Cross sectional study of use of alternative medicines in Chinese cancer patients

The aim of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of alternative medicine consumption in Chinese cancer patients on active conventional treatment. A cross sectional survey of 100 consecutive advanced cancer patients admitted to a cancer clinical trial referral unit were personally interviewed by their assigned oncology research nurse using a specially designed questionnaire. The results showed that 64% of our patients used indigenous Chinese medication. In all age groups except the over-70s (P = 0.043), > 50% took such medication, more female (76%) than male (57.6%) patients (P = 0.323). Patients of all educational levels (P = 0.062) and religious backgrounds (P = 0.08) consumed alternative medicines. Duration of alternative medication consumption was less than three months in 50% of patients, with costs between US$40 and 2000/month for 70% of patients. Reasons cited for alternative medication consumption was hope that it might be of some benefit to their well being or disease control, and maybe even result in a miracle cure. Sources of advice on medication were mostly from strangers (by word of mouth), family, friends, the media, and infrequently from qualified professional Chinese doctors. Reasons for discontinuing such treatment were mostly given as lack of positive effect. In conclusion, Chinese cancer patients, willingly, rampantly and non-selectively seek out and consume alternative medications, with almost total ignorance of the medication consumed, oblivious to any potential side effects, and with little subjective benefit.      

Maintenance of growth in cystic fibrosis despite reduction in pancreatic enzyme supplementation

Twenty one children with cystic fibrosis were advised to decrease their pancreatic enzyme supplement (PES) dose to less than 10,000 units lipase/kg/day. Mean PES dosage was significantly decreased in 15 patients from 18,380 to 8647 units lipase/kg/day. There were no significant changes in energy or fat intake, but there were significant increases in weight SD score, height SD score, and weight/height ratio.     

National health expenditures, 1995

This article presents data on health care spending for the United States, covering expenditures for various types of medical services and products and their sources of funding from 1960 to 1995. In 1995, $988.5 billion was spent to purchase health care in the United States, up 5.5 percent from 1994. Growth in spending between 1993 and 1995 was the slowest in more than three decades, primarily because of slow growth in private health insurance and out-of-pocket spending. As a result, the share of health spending funded by private sources fell, reflecting the influence of increased enrollment in managed care plans.     

National health expenditures, 1996

The national health expenditures (NHE) series presented in this report for 1960-96 provides a view of the economic history of health care in the United States through spending for health care services and the sources financing that care. In 1996 NHE topped $1 trillion. At the same time, spending grew at the slowest rate, 4.4 percent, ever recorded in the current series. For the first time, this article presents estimates of Medicare managed care payments by type of service, as well as nursing home and home health spending in hospital-based facilities.