[Establishment of the Alumnae Association of the Cadre School for Nursing of the Swiss Red Cross].
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612526 blood donations collected by the Central Laboratory of the Swiss Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service between July 1985 and June 1987 were routinely tested for antibodies to HIV.96 donations (82 men, 14 women were anti-HIV positive (0.157%, 1 of 6369 donations). The prevalence of anti-HIV positive donations was higher in men (0.172%, 1/5814) than in women (0.104%, 1/9615). Donations collected in military units were markedly more frequently seropositive (0.570%, 1/1754 in refresher courses, 0.261%, 1/3831 in recruit training). Excluding military donations, donations from men (0.077%) were less frequently HIV-seropositive than donations from women (0.104%). The prevalence of seropositive donations was 4.4 times higher in new donors than in repeat donors. Regarding age distribution, the peak of seropositive donations was observed, as expected, in the third decade. Donations from French speaking Swiss had a clearly higher HIV prevalence than those of German speaking Swiss. As a result of continuous donor information and selection, the number of anti-HIV positive results decreased during the 4 half years covered by our study. It was lowest at the end of the observation period (0.098% or 1/10200 between January and June 1987). Doubtful positive results were recorded chiefly among women, at a rate increasing with age. The majority of such results are presumably due to antibodies with other specificities and must therefore be considered false positive.
The purpose of this historical study was to investigate the life experiences of Marian Erdman, specifically her use of music in military hospitals. The work of Marian Erdman, as a hospital recreation worker for the American Red Cross from 1945 through 1948, provides personal insights into the role of musicians and music in military hospitals at the close of World War II. Questions addressed by this biographical study include (1) What were the professional experiences of Marian Erdman? (2) What were her views regarding the purpose and function of music in hospitals during the post-war era? (3) Did the Red Cross provide guidelines regarding the purpose and use of music with patients?, and (4) How did the events of the mid-1940s contribute to the formation of music therapy as an organized profession?
The commitment of the French Red Cross Society to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa and Asia is based on day care centers (DCC) set up and operated within public hospitals. These outpatient facilities offer global care including clinical and biologic follow-up for patients undergoing anti-retroviral treatment. In most countries these DCC have become reference centers providing support for national decentralization policies. To reinforce the impact of their activities, centers offer regular educational programs and provide extensive training for medical personnel.
The American Red Cross collects blood from a number of defined subsets of the donor population and teh proportion of blood collected from each subset varies widely from center to center. A large part of the variation in prevalence of HBsAg may be related to variations in the proportion of blood collected from plants and factories, military units and schools or colleges. We have derived a regression equation, significant at the p less than 0.001 level, which links HBsAg prevalence with these collection parameters. Using this equation, we were able to predict the prevelance of HBsAg among first-time donors in 6 of the 9 geographic divisions of the United States with an accuracy exceeding 10%. The predictions for the remaining division were within 35% of the actual value. Correlation studies were supported by measurements of true donor prevalence in three blood centers.
BACKGROUND: The liver transplant program for infants and children at the Red Cross Children's Memorial Hospital is the only established pediatric service in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1985, 250 infants and children have been assessed and 155 accepted for transplantation. METHODS: Since 1987, 76 children (range 6 months to 14 years) have had 79 liver transplants, with biliary atresia being the most frequent diagnosis. The indications for transplantation include biliary atresia (n = 44), metabolic (n = 7), fulminant hepatic failure (n = 10), redo transplants (n = 3), and other (n = 15). Three combined liver/kidney transplants have been performed. Forty-nine were reduced-size transplants with donor: recipient weight ratios ranging from 2:1 to 11:1, and 29 children weighed < 10 kg. RESULTS: Fifty-six (74%) patients survived 3 months to 12 years posttransplant. Cumulative 1- and 5-year patient survival data are 79% and 70%, respectively. However, with the introduction of prophylactic intravenous gancyclovir and the exclusion of hepatitis B virus (HBV) IgG core Ab-positive donors, the projected 5-year pediatric survival has been >80%. Early (<1 month) post-liver-transplant mortality was low, but included: primary malfunction (n = 1); inferior vena cava thrombosis (n = 1); bleeding esophageal ulcer (n = 1); and sepsis (n = 1). Late morbidity and mortality was mainly due to infections: de novo hepatitis B (5 patients, 2 deaths); Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease (12 patients, 7 deaths); and cytomegalovirus disease (10 patients, 5 deaths). Tuberculosis (TB) treatment in three patients was complicated by chronic rejection (n = 1) and TB drug-induced subfulminant liver failure (n = 1). CONCLUSIONS: Despite limited resources, a successful pediatric program has been established with good patient and graft survival figures and excellent quality of life. Shortage of donors due to HBV and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) leads to significant waiting list mortality and infrequent transplantation.
From the multicenter study of the Red Cross Blood Banks in the FRG HIV-antibody prevalences and incidences are documented since July 1985. Constantly low prevalences and incidences since 1987 of less than 2 Western blot (Wb)-positive donors and less than 1 Wb-positive donor per 100,000 donors respectively confirm our estimate of the rest risk of an HIV-infection by blood products of 1:500,000 to 1:3 million donations. In the epidemiologic details there seems to be a trend to an increase of the incidence in male repeat blood donors. The modes of HIV-infection in blood donors have changed to an increasing number of infections acquired in heterosexual contacts to persons at risk.
This study examines the epidemiology and mortality of patients admitted with burns to a Red Cross hospital in Afghanistan between 1996 and 2000. Three hundred and eighty-eight cases were reviewed retrospectively (57% male, 43% female) with a median age of 8 years. Sixty-three percent were children. Scalds (44%) were the commonest injury followed by fire (37%). The median total body surface area burned (TBSA) was 15%. Forty-six percent of the patients required surgical debridement and 11% underwent delayed skin grafting. Overall, median duration of stay was 7 days. The mortality rate was 16% (M:F, 1.1:1) and fire was the commonest cause of fatal burns. The median TBSA of fatal burn was 40%. There were no survivors with burns greater than 45% TBSA. Multiple organ failure and sepsis were the cause for most of the deaths.
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BACKGROUND: Treatment for Burkitt's lymphoma at Red Cross Children's Hospital has evolved from the use of aggressive surgery and less intensive chemotherapy to a conservative surgical approach with more intensive chemotherapy. METHODS: The study was a retrospective folder review of patients diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma at RCCH between 1984 and 2004. RESULTS: Ninety-two children were treated for Burkitt's lymphoma at RCCH between 1984 and 2004. There were 10 patients with group A or fully resected disease, 52 with group B or extensive localised disease, and 30 with dissemination to the bone marrow and/or central nervous system or group C disease. Protocol 1 (less intensive chemotherapy based on the COMP regimen) was used from 1984, with protocol 2 (more intensive chemotherapy based on the LMB regimen) introduced in 1988 for group C disease, 1991 for group B disease and 1996 for group A disease. Overall 5-year survival increased from 20% with protocol 1 to 66% with protocol 2 for group C disease, and from 76.5% with protocol 1 to 88.2% with protocol 2 for group B disease. There were more admissions for neutropenic fever in patients on protocol 2 and more episodes of mucositis, and these patients required more red cell and platelet transfusions. With a more conservative surgical approach, biopsy largely replaced attempts to partially resect the tumour at primary surgery, and there was a consequent decline in surgical complications. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive chemotherapy with protocol 2 has resulted in improved survival for group C and group B patients, but with more morbidity. Protocol 1, which is less intensive with less morbidity, remains a viable strategy for group A and group B disease in resource-poor settings.
The newly overhauled American Red Cross, led by President Elizabeth Dole (left), has launched an ambitious campaign to increase its piece of the more than $2 billion business of supplying blood to hospitals. Its quest for market share has sparked what some call a "blood war" with its main competitors: independent, community-governed blood banks affiliated with America's Blood Centers.
OBJECTIVE: To determine extent of appropriate (medically necessary) and inappropriate bed use and level of care (LOC) needed by patients admitted to hospital. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey. SETTING: Medical wards of Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCCH), a teaching hospital of the University of Cape Town. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS: A 25% sample of beds was selected randomly each day for 12 consecutive days during September-October 1990. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the Pediatric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol and the Delay Tool. A subjective measure of LOC was developed. Questionnaires were completed for 171 admissions and 365 patient days; 98% of admissions and 79.5% of patient days were medically justified, and 49% of admissions needed tertiary care. The remaining 51% could have been treated by general paediatricians (17%) or medical officers (32%) in community hospitals. Of delays (unnecessary patient days) 62% were hospital-related, 20% were family-related and 18% were related to inadequate lower level institutional care and outpatient services. CONCLUSION: RCCH is functioning as a general, specialist and super-specialist hospital. Its future role as a tertiary referral centre will depend on adequate provision of community-based care. Further cost-benefit research is needed to address areas of inappropriate bed use identified in this study.
During the Spring of 1991, the author spent many weeks at the Noah's Ark-Red Cross Foundation, a support service for HIV infected persons, and their families and friends, located in Stockholm, Sweden. The purpose was to study, through interviews, observation and participation, the foundation's interactive model in order to discover what makes it work and share that knowledge with other professionals. The Noah's Ark Model consists of three spheres of activity: service, including reception services and the volunteer programme; information and education, including the Hot Line and the Newsletter; and counselling and support, including the guest house. Staff from each area interact freely with and participate in the activities of other areas. The foundation also utilizes the services of carefully trained volunteers. This use of volunteers makes it unique in Sweden. It is the dedication and flexibility of the staff and volunteers that make this model work. The report of the study follows.
A study of risk factors for hepatitis B carriers among voluntary blood donors of the National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society was carried out in a case-control study design during January 1989 to June 1990. Cases were 876 blood donors whose blood identified HBsAg at time of recruitment and continued positive for more than 6 months. Controls were 1,750 blood donors whose blood was free from HBsAg who came for blood donation at the same period as the cases. The ratio of cases:controls = 1:2. Self-administered questionnaires were constructed and pretested before using both cases and controls. The study revealed that the risk factors for hepatitis B among voluntary blood donors were age of less than 30 years old; low socioeconomic status (family income of less than 8,000 Baht/month); single status, especially males; male occupations of students, monks, nongovernment workers compared with government officials; female occupations of laborers, students, nongovernment workers and government officials compared with housewives. Sharing of nail clippers, used blades and tooth brushes among family members are proved to be risk factors, especially among males. In addition, sharing of used blades in barber shops proved to be a risk among males while sharing of nail clippers in beauty salons, history of ear-piercing at department stores or history of caesarean section among females could not be shown to be risk factors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The hypothesis that neuroendocrine response to military gunshot/missile (MG/M) wounds reflect the severity and type of wounds given by the Red Cross Wound Classification (RCWC), has been tested on 82 casualties of war in former Yugoslavia. Adrenaline (A), noradrenaline (N), Cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3), testosterone (TES) and prolactin (PRL) levels have been measured in blood samples taken on admission (2-18 hr after wounding) at Military Medical Academy. Neuroendocrine response to MG/M wounds has clearly reflected severity but not the type of wounds and it has been bidirectional, i.e. A, NA and cortisol levels positively related to, while T3 and TES levels were negatively related to severity of MG/M wounds. With regard to high compatibility between RCWC and Injury severity score (ISS) and the fact that magnitude of the neuroendocrine response is related to severity given by RCWC we have concluded that the RCWC is a good method of grading wound severity on the battlefield.
Patterns of referral to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital were studied to assess the appropriateness of referrals. From 1 July to 31 December 1987 all 9,288 referral letters presented to the hospital were collected and a sample (4,662 letters) analysed. It emerged that the patients were similar to those attending the outpatient department without referral, except that relatively fewer referred patients were black. The private sector, i.e. general practitioners, was the largest referral agency, followed by day hospitals. Most patients were referred to the outpatient department without an appointment. Of the specialist clinics, the surgical clinics (i.e. ophthalmology and ear, nose and throat) had the highest number of referrals. The majority of patients (84.9%) were not admitted. Only in 30.3% of referred cases did the hospital make contact with referral agents. Referral rates were highest from the predominantly coloured areas of the Cape Peninsula. The hospital cannot isolate itself from the community it serves and needs to support and guide referral agents in order to improve the utilisation of the hospital. Training of health professionals in order to increase expertise is a priority. A study of the total patient population would facilitate the understanding of hospital utilisation. Similar studies could be beneficial at other hospitals.