ABSTRACT
A survey was undertaken to investigate the fate after discharge of 41 patients admitted to Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, after a cerebrovascular accident. The period of hospitalization, functional capacity after discharge and support received from community-based support agencies were analysed. Major deficiencies in the long-term management of such patients are stressed.
Subject(s)
Cerebrovascular Disorders/rehabilitation , Activities of Daily Living , Adult , Aftercare , Aged , Chronic Disease , Disabled Persons , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Length of Stay , Male , Middle Aged , RecreationABSTRACT
In the absence of well-organized community support for disabled people, the responsibility for their care usually falls on a close member of the family. The role of this person and the problems which they encounter were analysed. Emotional problems outweigh all others. The training which such ' carers ' receive for this task requires great attention, as does the role of community-based organizations in helping them with their duties.
Subject(s)
Cerebrovascular Disorders/rehabilitation , Home Nursing , Adolescent , Adult , Aftercare , Community Health Services , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Social EnvironmentABSTRACT
A survey was undertaken to investigate the ability of 104 subjects with locomotor disability to cope in their homes. Factors which might affect coping, such as age, race, sex and type of disease, were assessed. Note was taken of support received from community-based organizations, ability to work and source of income. The majority of the subjects appeared to be isolated from health personnel after discharge from hospital and to be restricted to their homes. The deficits in the local health services which contributed to this situation are stressed.
Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Disabled Persons , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Delivery of Health Care , Humans , Income , Length of Stay , Male , Middle Aged , Sex Factors , Walkers , WorkABSTRACT
A survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence and epidemiology of chronic illness in non-institutionalized persons residing in the Municipality of Cape Town. The Black, Coloured and White communities were independently surveyed and the standardized prevalence proportions of chronic illness were 24,7/1 000, 37,4/1 000 and 11,6/1 000 respectively. The epidemiological parameters investigated included age, sex, marital status, income, education occupation and the associated diseases, and the influence of these factors on the prevalence proportions are considered. Methodological problems of chronic illness surveys are discussed.
Subject(s)
Chronic Disease/epidemiology , Accidents , Adolescent , Adult , Black or African American , Age Factors , Aged , Black People , Child , Child, Preschool , Community Health Nursing , Epidemiologic Methods , Female , Humans , Income , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Occupations , Residence Characteristics , Sex Factors , South Africa , White PeopleABSTRACT
A survey was conducted to evaluate the care being received by non-institutionalized chronically ill persons in the Black, Coloured and White communities residing in the Municipality of Cape Town. Of the chronically ill persons identified, 170 (71%) of the Blacks, 188 (62%) of the Coloureds and 43 (86%) of the Whites were receiving care at the time of the survey, and the type, location and duration of this care are outlined. Only 26% of the chronically ill persons were considered to be receiving optimal care, and new recommendations for care were made for 201 (84%) of the Blacks, 203 (67%) of the Coloureds and 36 (72%) of the Whites. Of the patients for whom new recommendations were made, 37% were not currently receiving any care. The financial and occupational repercussions of chronic illness are considered, and methods of improving the comprehensive care of chronically ill persons are discussed.
Subject(s)
Chronic Disease , Delivery of Health Care , Chronic Disease/therapy , Comprehensive Health Care , Employment , Female , Health Services Accessibility , Health Surveys , Hospitals, Chronic Disease , Humans , Income , Male , South Africa , Statistics as TopicABSTRACT
It is generally accepted that serum albumin levels are the best criterion of protein nutritional status. In order to investigate this situation in the Black populations of South Africa, serum albumin concentrations were determined in several hundred normal individuals during each of three large-scale epidemiological surveys. The populations, who lived at very different socio-economic levels, were a tribal Xhosa group, a rural Tswana community and a sample of the detribalized urban population of Soweto. In each group males and females had similar serum albumin levels, which decreased with advancing age; however, there were significant overall differences between each of these populations (P less than 0,05). In distinction to the findings in other surveys, the rural group had the highest serum albumin level, while the tribal population had the lowest. It is apparent that the semi-westernized rural Tswana group enjoy an adequate standard of protein nutrition, the urban community is in a marginal situation, and the tribal Xhosa group is seriously undernourished.
Subject(s)
Black or African American , Nutrition Surveys , Serum Albumin/analysis , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Black People , Child , Diet , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Rural Population , Socioeconomic Factors , South Africa , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
Fifteen patients with Fredrickson's type IIb hyperlipoproteinaemia were subjected to a 10-week dietary study during which time qualitative and quantitative alterations were carried out on the fat, carbohydrate and energy content of the diet. Significant reduction was observed in fasting serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels on substitution of polyunsaturated for saturated fat, and on total fat restriction. No changes in cholesterol and triglyceride levels were observed when dietary sucrose was replaced with complex carbohydrate, or when there was total carbohydrate restriction. The possible practical applications of these observations are discussed.
Subject(s)
Dietary Carbohydrates/therapeutic use , Dietary Fats/therapeutic use , Fats, Unsaturated/therapeutic use , Hyperlipidemias/diet therapy , Hyperlipidemias/genetics , Lipoproteins, LDL/blood , Lipoproteins, VLDL/blood , Adult , Cholesterol/blood , Female , Humans , Hyperlipidemias/blood , Male , Middle Aged , Sucrose , Triglycerides/bloodABSTRACT
The influence of urbanisation and a Western way of life is discussed in relation to the establishment of physiological norms and the epidemiology of disease in the homelands. The importance of continued research in these areas as a means of continuous assessment of the basic health state of the community is stressed. Once the basic health state has been established priority for health needs can be determined against the background of total appreciation of community resources. Attention is drawn to the 'implementation gap' which has thus far largely inhibited effective disease control and health promotion in the homelands, in spite of the wealth of research data available on the prevalence of illness in these communities.
Subject(s)
Black or African American , Epidemiology , Physiology , Research , Black People , Health Planning , Humans , South AfricaABSTRACT
The occurrence of cholesterol-rich synovial fluids in 2 patients with rheumatoid arthritis is described. These fluids are rare, and are readily mistaken for pus. Their origins are discussed in relation to chronic inflammation.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism , Cholesterol/analysis , Synovial Fluid/analysis , Adult , Chronic Disease , Female , Humans , Shoulder Joint/analysisABSTRACT
The cholesterol-lowering effect of clofibrate (Ciba-SU13437) cholestyramine and the combination of clofibrate and cholestyramine is studied in 19 subjects with type lla hyperlipoproteinaemia, over a 20-week period. Each regimen is evaluated in terms of total cholesterol-lowering effect, cholesterol-lowering effect at 4, 8 and 16 weeks of therapy, and the incidence of side-effects. Cholestyramine is identified as the agent of choice in the management of this disorder and recommendations for its optimal utilisation are put forward.
