Impact of periodic health examination on surgical treatment for uterine fibroids in Beijing: a case-control study

Sex Differences and Psychological Factors Associated with General Health Examinations Participation: Results from a Vietnamese Cross-Section Dataset

This study focuses on the association of sex differences and psychological factors with periodic general health examination (GHE) behaviors. We conducted a survey in Hanoi and the surrounding areas, collecting 2068 valid observations; the cross-section dataset was then analyzed using the baseline category logit model. The study shows that most people are afraid of discovering diseases through general health examinations (76.64%), and the fear of illness detection appears to be stronger for females than for males (β1(male) = −0.409, p < 0.001). People whose friends/relatives have experienced prolonged treatment tend to show more hesitation in participating in physical check-ups (β2 = 0.221, p < 0.05). On the ideal frequency of GHEs, 90% of the participants agree on once or twice a year. The probability of considering a certain period of time as an appropriate frequency for GHEs changes in accordance with the last doctor visit (low probability of a health examination every 18 months) and one’s fear of potential health problems post-checkup (no fear raises probability of viewing a health examination every 6 months by 9–13 percentage points). The results add to the literature on periodic GHE in particular and on preventive health behaviors in general.

Survey data on Vietnamese propensity to attend periodic general health examinations

As general living standards rise, so does the demand for periodic general health examinations (GHEs). Research on the subject, however, has reached opposing conclusions on the value of GHEs, although methodological limitations in previous works make these differences hard to resolve. Here, we present data from a socio-demographic survey of behaviours and tendencies concerning periodic GHE attendance in Vietnam. These data are shown to be suitable for evaluating the impact of demographic and socio-economic elements on regular health examinations. By presenting the methods used in this survey and by describing the enquiries mentioned in the dataset, this article aims to promote data-collecting methodologies that can help policy-makers and health communicators derive practical conclusions.

What Makes Vietnamese (Not) Attend Periodic General Health Examinations? A 2016 Cross-sectional Study

Objectives

General health examinations (GHE) have become an increasingly common measure for preventive medicine in Vietnam. However, little is known about the factors among Viet-namese people who attend or miss GHE. Budget or time constraints remain to be evaluated for better-informed policy making. This study investigates factors affecting behaviors in attending periodic GHE. The main objectives are as follows: (1) to explore empirical relationships between influencing factors and periodic GHE frequencies, and (2) to predict the probabilities of attending GHE under associated conditions.

Methods

The study used a 2,068-observational dataset, obtained from a Vietnamese survey in 2016. The analysis was then performed using the methods of baseline-category logits for establishing relationships between predictor and response variables.

Results

Significant relationships were found among the expenditure and time consumption, health priority and sensitivity to health data, insurance status, and frequency of GHE, with most p-values = 0.01.

Conclusion

Generally, people attended the GHE when they had the resources and health priorities (72.7% probability). Expenditure and time remain key obstacles to the periodic GHE. Health priority and health data are important in improving rates for GHEs. Health insurance should play a positive role in promoting the GHE.

Factors associated with uterine fibroid in Ghanaian women undergoing pelvic scans with suspected uterine fibroid

Background

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumours affecting premenopausal women and are often associated with considerable hospitalization and morbidity. Literature shows virtually no study concerning the quantification of the main factors associated with uterine fibroids in Ghanaian women. The purpose of this study was to assess the main factors associated with uterine fibroid among Ghanaian women presenting for ultrasound.

Method

A prospective cross-sectional study design was employed in this study. A total of two hundred and forty-four (244) women were consecutively evaluated from November 2011 to February 2012 using a 2–5 MHz curvilinear probe of Philips HD3 ultrasound machines at three centres in Accra using a trans-abdominal pelvic approach. Data was analysed with (SPSS) version 20.0 for windows, 2010; Chicago. The Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to determine associations between selected demographic and gynaecological characteristics and uterine fibroid appearance. All tests were two-tailed and p-value of less than 0.05 was interpreted as significant.

Results

The range, mean and standard deviation (SD) of the patients’ age were 14–54 years, 31.89 years and ± 7.92 respectively. Factors that associated significantly with uterine fibroid in Ghanaian women included obesity (X² = 17.3, p-value = 0.001), participant’s age range (X² = 47.4, p-value = 0.001), parity (X² = −10.169, p-value = 0.001), and age at last delivery (X² = 34.579, p-value = 0.001).

Conclusion

Uterine fibroid was mainly associated with women of older age group of the reproductive age than the younger age categories and also associated more with women with without children compared to those with more children. Moreover, it associated more with obese patients and patient with late age at last delivery.

Uterine fibroid characteristics and sonographic pattern among Ghanaian females undergoing pelvic ultrasound scan: a study at 3-major centres

BACKGROUND

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign tumours affecting premenopausal women and are often associated with considerable hospitalization and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to identify the uterine fibroid characteristics and sonographic patterns of uterine fibroids among Ghanaian women undergoing abdomino-pelvic or pelvic ultrasound scan at three major diagnostic centres. The outcome is expected to help in appropriate policy formulation in women care in Ghana.

METHOD

A total of two hundred and forty four (244) women were evaluated between November 2011-February 2012, using identical 2-5 MHz curvilinear probe of Philips HD3 ultrasound machines at three major diagnostic centers in Ghana, using a trans-abdominal pelvic approach.

RESULTS

The range, mean and standard deviation (SD) of the patients' ages were 14-54 years, 31.89 years and ± 7.92 respectively. The majority, 57.8% of the fibroids were intramural with only 4.4% noted as sub-mucosal. Most (55.6%) of the fibroids were located in more than one part of the uterus. The most popular (55.6%) echo pattern of the various fibroid nodules was mixed echogenicity.

CONCLUSION

The sonographic patterns of uterine fibroids among Ghanaian women have been assessed at three major diagnostic centres. The study shows that most Ghanaian women who have fibroids have degenerative fibroid nodules as these nodules demonstrate mixed echo patterns on ultrasound. The findings may aid in appropriate diagnosis and interventions in the country.

Factors associated with the use of percutaneous coronary intervention in elderly Chinese patients with a first ST elevated acute myocardial infarction

INTRODUCTION

Rapid reperfusion therapies (RT), particularly percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), improve short- and long-term outcomes in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, a substantial proportion of patients with STEMI, especially older patients, refuse or do not undergo PCI. Our study aims to identify factors associated with the use of PCI in elderly Chinese patients with their first STEMI.

METHOD

Elderly (aged 65 years of age or over) patients with STEMI were enrolled between March 2010 and August 2013 at two hospitals in Beijing. Patients with previous myocardial infarction and those with contraindications to reperfusion were excluded. A standardized questionnaire including onset time and severity of symptoms, history of angina pectoris, comorbid illnesses, functional status, family income, health insurance, education, patients' trust in treating physicians, and whether patient was acquainted with a cardiologist was used to collect data from patients or their family.

RESULTS

Five hundred and sixty-eight patients were enrolled. PCI was accepted by 432 (76%) and refused by 136 (24%). Multivariate analysis showed that older age (>75 years; odds ratio [OR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.78), self-rated mild symptoms (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.06-0.21), lower degree of trust in treating physician (<6 in a 10 point scale; [OR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.09-0.28]), and not being acquainted with a cardiologist (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.07-0.42) were associated with refusal of PCI.

CONCLUSION

PCI was refused by almost one quarter of eligible elderly Chinese patients with a first STEMI. Age, symptom severity, and trust in physician were independent factors associated with the use of PCI in these patients.