Changing health status and health expectancies among older adults in China: Gender differences from 1992 to 2002

Numerous studies document improvements in health status and health expectancies among older adults over time. However, most evidence is from developed nations and gender differences in health trends are often inconsistent. It remains unknown whether changes in health in developing countries resemble Western trends or whether patterns of health improvement are unique to the country's epidemiologic transition and gender norms. Using two nationally representative samples of non-institutionalized adults in China aged 65 years and older, this study investigates gender differences in the improvements in disability, chronic disease prevalence, and self-rated health from 1992 to 2002. Results from multivariate logistic regression models show that all three indicators of health improved over the 10-year period, with the largest improvement in self-rated health. With the exception of disability, the health of women improved more than men. Using Sullivan's decomposition methods, we also show that active life expectancy, disease-free life expectancy, and healthy life expectancy increased over this decade and were patterned differently according to gender. Overall, the findings demonstrate that China experienced broad health improvements during its early stages of the epidemiologic transition and that these changes were not uniform by gender. We discuss the public health implications of the findings in the context of China's rapidly aging population.     

Efficacy of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in Type 1 diabetes: a 2-year perspective using the established criteria for funding from a National Health Service.

AIM: To determine the 2-year efficacy of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) following the current established criteria for funding of a National Health Service. METHODS: Longitudinal, prospective, observational unicentre study. Included in the study were 153 Type 1 diabetes (T1D) subjects, previously treated with multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin, in whom CSII was started in accordance with the criteria for reimbursement of the Catalan National Health Service. At baseline, we recorded data on age, gender, duration of the disease, body mass index (BMI), insulin dose and indications for CSII. Glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) and the frequency of hypoglycaemic events were used to assess glycaemic control. Quality of life was assessed using three different self-report questionnaires. After 24 months, these same items were remeasured in all subjects. Serious adverse events and injection-site complications were also recorded. RESULTS: In 96% of subjects, CSII indication included less than optimal glycaemic control using MDI. HbA(1c) fell from 7.9 +/- 1.3 to 7.3 +/- 1.1% (P < or = 0.001) after 24 months of CSII. Insulin requirements were significantly lower at the end of follow-up (0.55 +/- 0.21 U/kg body weight) in comparison with before use of CSII (0.70 +/- 0.20, P < or = 0.001). BMI increased from 24.0 +/- 3.1 to 24.4 +/- 3.2 kg/m(2) after 24 months (P < or = 0.025). The rate of episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis per year remained unchanged. Mild and severe hypoglycaemic episodes were significantly reduced. The scores in all subsets of the Diabetes Quality-of-Life (DQoL) questionnaire significantly improved after 24 months of CSII. CONCLUSIONS: CSII, commenced according to the criteria for a nationally funded clinical programme, improves glycaemic control and quality-of-life outcomes with fewer hypoglycaemic episodes in T1D subjects previously conventionally treated with MDI.     

基层公共卫生人员心身健康状况分析

目的了解基层公共卫生人员心身健康状况及影响因素,为提高其健康水平和工作质量提供科学依据。方法应用中国心身健康量表,采用分层整群抽样的方式,抽取胶州、嘉祥、兖州和邹城疾病预防控制中心及下属防保站的公共卫生人员584名进行问卷调查。结果基层公共卫生人员心身障碍发生率为39.43%,其中最高为骨骼系统14.17%,其次为神经系统12.73%;呼吸系统、心血管系统、焦虑、抑郁、精神病性5项因子评分小于全国常模;运用二分类Logistic逐步回归分析显示,从事本行业年限的增加是引起眼和耳疾病的危险性因素（OR=1.067）,职务的增高是导致心血管系统（OR=1.878）、消化系统（OR=1.675）、精神病性（OR=1.841）疾患的危险性因素;核心家庭（OR=0.136）、扩展家庭（OR=0.143）是降低抑郁发生的保护性因素。结论相关部门应采取综合措施,从工作和家庭环境等方面入手,提高基层公共卫生人员的心身健康水平。     

北京市东城区和平里社区居民慢性病防治探讨

为探索慢性病的防治方法，我们于１９８９￣１９９４年社区居民中开展了以高血压为主的循环系统慢性病防治课题，经过５年的干预，观察组与对照组居民及接受管理的高血压病人在减少吸烟，饮酒，控制食盐摄入，掌握慢性病防治知识等方面有显著性差异，取得了满意的结果，从而为今后全面开展慢性病防治积累了经验。     

西方公共卫生评估的演化逻辑及其启示

公共卫生评估的历史发展大致经历了四个阶段：基本研究、状态评估、衡量效力以及责任和遵从标准。从公共卫生评估演变的轨迹我们可以得出下列启示：项目循环管理方法倾向、结果和过程评估的增加、强调方法上的精确、越来越多地使用定量的和混合的方法以及对公众的责任。     

726例小儿急性中毒的特点及预防探讨

[目的]探讨小儿急性中毒的特点及预防方法。[方法]回顾分析5年来共726例小儿急性中毒的一般临床调查资料。[结果]小儿急性中毒近年来明显增多,发病年龄高峰为小于3岁及大于8岁,中毒种类多,医源性中毒、误服和自杀中毒有增多趋势。[结论]预防措施应重在加强对食物卫生及医疗单位尤其是基层医疗机构执业规范的监督管理,并应注意青少年的心理健康教育。     

AIDS: Awareness and blood handling practices of health care workers in Lagos,Nigeria

A questionnaire survey of 260 health care workers from 13 randomly selected health care facilities was undertaken. Their knowledge, attitude, belief and blood handling practices regarding HIV/AIDS were enquired about. Virtually all (99.0%) respondents had heard about AIDS but only 57.0% had seen an AIDS patient before. Although 83.0% knew that AIDS is caused by a virus, a high proportion still confuses mode of transmission with causative agent. Deficient knowledge was exhibited when asked about groups of people who were at a higher risk of contracting HIV and AIDS: Only 54.6% and 51.5% identified homosexuals and IV drug users as being at a higher risk. Almost all (97.0%) of our respondents claimed to have been more careful in their blood handling practices since the emergence of AIDS, 68.5% wore gloves for all procedures involving handling of blood and 28.5% sometimes although as many as 30.4%, 40.4% and 18.1% do not wear gloves for cleaning up blood stained materials, nursing procedures and taking obstetric delivery respectively. It was evident from their responses that not all the health workers knew the correct method for disposing of used bloodstained instruments and left-over blood samples and neither were they all adhering to the safety guidelines recommended for handling these materials. Education of all health care workers in Nigeria on the Universal Precautions Guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in 1987 regarding blood, body fluids and contaminated instruments' handling precautions is urgently recommended.     

云南省卫生资源配置标准的弹性系数研究

目的　在进行云南省区域分类基础上制定云南省区域卫生资源配置标准标志值后 ,根据云南省各个地区的特点增加不同弹性系数。方法　采用流行病学研究方法 ,收集和分析云南省不同地州市 1990～ 1999年有关人口、社会经济状况及卫生经费的投入、居民健康状况、居民文化、生活水平、少数民族状况、旅游地区、边境线长短及贫困状况等资料。结果　研究结果表明曲靖地区、玉溪市、保山地区增加弹性系数最少 ,分别为 0 67%、 1 5 8%和1 68% ,怒江州、迪庆州和西双版纳州增加弹性系数最多 ,分别为 11 15 %、 10 2 5 %和 9 84 %。其它地区的弹性系数分别为昆明市 5 88% ,昭通地区 2 3 1% ,楚雄州 2 3 0 % ,红河州 7 0 3 % ,文山州 5 5 3 % ,思茅地区 7 4 3 % ,大理州4 94 % ,德宏州 6 78% ,丽江地区 4 3 5 % ,临沧地区 6 13 %。结论　云南省区域卫生配置标准的弹性系数研究为云南省卫生资源区域分类配置标准提供了科学依据 ,不同弹性系数体现了云南省不同地区的卫生资源区域分类配置标准的公平性、合理性及实用性     

The impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on general health status and on the use of prostatectomy

Our objective was to determine the extent to which lower urinary tract symptoms affect the general health status of men and contribute to the decision to undergo surgery. A cross-sectional population survey using postal questionnaires was conducted in the North West Thames health region, followed by a prospective cohort study of men undergoing prostatectomy (North West Thames and Oxford regions). The subjects in the first survey were 221 men aged 55 and over with previously reported mild, moderate or severe urinary symptoms; subjects in the second study were 388 men undergoing prostatectomy. Main outcome measures were selfreported symptom severity, bothersomeness and general health status (Nottingham Health Profilie, Part 1). The response rate among eligible responders in the population survey was 85.7%. Increasing symptom severity was associated with worsening NHP scores for energy, emotional reactions, sleep and physical mobility (p<0.01). Increasing bother-someness of symptoms was associated with emotional reactions, sleep and pain (p<0.05). Men undergoing surgery reported worse health status than men in the population with the same severity of symptoms as regards emotional reactions, energy and pain. For a given level of symptom severity, the impact of those symptoms on aspects of a man's general health status may be the determinant of seeking and undergoing surgery. Greater understanding of the factors that affect a man's response to his symptoms is needed in interpreting the decision to seek and accept treatment.