No abstract

Within the framework of a retrospective study of the incidence of hip fractures in the canton of Vaud (Switzerland), all cases of hip fracture occurring among the resident population in 1986 and treated in the hospitals of the canton were identified from among five different information sources. Relevant data were then extracted from the medical records. At least two sources of information were used to identify cases in each hospital, among them the statistics of the Swiss Hospital Association (VESKA). These statistics were available for 9 of the 18 hospitals in the canton that participated in the study. The number of cases identified from the VESKA statistics was compared to the total number of cases for each hospital. For the 9 hospitals the number of cases in the VESKA statistics was 407, whereas, after having excluded diagnoses that were actually "status after fracture" and double entries, the total for these hospitals was 392, that is 4% less than the VESKA statistics indicate. It is concluded that the VESKA statistics provide a good approximation of the actual number of cases treated in these hospitals, with a tendency to overestimate this number. In order to use these statistics for calculating incidence figures, however, it is imperative that a greater proportion of all hospitals (50% presently in the canton, 35% nationwide) participate in these statistics.

No abstract

No abstract

The biological effects of ionizing radiations are one of the most important issues for workers exposed to these radiations in nuclear plants. To deliver information to workers about this topic, the “Utility medical work officers” wanted an educational tool. This tool named “OMIRIS” was prepared under the authority of the FE3R (Professors federation in radiology, radiobiology and radioprotection) and the industrial nuclear partners in France (ANDRA, AREVA/COGEMA & FRAMATOME-ANP, CEA & EDF). The use of animation techniques helps to present in a simple way this complex topic using an interactive, pleasant and comprehensible form.