scholarly journals Health Equity of Rural Residents in Southwest China

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Mei Li ◽  
Jing Kou ◽  
Zhen Yu ◽  
Yuan-Yuan Xiao ◽  
Qiong Meng ◽  
...  

The Chinese government stresses healthcare reform to improve the health of all residents in urban and rural areas. However, much research showed that inequities still existed in health status and health services utilization in China, especially in economically disadvantaged areas. Southwest China's Yunnan Province is an ethnic frontier region with lagging economic development. This study analyzed health equity among rural residents with various socio-economic and demographic statuses in Yunnan Province. Research on this area concerns rural residents. Our study was based on a household study sample consisting of 27,395 participants from six counties in Yunnan. For all participants, data on demographic and socio-economic characteristics, and health status were collected. The chi-square test and logistic regression were used to analyze factors influencing health. The concentration index was used to evaluate health equity. For all respondents, the 2-week prevalence, the prevalence of chronic diseases, and the required hospitalization rate were 7.3, 12.8, and 9.2%, respectively. After adjusting the age proportion of the sixth population census of Yunnan Province, the 2-week prevalence was 7.1%, the prevalence of chronic disease was 10.7%, and the hospitalization rate was 8.4%. The concentration indexes (CIs) reflecting health equity among the respondents with different incomes and educational levels were negative. There was health inequity among respondents with different incomes and educational levels. The respondents with lower incomes and educational levels had worse health. The common influencing factors included gender, age, ethnicity, occupation, marriage status, and the number of family members. Females, the aged, ethnic minorities, farmers, and the divorced or widowed had worse health status than the control groups. Larger numbers of family members correlated with better health. The respondents with lower incomes or educational levels had higher chronic disease prevalences. The associations between the 2-week prevalence, required hospitalization rate, and age were U-shaped; the lowest age group and the highest age group had higher rates. In conclusion, more attention should be paid to females, the aged, ethnic minorities, farmers, the divorced or widowed, residents with low income and low educational level, and those with chronic diseases.

Homeopathy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 110 (01) ◽  
pp. 067-069
Author(s):  
Fernanda Maria Simões da Costa Fujino ◽  
Ana Amélia Campos Claro Olandim ◽  
Vagner Doja Barnabé ◽  
Jennifer Anne Coggan ◽  
Nilson Roberti Benites

AbstractCOVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) may present variable symptoms among infected individuals, with chronic disease patients appearing as the group most susceptible to present severe pulmonary infection, while having a higher risk of developing complications from the disease. This study demonstrates the relationship between the manifestation of COVID-19 and the presence of chronic miasmatic disease, based on the works of Samuel Hahnemann. The reaction of the individual who previously presented chronic miasmatic disease, when in contact with the stimulus of the epidemic disease, depends on the type of response that the organism was generating in the face of the pre-existing situation: if it is an intense reaction and greater than that which the stimulus of COVID-19 can generate, this individual will not develop the severe form of the epidemic disease; if the reaction is less than that generated by COVID-19, more intense symptoms may appear. Understanding that the presence of a chronic miasmatic disease interferes with the manifestation of COVID-19, which may have repercussions on other organs, can change how one must act on the treatment, as this can alter the individual's health status.


Author(s):  
Ka Young KIM ◽  
Eunmi LEE ◽  
Jeonghyun CHO

Background: We aimed to investigate the factors affecting healthcare utilization among patients with single and multiple chronic diseases using the Andersen healthcare utilization model. Methods: We used a combination of the data from the sixth and seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey (2014–2016). The study population was 3,901 patients with single chronic disease and 1,829 patients with multiple chronic diseases as defined by the WHO. Participants were aged 19 yr or older. Multiple regression analysis was employed using the Andersen model to identify factors affecting healthcare utilization (inpatient and outpatient). Results: According to the Andersen model (comprising predisposing, enabling, and need factors and health behaviors), the factors that increased outpatients with single chronic disease were female, being aged 65 yr or older, having basic livelihood security benefit, immobility, and poor subjective health status. Factors that increased inpatients with single chronic disease were being aged under 65, having private insurance, immobility, poor subjective health status, and nondrinking. Moreover, factors that increased outpatients and inpatients with multiple chronic diseases were female, being aged under 65, immobility, and poor subjective health status and immobility, poor subjective health status, nondrinking, and not engaging in physical activity, respectively Conclusion: We identified factors affecting outpatient and inpatient care utilization among patients with single and multiple chronic diseases, using the Andersen healthcare utilization model. The findings can be used as foundational data to develop preventive and management strategies in healthcare utilization among patients with single and multiple chronic diseases.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
Tanya Paskaleva ◽  
Biyanka Torniyova ◽  
Maya Vizeva ◽  
Dimitar Shopov

Ageing is a clearly identifiable time and life period that is associated with a number of medico-social problems, which are to a great extent connected to the changes that occur in the organism at that age. Together with the problems, due to involutive processes and the functional peculiarities, one should not underestimate such, connected to morbidity. Aim: To research and analyze the health status of the elderly people. Materials and methods - There has been conducted a direct individual anonymous questionnaire amongst elderly people aged 60 or more, through accidental principle, in the period between April 2016 and February 2018. Results: The analysis of the health status of the elderly people shows multiple pathologies - highest is the rate of the cardiac diseases. A characteristic feature of the pathology with the elderly people is its multitude - 49% have stated two and three diseases. Women have more often three and more diseases, and with men there prevail the percentage without any diseases. The city dwellers are with higher average rate of the number of diseases and it is more often that they suffer from chronic diseases. 65,2% of the respondents with lower incomes (up to 150 lv.) have been in dispensaries owing to a chronic disease. Highest is the rate of the respondents who assess their health status as satisfactory – 49,1%.


Author(s):  
Ioanna Petraki ◽  
Natasa Kalpourtzi ◽  
Agapios Terzidis ◽  
Magda Gavana ◽  
Apostolos Vantarakis ◽  
...  

We aimed to assess the self-perceived health status and the presence of chronic diseases of adult Roma living in settlements in Greece, and to explore associated social determinants of health. Data were derived from the Hprolipsis Health Survey. Multivariable regression models were applied. In total, 534 adults, 287 women, and 247 men were recruited from twelve Roma settlements in four prefectures. Although 62% of the participants perceived their health status as good/very good, about half of them had been diagnosed with at least one chronic disease. Several structural and intermediary social determinants of health were found to be significantly associated with the health outcomes; prefecture, settlement type, sex, age group, living with a partner, presence of depression symptoms, food insecurity, and alcohol consumption were associated with self-perceived health status; settlement type, sex, age group, presence of anxiety symptoms, food insecurity and number of persons living in the house with the presence of a chronic disease. This is one of the few studies assessing the self-perceived health status and presence of chronic diseases in Roma settlements in Greece and investigating the associated social determinants of health in the world. Community-based participatory action research and health literacy programs are needed to mitigate health inequalities in Roma settlements.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilal Al Shamsi ◽  
Abdullah Almutairi

Background: Health specialists and researchers usually collect information about chronic diseases from self-reports. However, the accuracy of self-reports has been questioned as it relies on the respondents’ understanding of pathological conditions and their ability to recall information. Accordingly, an objective diagnosis is generally regarded as a more precise indication of the presence of disease.Objective: The study objectives were to determine the extent of disagreement between self-reporting and objective diagnosis, identify contributory factors to the discrepancy, and examine the effects of the incongruity on quality of healthcare services and health status.Methods: Secondary data from the most recent Oman World Health Survey (OWHS), for which data were readily available (2008), were analysed in the current study. This was the most recent survey conducted in Oman to date as collection of the data for the subsequent survey only commenced in February 2017 and is still in progress. Agreement between the self-reporting of chronic disease (diabetes mellitus and hypertension) and the results of medical examinations was calculated using kappa (ϰ) statistics. Sociodemographic risk factors for the self-reported and objective measurement of disease were identified (second objective). Univariate analysis was measured initially to determine associations between the variables and the outcome. Thereafter, significant variables were included in multivariate analysis performed using logistic regression. The impact of disagreement on quality of healthcare service and health status (third objective) was also examined using the chi-square test in relation to health service quality and health status variables.Results: Of 3524 Oman adults, aged ≥ 20 years (48% males), agreement between the self-reported and objective measurement of chronic disease was found to be poor to moderate (ϰ = 0.001-0.141). The highest agreement was observed for diabetes mellitus (ϰ = 0.402) and the lowest was found for asthma (ϰ = 0.000). Socioeconomic or demographic characteristics were not significantly associated with the degree of agreement attained between the methods used to measure chronic disease (p = > 0.050), except for sex, age and region. The discrepancy did not significantly impact on familial support (i.e., financial, social, health, physical and personal), the responsiveness of the health system, and household income or expenditure. However, the disagreement was associated with significant effects for other healthcare service and health status variables, i.e., quality of life and health service utilisation (p = < 0.050). It was found that people with the chronic disease and aware of their health status (positive agreement), and those with negative objective measure but positive self-reported disease (negative disagreement), were more likely to access healthcare services (83% of who had a positive agreement for chronic lung disease) and to be satisfied with the quality of care provided (82% of who had a negative disagreement for hypertension), compared to those who assumed they were healthy but had a chronic disease.Conclusions and Recommendations: Although agreement between the self-reported and objective measurement of chronic disease was found to be poor to moderate, we found that some socioeconomic demographic characteristics, such as educational and economic level, did not affect the agreement of measure tools for hypertension and diabetes, except for sex, age and region. Contrary to our expectations, disagreement between objective and self-reported measures in chronic diseases appears not to significantly impact on the quality of healthcare services and health status. The high use of health care services in participants with positive disagreement may result in unnecessary healthcare service costs required to treat chronic diseases. The implications on health services use and planning of this disagreement in the diagnosis of chronic diseases have been scarcely addressed in the literature, therefore, the results from our study need to be taken as a first approximation to this issue. Provided the unexpected results, we recommend examining closely the integrity of the dataset before giving full value about the validity of them.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah M. Dennis ◽  
Mark Harris ◽  
Jane Lloyd ◽  
Gawaine Powell Davies ◽  
Nighat Faruqi ◽  
...  

Objective. To examine the effectiveness of telephone-based coaching services for the management of patients with chronic diseases. Methods. A rapid scoping review of the published peer reviewed literature, using Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsychNet and Scopus. We included studies involving people aged 18 years or over with one or more of the following chronic conditions: type 2 diabetes, congestive cardiac failure, coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and hypertension. Patients were identified as having multi-morbidity if they had an index chronic condition plus one or more other chronic condition. To be included in this review, the telephone coaching had to involve two-way conversations by telephone or video phone between a patient and a provider. Behaviour change, goal setting and empowerment are essential features of coaching. Results. The review found 1756 papers, which was reduced to 30 after screening and relevance checks. Most coaching services were planned, as opposed to reactive, and targeted patients with complex needs who had one or more chronic disease. Several studies reported improvements in health behaviour, self-efficacy, health status and satisfaction with the service. More than one-third of the papers targeted vulnerable people and telephone coaching was found to be effective for these people. Conclusions. Telephone coaching for people with chronic conditions can improve health behaviour, self-efficacy and health status. This is especially true for vulnerable populations who had difficulty accessing health services. There is less evidence for improvements in quality of life and patient satisfaction with the service. The evidence for improvements in health service use was limited. This rapid scoping review found that telephone-based coaching can enhance the management of chronic disease, especially for vulnerable groups. Further work is needed to identify what models of telephone coaching are most effective according to patients’ level of risk and co-morbidity. What is known about the topic? With the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases more demands are being made of limited health services and resources. Telephone health coaching for people with or at risk of chronic diseases is seen as a means of supporting people to manage their health and reducing the burden on the healthcare system. What does this paper add? Telephone coaching interventions were effective for vulnerable people with chronic disease(s). Often the vulnerable populations had worse control of their chronic condition at baseline and demonstrated the greatest improvement compared with those with better control at baseline. Planned (i.e. weekly or monthly telephone calls to support the patients with chronic disease) and unscripted telephone coaching interventions appear to be most effective for improving self-management skills in people from vulnerable groups: the planned telephone coaching services had the advantage of regular contact and helping people develop their skills over time, whereas the unscripted aspect allowed the coach to tailor support to the patient’s individual needs What are the implications for practitioners? Telephone coaching is an effective means of supporting people with chronic diseases to manage their own health. Further work is needed to embed telephone coaching within existing services. Good linkages with the patient’s general practitioner are important. This might be a regular report, updates via the patient e-health record, or provision for contact if a problem is identified or linking to the patient e-health record.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S164-S164
Author(s):  
Elise Fortin ◽  
Geneviève Deceuninck ◽  
Caroline Sirois ◽  
Caroline Quach ◽  
Marc Simard ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In Québec primary care, antimicrobial use is higher in patients with chronic diseases, but it is unclear whether this utilization may be reduced. We aimed to measure the proportion of compliant antimicrobial prescriptions according to the provincial guidelines for the treatment of common respiratory and urinary infections and measure variations in this proportion with certain chronic diseases. Methods Antimicrobial dispensing covered by the public drug insurance plan between April 2010 and March 2017, delivered within 2 days of an outpatient consultation for an infection was included. Infections targeted by provincial guidelines were studied: otitis media, pharyngitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, cystitis, and acute pyelonephritis. The proportion of prescriptions compliant with guidelines (right antimicrobial for children, and right antimicrobial and dosage for adults) was computed by age group (children or adults) and per category of chronic disease (respiratory, cardiovascular, diabetes, mental disorder, none of previous). For each infection and age group, multivariate robust Poisson regression was used to measure the impact of categories of chronic diseases on proportions of prescriptions compliant with guidelines. Results Between 14 677 and 312 786 prescriptions were included, for each infection. Compliance to guidelines was above 87% in children and was significantly lower (≤ 3% bellow) in children with asthma. In adults, the choice of agent was compliant for at least 73% of prescriptions, except for cases of pharyngitis (between 53% and 61%). Accounting for dosage led to lower proportions of compliance, which varied between 19% (cystitis with diabetes) and 77% (pyelonephritis with none of the studied chronic disease categories). Compliant prescriptions were 2,4% to 20,4% less frequent in the presence of chronic diseases (statistically significant). Conclusion Non-compliant prescriptions could still be appropriate, but their high frequency suggests there is room for improvement. Dosage seems particularly problematic. Additional support could be offered to clinicians for the prescription of antimicrobials to patients with chronic diseases. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 762-767
Author(s):  
Indriyati Hadi Sulistyaningrum ◽  
Susi Ari Kristina ◽  
Ali Ghufron Mukti ◽  
Satibi

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the of drug costs for patients with chronic diseases in the capitation system in public primary health cares (Public PHCs). Materials and Methods: This research is a quantitative study with an observational cross-sectional approach at 16 Public PHCs. Data collection used the retrospective method. The total sample was 293 outpatients in 2016. Results: The results showed that 63% of patients are female. The most patients are aged between 56-65 years (37%). The average drug cost for patients receiving more than 3 types of drugs is IDR 7,726. The biggest drug cost is patients with DM type 2 with which the average cost is IDR 7.400. And the metformin treatment is 17 (6%) patients with the cost IDR 4,500,-. Chi-square analysis shows that the quantity of drug items, type of disease and prescriptions there are have significant effect on drug cost (p-value <0.05). However, gender and age group there are no significant effect on drug cost (p-value >0.05). Drug prescriptions are an important component in managing chronic diseases patients. Prescribing costs provide important information in the sustainability of the management of chronic disease programs. Conclusion: This study recommends that the prolanis policy in public PHCs is focused on the elderly age group patients and female group. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.20(4) 2021 p.762-767


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-65
Author(s):  
Jawaher Mitwalli ◽  
Nouf Njaifan ◽  
Rania Harere ◽  
Nuha Sharaf ◽  
Afnan Owaidah ◽  
...  

Purpose: Since the declaration of the wide and progressive spread of COVID-19 as a pandemic, the health systems worldwide are facing challenges in the balance between applying recommended precautionary measures for COVID-19, while maintain providing essential routine health care to other groups like chronic diseases' patients. The current study aims to explore impact of precautionary measures of COVID-19 on chronic diseases' patients in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: Through an analytical cross-sectional study; a representative sample of chronic diseases' patients were selected randomly from primary health care centers in Jeddah. They were invited to respond to a valid questionnaire designed to collect data about the impact of Covid 19 pandemic measures on chronic diseases’ patients. The questionnaire is adapted from valid published questionnaires conceptualized around the impact of Covid 19 measures on chronic patients. Chi-square test was used to identify association between the health status and the independent variables. P-value <0.05 was considered as an indication for significance.   Results: Out of all respondents (n=386) there was almost equal distribution of females (52.3%) and males (47.7%), and remarkable dominance of Saudis (91.7%); two thirds (62.7%) reported one chronic disease while the rest had two or more diseases. Considerable proportions faced difficulties in medical appointments (43.8%), reaching physicians (30.1%) and obtaining medicines (16.6%) during the pandemic. The health status of 23.3% became worse; especially among those with low income (46.4%), those who needed emergency care (57.1%) and all who did not get it p<0.005. Conclusion and recommendations: The precautionary measures of COVID-19 have an impact on the care, health status of chronic diseases' patients. Efforts should be made to plan for innovative measures to ensure providing essential health care to chronic diseases' patients during pandemics.


Author(s):  
Pengcheng Liu ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Xiaojie Wang ◽  
Wenjie Nie ◽  
Fangfang Zhen

(1) Objectives: Using cross-sectional datasets, we investigated whether better self-perceived physical and social neighborhood environment was associated with perceived health status and health-related behaviors among Chinese rural residents. (2) Study Design: The study was based on the 2016 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) survey. The sample consisted of 7191 rural residents over 18 in China. (3) Methods: The article measured physical neighborhood environment from the two aspects of dwelling environment (DE) and public facilities convenience (PFC), and social neighborhood environment from public security (PS) and neighborhood relationship (NR). Associations between health status/health-related behaviors and self-perceived physical/social neighborhood environment were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics. (4) Results: The results suggested that rural residents who live in a good neighborhood environment reported having a better health status. Specifically, rural residents who reported living in good DE were less likely to have a depressive mood and poor health conditions. Those who reported good PFC were less likely to have depressive mood, poor self-rated health and chronic diseases. Rural residents who reported having good PS were less likely to have a depressive mood. Those who reported good NR were less likely to have a depressive mood, poor self-rated health, chronic diseases and obesity. Regarding neighborhood environment and health-related behaviors, the results showed that rural residents who reported good PFC were more likely to do physical exercise. Notably, the regression results of the education level variable showed that education level significantly promoted the health-related behaviors (time sleeping weekday, physical exercise and smoking) of rural residents. (5) Conclusions: This article suggested that there was strong evidence for a relationship between physical and social neighborhood environment and the general health of rural residents due to all causes. According to the conclusion of this article, in order to improve the health of rural residents, policy interventions should give priority to improving the neighborhood environment. In addition, the improvement in the degree that rural residents are exposed to education is of the same importance, which helps more rural residents to maintain good health-related behaviors.


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