Journal of epidemiology and community health
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Aug 1996
Epidemiology and implications of ocular trauma admitted to hospital in Scotland.
To describe the current epidemiology of serious ocular trauma which necessitates admission to hospital so that health and safety strategies for the prevention of ocular injuries and their role within the national health strategy, The Health of the Nation, can be better informed. ⋯ Serious ocular trauma frequently occurs at home and the young and the elderly are particularly at risk. This represents a significant change in the epidemiology of serious ocular trauma and has important implications for prevention. Health and safety strategies specifically aimed at preventing eye injury should now include the home as a high risk environment in addition to the work-place and sports/leisure facilities. The target groups for accident prevention in The Health of the Nation strategy include those at risk of serious ocular trauma with potentially sight threatening sequelae. Those involved in implementing the national accident prevention strategy should be aware of this, for in this process it is possible that some serious eye injuries may also be prevented.
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Aug 1996
Non-urgent care in the hospital medical emergency department in France: how much and which health needs does it reflect?
The goal was to describe the use of the medical emergency department as a source of non-urgent medical care in order to assess unmet health care needs among its users. The specific objectives were thus to assess the proportion of emergency department visits for non-urgent medical care and to describe those who used the department for this reason. ⋯ Non-urgent use of the emergency department was observed in about one third of the visits. Groups using the department for primary care and/or non-urgent care were mostly young and socially fragile, with no regular source of health care. Their poor health condition suggests that there is a need for a structure providing primary care both inside and outside 'normal' working hours.
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Jun 1996
Prevalence of low back pain in the community: implications for service provision in Bradford, UK.
To assist a purchasing district in the planning of services for low back pain by assessing the prevalence of symptoms and the current involvement of primary, secondary, and complementary care in the treatment of low back pain. In the light of these findings, to assess further the potential impact of a new system of open access to physical therapy, as recommended by the British Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG). ⋯ Local prevalence estimates may allow purchasers to estimate the potential effects of a shift in management policy for low back pain and to highlight areas of unmet need in terms of resources and patient education.
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Apr 1996
Hospital volume, calendar age, and short term outcomes in patients undergoing repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms: the Ontario experience, 1988-92.
To determine, for abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery, whether a previously reported relationship between hospital case volume and mortality rate was observed in Ontario hospitals and to assess the potential impact of age on the mortality rate for elective surgery. ⋯ The relationship between hospital volume and mortality or morbidity was very modest and observed only for elective surgery. Case fatality rates in patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms remained 10 times higher than for patients with unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms, despite improvements in overall mortality in comparison to previously published data. More effective detection of aneurysms, including elective repair for those once considered "high risk" older patients, might further reduce the toll from ruptured aortic aneurysms.
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J Epidemiol Community Health · Apr 1996
Hand searching the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health as part of th Cochrane Collaboration.
To identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health and to explore the contribution of these to the evaluation of public health issues. ⋯ The journal has published many trials of importance to the development of evidence-based public health policy. Hand searching may need to be done independently by more than one person.