A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, March 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, April 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, June 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, July 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, August 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, September 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, October 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, November 2003

Monthly report from the Iowa Department of Human Services on income.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, October 2006

Supplemental Security Income Program, October 2006

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, November 2006

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, November 2006

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, December 2006

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, December 2006

Use of medicinal plants by black women: ethnography study in a low-income community

Objective To explore beliefs, values and practices related to the use of medicinal plants among low-income black families. Method The research method was ethnography and the participant observation process was done in a low-income community in the peripheral area of the City of São Paulo. Twenty black women were interviewed. Results Two cultural sub-themes, I do use medicines that I learned to make with my mother and with religious practitioners to care for diseases and Home medicines are to treat problems that are not serious, and the cultural theme I do use home medicines to treat simple diseases because I always have them at my disposal, they are free and I don’t need a medical prescription represent beliefs, values, and practices related to the use of medicinal plants among low-income black families. Conclusion The development of such practices, which can hide ethnic and social vulnerability, reveals the resilience of low-income black women in the process of confronting problems during the health-illness process.

A-1A Supplemental Security Income Program, January 2007

Supplemental Security Income Program, January 2007

Distribution of hospital admissions in a middle-income country of the African region

Introduction: Few studies have reported the distribution of all hospital admissions at the entire country level in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). We examined this question in Seychelles, a rapidly developing small island state in the Africa region, in which access to health care is provided free of charge to all inhabitants through a national health system and all hospital admissions are routinely registered. Methods: Based on all admissions to all hospitals in Seychelles in 2005-2008, we calculated the distribution of hospital admissions, age at admission, length of stay and bed occupancy (i.e. cumulated number of patients * number of days spent in all hospitals) according to both hospital departments and broad causes of diseases (using codes of the ICD-10 classification of diseases). Results: Bed occupancy was largest in the surgical wards (36.7% of all days spent in all hospitals), followed by the medical wards (24.3%), gynecology/obstetrics wards (18.4%), pediatric wards (11.2%), and psychiatric wards (7.2%). According to broad causes of diseases/conditions, bed occupancy was highest for obstetrics/gynecology conditions (19.9% of all days spent at hospital), mental diseases (8.6%), cardiovascular diseases (8.1%), upper aerodigestive/pulmonary diseases (8%), infectious/parasitic diseases (8%), gastrointestinal diseases (7.2%), and urogenital diseases (6.7%). Adjusted to 100'000 population, 153 hospital beds are needed every day, including 31 for obstetrics/gynecologic conditions, 13 for mental diseases, 12 for cardiovascular diseases, 12 for upper aerodigestive diseases, 12 for infectious/parasitic diseases, and 11 for gastrointestinal diseases. Conclusion: Our findings give a good indication of the overall distribution of admissions according to both hospital departments and broad causes of diseases in a middle-income country. These findings provide important information for health care planning at the national level