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Quality of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug prescribing in Croatia (Rijeka) and Sweden (Stockholm).

OBJECTIVE: We compared the utilisation pattern and cost of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in Rijeka, Croatia and in Stockholm, Sweden using a newly introduced method for assessing the quality of drug use, i.e. to determine the number of drugs that account for 90% of the use and the adherence to evidence-based recommendations within this segment (the DU90% methodology). METHODS: We analysed prescription NSAIDs dispensed during the first 6 months of 2000 in Rijeka and in Stockholm and recorded number of prescriptions, number of defined daily doses (DDDs), number of DDDs/1000 inhabitants per day and percentages and determined the DU90% segment by substance and brand name. Within the DU90% segment we determined the proportion of NSAIDs associated with high (ketoprofen, piroxicam) and low (ibuprofen, diclofenac) risk for gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity according to a meta-analysis of controlled epidemiological studies. We also compared the cost for NSAIDs in both regions as well as the cost for each NSAID expressed in Euros. RESULTS: In Stockholm the utilisation of NSAIDs was twofold greater than in Rijeka (28.6 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day vs 14.2 DDDs/1000 inhabitants/day). Within the DU90% segment we found four NSAIDs (of nine) in Rijeka and 16 (of 37) in Stockholm. In both regions diclofenac was the most commonly prescribed substance (55% in Rijeka and 25% in Stockholm). Diclofenac was also the cheapest drug in Rijeka. In Stockholm, the most commonly prescribed single brand drug was rofecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor with a price far above the old NSAIDs. A significant proportion of "high GI risk" NSAIDs was found within the DU90% segment both in Rijeka (piroxicam, 23%) and in Stockholm (ketoprofen, 14%). Although the gross national product was five times higher in Sweden than in Croatia during 2000, on average, NSAIDs were three times more expensive in Sweden than in Croatia (0.52 Euros/DDD vs 0.18 Euros/DDD). Ibuprofen (DDD 1200 mg), the safest drug regarding GI toxicity, was not the most prescribed in either region. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that evidence-based medicine was not the leading impact factor in prescribing NSAIDs during 2000. A proportionally higher use of ibuprofen (at a daily dose of 1200 mg) and a reduced use of either piroxicam or ketoprofen would improve the NSAID GI safety profile in both countries. As previously shown for Sweden and some other countries, the DU90% methodology was found to be a useful method for assessing the general quality of NSAID prescribing in Croatia.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Attitudes to reporting adverse drug reactions in northern Sweden.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to investigate attitudes of general practitioners (GPs) and hospital physicians in Sweden towards spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). METHOD: Two areas in the northern region of Sweden were selected for the study. A knowledge and attitude questionnaire followed by a reminder letter 2 weeks later was addressed to all GPs and hospital physicians in the study areas. RESULT: The total response rate from the study areas was 748 of the 1274 questionnaires sent out (58.7%). Of those who responded, 236 were GPs, 433 were hospital physicians and 79 had other positions. Of the responders, 252 stated that they had never reported any ADR and 488 that they had reported at least once in their career. Issues that came out as important in the decision to report or not to report were whether the reaction was considered well-known or not, the severity of the reaction, hesitance to report only on suspicion, lack of knowledge of existing rules, giving priority to other matters and lack of time to report ADRs. Only minor differences in these regards were observed between male and female physicians. CONCLUSION: Our investigation shows that the physicians in northern Sweden have a fairly good knowledge about the existing rules for reporting ADRs in Sweden. However, the attitudes leave room for considerable under-reporting due to matters related mainly to the medical impact of the reaction and of reporting it, but also to the scientific "paradox" of reporting only on suspicion and of course due to lack of time in the health care setting.

Adult↗

Childhood tuberculosis in Sweden. An epidemiological study made six years after the cessation of general BCG vaccination of the newborn.

General BCG vaccination of the newborn was started in Sweden in the 1940s and was stopped on April 1, 1975. The effect of this change in policy has been analysed in a study of children born in Sweden in 1969 or later and whose names were entered in the Central Tuberculosis Register from 1969 to 1980. A comparison was made between two groups of children: 1. children born in Sweden between April 1, 1969 and December 31, 1974 and who contracted tuberculosis during that period; all the children in this group were BCG-vaccinated; 2. children born between April 1, 1975 and December 31, 1980 and who contracted tuberculosis during that period. Only one child in this group had been vaccinated. In the first group of vaccinated children 4 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, one case of meningitis and one case of lymphadenitis were recorded. Among the unvaccinated children in the second group, 20 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis, one fatal case of miliary tuberculosis and two cases of meningitis were recorded. In addition 13 cases of mycobacterial lymph node disease and one case of skin granuloma were found, but these were considered likely to be caused by non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection. The incidence of pulmonary, miliary and meningeal tuberculosis was 8 times higher among children born to foreign parents (6.4 per 100 000 person-years) than among unvaccinated Swedish children (0.8 per 100 000). Despite the increase in incidence of tuberculosis which occurred after the cessation of vaccination of the newborn, the continued low incidence of tuberculosis in Swedish children up to and including 1980 does not justify the reintroduction of general BCG vaccination of the newborn in Sweden.

Adolescent↗

Price and health policy in Sweden--a critical review.

Price policies for alcoholic beverages have been used as a means of implementing health policy in Sweden since the mid 1950s. The importance of using price policy for other commodities like tobacco and food has occasionally been suggested, but so far never implemented. Actually, during the last two decades, the prices of tobacco and certain foods in Sweden have supported unhealthy behaviour. Consumer prices have increased more than average for healthy products like fish, and less than average for tobacco. This article critically reviews the development of price policy as a means of implementing health policy in Sweden. What has happened? What has not happened? Why? What are the potential effects of price policy? What about future prospects and possible consequences of Swedish integration into European Economic Community? For example, a harmonisation of taxes would entail a significant fall of Swedish alcohol prices of about 50%. This would probably lead to a 25% increase in alcohol consumption accompanied by an increased prevalence of alcohol-related problems in Sweden.

Alcoholic Beverages↗

Health care expenditure in Sweden--an international comparison.

This paper analyses health care expenditure in Sweden and compares this with the corresponding expenditure in OECD countries. The definition and measurement problems of health care expenditure are discussed, new figures for the development of health care expenditure are presented and different measures of health care expenditure are provided. We found that health care expenditure has increased by about 20% in constant prices for Sweden between 1980 and 1988, but that health care expenditure as a share of the GDP has dropped during the same period in current prices. Health care expenditure disaggregated on different age groups show for Sweden that in the age group 15-64 years, health care expenditure has not increased in constant prices between 1976 and 1985, but in the oldest age group, health care expenditure has increased considerable during this period. Health care expenditure in Sweden is as high as would be expected, taking into account the degree of economic development and the growth of expenditure during the 80s, and has followed that in comparable OECD countries. However, the relative price is lower, which means that the input of real resources are greater than in other countries.

Australia↗

Corporatism and health care: a comparison of Sweden and Mexico.

Up to now, the Swedish health care system has been used as a model for comparisons with other developed nations, chiefly in Northern Europe and the United States. This article departs from the mainstream and poses that similarities along the political factor of corporatism warrant a comparative analysis between the Swedish and Mexican cases. The most widely accepted definitions and typologies of corporatism are reviewed. The arena of manpower policy is used to illustrate the effects of alternative modes of interest representation on health care organization. The final aim of this comparative exercise is to enrich the empirical basis required to build a theory about the complex determinants of health care systems. State corporatism has acted in Mexico largely unchecked by geographical interest representation, in contrast with Sweden where centralist and decentralist forces are more balanced. This finding helps to understand why Sweden and Mexico mark extreme points along the health equity continuum. The comparison underscores the need for Sweden to avoid the risk of weakening the equity basis of its health care system as it moves along its current reform. The importance of these transformations go beyond Sweden, since they will undoubtedly offer new models of thinking and acting for the rest of the world.

Cross-Cultural Comparison↗

Health care technology in Sweden.

Health care in Sweden is a public sector responsibility and equity in access to care is quite important. The Swedish system is organized into several levels, with the Federation of County Councils at the top, and with regional, county, and local levels. In theory, the four hospital tiers developed by these different levels provide a clear hierarchy for acquisition of sophisticated new technologies. In practice, certain problems have emerged, especially rigidity of the system. Reforms are underway. Sweden was one of the first countries to become involved in the assessment of health care technology. From the beginning, technologies were assessed to determine if they were 'consistent with proven scientific knowledge and good experience'. Sweden has a national program in health care technology assessment (TA), and TA is increasingly visible to policy makers and physicians. Health care TA has been effectively institutionalized in Sweden and has a bright future. The greatest problem in the Swedish context is the large number of unassessed technologies. Because of this, international cooperation is essential.

Delivery of Health Care↗

The need for replantation surgery after traumatic amputations of the upper extremity--an estimate based upon the epidemiology of Sweden.

Reports in the literature give different views of the frequency of serious amputation injuries of the upper extremity. In Sweden the vast majority of work injuries are registered by the Swedish Labour Market Insurance. All registered serious amputation injuries of the upper extremity in Sweden (8 million inhabitants) during 1979 were investigated in this study. For comparison the frequency of all amputation injuries (work and leisure) of the upper extremity in a county of Sweden (0.4 million inhabitants) during five years (1976-1980) were studied. The overall (work and leisure) incidence in Sweden is fourteen serious amputation injuries of the upper extremity per million inhabitants annually, i.e. a total number in the country of 110 cases per year. The frequency is lower in the areas of the largest cities and substantially higher in regions with sawmills, mechanical industry and/or agriculture. Thus, estimation of the total incidence based upon single counties or smaller regions may be misleading. Replantation would have been technically possible in more than 70% of the cases, but attempts at replantation were only carried out in less than 10% of the serious cases. This study emphasizes the importance of a referral of all patients with a suitable injury of the upper extremity to microsurgically trained handsurgeons.

Accidents, Occupational↗

Adolescents' attitudes to abortion in samples from Italy and Sweden.

Both Italy and Sweden have legislated abortion without grounds since the 1970s but background conditions in the two countries are bipolar. The overall purpose of the present study was to investigate a sample of adolescents from Italy and Sweden regarding their attitudes towards abortion and their knowledge of family planning and to compare the results from the two countries. A questionnaire was distributed among 400 adolescents, 177 from Stockholm, Sweden and 223 from Rome and Locri, Italy. Whereas Sweden is a relatively homogeneous country. Italy has large regional differences regarding social and other aspects. For this reason two regions of Italy were studied separately. The participants were all secondary school students. The results indicated that nearly all adolescents in both countries were concerned about abortion and its consequences, although their concern was expressed differently, in accordance with their religious and cultural norms and also with their background in sexual education. The present study raises questions concerning the knowledge level as an outcome of sex education programs. In fact comparing the answers between the Italian and the Swedish samples no particular difference, in favour of the Swedish adolescents was noticed.

Abortion, Induced↗

Pancreatic cancer in sweden 1980-2000: a population-based study of hospitalized patients concerning time trends in curative surgery and other interventional therapies.

Progress has been made during the last few decades in the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer. In this population-based study, the time trends in curative surgery and the choice of palliative invasive therapies in Sweden over two decades are analyzed. Patients treated for pancreatic carcinoma in Sweden during 1980-2000 were identified in the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register and the Cancer Register. These data were matched with those in the Register of Causes of Death in Sweden. Data were identified and analyzed for 16,758 patients for three periods: 1980-1986 (n = 5775), 1987-1993 (n = 6096), and 1994-2000 (n = 4887). The rate of pancreatic resection increased 7.2%, 10.9%, and 15.1% (P < 0.0001) during the three respective periods. Palliative interventions decreased from 46.8% in the first period to 41.7% in the last period. On comparing the first and the last periods, biliary bypass operations were found to decrease (from 45.9% to 18.1%), as well as gastric bypass procedures (from 33.8% to 22.8%; P < 0.0001). Interventions by percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) remained constant (10%-11%). Endoscopic therapy increased from 10.8% to 49.0%, as did the number of procedures per patient, from 1.3 to 1.7 (P < 0.0001) in the first and last periods, respectively. In 1980, the mean hospital stay was 40 days after resection and 30 days after palliative intervention. In 2000, the corresponding numbers were 26 days and 18 days (P < 0.001), respectively. During the past two decades, the rate of pancreatic resections in Sweden increased significantly. There was also a dramatic drop in palliative open surgery and a simultaneous increase in endoscopic interventions. Hospital stays decreased by more than a third.

Adult↗

The experience of Middle Eastern men living in Sweden of maternal and child health care and fatherhood: focus-group discussions and content analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe how men from the Middle East experience Swedish maternity and child health care. An integral part of the aim of this study has also been to describe the experiences of men from the Middle East when becoming and being a father in Sweden. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: an exploratory, qualitative study using focus-group discussions and individual interviews, with a semi-structured interview guide and content analysis. A total of 16 men participated. Ten Arabic-speaking men from the Middle East living in Sweden participated in three focus-group discussions. Six men from the Middle East living in Sweden, and speaking Swedish, participated in individual interviews. FINDINGS: three main categories were developed: meeting empathic professionals; finding new positions within the family; and experiencing social demands. KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: seeing their partners being met individually and with empathy by midwives and child health-care nurses encouraged men to become involved in areas not previously open to them (i.e. pregnancy, childbirth and the care of babies and young children). As the women often lacked knowledge of Swedish, they depended on the help of their partners when meeting maternity and child health-care professionals. The men found the experience of living in an alien country difficult. They were often unemployed, felt they were a burden to their wives after emigrating to Sweden, and that they were no longer a suitable role model for their children.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Decrease in the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation as the initially observed arrhythmia after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during 11 years in Sweden.

AIM: To describe the change in the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation as initially observed arrhythmia among patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden. PATIENTS: All patients included in the Swedish cardiac arrest registry between 1991 until 2001. The registry covers 85% of the population in Sweden. METHODS: All patients with bystander witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry between 1991 and 2001 from the same ambulance organisation each year were included in the survey. RESULTS: Over 11 years, among patients in Sweden with a bystander witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was attempted (n = 9666), the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation as the initially obseved arrhythmia decreased from 45% in 1991 to 28% in 2001 (P < 0.0001) if the arrest occurred at home, and from 57% to 41% if the arrest occurred outside home (P < 0.0001). This was found despite the fact that the proportion who received bystander CPR increased from 29% in 1991 to 39% in 2001 if the arrest occurred at home (P < 0.0001) and from 54% to 60% if the arrest occurred outside home (NS). There was a significant increase in age among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at home, no change in the estimated interval between collapse and call but an increase in the interval between call and arrival of the ambulance among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outside home. CONCLUSION: During 11 years in Sweden, there was a marked decrease in the proportion of patients found in ventricular fibrillation among patients with a bystander witnessed cardiac arrest regardless whether the arrest occurred at home or outside home. A modest increase in age and interval between call for, and arrival of, the ambulance was associated with these findings.

Age Factors↗

A nationwide survey of CPR training in Sweden: foreign born and unemployed are not reached by training programmes.

AIM: To determine the number of CPR trained adults in Sweden, and the willingness of the non-trained population to attend a CPR course. An additional purpose was to investigate differences related to sex, age, residential area, socio-economic classification and country of origin. METHODS: Five thousand adults in Sweden were surveyed, which yielded 3167 valid responses, a response rate of 63%. The sample was selected at random and stratified to correlate to the geographic distribution of the population. RESULTS: The mean (S.D.) age was 46 (16) years, 54% of the respondents were females and 11% were people of foreign origin. Forty-five percent had participated in some form of CPR training. Younger respondents, those living in rural areas, those born in Sweden, employees, students and military conscripts were trained more frequently in CPR. Of the respondents with no CPR training, 50% expressed a willingness to attend a course. The most common reason for not being trained in CPR was that the respondent did not know such courses existed or that they did not know where to go for training. CONCLUSION: Somewhere between 30 and 45% of the adult population of Sweden had participated in CPR training. Half of the non-trained population was willing to learn CPR but frequently did not know that such courses existed or where they were held. Elderly people, people of foreign origin, or those not included in the workforce were less likely to have participated in CPR training.

Adolescent↗

Ethnic differences in social participation and social capital in Malmö, Sweden: a population-based study.

The aim of this study was to investigate ethnic differences in different aspects of social participation in Malmö, Sweden. The public health survey in Malmö 1994 is a cross-sectional study. A total of 5600 randomly chosen individuals aged 20-80 years were asked to complete a postal questionnaire. The participation rate was 71%. The population was divided into categories born in Sweden, Denmark/Norway, other Western countries, former Yugoslavia, Poland, Arabic speaking countries and all other countries. The age-adjusted and multivariate analyses were performed using a logistic regression model in order to investigate the importance of possible confounders (age, education, economic stress and unemployment) on the differences by country of origin in different aspects of social participation. Men and women born in Arabic speaking countries and other countries (Iran, Turkey, Vietnam, Chile and subsaharan Africa) participate to a significantly lower extent in a variety of civic and social activities when compared to the reference population born in Sweden. The differences in participation in these groups compared to the group born in Sweden are observed both for social participation items at the core of the definition of social capital and cultural and other activities unrelated to social capital. This pattern is particularly pronounced for women born in Arabic speaking countries. These women even sharply differ from the participation rates of men born in Arabic speaking countries. The ethnic differences in most cases do not seem to be explained satisfactorily by education, economic stress or possibly unemployment.

Adult↗

Long-term effects of legislation and local promotion of child restraint use in motor vehicles in Sweden.

The main objective is to study long-term effects of legislation and promotion of child-restraint use in motor vehicles. Subgoals are to describe the level of restraint use in cars and changes in mortality and morbidity patterns in regard to differences among age groups and geographical areas (morbidity). The study areas were; 'The First Four', 'The Six Counties', 'The Rest of Sweden', and 'Sweden as a whole', and the population were two age groups--0-6 and 7-14 years. The incidence of restraint use comes from observations of car-seat-belt usage. Outcome evaluation was based on hospital-discharge data 1978-1996 and mortality statistics 1970-1996. The level of restraint use for children in the front seat was 97% in 1988 and was equal to 1995. Mortality data shows a decrease of 2.8% on an average per year, 76% over the study period. A significant change over time in the two intervention areas was shown (annual changes of -2.8 and -1.8%), but not in the rest of Sweden. The local authorities that started early with preventive programs, such as safety seat loan schemes and those having an organised safety-promotion program showed a much better improvement than the rest of Sweden. There is a need for appropriate information for local action on childhood injury prevention to accompany national legislation.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Pneumococcal disease in Sweden: experiences and current situation.

During the last decade, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease in Sweden has risen, seemingly due chiefly to an increasing incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia among the elderly. On the other hand, mortality due to invasive disease in Sweden is low, approximately 10% for bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia. Beta-lactam resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is still a relatively minor problem in Sweden, with only 3%-4% of strains demonstrating decreased susceptibility to penicillin. However, local outbreaks of pneumococcal disease with up to 10% resistance have occurred among children, especially in southern Sweden.

Adolescent↗

The status of infant mortality in Sweden and the United States.

A study was made of live birth rates, infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death rates, late fetal death ratios, and perinatal death ratios for Sweden and the United States for selected years, 1950-1973. Sweden has lower live birth rates, infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death rates, as well as lower perinatal death ratios. Data available on low-birth-weight live births for selected years, 1959-1970, for both countries indicated that rates in the United States were almost twice those in Sweden. Implications of these findings for the United States are discussed in light of the quantity, quality, and delivery of health care services, as well as of other factors in Sweden.

Abortion, Legal↗

Changing public attitudes towards corporal punishment: the effects of statutory reform in Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: One justification for a statutory ban on physical punishment is that passage of such legislation changes public attitudes towards the use of this form of parental discipline. The experience in Sweden is often cited as an example of legislation which changed public opinion. The aim of this brief article is to review the public opinion findings in Sweden in order to evaluate in greater detail the impact of changing the law. METHOD: A search was conducted to generate all published and publicly-available quantitative surveys of the public in Sweden and elsewhere. RESULTS: The results of time-series analysis of the data are clear. The 1979 legal reform in Sweden did not reduce the level of public support for parental use of corporal punishment as a means of disciplining children. Support for physical punishment began declining years before the reform was passed and the decline was in no way accelerated by the law reform. Changes in public opinion may have generated the legal reform, but the reverse is not true. Data from other jurisdictions also support the view that there is no relationship between the status of the law and the nature of public views with regard to corporal punishment. This result is consistent with analyses of the effects of legal reforms in other areas. CONCLUSIONS: The Swedish ban on corporal punishment did not affect public attitudes. Changing public views requires other initiatives.

Child↗