Major depression is a common condition seen in the primary care setting. This article describes the suicide risk assessment of a depressed patient, including practical aspects of history-taking, consideration of factors in deciding if a patient requires immediate transfer for inpatient care and measures to be taken if the patient is not hospitalised. It follows on our earlier article about the approach to management of depression in primary care.
Asia ; Depression ; diagnosis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Primary Health Care ; organization & administration ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Self-Injurious Behavior ; Suicide ; prevention & control

Betacoronavirus ; Coronavirus ; Coronavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Disease Transmission, Infectious ; prevention & control ; Guidelines as Topic ; Humans ; Infection Control ; organization & administration ; Pandemics ; prevention & control ; Personal Protective Equipment ; standards ; Pneumonia, Viral ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Primary Prevention ; methods ; standards ; Safety ; standards ; Safety Management

OBJECTIVETo describe hypertension screening and follow-up management among Chinese population aged 35 years and above within the primary health care system.

METHODSData from 2010 China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance System were used. We investigated previous hypertension diagnosis, screening, and follow-up assessments within the primary health care system. The prevalence of self-reported and criterion-based hypertension, screening rates, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with screening, and patterns of follow-up assessments were recorded. The SAS software system was used for statistical analyses.

RESULTSAbout 17.1% reported a previous hypertension diagnosis. The rate difference between the two measures of prevalence was 27.2%. Among those without self-reported hypertension, 27.7% reported never visiting a clinic during the past 1 year and 60.4% of those attending a clinic reported ever being screened. Younger age group was associated with lower screening proportion; odds ratios of 35-, 45-, 55-, and ⋝65 years were 1.7 (95% CI: 1.5-1.9), 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3-1.7), 1.3 (95% CI: 1.2-1.4), and 1.0, respectively. About 35.1% of the patients had undergone follow-up assessments four or more times during the past 1 year.

CONCLUSIONMajority of the Chinese population aged 35 years and above, particularly the less educated, elderly population, and rural residents were unaware of that they were suffering from hypertension. Most patients did not receive enough management services by the primary health care system. Thus, strengthening both the screening and follow-up management is needed.

Adult ; Aged ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Population Surveillance ; methods ; Primary Health Care ; organization & administration

In China, the control and prevention programs on any disease has always been based on comprehensive strategies. Take influenza as an example, related contents would include: strengthening the surveillance, recommendation and promotion of vaccination, rational use of antiviral drugs, conducting outbreak investigation and control, and publicizing individual protective measures, etc. In terms of the response to challenges, specific proposals would include: adjustment of case reports, optimization of surveillance systems, reinforcement of vaccination recommendation by health care workers, improvement of access to vaccination, development of rapid diagnostic reagents, and rational use of antiviral drugs, etc.
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use* ; China/epidemiology* ; Disease Outbreaks/prevention & control* ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Influenza Vaccines/administration & dosage* ; Influenza, Human/prevention & control* ; Primary Prevention/organization & administration* ; Program Development ; Seasons ; Vaccination

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic disorders, including increased blood pressure, high blood glucose level, abdominal obesity, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. When these metabolic disorders occur concurrently, the risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke increases. According to Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V (KNHANES V), about one in four adults have a metabolic syndrome. The prevalence is even higher in the older, female population. Sedentary lifestyle is one of the major risk factors of metabolic syndrome. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults aged >18 years perform at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week. This study aimed to examine the association between leisure-time physical activity and metabolic syndrome.METHODS: A total of 3,453 Korean women aged >50 years who participated in KNHANES VI and VII were evaluated. By using the WHO recommendations, the leisure time physical activity levels were divided into three groups as follows: none, insufficient, and sufficient. The National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III was used to define metabolic syndrome.RESULTS: In this study, leisure-time physical activity level and prevalence of metabolic syndrome were inversely related.CONCLUSION: Leisure time physical activity can be beneficial in reducing the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. More studies on the types and performance duration of physical activities must be conducted to set an appropriate guideline for the middle-aged and elderly female populations.
Adult ; Aged ; Blood Glucose ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Education ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leisure Activities ; Motor Activity ; Nutrition Surveys ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Prevalence ; Primary Prevention ; Risk Factors ; Sedentary Lifestyle ; Stroke ; Triglycerides ; World Health Organization