Healthcare Cost Reduction and Health Insurance Policy Improvement.

OBJECTIVES: Reducing healthcare costs is a constant endeavor of all healthcare organizations, governments, policy makers, and individuals. A comparative study of available healthcare policies from the patient's perspective is not available. Furthermore, an analysis of how the various components of these policies affect the healthcare cost of a patient is required. METHODS: Data were collected from 150 hospitalized patients in India regarding their views on 7 healthcare cost categories covering 22 cost components. These are statistically analyzed under 4 commonly used health insurance policies (2 government insurance schemes: ex-servicemen contributory health scheme and employee state insurance; private insurance schemes; and self-financing-ie, no insurance) to assess which healthcare cost component is more important under which policy option. RESULTS: Under 7 healthcare cost categories, 22 cost components were studied, and out of these 22, 16 were found statistically significant. Results revealed that the treatment of all 16 significant cost components under the 4 health insurance policy options was statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: Patients covered under government sector health insurance policies were found to be less concerned about healthcare costs, whereas those covered under private health insurance policies were found to be more cost-conscious. Access to healthcare or transportation costs to the healthcare facility is a key concern area for self-financed patients.

Design of exercise quantity monitoring and recording device for navy serviceman / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To develop a portable device to monitor and record the exercise quantity of navy serviceman. The device was composed of control components, a oscillator clock, buttons, 3D acceleration sensor and a organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen. The monitoring involved in two modes of exclusive use and use combined with exercise apparatus.Methods The device could be connected with PC for data transmission through USB interface. Results Trials proved that the device met the desired requirements and could be used for the data acquisition and monitoring of the exercise quantity of the serviceman.ConclusionThe device can record and evaluate the physical fitness training of navy serviceman.

The unwanted heroes: war invalids in Poland after World War I.

This article focuses on the unique and hitherto unknown history of disabled ex-servicemen and civilians in interwar Poland. In 1914, thousands of Poles were conscripted into the Austrian, Prussian, and Russian armies and forced to fight against each other. When the war ended and Poland regained independence after more than one hundred years of partition, the fledgling government was unable to provide support for the more than three hundred thousand disabled war victims, not to mention the many civilians left injured or orphaned by the war. The vast majority of these victims were ex-servicemen of foreign armies, and were deprived of any war compensation. Neither the Polish government nor the impoverished society could meet the disabled ex-servicemen's medical and material needs; therefore, these men had to take responsibility for themselves and started cooperatives and war-invalids-owned enterprises. A social collaboration between Poland and America, rare in Europe at that time, was initiated by the Polish community in the United States to help blind ex-servicemen in Poland.

Study on acute mountain sickness and the psychological factors in the relief force during the initial phase of acute plateau exposure / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the acute mountain sickness of servicemen during4.14Yushu earhquake relief work,and analyze the related factors of the sickness at the initial phase of acute plateau exposure.Methods 162 servicemen were sampled randomly and clusteringly from Yushu relief force during.the inidal phase of acute plateau exposure.According to theDiagnosis and treatment principles of the acute mountain sickness,the prevalence of the acute mountain sickness was judged among the servicemen.The scales of general status invested score(GSIS),the self-rating symptom scale(SCL-90)and the life event scale(LES)were used to investigate the related factors of the acute mountain sickness.Results 65.4% of servicemen in earthquake relief work had acute mountain sickness,including mild 17.3%,moderate 31.5%and severe 16.7%.The occurrences of pant,palpitation,dizziness,lips cyanosis and headache,were higher than other symptoms,accounting for 83.6%,79.1%,73.1%,61.2%and 58.2%.The positive significant correlation was found among the symptoms score of acute mountain sickness and age,marriage,trauma history,negative events,and the most genes(somatization,obsession,depression,anxiety,hostility,fear,paranoia,appetite,sleep)and total score of SCL-90(r=0.188～0.619,P<0.01 or 0.05).There was negative significant correlation among the symptoms score and the personality and social support(r=-0.254,P<0.01;r=-0.285,P<0.01).Regression analysis showed that the somatization,personality,marriage,social support and age were more important than other factors.Conclusion Attention should be paid to the acute mountmn sickness in the relief force during the initial phase of acute plateau exposure,and the morbidity rate of acute mountain sickness were correlated with the somatization,personality,marriage,social support and age.

Study on the correlation between the anti-earthquake military rescuers' psychosomatic health and social support and mental intervention / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the relationship between the anti-earthquake military rescuers' psychosomatic health and social support, and observe the effect of intervention to the army men who suffered troubles.Methods By cluster random sampling, 152 military rescuers and 139 army men not taking part in the rescues were investigated by Facility Psychosomatic Health Scale and Social Support Rating Scale. Mental intervention or medication was performed to those produced psychosomatic health. Results The scores of somatic symptoms,mental status,psychosomatic health and social support of military rescuers and the control group were (4.09±4.70) ,(2.18 ±3.16) ,(6.27 ±7.08) ,(6.14 ±4.20) and (2.11 ±4.16) ,(1.37 ±3.09),(3.47 ±6.55),(4.57 ± 4.17 )respectively, the difference was significant(P＜0.05). The somatic symptoms had significantly positive correlation with mental status in military rescuers (r=0.17～0.52, P＜ 0.05 or 0.01 ). Failure of social support had positive correlation with mental disorders (r=0.18～0.40, P＜0.05 or 0.01). The degree of social support was the main factor which had affected on the psychosomatic health of military rescuers. The somatic symptoms of military rescuers were apparently higher than their mental symptoms. Mental and pharmaceutical intervention showed good effect on them. Conclusion There is an apparent effect for military rescuers injured seriously psychosomatic health through medication or mental intervention.