[Cost-effectiveness of two hospital care schemes for psychiatric disorders].

Background: In Mexico, six of every twenty Mexicans suffer psychiatric disorders at some time in their lives. This disease ranks fifth in the country. The objective was to determine and compare the cost-effectiveness of two models for hospital care (partial and traditional) at a psychiatric hospital of Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS).

Socioeconomic factors associated with drug consumption in prison population in Mexico.

Background: Consumption of illegal drugs is a public health problem in Mexico, and the prison population is a vulnerable group with higher rates of prevalence than in the general population. The objective of this study was to determine the main socioeconomic variables associated with drug consumption in the prison population.

Methods: Utilizing data from the Second Incarcerated Population Survey carried out by the Centre of Research and Teaching of Economics (CIDE) in Mexico, a logistic model in two stages was developed.

Survey on physicians' knowledge and attitudes towards clinical practice guidelines at the Mexican Institute of Social Security.

Objective: A survey was organized to determine the general level of knowledge and attitudes of medical personnel towards clinical practice guidelines (CPG).

Methods: A questionnaire modified from two validated instruments was used. Multi-stratified sampling was applied, and 1782 questionnaires were completed.

[Cost-effectiveness of anxiolytics in anxiety disorders].

Background: adequate treatment of anxiety disorders reduces the economic impact, improves functionality in daily life activities and quality of life. Pharmacologic treatment depends on patient's characteristics and doctor's experience. The aim of this study was to determine the use of resources in anxiety disorder and to analyze its cost-effectiveness.

[The clinical guidelines as a potential tool to improving health care quality].

There is an increasing demand to ensure quality in the providing and receiving health care. Health care services face different challenges, such as: a growing aging population, increasing care costs, variations in clinical practice, and a fasting increase in the generation of information on diagnostic methods and therapies. In this context, a wave of development and use of clinical guidelines (CGL) based on scientific evidence has emerged worldwide, with the aim to creating tools to promote clinical excellence in practice.

[Knowledge of medical doctors about health economics].

Objective: To identify the level of knowledge about health economics of physicians with different academic degree, working place and medical activities.

Material And Methods: A questionnaire with 24 items about commonly used health economics concepts was applied. Face validity, content, construct, and consistency of the questionnaire were assessed.

[Cost-effectiveness of the treatment of acute and chronic rhinosinusitis at the IMSS].

Introduction: Rhinosinusitis is one of the more common diseases encountered in outpatient visits to health care. The objective of this study was to determine the most cost-effective antibiotic treatment for patients with acute (RSA) and chronic rhinosinusitis (RSC) that is available at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).

Methods: Cost-effectiveness analysis of RSA and RSC treatment from an institutional perspective.

[Causes for failure of the medical appointment program in a family medicine clinic].

The objective of this study was to identify, for both patients and health services, the probable causes for non-attendance at medical appointments in a family medicine clinic located in Mexico City. The three top reasons of visit, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and antenatal care were analyzed. Four hundred and thirty-nine patients who missed their appointment during May 2004 answered an interview.

[Prescription of temporal disability certificates in workers attending to IMSS from the perspective of health economy].

The repercussion of health-disease state on social life or individual includes his/her work performance. In many countries, social security is one of the options for diffusing and buffering the impact of the disease. This paper is focused on the analysis of the unjustified prescription of temporary sick leave certificates (CITT), which combines the social security medical components and economic benefits (subsidies).

Health and working conditions of pregnant women working inside and outside the home in Mexico City.

Background: To explore differences related to health and working conditions by comparing socio-demographic parameters, reproductive and prenatal care characteristics and working conditions among pregnant women who are employed outside the home (extra-domestic) while still performing a domestic workload versus those who perform exclusively domestic work in the home (intra-domestic).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Family Medicine Unit N 31 of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Mexico City between April and July 2003. Interviews were conducted with 537 pregnant women engaged in either extra-domestic work plus intra-domestic tasks, or those performing strictly intra-domestic work.

[Study of primary care health needs through family health diagnosis].

Objective: To assess the health needs of the eligible public population of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).

Design: Observational, descriptive, transversal study.

Setting: Family Medicine Unit number 8 of the IMSS, in the city of Tlaxcala, Mexico.

Cost-effectiveness of chronic hepatitis C treatment with thymosin alpha-1.

Background: More than one million individuals in Mexico are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and 80% are at risk for developing a chronic infection that could lead to hepatic cirrhosis and other complications that impact quality of life and institutional costs. The objective of the study was to determine the most cost-effective treatment against HCV among the following: peginterferon, peginterferon plus ribavirin, peginterferon plus ribavirin plus thymosin, and no treatment.

Methods: We carried out cost-effectiveness analysis using the institutional perspective, including a 45-year time frame and a 3% discount rate for costs and effectiveness.

Direct medical costs for partial refractory epilepsy in Mexico.

Background: The aim was to determine the direct medical costs in patients with partial refractory epilepsy at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Mexico.

Methods: We carried out a multicenter, retrospective-cohort partial-economic evaluation study of partial refractory epilepsy (PRE) diagnosed patients and analyzed patient files from four secondary- and tertiary-level hospitals. PRE patients >12 years of age with two or more antiepileptic drugs and follow-up for at least 1 year were included.

Socioeconomic factors and low birth weight in Mexico.

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) is a public health problem linked to lack of equity in populations. Despite efforts to decrease the proportion of newborns with LBW, success has been quite limited. In recent years, studies focused on explaining how social factors influence this problem have shown that populations with greater inequities have a greater proportion of newborns with LBW.