BACKGROUND The study examines whether self-rated health forms a continuum from poor through average to good health in terms of two groups of health-related variables. METHODS The data come from the 1994 Finnish Survey on Living Conditions, a representative sample of Finnish men and women aged 25 years or older (n = 7290). Logistic regression analysis was used with two dependent variables: (1)...

To determine whether inexperienced health workers can recognize severe infection in infants less than 3 months of age, a study was conducted of 200 infants with cough, fever or 'not feeling well'. The presence or absence of five symptoms: cough, difficulty in breathing, feeding problem, fever or history of convulsions, and ten signs: appearing ill, respiratory rate > or = 60/min, chest indrawin...

non-communicable disease continues to be an important public health problem in india, being responsible for a major proportion of mortality and morbidity. demographic changes, changes in the lifestyle along with increased rates of urbanization are the major reasons responsible for the tilt towards the non-communicable diseases. in india, there is no regular system for collecting data on non-com...

STUDY OBJECTIVE To quantify the burden of ill health in the UK that can be attributed to food (the burden of food related ill health). DESIGN Review and further analysis of the results of work concerned with estimates of the burden of disease measured as morbidity, mortality, and in financial terms and with the proportion of that burden that can be attributed to food. MAIN RESULTS Food rela...

Data from the 2001 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the ill health concentration index (CI) were used to examine income-related health inequalities among Koreans. Participants (>19 years old) were requested to provide information regarding monthly household income, expenditures, subjective living conditions, and health status. Ill health was determined both subjective...

BACKGROUND Mental disorders are known to be an important cause of disabilities worldwide. Despite their importance, about two thirds of mentally ill people do not seek treatment, probably because of the mental health system's inability to decrease the negative side effects of the interaction with the mental health services. The World Health Organization has suggested the concept of responsivene...

OBJECTIVE The study aimed to examine the effect of household and community characteristics on financial catastrophe and impoverishment due to health payment in Western and Central Rural China. METHODS A household survey was conducted in 2008 in Hebei and Shaanxi provinces and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region using a multi-stage sampling technique. Independent variables included village ch...

A regional success story in capacity building in terms of workforce development in rural Western Australia is described. A rural and remote distance education program in mental health was delivered in 1999 across 10 rural sites to 31 health professionals (26 general nurses, four allied health and one Aboriginal health worker) who are in contact with mentally ill patients at the primary level in...

BACKGROUND Incomplete medication adherence is a major problem in health care worldwide. Patients who adhere to medical treatment have a better prognosis and create fewer costs. OBJECTIVE To assess the degree of incomplete adherence of chronically ill routine primary care patients in a German setting and analyze the association between incomplete medication adherence, as well as clinical and s...

We typically think of acutely and chronically mentally ill patients as those who belong in psychiatric hospitals and the latter category of patients belonging in "regular" hospitals, but the intersection of physical and mental illness draws attention to important challenges for policy makers and organizational leaders. This article illuminates some broad trends in the health status of people wi...