Pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia at Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital, Nepal: A retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia are the most common types of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy and these conditions are associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. This study aims to determine the differences in pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. METHODS: A retrospective study was done at The Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital, a tertiary level hospital, in the Kathmandu, Nepal. Pregnant women who had given birth at the hospital between September 17 and December 18 of 2017 were included. Data were obtained from the non-digitalized hospital records. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval were computed using logistic regression analysis. Multivariable analysis of pregnancy outcomes (cesarean sections, low birth weight, and preterm birth) was adjusted for maternal age, parity, twin birth, gestational age, calcium supplementation, and maternal co-morbidity. RESULTS: Preeclampsia was strongly associated with cesarean section compared to normal pregnancies (OR = 8.11, p<0.001). Whereas the odds of cesarean section among women with gestational hypertension was almost 2 times (OR = 1.89, p<0.001). Preterm birth was not significantly associated with gestational hypertension but was associated with preeclampsia (OR = 3.39, p<0.001). Gestational hypertension and preeclampsia were not associated with low birth weight. CONCLUSION: In Nepal, women who develop preeclampsia seem at higher risk of having adverse pregnancy outcomes than women with gestational hypertension. These findings should be considered by national health authorities and other health organizations when setting new priorities to improve pregnancy outcomes.

Health Care Utilization by Older Adults in Nepal: An Investigation of Correlates and Equity in Utilization.

This study aims to evaluate factors associated with health care utilization (HCU) and to assess vertical and horizontal equity in utilization among Nepali older adults. Data are from an existing cross-sectional study involving systematic random sampling of 260 older adults in Far-Western (Sudurpaschim) Province of Nepal. Andersen's theoretical framework was used to assess predisposing, enabling, and need factors that have the potential to influence health care utilization. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine potential correlates of HCU. Horizontal and vertical equity were assessed using concentration curve and index. More than one-third of participants had not visited a health facility in the prior 12 months. Nine in 10 participants did not know about the government's free health service for older adults. Joint/extended family type, Ayurvedic/Homeopathic health care preference, higher-income tertile, and presence of chronic conditions were associated with higher odds of health care utilization in adjusted analyses. The concentration curve for HCU lies below the line of equity, and the subsequent index is positive, indicating that HCU was concentrated among richer individuals. If the government of Nepal is to achieve its goal of universal health care, the existing pro-rich inequity in HCU needs to be addressed.

Scrub Typhus: Report of Three Cases From Rural Nepal and a Brief Literature Review.

Scrub typhus is endemic among farmers in the rural southern part of Nepal. It is grossly underdiagnosed due to a lack of clinical suspicion and inadequate testing facilities. The most common clinical features of the disease include fever, rashes, vomiting, myalgia, and eschar. The disease may present with ocular changes such as conjunctival injection, gastrointestinal features such as hepatitis and splenomegaly, acute kidney injury (AKI), or neurological findings in the form of meningoencephalitis. Herein, we present a report of three cases of scrub typhus from a rural part of South-west Nepal who failed to receive appropriate treatment initially. One of the patients recovered well with the treatment, the other developed AKI but recovered over the next few weeks. One of the patients died due to sepsis/multiorgan failure secondary to scrub typhus. While managing such cases in places with limited diagnostic facilities, the incorporation of early appropriate empirical therapy for scrub typhus after a careful clinical assessment prevents complications and saves lives.

Local Initiatives to Fund Services for Older Americans: Community Recognition of the Importance of Social Care.

Despite the growing proportion of older adults in the United States, federal and state funding for nonmedical supportive services remains limited. To meet increasing demand, some communities across the nation are exploring alternative funding sources for aging services. Although no systematic database exists to track such local programs, through an array of data sources including a national survey, telephone contacts, and a web review, we identified 15 states that are using local funding to support aging services. Communities are using a variety of local revenue streams, such as property tax levies, payroll, and sales taxes to provide services for older adults and/or their family or friend caregivers. There are considerable differences in community approaches including the following: amount of revenue generated, service eligibility criterion, type of services covered, and management infrastructure. Critical policy questions surrounding equity issues within and across states are raised as communities create these alternative funding mechanisms.