The method of linear analogue self-assessment (LASA) was used to quantify the views concerning day care which were held by patients attending a geriatric day hospital. The results suggest that day hospitals are an acceptable form of care for the elderly.
{"title":"Evaluation of patients' assessment of day hospital care.","authors":"H Peach, M S Pathy","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.3.209","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.3.209","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The method of linear analogue self-assessment (LASA) was used to quantify the views concerning day care which were held by patients attending a geriatric day hospital. The results suggest that day hospitals are an acceptable form of care for the elderly.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 3","pages":"209-10"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.3.209","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11792545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Published data from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (1973) are used to examine the relationship between hospital use and marital state. Non-married men and women are shown to have higher discharge rates and longer mean durations of stay than married patients in the corresponding age groups, and to account, on average, for about 24 000 additional beds each day in non-psychiatric hospitals. Hospital Activity Analysis data from one region suggest that the higher rates of bed use by non-married patients as a whole are maintained for both single and widowed patients separately, and the differences are also observed in all types of non-psychiatric hospitals. Two possible modes of explanation are discussed: that the incidence and possibly the severity of conditions that are normally treated in hospital may be differentially distributed among marital status groups; and that non-clinical factors in decisions about admission and discharge may be associated more commonly with non-married than married patients. The results carry no normative implications for the uses to which hospital resources should be put.
{"title":"Marital status and hospital use.","authors":"J R Butler, M Morgan","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.3.192","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.3.192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Published data from the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (1973) are used to examine the relationship between hospital use and marital state. Non-married men and women are shown to have higher discharge rates and longer mean durations of stay than married patients in the corresponding age groups, and to account, on average, for about 24 000 additional beds each day in non-psychiatric hospitals. Hospital Activity Analysis data from one region suggest that the higher rates of bed use by non-married patients as a whole are maintained for both single and widowed patients separately, and the differences are also observed in all types of non-psychiatric hospitals. Two possible modes of explanation are discussed: that the incidence and possibly the severity of conditions that are normally treated in hospital may be differentially distributed among marital status groups; and that non-clinical factors in decisions about admission and discharge may be associated more commonly with non-married than married patients. The results carry no normative implications for the uses to which hospital resources should be put.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 3","pages":"192-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.3.192","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11792542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hospital discharge rates for various immigrant groups resident in Greater London and the West Midlands were studied to compare the incidence of two diseases of the nervous system-motor neurone disease (MND) and multiple sclerosis (MS). For both these conditions immigrants from Europe, Ireland, America and from the old commonwealth countries of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand had discharge rates that were similar to those for people born in the United Kingdom. In contrast, immigrants from the new commonwealth countries of Asia, Africa, America (including the West Indies), and Europe (Gibraltar, Malta, and Gozo) had a greatly reduced risk of MS but a very similar risk of MND compared with those born in the United Kingdom. MS but not MND was rare among immigrants of Asian or African ethnic origin and uncommon among immigrants from the West Indies. Deaths attributed to MS and MND have also been studied. During a three-year period there were no deaths reported for MS among immigrants of Asian and African ethnic origin and 14 were expected. There were two deaths from MND among these immigrants and five were expected. Among the immigrants from the West Indies two deaths were attributed to MS and 13 were expected, and there were three deaths attributed to MND and four were expected. The contrast between MND and MS in hospital morbidity and mortality confirms that MS among immigrants to Britain is rare in those of Asian and African ethnic origin.
{"title":"Motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis among immigrants to Britain.","authors":"G Dean, R Brady, H McLoughlin","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.3.141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.3.141","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hospital discharge rates for various immigrant groups resident in Greater London and the West Midlands were studied to compare the incidence of two diseases of the nervous system-motor neurone disease (MND) and multiple sclerosis (MS). For both these conditions immigrants from Europe, Ireland, America and from the old commonwealth countries of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand had discharge rates that were similar to those for people born in the United Kingdom. In contrast, immigrants from the new commonwealth countries of Asia, Africa, America (including the West Indies), and Europe (Gibraltar, Malta, and Gozo) had a greatly reduced risk of MS but a very similar risk of MND compared with those born in the United Kingdom. MS but not MND was rare among immigrants of Asian or African ethnic origin and uncommon among immigrants from the West Indies. Deaths attributed to MS and MND have also been studied. During a three-year period there were no deaths reported for MS among immigrants of Asian and African ethnic origin and 14 were expected. There were two deaths from MND among these immigrants and five were expected. Among the immigrants from the West Indies two deaths were attributed to MS and 13 were expected, and there were three deaths attributed to MND and four were expected. The contrast between MND and MS in hospital morbidity and mortality confirms that MS among immigrants to Britain is rare in those of Asian and African ethnic origin.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 3","pages":"141-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.3.141","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11791194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Suicide mortality in the area now administered by the Greater London Council was assessed for three five-year periods 1949-1953, 1959-63, and 1969-73. For each of the periods the standard mortality ratio (SMR) for suicide in various boroughs was calculated for men and women separately. The boroughs with high SMRs for men were constant. There was a pronounced change in the geographical distribution of high mortality among women. These findings support the hypothesis that the determinants of suicide differ between the sexes.
{"title":"Suicide mortality in Greater London: changes during the past 25 years.","authors":"R D Farmer, T D Preston, S E O'Brien","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.3.171","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.3.171","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Suicide mortality in the area now administered by the Greater London Council was assessed for three five-year periods 1949-1953, 1959-63, and 1969-73. For each of the periods the standard mortality ratio (SMR) for suicide in various boroughs was calculated for men and women separately. The boroughs with high SMRs for men were constant. There was a pronounced change in the geographical distribution of high mortality among women. These findings support the hypothesis that the determinants of suicide differ between the sexes.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 3","pages":"171-7"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.3.171","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11792539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The hypothesis was tested that respiratory illness in children occurs more commonly in old housing than in housing built to modern standards. Three areas of housing were chosen in a South Wales valley: a recently constructed council estate with district central heating; a modern council estate heated with open coal fires; and an area of much older, traditional valley housing. Mothers reported the greatest proportion of children free of colds and sore throats during the previous 12 months in the area of traditional valley housing; mothers of children in the centrally heated estate reported the least proportion of children free of colds. Children's lung function was best in the area of traditional valley housing and worst in the centrally heated council estate. Data on demographic indices and respiratory morbidity suggest that the inhabitants of the two council estates have comparable characteristics. Another hypothesis which may explain the findings is proposed.
{"title":"Housing conditions, respiratory illness, and lung function in children in South Wales.","authors":"J W Yarnell, A S St Leger","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.3.183","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.3.183","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The hypothesis was tested that respiratory illness in children occurs more commonly in old housing than in housing built to modern standards. Three areas of housing were chosen in a South Wales valley: a recently constructed council estate with district central heating; a modern council estate heated with open coal fires; and an area of much older, traditional valley housing. Mothers reported the greatest proportion of children free of colds and sore throats during the previous 12 months in the area of traditional valley housing; mothers of children in the centrally heated estate reported the least proportion of children free of colds. Children's lung function was best in the area of traditional valley housing and worst in the centrally heated council estate. Data on demographic indices and respiratory morbidity suggest that the inhabitants of the two council estates have comparable characteristics. Another hypothesis which may explain the findings is proposed.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 3","pages":"183-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.3.183","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11792541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
There is an acknowledged need for better information to guide resource allocation and service planning in the health services. Despite the recognition of the important role of socioeconomic factors, difficulties with the appropriate presentation of daya have so far proved insuperable. Social area analysis (SAA), which is a generic name for a number of methods employing census and other data to classify small areas into similar socioeconomic groups, is an approach which quantifies data in a useful fashion and has important applications in medical, epidemiological and health services research. Most previous British exercises in SAA have been in the field of town planning. The potentialities of the approach for community medicine are evaluated, by the use of information from two existing studies. This is shown to discriminate more effectively than does existing health information between hypotheses concerning geographical variations in mortality, and it provides adequate explanations for urban area differentials in infant mortality, the uptake of vaccination, and the incidence of infectious disease. Specific applications of SAA in health planning and research are discussed.
{"title":"Social area analysis in community medicine.","authors":"A Scott-Samuel","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.3.199","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.3.199","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>There is an acknowledged need for better information to guide resource allocation and service planning in the health services. Despite the recognition of the important role of socioeconomic factors, difficulties with the appropriate presentation of daya have so far proved insuperable. Social area analysis (SAA), which is a generic name for a number of methods employing census and other data to classify small areas into similar socioeconomic groups, is an approach which quantifies data in a useful fashion and has important applications in medical, epidemiological and health services research. Most previous British exercises in SAA have been in the field of town planning. The potentialities of the approach for community medicine are evaluated, by the use of information from two existing studies. This is shown to discriminate more effectively than does existing health information between hypotheses concerning geographical variations in mortality, and it provides adequate explanations for urban area differentials in infant mortality, the uptake of vaccination, and the incidence of infectious disease. Specific applications of SAA in health planning and research are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 3","pages":"199-204"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.3.199","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11792543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The power of a test of Edwards to detect seasonality or cyclic variation in the rate of an epidemiological event is derived and tabulated. A simple harmonic or sinusoidal form of variation is assumed, but the power results should also apply approximately to other situations with similar types of rate oscillation. The results may be used by investigators to determine the sample size required in order to detect seasonal variation of a given magnitude, or conversely to calculate the probability of detecting seasonality of various amplitudes with a sample of fixed size.
{"title":"The power of a test for seasonality.","authors":"S D Walter","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.2.137","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.2.137","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The power of a test of Edwards to detect seasonality or cyclic variation in the rate of an epidemiological event is derived and tabulated. A simple harmonic or sinusoidal form of variation is assumed, but the power results should also apply approximately to other situations with similar types of rate oscillation. The results may be used by investigators to determine the sample size required in order to detect seasonal variation of a given magnitude, or conversely to calculate the probability of detecting seasonality of various amplitudes with a sample of fixed size.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 2","pages":"137-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.2.137","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"12069293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A case study of severely disabled patients needing regular mechanical help with breathing following poliomyelitis was set up in 1970 to establish what medical, technical, and social support would be required for home rather than hospital care. In this paper these two care alternatives are considered from an economic point of view and a detailed cost comparison is made between entirely hospital based care and predominantly home care.
{"title":"Hospital or home care for the severely disabled: a cost comparison.","authors":"A L Creese, R Fielden","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.2.116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.2.116","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A case study of severely disabled patients needing regular mechanical help with breathing following poliomyelitis was set up in 1970 to establish what medical, technical, and social support would be required for home rather than hospital care. In this paper these two care alternatives are considered from an economic point of view and a detailed cost comparison is made between entirely hospital based care and predominantly home care.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 2","pages":"116-21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.2.116","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11360655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Williams et al. (1976) have suggested the use of Guttman scaling for scoring an index of disability. Two examples confirm the applicability of this method in the context of survey research. One of these examples is of a disablement scale widely employed in local authority social services research. For the purpose of survey assessment of disabled populations, the precise choice of scaling method for scoring disability is often of little consequence.
{"title":"Scaling indices of disablement.","authors":"A C Bebbington","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.2.122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.2.122","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Williams et al. (1976) have suggested the use of Guttman scaling for scoring an index of disability. Two examples confirm the applicability of this method in the context of survey research. One of these examples is of a disablement scale widely employed in local authority social services research. For the purpose of survey assessment of disabled populations, the precise choice of scaling method for scoring disability is often of little consequence.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 2","pages":"122-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.2.122","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"11360656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper presents frequency distributions of parasuicidal episodes (suicide attempts) in Edinburgh for four subgroups of people for each of the years 1970, 1973, and 1974. Probability distributions are fitted to these data and it is shown that the log-series distribution best fits the data for two subgroups. The stability of the parameters of these distributions is examined and is demonstrated for two of the subgroups.
{"title":"Frequency distribution of hospital-referred parasuicidal episodes in Edinburgh.","authors":"J C Duffy","doi":"10.1136/jech.31.2.109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.31.2.109","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper presents frequency distributions of parasuicidal episodes (suicide attempts) in Edinburgh for four subgroups of people for each of the years 1970, 1973, and 1974. Probability distributions are fitted to these data and it is shown that the log-series distribution best fits the data for two subgroups. The stability of the parameters of these distributions is examined and is demonstrated for two of the subgroups.</p>","PeriodicalId":75622,"journal":{"name":"British journal of preventive & social medicine","volume":"31 2","pages":"109-15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1977-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1136/jech.31.2.109","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"12069289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}