ABSTRACT
Introducción. La relación del nivel socioeconómico con las tasas de incidencia y de mortalidad por ictus está bien establecida. La evidencia de la relación con la supervivencia de los pacientes tras el ictus es menos concluyente. El nivel educativo es una medida de nivel socioeconómico muy utilizada en estudios con personas de edad avanzada. Objetivo. Estudiar la relación de la supervivencia en el primer año tras el ictus con el nivel de estudios. Pacientes y métodos. Se analizaron los datos de 544 pacientes con ictus isquémico agudo ingresados en los hospitales públicos de Bizkaia (España), seleccionados consecutivamente. Se obtuvieron datos por entrevista a pacientes o acompañantes y de historia clínica. Se estudiaron variables sobre situación funcional previa, gravedad del ictus, factores de riesgo cardiovascular y de atención al ictus. Se hizo un seguimiento de 12 meses para registrar, en su caso, la fecha de fallecimiento. Se realizó un análisis univariado y multivariado para identificar la relación del nivel de estudios con la supervivencia. Resultados. Tras 12 meses, sobrevivían 203 mujeres (86%) y 273 hombres (88,6%). En ambos sexos, las personas con menos estudios tuvieron peor situación funcional previa, mayor gravedad y fallecieron en mayor proporción. En el análisis multivariado, el nivel de estudios se mantuvo asociado con la supervivencia en el modelo ajustado para los hombres. Conclusiones. La diversidad de nivel educativo marca diferencias en la supervivencia de los pacientes con ictus isquémico en nuestro entorno. El impacto de este factor fue mayor en los hombres que en las mujeres
Aim. To assess the relationship between one-year survival after stroke and level of education. Patients and methods. We analysed data on 544 consecutively recruited patients admitted for acute ischaemic stroke in one the public hospitals of Bizkaia (Spain). Data were obtained through interviews with patients or accompanying persons and from medical records. We studied variables concerning previous functional status, stroke severity, cardiovascular risk factors and stroke care provided. Patients were followed up for 12 months and the dates of any deaths were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to assess the relationship between level of education and survival. Results. A total of 203 (86%) women and 273 (88.6%) men were alive at 12 months. In both sexes, individuals with a lower level of education had poorer previous functional status, more severe strokes and higher mortality rates. In the multivariate analysis, the association between level of education and survival remained significant in the adjusted model in men. Conclusions. In our setting, there are differences in the survival of patients with ischaemic stroke as a function of level of education. The impact of this factor was greater in men than women
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Stroke/epidemiology , Survivorship , Risk Factors , Educational Status , Stroke/prevention & control , Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology , Prospective Studies , Multivariate AnalysisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The service level agreement establishes the quality requirements for those services contracted by the Basque Government Health Department from Osakidetza-Servicio Vasco de Salud. Acute cerebrovascular disease (ACVD) is one of the care processes with quality specifications. OBJECTIVE: To outline the procedure adopted to evaluate ACVD care and the results obtained in four hospitals in Vizcaya between 2003 and 2007. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 2003, a work group consisting of clinicians, hospital and quality assurance managers, and experts from the Regional Health Board chose a series of indicators which would be measured by an external auditor. This group reviews the results annually and sets objectives for the following financial year. RESULTS: The improvement in almost all the indicators has been significant, and those with high ratings from the beginning have maintained their level. The percentage of patients who had a CAT scan in the first six hours after arriving at hospital increased from 57% to 85%, and the administration of anticoagulants within 12 hours increased from 70% of cases to 90%. The fibrinolysis rate was 3.8% in two hospitals. The percentage of patients who began rehabilitation whilst admitted was less than 3%. CONCLUSIONS: After operating for five years, the procedure adopted, which involves collaboration between clinical, management and planning staff, has been shown to be viable and effective in improving the quality of ACVD care.
