ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of active epilepsy in Croatia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patient data collected by means of questionnaires completed by primary healthcare physicians; epilepsy was previously confirmed in the patients by neurologists or neuropaediatricans. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-seven of 180 (71%) physicians provided the requested information. The total sample was 212 069 people and of these 1022 had active epilepsy. Prevalence rates (per 1000) for the following age-groups were: age 0-7: 3.5; age 8-18: 6.4; age 19-45: 5.0; age 46-65: 4.7; age >65: 4.4. The age-adjusted prevalence rates for the standard populations were 4.9/1000 (European population) and 5.0/1000 (WHO world population). Fifty-one physicians (29%) stated only the number of patients they considered as having active epilepsy but without the requested details. If their patients were also included, the estimated crude prevalence rate would be 5.5/1000. CONCLUSIONS: It is likely that the prevalence of active epilepsy in Croatia is between 4.8 and 5.5/1000; this is in keeping with findings from other European countries.
Subject(s)
Epilepsy/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Child , Child, Preschool , Cognition Disorders/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Comorbidity , Croatia/epidemiology , Data Collection , Epilepsy/diagnosis , Female , Geography , Humans , Intellectual Disability/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , PrevalenceABSTRACT
We explored the feasibility of realtime telemedicine in Croatia using Internet videoconferencing. A 33 kbit/s link was established between a team of specialists in the General Hospital 'Sveti Duh' in Zagreb and a general practitioner's clinic in Selca, on the island of Brac. During a two-week study, 16 patients (median age 51 years) were studied. Twenty-one teleconsultations (seven initial and 14 follow-up visits) were conducted, 13 with a specialist in internal medicine, six with a surgeon and two with a neurologist. In 18 cases (86%) telemedicine successfully replaced hands-on examination. The mean duration of the teleconsultations was 7.2 min (initial visits 7.4 min, follow-up visits 7.1 min). Each computer system cost about US$700. The total connection cost for the study was US$4.95. The teleconsultations saved the patients US$272 in travel costs. We suggest forming a permanent on-line specialist service connected to networked clinics via the Internet to improve access to health-care in Croatia.
