Articles

An overview of the European Health Examination Survey Pilot Joint Action

Health Examination Surveys (HESs) can provide essential information on the health and health determinants of a population, which is not available from other data sources. Nevertheless, only some European count...

Authors: Kari Kuulasmaa, Hanna Tolonen, Päivikki Koponen, Katri Kilpeläinen, Mária Avdicová, Grazyna Broda, Neville Calleja, Carlos Dias, Antje Gösswald, Ruzena Kubinova, Jennifer Mindell, Satu Männistö, Luigi Palmieri, Grethe S Tell, Antonia Trichopoulou and WM Monique Verschuren

Joint action on monitoring injuries in Europe (JAMIE)

Injuries due to accidents or violence constitute a major public health problem globally and also within the 27 member states of the European Union (EU-MSs). In spite of the magnitude and the severity of the pr...

Authors: W H J Rogmans

‘It’s the sense of responsibility that keeps you going’: stories and experiences of participation from rural community health workers in Guatemala

In 1978, the Alma-Ata declaration on primary health care (PHC) recognized that the world’s health issues required more than just hospital-based and physician-centered policies. The declaration called for a par...

Authors: Ana Lorena Ruano, Alison Hernández, Kjerstin Dahlblom, Anna Karin Hurtig and Miguel San Sebastián

Children’s Body composition and Stress – the ChiBS study: aims, design, methods, population and participation characteristics

The last decades, the prevalence of childhood obesity has increased. Apart from other lifestyle factors, the effect of chronic psychosocial stress on the development of obesity has been recognized. However, mo...

Authors: Nathalie Michels, Barbara Vanaelst, Krishna Vyncke, Isabelle Sioen, Inge Huybrechts, Tineke De Vriendt and Stefaan De Henauw

Establishment and reinforcement of the national reference centers for human microbiology in Belgium

Microbiology reference laboratories are critical in the development of high-quality clinical and public health services. In Belgium, the reference laboratories performed their activities on a voluntary basis a...

Authors: Gaëtan Muyldermans, Amber Litzroth, Geneviève Ducoffre and Sophie Quoilin

Routine dipstick urinalysis in daily practice of Belgian occupational physicians

Little work has been done to assess the quality of health care and the use of evidence-based methods by occupational physicians in Belgium. Therefore, the main objective is to describe one aspect of occupation...

Authors: Lutgart Braeckman, Eva Haak and Lieve Peremans

Main characteristics and participation rate of European adolescents included in the HELENA study

Participation rate and response rate are key issues in a cross sectional large-scale epidemiological study. The objective of this paper is to describe the study population and to evaluate participation and res...

Authors: Laurent Béghin, Inge Huybrechts, German Vicente-Rodríguez, Stefaan De Henauw, Frédéric Gottrand, Marcela Gonzales-Gross, Jean Dallongeville, Michael Sjöström, Catherine Leclercq, Sabine Dietrich, Manuel Castillo, Maria Plada, Dénes Molnar, Mathilde Kersting, Chantal C Gilbert and Luis A Moreno

Work-related health symptoms among compost facility workers: a cross-sectional study

Industrial composting is a relatively new and expanding activity. Several studies indicate that compost workers are at risk to develop health symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of wor...

Authors: Ramona Hambach, Jos Droste, Guido François, Joost Weyler, Ulrik Van Soom, Antoon De Schryver, Jan Vanoeteren and Marc van Sprundel

Translation validation of a new back pain screening questionnaire (the STarT Back Screening Tool) in French

Low back pain (LBP) is a major public health problem and the identification of individuals at risk of persistent LBP poses substantial challenges to clinical management. The STarT Back questionnaire is a valid...

Authors: Olivier Bruyère, Maryline Demoulin, Clara Brereton, Fabienne Humblet, Daniel Flynn, Jonathan C Hill, Didier Maquet, Julien Van Beveren, Jean-Yves Reginster, Jean-Michel Crielaard and Christophe Demoulin

Experiences of parents of substance-abusing young people attending support groups

Substance abuse puts a burden on the physical and mental health and well-being of individuals and their families, particularly parents. Parents of substance-abusing young people are in need of professional or ...

Authors: Sarah Hoeck and Guido Van Hal

Sodium reduction and the correction of iodine intake in Belgium: Policy options

Many studies suggest that high salt intakes are related to high blood pressure and consequently cardiovascular diseases. In addition salt intake was found to be related with obesity, renal stones, osteoporosis...

Authors: Stefanie Vandevijvere

Hepatitis B and C prevalence among the high risk groups of Pakistani population. A cross sectional study

Hepatitis B and C cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Little is known about the existence of hepatitis B and C among high risk groups of the Pakistani population. The present study was conduct...

Authors: Abdul Rauf Memon, Kashif Shafique, Ashraf Memon, Agha Umer Draz, Mohammad Uzair Abdul Rauf and Salahuddin Afsar

Nutritional status of school-age children - A scenario of urban slums in India

One of the greatest problems for India is undernutrition among children. The country is still struggling with this problem. Malnutrition, the condition resulting from faulty nutrition, weakens the immune syste...

Authors: Anurag Srivastava, Syed E Mahmood, Payal M Srivastava, Ved P Shrotriya and Bhushan Kumar

Modeling overdispersed longitudinal binary data using a combined beta and normal random-effects model

In medical and biomedical areas, binary and binomial outcomes are very common. Such data are often collected longitudinally from a given subject repeatedly overtime, which result in clustering of the observati...

Authors: Wondwosen Kassahun, Thomas Neyens, Geert Molenberghs, Christel Faes and Geert Verbeke

Infant mortality in the Flemish Region of Belgium 1999-2008: a time-to-event analysis

When calculating life expectancy, it is usually assumed that deaths are uniformly distributed within each of the age intervals. As most of the infant deaths are neonatal deaths, this calls for a better assessm...

Authors: Edwin Pelfrene, Heidi Cloots and Erik Hendrickx

Knowledge and practices of people in Bia District, Ghana, with regard to iodine deficiency disorders and intake of iodized salt

Despite numerous educational programmes to create awareness about iodized salt and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), a survey conducted in the Western Region of Ghana in 2007 revealed that the goitre rate sto...

Authors: Christiana Buxton and Benjamin Baguune

Prevalence and predictors of urinary tract infection and severe malaria among febrile children attending Makongoro health centre in Mwanza city, North-Western Tanzania

In malaria endemic areas, fever has been used as an entry point for presumptive treatment of malaria. At present, the decrease in malaria transmission in Africa implies an increase in febrile illnesses related...

Authors: Bahati P Msaki, Stephen E Mshana, Adolfina Hokororo, Humphrey D Mazigo and Domenica Morona

Fee exemption for caesarean section in Morocco

Financial barriers are an important obstacle for access to emergency obstetric care and a contributing factor to too slow a reduction in the level of maternal mortality. In Morocco, in 2009, a fee exemption po...

Authors: Issam Bennis and Vincent De Brouwere

Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (I-ADL) trigger an urgent request for nursing home admission

Although disabled elderly people mostly prefer to receive care at home or in other community settings, many of them reside in nursing homes. That is why several researchers have tried to identify predictors of...

Authors: Gilberte Van Rensbergen and Jozef Pacolet

Fear of falling and associated activity restriction in older people. results of a cross-sectional study conducted in a Belgian town

This article aims at describing, in a Belgian town, the frequency of the fear of falling and of subsequent activity restriction among non-institutionalised people aged 65 years and over, and at identifying per...

Authors: Elise Mendes da Costa, Thierry Pepersack, Isabelle Godin, Martine Bantuelle, Bernard Petit and Alain Levêque

Human biomonitoring on heavy metals in Ath: methodological aspects

The municipality of Ath is characterised by the presence, in its center, of two non-ferrous metal industries whose emissions make local residents concerned for their health. Therefore, authorities of the Wallo...

Authors: Javiera Rebolledo, Sebastien Fierens, Ann Versporten, Ethel Brits, Pierre De Plaen and An Van Nieuwenhuyse

How can the results of a qualitative process evaluation be applied in management, improvement and modification of a preventive community trial? The IHHP Study

This study reports the results of the qualitative process evaluation (PE) of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), an integrated community-based trial for prevention and control of non-communicable disease...

Authors: Nizal Sarrafzadegan, Katayoun Rabiei, Mousa Alavi, Heidarali Abedi and Sonia Zarfeshani

Public health in the genomic era: will Public Health Genomics contribute to major changes in the prevention of common diseases?

The completion of the Human Genome Project triggered a whole new field of genomic research which is likely to lead to new opportunities for the promotion of population health. As a result, the distinction betw...

Authors: Evy Cleeren, Johan Van der Heyden, Angela Brand and Herman Van Oyen

Trends of violence among 7th, 8th and 9th grade students in the state of Lara, Venezuela: The Global School Health Survey 2004 and 2008

Violence by young people is one of the most visible forms of violence and contributes greatly to the global burden of premature death, injury and disability.

Authors: Ricardo Granero, Esteban S Poni, Bertha C Escobar-Poni and Judith Escobar

Belgian health-related data in three international databases

This study wants to examine the availability of Belgian healthcare data in the three main international health databases: the World Health Organization European Health for All Database (WHO-HFA), the Organisat...

Authors: K Vanthomme, D Walckiers and H Van Oyen

Dietary sources of energy and macronutrient intakes among Flemish preschoolers

This study aims to identify major food sources of energy and macronutrients among Flemish preschoolers as a basis for evaluating dietary guidelines. Three-day estimated diet records were collected from a repre...

Authors: Willem De Keyzer, Yi Lin, Carine Vereecken, Lea Maes, Herman Van Oyen, Erika Vanhauwaert, Guy De Backer, Stefaan De Henauw and Inge Huybrechts

Dietary exposure assessments for children in europe (the EXPOCHI project): rationale, methods and design

The number of dietary exposure assessment studies focussing on children is very limited. Children are however a vulnerable group due to their higher food consumption level per kg body weight. Therefore, the EX...

Authors: Inge Huybrechts, Isabelle Sioen, Polly E Boon, Jiri Ruprich, Lionel Lafay, Aida Turrini, Pilar Amiano, Tero Hirvonen, Melissa De Neve, Davide Arcella, Joanna Moschandreas, Anna Westerlund, Lourdes Ribas-Barba, Annett Hilbig, Stalo Papoutsou, Tue Christensen…

The association between residential area characteristics and mental health outcomes among men and women in Belgium

Recently, interest has grown in the association between contextual factors and health outcomes. This study questions whether mental health complaints vary according to the socio-economic characteristics of the...

Authors: Elise Pattyn, Lore Van Praag, Mieke Verhaeghe, Katia Levecque and Piet Bracke

High burden of breast cancer in Belgium: recent trends in incidence (1999-2006) and historical trends in mortality (1954-2006)

In Belgium, breast cancer mortality has been monitored since 1954, whereas cancer incidence data have only been made available for a few years. In this article we update historical trends of breast cancer mort...

Authors: Françoise Renard, Liesbet Van Eycken and Marc Arbyn

Words, words, words

Authors: H Van Oyen and O Bruyère

Using neural network as a screening and educational tool for abnormal glucose tolerance in the community

Accurate, simple and non-invasive tools are needed for efficient screening of abnormal glu-cose tolerance (AGT) and educating the general public.

Authors: W Gao, F Dong, S Nie and L Shi

Alcohol during pregnancy and lactation: recommendations versus real intake

Even though total abstinence of alcohol for pregnant and lactating women is recommended, consumption prevalences ranging from 12% up to 30% have been reported. No Belgian data on alcohol consumption in pregnan...

Authors: I Guelinckx, R Devlieger and G Vansant

Nutritional intake of various groups of Flemish vegetarians

The most recent national nutritional survey (2004) indicates that 1.2% of the Flemish population follows a vegetarian diet. Information on nutritional intake in vegetarians in this population is scarce.

Authors: P Deriemaeker, K Alewaeters, M Hebbelinck and P Clarys

Timeliness of syndromic influenza surveillance through work and school absenteeism

In this paper, we investigate the usefulness of work and school absenteeism surveillance as an early warning system for influenza. In particular, time trends in daily absenteeism rates collected during the A(H...

Authors: K Bollaerts, J Antoine, E Robesyn, L Van Proeyen, J Vomberg, E Feys, E De Decker and B Catry

Influenza vaccination recording system in Belgium

Authors: J Antoine, Y Dupont, D Reynders, Y Van Laethem, M Van Ranst, P Neels, T Roisin, J Hamdani and F Wuillaume

Surveillance of influenza-like illness in Belgian nursing homes

Authors: B Jans, K Latour, E Broex and B Catry

Influenza surveillance in children: first experiences with the Belgian Paediatric Surveillance system 'PediSurv'

Authors: M Sabbe, D Hue, J Antoine, Y Dupont, J Van Eldere, M Van Ranst and I Thomas

Severe acute respiratory infections during the influenza A(H1N1)2009 pandemic in Belgium: first experience of hospital-based flu surveillance

In September 2009, as part of the surveillance during the Influenza A(2009) pandemic, Bel-gium introduced a web-based surveillance system aimed at recording hospitalisations and deaths attributable to Influenz...

Authors: S Hammadi, I Gutiérrez, A Litzroth, K Mertens and F Wuillaume

Lessons learned from the 2009 influenza A(H1N1) pandemic at EU level

Authors: R Snacken

Surveillance of influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus by the Belgian Sentinel Laboratory Network

Authors: G Ducoffre, S Quoilin and F Wuillaume

Confirmation diagnosis of influenza A(H1N1)2009 by Belgian sentinel laboratories during the epidemic phase

Authors: G Muyldermans, G Ducoffre, I Thomas, F Clement, E De Laere, Y Glupczynski, N Hougardy, K Lagrou, PE Léonard, C Meex, D Pierard, M Raymaekers, M Reynders, M Stalpaert, W Verstrepen and S Quoilin

Virological surveillance of the influenza A(H1N1)2009 pandemic: the role of the belgian national influenza centre

Authors: C Gérard, B Brochier, S Quoilin, F Wuillaume, V Van Casteren and I Thomas

Clinical surveillance of the influenza A(H1N1)2009 pandemic through the network of sentinel general practitioners

Authors: V Van Casteren, K Mertens, J Antoine, S Wanyama, I Thomas and N Bossuyt

Case finding of Influenza A(H1N1)2009 in Belgium in the early pandemic

Authors: S Quoilin, I Thomas, C Gérard, B Brochier, J Bots, S Lokietek, E Robesyn, F Wuillaume and G Muyldermans

Influenza A(H1N1)2009 pandemic chronology of the events in Belgium

Authors: A Litzroth, I Gutiérrez and S Hammadi

Surveillance of the 2009 flu pandemic in Belgium

Authors: F Wuillaume

Blood lead levels in the Kinshasa population: a pilot study

Leaded gasoline and lead paints are still in use in the Democratic Republic of Congo but data on blood lead levels in the general population are not available. We evaluated the Pb impregnation in children and ...

Authors: J Tuakuila, F Mbuyi, M Kabamba, AC Lantin, D Lison and P Hoet

The socio-economic distribution of health-related occupational stressors among wage-earners in a Post-Fordist labour market

Unequal exposure to occupational stressors is a central pathway towards socio-economic health inequalities in working populations. This paper assesses the differential exposure of such stressors within the pop...

Authors: C Vanroelen, K Levecque and F Louckx

Melanoma incidence trends in Limburg after screening and prevention campaigns

Malignant melanoma is a skin cancer of which the incidence is said to be raising in recent years. Prevention may result in decrease of the incidence. Early detection may result in the detection of earlier stag...

Authors: D Vanstraelen, H Deleu, J Van Robays, D Dhollander, E Cloes, D Lousberg, G Kuipers, B Adriaens, J Mebis, C Mathei and F Buntinx

Substance use disorders in Belgium: the need to study rarely investigated high impact disorders

Authors: R Bruffaerts