Scandinavian journal of primary health care
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The article is a short summary of a PhD-thesis, which was accepted by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Copenhagen, May 1989. The thesis is written in Danish with an English summary. It can be obtained free at the Department of General Practice, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 18, DK-2100 København O, Denmark, as long as issues are still available.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · May 1988
The diagnosis of adult pneumonia in general practice. The diagnostic value of history, physical examination and some blood tests.
Because of lower respiratory infection that was treated with antibiotics on the suspicion of pneumonia, 71 patients aged 15 years or more were referred to the study by general practitioners. Using a positive chest X-ray as a "gold standard", 15% had pneumonia. The diagnostic value of variables from history, physical examination and blood tests was evaluated by calculating the likelihood ratio (LR). ⋯ The white blood cell count and particularly the C-reactive protein analysis had a high diagnostic value, CRP greater than 50 mg/l had an LR of 37. In this selected material pulmonary symptoms and lung findings were of minor value in differentiating patients with and without pneumonia, with no LR exceeding 2.3. This can be explained to some extent by selection bias.
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The purpose of the study was to estimate the prevalence and social characteristics of men and women with alcohol-related problems in a primary care district by registers and also the utility of the data in primary health care and the municipality. 4.5% of the men and 0.5% of the women in Olofström were known for an alcohol-related problem (in at least one of 22 registers during 1980) ("problem drinkers"). The prevalence rate was higher in the younger age groups and among men and women born in Finland. For the five-year period 1977-81 the prevalence rate was 7.3% for men and 0.9% for women. ⋯ About 2/3 of the registered "problem drinkers" in 1980 were found in sources belonging to the health care sector, 2/3 in sources related to the social service and thus 1/3 to both the health care sector and the social service. More than 90% of the "problem drinkers" in 1980 were found in one of five register agencies. By collecting data from a few register sources a general practitioner in Sweden can in a short time get valuable information about alcohol problems in his catchment area.
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Fifty-nine Turkish infants in metropolitan Stockholm and two adjacent communities have been studied regarding food consumption pattern. The infants were breastfed for a shorter period than expected in Turkey and shorter than in Swedish children. Illiterate mothers breastfed longer than those who had received some kind of education. ⋯ Some problems were noted with the bottle feeding, most importantly with regard to hygienic practices, dangerous especially on summer visits to Turkey. Unsatisfactory handling of bottle feeding was linked to the mother's educational level. Further interest in nutrition education for this and other immigrant groups is important.
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Scand J Prim Health Care · Sep 1985
Why do our patients see us? A study of reasons for encounter in general practice.
The patients' reasons for encounter were recorded in 10 278 personal doctor-patient contacts in nine Norwegian municipalities over a two-month period, and were classified according to a simplified version of the WHO "Reason for Encounter Classification". A two-dimensional classification system was used where each reason was classified according to the location and type of problem. Symptoms and complaints made up 64.9% of all encounters. ⋯ Psychological and social reasons were rather infrequent 3.1% and 0.3%. Compared with the frequencies of psychiatric and social diagnoses recorded in general practice, this indicates a discrepancy between the patient's own opinion of problems and the doctor's interpretations. Females had a significantly higher contact rate than males, mainly due to problems related to the genital system, inclusive of the breast.