Health Resorts

To assess the prevalence of sex work and its associations with substance use among female bar/spa workers in the Philippines (N = 498), workers from 54 bar or spa venues in Metro Manila (2009-2010) were surveyed on demographics, drug/alcohol use, abuse history, and sex work. Their median age was 23 years and 35% engaged in sex work. Sex work was independently associated with methamphetamine use (19% vs 4%; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3-6.2), alcohol use with patrons (49% vs. 27%; AOR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1-3.4), and alcohol intoxication during sex (50% vs. 24%; AOR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.2-3.5), but inversely associated with daily alcohol use (13% vs. 16%; AOR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.1-0.5). Additional significant covariates included sexual abuse history, younger age, and not having a higher education. Findings suggest that interventions with sex workers in bars and spas should focus on methamphetamine use, alcohol use contexts, and violence victimization, to ...

Background The demographic structure has a significant influence on the use of healthcare services, as does the size of the population denominators. Very few studies have been published on methods for estimating the real population such as tourist resorts. The lack of information about these problems means there is a corresponding lack of information about the behaviour of populational denominators (the floating population or tourist load) and the effect of this on the use of healthcare services. The objectives of the study were: a) To determine the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) ratio, per person per day, among populations of known size; b) to estimate, by means of this ratio, the real population in an area where tourist numbers are very significant; and c) to determine the impact on the utilisation of hospital emergency healthcare services of the registered population, in comparison to the non-resident population, in two areas where tourist numbers are very significant. Methods An ecological study design was employed. We analysed the Healthcare Districts of the Costa del Sol and the island of Menorca. Both are Spanish territories in the Mediterranean region. Results In the two areas analysed, the correlation coefficient between the MSW ratio and admissions to hospital emergency departments exceeded 0.9, with p Conclusion The MSW indicator, which is both ecological and indirect, can be used to estimate the real population in areas where population levels vary significantly during the year. This parameter is of interest in planning and dimensioning the provision of healthcare services.

Vacations at international nightlife resorts represent an important but also risky element in the lives of youth in many countries. There is an urgent need for evaluating the role played by bars and nightclubs in producing and reducing risks; this task is important, especially at upcoming nightlife resorts with limited experience in managing young partygoers from other countries.Seven weeks of ethnographic fieldwork was conducted during the summer 2007 at the emerging Bulgarian nightlife resort, Sunny Beach. The research instrument “KAReN” was used as a guideline to evaluate the safety conditions in nine bars and three nightclubs.The evaluation highlights five key factors at the venues that put young tourists in danger: violent security staff, overcrowding, shattered glass on the floor, dancing on furniture, and irresponsible alcohol serving. Action is needed to improve the safety conditions at the venues of Sunny Beach and other nightlife resorts. The improvements call for integrated strategies involving travel agencies, local authorities, health services, tourists and venues.

... Jorge E. Schliamser MD and Offer Amir MD ... The main conclu-sions of the study were that during their sojourn in the low altitude environment of the Dead Sea, no significant arrhyth-mia occurred and the patients' quality of life and functional status significantly improved. ...

Most casinos owned by sovereign American Indian nations allow smoking, even in U.S. states such as California where state laws restrict workplace smoking. Collaborations between casinos and public health workers are needed to promote smoke-free policies that protect workers and patrons from secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure and risks. Over seven years, a coalition of public health professionals provided technical assistance to the Redding Rancheria tribe in Redding, California in establishing a smoke-free policy at the Win-River Resort and Casino. The coalition provided information to the casino general manager that included site-specific measurement of employee and visitor PM2.5 personal exposure, area concentrations of airborne nicotine and PM2.5, visitor urinary cotinine, and patron and staff opinions (surveys, focus groups, and a Town Hall meeting). The manager communicated results to tribal membership, including evidence of high SHS exposures and support for a smoke-free ...

Spa therapy is frequently used in daily rheumatological practice, but its benefit remains to be evaluated. A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in 1993 in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip, knee or lumbar spine. Treatment was either spa therapy at Vichy (France) of 3 weeks duration (spa group) or usual therapy (control group). Assessment criteria were pain (visual analogue scale), functional impairment (Lequesne's index for hip or knee disease, Main and Waddell's for lumbar spinal diseases), quality of life index [revised Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS2)], and analgesic and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) consumption. Patients were included by randomization into one of the two arms (spa or control) and assessment criteria were collected before spa therapy or the control period, and 3 and 24 weeks thereafter. A total of 188 patients (lumbar spine 95, knee 64, hip 29) were included in the study (spa group 91, control group 97). Changes in the assessment criteria after a 6 month follow-up period showed improvement in terms of pain, functional impairment and quality of life, with a reduced intake of symptomatic drugs (NSAID and analgesic drugs) in the spa group. This study suggests that spa therapy of 3 weeks duration has a prolonged, beneficial, symptomatic effect in osteoarthritis.

... Correspondence: Christine L. Paul,. *Correspondence: Dr Christine Paul, CHeRP, The Cancer Council NSW and University of Newcastle, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend, NSW 2287. Fax: (02) 4924 6208; e-mail: chris.paul@newcastle.edu.au. Publication History. ...

The history ofNiemirów, a health resort on the south-eastern borderland of Poland is recounted in full particulars first of all. A mild climate, charming regions, natural stuffs (sulphuric-alkaline salt springs and therapeutic mud) formed the status of this health resort. The indications and contraindications in many diseases and effects of treatment in a health resort are described. The bats in Niemirów and fixtures are presented widely. The chances of recreation and attractions in this health resort are presented finally.

As cidades-estância instituídas no início do século XX são objetos privilegiados para estudar a relação entre as políticas de saúde pública e o desenvolvimento urbano e social. Este artigo analisa, a partir da produção e trajetória do médico, geógrafo e empreendedor Domingos Nogueira Jaguaribe Filho, os vetores social e institucional envolvidos na criação da cidade-estância de Campos do Jordão. Estudos geográficos, conhecimento médico e preceitos de urbanização se aliaram a interesse privados e desenvolvimentistas na construção simbólica e concreta da “Suíça brasileira”.

The children's health camp movement in New Zealand was the product of early twentieth century concerns about national efficiency and racial strength. Inspired by open-air schools in Europe and the United States, the movement shows how overseas models were translated into a distinctive New Zealand institution, based on a national appeal for funds, and combining voluntary effort with solid government support. Although health camps had a strong socialization function, it was easier for doctors and laypersons to intervene in children's lives in the name of health, than under any other rubric. In the space of 20 years health camps changed from informal summer events held under canvas, into substantial institutions operating on a year-round basis. By 1940 their symbolic status was more important than any demonstrated achievement in improving child health.

The purpose of this study was to examine the number of tanning facilities in select U.S. cities. The twenty most populated cities from each of 4 U.S. regions were selected for the sample. For each city, data on the number of tanning facilities, climate, and general demographic profile were collected. Data for state tanning facility legislation also were collected. A tanning facility density variable was created by dividing the city's number of facilities by its population size. The 80 cities had an average of 50 facilities each. Results of linear regression analysis indicated that higher density was significantly associated with colder climate, lower median income, and higher proportion of Whites. These data indicate that indoor tanning facilities are prevalent in the environments of U.S. urban-dwellers. Cities having the higher density profile may be logical targets for interventions promoting less or safer use of these facilities.

The objective of this study is to determine the use and efficacy of spa therapy in patients with a wide spectrum of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases under real-life clinical practice circumstances. In this retrospective observational study at the Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology Department of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, the records of all adult patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases who were prescribed a spa therapy in various health resorts in Turkey between 2002 and 2012 were analyzed. Patients sojourned to and stayed at a health resort and followed a usual 2-week course of spa therapy. The patients were examined within a week before and after the spa therapy at the department by the physicians and outcome measures were pain intensity (visual analog scale, VAS), patient's general evaluation (VAS), physician's general evaluation (VAS), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Lequesne's Functional Index (LFI), Western Ontario and McMaster Univers...

Very few studies tested the effectiveness of spa therapy in older patients with osteoarthritis. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of spa therapy in patients aged 65 years and older with generalized, knee, hip, and cervical and lumbar spine osteoarthritis. In an observational retrospective study design at the Medical Ecology and Hydroclimatology Department of Istanbul Medical Faculty, we analyzed the records of 239 patients aged over 65 years with the diagnosis of all types of osteoarthritis who were prescribed a spa therapy course in some spa resorts in Turkey between 7 March 2002 and 31 December 2012. They travelled to a spa resort where they stayed at a thermal spa hotel and followed the usual therapy packages for 2 weeks. Patients were assessed by an experienced physician within a week before the spa journey and within a week after the completion of the spa therapy. Compared with baseline in whole sample, statistically significant improvements were observed in pain (visual analog scale, VAS), patient and physician global assessments (VAS), Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI), Lequesne algofunctional index (LAFI) for knee, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities index (WOMAC), Waddell disability index (WDI), and Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD). According to Outcome Measures in Rheumatology-Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OMERACT-OARSI) Set of Responder Criteria, responder rate were 63.8 % (51/80) in generalized, 52 % (13/25) in knee, 50 % (2/4) in hip, 66.7 % (8/12) in lumbar, and 100 % (6/6) in cervical osteoarthritis subgroups. Spa therapy improved pain and physical functional status in older patients with osteoarthritis, especially generalized osteoarthritis and multiple joint osteoarthritis with involvement of knee. This improvement was clinically important in majority of the patients. To confirm the results of this preliminary study, there is a need of a randomized controlled clinical study comparing spa therapy with usual care in the elderly population with osteoarthritis.

To evaluate the effect of a residential retreat on promoting lifestyle modification for the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). A longitudinal cohort study of adults with self-reported MS who voluntarily attended a five-day residential retreat in rural Victoria, Australia. Participants were asked to complete the MSQOL-54 questionnaire just prior to the retreat, and at one year and 2.5 years post-retreat. Of 188 participants 109 (58%) completed the questionnaire. The cohort showed a significant improvement in HRQOL at one year and 2.5 year follow-up. After one year, overall quality of life (QOL) domain had increased from 73.4 to 81.7 (P<0.001), physical health composite from 66.2 to 76.4 (P=0.001) and mental health composite from 73.7 to 83.6 (P<0.001) in the subset of 76 with data at both time points. After 2.5 years, overall QOL had increased from 68.4 to 71.7 (P=0.03), physical health 59.7 to 70.0 (P=0.01), and mental health 66.9 to...

We performed an epidemiological survey of 17 thermal baths and the same number of mud-basins. This study aimed to ascertain the presence and incidence of small free-living amoebae, particularly species and/or strains of Naegleria and Acanthamoeba spp., occasional etiological agents of fatal meningoencephalitis and/or ocular infections in man. Over 51 samples of water and mud incubated at 37 degrees C and at 45 degrees C, 34 (66.7%) became positive at 37 degrees C and 33 (64.7%) at 45 degrees C. We isolated 7 (6%) strains of Naegleria spp., 6 (5.2%) of Acanthamoeba spp., 39 (33.6%) of Vahlkampfia spp., 28 (24.1%) of Hartmannella spp. and 36 (31.1%) strains of other species of free-living amoebae. 4 strains of Naegleria spp. and 6 of Acanthamoeba spp. proved pathogenic both in vivo, after experimental infection (meningoencephalitis) in the albino mouse, and in vitro, having previously contaminated monolayers of Vero cell line (cytopathic effect). Within the isolated pathogenic strains...

Weight assessment is a critical aid in patient care. It is particularly important in monitoring progression of pregnancies, heart failure status, and when adjusting medications. Although weight is generally determined using a scale, few studies have evaluated the precision of non-household scales. The objective of this study was to assess scale precision across a variety of settings. An evaluation of scales from randomly selected primary care clinics (n=30), diabetology/endocrinology clinics (n=7), weight loss facilities (n=25), and fitness centers (n=30) was performed. Assessments were completed on a total of 223 scales: 94 from primary care clinics, 32 from diabetology/endocrinology clinics, 39 from weight loss centers, and 58 from fitness centers. Scales were assessed for condition, location in facility, resting surface, commercial designation, and calibration history. Scale precision was validated using 100 lb. (45.5 kg), 150 lb. (68.3 kg), 200 lb. (90.9 kg), and 250 lb. (113.6 ...