Multimedia computer-assisted instruction for carers on exercise for older people: development and testing.

Aim: This paper is a report of a study conducted to develop a multimedia computer-assisted instruction for informal carers and test its content validity, user difficulty and user satisfaction.

Background: Healthy ageing is an increasingly important public health target globally. Changes in technology offer the opportunity for e-health promotion as a means of educating populations and healthcare staff to meet public health targets.

Undiagnosed dementia and value of serial cognitive impairment screening in developing countries: a population-based study.

Background: We conducted a population-based prospective study in 420 older persons to examine the prevalence of undiagnosed dementia and validity of the Chula Mental Test (CMT) as well as value of serial administration of the CMT and its score evolution over 2 years.

Methods: The CMT score was obtained in 1997 and 1999 surveys. In 1999, all participants were evaluated by a geriatrician to make diagnoses of dementia according to the 4th edn of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual criteria.

Risk factors of acquired prothrombin complex deficiency syndrome: a case-control study.

Background: Idiopathic vitamin K deficiency in infancy or acquired prothrombin complex deficiency (APCD) is a serious bleeding disorders in infants. It leads to a high mortality rate and permanent neurological sequele among the survivors. A low vitamin K intake by infants is suggested to have a major role in the pathogenesis.

Incidence of vertebral fractures in Thai women and men: a prospective population-based study.

Background: Vertebral fracture is the most common but the least well-investigated osteoporotic fracture. A population-based prospective study was conducted to determine incidence of vertebral fracture in Thai older adults.

Methods: Lateral thoracic and lumbar spine radiographs obtained in 1997 and 2002 of 322 participants were evaluated morphometrically.

Thai falls risk assessment test (Thai-FRAT) developed for community-dwelling Thai elderly.

Objective: To develop falls risk assessment test that is appropriate for community-dwelling Thai elderly, and to verify this test with the second set of population.

Material And Method: A cross-sectional study was performed in 270 elderly living in Bansrang subdistrict, Ayuttaya province to identify a combination of variables that effectively predicted fall status in order to develop the Thai-FRAT The Thai-FRAT was validated with a second set of population whose cohort data had been collected during 1997-2002 in the study named "CERB project". One hundred fifty six elderly subjects were recruited in the analysis.

Moving towards the elimination of rabies in Thailand.

Human rabies is regarded as a fatal disease; however, its occurrence is preventable. Prevention consists of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for humans and controlling the main cause through dog vaccination. In Thailand, health care budgets are increasingly allocated to human PEP rather than eradication of rabies in dogs.

Lumbar disc degeneration in Thai elderly: a population-based study.

Objective: Determine the prevalence and related factors of lumbar disc degeneration in the Thai elderly.

Material And Method: A population-based study was done at Rom Klao community, Bangkok. Seven hundred and ninety-two cases (306 males, and 486 females) out of 1166 elderly people aged > or =50 (mean age of 61.

Validity of clock drawing test (CDT), scoring by Chula clock-drawing scoring system (CCSS) in screening dementia among Thai elderly in community.

Objective: The present paper was to study the validity of screening dementia among Thai elderly by clock drawing test (CDT).

Material And Method: The scoring method selected to apply with CDT was Chula clock-drawing scoring system (CCSS) that was originally developed as clinically-based in Thai elderly patients. The 669 elderly subjects gathered from "Rom Klao" community in Bangkok, Thailand were asked to perform CDT and be examined by a neurologist, using NINCDS-ADRDA diagnosis criteria for probable Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Determining public health priorities for an ageing population: the value of a disability survey.

In order to determine which diseases and health problems were most strongly associated with long-term disability among the Thai elderly and to determine their public health priority, a national cross-sectional multistage random sampling survey was conducted in 1997. Four thousand and forty-eight Thai older persons aged 60 years and over were recruited and interviewed by trained interviewers. Overall, 769 (19%) people reported having a long-term disability.

Prevalence of glaucoma in Thailand: a population based survey in Rom Klao District, Bangkok.

Aim: To determine prevalence, demography, mechanism, and visual morbidity of glaucoma in urban Thai people.

Methods: 790 subjects aged 50 years or older from Rom Klao district, Bangkok, Thailand, were enumerated in a population based cross sectional study. Each subject underwent the following investigations: visual acuity, visual field testing, slit lamp examination, applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, and an optic disc examination after mydriasis.

Disability-free life expectancy of elderly people in a population undergoing demographic and epidemiologic transition.

Background: the major purpose of health and social policy in old age is to increase quality of life of elderly people. In many demographically developing countries, life expectancy is increasing very rapidly, but little information is available on survival free of disability.

Objectives: to determine prevalence and severity of disability among the elderly population and to compare disability-free life expectancy and self-care life expectancy among different age groups and between men and women.

Digoxin toxicity in Thai medical patients: clinical manifestations and an appropriate diagnostic serum level.

This study considers the clinical manifestations and risk factors of digoxin toxicity and establishes an appropriate cut-off serum level for the diagnosis of toxicity. A retrospectivestudy of 125 hospitalized patients whose serum digoxin was assayed in 1998 was conducted. Of the 125 subjects, 42 (33.

Spontaneous recovery from severe neurotoxic envenoming by a Malayan krait Bungarus candidus (Linnaeus) in Thailand.

A patient bitten by Bungarus candidus (Malayan krait) developed nausea, vomiting, weakness, and myalgia 30 minutes after being bitten. One hour later, ptosis and occulomotor palsies as well as tightness of his chest were noted. Respiratory failure requiring mechanical respiration appeared 8 hours after the bite and lasted for nearly 96 hours.

Risk factors of hip fracture among Thai female patients.

A case-control study on hip fracture among female patients, aged 50 years and over, were conducted from 1995 to 1996. A consecutive series of newly admitted female patients with hip fracture (n = 60) and 60 age-matched controls were recruited. Four independent risk factors of hip fracture were identified, including "type of principle occupation as sedentary or housework", "low number of pregnancies", "low serum albumin" and "low bone mass density at inter-trochanter of the femur".

Prevalence estimation of dementia among Thai elderly: a national survey.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of dementia and its associated factors among Thai elderly.

Design: A one-stage cross-sectional national survey.

Setting: National communities in Thailand.

Dependence and active life expectancy of the elderly population living in the central region of Thailand.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and the independent socio-economic factors with respect to the dependence status of the Thai elderly population living in the central region and to calculate the active life expectancy (ALE) based on the results of this survey and abridged life tables for Thailand.

Design: A cross-sectional mulitistage random sampling survey.

Setting: Communities in the central region, Thailand.

Consequences of hip fracture among Thai women aged 50 years and over: a prospective study.

Objectives: To compare post-discharge outcomes of hip-fractured Thai women aged 50 and over with age and sex-matched controls.

Subjects And Method: From 1995 to 1997, 60 Thai women aged 50 years and over with hip fracture who had been admitted to the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and their age and sex-matched controls (n = 60) were recruited in a case-control study. These 120 patients were followed for at least 1 year after discharge from the hospital by telephone and/or mailed questionnaire to obtain information about outcomes including death, dependency status and new fracture.

Syphilitic seroreactivity among the Thai population aged 50 years and above: value of mass screening.

The present study is concerned with the evaluation of routine serologic screening for syphilis among the general population aged 50 and above living in a suburban area of Bangkok, Thailand. Among 941 subjects aged 50 years and above recruited in a cohort study named the CERB study, blood of 798 subjects was obtained and their sera were tested for syphilis using the passive particle agglutination test for detection of antibodies to Treponema pallidum (TPPA) and the rapid plasma reagin (RPR). Of 798 subjects, 132 (16.

Healthy life expectancy of Thai elderly: did it improve during the soap-bubble economic period?

Healthy life expectancy (HLE) of Thai elderly was studied to clarify the health benefit for the elderly population in Thailand during the soap-bubble economic period by comparing their HLE and life expectancy (LE) in 1986 and 1995. The information on the perceived health status of Thai elderly, aged 60 and over, from two national surveys in 1986 and 1995 and the life tables of correspondent years were used for calculating healthy life expectancy. Both life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HLE) of Thai elderly have markedly increased between 1986 and 1995.

Use of drugs and adverse reactions in medical inpatients.

An one-day survey of 111 medical inpatients admitted to four wards of the Department of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University Hospital was conducted. Its aim was to examine the differences in medication use patterns and incidence of adverse reaction to medication between young and old patients. The mean age and its standard deviation were 43.

Validity of clinical use of the clock-drawing test in Thai elderly patients with memory problems.

Forty eight elderly Thai patients, 12 demented, 36 non-demented who consecutively attended a geriatric clinic, at Chulalongkorn University Hospital, with a memory problem were recruited in the study which aimed to determine the validity of the clock-drawing test (CDT) and Chula mental test (CMT). Subjects took the Chula Mental Test (CMT) and were asked to draw a clock on a preprinted 12 centimeters circle showing the time of 11:10. Clocks were scored using the Chula Clock-drawing Scoring System (CCSS).

A national survey of health-service use in Thai elders.

Objectives: To examine the pattern of health-service use and associated factors among elderly people in Thailand.

Design: A cross-sectional multi-stage random sampling household survey.

Subjects: 4480 People aged 60 and over.

Factors associated with state hospital utilisation among Thai elderly who had illnesses which needed hospitalisation.

Of the 4,480 elderly subjects in a multistage random sampling household survey of a National Survey of the Welfare of the Elderly in Thailand (SWET), 669 (14.9%) reported that they had been hospitalised during the last year and were recruited in an analysis which aimed to examine associated factors of state hospital utilisation among Thai elderly. Seventy eight per cent had been admitted once during the last year.

Effectiveness and cost analysis of community-based rehabilitation service in Bangkok.

This paper aimed to clarify the effectiveness and the cost of the community-based rehabilitation service in Klong Toey slum after a three year study period. One hundred and seventy eight patients used community-based rehabilitation during the three year period. One hundred and fifty-seven patients (86.

Outcomes and predicting factors of mortality among newly admitted female medical inpatients.

Outcomes and predicting factors of mortality were studied in a consecutive series of 190 female medical patients admitted with acute illness to the Department of Medicine. Most of the patients were admitted from the Emergency Department. Twenty seven patients (14.