Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

UNLABELLED: A random cluster sample according to the EPI cluster sampling technique was conducted in 1999 in Flanders (North Belgium) to ascertain the vaccination coverage of 18 to 24-mo-old children. Polio is the only mandatory vaccine. Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), hepatitis B (HB) and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) are included in the recommended schedule of vaccinations. For Hib and HB, a minimal cost was charged. Professional interviewers conducted interviews with the parents of 1110 children randomly selected in 89 municipalities. Analysis was conducted on the results of 1005 children. The coverage level (95% confidence interval) for the full schedule was 96% (95-97) for polio, 89% (87-91) for DTP, 78% (74-82) for Hib, 68% (64-72) for HB and 83% (81-87) for MMR. The vaccinations were administered by the regional children's health organization (70%), paediatricians (17%) and GPs (11%). No sociodemographic factors could be associated with vaccination coverage. One province showed significantly (p < 0.01) lower vaccination coverage levels compared with those of the other four provinces for DTP (91% vs 82%), Hib (78% vs 53%), HB (73% vs 46%) and MMR (87% vs 66%). CONCLUSION: There is a need for more and better information about vaccination for parents as well as for the healthcare providers.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The cost of HIV/AIDS care was measured in Belgium in 1996. This paper is concerned with direct costs (formal and informal care). This is a prospective study, stratified by CDC-disease stage. A societal point of view was chosen. Eighty-two sequential patients agreed to join the study during outpatient visits. Data on service use and costs were obtained through a care-cost diary kept over three months. Half of the patients (41) returned a completed diary, which reduced the sample size considerably. Additional billing data were obtained from different sources and by calculating the time spent for certain services. In stage A (asymptomatic HIV), the mean (+/- SD) annual total direct costs are US$2,373 (2,079), rising to US$8,401 (7,520) in stage B (symptomatic HIV) and ending up at US$27,373 (22,087) in stage C (full blown AIDS). A difference in balance of costs at different stages of disease was observed. The principal cost of outpatient pharmaca in HIV patients is overtaken by the cost of hospitalization in AIDS patients. The cost of informal care is considerable (40% of the total cost) from stage B onwards. Health care use and costs increase with severity of illness.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

METHODS AND OBJECTIVES: To estimate the infant vaccination coverage in Belgium, a random cluster sample according to the expanded program on immunization (EPI) cluster sampling technique was performed in 1999 in the Flemish (Flanders) and French (Wallonia) speaking community of Belgium. The objective was to document the infant vaccination coverage retrospectively in 18-24-month-old children. In addition, the study offered the opportunity to assess some factors influencing vaccine uptake in infants. RESULTS: In the Flemish community infant vaccination coverage could not be associated with any of the socio-demographic factors, with two exceptions: the province (county) and the hepatitis B (HepB) vaccination. The main reason for not complying with the vaccination schedule was mainly carelessness on either parent's or physician's side. In the French speaking community parents feel mostly themselves responsible for the non-vaccination or incomplete vaccination of their child, except for pertussis. For all vaccines, the attitude of the physician is mentioned as being very influential in the decision to vaccinate a child. Most of the socio-demographic factors showed no association with the infant vaccination coverage. CONCLUSION: The surveys in Flanders and Wallonia stress the importance of having information made available, and underline the role parents as well as physicians (and nurses) play in the infant immunization coverage.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

A total of 129 workers exposed to carbon disulphide (CS2) and 81 non-exposed controls were asked about their current use of pharmaceuticals, using a self-administered questionnaire. In all, 31% of the exposed and 19.8% of the non-exposed used some medicine (P = 0.08). The average number of pharmaceuticals per subject amounted to 0.71 in the exposed vs. 0.36 in the non-exposed (P = 0.049). Predominant types of medicines used were analgesics (12.4% in the exposed vs. 8.6% in the non-exposed, P = 0.50) and sedatives/hypnotics (10.1% in the exposed vs. 4.9% in the non-exposed, P = 0.21). The pharmaceuticals consumed can cause numerous (side) effects that are similar to the toxic effects of CS2. To take into account these possibly confounding agents, a classification system for possible (side) effects of pharmaceuticals was developed, taking the dose into account. According to this method, many (side) effects of pharmaceuticals that could occur were recorded with higher frequency and intensity in the exposed subjects. Potential (side) effects that occurred significantly more frequently in the exposed than in the non-exposed were: tiredness, sedation, dizziness (20.9% vs. 4.9%, P = 0.001), excitation, anxiety (10.9% vs. 2.5%, P = 0.03), vision disturbances (7.0% vs. 0%, P = 0.01), and erection decrease (5.4% vs. 0%, P = 0.045). The implications of these findings for epidemiological studies are discussed.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Different multivariate methods have been applied to obtain an overview of the Belgian female cancer mortality distribution. The resulting maps and figures show the patterns of female cancer mortality to be strongly geographically determined. Two major trends can be derived namely along the north-south axis and along the east-west axis of the country. The cancer sites responsible for these patterns are identified.

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)