Abstract:The present report is a short introduction of the special issue entitled "Spatial Analysis and Mathematics in HealthResearch, during Times of Global Socio-Economic Instability". It aims to discuss several issues regarding the methodologies and analytics in health research as well as to raise questions and give "food for thought" about the way researchers manage health data. Finally, it outlines the use of mathematics and spatio-temporal analysis in research in epidemiology, Public health, Primary health care and health care practice.
Background: There is an open discussion on how the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) or mathematical models could offer a new perspective on health research and positive health outcomes. The present study is a literature review that aims to explore and identify several GIS and IT applications (spatial or mathematical oriented) in health research, clinical practice, public health and police making. Methods: The review was conducted in two different literature database (PubMed, The Cochrane Library and in grey literature via internet (Google). Results: Several applications were identified and selected examples are presented in this article. Their positive (current or expected) impact on health outcomes, health research and public health strategies is discussed. Conclusions: Such applications could empower positive health outcomes and promote healthy ageing, quality of life and wellbeing, develop networks of active citizens and multi-sector professionals.
Background: The effectiveness of the Greek Health policies is highly doubted, especially in times of economic crisis. We selected a disease associated with one of the highest causes of mortality in Greece to explore this phenomenon. Methods: The number of deaths due to malignant neoplasms of larynx, trachea, bronchus and lung in 2001 and 2006 was used. Mortality rates were analyzed in relation to socioeconomic factors, through Cluster Analysis k-means. Finally, prediction of their variance across the different area of Greece in 2001 and 2006 was fulfilled by the interpolation method of ordinary kriging. Results: Prefectures of the same administrative region are characterised by different behavior while they may match with Prefectures of other administrative regions. In the prediction map, mortality rates range from 0.53 to 1.31, in 2001 and from 0.66 to 1.27, in 2006. There is an increase of mortality from one year to another, especially in some Prefectures that move from low clusters in 2001 to very high ones in 2006. Conclusions: This study outlines the regional and spatial inequalities in health, which could be scientifically revealed through the study of health data and their trends. We suggest the promotion of health maps for communication among public health researchers and decision makers.
Introduction: Estimation of the prevalence of vision impairment in a population can be performed using epidemiological research. The purpose of this study was to measure, using spatial statistics, the prevalence of ophthalmologic disease identified at visits of the Mobile Ophthalmologic Unit (MOU) of the Vardinogiannion Eye Institute of Crete (VEIC) to villages in Crete. The study also aimed to estimate increased 'risk' of ophthalmological disease according to demographic and location factors and, thus, use the present findings as a basis for planning future services. Methods: Estimation of risks for cataract, glaucoma, and refractive errors were assessed by multiple logistic regression models in order to measure the effect of demographic (age, sex) and location (province, distance from nearest ophthalmologist) parameters. Spatial analysis was applied in order to produce a density and probability density map of ophthalmologic disorders using kriging interpolation methods. Results: Newly diagnosed cataracts and refractive errors were found more frequently in locations greater than 70 km from the nearest ophthalmologist (respectively, OR = 6.
Abstract:Background: Tobacco use is one of the major causes of premature death worldwide. The purpose of the present study is to examine which of the known evidence-based control measures actually work, and indentify their preventive or risky effects, in order to determine the various risk areas for any daily tobacco use in Europe. This is a cross-sectional geoepidemiological study using secondary database data from the World Health Organization. Methods: Data from 2009 were used for all European countries. Daily smoking of any tobacco product (DSTP) and 12 other factors referring to tobacco control, comprise the main under study parameters. The final sample consisted of subjects from 45 European countries. First, the data management was fulfilled. Then, spatial statistics were performed in Arcmap 10 (GIS). Moran's I and OLS spatial regression model were applied for the detection of spatial correlations and the high risk areas. Results: High spatial heterogeneity was demonstrated through the DSTP distribution. Greece and Austria have the highest rates (38-49%), Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Russia follow with 30-37%. Three out of the twelve factors examined were found to be random. The rest of them were used in the regression model, highlighting the high risk areas. Greece presented the highest risk (Exp B= 2.9; 95% CI= 2.183-3.326), Bulgaria, Turkey, Serbia and other countries followed (Exp B= 2.7; 95% CI= 1.937-3.013), whereas Finland, Norway and UK proved to be of no present risk (Exp B= 0.76; 95% CI= 0.258-0.936). Conclusions: Geo-epidemiology of tobacco usage monitors the phenomenon's dynamics, effectively. It offers an insight in applying measures, co-examining for the first time, the effects of twelve measures of tobacco control as possible preventive or risk factors.
is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal that encompasses all aspects of tobacco use, prevention and cessation that can promote a tobacco free society. The aim of the journal is to foster, promote and disseminate research involving tobacco use, prevention, policy implementation at a regional, national or international level, disease development-progression related to tobacco use, tobacco use impact from the cellular to the international level and finally the treatment of tobacco attributable disease through smoking cessation. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation is anopen access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution using a CC-BY-NC license. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author, as long as the manuscript is properly referenced. Disclaimer: This journal has been partially funded by the 3rd Health Programme of the European Union. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the European Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the information contained herein. The views in this journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the European Commission. This abstract book has been produced electronically and all articles are also available on-line as a special supplement at www.tobaccopreventioncessation. Via several public debates, calls for accountability and transparency of politicians and media, exposing consultants of parties and other, the group managed to push one of the most comprehensive tobaccocontrol bills in the world through the Parliament -including plain packaging, obligatory license to sell, complete TAPS ban, mystery shopping by minors etc., while affecting other acts and the national budget assuring more support for quality prevention. Health Promotion Foundation, Nadarzyn, Poland In the early 1990s the premature mortality of young and middleaged adults in many countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) reached some of the highest levels in the world. It was not only twice higher than in the countries of Western Europe, but also above the rates of many developing countries, including China and India. The main cause underlying this health catastrophe in CEE were tobaccocaused diseases. In November 1990, almost precisely a year after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, a summit of tobacco control leaders took place in the town of Kazimierz in Poland. The aim of the meeting was to devise a strategy and plan of action that would allow to counteract the tobacco epidemic ravaging the post-communist states. Full Editorial Board Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Supported by 11The Kazimierz conference gathered leading tobacco control experts from across Europe and North America. Almost thirty years on from the Kazimierz Declaration, most of its health goals have been fully accomplished...
is an open access, peer-reviewed online journal that encompasses all aspects of tobacco use, prevention and cessation that can promote a tobacco free society. The aim of the journal is to foster, promote and disseminate research involving tobacco use, prevention, policy implementation at a regional, national or international level, disease development-progression related to tobacco use, tobacco use impact from the cellular to the international level and finally the treatment of tobacco attributable disease through smoking cessation. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation is anopen access journal which means that all content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution using a CC-BY-NC license. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author, as long as the manuscript is properly referenced. Disclaimer: This journal has been partially funded by the 3rd Health Programme of the European Union. Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on behalf of the European Commission is responsible for the use which might be made of the information contained herein. The views in this journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the European Commission. This abstract book has been produced electronically and all articles are also available on-line as a special supplement at www.tobaccopreventioncessation. Via several public debates, calls for accountability and transparency of politicians and media, exposing consultants of parties and other, the group managed to push one of the most comprehensive tobaccocontrol bills in the world through the Parliament -including plain packaging, obligatory license to sell, complete TAPS ban, mystery shopping by minors etc., while affecting other acts and the national budget assuring more support for quality prevention. Health Promotion Foundation, Nadarzyn, Poland In the early 1990s the premature mortality of young and middleaged adults in many countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) reached some of the highest levels in the world. It was not only twice higher than in the countries of Western Europe, but also above the rates of many developing countries, including China and India. The main cause underlying this health catastrophe in CEE were tobaccocaused diseases. In November 1990, almost precisely a year after the collapse of the Berlin Wall, a summit of tobacco control leaders took place in the town of Kazimierz in Poland. The aim of the meeting was to devise a strategy and plan of action that would allow to counteract the tobacco epidemic ravaging the post-communist states. Full Editorial Board Tobacco Prevention & Cessation Supported by 11The Kazimierz conference gathered leading tobacco control experts from across Europe and North America. Almost thirty years on from the Kazimierz Declaration, most of its health goals have been fully accomplished...
Η εργασία αυτή στοχεύει στη μελέτη των δεικτών θνησιμότητας στους νομούς της Ελλάδας, ανά φύλο για τα έτη 2001 και 2006. Ο αριθμός των θανάτων δόθηκε από την Ελληνική Στατιστική Υπηρεσία.Στη συνέχεια δημιουργήθηκαν οι προτυποποιημένοι δείκτες θνησιμότητας με τη μέθοδο της άμεσης προτύποσης ανά νομό, φύλο και αιτία θνησιμότητας. Η κωδικοποίηση των αιτιών θνησιμότητας έγινε με το ICD-10 και συνέχεια έγιναν μεγαλύτερες ομαδοποιήσεις σύμφωνα με την Ευρωπαϊκή Στατιστική Υπηρεσία (Eurostat), σύνολο 65 αιτίες θνησιμότητας. Η ανάλυση των παραπάνω δεικτών υλοποιήθηκε στα προγράμματα SPSS, STATISTICA, MATLAB και GIS.Εφαρμόστηκαν μαθηματικές και χωρικές μέθοδοι. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, οι μαθηματικές μέθοδοι ανάλυσης μας απάντησαν σε ερωτήματα που είχαν σχέση με τη ποιοτική συμπεριφορά των δεδομένων στο χώρο (ορίστηκε μαθηματικό μέγεθος και δημιουργήθηκε κατάλληλος αλγόριθμος) όπως: αν τα δεδομένα είναι στοχαστικά, ντετερμινιστικά ή έχουν ντετερμινιστική χαοτική συνιστώσα. Οι χωρικές μέθοδοι ανάλυσης στόχευαν στη μοντελοποίηση, πρόβλεψη αλλά και απεικόνιση όλων αυτών των μοτίβων-προτύπων που φάνηκαν με τις μαθηματικές μετρικές και έτσι δημιουργήθηκαν 305 χάρτες για κάθε μία αιτία θνησιμότητας ανά νομό και φύλο για τα δύο έτη.Ένα από τα κυριότερα ευρήματα ήταν το γεγονός ότι το φαινόμενο της θνησιμότητας στην Ελλάδα, εμπεριέχει ντετερμινιστική χαοτική συνιστώσα, με διάσταση δύο προς τρία, ώστε να κρίνεται απαραίτητο για τη μελέτη του η χρήση μαθηματικών μεθόδων. Τα πρότυπα τα οποία αναγνωρίσθηκαν μέσω των clusters και απεικονίσθηκαν στους 305 χάρτες αποδείχθηκε ότι δεν ακολουθούν την γεωγραφική γειτνίαση. Υπάρχουν νομοί που ανήκουν στην ίδια ομάδα cluster ενώ γεωγραφικά ανήκουν σε άλλη περιοχή π.χ οι νομοί της Κρήτης. Ανάλογες διαφοροποιήσεις εμφανίζονται και στις κατανομές ανά φύλο αλλά και έτος. Οι κυριότερες αιτίες θνησιμότητας στη Ελλάδα ήταν: Το ισχαιμικό, ο καρκίνος λάρυγγα-τραχείας-βρόγχων-πνεύμονα, τα αγγειακά, στα οποία έχομε ανά νομό-φύλο και ομαδοποιήσεις διαφορές. Με τη χρήση μαθηματικών και χωρικών μεθόδων ανάλυσης που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την συσχέτιση των κοινωνικοοικονομικών παραγόντων με τους δείκτες θνησιμότητας, παρουσιάζει ενδιαφέρον γιατί γίνεται φανερό ότι η δημιουργία επεξηγηματικού πλαισίου για τον δείκτη θνησιμότητας και τις κοινωνικοοικονομικές μεταβλητές δεν είναι τόσο εύκολη όσο θα θεωρούσε κάποιος αρχικά. Δε φαίνεται να συνδέονται με τις κοινωνικοοικονομικές μεταβλητές με τρόπο ισχυρό, πέραν ίσως συγκεκριμένων ασθενειών με τον τόπο κατοικίας, όπως είναι η περίπτωση του ορεινού πληθυσμού με όλες τις ασθένειες, με τις οποίες βέβαια έχει αρνητική συσχέτιση, καθώς επίσης και το επίπεδο μόρφωσης με αυτές, που μάλλον φαίνεται να παρουσιάζει ιδιαιτέρως θετική συσχέτιση.Από τα παραπάνω γίνεται αντιληπτή η αναγκαιότητα στη χρήση τέτοιων μεθόδων ώστε οι διαφοροποιήσεις αλλά και τα ιδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά του υπό μελέτη φαινομένου να εντοπίζονται και να καταγράφονται. Με αυτό το τρόπο δόθηκε η δυνατότητα να βρεθούν τόσο τα ποιοτικά όσο και τα ποσοτικά τους χαρακτηριστικά και να προκύψουν αποτελέσματα που μας οδηγούν σε νέες λογικές και τεχνικές στο χώρο της υγείας. τέλος, οι παραπάνω μέθοδοι ανάλυσης χρησιμοποιούνται για πρώτη φορά στο χώρο της υγείας (τουλάχιστον στην Ιατρική Κρήτης) και απαντούν ή προτείνουν τρόπους που συμβάλουν σε μεγάλο βαθμό στην απάντηση ερωτημάτων (όπως αναφέρονται από τον Παγκόσμιο Οργανισμό Υγείας και την τελευταία συνάντηση για το χώρο της υγείας, στο Ρίο τον Οκτώβριο του 2011), με στόχο τις καλύτερες και πιο αποτελεσματικές πολιτικές υγείας.
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