Clinical presentation, complications, and outcomes of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in an academic center with a centralized palliative care consult service.

Background And Aims: Palliative care is a critical component of the response of a healthcare system to a pandemic. We present risk factors associated with mortality and highlight an operational palliative care consult service in facilitating early identification of risk factors to guide goal-concordant care and rational utilization of finite healthcare resources during a pandemic.

Methods: In this case series of 100 consecutive patients hospitalized with COVID-19, we analyzed clinical data, treatment including palliative care, and outcomes in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to three hospitals in Seattle, Washington.

Management of diabetes and associated cardiovascular risk factors in seven countries: a comparison of data from national health examination surveys.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of the health system response to the challenge of diabetes across different settings and explore the inequalities in diabetes care that are attributable to socioeconomic factors.

Methods: We used nationally representative health examination surveys from Colombia, England, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mexico, Scotland, Thailand and the United States of America to obtain data on diagnosis, treatment and control of hyperglycaemia, arterial hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia among individuals with diabetes. Using logistic regression, we explored the socioeconomic determinants of diagnosis and effective case management.

Joint prevalence and control of hypercholesterolemia and hypertension in Thailand: third national health examination survey.

The prevalence, diagnosis, treatment, and control of hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertension were estimated for Thailand using data from a recent, nationally representative health examination survey. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with diagnosis, treatment, and control. In all, 14% of men and 17% of women had hypercholesterolemia, 23% and 21% had hypertension, and 5% and 6%, respectively, had both.

Has the DOTS strategy improved case finding or treatment success? An empirical assessment.

Background: Nearly fifteen years after the start of WHO's DOTS strategy, tuberculosis remains a major global health problem. Given the lack of empirical evidence that DOTS reduces tuberculosis burden, considerable debate has arisen about its place in the future of global tuberculosis control efforts. An independent evaluation of DOTS, one of the most widely-implemented and longest-running interventions in global health, is a prerequisite for meaningful improvements to tuberculosis control efforts, including WHO's new Stop TB Strategy.

Prevalence and management of prehypertension and hypertension by geographic regions of Thailand: the Third National Health Examination Survey, 2004.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension, and management of hypertension, by geographic regions of Thailand.

Methods: Using a stratified, multistage sampling design, data from a nationally representative sample of 39 290 individuals aged > or = 15 years were collected by interview, physical examination and blood sample.

Results: The prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension weighted to the national 2004 population was 22.

[Assessing the effect of the 2001-06 Mexican health reform: an interim report card].

Since 2001, Mexico has been designing, legislating, and implementing a major health-system reform. A key component was the creation of Seguro Popular, which is intended to expand insurance coverage over seven years to uninsured people, nearly half the total population at the start of 2001. The reform included five actions: legislation of entitlement per family affiliated which, with full implementation, will increase public spending on health by 0.

[Benchmarking of performance of Mexican states with effective coverage].

Benchmarking of the performance of states, provinces, or districts in a decentralised health system is important for fostering of accountability, monitoring of progress, identification of determinants of success and failure, and creation of a culture of evidence. The Mexican Ministry of Health has, since 2001, used a benchmarking approach based on the World Health Organization (WHO) concept of effective coverage of an intervention, which is defined as the proportion of potential health gain that could be delivered by the health system to that which is actually delivered. Using data collection systems, including state representative examination surveys, vital registration, and hospital discharge registries, we have monitored the delivery of 14 interventions for 2005-06.

Prevalence and management of diabetes and associated risk factors by regions of Thailand: Third National Health Examination Survey 2004.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and their association with cardiovascular risk factors and to evaluate the management of blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol in individuals with diabetes by geographical regions of Thailand.

Research Design And Methods: With the use of a stratified, multistage sampling design, data from a nationally representative sample of 37,138 individuals aged > or = 15 years were collected using questionnaires, physical examination, and blood samples.

Results: The prevalence of diabetes and IFG weighted to the national 2004 population was 6.

Assessing the effect of the 2001-06 Mexican health reform: an interim report card.

Since 2001, Mexico has been designing, legislating, and implementing a major health-system reform. A key component was the creation of Seguro Popular, which is intended to expand insurance coverage over 7 years to uninsured people, nearly half the total population at the start of 2001. The reform included five actions: legislation of entitlement per family affiliated which, with full implementation, will increase public spending on health by 0.

Benchmarking of performance of Mexican states with effective coverage.

Benchmarking of the performance of states, provinces, or districts in a decentralised health system is important for fostering of accountability, monitoring of progress, identification of determinants of success and failure, and creation of a culture of evidence. The Mexican Ministry of Health has, since 2001, used a benchmarking approach based on the WHO concept of effective coverage of an intervention, which is defined as the proportion of potential health gain that could be delivered by the health system to that which is actually delivered. Using data collection systems, including state representative examination surveys, vital registration, and hospital discharge registries, we have monitored the delivery of 14 interventions for 2005-06.