Revista panamericana de salud pública = Pan American journal of public health
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Nov 2002
Biography Historical ArticleRuth Rice Puffer: highlights of a rewarding life.
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Aug 2002
Predictors of compliance with short-term treatment among patients with back pain.
Great efforts have been made to find effective treatments for back pain. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of a particular treatment can depend on patient compliance. The objective of this study was to prospectively investigate whether patients' demographic factors, clinical factors, external barriers in following the treatment, and perceptions of disability, quality of life, depression, and control over health were predictive of compliance with a physical therapy program carried out with patients with low back pain. ⋯ The findings of our study indicate that patient compliance with back pain treatment is a serious and complex problem. Nevertheless, while this study was only an exploratory one, we believe that the results of this study can be used by care providers to identify patients likely to become noncompliant and also by researchers to plan specific studies on the effectiveness of treatment programs for patients with low back pain.
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · Aug 2002
Comparative Study[Comparative study of sleep patterns in nurses working day and night shifts].
To compare sleep patterns in nurses working day and night shifts in a hospital in Campinas (SP), Brazil. ⋯ The present findings are similar to those previously described in the literature. Night shift nurses should be able to take naps to compensate for the sleep deficit accrued when they work at night. ResumoObjetivo: Comparar os padrões de sono de enfermeiros dos turnos diurno e noturno em um hospital de Campinas (SP), Brasil. Métodos: Participaram 59 enfermeiros entre 23 e 59 anos. Para os enfermeiros do dia, analisou-se o sono noturno, e, para os da noite, os sonos diurno e noturno. Os informantes preencheram um diário do sono durante 1 semana, ao acordar. Foram analisados hora de ir deitar, de dormir, e de acordar; latência do sono; horas de sono noturno e diurno; cochilos; qualidade do sono; modo de acordar; e comparação do sono registrado no diário com o sono habitual. Também foram coletadas informações pessoais e profissionais. Resultados: O grupo diurno ia dormir às 23h36min e o grupo noturno, às 23h52min (P
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · May 2002
Social inequality and child malnutrition in four Andean countries.
To analyze the effects of socioeconomic, regional, and ethnic conditions on chronic malnutrition in four Andean countries of South America: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. ⋯ The sharp contrast between the conditions found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru and those in Colombia may be the result of specific ethnic factors affecting indigenous groups; a particular diet profile in the highland areas, with low protein and micronutrient intake; and differences in the long-term economic and social development paths that the countries have taken. Along with the strong socioeconomic gradient in all the countries, the weight of ethnic and regional factors suggests the need to reduce inequality as well as to comprehensively improve education and housing, better target health and nutrition programs, and implement participatory programs integrated into indigenous cultures.