Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in Lithuania in 1988-2001: review of present situation and prognosis of HIV transmission trends. (49/357)

The aim of this study was to review epidemiological situation of HIV infection and AIDS in Lithuania during 1988-2001 and to try to forecast possible trends of further HIV transmission. The data were obtained from the database of Lithuanian AIDS Center, which is the only organization in Lithuania in charge of HIV epidemiological data sampling and analysis. First, the general overview of both development of the HIV/AIDS epidemics, reporting and surveillance system is presented that proves systematic and scientific approach to the problem, while taking into consideration recommendations and guidelines of key international organizations acting in the HIV/AIDS field. Secondly, HIV transmission trends are analyzed in the so-called target groups including intravenous drug users, sex workers and homosexuals. Lastly, cases of a full-blown HIV infection--AIDS are discussed allowing to track epidemics from the very beginning.  (+info)

Cancer mortality and morbidity among Lithuanian asbestos-cement producing workers. (50/357)

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the incidence of cancer and cause-specific mortality among workers in the two Lithuanian asbestos-cement factories. METHODS: The study included 1887 asbestos-cement workers, 1285 men and 602 women, and 37000 person-years. The two factories were active from 1956 (A) and 1963 (B), and the workers were observed from 1978 to 2000. The analysis was based on a comparison between the observed and expected numbers of cancer and causes of death. The observed numbers of cancer were obtained through linkage with the national cancer registry. The date and causes of death were obtained from two different sources. The expected numbers were calculated on the basis of gender- and age-specific incidence and mortality rates in 5-year periods from the whole country. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Duration of employment and time since first exposure were used as indicators of exposure. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 1978-2000. 473 deaths were observed versus 489 expected. There was no excess risk of deaths from nonmalignant respiratory diseases, except for an elevated risk of mortality in relation to the digestive organs other than cancer, 18 observed versus 12.2 expected (95% CI 0.9-2.3). There was no excess risk for any types of cancer, except for colorectal cancer in men, 17 observed cases (SIR 1.6, 95% CI 1.6-2.6) and one case of mesothelioma in a woman. CONCLUSIONS: This study on asbestos-exposed workers did not show any excess risk of respiratory cancer or deaths of pneumoconiosis.  (+info)

Meeting patient's expectations in primary care consultations in Lithuania. (51/357)

OBJECTIVE: Patient satisfaction with health care services is considered an important factor of health care. Although research on patient satisfaction has become standard in Western Europe, in countries such as Lithuania the concept of patient satisfaction is still a relatively new one. This study aimed to investigate how the meeting of patients' expectations is related to increased satisfaction with medical consultation. STUDY DESIGN: The methodology used by Williams et al. in the UK was applied to the Lithuanian health care setting. Forty physicians from 22 primary health care centres attending courses on general practice at Vilnius University were recruited for the study. Every third adult patient coming to a practice during a 5-day period was invited to participate in the study. In all, 609 patients coming to meet their physician regarding health problems were included in the study sample. The patients were asked to complete three standardized questionnaires: the Patient Intentions Questionnaire prior to the consultation, and the Expectations Met Questionnaire and Medical Interview Satisfaction Scale after the consultation. Cronbach's alpha statistic was used for the validation of the questionnaires and principal components analysis was used to determine the factors of patient expectations. RESULTS: The response rate was 78%. ANALYSIS: of 460 sets of questionnaires revealed that satisfaction with medical consultation is higher among patients who have a greater number of expectations met. Physicians' success in meeting different types of patient expectations also had different influences on patient satisfaction. The most important expectations to be met were "understanding and explanation", followed by expectations of "emotional support", while "getting information" was less important. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequently reported expectations on the Patient Intentions Questionnaire were for "getting information" and "understanding and explanation" of the patients' health problem items, and the least mentioned were for emotional support items. Patients with more expectations met were found to have significantly higher scores on the satisfaction index. Satisfaction with the consultation is best predicted by meeting the patient's expectations for understanding and explanation, and for emotional support. Providing desired information to the patient as well as meeting the patient's expectations for diagnostic procedures and treatment is less associated with patient satisfaction.  (+info)

Association between health behaviour and self-reported health in Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. (52/357)

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to examine the associations of the selected health behaviours (daily smoking, frequent strong alcohol use, consumption of fresh vegetables less than 3 days a week and leisure time physical activity less than two/three times a week) to the self-assessed health after adjustment to the age and education in Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. METHODS: Data from cross-sectional surveys carried out in all the above-mentioned countries were used. The methodology and questionnaires of the surveys were standardized between the participating countries within the Finbalt Health Monitor System. Logistic regression was used to assess the effect of self-perceived health status on prevalence of health behaviours. RESULTS: In Finland both women and men rated their health better than both genders in all the Baltic countries. In Finland self-assessment of health is significantly associated with most health behaviours, but in the Baltic counties the associations are weak or unstable. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that in Finland as in many other stable countries self-assessed health status was related to health behaviours and can be used as an indicator of health behaviours. In the Baltic countries, factors other than health behaviours may be more relevant to the self assessment of health status.  (+info)

Mortality and cancer incidence among Lithuanian cement producing workers. (53/357)

AIMS: To investigate mortality and cancer incidence of cement producing workers. METHODS: A total of 2498 cement workers who have been employed at Portland cement producing departments for at least one year from 1956 to 2000 were followed up from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 2000. The cohort contributed 43,490 person-years to the study. Standardised incidence ratios (SIR) and standardised mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated as ratios between observed and expected numbers of cancers and deaths. The expected numbers were based on sex specific incidence and mortality rates for the total Lithuanian population. RESULTS: Significantly increased SMRs were found for all malignant neoplasms (SMR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.5) and for lung cancer (SMR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.9) among male cement workers. SIR for all cancer sites was 1.2 (95% CI 1.0 to 1.4). Excess risk was found for cancer of the lung (SIR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.1). The SIR for urinary bladder cancer was also increased (SIR 1.8, 95% CI 0.9 to 3.5). The overall cancer incidence was not increased among females (SIR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6 to 1.1). With increasing cumulated exposure to cement dust, there were indications of an increasing risk of lung and stomach cancers among males. CONCLUSIONS: This study supported the hypothesis that exposure to cement dust may increase the lung and bladder cancer risk. A dose related risk was found for stomach cancer, but no support was found for an increased risk of colorectal cancer.  (+info)

Maternal socio-economic factors and the risk of low birth weight in Lithuania. (54/357)

AIM: To evaluate the importance of maternal socio-economic factors on the risk of low birth weight in Lithuania. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The case-control study involved 851 newborns with low birth weight (<2500 g) (cases) and 851 newborns with normal weight (controls). Study was accomplished from 1st February, 2001 until 31st October, 2002 in six main maternity hospitals in Lithuania. Mothers of infants were interviewed on the first day after delivery using the structured questionnaire. The database was processed by the application of statistical package "SPSS for Windows v.10.0". RESULTS: Young (<20 years) and older (35 years and older) maternal age, primary or basic education, being single, divorced or widowed, low income, living in rural area and unemployment before pregnancy and during pregnancy increased the risk to deliver low birth weight baby in univariate analysis. In logistic multivariable regression analysis, low education, low income and unemployment during pregnancy significantly increased risk of low birth weight--OR - 2.0, 1.7 and 1.6 respectively. Interaction between several unfavorable risk factors increased risk of low birth weight by 3.4-7.8 times, being the highest among mothers with low education, unstable marital status and low income. CONCLUSION: Maternal unfavorable socio-economic factors increased the risk to deliver low birth weight baby.  (+info)

High work disability rate among rheumatoid arthritis patients in Lithuania. (55/357)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate labor force characteristics among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Lithuania. To assess if Lithuania's transition from a state-planned to a free-market economy after 1990 changed the employment perspectives of patients with RA. METHODS: RA patients, age 16-65 years (n = 238), were randomly selected from the RA register in Vilnius. They completed questions about sociodemographics, working status, and disease characteristics, they underwent a clinical examination, and they completed the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire and the Short Form 36. RESULTS: Age- and sex-adjusted employment was 24.2% lower and work disability 51.7% higher in patients compared with the general population in Lithuania. After 10 years of disease, 48% of the patients had withdrawn from the labor force. In those with a paid job, the average sick leave in the past year was 31.9 days compared with the national average of 10.8 days. Although disease activity was not significantly different in employed compared with work-disabled patients, physical function and perceived quality of life (except general health) were worse among patients with work disability. The change in economic organization in 1990 was noted to increase the risk for work withdrawal by a factor of 2.75 (95% confidence interval 1.68-4.53). CONCLUSION: In Lithuania, the impact of RA on work disability is important. Although work disability in Lithuanian patients with RA seems more pronounced compared with reports from Western societies, variables associated with work disability are comparable. The transition to a market-orientated economy in 1990 increased the risk of becoming work disabled.  (+info)

Healthy life expectancy--an important indicator for health policy development in Lithuania. (56/357)

The aim of the study was to assess the changes in healthy life expectancy of the Lithuanian population between the years 1997 and 2001 and to explore the differentials of this combined mortality and subjective health measure in males and females. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data about the Lithuanian population and the deceased were available from the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, life tables for 1997 and 2001 were created and life expectancy estimated. The method presented first by D. F. Sullivan was applied for the assessment of healthy life expectancy. The data on self-perceived health of the Lithuanian population were acquired from the surveys of the health behavior of a randomly selected sample of the adult population of Lithuania, carried out by the Lithuanian Center for Health Education. RESULTS: Healthy life expectancy at birth increased from 52.7 in males and 52.6 in females in 1997 up to 53.7 in males and 55.3 in females in 2001. The proportion of healthy life expectancy in the total life expectancy at birth increased both in males and in females. Though the total life expectancy of males is 10-11 years shorter, females are expected to spend considerably more years in poor health, even though some positive changes were observed. CONCLUSION: Increasing healthy life expectancy reflects improving health of Lithuanian population. This integrated health indicator should be periodically assessed and used for development health strategies to promote health in Lithuania.  (+info)