The number of patients initiating treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has increased dramatically in Canada and other countries. To assist healthcare planners, the prevalence of ESRD in Canada has been projected to the year 2000 using a Markov modelling technique. Significant increases in ESRD are expected in Canada during the next decade, particularly among the elderly and diabetic populations: estimated increases in prevalence rates of ESRD between 1992 and the year 2000 were 78% and 154% for non diabetic and diabetic populations respectively. These expected increases did not differ significantly between the treatment groups, except among patients with diabetes, in whom projected increases in the prevalence of functioning transplant was smaller than for hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Because the current Canadian prevalence rates are lower than those of some other countries, such as the United States and Japan, these expected trends in prevalence appear reasonable, and illustrate the growing healthcare needs of the ESRD population in Canada during the next decade.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Hard-to-reach young mothers: study of the implementation of a pre and postnatal intervention for a clientele at risk].

This paper describes the implementation of a project to prevent the negative biopsychosocial outcomes of teenage pregnancy. The purposes of this project were 1) to reach, as early as possible, young women under 20 years, either pregnant or already young mothers, living in the downtown area of Quebec city on the fringe of society, and perceived to be at risk, and 2) to develop their capacities to take care of themselves and their children, by helping them to recognize their needs, to use adequately the available resources, and to break out of their isolation. A team from Le Centre jeunesse de Québec worked with 25 young pregnant women and 3 young mothers, over a period of 21 months. This team provided the women and their children with a continued and individualized follow-up, which allowed them to develop their autonomy.

Adolescent↗