Browsing by Author "Markkula, Niina"
Now showing 1 - 17 of 17
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item An evaluation of the absolute and relative stability of alexithymia over 11years in a Finnish general population.(Elsevier, 2017) Hiirola, Anna; Pirkola, Sami; Karukivi, M; Markkula, Niina; Bagby, R. Michael; Joukamaa, M; Jula, A.; Kronholm, Erkki; Saarijärvi, Simo; Salminen, Jouko; Suvisaari, J.; Taylor, G.; Mattila, A.OBJECTIVE: We investigated if alexithymia, a personality construct with difficulties in emotional processing, is stable in the general population. METHODS: Altogether 3083 unselected subjects aged 30 and older in Finland completed the 20- item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) in the longitudinal Health 2000 and Health 2011 general population surveys (BRIF8901). The stability of alexithymia at the 11-year follow-up was assessed with t-tests, correlations, and separate linear regression models with base-line and follow-up age, gender, marital status, education, and 12-month depressive and anxiety disorders as confounders. RESULTS: The mean score (SD) of the TAS-20 for the whole sample was 44.2 (10.4) in 2000 and 44.2 (10.9) in 2011 (p=0.731). The mean score of the TAS-20 subscale Difficulty Identifying Feelings increased by 0.3 points, Difficulty Describing Feelings decreased by 0.6 points and Externally Oriented Thinking increased by 0.3 points. The effect sizes of the changes varied from negligible to small. Age had little effect except for the group of the oldest subjects (75-97years): the TAS-20 mean (SD) score was 49.1 (10.1) in 2000 and 53.1 (10.3) in 2011 (p<0.001), the effect size for the increase was medium. TAS-20 score in 2000 explained a significant proportion of variance in TAS-20 score in 2011. Controlling for all baseline confounders improved the model incrementally; the same applied to controlling for confounders at follow-up. Baseline depression or anxiety disorders were not associated with the TAS-20 scores in 2011, whereas current diagnoses were. CONCLUSIONS: According to our large longitudinal study both the absolute and relative stability of alexithymia assessed with the TAS-20 are high in the adult general population.Item Antidepressant use among immigrants with depressive disorder living in Finland: A register-based study(2022) Kieseppa, Valentina; Markkula, Niina; Heidi, Taipale; Holm, Minna; Jokela, Markus; Suvisaari, Jaana; Tanskanen, Antti; Gissler, Mika; Lehti, VenlaItem Association of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii, Epstein-Barr Virus, Herpes Simplex virus Type 1 and Cytomegalovirus with new-onset depressive and anxiety disorders: An 11-year follow-up study(2020) Markkula, Niina; Lindgren, Maija; Yolken, Robert H.; Suvisaari, JaanaBackground: Some prevalent infections have been associated with common mental disorders, but there are few longitudinal studies, and results are inconsistent. We aimed to assess whether serological evidence of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Herpes Simplex virus Type 1 (HSV-1) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) predict development of new-onset depressive and anxiety disorders. Methods: In a nationally representative sample of the Finnish adult population aged 30 and over (BRIF8901, n = 8028), IgG antibodies for T. gondii, EBV, HSV-1 and CMV were measured in plasma samples. The population was followed up for 11 years and new-onset depressive and anxiety disorders were diagnosed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Associations were analysed controlling for sex, age, educational level, region of residence and marital status, and in separate analyses also for C-reactive protein level. Results: Seropositivity and serointensity of the four infectious agents were not associated with an ncreased risk of new-onset depressive or anxiety disorders. Seropositivity for CMV at baseline was associated with a lower risk of new-onset generalized anxiety disorder (adjusted OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22–0.86 for CMV positive persons). Conclusion: The results of this large, nationally representative longitudinal study suggest that common viral infections are not significant risk factors for common mental disorders. The association of CMV with a lower risk of generalized anxiety disorder warrants further investigation.Item Changes in prevalence and correlates of alcohol-use disorders in Finland in an 11-year follow-up(2019) Peña, Sebastián; Suvisaari, Jaana; Härkänen, Tommi; Markkula, Niina; Saarni, Suoma; Härkönen, Janne; Mäkelä, Pia; Koskinen, SeppoAims: This study aimed to examine changes in prevalence and correlates of alcohol-use disorders (AUD) between 2000 and 2011. We also explored the impact of using multiple imputation on prevalence estimates, to address survey nonresponse. Methods: The study used a Finnish nationally representative survey of adults aged 30 years and older in 2000 and in 2011. The Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) was used to diagnose AUD in 6005 persons in 2000 (response rate 75%) and 4381 in 2011 (response rate 55%) Multiple imputation using sociodemographic, health, and registry-linked data on mental health hospitalizations was compared with weights to account for nonresponse. Results: Prevalence of 12-month AUD in Finland decreased from 4.6% (95% CI 4.0–5.1) in 2000 to 2.0% in 2011 (95% CI 1.6–2.4). Lifetime AUD prevalence decreased from 10.8% (95% CI 9.9–11.6) to 7.5% (CI 95% 6.8–8.3) from 2000 to 2011. The reduction was observed for people aged 30–64 years. At both time points, AUD prevalence was higher among individuals aged 30–64, men and those unmarried, widowed or divorced. The observed prevalence changes can be partly attributed to reporting and selection bias. The latter was addressed by multiple imputation. Conclusions: Alcohol use disorders appear to have decreased in Finland from 2000 to 2011, especially for the 30–64 years age group. Males, younger adults and those unmarried, widowed or divorced had a higher risk of AUD.Item Determinants of access to health care for depression in 49 countries: A multilevel analysis(2018) Araya, Ricardo; Zitko, Pedro; Markkula, Niina; Rai, Dheeraj; Jones, KelvynBackground: The relative importance of individual and country-level factors influencing access to diagnosis and treatment for depression across the world is fairly unknown. Methods: We analysed cross-national data from the WHO World Health Surveys. Depression diagnosis and access to health care were ascertained using a structured interview. Logistic Bayesian Multilevel analyses were performed to establish individual and country level factors associated with: (1) receiving a diagnosis and (2) accessing treatment for depression if a diagnosis was ascertained. Results: The sample included 7870 individuals from 49 countries who met ICD-10 criteria for depressive episode in the past 12 months. A third (32%) of these individuals had ever been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime. Among those diagnosed with depression, 66% reported to have ever received treatment for depression. Although individual factors were more important determinants of access to treatment for depression, countrylevel factors explained 27.6% of the variance in access to diagnosis and 24.1% in access to treatment. Access to treatment for depression improved with increasing country income. Female gender, better education, the presence of physical co-morbidity, more material assets, and living in urban areas were individual level determinants of better access. Limitations: Data on other contextual factors was not available. Unmet need was likely underestimated, since only lifetime treatment data was available. Conclusion: This study highlights major inequalities in access to a diagnosis and treatment of depression. Unlike the prevalence of depression, where contextual factors have shown to have less importance, a significant proportion of the variance in access to depression care was explained by country-level income.Item Effectiveness of non-medical health worker-led counselling on psychological distress: a randomized controlled trial in rural Nepal(2019) Markkula, Niina; Lehti, V.; Adhikari, P.; Peña, S.; Heliste, J.; Mikkonen, E.; Rutanen, M.; Salama, E.; Guragain, B.Background: An essential strategy to increase coverage of psychosocial treatments globally is task shifting to non-medical counsellors, but evidence on its effectiveness is still scarce. This study evaluates the effectiveness of lay psychosocial counselling among persons with psychological distress in a primary health care setting in rural Nepal. Methods: A parallel randomized controlled trial in Dang, rural Nepal (NCT03544450). Persons aged 16 and older attending primary care and with a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) score of 6 or more were randomized (1:1) to receive either non-medical psychosocial counselling (PSY) or enhanced usual care (EUC). PSY was provided by lay persons with a 6-month training and consisted of 5-weekly counselling sessions of 35-60 min with a culturally adapted solution-focused approach. EUC was provided by trained primary health workers. Participants were followed up at 1 (T1) and 6 months (T2). The primary outcome, response to treatment, was the reduction of minimum 50% in the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score. Results: A total of 141 participants, predominantly socially disadvantaged women, were randomized to receive PSY and 146 to EUC. In the PSY, 123 participants and 134 in the EUC were analysed. In PSY, 101 participants (81.4%) had a response compared with 57 participants (42.5%) in EUC [percentage difference 39.4% (95% CI 28.4-50.4)]. The difference in BDI scores at T2 between PSY and EUC was -7.43 (95% CI -9.71 to -5.14). Conclusions: Non-medical (lay) psychosocial counselling appears effective in reducing depressive symptoms, and its inclusion in mental health care should be considered in low-resource settings.Item “If I get sick here, I will never see my children again”: The mental health of international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile(2022) Blukacz, Alice; Cabieses, Báltica; Obach, Alexandra; Madrid, Paula; Carreño, Alejandra; Pickett, Kate; Markkula, NiinaBackground: The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the mental health of international migrants globally. Chile has managed its response to the pandemic in an ongoing context of social unrest and combined regional migratory and humanitarian crisis. The country's population presents a high prevalence of common mental disorders and a high suicide rate, with limited access to mental healthcare. International migrants in Chile represent 8% of the total population, and although a socioeconomically heterogenous group, they face social vulnerability, a range of mental health stressors and additional barriers to access mental healthcare. This study describes the mental health outcomes, stressors, response, and coping strategies perceived by international migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Methods and findings: A qualitative case study was carried out through individual online interviews to 30 international migrants living in Chile during the pandemic and 10 experts of the social and health care sectors. An inductive content analysis was carried out, a process during which the researchers sought to identify patterns and themes derived from the data. Participants experienced mainly negative mental health outcomes, including anxiety and depression symptomatology. Stressors included the virus itself, work, living and socioeconomic conditions, discrimination, fear for their family and distance caring. Institutional responses to address the mental health of international migrants during the pandemic in Chile were limited and participants relied mainly on individual coping strategies. Conclusions: The pandemic can represent an important opportunity to strengthen mental health systems for the general population as well as for population groups experiencing social vulnerability, if the issues identified and the lessons learned are translated into action at national, regional, and international level. Promoting the mental health of international migrants means recognising migration as a social determinant of mental health and adopting a cross-cultural as well as a Human Rights approach.Item Incidence and prevalence of mental disorders among immigrants and native Finns: a register-based study(Springer, 2017) Markkula, Niina; Lehti, Venla; Gissler, Mika; Suvisaari, JaanaPURPOSE: Migrants appear to have a higher risk of mental disorders, but findings vary across country settings and migrant groups. We aimed to assess incidence and prevalence of mental disorders among immigrants and Finnish-born controls in a register-based cohort study. METHODS: A register-based cohort study of 184.806 immigrants and 185.184 Finnish-born controls (1.412.117 person-years) was conducted. Information on mental disorders according to ICD-10 was retrieved from the Hospital Discharge Register, which covers all public health care use. RESULTS: The incidence of any mental disorder was lower among male (adjusted HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.77-0.87) and female (aHR 0.76, 95% CI 0.72-0.81) immigrants, being lowest among Asian and highest among North African and Middle Eastern immigrants. The incidence of bipolar, depressive and alcohol use disorders was lower among immigrants. Incidence of psychotic disorders was lower among female and not higher among male immigrants, compared with native Finns. Incidence of PTSD was higher among male immigrants (aHR 4.88, 95% CI 3.38-7.05). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of mental disorders varies significantly across migrant groups and disorders and is generally lower among immigrants than native Finns.Item Inequities in mental health and mental healthcare between international immigrants and locals in Chile: a narrative review(2020) Blukacz, Alice; Cabieses, Báltica; Markkula, NiinaMental health in a context of international migration is a particularly pressing issue, as migration is recognised as a social determinant of physical and mental health. As Chile is increasingly becoming a receiving country of South-South migration, immigrants face mental health inequities, with regards to outcomes and access to care. In order to identify and synthetize mental healthcare inequities faced by international migrants with regards to locals in Chile, a narrative review of the literature on national mental healthcare policies in Chile and a narrative review of the literature on migrants’ mental healthcare in Chile were conducted, with a focus on describing mental health outcomes, policy environment and persisting gaps and barriers for both topics. The existing literature on mental healthcare in Chile, both for the general population and for international migrants, following the social determinant of health framework and categorised in terms of i) Inequities in mental health outcomes; ii) Description of the mental health policy environment and iii) Identification of the main barriers to access mental healthcare. Despite incremental policy efforts to improve the reach of mental healthcare in Chile, persisting inequities are identified for both locals and international migrants: lack of funding and low prioritisation, exacerbation of social vulnerability in the context of a mixed health insurance system, and inadequacy of mental healthcare services. International migrants may experience specific layers of vulnerability linked to migration as a social determinant of health, nested in a system that exacerbates social vulnerability. Based on the findings, the article discusses how mental health is a privilege for migrant populations as well as locals experiencing layers of social vulnerability in the Chilean context. International migrants’ access to comprehensive and culturally relevant mental healthcare in Chile and other countries is an urgent need in order to contribute to reducing social vulnerability and fostering mechanisms of social inclusion. International migration, social determinants of mental health, mental health inequities, social vulnerability, review.Item Memoria Programa de Estudios Sociales en Salud: PROESSA/CESGI. 2015-2022(Universidad del Desarrollo. Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana-ICIM. Programa de Estudios Sociales en Salud, 2022) Cabieses, Báltica; Obach, Alexandra; Bernales, Margarita; Pérez, Claudia; Markkula, Niina; Attalah, Celeste; Pedrero, Víctor; McIntyre, Ana María; Oyarte, Marcela; Chandía, Sabrita; Flaño, Javiera; Chepo, Macarena; Covarrubias, Trinidad; Astorga, Sofía; Ajraz, Nassim; Gálvez, Piedad; Carreño, Alejandra; Larenas, Daniel; Darrigrandi, Florencia; Agurto, Herleyn; Correa, Eliana; Moena, Olaya; Molina, Xaviera; Bussenius, Pascale; Sepúlveda, Camila; Urrutia, Carla; Blucakz, Alice; Silva, Claudia; Jaramillo, Karina; Rada, Isabel; Rodriguez, Cecilia; Alvarez, María Inés; Oliva, Alejandra; Vezzani, Francisca; Madrid, Paula; Roberts, Antonia; Campaña, CarlaPrograma interdisciplinario de investigación con foco en diversos procesos sociales que impactan en la salud poblacional en Chile y la región. Parte del Instituto de Ciencias e Innovaciones Médicas, ICIM, de la Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo.Item Mortality and causes of death among the migrant population of Finland in 2011-2013(European Public Health Association, 2017) Lehti, Venla; Gissler, Mika; Markkula, Niina; Suvisaari, JaanaBackground: Lower mortality among migrants than in the general population has been found in many, but not in all, previous studies. The mortality of migrants has not been studied in Finland, which has a relatively small and recent migrant population. Methods: People who were born abroad and whose mother tongue is not Finnish were identified from the Finnish Central Population Register (n = 185 605). A Finnish-born control matched by age, sex and place of residence was identified for each case (n = 185 605). Information about deaths was collected from the Finnish Causes of Death Register. Cox proportional hazards model was used for assessing the association between migrant status and death in 2011–13. Results: The mortality risk was found to be significantly lower for migrants than for Finnish controls (adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.72–0.84), both for migrant men (aHR 0.80, 95% CI 0.73–0.89) and women (aHR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70–0.88). The difference was statistically significant only among people who were not married and among people who were not in employment. There was variation by country of birth, but no migrant group had higher mortality than Finnish controls. No differences in mortality were found by duration of residence in Finland. The higher mortality of Finnish controls was largely explained by alcohol-related conditions and external causes of death. Conclusions: The mortality risk of migrants is lower than of people who were born in Finland. Possible explanations include selection and differences in substance use and other health behaviour.Item Mortality in people with psychotic disorders in Finland: a population-based 13-year follow-up study(Elsevier, 2017) Keinänen, Jaakko; Mantere, Outi; Markkula, Niina; Partti, Krista; Perälä, Jonna; Saarni, Samuli I.; Härkänen, Tommi; Suvisaari, JaanaOBJECTIVES: We conducted a population based study aiming at finding predictors of mortality in psychotic disorders and evaluating the extent to which sociodemographic, lifestyle and health-related factors explain the excess mortality. METHODS: In a nationally representative sample of Finns aged 30-70years (n=5642), psychotic disorders were diagnosed using structured interviews and medical records in 2000-2001. Information on mortality and causes of death was obtained of those who died by the end of year 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the mortality risk. RESULTS: No people with affective psychoses (n=36) died during the follow-up, thus the analysis was restricted to non-affective psychotic disorders (NAP) (n=106). Adjusting for age and sex, NAP was statistically significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 2.99, 95% CI 2.03-4.41) and natural-cause mortality (HR 2.81, 95% CI 1.85-4.28). After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, health status, inflammation and smoking, the HR dropped to 2.11 (95% CI 1.10-4.05) for all-cause and to 1.98 (95% CI 0.94-4.16) for natural-cause mortality. Within the NAP group, antipsychotic use at baseline was associated with reduced HR for natural-cause mortality (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.07-0.96), and smoking with increased HR (HR 3.54, 95% CI 1.07-11.69). CONCLUSIONS: The elevated mortality risk in people with NAP is only partly explained by socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, cardio-metabolic comorbidities and inflammation. Smoking cessation should be prioritized in treatment of psychotic disorders. More research is needed on the quality of treatment of somatic diseases in people with psychotic disorders.Item Predictors of new-onset depressive disorders – Results from the longitudinal Finnish Health 2011 Study(Elsevier, 2016) Markkula, Niina; Marola, Niko; Nieminen, Tarja; Koskinen, Seppo; Saarni, Samuli I.; Härkänen, Tommi; Suvisaari., JaanaDepressive disorders are among the most pressing public health challenges worldwide. Yet, not enough is known about their long-term outcomes. This study examines the course and predictors of different outcomes of depressive disorders in an eleven-year follow-up of a general population sample. METHODS: In a nationally representative sample of Finns aged 30 and over (BRIF8901), major depressive disorder (MDD) and dysthymia were diagnosed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) in 2000. The participants were followed up in 2011 (n=5733). Outcome measures were diagnostic status, mortality, depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life. Multiple imputation (MI) was used to account for nonresponse. RESULTS: At follow-up, 33.8% of persons with baseline MDD and 42.6% with baseline dysthymia received a diagnosis of depressive, anxiety or alcohol use disorder. Baseline severity of disorder, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, predicted both persistence of depressive disorder and increased mortality risk. In addition, being never-married, separated or widowed predicted persistence of depressive disorders, whereas somatic and psychiatric comorbidity, childhood adversities and lower social capital did not. Those who received no psychiatric diagnosis at followup still had residual symptoms and lower quality of life. LIMITATIONS: We only had one follow-up point at eleven years, and did not collect information on the subjects' health during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive disorders in the general population are associated with multiple negative outcomes. Severity of index episode is the strongest predictor of negative outcomes. More emphasis should be placed on addressing the long-term consequences of depression.Item Priority setting for mental health research in Chile(BioMed Central, 2017) Zitko, Pedro; Borghero, Francesca; Zavala, Cynthia; Markkula, Niina; Santelices, Emilio; Libuy, Nicolás; Pemjean, AlfredoBackground: Scientifc knowledge is a fundamental tool for making informed health policy decisions, but the link between health research and public policy decision-making is often missing. This study aims to identify and prioritize a national set of research gaps in mental health. Methods: A multi-approach method to identify gaps in knowledge was developed, including (1) document analysis and identifcation of possible research questions, (2) interviews to Ministry of Health key informants, (3) focus groups with diferent stakeholders, and (4) a web consultation addressed to academics. The identifed gaps were translated to a standardized format of research questions. Criteria for prioritization were extracted from interviews and focus groups. Then, a team of various professionals applied them for scoring each question research. Findings: Fifty-four people participated in the knowledge gaps identifcation process through an online consultation (n = 23) and focus groups (n = 18). Prioritization criteria identifed were: extent of the knowledge gap, size of the objective population, potential beneft, vulnerability, urgency and applicability. 155 research questions were prioritized, of which 44% were related to evaluation of systems and/or health programs, and 26% to evaluation of interventions, including questions related to cost-efectiveness. 30% of the research questions came from the online consultation, and 36% from key informants. Users groups contributed with 10% of total research questions. Conclusion: A fnal priority setting for mental health research was reached, making available for authorities and research agencies a list of 155 research questions ordered by relevance. The experience documented here could serve to other countries interested in developing a similar process.Item Purchases of psychotropic drugs among the migrant population in Finland: a nationwide register-based cohort study(2020) Lehti, Venla; Suvisaari, Jaana; Gissler, Mika; Markkula, NiinaBackground: Migrant populations may have different mental health service needs when compared with native populations. One indicator of service use is the use of psychotropic medication. The aim of this study was to compare the purchases of psychotropic drugs among different migrant populations with the native population in Finland. Methods: Foreign-born participants (n = 184 805) and their Finnish-born controls (n = 185 183) were identified from the Finnish Central Population Register. Information on their purchases of psychotropic drugs in 2011-15 was collected from the National Prescription Register. A washout period of 2009-10 was used to define incident purchases. Cox regression analysis was the statistical method used. Results: At least one incident purchase of a psychotropic drug was identified for 11.1% of migrant women, 11.4% of Finnish-born women, 8.7% of migrant men and 9.8% of Finnish-born men. When controlled for age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status and social assistance, migrants were less likely to purchase psychotropic drugs (adjusted hazard ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.93-0.98), but there was variation between different drug categories. Recent migrants and migrants from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa were least likely to purchase drugs. Migrants from Nordic countries and other Western countries most closely resembled the Finnish-born controls. Conclusions: Recent migrants in Finland appear to use fewer psychotropic drugs than native Finns. It is important to analyze the reasons for this pattern, as they may indicate delays in access to care or benefits. The heterogeneity of migrant populations must also be considered when developing services to better address their needs.Item The Impact of Universal Health Care Programmes on Improving ‘Realized Access’ to Care for Depression in Chile(2018) Araya, Ricardo; Zitko, Pedro; Markkula, NiinaUniversal health care programmes have the potential to reduce treatment gaps. We explored the potential impact of an equityoriented universal health care programme on access to care for depression, hypertension and diabetes using data from two nationally representative health surveys in Chile. The likelihood a depressed individual had accessed health care appears to have increased significantly after the programme was introduced whereas those for hypertension and diabetes remained unchanged. Depressed women seem to have benefited mostly from the programme. Universal health care programmes for depression could substantially increase coverage and reduce inequities in access to health care in middle-income countriesItem Use of health services among international migrant children – a systematic review(2018) Markkula, Niina; Cabieses, Báltica; Lehti, Venla; Uphoff, Eleonora; Astorga-Pinto, Sofia; Stutzin Donoso, FranciscaBackground: Migrant children have specific health needs, and may face difficulties in accessing health care, but not enough is known about their health service use. This study aims to describe patterns of use of health services of international migrant children and differences to respective native populations. Methods: Electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science, references of identified publications, and websites of relevant international agencies were searched. We included observational studies published between 2006 and 2016 that reported use of formal health services by migrant children (0–18 years), including first and second generation migrants. Data on study characteristics, study theme, main outcome and study quality were extracted. Results: One hundred seven full texts were included in the review. Of the studies that reported comparable outcomes, half (50%) indicated less use of healthcare by migrants compared with non-migrants; 25% reported no difference, 18% reported greater use, and 7% did not report this outcome. There was variation by theme, so that the proportion of conclusions “less use” was most common in the categories “general access to care”, “primary care” and “oral health”, whereas in the use of emergency rooms or hospitalisations, the most common conclusion was “greater use”. Conclusions: Migrant children appear to use different types of healthcare services less than native populations, with the exception of emergency and hospital services.