ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for constipation in the elderly. Differences between the white and black elderly populations in this regard were examined. DESIGN: Cross-section hospital-based study. SETTING: The family medicine clinics at National and Pelonomi hospitals in greater Bloemfontein. PARTICIPANTS: 179 white and 188 black patients, born before 1930, visiting the clinics during December and January 1994/95 and seen by one doctor. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Constipation. RESULTS: In both the black and white population groups 29% of the participants were constipated according to the definition used in this study. Depression was a risk factor for constipation in both population groups. Age over 80 years was a risk factor in the black participants. The fibre and fluid contents of participants' diets were not found to be associated with constipation. Pain during defaecation was positively associated with constipation. Forty-three per cent of the white and 76.6% of the black participants used laxatives. Of the white and black laxative users 14.3% and 21.5%, respectively, used more than one laxative at a time. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of constipation was high in both groups. Laxative use and abuse are very common in the black elderly population.
Subject(s)
Ambulatory Care Facilities , Constipation/epidemiology , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Black People , Cathartics/therapeutic use , Constipation/drug therapy , Constipation/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Depression/complications , Dietary Fiber/administration & dosage , Drinking , Drug Utilization , Female , Humans , Male , Prevalence , Risk Factors , White PeopleABSTRACT
The relative incidences of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) and invasive cervical cancer were studied in black and white patients at the academic hospitals of the University of the Orange Free State. A statistically highly significant difference was found between black and white patients, with a higher incidence of invasive cervical cancer than stage III CIN (CIN III) in black patients and a higher incidence of CIN III than invasive cervical cancer in white patients (P = 0.000092; 95% confidence interval -0.355-(-)0.128). The time interval between the peak incidence of CIN III and that of invasive cervical cancer was found to be shorter in black than in white patients. These distressing findings emphasise the urgent need for a national cervical cytological screening programme to decrease the incidence of invasive cervical cancer. This serious yet preventable disease is still very prevalent in South Africa, especially among black women.
Subject(s)
Black People , Uterine Cervical Dysplasia/ethnology , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/ethnology , White People , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Incidence , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , South Africa/epidemiology , Uterine Cervical Dysplasia/pathologyABSTRACT
A new antidepressive drug, S1694, produces increased locomotor activity (LA) in mice, but less so than d-amphetamine. This effect is decreased by pimozide, phenoxybenzamine, as well as by pretreatment of the animals with reserpine or alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine methyl ester (H44/68). S1694 inhibits active dopamine (DA) uptake into rat striatal synaptosomes, but not noradrenaline (NA) uptake into rat hypothalamic synaptosomes, or serotonin (5-HT) uptake into rat midbrain synaptosomes, in the concentrations used. The inhibition of DA uptake appears tp be competitive and the inhibition constant estimated is 1,3 X 10(-6) M. In addition, S1694 releases DA in the same concentrations, and NA as well as 5HT at higher concentrations. It is concluded that S1694 activates LA primarily by inhibitionof DA re-uptake and DA release. The central DA system activation may be important in the antidepressive effect.
