BACKGROUND The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) burden among adults in India is estimated officially by direct extrapolation of annual sentinel surveillance data from public-sector antenatal and sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics and some high-risk groups. The validity of these extrapolations has not been systematically examined with a large sample population-based study. METHODS ...

Pakistan faces a human resources for health (HRH) crisis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to overview frontline health workers. A total of 750 health facilities were surveyed across Pakistan. The median estimate of public sector health care workers in the district health system in Pakistan is 417 288, including 46 153 estimate of public sector health care workers in the district health s...

BACKGROUND Case payment has been implemented since the beginning of Taiwan's National Health Insurance Program in 1995. This study selected patients undergoing a vaginal delivery to explore the relationships between maternal length of stay (LOS) and hospital characteristics under the case-payment system in Taiwan. METHODS The National Health Insurance Research Database of 1999 from Taiwan's N...

BACKGROUND It is estimated that 18.5 million Caesarean Sections (CS) are conducted annually worldwide and about one-third of them are done without medical indications and described as "unnecessary". Although developed countries account for most of the rise in the trend of unnecessary CS, more studies report a similar trend in developing countries, putting a strain on existing but limited health...

background: health-care-associated infections are a major threat to the safety of patient care. control of such problem is a major criterion for hospital accreditation. this study was aimed to determine the developing use of chemical (class 6 products) and biological indicators in tabriz district hospitals since 1997 to 2011. methods: we conducted this time-trend interventional study with all o...

In Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), the mortality rate among children under 5 years of age is high (131 per 1000 live births in 2003), partly as a consequence of poor basic services provided by district hospitals. A simplified management tool, "Ten MR (Minimum Requirement)", was developed in Lao PDR. The tool assured the quality of health services including the processes of planning, imp...

In its institutional structure, financing and goals, the Finnish health care system is closest to those of other Nordic countries and the United Kingdom in that it covers the whole population and its services are mainly produced by the public sector and financed through general taxation. However, compared to the other Nordic countries the Finnish system is more decentralized; in fact, it can be...

Southern Adelaide Palliative Services (SAPS) is a comprehensive palliative care programme serving the southern region of Adelaide, South Australia, including specialist nursing and medical support, social work, inpatient acute hospital and hospital care, outpatient visits, home care, nursing home consultations, a bereavement program, volunteers, complementary care, and day care. SAPS interfaces...

BACKGROUND Health-care-associated infections are a major threat to the safety of patient care. Control of such problem is a major criterion for hospital accreditation. This study was aimed to determine the developing use of chemical (class 6 products) and biological indicators in Tabriz district hospitals since 1997 to 2011. METHODS We conducted this time-trend interventional study with all o...

PURPOSE To analyze the time between the first symptom and treatment in patients treated for breast cancer in public hospitals in the Federal District. METHODS This was a cross-sectional analysis. We interviewed 250 women diagnosed with breast cancer treated in six hospitals of the State Department of Health of the Federal District from November 2009 to January 2011. The time intervals studied...