The journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health
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Diabetes mellitus, especially if poorly controlled, is a major contributory cause for blindness, heart attacks, amputations, strokes, kidney failure and impotence. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing globally. Fortunately there is compelling evidence from clinical trials that lifestyle modifications and education can minimise the risk of diabetes, and new treatments can reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Persons with diabetes must understand their disease and be empowered to avoid obesity, smoking and unhealthy diets, and encouraged to exercise, and control blood glucose. Good health education, health promotion and access to professional care are essential for persons with diabetes mellitus. Valuable health information is available from Diabetes UK and the Internet.
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J R Soc Promot Health · Jun 2003
Factors influencing patient choice of hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This study examined factors considered important in choosing a hospital. The sample consisted of 303 respondents selected from five randomly selected primary health care centres. The percentages of males, highly educated, high-income level, elder and private sector employees was higher in those choosing private sector hospitals, while marital status did not relate to type of hospital. ⋯ Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that the main factors associated with choosing a hospital were medical services, accessibility, age, sex and education. Little importance was given to income and occupation. Future recommendations outline the need for consumers' perceptions, attitudes, suggestions and concerns to be taken into consideration when marketing the services to be provided.
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Science and technology are crucial in modern medicine; societies devote enormous amounts of time, money and effort to developing new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, the fact that people now report higher rates of disability, symptoms and general dissatisfaction with their health and well-being calls us to rethink the functions of health care and medical education. There is a need for a new medical paradigm, which should involve and reconcile the natural and the social scientific paradigms ('two cultures'). ⋯ This mandate suggests that the physician needs to become a sort of 'neo-polymath' in a 'new Renaissance'. The new paradigm, however, should not demand the acquisition of more and more information. Instead, the crucial principle would focus on the appropriate selection of information.