ObjectiveTo evaluate the methodological quality of cross-sectional surveys about Chinese medicine syndrome in a population at potential risk of cerebrovascular diseases. Methods The CNKI, WanFang Data, CBM and PubMed databases were electronically searched to collect cross-sectional surveys about Chinese medicine syndromes in a population at potential risk of cerebrovascular diseases from inception to December, 2022. The methodological quality was assessed using the JBI scale. Results A total of 105 studies were included. The average reporting rate of JBI was 52.06%, and the items with the highest scores included "sufficient coverage of the identified sample in data analysis" (100%), "description of study subjects and setting" (92.38%), and "using valid methods for the identification of the condition" (86.67%). Items with the lowest scores included "adequate sample size" (13.33%), "adequate response rate or low response rate managed appropriately" (14.29%), and "study participants recruited in an appropriate way" (20.95%). Subgroup analysis suggested that type of publication and number of implementation centers were potential factors influencing methodology quality (P<0.05). Conclusion The methods essential to a cross-sectional survey such as sampling, sample size calculation and handling with the response rate, and the syndrome diagnosis scales specific to Chinese medicine require further improvement.
Objective To identify the perception of pain among breast cancer patients and their quality of life, and to assess the influence of pain on their quality of life. Methods We did a cross-sectional study. A face-to-face survey was administered to 200 breast cancer patients, using two scales: Chinese Cancer Pain Assessment Tool (CCPAT) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (Version 3) [EORTIC QLQ-C30]. Results Among the 200 breast cancer patients, 84 suffered from pain, while 116 did not. In regard to quality of life, the scores of physical function, role function and social function were higher among women without pain than among those in the pain group (Plt;0.05). There were no significant differences in scores of emotional function, cognitive function and global quality of life between the two groups (Pgt;0.05). There was a significant negative correlation between pain and quality of life in the pain group, the non-pain group and the whole sample (r=–0.731, Plt;0.001). Conclusion Pain has negative effects on physical function, role function and social function of breast cancer patients. The exacerbation of pain is associated with a decreased global quality of life for breast cancer patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the use of anti-hypertensive drugs among hypertension patients in examination medical center. MethodThis was a cross-sectional survey. Data of 3 000 cases of medical examination center health records from December 2012 to December 2013 were sampled, and 1 310 patients with hypertension were screened for analysis of medication. ResultsIn the 1 310 hypertension patients, 959 used antihypertensive drugs before, among whom 423 (44.11%) accepted only one anti-hypertensive drug and 536 (55.89%) accepted compound anti-hypertensive drugs or combined medicine. In patients of the previous kind, calcium channel blocker classes of antihypertensive drugs were used the most (n=244, 25.44%). Among the second kind of patients, 359 (37.43%) were treated with a two-compound drug or a combination of two drugs, and most of them used the combination of calcium channel blocker with angiotensin receptor blocker or calcium channel blocker with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. ConclusionsThe current using of anti-hypertensive drug is in accordance with the recommendation of anti-hypertensive treatment guidelines in some way, but there are still some gaps between real clinical practice and guidelines.
ObjectiveTo investigate and analyze the antibiotic use in Sichuan Province. MethodsAntibiotic use of inpatients was investigated in 23 hospitals on the day of June 25, 2011. ResultsThe percentage of antibiotic use was 42.4% in the total 27 144 inpatients, the range of which was between 24.3% and 63.3% for each hospital. And 63.8% of the antibiotic use was for therapeutic purpose, and 72.2% used only one antibiotic drug. A total of 36.9% of the patients receiving antibiotic treatment for therapeutic use sent samples for pathogenic detection. With the increase of the size of the hospital (judged by the number of beds), antimicrobial drug utilization decreased with statistical significance (χ2=411.834, P=0.000). With the improvement of regional economic level (judged by per-capita GDP of each region), the hospital antimicrobial usage decreased with statistical significance (χ2=500.093, P=0.000). The three types of antimicrobial drug most frequently used were other β-lactam antibiotics, penicillin and third generation cephalosporin. ConclusionAntibiotic use is reasonable in Sichuan Province as a whole. However, it is necessary to reduce irrational use of antimicrobial agents continuously, and to strengthen the management of clinical antibiotic usage among inpatients.
Objective To study the personality characteristics of Chongqing pupils and the influencing factors. Methods A cross-sectional survey with Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ, Children’s Version) and Social Support Rating Scales was carried out to investigate 1 110 pupils in Grade 4 to 6 from 7 schools in Chongqing who were selected by means of cluster sampling. Then the score of each EPQ factor was compared with the norm, and the major influencing factors were screened. Results a) The score of each EPQ factor was compared with the national norm. The scores of the introversion and extroversion, and psychoticism in both gender groups aged 9 to 12, the concealment tendency in the girl group aged 9 to 11, and the neuroticism in both gender groups aged above 11, the boy group aged 9 to 10, and the girl group aged above 12 were all lower than those of the norms (Plt;0.05), but the scores of the concealment tendency in the boy groups aged above 9 and above 11, and in the girl group aged above 12 were higher than those of the norms (Plt;0.05); b) The introversion and extroversion were influenced by the factors of residence, grade, family quarrel, praise and encouragement from parents, being praised by teachers in charge, subjective support and the degree of using support. The neuroticism was influenced by the factors of family quarrel, pressure of homework from parents, praise and encouragement from parents, beating and scolding by family, burden of study, and the degree of using support. The psychoticism was influenced by the factors of gender, residence, one-child family nurture, praise and encouragement from parents, beating and scolding by family, criticism by teachers in charge, burden of study, objective support, and the degree of using support. The concealment tendency was influenced by the factors of gender, grade, family quarrel, pressure of homework from parents, praise from teachers in charge, burden of study, subjective support, and the degree of using support. Conclusion The personality characteristics of pupils in Chongqing tend to be introversion and stability in general, which are influenced by various factors such as individual, family and school.
ObjectivesTo establish statistical analysis and result reporting model for evaluation of the applicability of the clinical guidelines. We conducted an empirical study for clinical guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes in China.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted to select 6 to 8 doctors in geriatric, endocrinology, nephrology or related departments from medical institutions. The questionnaire was filled by doctors at a conference and electronic questionnaires were sent to those who did not attend the conference. Descriptive analysis was carried out for characteristics of evaluators, scores of each dimension, access to guidelines and factors affecting implementation. The Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum test and Nemenyi test were used for multi-group comparison and pairwise comparison. Multiple linear regressions with the stepwise strategy were used to screen out the association factors.ResultsA total of 725 questionnaires were collected in this survey. There were 722 valid questionnaires with an active recovery rate of 99.6%. The results showed the accessibility score was lowest and the acceptability score was highest. The results of multi-group comparison and multiple linear regression analysis showed that familiarity with the guidelines was the influencing factor of each score (P<0.05). The guidelines were primarily obtained from academic conferences (52.1%), WeChat (45.4%), and biomedical literature databases (43.5%). Among the evaluators, 44 (41.9%) believed that there were implementation obstacles in the guidelines, among which 136 (18.8%), 134 (18.5%) and 133 (18.4%) believed that implementation obstacles were medical personnel factor, patient factor and environmental factor.ConclusionsIn this study, a data analysis and result report model for the assessment of the applicability of the guidelines is established to provide evidence for the development/revision of the guidelines.
ObjectiveTo investigate the burden of disease in Xinjin county of Chengdu city from 2009 to 2010. so as to provide baseline data for the study on the healthcare service system. MethodsThe prevalence of diseases among outpatients and inpatients in Xinjin county was collected and then analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2003 and SPSS 13.0 software. Resultsa) The numbers of out-patient and in-patients with the top 20 diseases had been increased by 106.8% and 43.2%, respectively in 2010 than those in 2009. According to International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10, the diagnosis of the diseases involved in 11 types of diseases among outpatients. For out-patients, the top 3 categories were diseases of respiratory, digestive systems and injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes, accounting for 85.06% and 82.69% of total diseases in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Among them, upper respiratory infections, acute bronchitis and superficial injury cumulatively accounted for 61.61% in 2009 and 59.53% in 2010. b) The diagnosis of the diseases involved in 12 types of diseases among in-patients. For in-patients, the top 4 categories were diseases of the respiratory system, pregnancy, disease during childbirth and puerperium, digestive and the circulatory systems. Among them, the diseases of the respiratory system accounted for 53.55% and 50.82% in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The top 4 diseases among in-patients were acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, COPD, and acute gastritis, accounting for 48.12% and 49.54% cumulatively in 2009 and 2010. Meanwhile, the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes increased dramatically into the top 10 diseases. c) The acute diseases were mainly distributed in township hospitals, while the chronic diseases were mainly distributed in county-level hospitals. ConclusionThe major burden of diseases is the diseases of the respiratory, digestive and circulatory diseases in Xinjin county of Chengdu city from 2009 to 2010. The chronic diseases are mainly distributed in county-level hospitals, while the acute diseases are mainly distributed in township hospitals or community healthcare centres. The common diseases are relatively stable which provide better conditions for the selection and use of the essential medical services and essential medicine list.
Objective To investigate and compare the demands of dosage forms and specifications of essential medicine for children in different levels of medical institutions, so as to provide references for selection of essential medicines for children by levels of medical institutions. Methods In 13 provinces or municipalities, 104 medical institutions, including tertiary, secondary and primacy medical institutions, were investigated by questionnaires. Kinds of drugs, dosage forms, requirement types and requirement levels of drugs were analyzed and compared in different levels of medical institutions. Results Tertiary medical institutions had higher demands than other levels of medical institutions for the number of drugs types, dosage forms and level of demand on each drug (P < 0.05), secondary medical institutions were higher than primacy medical institutions (P < 0.05), but community health service centers were the same as township health centers. Conclusion The demands of dosage forms and specifications of essential medicine for children in different levels of medical institutions are different. So future studies should develop the essential medicines list for children depend on different levels of care.
Objective To explore the delay in help-seeking by breast cancer patients in Sichuan province. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed in 327 patients with breast cancer from 7 first-level hospitals in Sichuan province, from July 2006 to January 2007. The following items were assessed: the time of symptom onset, the time of help-seeking, the time of definitive diagnosis, and the time of cancer treatment. The median times of patient delay, medical delay and total delay were computed. Results A total of 327 patients were surveyed and 312 questionnaires were distributed, with a response rate of 95%; 308 were retrieved, with a retrieval rate of 99%; and 283 were identified as valid, with a valid retrieval rate of 92%. The median time of total delay was 94 days, with an incidence of 50.2%; the median time of patient delay was 50 days, with an incidence of 35.7%; the median time of medical delay was 10 days, with an incidence of 16.7%.Conclusion Help-seeking delay by breast cancer patients is common in Sichuan province. Since patient delay contributes most to the total delay, it is important to control this portion.
Objective To investigate the status quo of implementation ofIntravenous Practice Standard in a tertiary A hospital in Sichuan. Methods At 09:00-11:30 am, on March 16th, 2016, a questionnaire designed by intravenous team (IV Team) was used to conduct the investigation in all the inpatiets according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The SPSS 17.0 software was used to perform all statistical analysis. Results The intravenous infusion rate in the hospital was 76.87%, while the rate in Emergency Department peaked up to 96.11%. Indwelling needle was the most common used device for intravenous therapy in clinical practice, which was used in 77.91% of the inpatients, and steel needle, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), central venous catheter, and implantable venous access port were also widely used. Peripheral intravenous catheter was used in 2 990 inpatients, and 78.12% of the puncture sites met the standard; PICC was used in 397 inpatients, and 90.17% of the puncture sites met the standard. The incidence of intravenous infusion related-complications was 15.08%, the incidence of drug exosmosis / exudation was 10.06%, and the incidence of catheter-related blood stream infection (CRBSI) was 2.89%. Conclusions On the whole, the intravenous infusion rate in this hospital accords with the national average level, but the rate in some departments should be controlled. The selection of device for intravenous therapy is reasonable, but the selection of intravenous site should be more standardized. The incidence of intravenous infusion related-complications is low, but the prevention and control of drug exosmosis / exudation and CRBSI should be reinforced. Health care organizations should pay more attention to enforce the Intravenous Practice Standard into practice to promote clinical medical service.