ABSTRACT
The authors analyse, in the context of a developing country, a number of factors which can determine the choice of site of delivery in a population with access to several possibilities. The role of peripheral (or local) maternity units is considered in particular, in view of the utilisation problems which they raise. This leads to the conclusion of a degree of irrationality in the choice of health care services and the characteristics of women interacting with those of professionals when explaining the choice of site of delivery. Better management of available services is desirable in order to render peripheral maternity units more useful, and improve the medical performance at the time of delivery. Sensitization of the public and above all of health professionals nevertheless remains essential.
Subject(s)
Delivery, Obstetric , Developing Countries , Maternal Health Services , Delivery, Obstetric/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Maternal Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Pregnancy , Tunisia , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
Obesity, hypertension and glucose intolerance are often related, the relationship between hypertension and glycemia is well documented and may be explained through hyperinsulinemia. Most of the studies were conducted in western societies. The simultaneous study of this triad in a random sample (n = 555) of a suburban adult community of Tunisian's Sahel, showed an association between hypertension and level of overweight which was also related to diabetes prevalence after matching for age and sex. However serum glucose was related to both systolic and diastolic blood pressure only for non obese subjects, when levels of overweight are stratified. The association between diabetes and hypertension therefore involves different mechanisms for obese and non obese subjects.
