Comparative Analysis of Asthma Incidence Between Breastfed and Bottle-fed Children (Aged 3-7 Years Old)

This study primarily aimed to compare the incidence of asthma between breastfed and bottle-fed children. And to determine if the demographic characteristics such as age, sex, ordinal position in the family and familial history of asthma affect the incidence of asthma as well. This study used Comparative-Survey Design through self-structured questionnaire given to the parents of the respondents who were the 3-7 year-old asthmatic children, selected through purposive sampling technique. The data gathered were thentabulated and analyzed using Chi-Square Method of Association. It was found out that most of the asthmatic respondents were between 5-7 years old which showed a high association between the age and the incidence of asthma. It implies that as the age increases, the incidence of asthma also increases. Results also showed that males are more likely to have high incidence of asthma than females. The incidence of asthma is likewise higher in eldest respondents than the middle or youngest. Moreover, there is a significant relationship between the familial history of asthma and its incidence. And finally, the feeding status of the respondents whether breastfed or bottle-fed during the first 6 months of life affects the incidence of asthma as the incidence is higher in bottle-fed than in breastfed respondent

Link between method of delivery and childhood overweight or obesity

This study aimed to determine the relationship between the method of delivery and the incidence of overweight or obesity during childhood. This study was conducted on June 2012 to March 2013 in four selected elementary schools in Iligan City, Philippines wherein 96 overweight to obese children between 5-8 years old were selected as respondents through purposive sampling technique. A descriptive-correlational research design was used. To gather the pertinent data and information, a researcher-made questionnaire was employed. The data gathered were then tabulated and analyzed using frequency and percentage distribution, Chi-square test and Spearman correlation coefficient. It was found out that there is no sufficient evidence to harbor a significant relationship between the method of delivery and the incidence of childhood overweight or obesity among the respondents. Thus, other factors should be explored to relate to overweight or obesity in childhoo

Changes in doctor-patient communication in general practice

Aim of the study The aim of this thesis was to investigate changes in doctor-patient communication, within the context of changes over the course of time in general practice care in the Netherlands. We focused on the question: How are changes in general practice (shifts in approaches) reflected in doctor-patient communication (shift in behavior)? We studied a shift from an approach that emphasized comprehensive, personal care toward an approach with a greater focus on evidence-based medicine. Methods To investigate this shift, we observed and compared general practice consultations prior to and after the implementation of various guidelines to study whether GP communication styles display elements of reconciliation between the use of clinical guidelines and the core value of comprehensive and personal care in daily practice. Main findings The findings show that consultations after the implementation of guidelines received higher quality ratings on doctor-patient communication, in particular regarding the quality of biomedical communication. Furthermore, our observational studies indicate that GPs have become more aware of psychosocial aspects that may contribute to physical complaints presented by patients. However, we also found that GPs placed more emphasis on providing biomedical information and advice, rather than on showing compassion during consultations. We also focused on the role of patients and found that patients were not likely to voice their worries openly. Conclusions It is challenging for GPs to find an appropriate balance between providing care in accordance with evidence-based knowledge and guidelines without losing sight of the 'patient-as-person'. In addition, the role of the patient is changing: they are expected to take responsibility for own health. However, patients also experience challenges in finding a balance between taking responsibility and sharing their vulnerability with their GP

აჰმედ ოზქანის (მელაშვილი) საფლავი სოფელ ჰეირიეში

ფოტოს გადაღების თარიღი უცნობიააჰმედ ოზქან-მელაშვილი - კულტურული მოღვაწე თურქეთში, რომლის მოღვაწეობა მიმართული იყო თურქეთის ქართველობაში ეროვნული თვითშეგნების გაღვიძებისაკენ. ქალაქ ბალიქესირთან სოფელ კოჩბაირში დაიბადა. მისი წინაპრები ართვინის მხრიდან წამოსული ქართველი მუჰაჯირები იყვნენ. დაწყებითი განათლების მიღების შემდეგ, სწავლობდა იზმირში, 1955 წელს დაქორწინდა ართვინის ვილაიეთის სოფელ ჰაირიეში მცხოვრებ იუქსელ ერგუნზე. 1962 წელს დაამთავრა სტამბოლის უნივერსიტეტის არქიტექტურული ფაკულტეტი და დასახლდა ქართულ სოფელ ჰაირიეში, სადაც ტურისტული საზოგადოება დააარსა. შემდეგ არქიტექტორადაც მუშაობდა. თუმცა მისი მთავარი გატაცება ისტორიული სამშობლოს, ქართული ენის შესახებ ცნობების შეგროვება გახდა. გერმანიაში მყოფი შემთხვევით შეხვდა ქართველებს და მათგან გაიგო, რომ არსებობდა ქართული ანბანი და ამ ენაზე შექმნილი დიდი ლიტერატურა. ყოველი ასეთი შეხვედრა თუ ინფორმაცია აჰმედს უფრო აღაგზნებდა და ინტერესს უღვივებდა. კულტურული კავშირის გაბმა ისტორიულ სამშობლოსთან - ეს იყო მისი მოღვაწეობის მთავარი მიზანი. გურჯების თვითმყოფადობის შენარჩუნებისა და ამაღლებისათვის დიდი შრომა გასწია. 1968 წელს მან თურქულ ენაზე დაბეჭდა წიგნი ”გურჯისტანი - კულტურა, ხელოვნება, ლიტერატურა, ისტორია, ფოლკლორი.” სწორედ ამ გამოცემით შეიტყო უამრავმა გურჯმა თავისი წარმომავლობა და ისტორიული სამშობლოს არსებობა. 980 წელს 5 ივლისს ქალაქ ბურსაში, აჰმედ მელაშვილი თურქული ულტრა-ნაციონალისტური დაჯგუფების „რუხი მგლების“ აქტივისტებმა მოკლეს. ვაჟიშვილი იბერია მძიმედ დაიჭრა. შემდეგ მამის საქმიანობას მისი შვილი - იბერია მელაშვილი ჩაუდგა სათავეში. აჰმედ ოზქან-მელაშვილი სოფელ ჰაირიეში განისვენებს. მის საფლავს თურქულ და ქართულ ენაზე აწერია: „მე ვიცხოვრე ჩემი ხალხისათვის და არა უკვდავებისათვის

Patients’ views on changes in doctor-patient communication between 1982 and 2001: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND: Doctor-patient communication has been influenced over time by factors such as the rise of evidence-based medicine and a growing emphasis on patient-centred care. Despite disputes in the literature on the tension between evidence-based medicine and patient-centered medicine, patients’ views on what constitutes high quality of doctor-patient communication are seldom an explicit topic for research. The aim of this study is to examine whether analogue patients (lay people judging videotaped consultations) perceive shifts in the quality of doctor-patient communication over a twenty-year period. METHODS: Analogue patients (N = 108) assessed 189 videotaped general practice consultations from two periods (1982–1984 and 2000–2001). They provided ratings on three dimensions (scale 1–10) and gave written feedback. With a mixed-methods research design, we examined these assessments quantitatively (in relation to observed communication coded with RIAS) and qualitatively. RESULTS: 1) The quantitative analyses showed that biomedical communication and rapport building were positively associated with the quality assessments of videotaped consultations from the first period, but not from the second. Psychosocial communication and personal remarks were related to positive quality assessments of both periods; 2) the qualitative analyses showed that in both periods, participants provided the same balance between positive and negative comments. Listening, giving support, and showing respect were considered equally important in both periods. We identified shifts in the participants’ observations on how GPs explained things to the patient, the division of roles and responsibilities, and the emphasis on problem-focused communication (first period) versus solution-focused communication (last period). CONCLUSION: Analogue patients recognize shifts in the quality of doctor-patient communication from two different periods, including a shift from problem-focused communication to solution-focused communication, and they value an egalitarian doctor-patient relationship. The two research methods were complementary; based on the quantitative analyses we found shifts in communication, which we confirmed and specified in our qualitative analyses

A cross-sectional survey on cold chain management of vaccines in Cebu, Philippines

Background: Appropriate cold chain management is the foundation of safety and quality of vaccines. Objectives: This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the cold chain management of the rural health units of Consolacion and Liloan, Cebu, Philippines on August to September 2017. Methods: Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, which was developed based on previous studies of cold chain survey. The questionnaire was administered to one personnel who is responsible for the storage and maintenance of vaccines in each public health center (PHC). Results: Of 42 targeted PHCs, only 52.4% (n=22) agreed to join in the study. The results of the study indicated that storage units and equipments were available in all 22 PHCs, even though only five of them (22.7%) stored vaccines. The majority of PHCs (90.9%, n=20) did not have access to a generator and only 9% (n=2) had a voltage stabilizer connected to the refrigerator. Refrigerators that were equipped with thermometer were only found in 68.2% (n=15) PHCs. No statistically significant relationship was found (p=0.159) between the statuses of PHCs to store vaccine and the level of knowledge of health professionals assigned to manage the vaccine. Conclusions: Primary health centers that store vaccines have at least one functional refrigerator and freezer and alternative power sources. Contingency plans in the event of mechanical and power failure as well as proper temperature monitoring are needed.  Personnel handling vaccines must be updated on proper storage and transport of such like the use of cold boxes and ice packs to maintain cold chain. Improvement of cold-chain management for vaccines in Cebu City’s PHCs was necessary