psychosocial job hazards and of exposures derived from the domestic work is higher for women. As in other developed countries, the paradox exists that whereas women have a poorer self-perceived health status, mortality is higher among men. The male excess in mortality is related to health-related behaviours that to a great extent are determined by traditional values assigned to masculinity, with higher consumption of tobacco (lung cancer), alcohol (cirrhosis), drugs (HIV and AIDS) and risky behaviours related to injuries. Health policies should take into account social inequalities in health determined by gender, social class and employment status. For doing so, it is important to increase the development of research on social inequalities and of health information systems sensitive to social inequalities.     

Adult spontaneous hypoglycaemia

Spontaneous hypoglycaemia is not a diagnosis, but a manifestation of a disease process. It is important to recognize spontaneous hypoglycaemia, as treatment may be preventative or curative. It is equally important to avoid mislabelling healthy individuals as having hypoglycaemia as this may have a negative impact on the quality of life and use of scarce health-care resources.     

Adult domestic violence

Adult domestic violence in Leicestershire was reviewed by examining the clinical notes of all patients aged 14 years and over attending the Accident and Emergency Department of the Leicester Royal Infirmary in 1988 with a history of assault. Of the 341 patients so classified, 297 victims were identified. This paper describes the results of the review, including the age and gender of the victims, and the nature and cost of the violence. Suggestions are made to improve the management of adult domestic violence.     

Adult stem cells

One of the fields of medicine that has created the greatest expectations in recent years is cellular therapy with stem cells. The isolation of human embryo cells, the apparent and unexpected potential of adult stem cells, and the development of gene therapy lead us to imagine a hopeful future for a significant number of diseases that are at present incurable. In the following pages we offer a sketch of the panorama of research with stem cells, describing the main achievements in this field as well as some of the questions awaiting answers. In spite of the great expectations, it is essential that we maintain a critical and realistic spirit when it comes to analysing the scientific advances in this area.     

从医学成教学生的学习成绩分析谈成人教育改革

摘要对两个年级的医学和护理专业本、专科741名学生的基础医学课和专业课成绩进行分析,结果显示:专业和层次因素对基础医学课成绩均有显著影响;专业课成绩存在本、专科层次间的差异性;掌握基础医学课程知识与学好专业课程密切相关.     

发育源性成人疾病

发育源性成人疾病是在“成人疾病的胎儿起源”这一假说的基础上发展而来,表明胎儿宫内环境、新生儿、儿童期乃至人类生长发育的各个阶段所处的环境都会对成人疾病产生影响,其生物学基础有发育的可塑性及“追赶生长”、基因机制、激素的编程等。发育源性成人疾病包括心血管疾病、2型糖尿病、多囊卵巢综合征、炎症性和免疫性疾病等非感染性慢性疾病。本文就发育源性成人疾病的假说、生物学基础、可能的疾病类型及其发育源性的相关研究进行阐述。     

胎儿起源的成人疾病

近年来父母亲因素与胚胎和儿童早期的因素在疾病发生发展中的重要性已经得到公认,并对这个理论及其应用进行了越来越深入的研究, 成为医学遗传学研究的新热点. 1995 年,英国MRC环境流行病学研究所 David Barker博士和同事提出了人类疾病的胚胎源性的理论(The fetal origins hypothesis). Barker博士认为,胚胎时期和1岁以前的营养状况对这个孩子以后的一生有着深远的影响.他的研究主要以1930年以前出生在伦敦附近的大约15000孩子为对象.从医疗记录资料统计了这些孩子出生时的体重和1岁以前的体重变化和发育状况,然后追踪调查这些人成年以后的健康状况.