Objective To provide references for the rational allocation of health personnel in rural hospitals through understanding the status of health human resources of rural hospitals in remote and poor areas of Sichuan Province. Methodes This study used cluster sampling method, combined with questionnaire survey and qualitative interviews. A total of 711 health workers of 29 rural hospitals in Pengzhou and Baoxing of Sichuan Province were interviewed. SPSS16.0 was used for descriptive analysis.Results The average age of rural hospitals health personnel in remote and poor areas of Sichuan Province was 30 years old. Post-secondary education accounted for 58.12%, and Bachelor degree or above accounted for 7.2%. The number of medium and senior professional titles account for 8.4 %. The ratio of doctors to nurses was 1:0.55. In the survey of health workers, those doctors with practice (assistant) license accounted for 38.5%, and those without any qualification occupied 27.1 %. Conclusions The professional titles of medical personnel of rural hospitals in remote and poor areas in Sichuan province are generally low. The distribution of professional categories is irrational. The staff in charge of prevention and care are inadequate. There exist a large number of unqualified medical workers. Therefore, the government should increase the investment in rural health and take measures to stabilize the team structure, introduce the talented, and strengthen the training for health personnel of rural hospitals to improve their overall quality.
Objective To investigate the inpatients’ disease constitution and cost in Xintian Central Township Health Center (XtC) in Lintao County of Gansu Province from 2008 to 2010, so as to provide baseline data for further research. Methods The questionnaire and the focus interview were carried out, the case records and the cost information of XtC inpatients in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were collected. The diseases were classified according to ICD-10 based on the first diagnosis and the cost was analyzed. Data including general information of the inpatients, discharge diagnosis, hospitalization expenses, and drug cost etc. were rearranged and analyzed by Excel software. Results a) The total number of inpatients was 1 212, 1 425 and 1 857, respectively, in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The female was more than the male in 2010 (57.68% vs. 42.32%), and their disease spectrum included 19 categories, which accounted for 90% of the disease classes of ICD-10; b) The constituent ratio of the top seven systematic diseases that inpatients suffered from in recent three years accounted for 89.18% to 92.21%, which included the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, urogenital, musculoskeletal and connective tissues disease, pregnancy, labor and puperium disease, and injury and toxicosis. Except for the injury and toxicosis, the female was more than the male in most of the rest main systematic diseases; c) The top 15 single diseases were acute upper respiratory infection, chronic tracheitis or bronchitis, gastritis or chronic gastritis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, pulmonary infection, urinary tract infection, lumbar vertebra disease, fracture, superficial injury, acute appendicitis, normal labor, cervical spondylosis, acute gastroenteritis, and cholecystolithiasis or cholecystitis; d) The main disease burden of inpatients focused on the age groups as above 65, 15 to 24 and 35 to 54 in 2010. Except for the fracture, acute tracheitis or bronchitis, and lumbar vertebra disease, the female was more than the male in most of the rest main single diseases; gastritis or chronic gastritis and lumbar vertebra disease focused on the age group above 35; acute upper respiratory infection covered all ages in 2010 and has ranked as the first during the past three years; e) In recent three years, the aggregate constitutional ratio of the top 15 single diseases accounted for 67.53% to 71.36%, including six to seven chronic diseases, and eight to nine acute diseases focusing on infection and trauma; and f) The inpatients’ average costs of chronic diseases were higher than those of acute diseases in 2010 (RMB 1 311.81 yuan vs. RMB 906.85 yuan), and were also higher than those of either Yong’an Central Township Health Center (RMB 1 150.59 yuan) or Gao Zha Central Township Health Center (RMB 1 002.99 yuan). Conclusion?a) In the recent three years, the main systematic diseases are in digestive, respiratory and circulatory system; the incidence of acute disease which mainly focuses on infection and injury is more than that of the chronic; and the acute upper respiratory infection has ranked as the first during the past three years; b) The inpatients in 2010 are mainly at the age of 15 to 24, 35 to 54, and over 65 years old as well. Except for injury and toxicosis, the female inpatients are more than the male in most of the other diseases; c) The inpatients’ average costs of chronic diseases in 2010 are higher than those of acute diseases, and also higher than those of either YaC or GzC. Consideration on rationality of hospitalization cost should be paid attention to; and d) It is urgent to strengthen the construction of infrastructure and informationization in XtC.
Objective To evaluate and select essential antihypertensive medicine using evidence-based approaches based on the burden of disease for township health centers located in eastern, central and western regions of China. Methods By means of the approaches, criteria, and workflow set up in the second article of this series, we referred to the recommendations of evidence-based or authority guidelines from inside and outside China, collected relevant evidence from domestic clinical studies, and recommended essential medicine based on evidence-based evaluation. Data were analyzed by Review Manager (RevMan) 5.1 and GRADE profiler 3.6 to evaluate quality of evidence. Results (1) Five clinical guidelines on hypertension were included, two of which were evidence-based. (2) Totally there were nine classes and 70 antihypertensive medicines listed in the guidelines. (3) According to WHOEML (2011), NEML (2009), CNF (2010), other guidelines, and the quantity and quality of evidence, we offered a b recommendation for nifedipine, verapamil and enalapril and a weak recommendation for hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, spironolactone, propranolol, metoprolol and amlodipine. We made a recommendation against furosemide and timolol due to the lack of evidence from guidelines. (4) Nine recommended medicines have been marketed with the dosage forms and specifications corresponding to guidelines in China. The prices of metoprolol, amlodipine and enalapril were higher than those of other six (daily cost: metoprolol 3.80 to 7.60 yuan, amlodipine 2.16 to 4.32 yuan, and enalapril 0.86 to 6.88 yuan). As a whole, the prices of recommended antihypertensive medicine were affordable. (5) Results of domestic studies indicated that three bly-recommended medicines (including nifedipine, verapamil and enalapril) were safe, effective, economical and applicable. Conclusion (1) We offer a b recommendation for nifedipine, verapamil and enalapril as antihypertensive medicine and a weak recommendation for hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, spironolactone, propranolol, metoprolol and amlodipine. (2) There is lack of high-quality evidence from relevant domestic studies, especially on long-term safety and pharmacoeconomic evidence. (3) We propose that more studies should be carried out on the safety, efficacy and pharmacoeconomics of six medicines for which we make a weak recommendation to produce high-quality local evidence.
Objective To understand the current situation of medical service and management in Luxi township health center (LxC) in Yongxin county of Jiangxi province, so as to provide baseline data about drug allocation, logistic key techniques research and products development for township health centers. Methods By means of questionnaire and focus interview, the LxC was investigated from the following aspects: general information, human resources, medicine list, basic device configuration, medical service and management, as well as service efficiency. Results a) Yongxin county including 13 village committees covers an area of 86 km2, with the population of 22 300 in 2009, and it pertains to a backward area with the annual per capita income of RMB 4 100 yuan; b) Among the total 28 staffs in LxC, 78.6% were health workers; the general practitioner (GP)/nurse ratio was about 1?0.58; the proportion of GP, nurses, medical technicians, other staffs was 54.55%, 31.82%, 9.09% and 4.54%, respectively; the proportion of bachelor degree, junior college graduation and secondary technical school graduation was 9.1%, 13.6%, and 77.3%, respectively; and the ratio of elementary, middle, and high professional title of health workers was 15?5?1; c) There were 625 species of drugs in LxC in 2009, and the hospital beds approved by government were 0.69 per thousand agricultural persons, which, however, were 1.15 in fact. The rate of 51 basic equipments shown in national regulation was actually 76.5%, and the readiness and utilization rate of existing 40 equipments was 92.5%; and d) In 2009, the outpatients were 12 150 person-time, with the average cost of RMB 29.39 yuan; the hospital discharge was 1 589 person-time, with the average stay of 12 days and the average cost of RMB 490.05 yuan; the vaccine inoculations were 5 053 person-time; among the total income, the medical service income accounted for 73.2%, while the drug income accounted for 53.7%; the personnel expenditure was 31.0% of the total, and the balance of income and expenditure was RMB –263 500 yuan. Conclusion The hardware condition of LxC is not so good owing to the financial difficulties of Yongxin county and Jiangxi provincial government. In comparison with the whole country, although the professional title structure is ok, health workers are still not enough, with unreasonable specialty structure and low educational background. The rate of basic equipments and the approved hospital beds per thousand agricultural persons are low. There are 625 species of drugs, containing 218 species shown in 2009 national essential medicine list. And the other conditions are as follows: no information system, lack of public health service, short of financial input, high ratio of “running hospital by selling drugs”, and low efficiency of medical service. So the top priority of LxC construction should be figuring out all of the above issues, and better serving the people.
Objective To provide evidence for the establishment of an essential medicines list, we investigated the institutional medicine supply in rural hospitals and community health service centers in Chengdu. Methods The trained investigators collected medicine sales records and information about the management of institutional pharmacies. Through in-depth interviews with the pharmaceutical personnel, we inquired into the drug supervision and supply networks in rural areas. Then we performed secondary research based on a comparative analysis of drug classification, administration and pharmacies in developed countries. Results Seven township hospitals/community health service centers had pharmacies, facilities, storage, and a clean environment. Three of them used electrical databases to manage medicine sales records. Five township hospitals and 5 village medical rooms purchased medicines from the drug supervision and supply networks every week. In this way, they ensured the quality and accessibility of drugs in rural areas. In the urban community health service centers, medicines were supplied based on the traditional commercial distribution system. Conclusion Rational allocation of health resources to set up institutional pharmacies and village medicine rooms is important. The supervision of village medical rooms must be stricter. We should expand the use of electrical databases and integrate the supervision and supply networks with the supply system of the essential medicines.
Objective To evaluate and select essential medicine for diabetes mellitus based on the burden of disease. Methods By means of the approaches, criteria, and workflow set up in the second article of this series, we referred to the recommendations of evidence-based or authority guidelines from inside and outside China, collected relevant evidence from domestic clinical studies, and recommended essential medicine based on evidence-based evaluation. Data were analyzed by Review Manager (RevMan) 5.1 and GRADE profiler 3.6 to evaluate quality of evidence. Results (1) Six guidelines were included, three of which were evidence-based and published from 2006 to 2011. (2) Five recommended medicines were included according to recommendations and evidence of WHOEML (2011), NEML (2009), CNF (2010) and other guidelines. They were metformin, glibenclamide, glipizide, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone. Domestic evidence of the first three drugs was evaluated. (3) The first three have been marketed with the specifications and dosage forms corresponding to guidelines in China. The FBG cost-effectiveness ratios of metformin with different dosage forms as immediate release compressed tablet, enteric-coated tablet and sustained release capsule were 3.37, 3.76 and 3.50 respectively. 2-hour BG cost-effectiveness ratios of metformin were 3.74, 4.00 and 3.71 respectively. The cost-effectiveness ratio of glibenclamide and glimepiride were 11.23 and 13.81 respectively. Conclusion We offer a recommendation for: (1) Metformin (immediate release tablet/capsule for oral use, 0.25 g), contraindicated in patients with renal insufficiency. (2) Glibenclamide (tablet, 2.5 mg; capsule, 1.75 mg) and glipizide (tablet, 2.5 or 5mg; dispersible tablet, 5 mg), contraindicated in children, women during pregnancy or lactation, patients in the perioperative period of major operation, patients after total pancreatectomy, and patients allergic or adversely reacted to sulfa drug. (3) Evidence-based and standardized primary healthcare guidelines as well as clinical and pharmacoeconomic studies on diabetes mellitus (large-scale, multi-centre, randomized and double-blinded) are needed to produce high-quality local evidence.
Objective To understand the situation of commonly-used drugs, medical device and their storages in rural households among model well-off township hospitals in eastern, central and western China, and to provide the basis for the guidance of reasonably using and scientifically storing drugs. Methods The methods of combining simple random sampling and cluster sampling were used to investigate and analyze the situation of commonly-used drugs, medical device and their storages in 162 households from three well-off township hospitals in Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Sichuan provinces, respectively. Results The storage rates of commonly-used drugs of rural households in well-off towns were cold medicine (72.2%), wound paste (51.9%), cooling oil (39.5%), essential balm (36.4%), antihypertensive (27.8%), iodine tincture (14.2%), anti-diabetic drugs (13.0%) and other drugs (17.3%). The storage rates of medical devices were thermometer (50.0%), cotton swab (47.5%), sphygmomanometer (9.3%), injector (1.2%) and other devices (22.2%). A total of 66% of respondent families stored drugs and medical devices in a fixed drawer. Only 3.1% families stored drugs and medical devices in the special portable medical kit. Conclusion Rural families have a higher rate of household drugs among model well-off township hospitals in eastern, central and western China, and most drugs are OTC drugs. The storage rates of medical devices are not high. Many rural family-owned medical devices are linked with special chronic diseases in the family. A lot of rural families place drugs and medical devices randomly. There are many security risks, and it may affect the rational utilization of drugs.
Objective To evaluate and select essential medicine for acute and chronic gastritis using evidence-based approaches based on the burden of disease for township health centers located in eastern, central and western regions of China. Methods By means of the approaches, criteria, and workflow set up in the second article of this series, we referred to the recommendations of evidence-based or authority guidelines from inside and outside China, collected relevant evidence from domestic clinical studies, and recommended essential medicine based on evidence-based evaluation. Data were analyzed by Review Manager (RevMan) 5.1 and GRADE profiler 3.6 to evaluate quality of evidence. Results (1) Five guidelines for acute gastritis and seven guidelines for chronic gastritis were included. The recommended included omeprazole, ranitidine and domperidone. (2) A result of three CCTs (n=315, low quality) indicated that omeprazole was superior to famotidine and ranitidine in alleviating symptoms of chronic gastritis such as pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, regurgitation, a burning sensation in the heart, distention and fullness in the upper abdomen (71.2% vs. 47.3%, 94.4% vs. 84.3%, Plt;0.05). A result of one RCT (n=100, low quality) and two CCTs (n=213, low quality) indicated that in HP eradication rates, omeprazole triple therapy and the control intervention had no significant difference (OR=1.09, 95%CI 0.44 to 2.70, Pgt;0.05). A result of one RCT (n=100, low quality) indicated that omeprazole caused no adverse reaction. A result of five CCTs (n=528, low quality) indicated that adverse reaction of omeprazole included poor appetite (two cases), nausea and vomiting (four cases), headache or vertigo (one case) and increased transaminase (one case). Omeprazole cost eight yuan (tablet) or four yuan (capsule) daily. (3) HP eradication rates of ranitidine bismuth citrate was higher than the control group (OR=2.05, 95%CI 1.29 to 3.25, P=0.002). A result of 15 RCTs (n=3 638, high quality) indicated adverse reaction of ranitidine bismuth citrate mainly included symptoms in the digestive system. A result of one RCT (n=100, low quality) indicated ranitidine bismuth citrate and omeprazole triple therapy had no significant difference (Pgt;0.05) and ranitidine bismuth citrate caused no adverse reaction. Ranitidine cost 0.36 yuan (tablet), 0.40 yuan (capsule) or 2.7 to 5.4 yuan (injection) daily. (4) A result of two CCTs (n=133, low quality) indicated that compared with the control intervention, domperidone was more efficient without adverse reaction in improving indigestion, promoting gastric emptying effect, and alleviating pain and distention in the upper abdomen, belching and regurgitation. Domperidone cost 1 to 1.3 yuan daily. (5) All kinds of recommended medicines are listed and legalized in China Pharmacopoeia (2010) and CNF (2010). (6) In clinical setting, above-recommended medicines should be applied strictly according to the CNF (2010) and the National Clinical Prescription Guidelines for Essential Medicine. Conclusion For acute and chronic gastritis, indigestion and HP eradication: (1) We offer a b recommendation for omeprazole (immediate release tablet/capsule for oral use, 10 mg/tablet) which should be cautiously used in children, elderly people, and women during pregnancy or lactation. (2) We offer a b recommendation for ranitidine (immediate release tablet/capsule for oral use, 150 mg/tablet) which should be cautiously used in patients with severe insufficiency in the liver or kidney, women in the pregnancy or lactation, and children under eight years of age.
Objective To investigate the disease constitution of Yaqian Township Health Center (YQT) in Xiaoshan District of Zhejiang Province from 2008 to 2010, so as to provide baseline data for further study. Methods Questionnaire and focus interview were carried out to collect inpatients’ case records from 2008 to 2010. The first diagnoses were classified according to ICD-10, and the data of discharge diagnoses were rearranged and analyzed by using Excel 2003 and SPSS 13.0 software. Results a) The total numbers of inpatients were 182, 195 and 248 from 2008 to 2010, respectively; b) The disease spectrum included 9-14 categories, which accounted for 47.6%-66.7% of ICD-10; c) The top 6 systematic diseases accounted for 37.37%-75.39%, which included the circulatory, injury, digestive, respiratory, neoplasms and urinary and reproductive systematic diseases; d) A total of 8 of the top 15 single diseases were the same, including hypertension, great saphenous vein varices, redundant prepuce, lung cancer, fracture, superficial injuries, acute appendicitis, and inguinal hernia; and e) The constitution ratio of the chronic diseases, compared with the acute ones, was higher in 2008, but lower in 2009 and 2010. Conclusion a) In recent three years, the main systematic diseases seen in YQT have been circulatory, injury, digestive, respiratory, neoplasms, and urinary and reproductive systematic diseases. The newly increased diseases in 2010 were pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. The acute diseases mainly are fracture and injure, while the chronic diseases mostly are hypertension; b) A total of 8 of the top 15 single diseases are the same, indicating the stability of the common inpatients’ diseases; and c) Attention should be paid in future to the chronic diseases management, women’s health and specialized subject construction.
Objective To investigate the spectrum of diseases and the current situation of antibiotic use in rural hospitals and community health service centers in Chengdu, so as to provide evidence for selecting essential medicines and promoting rational use of antibiotics. Method We selected 7 township/community health institutions, from which we collected inpatient and outpatient information. Information about antibiotic use was also collected, including categories, cost, and dosage. A standard questionnaire was used to investigate physicians’ prescription behavior for principal diseases. Result Urban and rural areas had different spectrums of diseases. The major diseases in urban areas included diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and respiratory tract infection; while those in rural areas were infectious diseases of the respiratory system, digestive system, and urinary system. The physicians’ prescription behavior was mainly based on their personal experience. Antibiotics accounted for 30-50% of the total medicine cost. The top four types of antibiotics with the highest cost were cephalosporins, penicillin, quinolones, and macrolides. Conclusion Based on the different spectrums of diseases, essential drug lists and standard treatment guidelines appropriate for rural health care should be developed to improve the rational use of drugs. Factors such as the average cost of daily dose and the course of treatment should be taken into consideration to reduce the overall cost of medicine. An antimicrobial resistance monitoring system and special training courses on rational use of antibiotics should be utilized in the rural health institutions.