Articles: health.
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Santé (Montrouge, France) · Sep 1998
[Cesarean sections in Senegal: coverage of needs and quality of services].
A prospective longitudinal study was carried out of all women undergoing Cesarean section in the surgical maternity hospitals of Senegal between January 1 and December 31 1996. The epidemiology and quality of Cesarean sections were investigated. For each case, the following data were recorded: marital status, prenatal monitoring, conditions of hospitalization, indications for and outcome of surgery, maternal and neonatal follow-up one month after the operation. 2,436 Cesarean sections were performed. ⋯ Maternal morbidity occurred in 10% of cases, mainly due to postoperative infection. The rate of perinatal stress was 25%, most deaths being caused by neonatal distress (33%) or infection (18%). Thus, overall, both the availability and quality of Cesarean section in Senegal are poor.
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J Diarrhoeal Dis Res · Sep 1998
Diarrhoea in children of Nigerian market women: prevalence, knowledge of causes, and management.
A cross-sectional survey was carried out among mothers of children aged less than five years in two markets in Ibadan, one with poor environmental sanitation and the other clean and well maintained. The study took place between September 1996 and March 1997. The questionnaire used for this survey sought information about the occurrence of diarrhoea among children aged less than five years, their mothers' knowledge about the management of diarrhoea and their practices, including care-seeking practices, and the use of oral rehydration solutions. ⋯ When their children had diarrhoea, 44% (Bodija) and 40% (Gbagi) of the mothers attended health centres, 33% (Bodija) and 32% (Gbagi) gave ORT at home, and 12% (Bodija) and 19% (Gbagi) purchased drugs at a chemist. The study further showed that, while only one-third of all respondents resorted to home-treatment of diarrhoea with ORS, more than 80% of them knew the components and composition of ORS solution. There is a need to continue to encourage mothers to use ORS and, thus, bridge the knowledge-practice gap in mothers' management of diarrhoea at home.
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Health education research · Sep 1998
Towards a psycho-social theoretical framework for sexual health promotion.
Numerous interventions have been designed to promote safer sexual behaviour amongst young people. However, relatively few have proved effective, which is, at least partially, due to the lack of development of theoretically based programmes. An understanding of the origins and control of sexual behaviour can be derived from basic social science research. ⋯ The theoretical basis is intentionally eclectic, combining social psychological cognitive models with sociological interpretations, since we are not concerned to advance any particular theory but to find which are most useful in promoting sexual health. First, the social influences on sexual behaviour are considered, and then the way in which these translate into individual perceptions and beliefs. Finally, the paper attempts to develop a theoretical understanding of sexual interaction and the social contexts of sexual behaviour.
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Annals of hematology · Jul 1998
Iron status in 268 Danish women aged 18-30 years: influence of menstruation, contraceptive method, and iron supplementation.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of menstruation, method of contraception, and iron supplementation on iron status in young Danish women, and to assess whether iron deficiency could be predicted from the pattern of menstruation. Iron status was examined by measuring serum (S-) ferritin and hemoglobin (Hb) in 268 randomly selected, healthy, menstruating, nonpregnant Danish women aged 18-30 years. Iron deficiency (S-ferritin <16 microg/l) was observed in 9.7%, of the women, iron deficiency anemia (S-ferritin < 13 microg/l and Hb < 121 g/l) in 2.2%. ⋯ The results demonstrate that even moderate daily doses of ferrous iron can influence iron status in women with small iron stores. Women using hormonal contraceptives had menstrual bleeding of significantly shorter duration than those using intrauterine devices (IUD) or other methods. There was a high prevalence of small and absent body iron stores in young women, suggesting that preventive measures should be focused on those women whose menstruation lasts 5 days or longer, who have menstrual bleeding of strong intensity, who use an IUD without gestagen, and who are blood donors.