Care For Neurological Disorders Research Articles

Factors influencing professional life satisfaction among neurologists

BackgroundPredicted shortages in the supply of neurologists may limit patients’ access to and quality of care for neurological disorders. Retaining neurologists already in practice provides one opportunity to support the overall supply of practicing neurologists. Understanding factors associated with professional life satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) and implementing policies to enhance satisfaction may encourage neurologists to remain in clinical practice. In this paper, we present results from the first study examining factors associated with professional life satisfaction among a large sample of U.S, neurologists.MethodsWe collaborated with the AAN to survey a sample of U.S. neurologists about their professional life satisfaction. Analyses examined the association of physician and practice characteristics with aspects of professional life satisfaction, including satisfaction with their career in medicine, medical specialty, current position, relationship with colleagues, relationship with patients, work/life balance, and pay.ResultsThe study population consisted of 625 neurologists. In multivariate regression analyses, no single group or population stratum indicated high (or low) responses to all aspects of satisfaction. Older neurologists reported higher satisfaction with career, specialty, and relationship with patients than younger neurologists. Female neurologists had significantly lower satisfaction with pay than male neurologists. Neurologists who spent more time in research and teaching had greater satisfaction with specialty, relationship with colleagues, and relationship with patients than those spending no time in research. Neurologists who practiced in small cities/rural areas reported lower satisfaction across multiple dimensions than those practicing in large urban areas. Neurologists in solo practice had greater satisfaction with the relationship with their patients, but lower satisfaction with pay.ConclusionsSatisfaction is a multidimensional construct that is associated with physician and practice characteristics. Enhancing professional life satisfaction among neurologists requires multiple strategies, such as promoting comparable wages for men and women, providing collaboration and research opportunities, and providing resources for small and rural practices.

Prevalence and incidence of neurological disorders among adult Ugandans in rural and urban Mukono district; a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThe burden of neurological diseases is increasing in developing countries. However, there is a prominent scarcity of literature on the incidence of neurological diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the prevalence and incidence of neurological diseases in this setting to serve as a baseline for planning and care for neurological disorders in Uganda.MethodsThe study was conducted within rural and urban Mukono district, east of Kampala city of Uganda, central region. Over a period of six months, a cross sectional survey was conducted and screening was performed using a standardized questionnaire. All subjects with neurological symptoms and signs were reviewed by a team of neurologists and neurological diagnoses made.ResultsOf the 3000 study subjects, 50.3% (1510/3000) were from the rural setting. Out of the participants screened, 67.4% were female, with a median age of 33 years. Among the 98 subjects with confirmed neurological disorders, the frequency of diseases was as follows; peripheral neuropathy (46.2%), chronic headaches (26.4%), and epilepsy (8.5%), followed by pain syndromes (7.5%), stroke (6.6%) and tremors/Parkinson disease (3.8%). The crude prevalence rates of these disorders (95% CI) were 14.3% (8.5–24.1); 13.3% (7.7–22.8); 33.7% (23.9–47.4) for stroke, epilepsy and peripheral neuropathy respectively. Peripheral neuropathy followed by chronic headaches had the highest estimated incidence/1000 years. Stroke had an estimated incidence of 3.6 new cases with 95% CI of (2.1–6.1)/1000 years.ConclusionPeripheral neuropathy, chronic headaches and epilepsy disorders are major causes of morbidity in Sub-Saharan settings. There is an urgent need of more robust and powered studies to determine the incidence of these diseases.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12883-016-0732-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The spectrum of neurological disorders presenting at a neurology clinic in Yaoundé, Cameroon

IntroductionThe burden of these neurological diseases is higher in developing countries. However, there is a paucity and scarcity of literature on neurological diseases in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was therefore undertaken to determine the pattern of neurological diseases in this setting and then, compare to those elsewhere in the African continent and also serve as a baseline for planning and care for neurological disorders in Cameroon.MethodsThe study was conducted at the Clinique Bastos, in Yaoundé, city capital of Cameroon, centre region. Over a period of six years, all medical records were reviewed by a neurologist and neurological diagnoses classified according to ICD-10.ResultsOut of 4526 admissions 912 patients (20.15%) were given a neurological diagnosis. The most frequent neurological disorders were headache (31.9%), epilepsy (9.86%), intervertebral disc disorder (7.67%), followed by lumbar and cervical arthrosis, polyneuropathy, stroke, Parkinson disease and dementia. According to ICD-10 classification, Episodic and paroxysmal disorders (headaches, epilepsy, cerebrovascular, sleep disorders) were observed on 424 (46.48%) patients; followed by nerve, nerve root and plexus disorders in 115 (12.6%) patients.ConclusionThe above data emphasizes that neurological disease contributes substantially to morbidity in an urban African hospital. Headaches, epilepsy and intervertebral disc disorders are major causes of morbidity.