Irish journal of medical science
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Biography Historical Article
Charles Lucas and medical legislation in eighteenth century Ireland.
Charles Lucas, apothecary, physician and MP, was instrumental in facilitating legislation in Ireland in 1765 that established a nationwide network of hospitals in Ireland. This legislation was unique in contemporary Europe, and by the end of the century, there was a hospital in every county in the country. ⋯ In medical terms, Charles Lucas was man ahead of his time.
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To examine the added diagnostic value of emergent contrast enhanced CT head (CECTH) in patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with acute non-traumatic symptoms referable to the brain, and to assess the financial implications of CECTH in the emergent setting. ⋯ Head CT in ED non-traumatic neurological presentations with CECTH is not generally indicated and represents a calculable cost savings in the management of these patients.
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Comorbid conditions may be related (concordant) or unrelated (discordant) to diabetes. Comorbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and self-care. ⋯ Health professionals should be aware of the fall in HRQoL associated with comorbidity. This should be taken into account in the management of patients. Patients with discordant comorbidity should be advised and supported to maintain levels of physical activity.
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Paediatric urology training is not a mandatory part of higher surgical training in urology in Ireland. It is predicted there will be a shortfall of surgeons trained in paediatric surgery in the coming years leading to a reliance on specialist paediatric surgical centres. ⋯ Our study demonstrates a promising desire to provide paediatric services in the future. A greater emphasis on structured paediatric urology training is required to maintain the standard currently offered by adult urologists.
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It has been recognised for some time that mortality rates vary across social class groups, with lower rates in the higher social classes. Internationally, but particularly in Ireland, many studies on the topic of inequalities in mortality have been confined to men, partly because the most frequently used socioeconomic classification, that based on occupation, can less easily be applied to women. Where research does exist, studies indicate that health inequalities are greater for men than for women. Given the issues around classification, there remains however, little knowledge of the socio-economic inequalities in female mortality in Ireland. ⋯ The results confirm international findings that women generally have smaller gradients than men across SEG with the ratio of male/female differentials (i.e. the ratio of the male SEG rate ratio to the female SEG rate ratio) decreasing between the 1980s and 2000s from 1.25 to 1.07.