Gender differences in informal caring

Men have hitherto largely been invisible in research on informal care. This paper examines gender differences in informal caring, focusing on gender differences according to the relationship between the carer and care-recipient and the location of caring. The paper uses secondary analysis of the 1990–91 General Household Survey, which identified over 2700 adults as informal carers. Four per cent of men and women provide care for someone living in the same household. More women than men, 13% compared with 10%, provide care for someone living in another household. Men carers are less involved in care provision than women, providing fewer hours of care each week, and are less likely to be the main carer. However, gender differences are most marked among married carers, apart from those caring for their spouse, and least among unmarried carers. Married men can often rely on their wives to perform caring roles rather than performing them personally. Women carers are more likely to provide personal care than men carers, but the gender difference is least among those caring for their spouse or for disabled children. Cross-sex personal care is performed within the marital relationship and by parents caring for disabled children, but seldom by adult children caring for their parents or in more distant caring relationships. Evidence of cross-sex taboos in giving personal care is largely restricted to care provided in another household. Since the majority of elderly people in need of care are women, such cultural taboos may reinforce the pressure on mid-life women to care for mothers and mothers-in-law.     

从《伤寒论》少阳病治禁浅议"柴胡证"

目的:探讨柴胡证以指导小柴胡汤的临床应用。方法:遵照张仲景提出少阳病治疗禁忌是以条文中脉症乃少阳病为前提进行分析。结果:柴胡证包括诸多小柴胡汤相关条文中的脉症。结论:张仲景提出有柴胡证,但见一证便是,不必悉具,是由于少阳病具有枢机不利的病机特点,涉及的病位广泛,临床表现多样,旨在说明小柴胡汤临床应用非常广泛的特点。     

和法的概念及临床应用之我见

<正>和法是中医理论体系中一种应用广泛、疗效显著的治疗方法,其通过调和疏解使营卫失调、气血紊乱、寒热错杂、阴阳失衡、脏腑功能不和等病理现象趋于平衡与和谐,使人体恢复"阴平阳秘",适用广泛。现就和法概念及其临床应用浅谈笔者体会。     

从《伤寒论》少阳病治禁浅议“柴胡证”

目的：探讨＂柴胡证＂以指导小柴胡汤的临床应用。方法：遵照张仲景提出少阳病治疗禁忌是以条文中脉症乃少阳病为前提进行分析。结果：＂柴胡证＂包括诸多小柴胡汤相关条文中的脉症。结论：张仲景提出＂有柴胡证,但见一证便是,不必悉具＂,是由于少阳病具有枢机不利的病机特点,涉及的病位广泛,临床表现多样,旨在说明小柴胡汤临床应用非常广泛的特点。     

中医诊治琐谈*

中医诊断是以中医理论作指导,从整体观出发,运用辨证的理论,采取"具体问题具体分析"的方法对待疾病,使诊疗过程完全建立在客观事实和正确思维的基础之上.中医在诊治过程中的有5点应该注意的问题,即:忌四诊掉以轻心,不求详审、忌辨证只靠经验,不谙理论、忌诊病仅凭印象,不合病机、忌用药杂乱无章,不讲法度、忌囿于西医诊断,不假思索.     

地骨皮的本草考证

经典名方的研发是促进中医药继承创新和开拓中医走向现代国际化的重要途径,梳理经典名方组成药味的历史沿革以明确其基原产地、性味功效、证候禁忌等对其研发尤为重要,是保证全方安全性及有效性的源头。地骨皮作为常用的传统中药材,应用广泛,具有良好的研发前景。《古代经典名方目录(第一批)》中含地骨皮的方剂共5首,通过查阅现代文献,鲜见地骨皮本草沿革的文献考证。该文将基于古籍文献,从地骨皮别名、产地、基原、性味归经、功效主治、证候禁忌等方面梳理其历代衍变情况,为研究地骨皮以及经典名方提供文献依据。考证分析发现,地骨皮最早记载于《五十二病方》,汉以前的古籍并未以"地骨皮"之名收载该味中药材。历代古籍记载的地骨皮性味归经、基原与现代权威中药材内容差异较小。随着时代变迁发展,现代对地骨皮功效主治舍弃较多,呈现断层式继承,提示该药材尚有许多潜在的功效主治可供临床开发应用。地骨皮的药用规格除了现代常用的生地骨皮外,古籍还记载了甘草汤制、焙制、炒黄、童便制、酒浸和酒蒸等炮制品。     

从桂枝汤方后注谈服中药的饮食禁忌

服中药的饮食禁忌理论源远流长,多源于人的实践积累和临床经验总结。所谓"药食同源",药后饮食不当不仅会减弱药物的治疗作用,甚者会加重、延误病情,危害身体健康。通过分析张仲景《伤寒论》桂枝汤方后注中提及服药后的饮食禁忌,探讨饮食禁忌的理论渊源和不合理的药后饮食损伤人体的机理,并结合自身中医临床,从四时、体质、疾病、药物、生理期五方面的差异性论述服中药后的饮食禁忌,以指导患者服中药后的合理饮食,提高临床疗效。     

The concentration of hemoglobin in circulating blood

A rural society in Nigeria (Mbaise, an Igbo ethnic group in Nigeria) whose people have been known to practice certain food prohibitions was selected for a survey of their current food habits and beliefs. The traditions of the five communities that make up the Mbaise society were found to prohibit certain food items on different scales among the different communities. Although these prohibitions have become a part of the people's tradition they were originally based on superstitions. With recent economic, social and educational improvements in the communities, the younger generations are, unlike the older ones, gradually changing their attitudes toward such food prohibitions.     

Traditional prenatal and postpartum food restrictions among women in northern Lao PDR

Culturally determined food restrictions are common among pregnant and postpartum women in Asia. This study aimed to describe perinatal dietary restrictions, factors associated with food avoidances and attainment of minimum dietary diversity (MDD-W) among women in Lao PDR. Mother–child (aged 21 days to <18 months) dyads (n = 682) were enrolled into a cohort study in northern Lao PDR and interviewed at one time point postpartum. During pregnancy and postpartum, 1.6% and 97% of women reported following dietary restrictions, respectively. Cluster analysis identified four distinct postpartum dietary patterns: most restrictive (throughout first 2 months postpartum); least restrictive; 2 weeks highly restrictive and 1 month highly restrictive, followed by 19%, 15%, 5% and 62% of women, respectively. Greater maternal age, gravidity and higher household socioeconomic status were associated with allowing more diverse foods, while women from food insecure households followed more restrictive diets for longer. Women belonging to the Hmong ethnic group followed a highly restrictive diet of white rice and chicken for the first month postpartum. MDD-W was achieved by 10% of women restricting their diet at the time of the interview compared with 17% of women who were consuming their normal diet (p = 0.04). Postpartum dietary restrictions are widespread among women in northern Lao PDR. These highly restrictive diets, low dietary diversity and food insecurity likely contribute to micronutrient deficiencies in women that may have important consequences for their breastfed infants through reduced breastmilk micronutrient content, which requires further exploration. Culturally appropriate strategies to increase micronutrient intakes among women should be considered.