Rev Epidemiol Sante
-
Rev Epidemiol Sante · Dec 2015
[Patients' satisfaction and waiting time in oncology day care centers in Champagne-Ardenne].
Quality of life of patients suffering from cancer may be influenced by the way healthcare is organized and by patient experiences. Nowadays, chemotherapy is often provided in day care centers. This study aimed to assess patient waiting time and satisfaction in oncology day care centers in Champagne-Ardenne, France. ⋯ This study has shown that waiting times are important. However, patients are satisfied with the healthcare organization, especially regarding nursing support. Early preparation of chemotherapy could improve these parameters.
-
Rev Epidemiol Sante · Apr 2015
[Association of air-pollution with acute myocardial infarction: A case-crossover study].
A large number of studies have demonstrated an association between ambient air pollutant exposures and acute myocardial infarctions (AMI). Case-crossover methods are frequently used for analyzing the acute health effects of air pollution. Nevertheless, only a few studies controlled for potential confounders like other air pollutants and temperature. ⋯ The results of this study reinforce the evidence of the short-term effects of air pollution on acute myocardial infarction, especially during the warm season. This also suggests that the case-crossover method is a suitable tool in studying the association between acute events and air pollution. Controlling for potential environmental confounding effects is also feasible with this method.
-
Rev Epidemiol Sante · Feb 2014
[Predictive factors of all-cause mortality in patients attending the medical emergency unit of Kinshasa University Hospital].
The management of medical emergencies is poorly organized in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition, the mortality of patients attending the medical emergency unit of Kinshasa University Hospital is relatively high, with death of patients occurring rather early. To date, factors associated with this mortality have been poorly elucidated. This study aimed to identify predictive factors of all-cause mortality in patients admitted to the medical emergency unit of the Kinshasa University Hospital. ⋯ Our study showed that transfer from another health care structure, low Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission, high creatinine level, cardiovascular, renal, hematologic and/or respiratory diseases, sepsis and/or meningitis and encephalitis were associated with an increased risk of death in Kinshasa University Hospital patients admitted in the medical emergency unit.
-
Epidemiological research is mostly based on observational studies. Whether such studies can provide evidence of causation remains discussed. Several causal analysis methods have been developed in epidemiology. ⋯ In conclusion, "causal models", though they were developed partly independently, are based on equivalent logical foundations. A crucial step in the application of these models is the formulation of causal hypotheses, which will be a basis for all methodological choices. Beyond this step, statistical analysis tools recently developed offer new possibilities to delineate complex relationships, in particular in life course epidemiology.