Bmc Public Health
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An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
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Poverty and food insecurity have been linked to poor health and morbidity, especially in older adults. Housing is recognized as a social determinant of health, and very little is known about subjective poverty and food insecurity in the marginalized population of older adults living in subsidized social housing. We sought to understand poverty and food insecurity, as well as the risk factors associated with both outcomes, in older adults living in social housing in Ontario. ⋯ The poverty rate was lower than expected which could be related to the surrounding environment and perceptions around wealth. Food insecurity was approximately twice that of the general population of older adults in Canada, which could be related to inaccessibility and increased barriers to healthy foods. For those who reported being food secure, dietary habits were considered poor. While social housing may function as a financial benefit and reduce perceived poverty, future interventions are needed to improve the quality of diet consumed by this vulnerable population.
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Since deinstitutionalization in the 1950s-1970s, public mental health care has changed its focus from asylums to general hospitals, outpatient clinics and specialized community-based programs addressing both clinical and social determinants of mental health. Analysis of the place of community-based programs within a comprehensive health system such as the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) may illuminate the role of social forces in shaping contemporary public mental health systems. ⋯ Almost one-fifth of VHA mental health patients receive community-based services prominently addressing major social determinants of health and multimorbid substance use disorders.
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Observational Study
Mortality analysis of burns in a developing country: a CAMEROONIAN experience.
Burns are a serious public health problem worldwide accounting for an estimated 265,000 deaths annually from fires alone. The vast majority (96%) of deaths from fire-related burns occur in low- and middle-income countries and burns are one of the leading causes of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in the developing world. Most burn centres are situated in large cities and are inadequate for the high incidence of injuries. An 8 year review of 440 patients in the Douala General Hospital, showed that the majority of patients burned were males (n = 281, 68.9%), the mean age was 25.2 ± 17.77 years with an admission rate of 69.5% (306 patients). The modal and median age were 31.0 years and 25.0 years respectively, interquartile range (0.4-82). Majority of burns (n = 237, 53.9%) had burn surface area ≥ 10%, most burns were 2nd degree (n = 215, 48.9) and the commonest burn agents were flames (n = 170, 37.3%), electricity (n = 119, 26.3%) and water (n = 114, 25.2%). The paucity of data on burn mortality in Cameroon motivated this study and is aimed at determining the mortality rate, causes and factors associated with death of burnt patients in the burn unit of the Douala General Hospital (DGH). ⋯ A quarter of all patients died mostly from flame burns and to a lesser extent, electricity and scalds. Increase in burn depth and burn surface area worsened the prognosis. Shock (the commonest cause of death), sepsis, acute respiratory distress, acute renal failure and wound infection were significantly associated with mortality.
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Health literacy (HL) has a deep impact on people's decisions about their health and health care system. Measurement and improvement of HL level is essential to develop an appropriate health care system. The aim of the study was to (1) conduct a pilot study among the population of Baranya County in Hungary with different socio-economic statuses, (2) evaluate the HL level and (3) found the correlations between socio-economic data, emergency departments' visits, medical history and HL. ⋯ Socio-economic status has a strong influence on HL level. It is not enough to improve awareness but we need to improve knowledge and cooperation with the doctors and health care system.