Migration intentions of Lithuanian physicians, nurses, residents and medical students.

Due to a flow of healthcare professionals and students from emerging to industrialized economies, healthcare systems in source countries are facing increasing threats to a people-centered quality of care. This study investigates the prevalence and underlying reasons for emigration intentions among physicians, nurses, residents, and medical students in Lithuania (total N = 1080). In our sample, 39% of students, 21% of residents, 12% of nurses, and 6% of physicians had decided to emigrate within the next two years.

Trends in the Attack Rates, Incidence, and Mortality of Stroke during 1986-2012: Data of Kaunas (Lithuania) Stroke Registry.

Background: There is a lack of reliable epidemiological data on longitudinal trends in stroke attack rates, incidence, and mortality in the countries of the Baltic region.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to explore the longitudinal trends of stroke in middle-aged urban population of Lithuania during the period of 1986 through 2012.

Methods: All stroke events in the studied population were ascertained and validated according to the standardized criteria outlined by the WHO MONICA Project.

Trends in out-of-hospital ischemic heart disease mortality for the 25-64 year old population of Kaunas, Lithuania, based on data from the 1988-2012 Ischemic Heart Disease Registry.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate trends in out-of-hospital ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in the Kaunas, Lithuania population aged 25-64, from 1988 to 2012.

Methods: The registry was maintained according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for the multinational MONICA (MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease) project. We analysed out-of-hospital deaths from IHD, by sex and age groups, using the linear logistic regression model for identifying trends.

The cost of newly diagnosed breast cancer in Lithuania, 2011.

Background And Objective: Although the cost of treating women with breast cancer (BC) is an important component for cost saving and effectiveness in relation to the benefits of BC treatment interventions, there is limited information on the direct cost reported for BC in Lithuania. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate annual direct medical cost for newly diagnosed BC in Lithuania in the year 2011.

Materials And Methods: The retrospective incidence-based top-down direct cost analysis was used.

Associations between parental skills and their attitudes toward importance to develop good oral hygiene skills in their children.

Background: For many years, poor oral hygiene and frequent consumption of sugars is known as key behavioral risk factors for oral diseases, such as dental caries and periodontal disease. Parental attitudes toward children's oral health could be associated with their own oral health skills. We aimed to analyze associations between parental skills and attitudes toward caries development and possibilities to control positive oral health behavior in their children.

Home sampling and pooling of vaginal samples are effective tools for genetic screening of Chlamydia trachomatis among high school female students in Lithuania.

The aims were 1) to estimate the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among sexually active female students in Kaunas, Lithuania; 2) to investigate the usefulness of personal invitation, self-sampling, and pooling of samples for screening; and 3) to evaluate the costs of the approaches used. A cross-sectional study inviting 795 female students (18-31 y of age) from 7 high schools and 1 college in Kaunas was performed.

Primary care in a post-communist country 10 years later Comparison of service profiles of Lithuanian primary care physicians in 1994 and GPs in 2004.

Objectives: The study aimed, firstly, to assess changes in the service profile of primary care physicians between 1994, when features of the Soviet health system prevailed, and 2004, when retraining of GPs was completed. Secondly, to compare service profiles among current GPs, taking into account their positions before being retrained.

Methods: A cross-sectional repeated measures study was conducted among district therapists and district pediatricians in 1994 and GPs in 2004.

Prevalence and risk factors of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

The aim of the study was to provide a survey and generalization of literature data on the epidemiological situation of Chlamydia trachomatis infection in various countries, preventive screenings and risk factors of the infection. We performed a survey of articles published during 1998-2005 and selected from bibliographical medical search databases presenting data on the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and the main risk factors for this sexually transmitted infection. Chlamydial infection is the most common among sexually transmitted genital infections worldwide.

Opinion of patients on accessibility of primary health care centers in Siauliai region.

This article presents the data about the accessibility of primary health care in Siauliai region and about factors related to the patients' perceived access to primary care. The survey was carried out in June 2004, in the context of a joint project of Kaunas University of Medicine and NIVEL, the Netherlands Institute of Health services research. Patients, treated in private and public health care centers in Siauliai region, took part in this survey.

[Relationship between the metabolic syndrome, endothelial function and intima-media thickness in asymptomatic middle-aged individuals].

Objective: To evaluate the relation between cardiovascular risk factors, metabolic syndrome, endothelial function and carotid intima-media thickness in asymptomatic middle-aged individuals.

Materials And Methods: A total of 180 subjects (86 men and 94 women, mean age 38.8+/-0.

[Assessment of health care services quality by medical professionals and patients].

The article presents the data of medical professionals and patients' assessment of health care services quality in Jurbarkas hospital. All physicians and nurses, working full time, and patients, treated in the hospital within November-December 2002, were invited to participate in the survey. The response rate among the physicians was 79.

Prevalence of dyslipidemias among Lithuanian rural population (CINDI program).

The aim of this study is to describe trends in serum total, low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and nutrition habits in Lithuanian rural population between 1987 and 1999. The article presents the data of three screenings of random samples of the population aged 25-64 of five Lithuanian rural regions. Since 1987 the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia has decreased.

Changes of patients' satisfaction with the health care services in Lithuanian Health Promoting Hospitals network.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes of patients' satisfaction with health care services in Lithuanian Health Promoting Hospitals network. In a survey, which was carried out by Lithuanian Health Promoting Hospitals network, 1271 patients took part in 2000 and 1467 patients in 2002. The patient's satisfaction with health care services was evaluated using a uniform anonymous questionnaire.

[Trends in the prevalence of risk factors of noncommunicable diseases during 1987-1999].

The trends in the prevalence of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, overweight and smoking among Lithuanian rural population were assessed from 1987 to 1999. Three independent surveys in 1987, 1993 and 1999 were carried out in five rural regions of Lithuania in random samples of men and women aged 25-64 involving 2695, 1550 and 1838 persons respectively. The risk factors were defined according to the WHO criteria.

[Patient satisfaction with the work of the hospital medical personnel].

The article presents the data of patient's satisfaction with the work of nurses and physicians in the hospitals, which belong to Lithuanian Health promotion hospitals network. All nine hospitals of the Lithuanian health promotion hospitals network took part in this study. Altogether 1300 questionnaires were handed out.