Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: results of an inquiry in the fifteen Member States of the European Union.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) was first described in 1920-1921. CJD is a rare disease with a reported incidence of 0.5 to 1 case per million people in Europe. This fatal dementia belongs to the category of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE)

[Association between air pollen concentrations and seasonal allergies: synthesis of epidemiological studies published between 1978 and 1995]. / Associations entre les concentrations aériennes de pollens et les pollinoses saisonnières: synthèse des études épidémiologiques publiées entre 1978 et 1995.

Many clinical studies have shown a causal link between exposure to pollens and clinical symptoms of atopy. However knowledge regarding the dose-response relationship between airborne pollen counts and the occurrence of clinical symptoms of seasonal pollinosis in the population, are not well known. The review of epidemiological studies published in this field for the last 15 years indicates that most epidemiological studies were carried out using a panel study design of well documented pollinosis subjects. These studies aim at estimating the correlation between daily airborne pollen counts measured by an aeropollinic surveillance network and clinical indicators characterising the health condition of the studied population. Nevertheless, because of many methodological weaknesses, especially regarding the methods of statistical analysis, the results of these studies do not allow to conclude that there is a short term association between airborne pollen counts and the incidence of symptoms of seasonal pollinosis. This field of research is a priority in order to assess the public health impact of pollens, and to use with efficacy the data collected by monitoring networks.

[The sampan dwellers of the Vi Da district (Hue, 1993). Results of a survey preliminary to humanitarian aid intervention]. / Les sampaniers du quartier de Vi Da (Hué, 1993). Résultats d'une enquête préalable à l'intervention d'une association humanitaire.

This survey is a preliminary step in a cooperative health-care programme, run by the association Le Pélican. It was conducted in July 1993 among the sampan dwellers in the district of Vi Da (Hué), Vietnam. The People's Committee of the town of Hué hopes to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the district. The work of the association is part of a wider project of integrated cooperation (Cités unies développement) for the community of sampan dwellers. The survey describes the demography, the state of children's health, the attitudes and behaviour of women and heads of the household towards maternity, contraception, disease and the health-care system. The Vi Da community is young: 40.5% of the inhabitants are under 15 years of age. The main health problems involve mothers and children: 56% of children aged between 5 and 59 months suffer from malnutrition; 71% of those between 0 and 15 years of age have never been vaccinated. The use of contraceptives is inadequate. Health-care services, however, are numerous and are mainly in the private sector. Any health-care project undertaken in this district to improve the state of children's health will have to reinforce the immunisation coverage and set up health education programmes dealing with nutrition and family planning. This will require a better knowledge of the mentality of the sampan dwellers, of their socio-cultural environment and their attitudes to illness and health-care.

[Is there agreement on the determination of public health priorities in Europe?]. / Y a-t-il convergence dans la détermination des priorités de santé publique en Europe?

Inspired by the WHO document, "Health for All in the Year 2000", and by the WHO European office's definition of 38 health objectives, several European countries have begun defining their health priorities. An analysis of the definition of these priorities shows that there exist common points among them. However, each country constructed its own process for decision making that was unique to its situation and implemented different strategies for engaging its citizens in their processes.