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Biomedical subjects

B Cassou

Publications and source records attributed to B Cassou.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The effects of system characteristics on policy implementation and functioning of care for the elderly in France.

In the early 1960s, old age in France was replaced by the notion of "troisième âge," a new definition stressing the possibility of pursuing social and leisure activities and greater independence. Old age itself was postponed to a later age, and acquired a purely negative image and one confused with that of incurable illness. As a result, a living-at-home policy was elaborated, and also a program of adapting institutions to the problems of those now defined as being in the "quatrième âge." This dual-faceted medicosocial policy was originally intended to be comprehensive and coordinated. Analysis of the structural characteristics of the care providers and of the agencies responsible for organization and financing of services shows fragmentation at the levels of service delivery and policy development. This prevents the coordination of service provision, gives rise to a mismatch between people and provision, and leads to a lack of coherent regulation and of adequate financing, in particular with regard to domiciliary care and social services. External factors, such as scarcity of funds related to the economic crisis, reinforce system dysfunctions.

Aged↗

Workers' participation and occupational health: the French experience.

In France, workers' participation in occupational health was organized for the first time in 1947, when Hygiene and Safety Committees were created. However, these committees remained ineffective in many firms for more than 20 years. Their role and power were greatly extended in 1976; in 1982, the Auroux Laws gave wage-earners new rights, mainly rights of expression. Here too, the way these laws have been put into operation varies a lot. Generally speaking, a great many regulations and laws exist that should give workers very good protection, but control systems are weak, and wage-earners' information on health is insufficient. Workers' participation is generally set up through trade unions, which are more often nationwide than locally organized. Workers' membership in unions is rather weak. The recent creation and development of quality circles in many firms, controlled by the company, give a false impression of workers' freedom of speech and do not really improve participation. But recent social movements have shown that people increasingly wish to express themselves and to deal with their own employers without any go-between. Nevertheless, participation will become effective only if workers' knowledge is taken into account, if they are trained in analysis and expression, and if their suggestions are seriously considered.

Accidents, Occupational↗

[Locomotor and cardiorespiratory impairments after retirement in relation to certain occupational exposures during working life].

The relationships between locomotor and cardiorespiratory impairments and occupational exposures during working life were examined, using a sample of 627 retired persons in the greater Paris area. Among men, there was a significant statistical association between carrying heavy weights and locomotor impairment. There were also significant associations between exposure to toxic products, tiring postures and vibrations and cardiorespiratory impairment among men. Concerning women, associations between exposure to dust and tiring postures during working life and cardiorespiratory impairment were observed. These results were obtained after adjusting for age, socio-professional status, tobacco use, living alone and after adjusting also for the other occupational exposures. These results are compatible with the hypothesis of long-term effects of occupational exposures on the principal health characteristics of the aged.

Aged↗

[Impairments, disabilities and handicaps in a group of retired people in the Paris metropolitan area in relation to their socio-occupational status].

Interviewers using a questionnaire carried out a home survey among 627 retired persons (62.7% of the sample) in the greater Paris area for the purpose of exploring relationships between disablement (impairments, disabilities, and handicaps) and socio-professional status. The subjects were randomly selected from a pension fund roll. Among men, manual laborers had higher rates of disablement than did white-collar employees and executives. Among women, laborers, office workers and those in the services had similar disablement rates, while rates among executive women were lower. Overall, women had higher rates than men. But no relationship between age and disablement was observed. The examination of disablement indicates that socioeconomic differences--earlier shown to exist with regard to mortality and morbidity--also have their effect in retirement.

Aged↗

Disabilities and handicaps in Aquitaine.

An extension of the national survey on health and medical consumption in Aquitaine used a questionnaire on presence of disability and handicap. Communication, personal cares, mobility and occupations were restricted in respectively 1.5, 3.3, 3.2, and 10.6%. People aged 60 and over were mainly concerned. Personal and domestic care disabilities were noted for 1 out of 8, communication disabilities were present among 1 out of 20. One out of 7 was restricted for mobility and physical independence; 1 out of 4 was restricted for customary occupations and 1 out of 10 for social relationships. Those physically dependent living alone were 5%.

Adolescent↗

[Disabled and handicapped in the Aquitaine region].

An extension of the national survey on health and medical consumption conducted in 1981 on a random sample of the population living at home in Aquitaine used questionnaire on presence of disability and handicap (according to WHO definition). Occupations, mobility, personal care, communication restriction are observed in respectively 10.6, 3.3 and 1.5% of the sample. Because people aged 60 and over are concerned in 60 to more than 80% according disability or handicap dimension, analysis of those was follow up for this only population. Personal and domestic care disabilities are then noted for one out of eight persons, communication disabilities are present among one subject out of twenty. One person out of seven is restricted for mobility and physical independence whereas one out of four was restricted for customary occupations and one out of ten for social relationships. Those aged 75 and over are three of four times more often involved than those aged 60 to 74 with the exception of usual occupations. The 5% of those defined as dependent and nevertheless living alone are the ones that are likely to be institutionalized because of a minor intercurrent health problem.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Behcet's syndrome and renal involvement: a histological and immunofluorescent study of eleven renal biopsies.

The finding of focal glomerulonephritis in a patient with Behcet's syndrome led us to perform systematic renal biopsies in ten other patients with the disease. None of the patients had symptoms of renal disease. Proteinuria was found in five, two of whom had associated leukocyturia. By light microscopy mesangial and extramembranous glomerular deposits were observed in eight patients. Arterioles in ten patients showed subendothelial and medial hyaline deposits. A granular pattern of fluorescent staining identified the presence of the third component of complement in these deposits. Circulating immune deposits were sought and found in six out of seven patients. The finding of circulating immune complexes and deposition of complement in glomerular and arteriolar tissues supports an immune complex mediated nephropathy and is consistent with the hypothesis of an immunological pathogenesis in Behcet's syndrome.

Adult↗