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67 Within the European Member States, it should now be possible to establish a limited liability company fully online. This study compares how the Directive which mandates online formation, has been implemented in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. In particular, it examines whether and, if so, how these countries approach the various cybersecurity risks involved in online formation. The Directive considers these cybersecurity risks, however, the focus is mainly on the requirements regarding the availability of online formation and to a lesser extent the requirements pertaining to the authentication of the founders, as well as the authenticity and integrity of electronic documents. The primary emphasis of the Directive is strongly placed on achieving the objective of facilitating easier, quicker, and more time- and cost-effective company formation. The approach taken by the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany in implementing the Directive and enabling online formation demonstrates a notable level of similarity. All have made sure to safeguard the traditional role of notaries in company formation in these countries. Despite the Directive's emphasis on availability, the primary concern for these Member States lies in ensuring the security of online formation. All impose strict requirements regarding cybersecurity and opted for the highest standards regarding authentication (assurance level 'high') and authenticity (qualified electronic signatures). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the pioneering work (1882) of Robert Koch on the etiology of mycobacterial tuberculosis in humans, similar findings were made in many animal species. Especially dairy cows were frequently infected, but confusion arose about the zoonotic significance of bovine tuberculosis. This was due to the fact that two agents were involved in human infections. Typical ‘consumption’ (lung tuberculosis) appeared to spread from man to man, mainly by air, being caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a species rarely found in animals, whereas strains identified as Mycobacterium bovis infected many different animal species, including man. Disease caused by the latter group spreads orally and affects preferably, though not exclusively, the intestinal tract of children. Although percentages did not remain stable and varied widely between countries and even regions, it can be stated that, overall, in the first half of the previous century, about ten percent of human infections in Western Europe were caused by M. bovis strains. They were not easily differentiated from M. tuberculosis. Some leading specialists even speculated that the one type was able to evolve into the other. Despite of these uncertainties, a comprehensive and long-lasting programme was set up to eliminate tuberculosis from cattle. This was based on tuberculination, an in vivo diagnostic test using allergic reactions following injections of killed TB bacilli. Applications of these preparations, called tuberculins, introduced in the first years of the previous century, turned out to be very reliable. Considerable efforts were made to motivate all parties involved to create an obligatory animal identification system, to restrict commercial transactions of infected animals, to test all animals of a certain age, and to provide financial bn help, especially when animals needed to be slaughtered. After more than half a century, this dreadful endemic disease was practically eradicated from cattle in Belgium. Since 2003, the country is officially free. In retrospect, it can be concluded that this huge effort succeeded partly because it was never really evident that bovine infections were responsible for only a minority of human cases. This illustrates the essentially antropocentric character of veterinary medicine. Anyhow, the successful anti-tuberculosis campaign created goodwill and facilitated in this way subsequent programmes to eradicate another endemic bovine infection, notably brucellosis. It laid the basis for official animal health organization, still operative at this moment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift is the property of Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aims and objectives: To gain insight into the request, use and associated factors of involuntary treatment in people with dementia (PwD) receiving professional home care in the Netherlands and Belgium. Background: Most of the PwD remain living at home as long as possible. Due to complex care needs, this can result in an increased risk for care provided against the wishes of the client and/or to which the client resists, referred to as involuntary treatment. Design: Secondary data analyses of two cross‐sectional surveys. Methods: Dementia case managers and district nurses filled in a questionnaire for each PwD in their caseload. This study included data of 627 PwD receiving professional home care in the Netherlands and 217 in Belgium. The same methodology (questionnaire and variables) was used in both samples. Descriptive statistics and multi‐level logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist. Results: More than half of the PwD (50.7%) living at home received involuntary treatment (Belgium 68.2% and the Netherlands 44.7%). Nonconsensual care (82.7%) was the most common, followed by psychotropic medication (40.7%) and physical restraints (18.5%). Involuntary treatment use was associated with living alone, greater ADL dependency, lower cognitive ability, higher family caregiver burden and receiving home care in Belgium versus the Netherlands. Involuntary treatment was most often requested by family caregivers. Conclusions: Involuntary treatment is often used in PwD, which is in line with previous findings indicating dementia as a risk factor for involuntary treatment use. More research is needed to gain insight into variations in prevalence across other countries, which factors influence these differences and what countries can learn from each other regarding prevention of involuntary treatment. Relevance to clinical practice: To provide person‐centred care, it is important to study ways to prevent involuntary treatment in PwD and to stimulate dialogue between professional and family caregivers for alternative interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Belgian History / Revue Belge d'Histoire Contemporaine is the property of Cegesoma and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Municipalities are typically responsible for maintaining address data. Building and maintaining regional or national datasets from local sources requires careful coordination among stakeholders. The Centraal ReferentieadressenBestand (CRAB) is a digital authoritative address dataset, also referred to as a register, for the Flemish Region in Belgium. We present an analysis of the influence of CRAB stakeholders before and after the merger between the agencies responsible for geospatial information and e-government, respectively. Tensions between stakeholders who create and maintain address data locally and those with an interest in the data for a larger area are discussed, and how these changed after the merger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we reflect upon the evolution from the Belgian trans law of 2007 to those of 2017 and beyond, giving adult citizens the possibility to have their self-determined gender legally recognised. The 2019 ruling of the Belgian Constitutional Court, condemning the Belgian State for being discriminatory against gender fluid and gender non-binary persons regarding their legal gender recognition, requires the Belgian government to either add a third legal option or to abolish gender registration altogether. We analyse the definitions of sex and gender that underlie the two trans laws of 2007 and 2017 and the Constitutional Court ruling of 2019 and then confront them with the experiences of trans people based on a national transgender survey (Motmans, Wyverkens, & Defreyne, 2017). The confrontation between legal texts and lived experiences clearly shows the promises and pitfalls states face when striving for gender recognition procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides erectile difficulties, age-related prevalence rates of male sexual difficulties remain inconsistent. Moreover, apart from erectile and premature ejaculation, epidemiological studies that provide detailed age-related prevalence rates of other sexual difficulties (e.g. lack of sexual desire) in men are rare. Prevalence rates of sexual dysfunctions (i.e. sexual difficulties that cause personal distress) are almost non-existent. Based on an online study of 14,836 heterosexual Flemish men aged 16–74 years, age-related prevalence of sexual difficulties, sexual dysfunctions and associations with personal sexual distress are presented. While most sexual difficulties increased from age 55 to 60, hyperactive sexual desire and premature ejaculation decreased with age. Compared to sexual difficulties, sexual dysfunctions displayed only a mild association with age, suggesting that sexual difficulties per se and sexual distress are differently associated with age. The current results imply that research on predictors of sexual dysfunctions could benefit from assessing protective and risk factors associated with sexual difficulties and those associated with sexual distress separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older people in the emergency department (ED) represent a growing population and increasing proportion of the workload in the ED. This study investigated the support for frail older people in the ED, by exploring the collaboration between the geriatric services (GS) and the EDs in Belgian hospitals.Methods: An electronic cross-sectional survey in all Belgian hospitals with an ED (n = 100) about care aspects, collaboration, education and infrastructure for older patients in the ED was collected. Descriptive analyses were performed at national level.Results: Forty-nine of 100 surveys were completed by the GS. The heads of the ED returned only 12 incomplete questionnaires and these results are therefore not reported. Twenty-six of the 49 heads of GSs (53%) indicated that there was an agreement, mainly informal, between the geriatric and the emergency department concerning the management of older people on the ED. A geriatrician was available for specific problems, by phone or in person, in 96% of the EDs during daytime on weekdays. Almost all responding hospitals (96%) had an inpatient geriatric consultation team, of which 85% was available for specific problems at the ED, by phone or bedside during the daytime on weekdays. Twenty-nine heads of the GSs (59%) reported that older patients were screened at ED admission during the day to identify 'at risk' patients. The results of the screening were used in the context of further treatment (76%), to decide on hospital admission (27%), or to justify admission on a geriatric ward (55%). In the year preceding the survey, 25% of the responding hospitals had organised geriatric training for ED healthcare workers. Thirty-four heads of the GS (69%) felt that the infrastructure of the ED was insufficient to give high-quality care for older persons.Conclusion: Collaborations between EDs and GS are emerging in Belgium, but are currently rather limited and not yet sufficiently embedded in the ED care. Exploratory studies are necessary to identify how these collaborations can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: General Practitioners (GPs) are well placed to care for patients with (chronic) substance use problems. This pilot was carried out to study the feasibility and usefulness of a continuous surveillance of substance use problems among general practice patients. The objectives were (i) to describe variables with missing values exceeding 1% and whether patients were reported without substance-related problems; (ii) the profile and the magnitude of the patient population that is treated for substance use problems. Methods: Observational study by the Belgian Network of Sentinel General Practices (SGP) in 2013. Baseline (at the first encounter) and 7-month follow-up data were reported of all patients treated for substance use problems. Two main measurements were type of substance use and patient status at follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine patient status at follow-up. Results: Of 479 patients, 47.2% had problems with alcohol alone, 20.3% with prescription drugs, 16.7% with illicit drugs other than heroin or methadone and 15.9% with heroin or methadone. Problems with alcohol alone were more prevalent in Flanders (53.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 46.8-59.1%) than in Wallonia-Brussels (39.8%; 95% CI 33.1-46.8%), while problems with heroin or methadone were more prevalent in Wallonia-Brussels (27.0%; 95% CI 21. 1-33.5%) than in Flanders (7.1%; 95% CI 4.3-10.9%). At follow-up, 32.8% of the patients had dropped out, 29.0% had discontinued GP treatment and 38.2% had continued GP treatment. Overall, 32.4% of 479 patients had continued GP treatment for substance use problems during the study period. In Wallonia-Brussels, this proportion was higher (42.7%; 95% CI 35.9-49.6%) than in Flanders (24.3%; 95% CI 19.2-29.8%). Conclusions: A continuous surveillance of the general practice population treated for substance use problems seems to be feasible and useful. The latter is suggested by the specific profile and the relative magnitude of the population. Inter-regional health system differences should be taken into account to estimate the epidemiology of substance use problems among general practice patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift is the property of Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

'Miserable persons' - including widows, orphans and 'the poor' - were entitled to petition their city governors free of charge, because of their destitution. Which 'poor' qualified for such entitlement is hard to derive from normative sources. Historiography offers inconsistent interpretations. Simona Cerutti, on the one hand, has asserted for eighteenth-century Turin how poverty related first and foremost to ignorance of local laws and lack of local ties, and less to material circumstances. Katherine Lynch, on the other hand, has stressed the importance of early modern poor relief to local poor in the creation of civic communities. If such interpretative scheme is applicable to 'pro deo' petitioning, the local belonging of such petitioners instead of lack of local ties must have been characteristic. A full-text analysis of 213 petitions offered to the Antwerp city government during the eighteenth century helps to explore the nature of poverty of social groups who managed to access the city government free of charge. They did so to acquire some relief in the form of an allowance, an authorisation or-more often than not-the arbitration of interpersonal conflicts. All in all, little pro deo petitions were registered in the so-called rekwestboeken. It appears that only a specific group among the large sections of urban poor qualified for the status of 'persona miserabilis'. They more often than not belonged to the local community, their poverty was a fairly recent experience and related to downward social mobility. The article also argues that only those who found a legal professional willing to help submitting a 'pro deo' petition, managed to do so. In short, the city government of eighteenth-century Antwerp was difficult to approach by lower social groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY QUESTION What is the effect of a legal limitation of the number of embryos that can be transferred in an assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycle on the multiple delivery rate? SUMMARY ANSWER The Belgian national register shows that the introduction of reimbursement of ART laboratory costs in July 2003, and the imposition of a legal limitation of the number of embryos transferred in the same year, were associated with a >50% reduction of the multiple pregnancy rate from 27 to 11% between 2003 and the last assessment in 2010, without any reduction of the pregnancy rate per cycle. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Individual Belgian IVF centres have published their results since the implementation of the law, and these show a decrease in the multiple pregnancy rate on a centre by centre basis. However, the overall national picture remains unpublished. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Cohort study from 1990 to 2010 of all ART cycles in Belgium (2685 cycles in 1990 evolving to 19 110 cycles in 2010), with a retrospective analysis from 1990 to 2000 and prospective online data collection since 2001. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Registration evolved from paper written reports per centre to a compulsory online registration of all ART cycles. From 2001 up to mid-2009, data were collected from Excel spread sheets or MS Access files into an MS Access database. Since mid-2009, data collection is done via a remote and secured web-based system (www.belrap.be) where centres can upload their data and get immediate feedback about missing data, errors and inconsistencies. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE National Belgian registration data show that reimbursement of IVF laboratory costs in July 2003, coupled to a legal limitation in the number of embryos transferred in utero, were associated with a 50% reduction of the multiple pregnancy rate from 27 to 11% without reduction of the pregnancy rate per cycle, and with an increase in the number of fresh and frozen ART cycles due to improved access to treatment. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION There is potential underreporting of complications of ART treatment, pregnancy outcome and neonatal health. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Over the 20 years of registration, the pregnancy rate has remained constant, despite the reduction in the number of embryos transferred, optimization of laboratory procedures and stimulation protocols, introduction of quality systems and implementation of the EU Tissue Directive over the period 2004–2010. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) No external funding was sought for this study. None of the authors has any conflict of interest to declare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematically one can distinguish two traditions related to ethnic statistics in Europe. In France, Germany and most southern European countries, the dominant statistical categorisations merely distinguish individuals on the basis of their nationality. In contrast, most northern European countries have been producing data on the ethnic and/or foreign origin of their populations. Belgium is caught somewhere in between these two traditions. The French speaking part of Belgium tends to follow the French tradition of refusing ethnic categorisation, while the Flemish try to copy the Dutch model in distinguishing 'allochthones' and 'autochthones.' This contribution offers an analysis of the construction of ethnic categories as it has been undertaken in the Dutch context and (partially) imported in Belgium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing incidence of tick bites and Lyme disease has been noticed internationally. The aims of this study are threefold: to estimate the incidence of tick bites and erythema migrans, to assess the compliance of the general practitioners (GPs) with the recommendations about the management of tick bites and erythema migrans, and finally, to have a look at the evolution over time, both on incidence and management. We used data of the Belgian network of sentinel general practitioners (SGP) to study the incidence rates in Belgium, the trend over time, and the degree of compliance of the SGP. The overall Belgian incidence rates in the SGP practice in 2008-2009 were 18.65 (95% CI 17.29-20.08) per 10,000 persons for tick bites and 9.02 (95% CI 8.08-10.03) for erythema migrans. The diagnostic management of patients with an asymptomatic tick bite has worsened over time, while the therapeutic management of erythema migrans has improved over time. The international increasing trend of the incidence was not observed in the SGP. There is still room for improvement concerning the approach of the GPs. Recommendations could help to improve their approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Europe, a comparable scope of training in GP can be observed especially in the field of knowledge. This feasibility study determines if a knowledge test is suitable in the context of a neighboring country. Methods: A Dutch knowledge multiple choice test was used after validation of its content in Flanders (Belgium) in the academic year 2010-2011. Satisfaction with the test format was assessed. The test was taken by general practice trainees and trainers. Group scores of trainees in year 1, 2 and 3 and their trainers were compared to Dutch participants as a control group. Results: 80 percent of the items in the Dutch test were transferable to Flanders (Belgium). Flemish participants (Belgium) liked the test format. The scores of all Belgian participants groups were lower than the Dutch participants. Conclusion: The results among 1278 participants show that the use of the Dutch knowledge multiple-choice test is feasible in a neighboring country. At present, the individual scores can not be used for high stake decisions for trainees in Flanders (Belgium). If countries collaborate in the area of assessing GPs trainees, there would be an economical benefit due to increased efficiency. It would also lead to greater international integration of the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear of childbirth has gained importance in the context of increasing medicalization of childbirth. Belgian and Dutch societies are very similar but differ with regard to the organization of maternity care. The Dutch have a high percentage of home births and low medical intervention rates. In contrast, home births in Belgium are rarer, and the medical model is more widely used. By comparing the Belgian and Dutch maternity care models, the association between fear of childbirth and medicalization can be explored. For this study an antenatal questionnaire was completed by 833 women at 30 weeks of pregnancy. Fear of childbirth was measured by a shortened Dutch version of the Childbirth Attitudes Questionnaire. A four-dimensional model with baby-related, pain and injuries-related, general and personal control-related, and medical interventions and hospital care-related fear, fitted well in both countries. Multiple regression analysis showed no country differences, except that Belgian women in midwife-led care were more fearful of medical interventions and hospital care than the Dutch. For the other dimensions, both Belgian and Dutch women receiving midwifery care reported less fear compared to those in obstetric antenatal care. Hence, irrespective of the maternity care model, antenatal care providers are crucial in preventing fear of childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, aims and objectives Issues of overuse, underuse and misuse are paramount and lead to avoidable morbidity and mortality. Although evidence-based practice is advocated, the widespread implementation of this kind of practice remains a challenge. This is also the case for evidence-based practice related to the prevention of pressure ulcers, which varies widely in process and outcome in Belgian hospital care. One major obstacle to bridging this knowledge-to-action gap is data availability. We propose using large-scale hospital administrative data combined with the latest evidence-based methods as part of the solution to this problem. Method To test our proposal, we applied this approach to pressure ulcer prevention, using an administrative dataset with regard to 6030 patients in 22 Belgian hospitals as a sample of nationally available data. Methods include a systematic review approach, evidence grading, recommendations formulation, algorithm construction, programming of the rule set and application on the database. Results We found that Belgian hospitals frequently failed to provide appropriate prevention care. Significant levels of underuse, up to 28.4% in pressure ulcer prevention education and 17.5% in the use of dynamic systems mattresses, were detected. Figures for overuse were mostly not significant. Misuse couldn't be assessed. Conclusions These results demonstrate that this approach can indeed be successfully used to bridge the knowledge-to-action gap in medical practice, by implementing an innovative method to assess underuse and overuse in hospital care. The integrative use of administrative data and clinical applications should be replicated in other patient groups, other datasets and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine patient and system characteristics of first-time ("incident") vs. recurrent ("recurrent") use of a psychiatric emergency room (PER).Methods: Data on demographic and clinical characteristics and health service utilization were collected for incident and recurrent users (n=3,719) who visited the PER of the university hospital in Leuven, Belgium, between March 2000 and March 2002.Results: About 64% (n=2,368) were incident and 36% (n=1,351) were recurrent users. The PER was the first treatment setting ever for 50% of the incident users. Incident users were most likely over 69 years (OR=2.84, P<0.001), employed (OR=2.21, P<0.001), or referred by a health care professional (OR=1.72, P<0.001). They were less likely to have a personality disorder (OR=0.40, P<0.001) or to have used inpatient or outpatient services in the past (OR's 0.11 and 0.65, respectively, P<0.001). About 44% were admitted, 38% referred for outpatient treatment, 9% referred to the outpatient crisis-intervention program, and 9% refused any follow-up.Conclusions: The PER was a first treatment setting ever for 1 in 3 patients. Incident and recurrent users differed in sociodemographic characteristics, pathways to care, service use, and the presence of a personality disorder. They did not differ in axis 1 disorders, comorbid mental disorders, or pathways after care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pressure to control pharmaceutical expenditure and price competition among pharmaceutical companies are fuelling the development of generic drug markets in EU countries. However, in Belgium, the market for generic drugs is underdeveloped compared with other countries. To promote the use of generic drugs, the government introduced a reference pricing (RP) scheme in 2001. The aim of this paper is to discuss Belgian pharmaceutical policy regarding generic drugs and to analyse how the Belgian drug market has evolved following initiation of the RP scheme. The market share held by generic drugs increased following implementation of the RP scheme. Focusing on volume, average market share (by semester) for generic drugs amounted to 2.05% of the total pharmaceutical market from January 1998 to June 2001, compared with 6.11% from July 2001 to December 2003. As new generic drugs are introduced, their market share tends to increase in the first couple of months, after which it levels off. Faced with increasing generic competition, some manufacturers have launched new variants of their original drug, thereby effectively extending the period of patent protection. Strategies consisting of price reductions in return for the abolition of prescribing conditions and the launch of new dosages or formulations appear to have been successful in maintaining the market share of original drugs. Nevertheless, the introduction of the RP scheme was associated with savings amounting to 1.8% of pharmaceutical expenditure by the third-party payer in 2001 and 2.1% in 2002. The findings of this paper indicate that the RP scheme has stimulated the Belgian generic drug market. However, existing policy has largely failed to take into account the role that physicians and pharmacists can play in stimulating generic drug use. Therefore, further development of the Belgian generic drug market seems to hinge on the creation of appropriate incentives for physicians to prescribe, and for pharmacists to dispense, generic drugs. With respect to incentives to advance generic drug use, EU countries have experimented with various forms of budget constraints for physicians, generic substitution by pharmacists and RP schemes, although more evidence is needed of their impact on consumption and prices of generic drugs, pharmaceutical expenditure and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the regulation of pharmacists in Belgium and the Netherlands. Aim of testing the rent-seeking hypothesis discussed in private-interest publications; Analysis of self-regulation issued by professional bodies and public regulations; Restriction of entry into the profession and competition within the profession; Support for the rent-seeking hypothesis.

This study describes the frequency of and indications used for total feeding assistance and tube feeding in a national representative sample of Belgian hospital patients (n = 421 314). Data from the 1990 national minimum nursing data registration was used. Orem's self-care model was used to describe and categorize types of nursing care and related indications. The scope of wholly compensatory nursing care was limited to total feeding assistance and tube feeding. This type of nursing care is indicated when self-care agency is undeveloped or cannot be used and when self-care demands are significantly increased. Based on review of the literature, hypotheses to indicate nursing care were formulated and tested. Wholly compensatory nursing care related to enteral food intake is given to 14.4% of the total patient population in Belgian hospitals. If self-care demand increases due to malnutrition, then this is an indication for total feeding assistance. If self-care agency decreases due to blindness, mental retardation, disorientation or upper extremity dysfunction, then this is also an indication for total feeding assistance. If self-care agency decreases due to impaired chewing, then this is an indication for tube feeding. This study has generated the first representative national nursing statistics about total feeding assistance and tube feeding in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the legal basis for organized cancer screening in Belgium. Provisions of the privacy law in the country; Methods of detecting cervical cancer and malignant breast tumors; Comparison between organized screening on a population level and screening on the individual initiative of the patient or the doctor.

The article presents a survey among over 85 years old in Brugge in Belgium with regards to their needs and perceptions of their own situation in an effort to give an essential background on the Brugge social service scene. The enquiries concentrated on the different areas of interest, including demographic features, living conditions, the degree of self-sufficiency, the extent of social participation and their perceptions of well-being, of health and of income. The survey found that respondents have a very positive outlook on their health and generally display a positive attitude of mind. The dependence on care seems to have a great influence on the emotional well-being of those aged 85 and over ad living alone in the Brugge.

Data on the civil registration of all births and deaths recorded in 1987 in Belgium were analysed following WHO rules. The following statistics with significant regional variations were recorded: 2.5% of teenage pregnancies, 7% of late pregnancies (≥35 years), 6.1% of low birth weights and 5.3% of preterm deliveries. Preterm birth rates did not improve during the last decade and are higher than in neighbouring countries. Infant mortality rate is 9.74 per 1000. This rate has remained unchanged since the early 1980s but the relative importance of post-neonatal mortality is increasing. Congenital anomalies account for 26% of all infant deaths followed by the sudden infant death syndrome (17%). Maternal conditions such as eclampsia are related to 29% of the infants' deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]