[Drug administration and information dissemination via online]. / Administração de medicamentos ea comunicação de conhecimento via online.

The present study aims at verifying and describing how on-line communication of nursing knowledge concerning administration of medication is taking place. In order to assess the websites, the search tool Meta Busca-Terra (www.terra.com.br) was used. One hundred and sixty-six websites were found; however, only 45 were related to the topic. These were analyzed and categorized according to types of presentation, websites, languages, and homepages. It was verified that they presented common characteristics, such as: Articles (18), Informative Bulletins (8) and Medication Advertisements (7). Regarding the websites, Yahoo distinguished from the others, since it featured 34 websites. The predominant language was English, which was found in 36 websites. The on-line communication of knowledge is fundamental in regard to administration of medication for it allows the dissemination of knowledge at a faster and more productive pace. Undoubtedly, clients and professionals will be highly benefited.

Establecimiento de valores máximos admisibles en suelo para la protección de la salud con el Modelo Lur / Setting maximum soil levels for health protection with the Lur model

Objetivos: La contaminación ambiental puede ser origen de problemas de salud y, actualmente, es vivida por las poblaciones como una amenaza. Al establecer concentraciones máximas admisibles de contaminantes ambientales, debe garantizarse la protección de la salud pública y la creación de ambientes saludables. En la Comunidad Autónoma del País Vasco (CAPV) se han derivado valores máximos admisibles de contaminantes en suelo siguiendo el modelo denominado LUR, basado en la evaluación de riesgos. Estos valores representan niveles de contaminante en el suelo que no suponen un riesgo inaceptable para la población humana. Métodos: Los valores máximos admisibles de contaminantes en suelo se han derivado a partir de la definición de qué es un riesgo admisible y de la combinación de la información relativa a la valoración de la toxicidad del compuesto y a la exposición esperada de las personas según el uso que se haga del suelo. Se han considerado 5 usos o escenarios de exposición: área de juego infantil, residencial con huerta, residencial, parque público e industrial/comercial. Para el cálculo de la exposición estándar se han tenido en cuenta, como rutas de exposición, la ingestión de suelo, el consumo de hortalizas de producción propia, la inhalación de partículas y de compuestos volátiles, y la absorción por vía dérmica. Se han considerado menos robustos los valores máximos admisibles en cuyo cálculo tienen un peso importante la inhalación y la vía dérmica, debido a que el cálculo de la exposición por estas rutas tiene un nivel de incertidumbre mayor. Resultados y conclusiones: Se presentan los resultados de la aplicación de esta metodología en dos casos ilustrativos: el cadmio como contaminante inorgánico con efectos distintos al cáncer, y el del benzo(a)pireno como contaminante orgánico con acción cancerígena. Se discuten las limitaciones de la metodología empleada (AU)

[Establishing maximum permissible values in soil for health protection with the Lur model]. / Establecimiento de valores máximos admisibles en suelo para la protección de la salud con el modelo Lur.

OBJECTIVE: Environmental pollution can be the origin of health problems and it is seen by populations as a hazard. Therefore, when environmental maximum levels of contaminants are set it is necessary to guarantee public health protection and to promote a healthy environment. In the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain) the establishment of maximum levels of contaminants in soil has followed the model named LUR, based on the risk assessment methodology. These values are levels of pollutant that are supposed not to represent an unacceptable risk for human beings. METHODS: Maximum levels of contaminants in soil arise from establishing a maximum tolerable risk and assessing toxicity information and human exposure in relation to land uses. The model has considered 5 land uses for exposure: children playground, residential with garden, residential, public park and industrial/commercial. The routes of exposure taken into account have been soil ingestion, consumption of home-grown vegetables, soil particle and vapour inhalation and dermal absorption. When inhalation and dermal absorption contribute largely to contaminant intake, standards are less robust because uncertainty in exposure assessment in these cases is high. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results of applying this methodology to the case of two contaminants are presented: cadmium, as a non carcinogenic inorganic contaminant, and benzo(a)pyrene, as a carcinogenic organic contaminant. Limitations of the methodology are discussed.

[Prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia in the Basque Country]. / Prevalencia de anemia ferropénica en el País Vasco.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in the Basque Country by age group and sex and to identify the main groups at risk. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Basque Country. PARTICIPANTS: School-aged population of Bilbao (n = 762); further education students of San Sebastian (n = 372); adult population of the Basque Country (n = 2348) and elderly population of Bilbao, institutionalized (n = 154) and free living people (n = 410). Every sample was drafted by random sampling methods. METHODS: Blood samples were collected by venopunction after 10-12 h. fasting, according to the same protocol. Haematological and biochemical analytes were assessed in the reference laboratory for the Basque Country, which followed internal and external quality control programs during that period. Iron deficiency anaemia was defined according to the criteria from the Spanish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SENPE). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in school-aged children was 0.6% for boys and 0.7% for girls, with the highest rate for girls aged 12-14 years (2.3%). Men aged 25-60 years showed a prevalence rate of 0.1% and women in the same age group 2.1%. Younger women, 25-34 years, showed the highest prevalence in this age group (2.9%). Among elderly people, overall prevalence was 0.4%, although people aged 80 years and over was affected more frequently. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of iron deficiency anaemia in the Basque Country is low though it is relatively frequent among young women and very old people. Both population subgroups should be monitored.

Food consumption patterns in the adult population of the Basque Country (EINUT-I).

OBJECTIVE: Dietary surveys are a valuable tool in nutrition surveillance programmes to monitor the nutritional status of a group or population of a country. The objective of this study was to assess the food consumption pattern in the adult population of the Basque Country (Spain). DESIGN: A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in 1990. Dietary habits were assessed by means of '24-h recall' during 3 non-consecutive days and a food frequency questionnaire. SETTING: Population survey in the Basque Country (Spain). SUBJECTS: Random sample of the adult population (25-60 years) in the Basque Country (n = 2348). RESULTS: Results draw a food pattern characterized by a high consumption of meat, 163+/-3.04 g day(-1) (mean +/- SEM), supplied mainly by poultry, butchery products, veal and fish (88+/-2.68 g day(-1)). The average consumption of milk and dairy products was 359+/-5.19 g day(-1), although 39% of the sample did consume less than 2 portions from this group of foods daily. Olive oil was the most widely used fat for cooking (45%), followed by sunflower seed oil (30%). Cereals supplied 21.5% of the average energy intake and the consumption of vegetables and garden products was 159+/-3.13 g day(-1). Only 29% of the group usually had 2 or more portions of vegetables per day. Women consumed higher amounts of chocolate, cookies, sweets and coffee (P < 0.01) than men. Younger adults consumed more meat (P < 0.01), while the older community consumed more fish, vegetables and fruit (P < 0.01). More highly educated people consumed more dairy products, vegetables and butter (P < 0.01). Conversely, less educated people consumed higher amounts of olive oil, pulses and bread (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The dietary pattern observed in the Basque Country, although in keeping with its traditions, is in harmony with the actual dietary trends in Mediterranean countries. In order to satisfy the dietary guidelines suggested by the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition, it would be desirable to gradually increase the consumption of vegetables, fresh garden produce, fruit and cereals. At the same time, it would be advisable to decrease the consumption of animal products (whole fat dairy products, meat, added fats) so the proportion of energy intake from fat can be reduced by 5% (3% from saturated fatty acids).

Polychlorinated biphenyl residues in various fatty foods consumed in Guipúzcoa, the Basque Country (Spain).

Three congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)--the 2, 2', 3, 4, 4', 5'-, 2, 2', 4, 4', 5, 5'-hexachloro, and 2, 2', 3, 4, 4', 5, 5'-heptachlorobiphenyls--were determined in 18 samples of butter, 44 of fish (hake and anchovy) and 24 of egg, all of which came from markets in Guipúzcoa. The total content as Araclor 1260 was also determined. Quantitation was carried out by gas chromatography in a capillary column and electron capture detector. The total content in butter ranged from 20 to 60 ng/g (fat basis), in fish from 10 to 250 ng/g (edible part), and in eggs from 1 to 10 ng/g (edible part). None of these exceeded the tolerance limits established by the Canadian Government Guideline and USFDA.

Fat and alcohol intake in the Basque Country.

A cross-sectional nutritional survey was carried out in the Basque Country, on a random sample of the population aged 25-60 years (n = 2348). Socioeconomic data, anthropometric measurements and food consumption data were collected. 24-h recall on three non-consecutive days plus a food frequency questionnaire were used for dietary assessment. The participation rate was 73.4%. Mean energy intake for men was 2944 kcal and 2049 kcal for women, decreasing with age. Energy distribution pattern (non-alcohol) showed 16% from protein; 38% from fat: 13% SFA; 16% MUFA and 9% PUFA; carbohydrates supplied 46% energy. Alcohol intake was 8%. Better-educated people had higher intakes of SFA, cholesterol and sugar (P < 0.001). Consumption of meat (162 g/person/d) and fish (89 person/d) were high. Cereals and potatoes were the main sources of energy in the Basque diet (23.24%) followed by meat, fish and eggs (20%). Percentage contribution to energy intake from meat was higher in men than in women, and also energy intake from alcohol. Women obtain more energy from milk. Edible fat was the main source of fat in the diet (46%) followed by meat (22%). Milk products and meat are the main sources of SFA in the Basque diet. Males had a high intake of alcohol, especially in the 35-44-year age group. Alcohol consumers usually drink every day and often not in the home.

Food surveillance in the Basque country (Spain) I. The design of a total diet study.

A total diet study has been initiated in the Basque country (Spain), the purpose of which is to provide estimates of the average intake of both food contaminants and certain nutrients. The types and quantities of foods that make up the average Basque 'Total Diet' are based on the results of surveys carried out between 1988 and 1990. These surveys have identified the major items in the national diet (91 categories of foods) which are combined for the total diet study, for analysis, into 16 groups of similar foods. Each group is being analysed for selected contaminants of concern which initially are: heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic), organochlorine pesticides (HCB, HCH (alpha, beta, gamma, delta), DDT (DDE, TDE), dieldrin, aldrin, endrin, heptachlor, heptachlor epoxide, endosulfan and methoxychlor) and selected trace element nutrients (zinc, selenium and iron). In the milk and dairy products groups an assessment of aflatoxin M1 contamination is also being carried out.

[Problems of neonatal screening for hypothyroidism in the very low birth-weight neonate]. / Problemática del despistaje neonatal del hipotiroidismo en el recién nacido de muy bajo peso.

21,013 newborns were screened on the first year of a neonatal screening program on congenital hypothyroidism in the Basque Community. The evaluation of the results showed some points of interest. One of them, would be the high analytical retesting rate needed in the screening of very low-birth weight children. The rate decreased with increasing birth-weight. Forty per cent of the children with a birth-weight lower than 1,000 gr needed retesting. The rate decreased to 7.7% at birth-weights between 1,001 and 1,500 gr, to 2% at birth weights between 1,501 and 2,500 gr and only to 0,42% at birth-weights higher than 2,501 gr. The consequences of these results are discussed.