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Biomedical subjects

M D Hoyos

Publications and source records attributed to M D Hoyos.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Headaches in persons attending polyclinics in Barbados.

Headache is a very common problem in the community, but only a small proportion of people who have it presents to the health services. In the Caribbean little is known of its prevalence, the resulting morbidity or the nature of self care used. This paper reports on a survey of 679 adults who attended three polyclinics as patients, or accompanying young, elderly or acutely ill relatives. 68.9% reported having experienced a headache in the previous month. Headaches were more prevalent among respondents aged 25-44 years (78.6%) than among those in other age groups; in women (73%) than in men; in those living in households of four or more people (72%) than in those living in smaller households; in those whose family members were reported as using alcohol, tobacco or marijuana singly or in combination (70-72.5%) compared to those whose families did not use any of these substances (55%); and in those whose family members were reported as having allergy, asthma and migraine (72.5 to 77.1%). No significant association was shown in relation to employment. 18.4% of the respondents visited the doctor for their headache. In the clinical evaluation of these patient, the number of costly investigations may be reduced by attention to the epidemiological variables such as age and gender, domestic factors such as stress, and family diseases such as migraine, asthma and allergy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Interpractice variation in Barbados family practice.

The 11 practices of the Barbados Family Practice Morbidity Survey were analyzed according to the age and sex of the physicians. Male physicians had larger practice populations than did the female physicians but carried on fewer repeat encounters during the 12 months of the survey. The female physician practices recorded fewer domiciliary calls, more investigations and referrals, and a larger patient encounter female-male ratio than did the practices of male physicians. Younger physician practices recorded fewer domiciliary calls, investigations, and referrals than did those of their older counterparts. Statistically significant differences in morbidity between male and female practices were demonstrated. The results demonstrate the magnitude of interpractice variation according to the age and sex of family physicians and suggest its increasing importance at a time when more women are entering family practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Contraceptive compliance in family medicine: a comparison of the family physician and the family planning clinics.

A longitudinal, controlled study of contraceptive compliance was undertaken in a solo family practice in which 240 high-risk women were allocated alternatively to Practice and Clinic Groups. The effectiveness of the two services was evaluated at six-month intervals. Women in the family practice demonstrated better contraceptive compliance than those referred to the family planning clinics. There was a significantly lower number of pregnancies and fewer women experiencing unprotected intercourse in the Practice Group. The study demonstrates the potential of the family physician to achieve better compliance than the clinics of a well-resourced, successful family planning association. The need for the physician to accept his/her role as a family planning counselor and to be trained to offer a comprehensive contraceptive service is discussed.

Adolescent↗