An anonymous self-report questionnaire survey has been conducted on menstrual-related problems in endometriosis patients and healthy women to elucidate symptoms that are useful for early detection and early treatment of endometriosis. Responses were obtained from 330 patients who had been diagnosed with endometriosis and 194 healthy women. Among the established risk factors for endometriosis, "menstrual cycle shorter than 28 days" and "menstruation period of 8 days or more" and "infertility" were significantly more common in the patient group than in the healthy group. The symptoms that were more frequently observed in the patient group include lower abdominal or lower back pain following menstruation, defecation pain during menstrual period, anal pain during menstrual period, anemia,and pain during intercourse. However, it was not until 11 years on average after recognizing those subjective symptoms that the patients received diagnoses. Some subjects in the healthy group are also suspected of having endometriosis. The results indicate that subjective menstrual symptoms could be used for the early detection and early treatment of endometriosis.

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This study aimed to clarify the illness awareness of adolescent patients with epilepsy and its effect on the relationship between the disease and the patient's environment. The subjects were 32 patients with epilepsy (age range, 12 to 25 years) who had received an explanation of their diagnosis and completed a self-administered questionnaire on their hopes for their future. Questionnaire data revealed that the subjects' hopes for the future were the same as those identified in the Basic Survey of Schools conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Education. The subjects' awareness of their illness encouraged their health management, and encouraged them to view their illness positively. Parents and medical staff must all understand that adolescents with epilepsy worry about their future, and require supporting relationships in which it is easy to seek support.

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Over recent years in Australia, the integration of palliative care into health care systems has become more important. The ageing population is one of many reasons for this movement; more significant however, is the increasing realisation that all health professionals require some skill in caring for dying people. To that end then, a number of initiatives have been developed to provide broad-based education and support in a number of areas, but especially for primary health care workers. Using a primary health care framework, this paper explores a range of these developments and makes comment on future challenges of continuing to provide the most appropriate care of the dying.

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The first hospice in Korea was Galbari hospice initiated by the Australian Sisters of 'Little Company of Mary' in 1965. Since then, hospice programs in Korea have been largely based on volunteer activity, and religious or social service. In 2002, the government proclaimed a new policy to foster medically based hospice inpatient service and operated a primary demonstration hospice program from 2003 to 2005 to develop a per diem payment system. The Korean government designated 44 palliative care centers with 725 beds and a budget of 2.3 billion won in 2012. However, despite all the efforts of the private and public sectors, only 9% of terminal cancer patients used hospice service and 29% of the hospice bed demands (2,500 beds required) were satisfied. This article outlines the developing history, government involvement, facts and figures of hospice services in Korea, and discusses the challenges of the future.

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