Knowledge of students training to be health care professionals about AIDS transmission

Knowledge of how the HIV virus is transmitted and how we can protect ourselves against it will lead individuals to adopt appropriate sexual behavior, thus preventing transmission of HIV. An evaluation of this knowledge in a young population of reproductive age is fundamental when drawing up and assessing health education programs

Assessment of the needs of individuals enrolled in a support program for the elderly

Introduction: The aging of our population is the scourge of modern times. Health care systems worldwide are faced with an increased demand for health services from elderly persons, and this underlines the need for new types of care such as home care. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to present a Support Program for senior citizens as it is implemented to date by the social services of the health insurance fund of a large Organization in the Athens area. The goals of our study were: to explore socio-economic needs, health problems of the elderly, support provided on an individual and on a family basis as well as health counseling. Sample and method: Collection of data began in early June 2004 at the Service Archives, these consisting of 109 files. The total number of beneficiaries/pensioners belonging to the insurance scheme of the specific bank in question is equal to 3,104 in the region of Attica, averaging 72.1-1.16 years of age. We observed 109 persons who have been included in the "Senior Citizens' Support Program". The period of data collection lasted two months. Results and discussion: Data analysis showed that the largest segment of the population under observation was 80-89 years of age, i.e. a great deal higher than the average age of pensioners in Greece As to their health, the elderly persons we observed are primarily faced with orthopedic problems, at 62%, restricting their mobility and thus their access to their insurance provider for the provision of services. As a whole, beneficiaries displayed many diverse needs. What the elderly persons we observed needed most was household help, at a percentage of 62%. It is imperative that communities introduce support programs for the elderly. These should be individualized and provide basic assistance to senior citizens in carrying out their daily activities

Vaccine coverage of preschool children in rural and semi-rural Thessaly a pilot study

Immunization coverage estimates are useful tools for a variety of purposes as to monitor the performance of immunization services in order to identify areas for improvement, to guide certain communicable diseases eradication and to make an evidence-based health policy. The aim of this pilot study was to estimate the immunization coverage of the children in the rural and semi-rural regions of Thessaly. We performed a coverage survey by using an anonymous and especially designed questionnaire to assess the vaccination history. Pre-school children were recruited from the rural and semi-rural area of Thessaly on the basis of their availability after an informed consent of the parents was obtained. Participants were divided in two major groups: (a) Rural group: 118 children from rural regions of Thessaly and (b) Semi-rural group: 93 children from the semi-rural regions of Thessaly. The mean age of rural group was 4.97±1.33 and that of semi-rural group was 4.51±1.51 years. Results: all the four doses of DTP vaccine were performed in the sample of the children from the rural regions opposed to them from the semi-rural regions. Among the children from the rural regions no one had documented the second dose of MMR, instead of 7 children from the semi-rural regions. In Conclusion, protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases is a high priority in public health. Vaccination coverage among preschool children must be continuously monitored. In a new era in which the incidence of childhood diseases has dramatically declined we need to improve the quality and quantity of vaccination delivery services, and to increase community participation, education, and partnerships

Serum CA 125 combined with transvaginal ultrasonography for ovarian cancer screening

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the combination of serum CA125 and Transvaginal Ultra Sonography (TVUS) score, as a screening procedure for ovarian cancer in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Patients and Methods: A retrospective case-control pilot study was conducted. The files of 120 women with ovarian neoplasia detected by TVUS and increased CA125 level, within the framework of a prevention program, were reviewed. The relationship between the above tests and epithelial malignancy was investigated using the SPSS-12 program for Windows. Results: The combination of CA125 value exceeding 30U/ml and a TVUS score ≥35 had a sensitivity of 81.7% and specificity of 100% in predicting ovarian cancer. Mathematical analysis of the logistic model of our variables revealed a mathematical model that can calculate the likelihood of ovarian cancer detection, by using a combination of CA125≥30U/ml and TVUS score≥35. Conclusion: By combining TVUS and CA125, an accurate prediction for the presence of ovarian cancer may be achieved. Further investigation in a larger population is warranted