Prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in Henan Province, China.

OBJECTIVE: The present article aimed to explore and evaluate the epidemiology and determine the status of hypertension awareness, treatment and control in Henan province, China. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Thirty counties in Henan province of China. PARTICIPANTS: There were 18 772 randomly selected 15-74 years old. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The distribution of blood pressure and prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension based on automated electronic monitor and questionnaire. RESULTS: The crude prevalence of hypertension was 24.9%, and the standardised rate was 26.6%, meaning about 25 million were hypertensive in Henan province. Of which, 46% were aware of their hypertension diagnosis, 35.7% were having antihypertensive medicine, only 10.4% had their blood pressure controlled less than 140/90 mmHg, and 29.1% were being controlled when they were having antihypertensive medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension is highly prevalent in Henan province, but the levels of hypertension awareness, treatment and control are low. Therefore, necessary actions including prevention, detection and treatment must be taken to keep the situation from worsening.

[Economic burden of disease studies in patients with epilepsy].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the various factors affecting the economic burden of disease in patients with epilepsy. METHODS: This research used a multi-stage random sampling method, comprehensive intervention and without intervention of the epilepsy project group conducted a field survey of health examination among patients with epilepsy of 874 (422 cases in intervention group and 452 cases in control group) in Mengzhou, Xiuwu, Yancheng, Yuanhui, Wuyang, Linying, Shaoling, Xinye and Fangcheng. DALY indicators combined with human capital approach was used to measure the economic burden of disease in patients from two aspects of the direct economic burden and indirect economic burden. RESULTS: The age of comprehensive intervention group was (43.7 ± 8.5) years old, and it was (44.4 ± 7.2) years old in no intervention control group. The age difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.365). The direct economic burden per capita of the survey was 1019.6 yuan per year, while epilepsy drugs 434.2 yuan per year, 485.2 and 66.4 yuan per year in the intervention group, while 1518.5 and 777.5 yuan per year in the control group. Each object in this study lost (16.67 ± 10.01) DALY, with 8.58 DALY in intervention group and 24.23 DALY in no intervention control group. The per capita indirect economic burden of the intervention and control groups were 68 115.2, 401 036.5 yuan, the per capita total economic burden of disease were 68 600.5, 408 755.0 yuan. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that disease duration year of ≥ 37, 30 - 36, 20 - 29, 10 - 19, OR (95%CI) were 4.44 (2.37 - 8.33), 3.32 (1.85 - 5.94), 3.25 (1.90 - 5.56), 2.53 (1.46 - 4.41). If patients with longer duration, the more serious the patient's disease burden. Medication compliance (in order to comply with a good group control) OR (95%CI) was 3.37 (2.34 - 4.83), medication in the single form (serving multi-drug groups for control) OR (95%CI) 0.41 (0.29 - 0.59). Serving a single agent and good compliance of economic burden of disease were lighter. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy caused serious economic damage. Longer duration, medication adherence poor and serving more than medicine by heavier economic burden of disease; comprehensive intervention could reduce the economic burden of disease of patients with epilepsy.

[Study on number and mature rate of eggs in gravid proglottids of Taenia solium].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the number and mature rate of eggs in gravid proglottids of Taenia solium. METHODS: Ten worms of Taenia solium, expelled from patients, were detected. Eggs were collected from the last 10 gravid proglottids of each worm. RESULTS & CONCLUSION: The egg number in each mature proglottids varied from 3,900 to 126,520, and the mean number was 28,332. The mature rate of eggs was from 7.00% to 36.00% with an average of 29.12%, which was lower than that in proglottids naturally excreted with feces. With suitable temperature and humidity, the proglottids developed continually after excreted out of host body. Two to three days later, the mature rate of their eggs increased to 85%-90%.

[Cost-utility analysis of comprehensive intervention on epilepsy].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the cost-utility regarding the effect of comprehensive intervention program on epilepsy. METHODS: 874 cases with epilepsy were investigated in 9 pilot sites in Henan province. Cost of epilepsy comprehensive intervention was calculated based on the research projects of epilepsy prevention and management of rural areas. Disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and quality adjusted life year (QALY) were used as utility index for cost-utility analysis. RESULTS: Of the 874 cases, 8.58 DALY was lost and 27.95 QALY was obtained per capita in the intervention group (422 cases). The costs per QALY and DALY obtained were 2454.10 and 7995.40 Yuan, respectively. Relative to the non-intervention control group (452 cases), the costs for QALY obtained by the intervention group had reduced. The investment would reduce 21 735.10 Yuan when each additional DALY was saved. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy caused serious economic burden to the society, families and the patients themselves. Comprehensive intervention program could reduce the economic burden of the disease thus yielding high cost-benefit. This program was deserved to be promoted.