Survey of the oral health needs of institutionalised elderly patients in Western Australia

An epidemiological survey of the oral health needs of 1144 elderly patients was conducted in hospitals and nursing homes in Western Australia. Patients were categorised as being either totally dependent (requiring intensive nursing care) or partially dependent (requiring nursing supervision). Of all patients the mean age was 80.2 yr, 70% were women, 74% were edentulous, and 70% needed some form of prosthetic care. Of all dentate patients 56% needed dental scaling (and 17% needed complex periodontal treatment), 47% needed some restorative treatment (with a mean need per patient of 1.1 coronal restorations and 0.4 radicular restoration), and 29% needed one or more dental extractions (with a mean need of 1.4 extractions per patient). Partially dependent patients had statistically significant higher needs for prosthetic work than did totally dependent patients, while the converse applied to extraction needs, but in all other aspects the needs of the two categories of patient did not differ significantly.     

The effect of immigrant generation and duration on self-rated health among US adults 2003–2007

Global self-rated health (SRH) is increasingly a key indicator in the assessment of immigrant health. However, evidence of the impact on SRH of generational status, duration of residence in the US, and socioeconomic status (SES) among immigrants and their offspring is limited and inconsistent. We overcome limitations in existing research on this topic by using a uniquely large and diverse data source, the March Annual Social and Economic Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS; 2003–2007) (n = 637,209). As a result, we are able to disaggregate results by race/ethnicity, account for country of origin, and consider the role of multiple dimensions of SES. We find that overall first-generation immigrants in the US have lower odds of poor/fair SRH compared to the third-generation. This association is particularly strong for blacks and Hispanics but not significant for Asians. Among first-generation Asians and Hispanics, longer duration of residence is positively associated with poor/fair SRH. Finally, socioeconomic gradients in SRH tend to be less pronounced among the first-generation (versus the third) and, within the first-generation, among recent arrivals (versus those with longer durations). Our results highlight the importance of explicitly accounting for multiple immigration-related variables and their interactions with race/ethnicity and SES. Otherwise, studies may misestimate SRH differences by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The continued growth of the US immigrant population and the second-generation underscore the need to examine patterns in immigrant health systematically.     

Performance measures for evaluating services for people with a first episode of psychosis

Aim: The purpose of this project was to operationalize and apply a previously identified set of performance measures designed to evaluate services for those experiencing a first episode of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Methods: Operational definitions were developed for previously identified measures through an iterative process of discussions between clinical experts and health‐care evaluators. Data were collected from existing sources including corporate databases, clinical databases and chart review. Results: Definitions were developed for 44 measures covering seven of eight domains recommended for service level evaluation by the Canadian Institute for Health Information domains. Forty measures could be calculated. Conclusions: The measures represent a comprehensive set of performance measures suitable for the evaluation of services for people with a first‐episode psychosis. The measures could be used by other services in order to establish standards and norms for routine clinical practice.     

单亲大学生心理健康状况及心理问题的教育对策研究

目的针对单亲大学生心理健康问题提供有效的教育对策．方法针对大学新生开展16PF调查并发现单亲大学生的心理问题。结果本次测查共测量被试8302人，删除部分无效量表．实际有效数据为7742人，问卷有效率为93．27％．以一般情况问卷中“是否是单亲家庭子女”回答“是”的．作为单亲大学生的认定标准，检出单亲家庭子女555人，占总人数的7．17%，其中男生占40．0％．女生60．0％．17．5％的单亲出现各种心理问题．调查表明．单亲家庭子女与非单亲家庭子女相比，在乐群性和怀疑性两个因子有显着区别。事实上也表现为与正常大学生心理健康状况的显着差异。结论单亲大学生心理问题表现为：自卑心理、怀旧心理、逆反心理、猜疑心理等等。教育对策：加强社会教育系统、学校教育系统、家庭教育对单亲大学生心理的干预与影响，同时．单亲大学生遗要加强心理健康的自我教育．以多元系统帮助他们形成健全人格。     

Relationship of early life stress and psychological functioning to adult C-reactive protein in the coronary artery risk development in young adults study.

BACKGROUND: Low socioeconomic status (SES) and a harsh family environment in childhood have been linked to mental and physical health disorders in adulthood. The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate a developmental model of pathways that may help explain these links and to relate them to C-reactive protein (CRP) in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) dataset. METHODS: Participants (n = 3248) in the CARDIA study, age 32 to 47 years, completed measures of childhood SES (CSES), early family environment (risky families [RF]), adult psychosocial functioning (PsyF, a latent factor measured by depression, mastery, and positive and negative social contacts), body mass index (BMI), and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling indicated that CSES and RF are associated with C-reactive protein via their association with PsyF (standardized path coefficients: CSES to RF, RF to PsyF, PsyF to CRP, CSES to CRP, all p < .05), with good overall model fit. The association between PsyF and CRP was partially mediated by BMI (PsyF to BMI, BMI to CRP, both p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Low childhood SES and a harsh early family environment appear to be related to elevated C-reactive protein in adulthood through pathways involving psychosocial dysfunction and high body mass index.     

Epidemiology of headache in Europe

The present review of epidemiologic studies on migraine and headache in Europe is part of a larger initiative by the European Brain Council to estimate the costs incurred because of brain disorders. Summarizing the data on 1-year prevalence, the proportion of adults in Europe reporting headache was 51%, migraine 14%, and 'chronic headache' (i.e. > or =15 days/month or 'daily') 4%. Generally, migraine, and to a lesser degree headache, are most prevalent during the most productive years of adulthood, from age 20 to 50 years. Several European studies document the negative influence of headache disorders on the quality of life, and health-economic studies indicate that 15% of adults were absent from work during the last year because of headache. Very few studies have been performed in Eastern Europe, and there are also surprisingly little data on tension-type headache from any country. Although the methodology and the quality of the published studies vary considerably, making direct comparisons between different countries difficult, the present review clearly demonstrates that headache disorders are extremely prevalent and have a vast impact on public health. The data collected should be used as arguments to increase resources to headache research and care for headache patients all over the continent.     

三级医院病人就诊流向探讨

研究通过对包括专科医院在内的多家三级医院住院病人资料的分析，将疾病种类按ICD－9编码分为19类，研究各类疾病应往低级别医院分流的比例。结果表明：各大类疾病的分流比例不同，分流比例较高的主要是常见病和多发病，总的分流比大约在60％左右。     

住院精神病人院内感染的部位及高峰时间分析

目的　探讨精神科住院病人院内感染的部位及高峰时间。方法　采用圆形统计法对 1997年 1月～2 0 0 2年 12月间每月院内感染人数作圆形统计分析。结果　精神科住院病人院内感染以呼吸系统最多见 ,占5 6 4 8% ;感染高峰时间具有显著性差异 (Y =0 14 5 ,P <0 0 5 ) ,高峰时间约为 12月 17日 (按季节为初冬 )。结论　在感染高峰季节应加强对院内感染的监控和防治     

187例精神疾病患者劳动能力鉴定分析

目的：探讨精神疾病患者劳动能力鉴定状况及与其相关问题。方法：分析1998至2002年共187例精神疾病患者的劳动能力鉴定资料，并进行不同年代、不同诊断、不同级别的组问比较。结果：除1998年外，其余各年度基本资料相似；诊断以精神分裂症为主，精神发育迟滞为次；前者的平均年龄最大、病期最短、累计病休时间最长、残疾级别最低，后者反之。结论：劳动能力鉴定应按有关标准执行，但目前仍存在一些有待进一步完善的问题。