[Use of health services for immigrants and native population: a systematic review]. / Frecuentación de las consultas de medicina general y especializada por población inmigrante y autóctona: una revisión sistemática.

BACKGROUND: Spain was among the top immigration destinations globally between 1990 and 2005, becoming in 2006 in the European country with the highest net migration. As a result of the migration process and the living conditions in the host countries, immigrants' health may be affected. Limited research has investigated access and use of health services for this population. The aim of this study was to describe the scientific evidence on the use of general and specialist medical services for the immigrant population compared to the native. METHODS: Systematic review. It has carried out a search of the national and international scientific literature of comparative studies on the use of general and specialist medical services among immigrant and native since 1994-2013. It was used the MEDLINE database as well as a manual search, no language limit or type of study. The methodological quality of the 29 studies included was evaluated. Subject, context, methodological and extrinsic characteristics were collected for comparison of the included studies. RESULTS: We selected 29 studies on the general practitioners' (9 from Spain) and 15 of specialist physician (7 from Spain), they mainly used health surveys as a source of information. Analyze both the attendance and contact with the general practitioner / specialist by nationality or country of birth (among others), mostly by adjusting variables of need and / or socioeconomic. CONCLUSION: Overall, the immigrant population in Spain have a similar use of general medical services than the native population, and less or similar use of the specialist physician services. These results are in line with studies in other countries.

[Effectiveness of spinal manipulation in treating whiplash injuries]. / Efectividad de las técnicas de manipulación espinal en la "lesión por latigazo" (whiplash).

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of spinal manipulation treatments in patients with whiplash injuries. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was conducted between January 2000 and May 2006 in CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CRD (Center for Reviews and Dissemination), Spanish Index Medicus, and PEDro. Reports of Physiotherapy congresses between 2000 and 2005 were reviewed. INCLUSION CRITERIA: studies of patients with whiplash injuries who were treated with spinal manipulations, either exclusively or combined with other therapies. Outcomes were expressed in at least one of the following: pain, global perceived effect or range of movement (ROM). Only 9 of the first screening (290) were analyzed. DATA EXTRACTION: The studies were independently selected by 2 reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed on the basis of the recommendations of the Agency for Health Technology Evaluation. The lack of data and their heterogeneity made any statistical analysis impossible. RESULTS: Of the 9 studies analyzed, 7 were systematic reviews and 2 were primary studies. No review showed evidence of the efficacy of spinal manipulations versus other therapies. The results were often explained vaguely and inadequately. CONCLUSIONS: There is not enough evidence to suggest that spinal manipulation is an effective treatment for whiplash. Though in the short term it seems to improve pain, any long-term benefit or clinical or economic advantages versus conventional therapies could not be determined.