University of Peradeniya

About: University of Peradeniya is a education organization based out in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 5970 authors who have published 7388 publications receiving 197002 citations.

Cost to government health-care services of treating acute self-poisonings in a rural district in Sri Lanka

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To estimate the direct financial costs to the Sri Lanka Ministry of Health of treating patients after self-poisoning, particularly from pesticides, in a single district. METHODS: Data on staff, drug, laboratory and other inputs for each patient admitted for self-poisoning were prospectively collected over a one-month period from one general hospital (2005) and five peripheral hospitals (2006) in the Anuradhapura district. Data on transfers to secondary- and tertiary-level facilities were obtained for a 6-month period from 30 peripheral hospitals. The cost of the inputs in United States dollars (US$), using 2005 figures, was derived from hospital accounts. FINDINGS: The average total cost of treating a self-poisoned patient at the general hospital was US$ 31.83, with ward staff input and drugs being the highest expenditure category and only US$ 0.19 of this sum related to capital and maintenance costs. The average total cost of treatment was highest for self-poisoning with pesticides (US$ 49.12). The patients placed in the intensive care unit, who comprised 5% of the total, took up 75% of the overall treatment cost for all self-poisoned patients at the general hospital. The average total cost of treating self-poisoned patients at peripheral hospitals was US$ 3.33. The average patient cost per transfer was US$ 14.03. In 2006, the total cost of treating self-poisoned patients in the Anuradhapura district amounted to US$ 76 599, of which US$ 53 834 were comprised of pesticide self-poisonings. Based on the total treatment cost per self-poisoned patient estimated in this study, the cost of treating self-poisoned patients in all of Sri Lanka in 2004 was estimated at US$ 866 304. CONCLUSION: The cost of treating pesticide self-poisonings may be reduced by promoting the use of less toxic pesticides and possibly by improving case management in primary care hospitals. Additional research is needed to assess if increasing infrastructure and staff at peripheral hospitals could reduce the overall cost to the government, optimize case management and reduce pressure on secondary services.

Tooth loss, the wearing of dentures and associated factors in Sri Lankan older individuals.

Abstract: Objective: To determine tooth loss, wearing of dentures and associated factors in older individuals from Sri Lanka. Design: A cross-sectional survey where the data were collected by means of an oral examination and an interviewer administered questionnaire. Setting: Negambo within the Gampaha district of Sri Lanka. Subjects: A total of 630 subjects who were aged 60 years and above. Results: Only 11 subjects had all 32 teeth and 17% were edentulous. Age, gender and level of income were significantly associated with the number of missing teeth. Of those with missing teeth, 22% wore dentures. Only 16% of the non-denture wearers perceived a need for dentures. Among the non-denture wearers who perceived a need for dentures, a majority had cited ‘cost’ as the main barrier for obtaining dentures. Logistic regression analysis revealed that age, gender, levels of income and education and missing teeth were significant predictors of wearing of dentures. Conclusions: Knowledge of factors that influence tooth loss and wearing of dentures may have implications for oral health care planners in the provision and delivery of oral health services to the older individuals.

Dehydration and malaria augment the risk of developing chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka

Abstract: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) of unknown etiology (CKDu) is a serious health issue in Sri Lanka. One-to-one age and sex-matched two sample comparative study was carried out in the Medawachchiya divisional secretariat area of the North Central Province (NCP) of Sri Lanka, by randomly selecting 100 CKDu patients and 100 age and sex-matched subjects from non-CKDu affected families from the same area. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for the collection of data pertaining to occupation, medical history and lifestyle. Data were analyzed using a conditional linear logistic model. Working for >6 h in the field per day, exposure to sun, drinking water only from well, consumption of <3 L of water per day, and having a history of malaria were found to be having significant (P < 0.05) likelihood toward the development of CKDu. Treatment of water prior to consumption had a significant protective effect against CKDu. Dehydration, history of malaria and drinking untreated well water from are likely contribute to the development of CKD of unknown etiology among the inhabitants of NCP, Sri Lanka.