Registration of symptoms and diagnoses in patients of a Belarussian-Dutch outpatient clinic in Gomel, October 1991 - September 1993
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Series / Report no.
Open Access
Type
Report
Language
en
Date
1995-09-30
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Title
Registration of symptoms and diagnoses in patients
of a Belarussian-Dutch outpatient clinic in Gomel, October 1991 - September
1993
Translated Title
Overzicht van klachten en diagnoses van patienten
van de Witrussisch-Nederlandse polikliniek te Gomel (Oktober 1991 -
September 1993)
Published in
Abstract
Het rapport geeft een overzicht van de medische
consumptie van 4500 personen welke gezien werden op de
Witrussische-Nederlandse polikliniek te Gomel in Wit-Rusland van oktober
1991 tot september 1993. Dit Witrussisch-Nederlands samenwerkingsverband
werd opgezet in het kader van een Nederlands Humanitair Hulpproject ten
gevolge van het reactorongeval te Tsjernobyl in 1986. In een nieuw
computersysteem voor patientenregistratie werden personalia,
klachtenpatroon, diagnose, behandelingsstrategie en voorgeschreven therapie
of medicatie geregistreerd. Met name werd gekeken naar klachten welke
verband houden met blootstelling aan ioniserende straling. De populatie
bestond voor 75% uit liquidatoren, mensen met een (beroepsmatige) mogelijk
verhoogde blootstelling. Cardiovasculaire, gastro-intestinale of
neurologische klachten, en klachten van het bewegingsapparaat waren het
meest frequent, evenals het aantal diagnoses in deze subgroepen. Het
patroon van klachten en diagnoses was vergelijkbaar met dat van een
Nederlandse polikliniek interne geneeskunde, verhoogd waren struma,
gastritis, maag- en dunnedarmzweren. Diagnoses welke gerelateerd kunnen
zijn aan blootstelling aan ioniserende straling werden geanalyseerd. Een
maligniteit werd 23x vastgesteld. Een groot aantal schildklieraandoeningen
werd gediagnostiseerd. In 54 gevallen werd een haematologische ziekte
vastgesteld, waarvan 5 maligniteiten. Cataract werd in 19 gevallen
gediagnostiseerd. In alle gevallen liggen de getallen lager dan in een
Nederlandse populatie van dezelfde grootte. Bij de behandelingsplannen werd
het hoge aantal voorschrijvingen van homeopathische middelen (50%) geweten
aan schaarste en onbekendheid met voorschrijven van westerse
geneesmiddelen.
This report provides a survey of the medical consumption of 4500 patients seen at the Belarussian-Dutch Outpatient Clinic in Gomel, Belarus during 1991-1993. This clinic was established in the framework of Dutch humanitarian aid following the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986. A computerized patient registration programme was introduced. Special attention was paid to complaints that could be related to possible enhanced radiation exposure of the patients. The patient population consisted approximately 75% of liquidators, persons who may have been exposed to higher doses of radiation than the general public. Complaints affecting cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, neurological and locomotor systems were uttered most frequently, consequently most diagnoses were related to these disciplines. The quantity of types of complaints and diagnoses were in agreement with each other, except for thyroid disease. The pattern of complaints and diagnoses was roughly comparable to the situation in a general outpatient clinic internal medicine in the Netherlands and the number of goitre, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers was higher. Diagnoses that could be attributed to increased radiation exposure were analyzed. A large number of cases of thyroid disease were diagnosed. Haematologic disease was registered in 54 cases, five of these concerned malignant disease. Cataract was diagnosed in 19 cases, both lower than in a Dutch population of similar size. The same accounted for malignant disease (23x). Treatment plans consisted of different therapies and medication. The high percentage of prescriptions of homeopathic remedies (50%) may be due to scarcity of and unfamiliarity with prescribing western medication.
This report provides a survey of the medical consumption of 4500 patients seen at the Belarussian-Dutch Outpatient Clinic in Gomel, Belarus during 1991-1993. This clinic was established in the framework of Dutch humanitarian aid following the Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986. A computerized patient registration programme was introduced. Special attention was paid to complaints that could be related to possible enhanced radiation exposure of the patients. The patient population consisted approximately 75% of liquidators, persons who may have been exposed to higher doses of radiation than the general public. Complaints affecting cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, neurological and locomotor systems were uttered most frequently, consequently most diagnoses were related to these disciplines. The quantity of types of complaints and diagnoses were in agreement with each other, except for thyroid disease. The pattern of complaints and diagnoses was roughly comparable to the situation in a general outpatient clinic internal medicine in the Netherlands and the number of goitre, gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers was higher. Diagnoses that could be attributed to increased radiation exposure were analyzed. A large number of cases of thyroid disease were diagnosed. Haematologic disease was registered in 54 cases, five of these concerned malignant disease. Cataract was diagnosed in 19 cases, both lower than in a Dutch population of similar size. The same accounted for malignant disease (23x). Treatment plans consisted of different therapies and medication. The high percentage of prescriptions of homeopathic remedies (50%) may be due to scarcity of and unfamiliarity with prescribing western medication.
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