Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Sep 2005
Parents' reported reasons for avoiding MMR vaccination. A telephone survey.
During the second half of the 1990s and the first years of the 2000s a declining coverage for MMR vaccination in two-year-olds was observed in Sweden. The aim was to assess reasons for postponement or non-vaccination. ⋯ Postponers and abstainers may have different reasons for their decision. The role of well-trained healthcare staff in giving advice and an opportunity to discuss MMR vaccination with concerned parents is very important.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2005
Review Comparative StudyQuality of life of patients with diabetes mellitus. An overview of research in primary health care in the Nordic countries.
A review of articles on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among diabetes patients in primary health care in the Nordic countries. ⋯ Diabetes affects the HRQoL through macrovascular complications and associated non-vascular comorbidity, and also by adding to the total burden of disease. Future research areas include transcultural and ethnic aspects, and effects of lifestyle interventions.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Jun 2005
Uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Bacterial findings and efficacy of empirical antibacterial treatment.
To assess bacterial aetiology, antimicrobial susceptibility and efficacy of empirical treatment in uncomplicated urinary tract infections and to evaluate the dipstick as a diagnostic tool. ⋯ The study confirms E. coli as the predominant cause of uncomplicated UTI. Since in the majority of cases the bacterium found was susceptible to the locally preferred antimicrobials and the patients' symptoms were cured, empiric therapy is found to be an effective practice in the study area and, by inference, in others with similar antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Mar 2005
Symptom panorama in upper secondary school students and symptoms related to iron deficiency. Screening with laboratory tests, questionnaire and interventional treatment with iron.
To study symptom panorama in students, to identify undiagnosed iron deficiency, and to evaluate any changes in symptoms and laboratory test results after treatment with iron supplementation. ⋯ Symptoms of vertigo/dizziness were significantly more common in students with iron deficiency. Iron supplementation reduced the symptoms of vertigo/dizziness, irritability, depressive symptoms, and indisposition.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Dec 2004
Ethical dilemmas arising from implementation of the European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. A descriptive epidemiological study.
Our first objective is to describe total, age- and gender-specific prevalences of subjects in a well-defined population for whom medical follow-up is indicated due to unfavourably high blood pressure and/or cholesterol levels, as defined by the 2003 European guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. Our second objective is to highlight scientific questions and ethical dilemmas relating to implementation of the guidelines. ⋯ Implementation of the 2003 European guidelines on CVD prevention would label a large majority of Norwegian adults as having unfavourably high cholesterol and/or blood pressure levels. The current biomedical standards appear to invalidate demographic health statistics. The theoretical basis on which the guidelines rest should thereby be scrutinized with regard to scientific methodology and consistency. Important ethical dilemmas arise at the point of guideline implementation, relating to risk labelling and medicalization, as well as resource allocation and sustainability within the healthcare system.