Journal of epidemiology and community health
-
J Epidemiol Community Health · Mar 2007
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyThe effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a national lay-led self care support programme for patients with long-term conditions: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.
Supporting patients' self care could have a major effect on the management of long-term conditions, which has led to worldwide interest in effective self care interventions. In England, self care support is being developed through the "Expert Patients Programme", which provides lay-led generic courses to improve patients' self care skills. However, the clinical and cost effectiveness of such courses remains unclear. ⋯ Lay-led self care support groups are effective in improving self-efficacy and energy levels among patients with long-term conditions, and are likely to be cost effective over 6 months at conventional values of a decision-maker's willingness to pay. They may be a useful addition to current services in the management of long-term conditions.
-
J Epidemiol Community Health · Jan 2007
Randomized Controlled TrialEye discomfort, headache and back pain among Mayan Guatemalan women taking part in a randomised stove intervention trial.
Indoor air pollution (IAP) from combustion of biomass fuels represents a global health problem, estimated to cause 1.6 million premature deaths annually. ⋯ In addition to reducing discomfort for women, tangible improvements in symptoms experienced by a substantial proportion of women may help to gain acceptance and wider use of planchas.
-
J Epidemiol Community Health · Aug 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialAssociation of quality of life in old age in Britain with socioeconomic position: baseline data from a randomised controlled trial.
To identify socioeconomic differentials in quality of life among older people and their explanatory factors. ⋯ Older people retain the legacy of past socioeconomic position and are subject to current socioeconomic influences.
-
J Epidemiol Community Health · Sep 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical TrialEvidence based educational outreach visits: effects on prescriptions of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
To evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence based group educational outreach visit on prescription patterns of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in primary care. ⋯ Evidence based educational outreach visits are more effective than no intervention at all. Results suggest that evidence based educational outreach visits are incrementally more effective than conventional educational sessions, which in turn are more effective than no intervention at all.
-
J Epidemiol Community Health · Feb 1996
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialAn epidemiological study after a water contamination incident near Worcester, England in April 1994.
To investigate whether exposure to tap water contaminated in a major river pollution incident with 2 ethyl 5,5 dimethyl 1,3 dioxane (EDD) and 2 ethyl 4 methyl 1,3 dioxolane (EMD) was associated with an increase of self reported symptoms. To assess the extent of association between noticing the water had an unusual taste or odour and self reported symptoms. ⋯ Higher rates of symptom reporting were associated with the water contamination incident. Reported symptoms seemed, however, to be associated with the ability to detect an unusual taste or odour in the water. Because concentrations of the contaminants would be expected to be evenly distributed in the tap water in the affected area, irrespective of taste or odour, and because of the known toxicity of the parent compounds of EMD and EDD, it is concluded that the increase in self reported symptoms in the study group respondents was associated with noticing the unpleasant taste or odour of the tap water and not with the chemical contamination. It is concluded that the observed increase in reporting of nausea with increasing water consumption was due to public anxiety caused by the incident but did not pose a serious risk to the public's health. The increase in self reported symptoms in the area affected by the contamination was an important reminder of the wider health implications of "health scares".