General Population Of Catalonia Research Articles

Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in common foods and estimated daily intake by children, adolescents, adults, and seniors of Catalonia, Spain.

This study was designed to estimate the dietary intake of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) by the general population of Catalonia, Spain. The concentrations of these elements were determined in food samples randomly acquired in seven cities of Catalonia between June and August 2000. A total of 11 food groups were included in the study. As, Cd, Hg, and Pb levels were measured by ICP-MS and AAS. The dietary intake of these elements was determined by a total diet study. Calculations were carried out on the basis of recent data on the consumption of the selected food items. Trace element intake was estimated for five population groups: children, adolescents, male and female adults, and seniors. The highest dietary intakes of As (223.6 microg/day), Cd (15.7 microg/day), Hg (21.2 microg/day), and Pb (28.4 microg/day) corresponded to male adults. For all analyzed elements, fish and shellfish was the group showing the highest contribution to the respective intakes. In comparison with previous results, a general decrease in As, Cd, Hg, and Pb intake has occurred. The dietary intake of these elements was also compared with the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). Dietary intakes of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb by the population of Catalonia are currently well below the respective PTWIs.

How Does the General Population Treat Their Pain? A Survey in Catalonia, Spain

Several epidemiological studies have shown that pain is a very common complaint in patients who seek medical care. However, the characteristics of how pain is treated in the general population have been studied less. The present survey was conducted to describe and analyze how the general population of Catalonia (Spain) approaches the treatment of their pain complaints. The study was carried out in 1964 adults who were surveyed by phone about the presence of painful events in the last six months, the intensity and location of their pain, what they did to treat their pain, and their resulting level of relief. Data were compared by age and gender. Pain prevalence was high (78.6%) and more frequent in women. The therapeutic strategy most commonly used was a visit to the physician (66.3%), followed by self-medication (27.6%) and alternative medicines (20.5%). Drugs were the primary treatment used by physicians (86.5%), followed by physical therapy (18.1%). Pain in the extremities, back and neck pain were often unsuccessfully treated. Self-medication was often performed with acetylsalicylic acid and paracetamol (acetaminophen), and was commonly used in conjunction with other therapeutic approaches (51.9%). Age (low use of paracetamol in the elderly) and gender (low use of paracetamol in men) were related to the type of drug used in self-medication. Older men, and those with severe pain located in the chest, required hospital admission more commonly. In conclusion, pain is a common reason for seeking medical care and using drugs. Therapeutic approaches are often related to the type of pain, but also to age or gender. Knowledge of these characteristics may allow for a more efficient use of available resources.

Long-lasting sport practice and lone atrial fibrillation

To analyse whether the proportion of patients with lone atrial fibrillation engaged in chronic sport practice was higher than that observed in the general population. The records of 1160 patients, seen at the arrhythmia outpatient clinic, were reviewed. A total of 70 patients (6%) suffered lone atrial fibrillation and were younger than 65 years. Thirty two of them had been engaged in long-term sport practice. All patients in the sport group were men as compared to only 50% in the sedentary group (P<0 x 0001). To avoid the confounding effect of sex distribution, women were excluded. Sportsmen started their episodes of atrial fibrillation at a younger age, they had a lower incidence of mild hypertension and their episodes of atrial fibrillation were predominantly vagal in contrast to the sedentary patients. The echocardiographic parameters were similar to those observed in the sedentary patients, but when compared with 20 healthy controls, they showed greater atrial and ventricular dimensions and a higher ventricular mass. The proportion of sportsmen among patients with lone atrial fibrillation is much higher than that reported in the general population of Catalonia: 63% vs 15% (P<0 x 05). Long-term vigorous exercise may predispose to atrial fibrillation.

Estudio epidemiológico del dolor de cabeza y su tratamiento en la población general de Cataluña

Headache is one of the most frequent symptoms that people suffer in their daily life. However, the available studies have been made in populations who ask for medical advice or in small geographical areas.The present survey was devoted to establish the prevalence of headache in the general population of Catalonia, as well as to establish its characteristics, the therapeutic behavior that was followed by those affected and the consequences for the sufferers.The survey included a sample of 1,964 people, who were representative of the population older than 18 years, and was obtained from the census. The data were obtained by means of a telephone interview. The prevalence of pain in the last six months was established. Among the sufferers of headaches, additional information was obtained concerning its characteristics, its relationship with socio demographic characteristics and the therapeutic behaviors used by patients. The degree of impairment and disability secondary to headache was also determined.The prevalence was 42%, and it was the highest in women (52.8 vs 31.1%) young people (mean age of 43.4 16 years), unskilled manual workers, middle level managers and technicians and those with university studies. Headaches had a long duration (84.4%, more than 3 years); the episodes were frequent, of short duration and or severe intensity (61.2% were severe unbearable). Self medication was the therapeutic behavior most commonly used (52.3%, being acetylsalicylic acid the most employed), followed by visit to the physician (47.4%, being the prescription of paracetamol the preferred treatment) and some alternative medical treatments (16.1%). Headaches limited the daily activities of the sufferers (31.4%), forced to bed rest (23.4%) and even resulted in time off work (4.6%). All personal, social and work impairments had short duration in most individuals.Headache has a high prevalence in the general population. Although the episodes had a brief duration and self medication was commonly used, pain is frequently severe, limits the daily activities and sufferers often visit the physicians to obtain relief. Headaches should not be considered as a minor health disorder.

An epidemiological comparison of pain complaints in the general population of Catalonia (Spain)

Epidemiological studies help to establish the health status in a country and allow a better allocation of economic resources. This survey estimated pain prevalence in Catalonia (Spain), analysed its relationship with demographic variables and evaluated pain-associated disabilities. The study was carried out in 1964 adults via phone interviews asking about any pain complaint they experienced in the last 6 months, regardless of its intensity and duration. Overall pain prevalence was 78.6%, significantly lower in men, with a trend to decrease with age. Back (50.9%), head (42%) and legs (36.8%) were the most affected locations. Less educated people reported, in general, higher prevalences. Pain described to be most annoying was related to musculoskeletal disease (26.2%) and migraines (16.5%). Pain was either very severe or unbearable in 33% of the sample, with women and older people reporting higher intensities. Personal and social activities were affected in 25.4% of cases and in 10.4% they became virtually impossible. Both the limitation of activity and the need for bed rest, which occurred in 19.6% of those who suffered pain, were more common amongst unemployed people, whereas 10.2% of workers had to take days off work due to pain, and 3.3% were fully incapacitated by it. In conclusion, the prevalence of pain was clearly higher among women, with an inverse relationship to age. Back pain and headaches were most prevalent and pain was rated as very severe to unbearable in one third of the patients. Pain-associated disabilities were a frequent finding. The present survey reports that pain is a substantial problem in the Catalonian population and generally reflects the characteristics of data previously reported in Anglo-saxon and Scandinavian countries.

Influence of proxy respondents in children's health interview surveys.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To study the influence of the proxy respondent on health interview surveys in children. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Children under the age of 15 years drawn from...

Prevalencia de trastornos mentales en la población general de Catalunya

The objective of the study is to estimate the prevalence of mental disorders in the general population of Catalonia. Data comes from the Health Interview Survey of Catalonia (Enquesta de Salut de Catalunya, ESCA) and from an epidemiological study of Tres Cantos (Madrid). The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was administered to all the individuals older than 14 years (n: 12,455). The prevalence was estimated according to the GHQ score obtained and its correspondence to the probabilities score of the Madrid study. This study determined the probability of being a psychiatric case in a logistic regression using the Present State Examination (PSE) as gold standard. Morbidity Comparative Index (MCI) was used to compare the prevalences between health regions. The population of reference was the population of Catalonia. The 17.42% (CI 95%: 17.02-17.82) of the population of Catalonia older than 14 years suffered a probable mental disorder, the 18.66% (CI 95%: 18.07-19.25) in women and the 15.77% (CI 95%: 15.26-16.28) in men. The prevalence was higher in women with regard to men in all age groups. The MCI was lower in the Health Regions of Lleida and Girona and it was higher in the Health Regions of Tarragona and Tortosa, both in men and women. The figures are at intermediate level with respect others Spanish and Anglo-Saxon published studies based on population data and lower than the obtained for primary care users in Spain and in other international settings.