Public health
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Few studies of comorbidity among cocaine users have been undertaken in Brazil, despite the fact that cocaine is one of the most commonly used illegal drugs in the country. The aim of this paper is to review existing data on psychiatric evaluations of cocaine users, and present data from two studies that have addressed this issue as it pertains to the Brazilian public health system. ⋯ To the authors' knowledge, this is the first article to discuss psychiatric evaluations of comorbidity among cocaine users in Brazil. The results indicate a need to: pay more attention to the evaluation of psychiatric symptoms in cocaine users; emphasize the importance of standardized data collection in this area; and evaluate the course of these symptoms, their impact on outcome, and how they are best addressed in treatment.
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To assess the burden of burn injury in primary and secondary hospitals in Bangladesh, and how these costs are reflected as social and economic burdens in the community. ⋯ Burn injuries were associated with a longer hospital stay compared with other injuries and illnesses. The management costs of burn injury, even using very incomplete data, were found to be very high in Bangladesh. To reduce this economic burden on families, an effective burn prevention programme should be developed.
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Since January 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a number of advisories about the use of antidepressants, including selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These advisories may have influenced the number of SSRI exposures reported to poison control centres. The purpose of this study was to examine time trends in SSRI exposures reported to poison control centres in Texas with respect to the timing of the various advisories. ⋯ The FDA advisory in June 2003 appeared to initiate a decline in paroxetine ingestions, particularly among patients aged <20 years, but did not appear to influence other SSRI ingestions reported to poison control centres in Texas.
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Evidence suggests that the present and projected global burden of road traffic injuries is borne disproportionately by countries that can least afford to meet the health service, economic and societal challenges. Although the evidence base on which these estimates are made remains somewhat precarious in view of the limited data systems in most low- and middle-income countries, these projections highlight the essential need to address road traffic injuries as a public health priority. ⋯ However, these groups comprise the majority of road traffic victims in low- and middle-income countries, and consequently the majority of road traffic victims globally. Responding appropriately to the disparities in available evidence and prevention efforts is necessary in order to address this global public health crisis comprehensively.
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To determine the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) associated with various types of tobacco consumption among young patients aged 20-49 years attending a tertiary care cardiac hospital in Bangladesh. ⋯ This study found evidence for an association between various types of tobacco consumption and CHD, particularly for bidi smoking and different types of smokeless tobacco consumption. Policies should be made and implemented to combat bidi smoking and smokeless tobacco consumption, as well as cigarette smoking.