Health trends最新文献

For several years it has been recommended that aspirin should be avoided in children under the age of 12 years because of the risk of Reye's Syndrome. In this study we investigated the reported use of analgesics among children who attended the Children's Department of the Dental Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne. In addition the study also investigated the complaints that led to use of analgesics, the dose and frequency of administration of the analgesic, and past and current contact with medical services. Of 179 children investigated, 129 were under 12 years-old; of these 129 children under 12 years-of-age, 72 (56%) had taken an analgesic within the previous six months, 12 (17%) of whom took aspirin. Three of these children who had taken aspirin were reported to have had a serious illness in their lives, and would therefore have had significant contact with medical services. One-quarter of all children who had taken an analgesic did so for toothache. Inappropriate use of aspirin in children under 12 years-of-age indicates that health education about the possible risks of Reye's Syndrome needs to be improved.

Research into health behaviour among people of Chinese ethnic origin in Britain has been piecemeal and provides an inadequate basis for health prevention initiatives. A better understanding to direct future research and to facilitate the development of new health prevention initiatives among the Chinese community might be achieved by use of the Health Action Model.

The 18,000 United Kingdom general dental practitioners registered for National Health Service (NHS) practice were surveyed in July 1991 to assess their current use of protective gloves, eyewear and masks, and instrument sterilisation. Nearly 7,000 (6,588) valid responses were obtained immediately; of these, 70% of practitioners wore gloves routinely for clinical work, but only 14.5% donned new gloves for each patient. About 60% wore protective eyewear routinely or all the time but 12% never wore eye protection, and only 36% of practitioners used masks. Autoclaves or chemical solutions were the most popular methods to disinfect handpieces, but less than half the respondents stated that handpieces were sterilised or disinfected after each patient use. Most respondents (81%) routinely used autoclaves for sterilisation of other instruments. Although the response rate to the questionnaire was low, the results indicate that, despite the risks of, and publicity about, cross-infection, a substantial number of NHS dental practitioners may not adequately disinfect or sterilise their equipment between patients.

This paper reports changes in the incidence and manifestations of decompression illness in amateur scuba divers in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1981 and 1993, a period during which the popularity of the sport increased. Since 1981, there has been a trend to increased annual incidence of decompression illness, but the large yearly fluctuations reflect a considerable annual variation in the numbers of dives. The need for recompression facilities to treat decompression illness in amateur scuba divers in the UK should take account of this greater public participation in the sport, and should also allow for large annual fluctuations related to meteorological and financial factors.

The quality of life of disabled people depends partly on resources accessible to them. In this study, the capital costs of disability are defined and quantified for disabled people aged 16-64 years, inrelation to: their families, the state, the level of disability, medical diagnosis, and income, for 173 people in the Harrow area on Social Services registers of very severe and appreciable handicap. The mean cost of capital equipment and adaptations was 5,700 pounds (inter-quartile range 200 pounds to 6,600 pounds) to individuals and their families, and 4,500 pounds (inter-quartile range 100 pounds to 6,900 pounds) to statutory bodies (1993 prices, based on a 1988 survey). Two-thirds of this was spent on structural alterations, and one-third on aids and equipment, and costs to the individual were not apparently related to income from employment or state allowances. Capital costs of disability acquired in later life were partly ameliorated for some by accrued pensions, and for those disabled earlier in life, costs were often borne by carers and family. High capital outlay, often borne by the family, was reported for those with congenital disorders. The study indicates the need for financial support, and the need to increase suitable available accommodation for disabled people; regular review may help to identify individual requirements and changing needs.

The United Kingdom Health Departments have recently encouraged increased intakes to degree-level training courses leading to a dual qualification in prosthetics/orthotics. Surveys of qualified orthotists and prosthetists and of their employers were undertaken to examine the dynamics of this labour market, and a model was used to project potential requirements for newly qualified orthotists and prosthetists. The model indicates that: current policy on student numbers is broadly appropriate for maintaining the present working population; any expansion in service provision would require significant growth in student places; and even a small decline in demand could shortly lead to an over-supply of such specialist services.