The operational model of a network for managing patients with convulsive epilepsy in rural West China.
Epilepsy Behav
; 17(1): 75-81, 2010 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19910259
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To establish an operational model of a network for managing patients with convulsive epilepsy in rural areas of West China.METHODS:
The network is under unified leadership of the public health administration departments, who liaised with medical institutions and disease control and prevention organizations to foster local communities to participate. Patients with convulsive epilepsy were treated with phenobarbital. Trained local primary health care physicians carried out screening, treatment, and follow-up. Political, financial, and technological support was incrementally provided through the network. Efficacy was assessed as the percentage reduction in seizure frequency and the retention of patients on treatment.RESULTS:
Two thousand five hundred fourteen patients with active convulsive epilepsy were enrolled. After more than 1 year of treatment, 78.4% of the patients had a 50% or greater reduction in seizure frequency and 43.3% remained seizure free. Probability of retention was 85.8% at 750 days. Nearly 20% patients withdrew from the project, and most of them migrated out of the study areas. Some regular training and educational programs were also carried out.CONCLUSION:
This pragmatic procedure suggests that the network could be suitable for managing convulsive epilepsy in resource-poor regions. Such a network could depend on existing primary health services to ensure its sustainability.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Fenobarbital
/
Epilepsia Generalizada
/
Serviços de Saúde Comunitária
/
Redes Comunitárias
/
Anticonvulsivantes
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Epilepsy Behav
Assunto da revista:
CIENCIAS DO COMPORTAMENTO
/
NEUROLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2010
Tipo de documento:
Article