Preventing gastro-enteritis deaths: recommendations based on a 3 years study.
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1995-12-01
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Based on epidemiological investigation of 75 gstro-enteritis deaths that occurred in 22 major hospitals of Delhi during 1990-92, this paper deals with the observations pertaining to the role of physicians and health infrastructure in the management of gastro-enteritis patients. Majority of the patients visited private practitioners/clinics in the first instance. Hospital stay in 44% of cases was 6 hours or more, by which time dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalance should have been corrected. Still, in 54.5 percent out of these, dehydration was the cause of death, while in 18.2 percent electrolyte imbalance co-existed. Record maintenance at various hospitals was far from satisfactory. The study, highlighting the need for proper rehydration and timely referral enlists recommendations that might help in preventing gastro-enteritis deaths.
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Gulati N, Kumar A, Lal P, Mehra M, Sahgal K. Preventing gastro-enteritis deaths: recommendations based on a 3 years study. Journal of Communicable Diseases. 1995 Dec; 27(4): 256-61