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Biomedical subjects

K Tengvald

Publications and source records attributed to K Tengvald.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Medical technologies in developing countries: issues of technology development, transfer, diffusion and use.

The difficulties experienced in transfer of medical technology to developing countries are aggravated by partial and incomplete understanding of the cultural, social, economic, and institutional factors affecting technology development, transfer, dissemination and use. In this paper, it is argued that a more dynamic and comprehensive approach is needed for the analysis of these factors. Such an approach would provide the basis for linking existing information stemming from partial analyses of problems related to individual users, the health services or systems, and the technology itself. The starting point of any comprehensive analysis must be the structure of the society in which the technology is to be used. The value of a comprehensive analytical approach is illustrated by discussion of a medical technology still under development, a vaccine against malaria. This discussion further indicates that consideration of cultural, social, economic, and institutional factors in the developmental phases of a technology can contribute to ensuring acceptability and sustainability of the technology under the multifaceted conditions in which it is to be used.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed1987

Health problems and care in young families--load of illness and patterns of illness behaviour.

During a winter month 185 young suburban families reported in a diary on perceived health problems and measures taken in response to these problems. Information on socio-economical factors, medical experience and structure of the social network was obtained from a mailed questionnaire. As a mean every fourth individual-day a health problem was recorded. The majority (61%) of symptoms were infections and only 14% of illness days were classified as severe. On every sixth of all reported individual days measures were taken to handle health problems. Seven per cent of measures taken in response to a perceived health problem were taken in collaboration with the social network and in less than 1/10 of reported symptom days and 1/5 of reported illness episodes the professional medical system was contacted. For health problems in children 1/3 of the contacts were taken by telephone and often with the child welfare nurse. The demands for professional help was dependent on type and severity of symptoms, duration of illness episodes as well as on the category of family member. Within the family the health problems were preferentially handled by the mother and the dominating type of treatment was medication (73% of total activity). It is concluded that young families perceive and handle a huge amount of health problems without communication with the professional health care system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Health problems and care in young families--an evaluation of survey procedures.

This report compares the value of a diary, and telephone interviews covering either the previous 24 hours or the previous week as methods of collecting data from young families on perceived health problems and the measures taken to deal with them. The population of 310 families was randomly divided into three groups. The study design allowed the evaluation of both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the different methods. For each individual a health problem was perceived every four days and care for health problems was reported every six days. The frequency of participation was highest in the 24-hour recall group. In the diary group a weekly telephone call elicited a higher compliance than a weekly letter of reminder. In spite of a higher reporting of symptoms in the diaries the relative number of measures taken was greater in the two recall groups. When comparing the information obtained by one-week recalls with that of 24-hour recalls it was found that the risk of forgetting a perceived symptom or measure taken was low but the risk of overreporting symptom days may increase with time. The distribution of symptoms in eight main categories was equal as reported by the different methods. The cost for the investigator per individual day covered was more expensive when using the 24-hour recall method compared to the diary method.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Quality of care: a tracer diagnosis study of acute otitis media, comparing a district paediatric service with paediatric and otolaryngology emergency departments.

Acute otitis media was used as a tracer condition for comparing patient care as regards patient satisfaction, compliance and medical outcome in a district paediatric office, an otolaryngological and a paediatric hospital emergency department. The initial work-up of the 216 patients studied at the three units was in good agreement with predefined standards. However, while the district paediatrician arranged a follow-up for all patients, the hospitals did so only in 10--30% of the visits. Parent satisfaction was significantly higher at the district office when the time spent waiting and the time the patient was with the doctor were kept constant. Urinary penicillin was not detected in 1/17 of district paediatric and in 6/19 of otological patients. Compliance with follow-up was also much higher at the district paediatrician. Medical outcome did not differ between the units. The majority of the parents expressed preference for the type of care given in a neighbourhood service. It is suggested that the criteria for adequate treatment of acute otitis media adapted for emergency departments may be revised in case easy access is provided to a medical centre offering continuity of care and proper follow-up. Studies of the quality of care have so far not managed to demonstrate a definite and positive relationship between the process of care, patient satisfaction and final medical results.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Family problems in the new suburbs.

The social situation for families with children is undergoing rapid change in Sweden today, in the direction of a two-provider household economy and an urban-suburban way of life. These changes affect the amount, continuity and content of the social relationships between children and adults, leading to more formal contacts with shorter duration to a greater number of adults.

Child↗
PubMed1975

Four-year-olds in a new suburb: the need for medical and social care.

The standardized Swedish health examination of 4-year-olds was performed in a residential suburb of Stockholm with a high percentage of young families and immigrants. Emphasis was placed on identifying children in need of pedagogic and psychological measures. Psychological problems were identified by: a structured interview with the parents, and an examination of the child, including developmental screening tests and the parents' assessment of the child's behaviour at home. We have placed more emphasis on the findings and evaluation at the examination than on interview data when arriving at a psychological diagnosis. The somatic part of the examination revealed only minor problems, confirming previous studies on four-year-olds in Sweden. Twelve percent of the 257 children were referred for further psychological investigation, and 16% were recommended early admittance to preschool because of psychological problems. Among the 46 immigrant children who did not have any Swedish parent, more than 50% did not speak Swedish and were recommended early admittance to preschool. In the whole material, 41% needed or were already (17%) in preschool or day nurseries. This indicates unfulfilled demands on such services within the community. The mother's perception of her lack of social contacts in the neighbourhood correlated with the presence of psychological problems and the need for subsequent measures for her child.

Child Behavior Disorders↗