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V Ortún

Publications and source records attributed to V Ortún.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

A population-based study of the costs of care for community-acquired pneumonia.

In a population-based study, the consumption of resources for treating adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia was determined. During a 2-yr period, all cases with a clinical and radiological suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia that occurred in patients aged > 14 yrs in a community of 74,610 inhabitants were investigated prospectively. Of 292 cases with a suspicion of community-acquired pneumonia, 224 were included (18.5% misdiagnoses). The mean number of visits per patient was 4.5 (72% in the primary care setting). Inpatient care was recommended in 59.8% of cases; after discharge, 44% of patients were managed in outpatient clinics. The mean direct cost of pneumonia treated in the hospital setting was [symbol: see text] (euros) 1,553, whereas the mean cost of cases treated as outpatients was [symbol: see text] 196. A total of 15.7% of admissions were considered inappropriate and the length of stay could have been reduced by 3.5 days in the most severe cases. A reduction in inappropriate admissions and lengths of hospital stay would result in a decrease in cost of 17.4%. Community-acquired pneumonia in Maresme, Spain, occurs at a low incidence, although with a high percentage of hospitalisations (in part inappropriate), resulting in considerable costs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Widening social inequalities in mortality: the case of Barcelona, a southern European city.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse trends in mortality inequalities in Barcelona between 1983 and 1994 by comparing rates in those electoral wards with a low socioeconomic level and rates in the remaining wards. DESIGN: Mortality trends study. SETTING: The city of Barcelona (Spain). SUBJECTS: The study included all deaths among residents of the two groups of city wards. Details were obtained from death certificates. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age standardised mortality rates, age standardised rates of years of potential life lost, and age specific mortality rates in relation to cause of death, sex, and year were computed as well as the comparative mortality figure and the ratio of standardised rates of years of potential life lost. RESULTS: Rates of premature mortality increased from 5691.2 years of potential life lost per 100,000 inhabitants aged 1 to 70 years in 1983 to 7606.2 in 1994 in the low socioeconomic level wards, and from 3731.2 to 4236.9 in the other wards, showing an increase in inequalities over the 12 years, mostly due to AIDS and drug overdose as causes of death. Conversely, cerebrovascular disease showed a reduction in inequality over the same period. Overall mortality in the 15-44 age group widened the gap between both groups of wards. CONCLUSION: AIDS and drug overdose are emerging as the causes of death that are contributing to a substantial increase in social inequality in terms of premature mortality, an unreported observation in European urban areas.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Knowledge, values and politics in health economics].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the level of agreement in positive questions, and policy-value questions in Health Economics of the members of the Spanish Health Economics Association (AES). METHODS: A survey was made among the members of the AES (42 academic health economists, 196 health managers, and 34 practising physicians). The survey included 20 positive questions, 11 policy questions, 4 value questions, and 5 socio-demographic questions. An analysis of the average absolute differences between percentage agreeing and percentage disagreeing by type of question was performed. RESULTS: Two main results can be identified. First, there are no significant differences in the level of agreement between health economists, health care managers and practising physicians with respect to positive and policy-value questions. Second, there is no significant difference in the level of agreement in the three identified groups between type of questions (positive versus policy-value questions). CONCLUSION: There are no significant differences in the agreement about the positive questions between the three identified groups in the AES (academic health economists, health care managers and practising physicians.

Data Collection↗