Daily Number Of Patients Research Articles

Let's talk about sexuality - A web-based survey of self-reported competence in sexual problems among obstetrician-gynecologists in Finland.

Sexual health is an important aspect of quality of life, yet both healthcare professionals and patients might hesitate to bring up the topic during appointments. Our study investigated obstetrician-gynecologists' (OB/GYNs') self-reported competences in discussing and treating sexual problems, as well as the barriers to bringing up the subject. An additional aim was to evaluate the need for continuing education in sexual medicine. A web-based questionnaire was sent to the members of The Finnish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (n=1212). The survey was completed by 328 respondents (275 specialists and 53 OB/GYN residents). Their background information (gender, age, education, occupational status, daily number of patients, and daily number of patients with sexual health issues) was assessed. The questionnaire included four fields: (A) self-reported competence in discussing and treating patients with sexual problems (three questions), (B) the barriers to bringing up sexual problems with patients (nine questions), (C) the source of education in sexual medicine (two questions), and (D) the need for education in sexual medicine (two questions). Most of the OB/GYNs self-reported their competence to be good in discussing sexual problems, but poor in treating patients' sexual problems. The male OB/GYNs reported better competence than did the females. Several barriers were identified-most frequently, "shortness of the appointment time" (76%), "lack of knowledge about sexual medicine" (75%), and "lack of experience with sexual medicine" (74%). Older OB/GYNs and male OB/GYNs reported fewer barriers. The majority of the respondents considered their previous education in sexual medicine to be insufficient, especially in medical school (95%), but also in residency (83%), and they reported a need for additional education. Our study indicated several barriers that hindered OB/GYNs from assessing sexual problems during appointments. Although OB/GYNs reported a good competence in discussing sexual problems, they reported a poor competence in treating them. Their previous education in sexual medicine was rated as insufficient, and continuing education was desired. The information provided by our study can be used for improving and organizing education in sexual medicine, which is crucial for diminishing the barriers to discussing and treating sexual problems.

Short-Term Associations between PM10 and Respiratory Health Effects in Visby, Sweden.

The old Swedish city Visby, located on the island Gotland, has, for several years, reported higher PM10 concentrations than any other city in Sweden. In Visby, local limestone is used, both in road paving and as sand used for anti-slip measures, resulting in a clear annual pattern of PM10 with the highest concentrations during winter/spring when studded tires are allowed. This study analyzes the short-term associations between PM10 and daily number of patients with acute respiratory problems (ICD–10 diagnoses: J00–J99) seeking care at the hospital or primary healthcare units in Visby during the period of 2013–2019. The daily mean of PM10 was on average 45 µg m−3 during winter/spring and 18 µg m−3 during summer/autumn. Four outcome categories were analyzed using quasi-Poisson regression models, stratifying for period and adjusting for calendar variables and weather. An increase in respiratory visits was associated with increasing concentrations in PM10 during the summer/autumn period, most prominent among children, where asthma visits increased by 5% (95% CI: 2–9%) per 10 µg m−3 increase in PM10. For the winter/spring period, no significant effects were observed, except for the diagnose group ‘upper airways’ in adults, where respiratory visits increased by 1% (95% CI: 0.1–1.9%) per 10 µg m−3 increase. According to the results, limestone in particles seem to be relatively harmless at the exposure concentrations observed in Visby, and this is in line with the results from a few experimental and occupational studies.

Percutaneous coronary intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: Insights from the nationwide registration data

SummaryBackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively affected access to healthcare systems and treatment timelines. This study was designed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsFrom January 2019 to December 2020, 489,001 patients from 1068 institutions were registered in the Japanese nationwide PCI (J-PCI) registry. We constructed generalized linear models to assess the difference in the daily number of patients and in-hospital outcomes between 2019 and 2020.FindingsIn total, 207 institutions (19·3%) had closed or restricted access during the first COVID-19 outbreak in May 2020; the number of closed or restricted institutions had plateaued at a median of 121 institutions (11·3%). The daily case volume of PCI significantly decreased in 2020 (by 6·7% compared with that in 2019; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6·2–7·2%; p < 0·001). Marked differences in the presentation of PCI patients were observed; more patients presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (18·3% vs. 17·5%; p < 0·001), acute heart failure (4·49% vs. 4·30%; p = 0·001), cardiogenic shock (3·79% vs. 3·45%; p < 0·001), and cardiopulmonary arrest (2·12% vs. 2·00%; p = 0·002) in 2020. The excess adjusted in-hospital mortality rate in patients treated in 2020 relative to those treated in 2019 was significant (adjusted odds ratio, 1·054; 95% CI, 1·004–1·107; p = 0·03).InterpretationWhile the number of patients who underwent PCI substantially decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, more patients presented with high-risk characteristics and were associated with significantly higher adjusted in-hospital mortality.FundingThe J-PCI registry is a registry led and supported by the Japanese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics. The present study was supported by the Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Health and Labour (No. 20IA2002 and 21FA1015), the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (KAKENHI; No. 21K08064), and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (No. 17ek0210097h000).

The impact of meteorological factors and PM2.5 on COVID-19 transmission.

In this study, we analysed the relationship between meteorological factors and the number of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study period was from 12 April 2020 to 13 October 2020, and daily meteorological data and the daily number of patients with COVID-19 in each state of the United States were collected. Based on the number of COVID-19 patients in each state of the United States, we selected four states (California, Florida, New York, Texas) for analysis. One-way analysis of variance ( ANOVA), scatter plot analysis, correlation analysis and distributed lag nonlinear model (DLNM) analysis were used to analyse the relationship between meteorological factors and the number of patients with COVID-19. We found that the significant influencing factors of the number of COVID-19 cases differed among the four states. Specifically, the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in California and New York was negatively correlated with AWMD (P < 0.01) and positively correlated with AQI, PM2.5 and TAVG (P < 0.01) but not significantly correlated with other factors. Florida was significantly correlated with TAVG (positive) (P < 0.01) but not significantly correlated with other factors. The number of COVID-19 cases in Texas was only significantly negatively associated with AWND (P < 0.01). The influence of temperature and PM2.5 on the spread of COVID-19 is not obvious. This study shows that when the wind speed was 2 m/s, it had a significant positive correlation with COVID-19 cases. The impact of meteorological factors on COVID-19 may be very complicated. It is necessary to further explore the relationship between meteorological factors and COVID-19. By exploring the influence of meteorological factors on COVID-19, we can help people to establish a more accurate early warning system.

The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Frequency of Domestic Flights

The objective of this study is to reveal with different variables the relationship between the frequency of domestic flights of airline passengers in Turkey and the number of daily patients, which is a COVID-19 pandemic data. The data collection tool used in the study is a questionnaire. A correlation test was used in the analysis of the relationship between the annual flight frequency before and after the pandemic (Considering the pandemic is over). Hypotheses on the changes in flight frequency were developed with the demographic data, and these hypotheses were tested by one-way ANOVA method. SPSS 22 program was used to analyze the data. 229 people participated in the survey, and among them 202 eligible people were included in the study. The results of the correlation test were determined to be significant. It is revealed that there is a relationship between the declared number of patients and the flight frequency. As the declared number of patients increases, the flight frequency decreases. A decrease by a maximum of 82% is predicted in the average annual flight frequency per person if the patient number is estimated to be over 3000. All of the socio-demographic variables studied, except the level of education, affect flight frequency.

Günlük Hasta Sayısı ile Google Topluluk Hareket Raporları Arasındaki İlişkilerin Negatif Binom Regresyonla İncelenmesi: Covid-19 Türkiye Örneği

Dünyayı etkisi altına alan yeni tip koronavirüs (Covid-19) salgınından dolayı sosyal mesafe ve hareketliliğin azaltılması en önemli tedbirler olarak uygulanmaktadır. Dünya genelinde daha az hareketliliğin daha düşük Covid-19 vaka ve hasta sayıları ile ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Özellikle ülkemizde Covid-19 vaka ve hasta sayılarında; kısmen ya da tam kapanmalar ile düşüş, kademeli ya da tam normalleşme adımları ile de artış gözlemlenmiştir. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye Covid-19 günlük hasta sayısı ile Türkiye Google topluluk hareket raporları arasındaki ilişkinin ortaya konulması amaçlanmıştır. Betimleyici ve ilişki arayıcı türde gerçekleştirilmiş olan araştırma da Türkiye’de ilk Covid-19 hastasının görüldüğü 11 Mart 2020 ile 11 Mart 2021 tarihleri arasındaki bir yıllık verilerden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırmadan elde edilen verilerin değerlendirilmesinde, betimsel istatistikler ve negatif binom regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonuçlarına göre insan hareketliliğin artması hasta sayısının artmasına neden olduğu gibi konutlardaki hareketliliğinde yine hasta sayısına pozitif etki yaptığı bulunmuştur.

A Nationwide Survey on the Facilities and Personnel for Endoscopic Sedation: Results from 50 Qualified Endoscopy Units of Teaching Hospitals Accredited by the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE).

Background/AimsThis study aimed to determine the current status of facilities, equipment, and personnel for endoscopic sedation from endoscopy units of representative hospitals in South Korea. MethodsA questionnaire survey was conducted on 50 qualified endoscopy units accredited by the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. ResultsAll included endoscopy units had regulations and educational programs regarding sedation training for endoscopists and nursing personnel. There present one assisting nurse during endoscopy in 35 units (70%) and at least two nurses in 12 units (24.0%). All endoscopy units had examination rooms equipped with oxygen supply and suction systems. Endoscopist-directed sedation was performed in 48 units (96.0%). Propofol-based sedation was the most used sedation method. All units had a separate recovery bay. The daily number of patients per bed was greater than 10 in 17 units (34.0%). In 26 (52.0%) units, a single nurse cared for ≥10 patients per day. All the units fulfilled the discharge criteria. ConclusionsThis study presents data regarding endoscopic sedation clinical practice in 50 endoscopy units in South Korea. This study presents the current status of endoscopic sedation clinical practice in 50 qualified endoscopy units accredited by the KSGE, which provide excellent quality management.

The Effect of “Wuhan Closure” on the COVID-19 Pandemic in China

In this study, we analyzed daily records of newly diagnosed cases in Wuhan, Hubei excluding Wuhan (HEW), and China excluding Hubei (CEH) to investigate the impact of the new coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan on cities around it and throughout China. We used multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DXA) method to investigate the correlations between the daily number of patients in Wuhan and HEW as well as in Wuhan and CEH. We concluded that the cross-correlations between the daily number of patients in Wuhan and HEW were higher than those between the daily number of patients in Wuhan and CEH because the multifractal features of Wuhan and HEW are greater than those of Wuhan and CEH. We also found that the “Wuhan closure” conducted on January 23 resulted in a decrease in cross-correlations between Wuhan and CEH.

Investigation Of Attitudes Of Nurses In Medical Errors And The Affecting Factors

Objectives:This study was conducted in order to investigate the attitudes of nurses in medical errors and the affecting factors. Materials-Methods:Research is planned as a cross-sectional working in a state hospital in western Turkey 362 nurses were conducted.Data were collected by using the information form of nurses and the Attitude Scale for Medical Errors. Frequency, mean, student-t test and Anova test were used. The Games-Howell test was used as a descriptive post-hoc analysis to determine differences after the Anova test. Results:Of the nurses included in the study, 89,9% was female, 60,5% had Bachelor's degree and 59,4%40 years and older. The total score average of the nurses was 2,36±0.32, the medical error perception sub-scale score average was 3,19±0,71, the approach to medical error sub-scale score average was 2,24±0,44, and the medical error causes sub-scale score average was 2,25±0,44. Nurses' total score, medical error causes and approach to medical error sub-scale score averages were found to be low, but their medical error perception sub-scale score average was above average. A significant correlation was found between gender, education status, working service, number of daily patients per nurse and the total score average. Statistically significant relationships were found between medical error perception sub-scale and overtime working status between the approach to medical error sub-scale and gender, education status, service worked, number of daily patients per nurse, and between causes of medical error sub-scale and age and educational status. Conclusion: İt may be suggested to organize in-service training programs on medical errors, their causes and prevention, to take measures in order to reduce the number of daily patients per nurse, and to provide training for new graduate nurses on medical errors, their causes and prevention in orientation training.

Epidemiological correlation between COVID-19 epidemic and prevalence of α-1 antitrypsin deficiency in the world.

Among 68 countries in the world, severity of the COVID-19 epidemic was correlated with the prevalence of α-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency. For the severe variant, PI*Z, the correlation coefficient (CC) was 0.8584 for the number of patients and 0.8713 for the number of deaths. For the milder variant, PI*S, it was 0.5818 and 0.6326, respectively. In Japan, the number of patients and deaths correlated with the population size with a CC of 0.6667 and 0.7074 respectively, and was proportional to the population size to the power of 1.65 and 1.54. The prevalence of AAT deficiency also correlated with the epidemiological pattern of COVID-19. In countries with high prevalence of AAT deficiency, after the initial rise, the daily number of patients and that of deaths ran parallel at a high level for more than 6 months without sign of abatement. In countries with a low prevalence of AAT deficiency, after the first wave of the epidemic, the number of the deaths decreased continuously while the number of patients remained the same or even increased resulting in a decreasing case-fatality rate. When the cumulative number of deaths was plotted on the y-axis against the cumulative number of patients on the x-axis, plots fell on a straight line in countries with a high prevalence of AAT deficiency; while in countries with a low prevalence of AAT deficiency, a break appeared, after which the plots fell on flatter slope indicating decreasing case-fatality rate. The observation suggests emergence of an attenuated variant in countries with a low prevalence of AAT deficiency.

To a New Normal: Surgery and COVID-19 During the Transition Phase.

To a New Normal: Surgery and COVID-19 During the Transition Phase.

Does the Hospital Admission of Patients with Respiratory Disease Increase in Izmir When the PM10 Level is High?

Air pollution is caused by exhaust emissions from motor vehicles, fuel consumption for heating of residences, and especially emissions from industrial facilities around the world. The exposure to outdoor air pollution has been associated with acute and chronic health problems, from irritation to death. In this study, we aimed to determine whether air pollution increases the frequency of hospital admission and whether there is a difference between disease subgroups, age, and gender, in the 2-year period in Izmir province where - air pollution is increasing. Collection of health data for the project compiled by the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Izmir Provincial Health Directory Information Processing Department, and information obtained on the age groups, gender, admission time, and diagnosis of illness [International Classification of Diseases (ICD)10 code] on the residents of Izmir in 2016/2017. The daily numbers of patients with respiratory complaints and air pollution were found to be related. Both air pollution and the admission rate increase in the January-March period. In male patients, the risk of hospitalization increases for 1.14%. Males had a higher increase in the rate of diagnosis of chronic rhinitis (increase of 6.22%) than females who had an increase of 0.97%. It was observed that there was a 2.62% increase in the incidence of bronchiectasis, 2.53% in that of asthma, and 2.49% in that of dyspnea. There was a significant increase in respiratory diseases during the days when the air pollution was high, and this was observed as the upper respiratory tract infection and acute bronchitis in the young group and chronic respiratory diseases in the elderly group upon hospital admissions. The reduction of air pollutants and inhalation of clean air are the most important aspects in providing a healthier and longer life.

Study on the Relationship Between PM2.5 and Daily Consultations Volume in Respiratory Department Based on Transfer Function Model

With the development of the era, the word “haze” was born, and more and more people suffer from respiratory diseases, particularly congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease and lung cancer.In the European Union, PM2.5 cuts life expectancy by 8.6 months.Bases on the medical data relating to the hospital, in July 2018-August of respiratory medical consultations and PM2.5value transfer function model is set up, after using the model on September 1st, 2018-September 20th respiratory medical consultations to make predictions, and comparing with the real value, the results show that compared with the ARIMA model, transfer function model predicts more accurately. In other words, the relationship between daily respiratory department visits and PM2.5value is more similar to the transfer function model.Finally, the transfer function model is used to predict the daily number of patients in respiratory department from September 21st to September 30th, 2018,Because the management of medical treatment is one of the important indicators reflecting the level of hospital management, the prediction of daily medical treatment volume can provide a reliable basis for the allocation of out-patient medical staff, and it is of great significance for hospitals to rationally arrange human, financial, material and other resources to improve economic and social benefits.

Anatomy of a demand shock: Quantitative analysis of crowding in hospital emergency departments in Victoria, Australia during the 2009 influenza pandemic.

ObjectiveAn infectious disease outbreak such as the 2009 influenza pandemic is an unexpected demand shock to hospital emergency departments (EDs). We analysed changes in key performance metrics in (EDs) in Victoria during this pandemic to assess the impact of this demand shock.Design and settingDescriptive time-series analysis and longitudinal regression analysis of data from the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) using data from the 38 EDs that submit data to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.Main outcome measuresDaily number of presentations, influenza-like-illness (ILI) presentations, daily mean waiting time (time to first being seen by a doctor), daily number of patients who did-not-wait and daily number of access-blocked patients (admitted patients with length of stay >8 hours) at a system and hospital-level.ResultsDuring the influenza pandemic, mean waiting time increased by up to 25%, access block increased by 32% and did not wait presentations increased by 69% above pre-pandemic levels. The peaks of all three crowding variables corresponded approximately to the peak in admitted ILI presentations. Longitudinal fixed-effects regression analysis estimated positive and statistically significant associations between mean waiting times, did not wait presentations and access block and ILI presentations.ConclusionsThis pandemic event caused excess demand leading to increased waiting times, did-not-wait patients and access block. Increases in admitted patients were more strongly associated with crowding than non-admitted patients during the pandemic period, so policies to divert or mitigate low-complexity non-admitted patients are unlikely to be effective in reducing ED crowding.

Causal Relationships Among Pollen Counts, Tweet Numbers, and Patient Numbers for Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Surveillance: Retrospective Analysis.

BackgroundHealth-related social media data are increasingly used in disease-surveillance studies, which have demonstrated moderately high correlations between the number of social media posts and the number of patients. However, there is a need to understand the causal relationship between the behavior of social media users and the actual number of patients in order to increase the credibility of disease surveillance based on social media data.ObjectiveThis study aimed to clarify the causal relationships among pollen count, the posting behavior of social media users, and the number of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis in the real world.MethodsThis analysis was conducted using datasets of pollen counts, tweet numbers, and numbers of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis from Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. We examined daily pollen counts for Japanese cedar (the major cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis in Japan) and hinoki cypress (which commonly complicates seasonal allergic rhinitis) from February 1 to May 31, 2017. The daily numbers of tweets that included the keyword “kafunshō” (or seasonal allergic rhinitis) were calculated between January 1 and May 31, 2017. Daily numbers of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis from January 1 to May 31, 2017, were obtained from three healthcare institutes that participated in the study. The Granger causality test was used to examine the causal relationships among pollen count, tweet numbers, and the number of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis from February to May 2017. To determine if time-variant factors affect these causal relationships, we analyzed the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (February to April) when Japanese cedar trees actively produce and release pollen.ResultsIncreases in pollen count were found to increase the number of tweets during the overall study period (P=.04), but not the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.05). In contrast, increases in pollen count were found to increase patient numbers in both the study period (P=.04) and the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.01). Increases in the number of tweets increased the patient numbers during the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.02), but not the overall study period (P=.89). Patient numbers did not affect the number of tweets in both the overall study period (P=.24) and the main seasonal allergic rhinitis phase (P=.47).ConclusionsUnderstanding the causal relationships among pollen counts, tweet numbers, and numbers of patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis is an important step to increasing the credibility of surveillance systems that use social media data. Further in-depth studies are needed to identify the determinants of social media posts described in this exploratory analysis.

Effects of meteorological factor and air pollution on sudden sensorineural hearing loss using the health claims data in Busan, Republic of Korea.

Specific meteorological factors, including air pollution in the form of particulate matter (PM), affect the development of otologic disease and have adverse effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This study investigated relationships between the development of sudden sensorineural hearing loss(SSNHL) and meteorological factor with air pollution including PM. The daily patient number in 2015 admitted to the hospital with SSNHL were extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Bigdata in Busan. The meteorological factors and air pollution data of Busan area were obtained from meteorological stations in Busan. The relationship between the number of hospitalizations and the climatic factors was checked. SSNHL patient group showed more common in women, and the highest rates were observed in patients in their 50s. The daily mean patient numbers were 2.27. The number of SSNHL patients in spring was statistically significantly higher than that in summer. The mean daily PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were 48.0 and 29.4 μg/m3, respectively. The mean wind speed, maximum wind speed and daily atmospheric pressure range was weakly positively associated with SSNHL patient number. There were weak negative correlations between maximum PM2.5 and SSNHL admissions. The mean temperature and wind chill index showed non-significantly negative relationships with SSNHL admissions. In Busan area, statistically significant weak relationships were detected between the daily numbers of patients admitted to the hospital with SSNHL and meteorological data, including PM level. Further investigation of these associations is required.

A multiple regression analysis of number of influenza patients during 2009/2010 and 2017/2018 in Takamatsu City, Japan

Purpose: The H1N1 2009 influenza were found in the United States and Mexico in April 2009. It spread almost all countries of the world. The World Health Organization announced that the status of the influenza was a pandemic in June 2009. H1N1 influenza spread rapidly in Takamatsu city Japan also. The H1N1 influenza has been epidemic form yet. We analyzed number of influenza patients during 2009/2010 and 2017/2018 in Takamatsu city and on a university campus in Japan. Methods & Materials: We analyzed number of patients infected with influenza in Takamatsu city and on a university campus in Japan from August 2009 to February 2010 and from September 2017 to June 2018. We used SPSS 24.0 for Windows (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) for multiple regression analysis. Results: According to multiple regression analysis results, temperature and humidity were significantly correlated with number of daily patients in Takamatsu city 2017/2018 (p < 0.001, R = 0.763, AIC = 162.374). It was suggested that temperature, humidity, a holiday the next day after the lecture and a holiday 2 days after the lecture were significantly correlated with number of daily patients on a university campus 2009/2010 (p < 0.001, R = 0.348, AIC = 441.986). Conclusion: We made influenza models in Takamatsu city and on a university campus by multiple regression analysis. The following models were obtained. In Takamatsu city 2017/2018; y = -2.2x1 + 2.1x2 + 18.1; (x1: temperature, p < 0.001, OR -3.3 – -1.2; x2: humidity, p = 0.017, OR 0.4 – 4.0). On a university campus 2009/2010; y = -0.07x1 + 0.06x2 + 2.2x3 + 2.3x4 + 0.02; (x1: temperature, p = 0.029, OR -0.14 – -0.007; x2: humidity, p = 0.004, OR 0.02 – 0.11; x3: a holiday the next day after the lecture, p = 0.011, OR 0.5 – 3.8; x4: a holiday 2 days after the lecture, p = 0.011, OR 0.5 – 4.0).

Social life and happiness analysis of female emergency physician in Turkey.

The study is aimed to analyze female emergency physician domestic support, social activity, occupational satisfaction level, and subjective happiness scale results. An electronically designed questionnaire form was e-mailed to 380 female emergency physicians working in our country. Happiness level of the participants was rated using the Subjective Happiness Scale. Among 380 female emergency physicians working in Turkey, 100 completed questionnaire. We did not detect any significant differences between the happiness scale scores of the participants with respect to their age, duration of working as a physician, academic title, monthly income, institution, monthly number of night duties, and the daily number of patients visiting emergency department.

Variability of Greek dental solid waste production by different dentist groups.

The objective of this work was to compare the composition and production rate of Greek dental solid waste (DSW) produced by three dentist groups of Xanthi, Greece, defined according to the country of their dental education/training: (1) dentists educated in Greece and other European Union (EU) countries, (2) dentists educated in Turkey, and (3) dentists educated in former Soviet Union and repatriated to Greece. All DSW produced by a total of 2542 patients in 20 dental practices from Xanthi, Greece, was collected, manually separated, and weighed over a period of four working weeks and classified according to Greek regulations. Production data below are presented as average (standard deviation in parenthesis). The average unit production rates of total DSW were 415(303) and 51.2(19.1)g/patient/day for dentists educated in Greece and other EU countries, 365(160) and 64.0(21.7)g/patient/day for dentists educated in Turkey, and 302(349) and 54.3(46.8)g/patient/day for dentists educated in former Soviet Union. Daily DSW production was correlated with daily number of patients and regression correlations were produced. Statistical analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test was conducted to compare DSW production medians by the three dentist groups. Dentists educated in Turkey had statistically higher median patient-based unit production rates at α = 0.05 for total dental, total hazardous, total infectious, total toxic and domestic-type waste, compared to the other dentist groups.

The relationship between workload and length of stay in Singapore

Prior studies link higher workload with longer length of stay (LOS) in the US. Unlike U.S. hospitals, Singaporean hospitals, like other major hospitals in the Asia-Pacific, are partially occupied by patients with non-acute needs due to insufficient alternative facilities. We examined the association between workload and length of stay (LOS) and the impact of workload on 30-day re-hospitalization and inpatient mortality rates in retrospective cohort in this setting. We defined workload as the daily number of patients per physician team. 13,097 hospitalizations of 10,000 patients were included. We found that higher workload was associated with shorter LOS (coefficient, −0.044 [95%CI, −0.083, −0.01]), especially for patients with longer stays (hazard ratios, not significantly greater than 1 before Day 4, 1.04 [95%CI, 1.01, 1.07] at Day 4 and 1.16 [95%CI, 1.10, 1.24] at Day 10), without affecting inpatient mortality (odds ratio (OR), 1.03 [95%CI, 0.99, 1.05]) or 30-day re-hospitalization (OR, 1.01 [95%CI, 0.99, 1.04]). This result differs from studies in the US and may reflect regional differences in the use of acute hospital beds for non-acute needs.