No description available.

No description available.

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This descriptive and analytic study used a secondary data set to describe and compare medication use and agricultural injury experiences between younger (≤54 years old) and older (≥55 years old) farmers; and to examine the relationship between the use of specific classes of medication and reported agricultural injury. The study sample included a total of 316 farmers, age 26 to 80 years old; 103 older farmers (33%), and 210 younger farmers (66%). This cohort of farmers sustained a total of 318 nonfatal agricultural injuries. No statistical difference was found in the mean number of injuries sustained by older and younger farmers. The injury rate for the whole cohort of farmers was 41.95 injuries/100 years; older farmers' injury rate was 38.35 injuries/100 person-years, while younger farmers' was 44.01 injuries/100 person-years. Older farmers were more likely to report taking a medication than the younger farmers (OR: 3.08; 95% CI: 1.94-4.92). Older farmers had statistically significant greater odds of reporting the use of several medication classes/subclasses than the younger farmers, including: hormones; cardiac medications such as: ACE inhibitors, blood pressure medications, alpha blockers, and beta blockers, and finally central nervous system medications such as pain medications. Older farmers were also found to report taking more medications than younger farmers. Multiple logistic regression analysis using GEE was used to examine the association between using specific classes of medication and agricultural injury, taking into consideration a myriad of confounding factors. Agricultural work exposures associated with injury included noise (OR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.02-1.90), chemical/pesticide use (OR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.39-2.55), heavy lifting (1.55, 95% CI: 1.06-2.28) and raising livestock (OR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.08-2.06). Medication classes significantly associated with an increased risk for agricultural injury included taking two different types of heart medications: beta blockers (OR 2.30, 95% CI: 1.07-4.97) and ACE inhibitors (OR 2.72, 95% CI: 1.15-6.46). Farmers taking a blood formation/coagulation medication were found to have less risk of injury (OR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28-0.93) than those not on a blood formation/coagulation medication. When exploring the issue of polypharmacy, no medication interactions were found to be significant. Yet, the number of cardiac medications taken per quarter was found to be statistically significant. The odds of nonfatal agricultural injury were lower with the use of more than one cardiac medication (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.13-.0.94) compared to a farmer taking no cardiac medications. Health conditions related to agricultural injury included depression and several interaction terms between taking medication and general health status. Farmers reporting their depression level as medium had a lower risk for nonfatal agricultural injury (OR 0.71, 95% CI: 0.53-0.95) compared to farmers reporting their depression as being low. Finally, several interactions between taking medication and general health status were statistically significant. These interactions illuminate two trends: 1) farmers in excellent/very good/good health have lower odds of injury if they are not taking medication versus if they did take medication, and 2) farmers with poor health have decreased odds of injury if they took mediation versus if they did not take medication. This research contributes to the limited knowledge base regarding medication use and agricultural injury by identifying classes and subclasses of medications that are associated with nonfatal agricultural injury, as well as identifying an important interaction between general health status and medication use in regards to nonfatal agricultural injury.

No description available.

Background: The use of evidence-based medications for the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is low worldwide. A key strategy to improving use of medications is to understand the barriers to their use. This thesis aims to identify barriers that may influence use of these medications in high, middle, and low income countries. Data on barriers in low and middle income countries are especially lacking. We postulate that in those settings lack of availability and affordability of proven medications are key barriers to medication use. Methods: We initially systematically reviewed the literature on barriers to medication use. Since data on these barriers for the management of CVD are sparse, the review included studies focused on hypertension, because it is the leading risk factor for CVD. Baseline data from the PURE study were then used to investigate whether availability and affordability of medications influence their use for secondary prevention of CVD. PURE is a prospective study that recruited adults between the ages of 35 to 70 years from 17 high, middle, and low income countries. Availability and affordability of medications were documented for each country income group, and the associations between these two potential barriers and medication use was explored after accounting for other factors that may influence medication use. Results: The review showed that in high income countries, non-healthcare system related factors, such as lack of knowledge and motivation, were more commonly reported as barriers, whereas in low and middle income countries healthcare system factors were most commonly reported as barriers to hypertension management. However, very few studies were conducted in low and middle income countries and so there is limited information on whether availability and affordability of medications affect their use. Results from the PURE study indicate that medications recommended for the secondary prevention of CVD were often not available and when available, they were not affordable for a high proportion of individuals in low and middle income countries. Lack of availability and low affordability were strongly associated with medication use in these settings. Conclusions: Barriers to medication use are context specific and interventions to improve use should be tailored to barriers depending on the setting. In high income countries where the medications are usually available and affordable interventions should target knowledge and motivation barriers. In low and middle income countries, the focus should be on healthcare system interventions to improve the availability and affordability of medications. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

O envelhecimento é inevitável, a população brasileira está envelhecendo, fazendo necessário um sistema que direcione as questões que surgem com esta situação. O presente estudo, uma investigação epidemiológica descritiva, inquérito prospectivo, teve como objetivo estudar as condições do uso de medicamentos em pacientes,com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, atendidos em ambulatório de um hospital universi tário de Ribeirão Preto-SP, bem como avaliar a adesão desses pacientes ao tratamento farmacológico. Foram entre vistados 127 pacientes que utilizavam medicamento domiciliar do ambulatório de geriatria do referido hospital, aleato riamente, 79,5% pertenciam ao sexo feminino, com idade média de 75,37 anos e 32,3% analfabetos. Houve predo minância dos casados com 45,7% e viúvos 45,7% e aposentados 69,3%, com predominância também da baixa renda familiar 39,3%, renda de 2 salários mínimos. O grupo estudado fazia uso em média de 6,5 medicamen tos por dia, a maioria dos pacientes adquiriam seus medicamentos no posto e complementavam com a farmácia. Os pacientes tinham, em média, 6,6 diagnós ticos por cada um, demonstrando a complexidade dos entrevistados. O Teste Morisky e Green foi utilizado para mensurar a adesão individual ao trata mento farmacológico, sendo que do total de 127 entrevistados, 55 % esqueciam de tomar seus medicamentos, enquanto 36 % se descuidavam do horário, 81 % não tomam quando se sentiam bem e ainda, 64,6 % deixavam de tomar, caso os medicamentos faziam mal. Quando utilizado o Critério 1, obtivemos uma adesão de 47%, e ao Critério 2, uma adesão de 22%. Foram consideradas as atividades de vida diária (AVD), avaliadas pela aplicação da Escala de Barthel de AVD, sendo que 91,3% apresentam grau leve de dependência, a Escala de depressão geriátrica (EDG) foi aplicada nos pacientes e os índices de depressão encontrados na população estudada foram um quanto preocupan tes, 60% dos pacientes tinham sintomas depressivos, dos quais 24% apresenta vam sintomas de depressão grave. Quanto aos resultados do Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), 63% dos pacien tes estavam com alterações cognitivas significantes. Foi possível relacionar os índices de adesão com os resultados obtidos na EDG, MEEM e Barthel, e concluiu-se que, enquanto mais presente os sintomas de depressão e as alterações cognitivas menor a ade são, bem como quanto maior a indepen dência, avaliada pela escala de AVD de Barthel, maior a adesão. O proces samento dos dados foi efetuado pelo programa EXCEL e SAS. Os dados apresentados evidenciam que a adesão ao tratamento farmacológico é um padrão de comportamento individual, que reflete nas crenças, medos, danos causados pela doença e vantagens do tratamento farmacológico. Também se identificou necessidade de estratégias que visem racionalizar o uso de medicamentos em idosos para melho ria de sua qualidade de vida. / Aging is inevitable. The Brazilian population is aging and, thus, there is a growing need for a health system that addresses the issues related to this situation. The present study is a descriptive epidemiologic survey, a prospective inquiry. The objective is to study the conditions of medication use in elderly patients (60 years or more), who were assisted at the out clinic of a university hospital in the city of Ribeirao Preto (SP, Brazil). The study also aimed to evaluate patient complian ce to the pharmacological treatment. Random interviews were carried out with 127 patients who used home medication from the geriatrics out clinic of the referred hospital. Patients were mostly women (79.5%), with an average age of 75.37 years, and 32.3% were illiterate. Most were widowed (45.7%) and retired (69.3%). Family income was low for most patients (39.3%), that being of 2 minimum wages. The studied group took, in average, 6.5 medications per day, and most patients received their medication from the health unit and supplemented any additional need at a regular drugstore. Patients were rather complex, with an average of 6.6 diagnosis each. The Morisky and Green test was used to measure compliance to the pharmacological treatment, and revealed that 127 patients (55 %) forget to take their medication, 36 % did not pay close attention to the hours, 81 % did not take the medication when feeling healthy, and 64.6% stop taking their medication if it makes them feel sick. When Criterion 1 was used, compliance was 47%, whereas for Criterion 2 it was 22%. Daily life activities (DLA) were taken into consideration and evaluated in order to administrate the Barthel DLA scale, and 91.3% presented low degree of dependence. The geriatric depression scale (GDS) was administered and the rates for the studied population were rather alarming: 60% of the patients were considered as symptoms depression, with 24% presenting seri ous depression symptoms. Regarding Mini-Mental State (MMS) results, 63% of the patients presented significant cognitive deficit. Compliance rates were related to the results from GDS, MEEM, and Barthel. It is concluded that compli ance decreases as the rates for depression and cognitive deficit increase. Moreover, higher independence rates (evaluated by Barthel DLA scale), were obtained for higher compliance. Data were proces sed using EXCEL and SAS. It is eviden ced that that compliance to pharmacolo gical treatment is an individual behavior pattern, which reflects on the beliefs, fears, harms caused by the disease, and to the advantages of the treatment. It was also observed that there is a need for strategies that aim to rationalize medication use in the elderly so quality of life can be enhanced.

O envelhecimento é inevitável, a população brasileira está envelhecendo, fazendo necessário um sistema que direcione as questões que surgem com esta situação. O presente estudo, uma investigação epidemiológica descritiva, inquérito prospectivo, teve como objetivo estudar as condições do uso de medicamentos em pacientes,com idade igual ou superior a 60 anos, atendidos em ambulatório de um hospital universi tário de Ribeirão Preto-SP, bem como avaliar a adesão desses pacientes ao tratamento farmacológico. Foram entre vistados 127 pacientes que utilizavam medicamento domiciliar do ambulatório de geriatria do referido hospital, aleato riamente, 79,5% pertenciam ao sexo feminino, com idade média de 75,37 anos e 32,3% analfabetos. Houve predo minância dos casados com 45,7% e viúvos 45,7% e aposentados 69,3%, com predominância também da baixa renda familiar 39,3%, renda de 2 salários mínimos. O grupo estudado fazia uso em média de 6,5 medicamen tos por dia, a maioria dos pacientes adquiriam seus medicamentos no posto e complementavam com a farmácia. Os pacientes tinham, em média, 6,6 diagnós ticos por cada um, demonstrando a complexidade dos entrevistados. O Teste Morisky e Green foi utilizado para mensurar a adesão individual ao trata mento farmacológico, sendo que do total de 127 entrevistados, 55 % esqueciam de tomar seus medicamentos, enquanto 36 % se descuidavam do horário, 81 % não tomam quando se sentiam bem e ainda, 64,6 % deixavam de tomar, caso os medicamentos faziam mal. Quando utilizado o Critério 1, obtivemos uma adesão de 47%, e ao Critério 2, uma adesão de 22%. Foram consideradas as atividades de vida diária (AVD), avaliadas pela aplicação da Escala de Barthel de AVD, sendo que 91,3% apresentam grau leve de dependência, a Escala de depressão geriátrica (EDG) foi aplicada nos pacientes e os índices de depressão encontrados na população estudada foram um quanto preocupan tes, 60% dos pacientes tinham sintomas depressivos, dos quais 24% apresenta vam sintomas de depressão grave. Quanto aos resultados do Mini Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM), 63% dos pacien tes estavam com alterações cognitivas significantes. Foi possível relacionar os índices de adesão com os resultados obtidos na EDG, MEEM e Barthel, e concluiu-se que, enquanto mais presente os sintomas de depressão e as alterações cognitivas menor a ade são, bem como quanto maior a indepen dência, avaliada pela escala de AVD de Barthel, maior a adesão. O proces samento dos dados foi efetuado pelo programa EXCEL e SAS. Os dados apresentados evidenciam que a adesão ao tratamento farmacológico é um padrão de comportamento individual, que reflete nas crenças, medos, danos causados pela doença e vantagens do tratamento farmacológico. Também se identificou necessidade de estratégias que visem racionalizar o uso de medicamentos em idosos para melho ria de sua qualidade de vida. / Aging is inevitable. The Brazilian population is aging and, thus, there is a growing need for a health system that addresses the issues related to this situation. The present study is a descriptive epidemiologic survey, a prospective inquiry. The objective is to study the conditions of medication use in elderly patients (60 years or more), who were assisted at the out clinic of a university hospital in the city of Ribeirao Preto (SP, Brazil). The study also aimed to evaluate patient complian ce to the pharmacological treatment. Random interviews were carried out with 127 patients who used home medication from the geriatrics out clinic of the referred hospital. Patients were mostly women (79.5%), with an average age of 75.37 years, and 32.3% were illiterate. Most were widowed (45.7%) and retired (69.3%). Family income was low for most patients (39.3%), that being of 2 minimum wages. The studied group took, in average, 6.5 medications per day, and most patients received their medication from the health unit and supplemented any additional need at a regular drugstore. Patients were rather complex, with an average of 6.6 diagnosis each. The Morisky and Green test was used to measure compliance to the pharmacological treatment, and revealed that 127 patients (55 %) forget to take their medication, 36 % did not pay close attention to the hours, 81 % did not take the medication when feeling healthy, and 64.6% stop taking their medication if it makes them feel sick. When Criterion 1 was used, compliance was 47%, whereas for Criterion 2 it was 22%. Daily life activities (DLA) were taken into consideration and evaluated in order to administrate the Barthel DLA scale, and 91.3% presented low degree of dependence. The geriatric depression scale (GDS) was administered and the rates for the studied population were rather alarming: 60% of the patients were considered as symptoms depression, with 24% presenting seri ous depression symptoms. Regarding Mini-Mental State (MMS) results, 63% of the patients presented significant cognitive deficit. Compliance rates were related to the results from GDS, MEEM, and Barthel. It is concluded that compli ance decreases as the rates for depression and cognitive deficit increase. Moreover, higher independence rates (evaluated by Barthel DLA scale), were obtained for higher compliance. Data were proces sed using EXCEL and SAS. It is eviden ced that that compliance to pharmacolo gical treatment is an individual behavior pattern, which reflects on the beliefs, fears, harms caused by the disease, and to the advantages of the treatment. It was also observed that there is a need for strategies that aim to rationalize medication use in the elderly so quality of life can be enhanced.

The human body best performs when it is physically active. The consequences of inactivity can bring about many health risks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity, waist circumference and medication use among South African men. Men between ages 30 and 65 years (N = 5000, ͞x = 43.2; ± 8.55) were included in this study. With the use of medication, distinction was drawn between various ethnic groups. Subjects selected for this study are members of the same medical aid. The respondents that formed part of a non-random availability population and participated voluntarily were used in this study. According to the results, it appears that out of a total of 4 954 respondents, 58.3% had the lowest incidence of physical activity, 21% were moderately active and 20.7% highly active. WC appears much higher among those that fall within the lowest incidence of physical activity group. No significant difference was observed between moderately and highly active people. There are 11 members in the high Physically Active (PA) category that has the highest WC (X =131.5). When scrutinising the different ethnic groups it is obvious that moderate to high PA is associated with a lower WC. Chronic medication (CM) use is determined on the basis of the registry for chronic medication use of the relevant medical aid. Those who participated in the assessment of waist circumference, CM and PA consisted of 4 964 respondents. In this study distinction was drawn between three medical condition influenced by exercise, namely diabetes, cholesterol and depression and hypertension. The results indicate that CM use is associated with higher WC and reduced kCal consumption. The majority of respondents (78%) do not use medication and 21.9% do. Those that do not use medication showed to have the lowest WC. However, respondents that are highly active and also use CM showed a lower MO than those that are low and moderately active. It can thus be deduced that regular physical activity is directly related to one’s health. / Thesis (MSc (Biokinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The human body best performs when it is physically active. The consequences of inactivity can bring about many health risks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity, waist circumference and medication use among South African men. Men between ages 30 and 65 years (N = 5000, ͞x = 43.2; ± 8.55) were included in this study. With the use of medication, distinction was drawn between various ethnic groups. Subjects selected for this study are members of the same medical aid. The respondents that formed part of a non-random availability population and participated voluntarily were used in this study. According to the results, it appears that out of a total of 4 954 respondents, 58.3% had the lowest incidence of physical activity, 21% were moderately active and 20.7% highly active. WC appears much higher among those that fall within the lowest incidence of physical activity group. No significant difference was observed between moderately and highly active people. There are 11 members in the high Physically Active (PA) category that has the highest WC (X =131.5). When scrutinising the different ethnic groups it is obvious that moderate to high PA is associated with a lower WC. Chronic medication (CM) use is determined on the basis of the registry for chronic medication use of the relevant medical aid. Those who participated in the assessment of waist circumference, CM and PA consisted of 4 964 respondents. In this study distinction was drawn between three medical condition influenced by exercise, namely diabetes, cholesterol and depression and hypertension. The results indicate that CM use is associated with higher WC and reduced kCal consumption. The majority of respondents (78%) do not use medication and 21.9% do. Those that do not use medication showed to have the lowest WC. However, respondents that are highly active and also use CM showed a lower MO than those that are low and moderately active. It can thus be deduced that regular physical activity is directly related to one’s health. / Thesis (MSc (Biokinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.