ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine hypertension prevalence and levels of awareness, treatment and control of hypertension among diabetic patients using data from the VANK study. METHODS: The sample consisted of 221 men and women (122/99) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants. Controlled hypertension definition was based on having a systolic blood pressure (BP) of <130 mmHg and diastolic BP of <85 mmHg in subjects taking antihypertensive medications. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD BP was 141.6 +/- 17.4 mmHg and 81.2 +/- 9.4 mmHg for systolic and diastolic BPs, respectively. Systolic and diastolic BP was higher in men than in women. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 194/221 (87.7%). In total, 34.1% of patients (66/194) were not aware of having hypertension. Of those who were aware of having hypertension (n = 128, 65.9%), all were treated. Among those treated, only 11 persons (11/194, 5.6%) had systolic BP <130 mmHg and diastolic BP <85 mmHg. Sixty-two (38.7%) had systolic BP <140 mmHg and diastolic BP <90 mmHg. CONCLUSION: Although all of the diagnosed hypertensive patients (n = 128) received antihypertensive drug therapy, in only 8.6% (11/128) the treatment was effective (BP <130/85 mmHg). Translating our findings into clinical practice, there is a need for aggressive treatment of hypertension from primary care physicians, as well as regular surveillance to detect developing hypertension in diabetic patients.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/ethnology , Hypertension/ethnology , Hypertension/therapy , Primary Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Quality of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Rural Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Rural Health/statistics & numerical data , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alcohol Drinking/ethnology , Comorbidity , Coronary Disease/ethnology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Greece/epidemiology , Health Care Surveys , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Health Surveys , Humans , Hyperlipidemias/ethnology , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Obesity/ethnology , Prevalence , Sex Distribution , Smoking/ethnologyABSTRACT
This paper considers a broad spectrum of literature concerning the limitations and value of applying marketing management principles from the private sector to public or non-profit organizations. The Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa is used as a principle case-study. The authors conclude that there is much to be gained from applying a more systematic approach, providing one adapts business strategies to more complex social environments and objectives. Since both marketing and social issues share the challenge of 'sensitivity serving and satisfying human needs,' (Kotler, 1983 p 272) there are also some instances where business can learn from the experience of social organizations in attempts to influence human behavior.
Subject(s)
Marketing of Health Services , Organizations, Nonprofit/organization & administration , Accident Prevention , Child , Child Welfare , Commerce , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Fund Raising , Humans , Organizations, Nonprofit/economics , Private Sector , Public Sector , Social Support , South AfricaABSTRACT
Exfoliation syndrome (EXS) is a disorder which affects some structures of the eye. We studied the changes of the cornea in patients with EXS and compared with those in normal persons. A prospective study of 96 consecutive patients more than 70 years of age was set up. 48 of them (70 eyes, group A) had exfoliation in one or both eyes and 48 (group B) had no ocular disease other than senile cataract. None of the patients had any systemic disease. The endothelium and thickness of the central cornea were studied. Endothelium of the eyes with EXS showed significantly (p < 0.05) lower cell density than those of group B. Cornea in group A was significantly thicker (p < 0.05) than in group B. The morphology of the endothelium in group A showed a decrease of hexagonal cells and a higher rate of polymegethism compared to group B. Corneal thickness and endothelium showed no significant differences between the eyes with EXS and normal fellow eyes. These results add another risk factor, the fragile cornea, in eyes with EXS, in cataract surgery.
Subject(s)
Anterior Eye Segment/pathology , Endothelium, Corneal/pathology , Lens Diseases/pathology , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cell Count , Corneal Diseases/pathology , Female , Humans , Male , Prospective Studies , SyndromeABSTRACT
Studies of the magnetoencephalogram (MEG) in epileptic patients suffering from focal epilepsies showed that activities in the MEG appear which are detectable in the scalp-recorded electroencephalogram. A novel technique was developed (Anninos et al., 1987) characterized by mapping the scalp distribution of the amplitude of the spectral components (or specific bands) of the MEG and which was termed "ISO-Spectral-Amplitude (ISO-SA) mapping." The most important findings in the 19 patients we studied from these maps were that in the frequency domain 2-7 HZ the major concentrated activity were projected on the scalp of the epileptic focus. Thus with the above noninvasive method we believe that it is possible to determine the localization of epileptiform foci via a method which will be a very useful tool for clinicians.
