Essential Medicines: An Indian Perspective

The concept of defining essential medicines and establishing a list of them was aimed to improve the availability of affordable medicines for the world''s poor. Access to essential medicines is a major determinant of health outcomes. Several countries have made substantial progress towards increasing access to essential medicines, but access to essential medicines in developing countries like India is not adequate. In this review we have tried to present the Indian scenario in respect to availability and accessibility of essential medicines over last one decade. To enhance the credibility of Indian healthcare system, procurement and delivery systems of essential medicines have to be strengthened through government commitment, careful selection, adequate public sector financing, efficient distribution systems, control on taxes and duties, and inculcating a culture of rational use of medicines in current and future prescribers.     

Impact of Physical Activities on Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Women

Aims: The aim of the study was to determine whether increased physical activities (PA) affect frailty for old women, 75 years and older (OO), compared to 60–74 years old (YO). Methods: This cross-sectional study measured 19 frailty indicators (muscle strength and endurance, balance, gait characteristics, and function), using 46 community-dwelling women. PA were divided into three levels by caloric expenditure per week (<2,000 kcal/week, 2,000–3,999 kcal/week, >4,000 kcal/week). Results: As PA level increased, a gap (=difference) between OO and YO narrowed for step length and function, but for quadriceps strength and endurance, a gap widened. Conclusions: Frailty progresses with aging but older women who engage in a high level of physical activity (>4,000 kcal/week) can increase mobility and functional capacity, but not for muscle strength and endurance. Starting regular resistance training activities early in the aging process is critical to improve or maintain muscle quality to offset age-related frailty.     

Influence of Socio-Demographic Characteristics on Eye Care Expenditure: Data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2007

ABSTRACT

Objective: To evaluate the association between sociodemographic factors and eye care expenditure and to assess the burden of ocular expenditure compared to total health care expenditure.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of ocular expenditure in participants of the 2007 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Data from 20,620 unique participants aged ≥18 years were evaluated for eye care expenditure by demographic characteristics.

Results: A total of 22% of the studied population had eye care expenditures in 2007. Demographic factors significantly associated with higher probability of having eye care expenditures included older age (65+ years 35%, 45–64 years 23%, <45 years 17%), female sex (female 26%, male 19%), higher educational attainment (greater than high school education 25%, less than high school education 17%), having insurance (private 24%, uninsured 13%), and visual impairment (mild 31%, none 22%). Older age, female sex, higher educational attainment, having insurance, and presence of visual impairment were also significantly associated with higher mean eye care expenditure. In those with eye care expenditure, the mean ratio between eye care and total medical expenditure was 24%, with uninsured patients spending 42% of their medical care expenditure on eye care.

Conclusions: Demographic factors are associated with both the probability of having ocular expenditure and the amount of expenditure. Of all factors examined, insurance status has the most potential for modification. Policy makers should consider these numbers when devising the terms by which eye care coverage will be provided under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.     

北京市新农合大病保险实施效果分析与评价

目的:测算分析北京市新农合大病保险对患者疾病经济负担的减轻作用,对制度实施效果进行评价。方法:按照经济发展水平和大病保险承办方式选取北京市三个区县,再从中选择大病患者较多的2~3个乡镇。通过与大病保险管理者进行访谈,了解其运行现状;对样本乡镇全部大病患者进行问卷调查了解患者主观感受,收到有效问卷497份。利用新农合管理中心信息平台测算患者疾病经济负担。对定量和定性资料分别采用统计分析与主题框架法进行分析。结果:经大病保险报销,三个区县大病患者平均自付费用明显减轻,实际补偿比均有不同程度的提高,但灾难性卫生支出情况无显著改善。结论:应通过提高大病保险起付线与报销比例,拓宽报销目录等举措提高其补偿水平,重点缓解极重患者疾病经济负担。     

A Comparison of Outpatient Healthcare Expenditures Between Public and Private Medical Institutions in Urban China: An Instrumental Variable Approach

The growth of healthcare expenditure provokes constant comments and discussions, as countries battle the issues on cost containment and cost effectiveness. Prior to 1978, medical institutions in China were either state‐owned or were collective public hospitals. Since 1978, China has been trying to rebuild its healthcare system, which was destroyed during the ‘cultural revolution’, allowing private medical institutions to deliver healthcare services. As a result, private medical institutions have grown from 0% to 28.57% between 1978 and 2010. In this context, we compare outpatient healthcare expenditures between public and private medical institutions. The central problem of this comparison is that the choice of medical institution is endogenous. So we apply an instrumental variable (IV) framework utilizing geographic information (whether the closest medical institution is private) as the instrument while controlling for severity of health and other relevant confounding factors. Using China's Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance Survey 2008–2010, we found that there is no difference in expenditure between public and private medical institutions when IV framework is used. Our econometric tests suggest that our IV model is specified appropriately. However, the ordinary least square model, which is inconsistent in the presence of endogenous regressor(s), reveals that public medical institutions are more expensive. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Are natural resources bad for health?

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine whether economic dependence on various natural resources is associated with lower investment in health, after controlling for countries׳ geographical and historical fixed effects, corruption, autocratic regimes, income levels, and initial health status. Employing panel data for 118 countries for the period 1990–2008, we find no compelling evidence in support of a negative effect of resources on healthcare spending and outcomes. On the contrary, higher dependence on agricultural exports is associated with higher healthcare spending, higher life expectancy, and lower diabetes rates. Similarly, healthcare spending increases with higher mineral intensity. Finally, more hydrocarbon resource rents are associated with less diabetes and obesity rates. There is however evidence that public health provision relative to the size of the economy declines with greater hydrocarbon resource-intensity; the magnitude of this effect is less severe in non-democratic countries.     

代谢监测下早期营养支持对重型颅脑损伤病人预后的影响

目的:比较在能量代谢测定系统(简称:代谢车)监测指导下,早期采用不同营养方式及能量组合治疗重型颅脑损伤病人的临床疗效以及并发症的发生率。方法:将符合研究标准的重型颅脑损伤病人共184例随机分为肠内营养组(EN,n=61)、肠外营养组(PN,n=62)和混合营养组(PN+EN,n=61)。采用代谢车每天清晨测定病人静息能量消耗值(REE,kcal/d)连续2周,根据REE提供适宜的能量供给病人。监测病人第1、7和第14天的血清清蛋白(ALB),血红蛋白(Hb),前清蛋白(PA)和氮平衡(NB)的变化以及伤后1个月时GOS评分;同时观察病人在营养治疗期间肺炎、呕吐、误吸和消化道出血等并发症的发生率。结果:PN+EN组病人ALB、Hb、PA和NB变化、早期肺炎与入住ICU时间等指标均优于EN组或PN组,差异有显著性统计学意义(P0.05)。PN组病人消化道出血、呕吐、误吸的发生率最高,与其他两组比有显著性差异(P0.05);2周后病人病死率比较,PN组发生率最高,且与其他两组比较有显著性统计学差异(P0.05)。结论:伤后早期采用代谢车测定重型颅脑损伤病人的静息能量消耗,指导营养供给的模式更为科学准确。采用PN+EN混合营养供给模式更适合重型颅脑损伤病人早期营养支持。     

Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure in Pima Indians with Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus

Summary To assess the impact of Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus on energy metabolism, 24-h energy expenditure, basal metabolic rate and sleeping metabolic rate were measured in a respiratory chamber in 151 Pima Indians, 102 with normal glucose tolerance (67 male/35 female, (mean ± SD) 28±7 years, 99±24 kg, 32±9% body fat) and in 49 with Type 2 diabetes (22 male/27 female, 35±11 years, 107±33 kg, 39±7% body fat), after at least 3 days on a weight maintaining diet. After adjustment for differences in fat-free mass, fat mass, age and sex, 24-h energy expenditure, basal metabolic rate and sleeping metabolic rate were significantly higher in diabetic patients than in control subjects (72 kcal/day, p<0.05; 99 kcal/day, p<0.005; 99 kcal/day, p<0.001 respectively). Spontaneous physical activity was similar in both groups whereas the thermic effect of food, calculated as the mean energy expenditure corrected for activity throughout the day above sleeping metabolic rate and expressed as a percentage of energy intake, was significantly lower in Type 2 diabetic patients (17.1±7.1 vs 19.8±5.6%, p<0.05). Adjusted values of 24-h energy expenditure, basal metabolic rate and sleeping metabolic rate were correlated with hepatic endogenous glucose production (r=0.22, p<0.05; r=0.22, p<0.05; r=0.31, p<0.01 respectively). Therefore, increased basal and sleeping metabolic rates, resulting in increased 24-h sedentary energy expenditure may play a role in the weight loss so often observed in Type 2 diabetic subjects in addition to the energy loss from glycosuria.     

Validation of a 7-day physical activity diary against doubly-labelled water

Background: The assessment of physical activity intensity and duration is essential for understanding group activity patterns.

Methods: The present study evaluated the validity of measurement of total energy expenditure (TEE) and physical activity level (PAL) using a categorized physical activity diary. In 29 young healthy men, aged 18–27 years, with body mass index range 21–43 kg m^?2, TEE using doubly-labelled water (DLW), resting metabolic rate (RMR) by indirect calorimetry, physical activity level (PAL defined as TEE/RMR) and activity pattern, timing and level from 7-day physical activity diaries were determined.

Results: TEE by DLW and estimated by activity diary were correlated (r?=?0.61, p?=?0.005). The mean underestimation of TEE by the activity diary compared with the DLW method was 2.50?±?0.72 MJ day^?1. Sedentary (lying, sitting and standing) time averaged 18 h day^?1 and was negatively correlated with PAL (r?=??0.44, p?=?0.018) whilst time spent in light intensity activity (5 h day^?1) was positively correlated (r?=?0.51, p?=?0.005).

Conclusions: It is concluded that the categorized physical activity diary measured TEE with limited accuracy but presents an inexpensive, convenient method of discriminating individual and group physical activity patterns.