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Infectious diseases among drug users
SVÁTKOVÁ, Lenka
The diploma thesis Infectious diseases of drug users is focused on monitoring the trend in the incidence of selected infectious diseases associated with the drug usage for a certain period of time. I have chosen viral hepatitis B and C for this monitoring because they belong to the most common infections typical for drug addicts at all. The issue of infectious diseases associated with intravenous drug usage is quite extensive therefore I tried to mention the most important information. Transmission of infectious diseases through intravenous drug usage is particularly insidious due to irrelevant length depending on time. The risk on non-compliance of basic hygiene measures is possible after a single application (using a sterile needle and syringe, a separate drug solution etc.). Another serious risk is that the viral hepatitis B and C can pass into the chronic stage, which significantly affects the quality of life and can also significantly reduce it. HIV infection is still incurable so it ends with the early death of the patient. If the syphilis is not treated and passes into the third stage it can ends up fatally. Infectious endocarditis is a serious life-threatening illness if not recognized and treated early. The diploma thesis has theoretical and practical part. In the theoretical part of this thesis I deal with various infectious diseases related to drug usage. I chose the most common disease according to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): viral hepatitis A, B, C, infections transmitted by sexual contact (syphilis, gonorrhea), HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis, infectious endocarditis and infections of the skin and soft tissues. Individual infections are divided into several chapters where the causative agent is described, mode of transmission, clinical picture, disease diagnosis, treatment and epidemiological measures. In the theoretical part I drew inspiration from the literature, internet sources and valid legal legislation. In the practical part I paid attention to the issue of occurrence of viral hepatitis B and C in the Pilsen Region for a certain period of time typical for intravenous drug users and the rest of the population. I compare these figures to the incidence of viral hepatitis in other regions of the Czech Republic for the same years. Data are analysed using quantitative research technique of secondary data analysis. Data are obtained from the information reporting system and records of transmissible diseases EPIDAT and from annual reports of the Czech Republic. The diploma thesis has one objective: to characterize and compare the trends of selected infectious diseases among drug users and the general population of the Pilsen Region in 2003-2011. Four hypotheses were defined: H1: The incidence of infectious diseases among drug users has been growing. H2: The frequency of infectious diseases among drug users in the Pilsen Region in the period 2003-2011 is comparable to the incidence of infectious diseases among drug users in the Czech Republic in the same time period. H3: The sickness rate of viral hepatitis B among drug users in the Pilsen Region in the period 2003-2011 is statistically more significant than among the general population of the Pilsen Region in the same time period. H4: The sickness rate of viral hepatitis C among drug users in the Pilsen Region in the period 2003-2011 is statistically more significant than among the general population of the Pilsen Region in the same time period. Due to lack of information in 2002, the objective of this diploma thesis and individual hypotheses had to be modified. Therefore the period relates to the year 2003-2011. Individual hypotheses were statistically tested to determine the statistical significance. The first and second hypothesis was refuted. A third hypothesis and fourth hypothesis was confirmed.
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