WorldWideScience

Sample records for integrated primary prevention

  1. Integrating a suicide prevention program into the primary health care network: a field trial study in Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malakouti, Seyed Kazem; Nojomi, Marzieh; Poshtmashadi, Marjan; Hakim Shooshtari, Mitra; Mansouri Moghadam, Fariba; Rahimi-Movaghar, Afarin; Afghah, Susan; Bolhari, Jafar; Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad

    2015-01-01

    To describe and evaluate the feasibility of integrating a suicide prevention program with Primary Health Care services and evaluate if such system can improve screening and identification of depressive disorder, reduce number of suicide attempters, and lower rate of suicide completion. This was a quasi-experimental trial in which one community was exposed to the intervention versus the control community with no such exposure. The study sites were two counties in Western Iran. The intervention protocol called for primary care and suicide prevention collaboration at different levels of care. The outcome variables were the number of suicides committed, the number of documented suicide attempts, and the number of identified depressed cases. We identified a higher prevalence of depressive disorders in the intervention site versus the control site (χ (2) = 14.8, P suicide completion in the intervention region compared to the control, but a higher prevalence of suicide attempts in both the intervention and the control sites. Integrating a suicide prevention program with the Primary Health Care network enhanced depression and suicide surveillance capacity and subsequently reduced the number of suicides, especially in rural areas.

  2. Integrating a Suicide Prevention Program into the Primary Health Care Network: A Field Trial Study in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Kazem Malakouti

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To describe and evaluate the feasibility of integrating a suicide prevention program with Primary Health Care services and evaluate if such system can improve screening and identification of depressive disorder, reduce number of suicide attempters, and lower rate of suicide completion. Methodology. This was a quasi-experimental trial in which one community was exposed to the intervention versus the control community with no such exposure. The study sites were two counties in Western Iran. The intervention protocol called for primary care and suicide prevention collaboration at different levels of care. The outcome variables were the number of suicides committed, the number of documented suicide attempts, and the number of identified depressed cases. Results. We identified a higher prevalence of depressive disorders in the intervention site versus the control site (χ2=14.8, P<0.001. We also found a reduction in the rate of suicide completion in the intervention region compared to the control, but a higher prevalence of suicide attempts in both the intervention and the control sites. Conclusion. Integrating a suicide prevention program with the Primary Health Care network enhanced depression and suicide surveillance capacity and subsequently reduced the number of suicides, especially in rural areas.

  3. Explaining the de-prioritization of primary prevention: Physicians' perceptions of their role in the delivery of primary care

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    Kuo Christina L

    2003-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background While physicians are key to primary preventive care, their delivery rate is sub-optimal. Assessment of physician beliefs is integral to understanding current behavior and the conceptualization of strategies to increase delivery. Methods A focus group with regional primary care physician (PCP Opinion Leaders was conducted as a formative step towards regional assessment of attitudes and barriers regarding preventive care delivery in primary care. Following the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, the focus group aim was to identify conceptual themes that characterize PCP beliefs and practices regarding preventive care. Seven male and five female PCPs (family medicine, internal medicine participated in the audiotaped discussion of their perceptions and behaviors in delivery of primary preventive care. The transcribed audiotape was qualitatively analyzed using grounded theory methodology. Results The PCPs' own perceived role in daily practice was a significant barrier to primary preventive care. The prevailing PCP model was the "one-stop-shop" physician who could provide anything from primary to tertiary care, but whose provision was dominated by the delivery of immediate diagnoses and treatments, namely secondary care. Conclusions The secondary-tertiary prevention PCP model sustained the expectation of immediacy of corrective action, cure, and satisfaction sought by patients and physicians alike, and, thereby, de-prioritized primary prevention in practice. Multiple barriers beyond the immediate control of PCP must be surmounted for the full integration of primary prevention in primary care practice. However, independent of other barriers, physician cognitive value of primary prevention in practice, a base mediator of physician behavior, will need to be increased to frame the likelihood of such integration.

  4. Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education

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    Jani, Asim A.; Trask, Jennifer; Ali, Ather

    2016-01-01

    During 2012, the USDHHS’s Health Resources and Services Administration funded 12 accredited preventive medicine residencies to incorporate an evidence-based integrative medicine curriculum into their training programs. It also funded a national coordinating center at the American College of Preventive Medicine, known as the Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education (IMPriME) Center, to provide technical assistance to the 12 grantees. To help with this task, the IMPriME Center established a multidisciplinary steering committee, versed in integrative medicine, whose primary aim was to develop integrative medicine core competencies for incorporation into preventive medicine graduate medical education training. The competency development process was informed by central integrative medicine definitions and principles, preventive medicine’s dual role in clinical and population-based prevention, and the burgeoning evidence base of integrative medicine. The steering committee considered an interdisciplinary integrative medicine contextual framework guided by several themes related to workforce development and population health. A list of nine competencies, mapped to the six general domains of competence approved by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education, was operationalized through an iterative exercise with the 12 grantees in a process that included mapping each site’s competency and curriculum products to the core competencies. The competencies, along with central curricular components informed by grantees’ work presented elsewhere in this supplement, are outlined as a roadmap for residency programs aiming to incorporate integrative medicine content into their curricula. This set of competencies adds to the larger efforts of the IMPriME initiative to facilitate and enhance further curriculum development and implementation by not only the current grantees but other stakeholders in graduate medical education around integrative medicine

  5. Evaluation of DELTA PREP: A Project Aimed at Integrating Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence Within State Domestic Violence Coalitions

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    Freire, Kimberley E.; Zakocs, Ronda; Le, Brenda; Hill, Jessica A.; Brown, Pamela; Wheaton, Jocelyn

    2018-01-01

    Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a public health problem since the late 20th century. To spur IPV prevention efforts nationwide, the DELTA PREP Project selected 19 state domestic violence coalitions to build organizational prevention capacity and catalyze IPV primary prevention strategies within their states. Objective DELTA PREP’s summative evaluation addressed four major questions: (1) Did coalitions improve their prevention capacity during the project period? (2) Did coalitions serve as catalysts for prevention activities within their states during the project period? (3) Was initial prevention capacity associated with the number of prevention activity types initiated by coalitions by the end of the project? (4) Did coalitions sustain their prevention activities 6 months after the end of the project period? Results DELTA PREP achieved its capacity-building goal, with all 19 participant coalitions integrating prevention within their organizations and serving as catalysts for prevention activities in their states. At 6 months follow up, coalitions had sustained almost all prevention activities they initiated during the project. Baseline prevention capacity (Beginner vs. Intermediate) was not associated with the number of prevention activity types coalitions implemented by the end of the project. Conclusion Service and treatment organizations are increasingly asked to integrate a full spectrum of prevention strategies. Selecting organizations that have high levels of general capacity and readiness for an innovation like integrating a public health approach to IPV prevention will likely increase success in building an innovation-specific capacity, and in turn implementing an innovation. PMID:26245932

  6. Integrating Pregnancy Prevention Into an HIV Counseling and Testing Program in Pediatric Primary Care.

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    Wheeler, Noah J; Upadhya, Krishna K; Tawe, Marie-Sophie; Tomaszewski, Kathy; Arrington-Sanders, Renata; Marcell, Arik V

    2018-04-11

    Certified health educator (CHE)-based HIV counseling and testing typically focus on HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention only. A quality improvement initiative examined integrating assessment of reproductive life plans, counseling about pregnancy prevention, and contraception referral into a CHE-based HIV testing program. Between February 2014 and January 2017, in one urban pediatric primary care clinic serving patients aged 0-25, CHEs assessed sexual history, HIV risk, short-term (i.e., the next 6-12 months) pregnancy desire, and current contraception method and satisfaction among patients aged 13-25 who had ever had vaginal sex, using a standardized questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a de-identified administrative dataset that also tracked referrals to initiate contraception and actual method initiation. Of 1,211 patients, most (96%) reported no short-term pregnancy or partner pregnancy desire. Use of less effective or no contraception, as well as method dissatisfaction, was common. A high proportion of female patients referred to new methods opted for more effective methods (62%) and initiated these methods (76%); a high proportion of male patients opted for receipt of condoms (67%). Patients reporting short-term pregnancy desire reported higher rates of previous pregnancy and STIs. Program findings highlight the potential benefit of integrating assessment for and counseling about pregnancy prevention in a CHE-based HIV testing program. This can more effectively address the needs of patients with concomitant risks of STI/HIV and unintended pregnancy, and link patients who do not desire pregnancy to more effective methods. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. [Perception of Primary Care physicians on the integration with cardiology through continuity of healthcare programs in secondary prevention].

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    Cosin-Sales, J; Orozco Beltrán, D; Ledesma Rodríguez, R; Barbon Ortiz Casado, A; Fernández, G

    2018-02-17

    To determine the perception of Primary Care (PC) physicians on the integration with cardiology (CA) through continuity of healthcare programs. A cross-sectional and multicentre study was conducted, in which a total of 200 PC physicians from all over Spain completed a qualitative survey that evaluated the level of integration with CA in secondary prevention. Physicians were grouped according to the level of PC-CA integration. The integration between CA and PC was good, but it was better in those centres with a higher integration (74.0% vs. 60.0%; p=.02) and in general, physicians considered that integration had improved (92.0% vs. 73.0%; pintegration. In 55.8%, 63.6%, and 51.3% of hospital discharge reports, indications were given on when to perform the follow-up blood analysis, as well as information about returning to working life and sexual activity, respectively. The most common communication method was the paper-based report (75 vs. 84%; p=NS). The communication between healthcare levels was greater in those Primary Care centres with a higher level of integration, as well as periodicity of the communication and the satisfaction of physicians (80.0% vs. 63.0%; p=.005). The level of integration between PC and CA is, in general, satisfactory, but those centres with a higher level of integration benefit more from a greater communication and satisfaction. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  8. The role of mental health in primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence.

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    Gevers, Aník; Dartnall, Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    In this short communication, we assert that mental health has a crucial role in the primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). However, we found that most research and practice to date has focused on the role of mental health post-violence, and SGBV primary prevention is relying on public health models that do not explicitly include mental health. Yet, key concepts, processes, and competencies in the mental health field appear essential to successful SGBV primary prevention. For example, empathy, self-esteem, compassion, emotional regulation and resilience, stress management, relationship building, and challenging problematic social norms are crucial. Furthermore, competencies such as rapport building, group processing, emotional nurturing, modelling, and the prevention of vicarious trauma among staff are important for the successful implementation of SGBV primary prevention programmes. SGBV primary prevention work would benefit from increased collaboration with mental health professionals and integration of key mental health concepts, processes, and skills in SGBV research.

  9. The role of mental health in primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aník Gevers

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available In this short communication, we assert that mental health has a crucial role in the primary prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV. However, we found that most research and practice to date has focused on the role of mental health post-violence, and SGBV primary prevention is relying on public health models that do not explicitly include mental health. Yet, key concepts, processes, and competencies in the mental health field appear essential to successful SGBV primary prevention. For example, empathy, self-esteem, compassion, emotional regulation and resilience, stress management, relationship building, and challenging problematic social norms are crucial. Furthermore, competencies such as rapport building, group processing, emotional nurturing, modelling, and the prevention of vicarious trauma among staff are important for the successful implementation of SGBV primary prevention programmes. SGBV primary prevention work would benefit from increased collaboration with mental health professionals and integration of key mental health concepts, processes, and skills in SGBV research.

  10. Primary prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care.

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    van der Molen, Thys; Schokker, Siebrig

    2009-12-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent disease, with cigarette smoking being the main risk factor. Prevention is crucial in the fight against COPD. Whereas primary prevention is targeted on whole populations, patient populations are the focus of primary care; therefore, prevention in this setting is mainly aimed at preventing further deterioration of the disease in patients who present with the first signs of disease (secondary prevention). Prevention of COPD in primary care requires detection of COPD at an early stage. An accurate definition of COPD is crucial in this identification process. The benefits of detecting new patients with COPD should be determined before recommending screening and case-finding programs in primary care. No evidence is available that screening by spirometry results in significant health gains. Effective treatment options in patients with mild disease are lacking. Smoking cessation is the cornerstone of COPD prevention. Because cigarette smoking is not only a major cause of COPD but is also a major cause of many other diseases, a decline in tobacco smoking would result in substantial health benefits.

  11. Aspirin and the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases: An Approach Based on Individualized, Integrated Estimation of Risk.

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    Volpe, Massimo; Battistoni, Allegra; Gallo, Giovanna; Coluccia, Roberta; De Caterina, Raffaele

    2017-09-01

    While the use of aspirin in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CVD) is well established, aspirin in primary prevention is not systematically recommended because the absolute CV event reduction is similar to the absolute excess in major bleedings. Recently, emerging evidence suggests the possibility that the assumption of aspirin, may also be effective in the prevention of cancer. By adding to the CV prevention benefits the potential beneficial effect of aspirin in reducing the incidence of mortality and cancer could tip the balance between risks and benefits of aspirin therapy in the primary prevention in favour of the latter and broaden the indication for treatment with in populations at average risk. While prospective and randomized study are currently investigating the effect of aspirin in prevention of both cancer and CVD, clinical efforts at the individual level to promote the use of aspirin in global (or total) primary prevention could be already based on a balanced evaluation of the benefit/risk ratio.

  12. Optimizing the Primary Prevention of Type-2 Diabetes in Primary Health Care

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    2017-08-18

    Interprofessional Relations; Primary Health Care/Organization & Administration; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/Prevention & Control; Primary Prevention/Methods; Risk Reduction Behavior; Randomized Controlled Trial; Life Style

  13. Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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    Dickson, Sandra; Willis, Gwenda M

    2017-03-01

    The extensive and sometimes profoundly damaging effects of sexual violence and large numbers of victims necessitate dedicated attention to primary prevention efforts. Few studies have examined the scope of current prevention activities or their fit with empirical research into effective prevention strategies. The current article presents findings from a survey of primary prevention activities in non-Māori and bicultural communities within Aotearoa New Zealand. Forty-four respondents representing 42 agencies responded to a comprehensive survey that canvased types of sexual violence primary prevention activities undertaken, sexual violence primary prevention programs, and barriers and supports to sexual violence prevention work. Consistent with findings from previous international surveys, the focus of primary prevention work in New Zealand was on sexual violence education and increasing awareness. Findings are discussed in the context of the sexual violence prevention literature and what works in prevention more broadly to help identify promising initiatives as well as gaps in current practices. Recommendations for advancing sexual violence primary prevention research are also provided.

  14. Pediatric Primary Care-Based Obesity Prevention for Parents of Preschool Children: A Pilot Study.

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    Sherwood, Nancy E; JaKa, Meghan M; Crain, A Lauren; Martinson, Brian C; Hayes, Marcia G; Anderson, Julie D

    2015-12-01

    The Healthy Homes/Healthy Kids Preschool (HHHK-Preschool) pilot program is an obesity prevention intervention integrating pediatric care provider counseling and a phone-based program to prevent unhealthy weight gain among 2- to 4-year-old children at risk for obesity (BMI percentile between the 50th and 85th percentile and at least one overweight parent) or currently overweight (85th percentile ≤ BMI pediatric primary care clinics were randomized to: (1) the Busy Bodies/Better Bites Obesity Prevention Arm or the (2) Healthy Tots/Safe Spots safety/injury prevention Contact Control Arm. Baseline and 6-month data were collected, including measured height and weight, accelerometry, previous day dietary recalls, and parent surveys. Intervention process data (e.g., call completion) were also collected. High intervention completion and satisfaction rates were observed. Although a statistically significant time by treatment interaction was not observed for BMI percentile or BMI z-score, post-hoc examination of baseline weight status as a moderator of treatment outcome showed that the Busy Bodies/Better Bites obesity prevention intervention appeared to be effective among children who were in the overweight category at baseline relative to those who were categorized as at risk for obesity (p = 0.04). HHHK-Preschool pilot study results support the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy in already overweight children of a pediatric primary care-based obesity prevention intervention integrating brief provider counseling and parent-targeted phone coaching. What's New: Implementing pediatric primary care-based obesity interventions is challenging. Previous interventions have primarily involved in-person sessions, a barrier to sustained parent involvement. HHHK-preschool pilot study results suggest that integrating brief provider counseling and parent-targeted phone coaching is a promising approach.

  15. Primary prevention of adolescent pregnancy.

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    Schinke, S P; Blythe, B J; Gilchrist, L D; Burt, G A

    1981-01-01

    Teenage pregnancy is associated with many health, emotional and socioeconomic problems including higher rates of anemia, labor complications, mortality, legal and social struggles and hhigher divorce rates. Professional social workers need strategies to help teenagers avoid early, unwanted pregnancy. This paper offers promising experential and research backing for a primary prevention group work strategy for all adolescents. Social and health programs overlook educational, cognitive anc interpersonal factors biasing youths' ability to comprehend and regulate contraception. Primary prevention to assist adolescents in thinking analytically about their sexual behavior must stress problem solving and decision-making as well as facts about human reproduction and birth control. To implement decisions, youths also need interpersonal communication skills. Small groups are ideal for delivering cognitive-behavioral primary prevention. This approach is based on the premise that youths become pregnant not because of a lack of relevant information, but because they lack cognitive and behavioral skills necessary to use information. Group work involving role-playing helps develop communication skills. Results from 2 field studies describe short-term and longitudinal benefits of the prevention strategy. Professionals can reach significant numbers of youth in this way. By treating sexual issues and the risk of pregnancy as normal in adolescence, social workers can introduce information and pertinent skills to all teenagers. No one is singled out as deviant and the group format enables young people to discuss taboo topics, discovering what the norms are and gradually learning how to deal with peers, family members, techers and others. Adolescents in primary prevention groups gained knowledge, cognitive skills and communication acumen. Improved attitudes toward family planning, increased regular contraception and less unsafe sex resulted from this cognitive-behavioral approach

  16. Primary Prevention of Eating Disorders.

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    Shisslak, Catherine M.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Summarizes current understanding of anorexia nervosa and bulimia (clinical symptoms and outcome, prevalence and risk factors), offering suggestions for the primary prevention of these disorders at the individual, family, and community levels, and emphasizing prevention in the schools. (Author/KS)

  17. The use of statins in primary prevention

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    Stürzlinger, Heidi

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: The use of statins in secondary prevention of cardiovascular events is well established. However, there is ongoing discussion about the use of statins in the context of primary prevention. Moreover statins - besides cholesterol-lowering effects - are assumed to have pleiotropic effects. Positive impacts on diseases like stroke, Alzheimer's disease or osteoporosis are discussed but still have to be proven. Objectives: The aim of this report is first to investigate the efficacy and effectiveness of statins in primary prevention of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular events and second to examine the economic implications for Germany - particularly in comparison to existing prevention programs. Finally ethical questions are considered. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed for the period between 1998 and 2004 which yielded 3704 abstracts. Overall 43 articles were included for assessment and 167 for background information, according to predefined selection criteria. Results: Most studies within the context of primary prevention describe significant risk reductions with regard to cardiovascular events; yet no significant results according to the reduction of the overall mortality rate can be seen. With respect to stroke, osteoporosis and Alzheimer's disease results are inconsistent. Regarding cost-effectiveness of primary prevention with statins results turn out to be inconsistent as well or even negative for populations with low to moderate risk. For groups with high cardiovascular risk the intervention is mostly assessed to be cost-effective. No cost-effectiveness study for Germany was found. According to a rough estimate of future expenses statin drug expenses of the German legal health insurance might increase at least by 50% in the case of an enlargement of the group of recipients. Discussion: To thoroughly estimate the cost-effectiveness of the use of statins in primary prevention in Germany a model calculation

  18. Integration of Traditional Birth Attendants into Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission at Primary Health Facilities in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria.

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    Nsirim, Reward O; Iyongo, Joseph A; Adekugbe, Olayinka; Ugochuku, Maureen

    2015-03-31

    One of the fundamental challenges to implementing successful prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs in Nigeria is the uptake of PMTCT services at health facilities. Several issues usually discourage many pregnant women from receiving antenatal care services at designated health facilities within their communities. The CRS Nigeria PMTCT Project funded by the Global Fund in its Round 9 Phase 1 in Nigeria, sought to increase demand for HIV counseling and testing services for pregnant women at 25 supported primary health centers (PHCs) in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria by integrating traditional birth attendants (TBAs) across the communities where the PHCs were located into the project. Community dialogues were held with the TBAs, community leaders and women groups. These dialogues focused on modes of mother to child transmission of HIV and the need for TBAs to refer their clients to PHCs for testing. Subsequently, data on number of pregnant women who were counseled, tested and received results was collected on a monthly basis from the 25 facilities using the national HIV/AIDS tools. Prior to this integration, the average number of pregnant women that were counseled, tested and received results was 200 pregnant women across all the 25 health facilities monthly. After the integration of TBAs into the program, the number of pregnant women that were counseled, tested and received results kept increasing month after month up to an average of 1500 pregnant women per month across the 25 health facilities. TBAs can thus play a key role in improving service uptake and utilization for pregnant women at primary health centers in the community - especially in the context of HIV/AIDS. They thus need to be integrated, rather than alienated, from primary healthcare service delivery.

  19. Integration of traditional birth attendants into prevention of mother-to-child transmission at primary health facilities in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reward O. Nsirim

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available One of the fundamental challenges to implementing successful prevention of mother-tochild transmission (PMTCT programs in Nigeria is the uptake of PMTCT services at health facilities. Several issues usually discourage many pregnant women from receiving antenatal care services at designated health facilities within their communities. The CRS Nigeria PMTCT Project funded by the Global Fund in its Round 9 Phase 1 in Nigeria, sought to increase demand for HIV counseling and testing services for pregnant women at 25 supported primary health centers (PHCs in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria by integrating traditional birth attendants (TBAs across the communities where the PHCs were located into the project. Community dialogues were held with the TBAs, community leaders and women groups. These dialogues focused on modes of mother to child transmission of HIV and the need for TBAs to refer their clients to PHCs for testing. Subsequently, data on number of pregnant women who were counseled, tested and received results was collected on a monthly basis from the 25 facilities using the national HIV/AIDS tools. Prior to this integration, the average number of pregnant women that were counseled, tested and received results was 200 pregnant women across all the 25 health facilities monthly. After the integration of TBAs into the program, the number of pregnant women that were counseled, tested and received results kept increasing month after month up to an average of 1500 pregnant women per month across the 25 health facilities. TBAs can thus play a key role in improving service uptake and utilization for pregnant women at primary health centers in the community – especially in the context of HIV/AIDS. They thus need to be integrated, rather than alienated, from primary healthcare service delivery.

  20. Asthma: NHLBI Workshop on the Primary Prevention of Chronic Lung Diseases

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    Hartert, Tina V.; Martinez, Fernando D.; Weiss, Scott T.; Fahy, John V.

    2014-01-01

    Asthma is a common disease with enormous public health costs, and its primary prevention is an ambitious and important goal. Understanding of how host and environmental factors interact to cause asthma is incomplete, but persistent questions about mechanisms should not stop clinical research efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence of childhood asthma. Achieving the goal of primary prevention of asthma will involve integrated and parallel sets of research activities in which mechanism-oriented studies of asthma inception proceed alongside clinical intervention studies to test biologically plausible prevention ideas. For example, continued research is needed, particularly in young children, to uncover biomarkers that identify asthma risk and provide potential targets of intervention, and to improve understanding of the role of microbial factors in asthma risk and disease initiation. In terms of clinical trials that could be initiated now or in the near future, we recommend three interventions for testing: (1) preventing asthma through prophylaxis against respiratory syncytial virus and human rhinovirus infections of the airway; (2) immune modulation, using prebiotics, probiotics, and bacterial lysates; and (3) prevention of allergen sensitization and allergic inflammation, using anti-IgE. These interventions should be tested while other, more universal prevention measures that may promote lung health are also investigated. These potential universal lung health measures include prevention of preterm delivery; reduced exposure of the fetus and young infant to environmental pollutants, including tobacco smoke; prevention of maternal and child obesity; and management of psychosocial stress. PMID:24754822

  1. Six elements of integrated primary healthcare.

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    Brown, Lynsey J; Oliver-Baxter, Jodie

    2016-03-01

    Integrated care has the potential to deliver efficiencies and improvements in patient experiences and health outcomes. Efforts towards integrated care, especially at the primary and community health levels, have increasingly been under focus, both nationally and internationally. In Australia, regional integration is a priority, and integration of care is a task for meso-level organisations such as Primary Health Networks (PHNs). This paper seeks to provide a list of elements and questions for consideration by organisations working across primary healthcare settings, looking to enact and improve the delivery of integrated care. Six elements that consistently emerged during the development of a series of rapid reviews on integrated primary healthcare in Australia are presented in this paper. The elements identified are context, governance and leadership, infrastructure, financing, engagement, and communication. They offer a starting point for reflection in the planning and practices of organisations in their drive for continuous improvements in integrated care.

  2. Impact of the JUPITER trial on statin prescribing for primary prevention.

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    Teng, Jennifer F T; Gomes, Tara; Camacho, Ximena; Grundy, Scott; Juurlink, David N; Mamdani, Muhammad M

    2014-01-01

    As the Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) trial identified a new population of individuals with cholesterol levels below traditional treatment thresholds but with elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels who may benefit from primary prevention with statin therapy, we sought to evaluate the impact of this trial on the incident prescription rates of rosuvastatin alone as well as all statins in a primary prevention population. Population-based, cross-sectional time-series analysis. Administrative health care databases in Ontario, Canada. A total of 299,809 incident statin users 66 years or older were identified during the study period, from January 1, 2003, to March 31, 2011, who were prescribed statin therapy for primary prevention. We evaluated the incident rate of rosuvastatin and all statin use during each quarter of the study period. Overall, no significant trends in all incident statin use were observed (p=0.99). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in incident rates of rosuvastatin (p=0.21) or all statin (p=0.41) use after the publication of the JUPITER trial. Despite the lack of impact of the JUPITER trial on rosuvastatin or all statin utilization, the relative market share of rosuvastatin increased from 9% to 65% over the study period. The publication of the JUPITER trial did not significantly affect trends in overall statin and rosuvastatin prescribing patterns for primary prevention in this study. Increases in the relative market share of rosuvastatin may be attributed to the impact of the pharmaceutical industry on prescribing patterns. Our results highlight the need to further improve the integration of evidence-based prescribing into cost-effective clinical practice. © 2013 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  3. Primary prevention of psychiatric illness in special populations.

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    Sajatovic, Martha; Sanders, Renata; Alexeenko, Lada; Madhusoodanan, Subramoniam

    2010-11-01

    Some populations appear to be particularly vulnerable to the development of psychiatric symptomatology related to life events and biologic or social/cultural factors. Such groups include individuals who have experienced traumatic events, military personnel, individuals with serious medical conditions, postpartum women, and immigrants. This study reviews the literature regarding primary prevention of psychiatric disorders in special populations and identifies a variety of universal, selective, and indicated prevention measures aimed at minimizing the psychiatric sequelae in these groups. The authors reviewed the literature regarding the prevention of psychiatric symptoms in trauma/abuse victims, individuals in the military, oncology patients, patients with diabetes, pregnant/postpartum women, and immigrants. The literature on primary prevention of psychiatric illness in the special populations identified is rather limited. Universal prevention may be beneficial in some instances through public awareness campaigns and disaster planning. In other instances, more specific and intensive interventions for individuals at high risk of psychiatric illness may improve outcomes, for example, crisis counseling for those who have experienced severe trauma. Primary prevention of psychiatric illness may be an attainable goal via implementation of specific universal, selected, and indicated primary prevention measures in special populations.

  4. The integration of occupational therapy into primary care: a multiple case study design

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    2013-01-01

    Background For over two decades occupational therapists have been encouraged to enhance their roles within primary care and focus on health promotion and prevention activities. While there is a clear fit between occupational therapy and primary care, there have been few practice examples, despite a growing body of evidence to support the role. In 2010, the province of Ontario, Canada provided funding to include occupational therapists as members of Family Health Teams, an interprofessional model of primary care. The integration of occupational therapists into this model of primary care is one of the first large scale initiatives of its kind in North America. The objective of the study was to examine how occupational therapy services are being integrated into primary care teams and understand the structures supporting the integration. Methods A multiple case study design was used to provide an in-depth description of the integration of occupational therapy. Four Family Health Teams with occupational therapists as part of the team were identified. Data collection included in-depth interviews, document analyses, and questionnaires. Results Each Family Health Team had a unique organizational structure that contributed to the integration of occupational therapy. Communication, trust and understanding of occupational therapy were key elements in the integration of occupational therapy into Family Health Teams, and were supported by a number of strategies including co-location, electronic medical records and team meetings. An understanding of occupational therapy was critical for integration into the team and physicians were less likely to understand the occupational therapy role than other health providers. Conclusion With an increased emphasis on interprofessional primary care, new professions will be integrated into primary healthcare teams. The study found that explicit strategies and structures are required to facilitate the integration of a new professional group

  5. Primary Prevention of Violence: Stopping Campus Violence before It Starts. Prevention Update

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    Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Violence is a serious problem on college campuses. The literature on primary prevention of violence does not call for the adoption of specific programs or policies but rather suggests a paradigm shift in the way practitioners approach violence. Primary prevention means asking the question, "Why is violence happening in the first place?" in order…

  6. Obesity prevention in English primary schools: headteacher perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, J L; Pallan, M J; Lancashire, E R; Adab, P

    2017-06-01

    Schools are seen as important contributors to obesity prevention, yet face barriers in fulfilling this function. This qualitative study investigates headteacher views on the primary school role in preventing obesity. Semi-structured interviews were held with 22 headteachers from ethnically and socio-economically diverse schools in the West Midlands, UK. Data analysis was conducted using the framework approach. Two over-arching categories were identified: 'School roles and responsibilities' and 'Influencing factors'. Participants agreed that although schools contribute towards obesity prevention in many ways, a moral responsibility to support children's holistic development was the principal motivator, rather than preventing obesity per se. The perceived impact on learning was a key driver for promoting health. Parents were believed to have the main responsibility for preventing obesity, but barriers were identified. Whilst headteachers recognized the advantageous position of schools in offering support to parents, opinion varied on the degree to which schools could and should take on this role. Headteachers serving more deprived areas reported adopting certain responsibilities that elsewhere were fulfilled by parents, and were more likely to view working with families on healthy lifestyles as an important school function. Several factors were perceived as barriers to schools doing more to prevent obesity, including academic pressure, access to expert support and space. In conclusion, school leaders need more support, through resources and government policy, to enable them to maximize their role in obesity prevention. Additionally, school-based obesity prevention should be an integral part of the education agenda rather than bolt-on initiatives. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. Primary prevention in psychiatry in general hospitals in South Asia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sood, Mamta; Chadda, Rakesh Kumar; Kallivayalil, Roy Abraham

    2017-01-01

    The focus of primary prevention is on reducing the disease incidence. Primary prevention in mental health has been given minimal priority in low-resource settings with no significant investments. General hospitals are one of the main providers of mental health services in South Asia. This paper focuses on primary prevention activities, which can be undertaken in a general hospital in South Asia with abysmally low-mental health resources. For implementing primary prevention in psychiatry, a general hospital may be conceptualized as a population unit, located in a well-populated area with easy accessibility where different kinds of communities, for example, students and resident doctors, consultants, patients and their caregivers, and paramedical, nursing, administrative and other supportive staff, coexist and have varied functions. All the functional components of the general hospital psychiatric units (GHPUs) offer scope for introducing primary preventive psychiatry services. Psychiatrists in GHPUs can lead efforts for primary prevention in mental health in the hospital by employing strategies in the framework of universal, selective, and indicated prevention. The preventive strategies could be targeted at the patients visiting the hospital for various health services and their caregivers, employees, and the trainees. Similar principles can be employed in teaching and training. PMID:29497199

  8. [Statins and ASS for primary prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goltz, L; Bodechtel, U; Siepmann, T

    2014-02-01

    Whereas statins and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) are considered gold standard for secondary prevention following myocardial infarction or atherotrombotic stroke, there are inconsistent data on the use of these drugs for primary prevention in patients with increased cardiovascular risk. Some meta-analyses indicated that the use of statins and ASA for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events such as ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction. However, the effects of primary prevention with statins and ASA on mortality varied in the data included in these meta-analyses. Therefore the guidelines of the German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians recommend primary prevention with statins and ASA only in those patients who have a 10-year risk of cardiovascular events which exceeds 20 %. Divergently, primary prevention with ASA is not recommended by the European Society of Cardiology. Observational studies suggested that treatment success of primary prevention with statins and ASA depends on various factors such as adherence to medication and prescription behavior of physicians. This review summarizes the current literature on primary prevention of cardiovascular events with ASA and statins. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education

    OpenAIRE

    Jani, Asim A.; Trask, Jennifer; Ali, Ather

    2015-01-01

    During 2012, the USDHHS?s Health Resources and Services Administration funded 12 accredited preventive medicine residencies to incorporate an evidence-based integrative medicine curriculum into their training programs. It also funded a national coordinating center at the American College of Preventive Medicine, known as the Integrative Medicine in Preventive Medicine Education (IMPriME) Center, to provide technical assistance to the 12 grantees. To help with this task, the IMPriME Center esta...

  10. Aspirin for Primary Prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richman, Ilana B; Owens, Douglas K

    2017-07-01

    Aspirin reduces the risk of nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke, and the risk of colorectal cancer. Aspirin increases the risk of gastrointestinal and intracranial bleeding. The best available evidence supports initiating aspirin in select populations. In 2016, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended initiating aspirin for the primary prevention of both cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer among adults ages 50 to 59 who are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Adults 60 to 69 who are at increased cardiovascular disease risk may also benefit. There remains considerable uncertainty about whether younger and older patients may benefit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Interprofessional Competencies in Integrative Primary Healthcare

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Audrey J.; Maizes, Victoria; Goldblatt, Elizabeth; Klatt, Maryanna; Koithan, Mary S.; Kreitzer, Mary Jo; Lee, Jeannie K.; Lopez, Ana Marie; McClafferty, Hilary; Rhode, Robert; Sandvold, Irene; Saper, Robert; Taren, Douglas; Wells, Eden; Lebensohn, Patricia

    2015-01-01

    In October 2014, the National Center for Integrative Primary Healthcare (NCIPH) was launched as a collaboration between the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine and the Academic Consortium for Integrative Health and Medicine and supported by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. A primary goal of the NCIPH is to develop a core set of integrative healthcare (IH) competencies and educational programs that will span the interprofessional primary care training and practice spectra and ultimately become a required part of primary care education. This article reports on the first phase of the NCIPH effort, which focused on the development of a shared set of competencies in IH for primary care disciplines. The process of development, refinement, and adoption of 10 “meta-competencies” through a collaborative process involving a diverse interprofessional team is described. Team members represent nursing, the primary care medicine professions, pharmacy, public health, acupuncture, naturopathy, chiropractic, nutrition, and behavioral medicine. Examples of the discipline-specific sub-competencies being developed within each of the participating professions are provided, along with initial results of an assessment of potential barriers and facilitators of adoption within each discipline. The competencies presented here will form the basis of a 45-hour online curriculum produced by the NCIPH for use in primary care training programs that will be piloted in a wide range of programs in early 2016 and then revised for wider use over the following year. PMID:26421232

  12. Lorenzo Tomatis and primary prevention of environmental cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huff James

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The leading 20th century proponent for primary prevention of environmental cancer was Dr. Lorenzo Tomatis, the former Director of the International Agency for Research on Cancer and founder of the IARC Monographs program. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Tomatis – eminent scientist, scholar, teacher, humanitarian, and public health champion - and includes many perspectives that he promoted throughout his career, with original quotations from some of his scientific writings on primary prevention of environmental cancer. Any attempt by us to simply summarize his views would only detract from the power and logic of his language. “Cancer still remains a mainly lethal disease. Primary prevention remains the most relevant approach to reduce mortality through a reduction in incidence”1.

  13. Improving compliance with hormonal replacement therapy in primary osteoporosis prevention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, P; Hermann, A P; Gram, J

    1997-01-01

    To evaluate whether introduction of treatment alternatives would improve compliance with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) as primary osteoporosis prevention in women not tolerating the first line osteoporosis prevention schedule.......To evaluate whether introduction of treatment alternatives would improve compliance with hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) as primary osteoporosis prevention in women not tolerating the first line osteoporosis prevention schedule....

  14. Isolated colorectal cancer screening or integrated cancer prevention? A provocative suggestion!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stockbrugger, Reinhold

    2012-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is still not fully established in the European Union. Recently, the United European Gastroenterology Federation (UEGF) supported CRC screening with the publication of quality guidelines and a written declaration in the European Parliament in favor of European-wide monitored CRC screening and primary prevention of CRC, the latter particularly in young citizens. In this article, the need for population-based CRC screening is once again stressed. In addition, the value of opportunistic CRC screening is pointed out, either as a regional or nation-wide alternative (such as in the USA and Germany) or as a 'forerunner' activity in view of subsequent population-based CRC screening. With regard to other parallel organ-related screening activities in Europe (breast, uterus) and the increasing need for primary prevention of malignant and benign diseases, the question is raised as to whether preventive activities should not be recognized as an integrated and logical part of a 'healthcare chain' offered to all European citizens. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  15. Evaluation of DELTA PREP: A Project Aimed at Integrating Primary Prevention of Intimate Partner Violence within State Domestic Violence Coalitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freire, Kimberley E.; Zakocs, Ronda; Le, Brenda; Hill, Jessica A.; Brown, Pamela; Wheaton, Jocelyn

    2015-01-01

    Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recognized as a public health problem since the late 20th century. To spur IPV prevention efforts nationwide, the DELTA PREP Project selected 19 state domestic violence coalitions to build organizational prevention capacity and catalyze IPV primary prevention strategies within their states.…

  16. Preventive and Community Medicine in Primary Care. Teaching of Preventive Medicine Vol. 5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, William H., Ed.

    This monograph is the result of a conference on the role of preventive and community medicine in primary medical care and education. The following six papers were presented at the conference: (1) Roles of Departments of Preventive Medicine; (2) Competency-Based Objectives in Preventive Medicine for the Family Physician; (3) Preventive Medicine…

  17. The integrated project: a promising promotional strategy for primary health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel, C; Mora, B

    1985-10-01

    The integrated project using parasite control and nutrition as entry points for family planning practice has shown considerable success in promoting health consciousness among health workers and project beneficiaries. This progress is evident in the Family Planning, Parasite Control and Nutrition (FAPPCAN) areas. The project has also mobilized technical and financial support from the local government as well as from private and civic organizations. The need for integration is underscored by the following considerations: parasite control has proved to be effective for preventive health care; the integrated project uses indigenous community health workers to accomplish its objectives; the primary health care (PHC) movement depends primarily on voluntary community participation and the integrated project has shown that it can elicit this participation. The major health problems in the Philippines are: a prevalence of communicable and other infectious diseases; poor evironmental sanitation; malnutrition; and a rapid population growth rate. The integrated program utilizes the existing village health workers in identifying problems related to family planning, parasite control and nutrition and integrates these activities into the health delivery system; educates family members on how to detect health and health-related problems; works out linkages with government agencies and the local primary health care committee in defining the scope of health-related problems; mobilizes community members to initiate their own projects; gets the commitment of village officials and committe members. The integrated project operates within the PHC. A health van with a built-in video playback system provides educational and logistical support to the village worker. The primary detection and treatment of health problems are part of the village health workers' responsibilities. Research determines the project's capability to reactivate the village primary health care committees and sustain

  18. Status and costs of primary prevention for ischemic stroke in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, J J; He, G Q; Gong, S Y; He, L

    2013-10-01

    Despite the benefits in reducing the risk of stroke, primary prevention is not well translated into practice. We sought to evaluate patient compliance with guidelines and the cost of primary stroke prevention in southwest China. We consecutively enrolled 305 patients with headaches and/or dizziness who were at high risk of stroke from our hospital. We retrospectively obtained their information, including the extent of their knowledge of stroke risk factors, adherence to guidelines, medications taken, and costs of primary prevention for stroke within the past year. Only 45.9% of patients had any knowledge of primary prevention, and only 17.0% had completely followed guidelines. Moreover, 79.0% of the patients were using medications, but only 39.3% took their medication as recommended. In patients who took medication, 89.6% were prescribed by physicians. The annual costs of primary prevention were estimated to be US$517.8 per capita, which included direct medical costs (US$435.4), direct non-medical costs (US$18.1), and indirect costs (US$64.3). Costs in the hypertension group were less than those reported by a similar international study. Although our population sample may not be representative of the population at high risk of stroke in China, it is appropriate for the evaluation of our primary prevention system. Primary prevention for stroke in southwest China is very challenging, with few medical resource investments. There is a current urgency to improve patient knowledge of primary prevention, which would bridge the gaps between guidelines and practice and increase medical resource investments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Integrated primary health care in Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gawaine Powell Davies

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: To fulfil its role of coordinating health care, primary health care needs to be well integrated, internally and with other health and related services. In Australia, primary health care services are divided between public and private sectors, are responsible to different levels of government and work under a variety of funding arrangements, with no overarching policy to provide a common frame of reference for their activities. Description of policy: Over the past decade, coordination of service provision has been improved by changes to the funding of private medical and allied health services for chronic conditions, by the development in some states of voluntary networks of services and by local initiatives, although these have had little impact on coordination of planning. Integrated primary health care centres are being established nationally and in some states, but these are too recent for their impact to be assessed. Reforms being considered by the federal government include bringing primary health care under one level of government with a national primary health care policy, establishing regional organisations to coordinate health planning, trialling voluntary registration of patients with general practices and reforming funding systems. If adopted, these could greatly improve integration within primary health care. Discussion: Careful change management and realistic expectations will be needed. Also other challenges remain, in particular the need for developing a more population and community oriented primary health care.

  20. Integrated primary health care in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Gawaine Powell; Perkins, David; McDonald, Julie; Williams, Anna

    2009-10-14

    To fulfil its role of coordinating health care, primary health care needs to be well integrated, internally and with other health and related services. In Australia, primary health care services are divided between public and private sectors, are responsible to different levels of government and work under a variety of funding arrangements, with no overarching policy to provide a common frame of reference for their activities. Over the past decade, coordination of service provision has been improved by changes to the funding of private medical and allied health services for chronic conditions, by the development in some states of voluntary networks of services and by local initiatives, although these have had little impact on coordination of planning. Integrated primary health care centres are being established nationally and in some states, but these are too recent for their impact to be assessed. Reforms being considered by the federal government include bringing primary health care under one level of government with a national primary health care policy, establishing regional organisations to coordinate health planning, trialling voluntary registration of patients with general practices and reforming funding systems. If adopted, these could greatly improve integration within primary health care. Careful change management and realistic expectations will be needed. Also other challenges remain, in particular the need for developing a more population and community oriented primary health care.

  1. Understanding integrated care: a comprehensive conceptual framework based on the integrative functions of primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valentijn, Pim P; Schepman, Sanneke M; Opheij, Wilfrid; Bruijnzeels, Marc A

    2013-01-01

    Primary care has a central role in integrating care within a health system. However, conceptual ambiguity regarding integrated care hampers a systematic understanding. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that combines the concepts of primary care and integrated care, in order to understand the complexity of integrated care. The search method involved a combination of electronic database searches, hand searches of reference lists (snowball method) and contacting researchers in the field. The process of synthesizing the literature was iterative, to relate the concepts of primary care and integrated care. First, we identified the general principles of primary care and integrated care. Second, we connected the dimensions of integrated care and the principles of primary care. Finally, to improve content validity we held several meetings with researchers in the field to develop and refine our conceptual framework. The conceptual framework combines the functions of primary care with the dimensions of integrated care. Person-focused and population-based care serve as guiding principles for achieving integration across the care continuum. Integration plays complementary roles on the micro (clinical integration), meso (professional and organisational integration) and macro (system integration) level. Functional and normative integration ensure connectivity between the levels. The presented conceptual framework is a first step to achieve a better understanding of the inter-relationships among the dimensions of integrated care from a primary care perspective.

  2. Analysis of Tutorials CEGV Cassiopeia in Terms of Primary Prevention

    OpenAIRE

    KURZ, Petr

    2015-01-01

    Analysis of teaching programs of CEGV Cassiopeia from the view of primary prevention. The paper deals with the topic of primary prevention in relation to teaching programs carried out by CEGV Cassiopeia. The Center of Ecologic and Global Education Cassiopeia (CEGV Cassiopeia) was established in 1995. At present its primary occupation is education, particularly education specialized in environmental, multicultural and personal-social topics. The center co-operates with nursery, primary, high s...

  3. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danny J. Eapen, MD

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Cardiovascular disease (CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide. This article focuses on current guidelines for the primary prevention of CVD and addresses management of key risk factors. Dietary modification, weight loss, exercise, and tobacco use cessation are specific areas where focused efforts can successfully reduce CVD risk on both an individual and a societal level. Specific areas requiring management include dyslipidemia, hypertension, physical activity, diabetes, aspirin use, and alcohol intake. These preventive efforts have major public health implications. As the global population continues to grow, health care expenditures will also rise, with the potential to eventually overwhelm the health care system. Therefore it is imperative to apply our collective efforts on CVD prevention to improve the cardiovascular health of individuals, communities, and nations.

  4. General practitioners: Between integration and co-location. The case of primary care centers in Tuscany, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barsanti, Sara; Bonciani, Manila

    2018-01-01

    Healthcare systems have followed several strategies aimed at integrating primary care services and professionals. Medical homes in the USA and Canada, and primary care centres across Europe have collocated general practitioners and other health and social professionals in the same building in order to boost coordination among services and the continuity of care for patients. However, in the literature, the impact of co-location on primary care has led to controversial results. This article analyses the possible benefits of the co-location of services in primary care focusing on the Italian model of primary care centres (Case della Salute) in terms of general practitioners' perception. We used the results of a web survey of general practitioners in Tuscany to compare the experiences and satisfaction of those general practitioners involved and not involved in a primary care centre, performed a MONAVA and ANOVA analysis. Our case study highlights the positive impact of co-location on the integration of professionals, especially with nurses and social workers, and on organizational integration, in terms of frequency of meeting to discuss about quality of care. Conversely, no significant differences were found in terms of either clinical or system integration. Furthermore, the collaboration with specialists is still weak. Considering the general practitioners' perspective in terms of experience and satisfaction towards primary care, co-location strategies is a necessary step in order to facilitate the collaboration among professionals and to prevent unintended consequences in terms of an even possible isolation of primary care as an involuntary 'disintegration of the integration'.

  5. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease through population-wide motivational strategies: insights from using smartphones in stroke prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feigin, Valery L; Norrving, Bo; Mensah, George A

    2017-01-01

    The fast increasing stroke burden across all countries of the world suggests that currently used primary stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention strategies are not sufficiently effective. In this article, we overview the gaps in, and pros and cons of, population-wide and high-risk prevention strategies. We suggest that motivating and empowering people to reduce their risk of having a stroke/CVD by using increasingly used smartphone technologies would bridge the gap in the population-wide and high-risk prevention strategies and reduce stroke/CVD burden worldwide. We emphasise that for primary stroke prevention to be effective, the focus should be shifted from high-risk prevention to prevention at any level of CVD risk, with the focus on behavioural risk factors. Such a motivational population-wide strategy could open a new page in primary prevention of not only stroke/CVD but also other non-communicable disorders worldwide. PMID:28589034

  6. Opportunity Knocks: HIV Prevention in Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thrun, Mark W

    2014-06-01

    Expansions in health care coverage, a comprehensive framework for HIV prevention and care, electronic medical records, and novel HIV prevention modalities create a current opportunity to change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic in the United States. HIV is increasingly disproportionately found in populations historically at higher risk, including gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender women, injection drug users, and persons of color. This underscores the need for providers to identify persons at higher risk for HIV and assure the provision of screening and prevention services. In turn, universal screening for HIV-testing every adolescent and adult at least once in their lifetime-will increasingly be necessary to find the infrequent cases of HIV in lower risk populations. In both these domains, primary care providers will play a unique role in complementing traditional providers of HIV prevention and care services by increasing the proportion of their patients who have been screened for HIV, opening dialogues around sexual health, including asking about sexual orientation and gender identity, and prescribing antivirals as pre- and postexposure prophylaxis for their non-HIV-infected patients. Primary care providers must understand and embrace their importance along the HIV prevention and care continuum.

  7. Healing and Preventing Pain: Complementary and Integrative Approaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... page please turn JavaScript on. Feature: Pain Management Healing and Preventing Pain, Complementary and Integrative Approaches Past ... Pain Management" Articles Putting A Pause In Pain / Healing and Preventing Pain Complementary and Integrative Approaches / Pain ...

  8. Integrating ICTs into the Environmental Science Primary School Classroom in Chegutu District, Zimbabwe: Problems and Solutions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shadreck, Mandina

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated primary school teachers' perceptions of the barriers and challenges preventing them from integrating ICTs in the environmental science classroom. The study adopted a qualitative research approach that is in line with the phenomenological perspective as it sought to acquire knowledge through understanding the direct…

  9. Operational integration in primary health care: patient encounters and workflows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sifaki-Pistolla, Dimitra; Chatzea, Vasiliki-Eirini; Markaki, Adelais; Kritikos, Kyriakos; Petelos, Elena; Lionis, Christos

    2017-11-29

    Despite several countrywide attempts to strengthen and standardise the primary healthcare (PHC) system, Greece is still lacking a sustainable, policy-based model of integrated services. The aim of our study was to identify operational integration levels through existing patient care pathways and to recommend an alternative PHC model for optimum integration. The study was part of a large state-funded project, which included 22 randomly selected PHC units located across two health regions of Greece. Dimensions of operational integration in PHC were selected based on the work of Kringos and colleagues. A five-point Likert-type scale, coupled with an algorithm, was used to capture and transform theoretical framework features into measurable attributes. PHC services were grouped under the main categories of chronic care, urgent/acute care, preventive care, and home care. A web-based platform was used to assess patient pathways, evaluate integration levels and propose improvement actions. Analysis relied on a comparison of actual pathways versus optimal, the latter ones having been identified through literature review. Overall integration varied among units. The majority (57%) of units corresponded to a basic level. Integration by type of PHC service ranged as follows: basic (86%) or poor (14%) for chronic care units, poor (78%) or basic (22%) for urgent/acute care units, basic (50%) for preventive care units, and partial or basic (50%) for home care units. The actual pathways across all four categories of PHC services differed from those captured in the optimum integration model. Certain similarities were observed in the operational flows between chronic care management and urgent/acute care management. Such similarities were present at the highest level of abstraction, but also in common steps along the operational flows. Existing patient care pathways were mapped and analysed, and recommendations for an optimum integration PHC model were made. The developed web

  10. Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: A cost study in family practices

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    E.W. de Bekker-Grob (Esther); S. van Dulmen (Sandra); M. van den Berg (Martha); R.A. Verheij (Robert A.); L.C. Slobbe (Laurentius C.)

    2011-01-01

    textabstractBackground: Considering the scarcity of health care resources and the high costs associated with cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the spending on cardiovascular primary preventive activities and the prescribing behaviour of primary preventive cardiovascular medication (PPCM) in

  11. The prevention of the primary lymphedema

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benda, K.; Lebloch, D.; Bendova, M.

    1998-01-01

    The endangered familiar members of the ailing with the primary lymphedema are clinically examined (anamnesis, physical examination of the extremities and biochemical examination) and by radionuclide lymphography of the extremities. For the proved latent stadium of the lymphedema the complex of preventive therapy is recommended. (authors)

  12. Primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolak, Agnieszka; Kamińska, Marzena; Sygit, Katarzyna; Budny, Agnieszka; Surdyka, Dariusz; Kukiełka-Budny, Bożena; Burdan, Franciszek

    2017-12-23

    Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and is the second cancer frequently occurring worldwide of newly-diagnosed cancers. There is much evidence showing the influence of life style and environmental factors on the development of mammary gland cancer (high-fat diet, alcohol consumption, lack of physical exercise), the elimination of which (primary prevention) may contribute to a decrease in morbidity and mortality. Secondary prevention, comprising diagnostic tests (e.g. mammography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, breast self-examination, as well as modern and more precise imaging methods) help the early detection of tumours or lesions predisposing to tumours. The aim of this study paper is to review current knowledge and reports regarding primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer. It is estimated that nearly 70% of malign tumours are caused by environmental factors, whereas in breast cancer this percentage reaches 90-95%. There are national programmes established in many countries to fight cancer, where both types of prevention are stressed as serving to decrease morbidity and mortality due to cancers. Cancer prevention is currently playing a key role in the fight against the disease. Behaviour modification, as well as greater awareness among women regarding breast cancer, may significantly contribute towards reducing the incidence of this cancer. Another important aspect is the number of women undergoing diagnostic tests, which still remains at an unsatisfactory level.

  13. Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a cost study in family practices.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bekker-Grob, E.W. de; Dulmen, S. van; Berg, M. van den; Verheij, R.A.; Slobbe, L.C.J.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Considering the scarcity of health care resources and the high costs associated with cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the spending on cardiovascular primary preventive activities and the prescribing behaviour of primary preventive cardiovascular medication (PPCM) in Dutch family

  14. Speeding the growth of primary mental health prevention

    OpenAIRE

    Wissow, Lawrence S

    2015-01-01

    While there is a strong case for primary prevention of mental health problems, relatively little mental health scholarship has been devoted to it in the last decade. Efforts to accelerate prevention scholarship could potentially benefit from strengthening pathways for interdisciplinary research; developing new training and working models for mental health professionals; developing a common language for public, policy, and scientific discussion of prevention; learning how to measure the common...

  15. Priorities for the primary prevention of breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colditz, Graham A; Bohlke, Kari

    2014-01-01

    Despite recent calls to intensify the search for new risk factors for breast cancer, acting on information that we already have could prevent thousands of cases each year. This article reviews breast cancer primary prevention strategies that are applicable to all women, discusses the underutilization of chemoprevention in high-risk women, highlights the additional advances that could be made by including young women in prevention efforts, and comments on how the molecular heterogeneity of breast cancer affects prevention research and strategies. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

  16. Primary mental health prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakash, Ora; Razon, Liat; Levav, Itzhak

    2015-01-01

    The World Health Organization Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (CMHAP) 2013-2020 proposes the implementation of primary prevention strategies to reduce the mental health burden of disease. The extent to which Israeli academic programs and published research adhere to the principles spelled out by the CMHAP is unknown. To investigate the presence of mental health primary prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel. We searched for mental health primary prevention themes in: (1) three major journals of psychiatry and social sciences during the years 2001-2012; (2) university graduate programs in psychology, social work and medicine in leading universities for the academic year of 2011-2012; and (3) doctoral and master's theses approved in psychology and social work departments in five universities between the years 2007-2012. We used a liberal definition of primary prevention to guide the above identification of themes, including those related to theory, methods or research information of direct or indirect application in practice. Of the 934 articles published in the three journals, 7.2%, n = 67, addressed primary prevention. Of the 899 courses in the 19 graduate programs 5.2%, n = 47, elective courses addressed primary prevention. Of the 1960 approved doctoral and master's theses 6.2%, n = 123, addressed primary prevention. Only 11 (4.7%) articles, 5 (0.6%) courses, and 5 (0.3%) doctoral and master's theses addressed primary prevention directly. The psychiatric reform currently implemented in Israel and WHO CMHAP call for novel policies and course of action in all levels of prevention, including primary prevention. Yet, the latter is rarely a component of mental health education and research activities. The baseline we drew could serve to evaluate future progress in the field.

  17. Implementing and evaluating a program to facilitate chronic disease prevention and screening in primary care: a mixed methods program evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manca, Donna Patricia; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Kandola, Kami; Aguilar, Carolina; Campbell-Scherer, Denise; Sopcak, Nicolette; O'Brien, Mary Ann; Meaney, Christopher; Faria, Vee; Baxter, Julia; Moineddin, Rahim; Salvalaggio, Ginetta; Green, Lee; Cave, Andrew; Grunfeld, Eva

    2014-10-08

    The objectives of this paper are to describe the planned implementation and evaluation of the Building on Existing Tools to Improve Chronic Disease Prevention and Screening in Primary Care (BETTER 2) program which originated from the BETTER trial. The pragmatic trial, informed by the Chronic Care Model, demonstrated the effectiveness of an approach to Chronic Disease Prevention and Screening (CDPS) involving the use of a new role, the prevention practitioner. The desired goals of the program are improved clinical outcomes, reduction in the burden of chronic disease, and improved sustainability of the health-care system through improved CDPS in primary care. The BETTER 2 program aims to expand the implementation of the intervention used in the original BETTER trial into communities across Canada (Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia). This proactive approach provides at-risk patients with an intervention from the prevention practitioner, a health-care professional. Using the BETTER toolkit, the prevention practitioner determines which CDPS actions the patient is eligible to receive, and through shared decision-making and motivational interviewing, develops a unique and individualized 'prevention prescription' with the patient. This intervention is 1) personalized; 2) addressing multiple conditions; 3) integrated through linkages to local, regional, or national resources; and 4) longitudinal by assessing patients over time. The BETTER 2 program brings together primary care providers, policy/decision makers and researchers to work towards improving CDPS in primary care. The target patient population is adults aged 40-65. The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintain (RE-AIM) framework will inform the evaluation of the program through qualitative and quantitative methods. A composite index will be used to quantitatively assess the effectiveness of the prevention practitioner intervention. The CDPS actions

  18. STEADI: CDC's approach to make older adult fall prevention part of every primary care practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmiento, Kelly; Lee, Robin

    2017-12-01

    Primary care providers play a critical role in protecting older adult patients from one of the biggest threats to their health and independence-falls. A fall among an older adult patient cannot only be fatal or cause a devastating injury, but can also lead to problems that can effect a patient's overall quality of life. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed the STEADI initiative to give health care providers the tools they need to help reduce their older adult patient's risk of a fall. CDC's STEADI resources have been distributed widely and include practical materials and tools for health care providers and their patients that are designed to be integrated into every primary care practice. As the population ages, the need for fall prevention efforts, such as CDC's STEADI, will become increasingly critical to safeguard the health of Americans. STEADI's electronic health records (EHRs), online trainings, assessment tools, and patient education materials are available at no-cost and can be downloaded online at www.cdc.gov/STEADI. Health care providers should look for opportunities to integrate STEADI materials into their practice, using a team-based approach, to help protect their older patients. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. New visions for basic research and primary prevention of pediatric allergy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hamelman, E.; Herz, U.; Holt, P.

    2008-01-01

    , resources need to be focused on better understanding of the early allergic events and on interventional studies to investigate new strategies of primary and secondary prevention. Accordingly, this review summarizes the state-of-the-art of genetic, immunological and clinical aspects of primary prevention...

  20. Speeding the growth of primary mental health prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wissow, Lawrence S

    2015-01-01

    While there is a strong case for primary prevention of mental health problems, relatively little mental health scholarship has been devoted to it in the last decade. Efforts to accelerate prevention scholarship could potentially benefit from strengthening pathways for interdisciplinary research; developing new training and working models for mental health professionals; developing a common language for public, policy, and scientific discussion of prevention; learning how to measure the common outcomes of heterogeneous interventions tailored to diverse communities.

  1. primary prevention of mental, neurological and psychosocial

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    92-4-. 154516X. This well written book addresses the primary prevention of ... a broad, public health perspective. ... suicide include gun control, gas detoxification and responsible ... It will be most useful for policy makers, and professionals and.

  2. Primary prevention in public health: an analysis of basic assumptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ratcliffe, J; Wallack, L

    1985-01-01

    The common definition of primary prevention is straightforward; but how it is transformed into a framework to guide action is based on personal and societal feelings and beliefs about the basis for social organization. This article focuses on the two contending primary prevention strategies of health promotion and health protection. The contention between the two strategies stems from a basic disagreement about disease causality in modern society. Health promotion is based on the "lifestyle" theory of disease causality, which sees individual health status linked ultimately to personal decisions about diet, stress, and drug habits. Primary prevention, from this perspective, entails persuading individuals to forgo their risk-taking, self-destructive behavior. Health protection, on the other hand, is based on the "social-structural" theory of disease causality. This theory sees the health status of populations linked ultimately to the unequal distribution of social resources, industrial pollution, occupational stress, and "anti-health promotion" marketing practices. Primary prevention, from this perspective, requires changing existing social and, particularly, economic policies and structures. In order to provide a basis for choosing between these contending strategies, the demonstrated (i.e., past) impact of each strategy on the health of the public is examined. Two conclusions are drawn. First, the health promotion strategy shows little potential for improving the public health, because it systematically ignores the risk-imposing, other-destructive behavior of influential actors (policy-makers and institutions) in society. And second, effective primary prevention efforts entail an "upstream" approach that results in far-reaching sociopolitical and economic change.

  3. Understanding integrated care: a comprehensive conceptual framework based on the integrative functions of primary care.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Valentijn, P.P.; Schepman, S.M.; Opheij, W.; Bruijnzeels, M.A.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Primary care has a central role in integrating care within a health system. However, conceptual ambiguity regarding integrated care hampers a systematic understanding. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that combines the concepts of primary care and integrated care, in order to

  4. Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a cost study in family practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Bekker-Grob, Esther W; van Dulmen, Sandra; van den Berg, Matthijs; Verheij, Robert A; Slobbe, Laurentius C J

    2011-07-06

    Considering the scarcity of health care resources and the high costs associated with cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the spending on cardiovascular primary preventive activities and the prescribing behaviour of primary preventive cardiovascular medication (PPCM) in Dutch family practices (FPs). A mixed methods design was used, which consisted of a questionnaire (n = 80 FPs), video recordings of hypertension- or cholesterol-related general practitioner visits (n = 56), and the database of Netherlands Information Network of General Practice (n = 45 FPs; n = 157,137 patients). The questionnaire and video recordings were used to determine the average frequency and time spent on cardiovascular primary preventive activities per FP respectively. Taking into account the annual income and full time equivalents of general practitioners, health care assistants, and practice nurses as well as the practice costs, the total spending on cardiovascular primary preventive activities in Dutch FPs was calculated. The database of Netherlands Information Network of General Practice was used to determine the prescribing behaviour in Dutch FPs by conducting multilevel regression models and adjusting for patient and practice characteristics. Total expenditure on cardiovascular primary preventive activities in FPs in 2009 was €38.8 million (€2.35 per capita), of which 47% was spent on blood pressure measurements, 26% on cardiovascular risk profiling, and 11% on lifestyle counselling. Fifteen percent (€11 per capita) of all cardiovascular medication prescribed in FPs was a PPCM. FPs differed greatly on prescription of PPCM (odds ratio of 3.1). Total costs of cardiovascular primary preventive activities in FPs such as blood pressure measurements and lifestyle counselling are relatively low compared to the costs of PPCM. There is considerable heterogeneity in prescribing behaviour of PPCM between FPs. Further research is needed to determine whether such large differences in

  5. Primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases: a cost study in family practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verheij Robert A

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Considering the scarcity of health care resources and the high costs associated with cardiovascular diseases, we investigated the spending on cardiovascular primary preventive activities and the prescribing behaviour of primary preventive cardiovascular medication (PPCM in Dutch family practices (FPs. Methods A mixed methods design was used, which consisted of a questionnaire (n = 80 FPs, video recordings of hypertension- or cholesterol-related general practitioner visits (n = 56, and the database of Netherlands Information Network of General Practice (n = 45 FPs; n = 157,137 patients. The questionnaire and video recordings were used to determine the average frequency and time spent on cardiovascular primary preventive activities per FP respectively. Taking into account the annual income and full time equivalents of general practitioners, health care assistants, and practice nurses as well as the practice costs, the total spending on cardiovascular primary preventive activities in Dutch FPs was calculated. The database of Netherlands Information Network of General Practice was used to determine the prescribing behaviour in Dutch FPs by conducting multilevel regression models and adjusting for patient and practice characteristics. Results Total expenditure on cardiovascular primary preventive activities in FPs in 2009 was €38.8 million (€2.35 per capita, of which 47% was spent on blood pressure measurements, 26% on cardiovascular risk profiling, and 11% on lifestyle counselling. Fifteen percent (€11 per capita of all cardiovascular medication prescribed in FPs was a PPCM. FPs differed greatly on prescription of PPCM (odds ratio of 3.1. Conclusions Total costs of cardiovascular primary preventive activities in FPs such as blood pressure measurements and lifestyle counselling are relatively low compared to the costs of PPCM. There is considerable heterogeneity in prescribing behaviour of PPCM between FPs. Further research

  6. Cardiovascular disease: primary prevention, disease modulation and regenerative therapy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Sultan, Sherif

    2012-10-01

    Cardiovascular primary prevention and regeneration programs are the contemporary frontiers in functional metabolic vascular medicine. This novel science perspective harnesses our inherent ability to modulate the interface between specialized gene receptors and bioavailable nutrients in what is labeled as the nutrient-gene interaction. By mimicking a natural process through the conveyance of highly absorbable receptor specific nutrients, it is feasible to accelerate cell repair and optimize mitochondrial function, thereby achieving cardiovascular cure. We performed a comprehensive review of PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Review databases for articles relating to cardiovascular regenerative medicine, nutrigenomics and primary prevention, with the aim of harmonizing their roles within contemporary clinical practice. We searched in particular for large-scale randomized controlled trials on contemporary cardiovascular pharmacotherapies and their specific adverse effects on metabolic pathways which feature prominently in cardiovascular regenerative programs, such as nitric oxide and glucose metabolism. Scientific research on \\'cardiovascular-free\\' centenarians delineated that low sugar and low insulin are consistent findings. As we age, our insulin level increases. Those who can decelerate the rapidity of this process are prompting their cardiovascular rejuvenation. It is beginning to dawn on some clinicians that contemporary treatments are not only failing to impact on our most prevalent diseases, but they may be causing more damage than good. Primary prevention programs are crucial elements for a better outcome. Cardiovascular primary prevention and regeneration programs have enhanced clinical efficacy and quality of life and complement our conventional endovascular practice.

  7. Primary Prevention of Congenital Anomalies: Special Focus on Environmental Chemicals and other Toxicants, Maternal Health and Health Services and Infectious Diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taruscio, Domenica; Baldi, Francesca; Carbone, Pietro; Neville, Amanda J; Rezza, Giovanni; Rizzo, Caterina; Mantovani, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Congenital anomalies (CA) represent an important fraction of rare diseases, due to the critical role of non-genetic factors in their pathogenesis. CA are the main group of rare diseases in which primary prevention measures will have a beneficial impact. Indeed, since 2013 the European Union has endorsed a body of evidence-based recommendations for CA primary prevention; the recommendations aim at facilitating the inclusion of primary prevention actions the National Rare Disease Plans of EU Member States and encompass different public health fields, from environment through to maternal diseases and lifestyles.The chapter overviews and discusses the assessment of main risk factors for CA, such as environmental toxicants, maternal health and lifestyles and infections, with a special attention to issues that are emerging or need more knowledge.Overall, the availability of CA registries is important for estimating the health burden of CA, identifying possible hotspots, assessing the impact of interventions and addressing further, fit-to-purpose research.The integration of relevant public health actions that are already in place (e.g., control of noxious chemicals, vaccination programmes, public health services addressing chronic maternal conditions) can increase the affordability and sustainability of CA primary prevention. In developing countries with less primary prevention in place and limited overall resources, a first recognition phase may be pivotal in order to identify priority targets. In the meanwhile, policy makers should be made aware that primary prevention of RD supports publicly endorsed societal values like the knowledge-based promotion of health, empowerment, equity and social inclusiveness.

  8. Comparing primary prevention with secondary prevention to explain decreasing coronary heart disease death rates in Ireland, 1985-2000.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kabir, Zubair

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: To investigate whether primary prevention might be more favourable than secondary prevention (risk factor reduction in patients with coronary heart disease(CHD)). METHODS: The cell-based IMPACT CHD mortality model was used to integrate data for Ireland describing CHD patient numbers, uptake of specific treatments, trends in major cardiovascular risk factors, and the mortality benefits of these specific risk factor changes in CHD patients and in healthy people without recognised CHD. RESULTS: Between 1985 and 2000, approximately 2,530 fewer deaths were attributable to reductions in the three major risk factors in Ireland. Overall smoking prevalence declined by 14% between 1985 and 2000, resulting in about 685 fewer deaths (minimum estimate 330, maximum estimate 1,285) attributable to smoking cessation: about 275 in healthy people and 410 in known CHD patients. Population total cholesterol concentrations fell by 4.6%, resulting in approximately 1,300 (minimum estimate 1,115, maximum estimate 1,660) fewer deaths attributable to dietary changes(1,185 in healthy people and 115 in CHD patients) plus 305 fewer deaths attributable to statin treatment (45 in people without CHD and 260 in CHD patients). Mean population diastolic blood pressure fell by 7.2%, resulting in approximately 170 (minimum estimate 105, maximum estimate 300) fewer deaths attributable to secular falls in blood pressure (140 in healthy people and 30 in CHD patients), plus approximately 70 fewer deaths attributable to antihypertensive treatments in people without CHD. Of all the deaths attributable to risk factor falls, some 1,715 (68%) occurred in people without recognized CHD and 815(32%) in CHD patients. CONCLUSION: Compared with secondary prevention, primary prevention achieved a two-fold larger reduction in CHD deaths. Future national CHD policies should therefore prioritize nationwide interventions to promote healthy diets and reduce smoking.

  9. Integrated Clinical Decision Support Systems Promote Absolute Cardiovascular Risk Assessment: An Important Primary Prevention Measure in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Veronica Matthews

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians experience a greater burden of disease compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Around one-fifth of the health disparity is caused by cardiovascular disease (CVD. Despite the importance of absolute cardiovascular risk assessment (CVRA as a screening and early intervention tool, few studies have reported its use within the Australian Indigenous primary health care (PHC sector. This study utilizes data from a large-scale quality improvement program to examine variation in documented CVRA as a primary prevention strategy for individuals without prior CVD across four Australian jurisdictions. We also examine the proportion with elevated risk and follow-up actions recorded.MethodsWe undertook cross-sectional analysis of 2,052 client records from 97 PHC centers to assess CVRA in Indigenous adults aged ≥20 years with no recorded chronic disease diagnosis (2012–2014. Multilevel regression was used to quantify the variation in CVRA attributable to health center and client level factors. The main outcome measure was the proportion of eligible adults who had CVRA recorded. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of clients with elevated risk that had follow-up actions recorded.ResultsApproximately 23% (n = 478 of eligible clients had documented CVRA. Almost all assessments (99% were conducted in the Northern Territory. Within this jurisdiction, there was wide variation between centers in the proportion of clients with documented CVRA (median 38%; range 0–86%. Regression analysis showed health center factors accounted for 48% of the variation. Centers with integrated clinical decision support systems were more likely to document CVRA (OR 21.1; 95% CI 5.4–82.4; p < 0.001. Eleven percent (n = 53 of clients were found with moderate/high CVD risk, of whom almost one-third were under 35 years (n = 16. Documentation of follow-up varied with respect to the targeted risk factor

  10. Dabigatran experience in primary and secondary prevention of cardioembolic stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maksim Alekseyevich Domashenko

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The review of novel oral anticoagulants (dabigatran, rivaroxaban and apixaban in stroke prevention and also own data of administration of dabigatran in primary and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke in 45 patients with cerebrovascular diseases are presented. Most patients received dabigatran 14 days after the first stroke associated with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. In other cases dabigatran was used for primary prevention of stroke in patients with chronic forms of cerebrovascular diseases and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Dabigatran shows good tolerability and efficacy. Recurrent strokes were diagnosed in 2 patients. The reasons for these events were arterial hypertension in one case and symptomatic atherosclerotic plaque in the other case.

  11. Cost-effectiveness of primary prevention of paediatric asthma: a decision-analytic model

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramos, G. Feljandro P.; van Asselt, Antoinette D. I.; Kuiper, Sandra; Severens, Johan L.; Maas, Tanja; Dompeling, Edward; Knottnerus, J. André; van Schayck, Onno C. P.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Many children stand to benefit from being asthma-free for life with primary (i.e., prenatally started) prevention addressing one environmental exposure in a unifaceted (UF) approach or at least two in a multifaceted (MF) approach. We assessed the cost-effectiveness of primary prevention

  12. Views on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease - an interview study with Swedish GPs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wahlström Rolf

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background General practitioners (GPs have gradually become more involved in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD, both through more frequent prescribing of pharmaceuticals and by giving advice regarding lifestyle factors. Most general practitioners are now faced with decisions about pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical treatment for primary prevention every day. The aim of this study was to explore, structure and describe the views on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice among Swedish GPs. Methods Individual interviews were conducted with 21 GPs in southern Sweden. The interview transcripts were analysed using a qualitative approach, inspired by phenomenography. Results Two main categories of description emerged during the analysis. One was the degree of reliance on research data regarding the predictability of real risk and the opportunities for primary prevention of CVD. The other was the allocation of responsibility between the patient and the doctor. The GPs showed different views, from being convinced of an actual and predictable risk for the individual to strongly doubting it; from relying firmly on protection from disease by pharmaceutical treatment to strongly questioning its effectiveness in individual cases; and from reliance on prevention of disease by non-pharmaceutical interventions to a total lack of reliance on such measures. Conclusions The GPs' different views, regarding the rationale for and practical management of primary prevention of CVD, can be interpreted as a reflection of the complexity of patient counselling in primary prevention in clinical practice. The findings have implications for development and implementation of standard treatment guidelines, regarding long-time primary preventive treatment.

  13. [The development of an integrated suicide-violence prevention program for adolescents].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Hyun Sook

    2008-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated suicide-violence prevention program for adolescents. Another purpose was to evaluate the effects of the integrated suicide-violence prevention program on self-esteem, parent-child communication, aggression, and suicidal ideation in adolescents. The study employed a quasi-experimental design. Participants for the study were high school students, 24 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. Data was analyzed by using the SPSS/WIN. 11.5 program with chi2 test, t-test, and 2-way ANOVA. Participants in the integrated suicide-violence prevention program reported increased self-esteem scores, which was significantly different from those in the control group. Participants in the integrated suicide-violence prevention program reported decreased aggression and suicidal ideation scores, which was significantly different from those in the control group. The integrated suicide-violence prevention program was effective in improving self-esteem and decreasing aggression and suicidal ideation for adolescents. Therefore, this approach is recommended as the integrated suicide-violence prevention strategy for adolescents.

  14. Theoretical integration and the psychology of sport injury prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Derwin King-Chung; Hagger, Martin S

    2012-09-01

    Integrating different theories of motivation to facilitate or predict behaviour change has received an increasing amount of attention within the health, sport and exercise science literature. A recent review article in Sports Medicine, by Keats, Emery and Finch presented an integrated model using two prominent theories in social psychology, self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), aimed at explaining and enhancing athletes' adherence to sport injury prevention. While echoing their optimistic views about the utility of these two theories to explain adherence in this area and the virtues of theoretical integration, we would like to seize this opportunity to clarify several conceptual principles arising from the authors' integration of the theories. Clarifying the theoretical assumptions and explaining precisely how theoretical integration works is crucial not only for improving the comprehensiveness of the integrated framework for predicting injury prevention behaviour, but also to aid the design of effective intervention strategies targeting behavioural adherence. In this article, we use the integration of SDT and TPB as an example to demonstrate how theoretical integration can advance the understanding of injury prevention behaviour in sport.

  15. Aspirin overutilization for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    VanWormer JJ

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Jeffrey J VanWormer,1 Aaron W Miller,2 Shereif H Rezkalla3 1Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Population Health, 2Biomedical Informatics Research Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, WI, USA; 3Department of Cardiology, Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI, USA Background: Aspirin is commonly used for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD in the US. Previous research has observed significant levels of inappropriate aspirin use for primary CVD prevention in some European populations, but the degree to which aspirin is overutilized in the US remains unknown. This study examined the association between regular aspirin use and demographic/clinical factors in a population-based sample of adults without a clinical indication for aspirin for primary prevention.Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using 2010–2012 data from individuals aged 30–79 years in the Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area (WI, USA. Regular aspirin users included those who took aspirin at least every other day.Results: There were 16,922 individuals who were not clinically indicated for aspirin therapy for primary CVD prevention. Of these, 19% were regular aspirin users. In the final adjusted model, participants who were older, male, lived in northern Wisconsin, had more frequent medical visits, and had greater body mass index had significantly higher odds of regular aspirin use (P<0.001 for all. Race/ethnicity, health insurance, smoking, blood pressure, and lipid levels had negligible influence on aspirin use. A sensitivity analysis found a significant interaction between age and number of medical visits, indicating progressively more aspirin use in older age groups who visited their provider frequently.Conclusion: There was evidence of aspirin overutilization in this US population without CVD. Older age and more frequent provider visits were the strongest predictors of inappropriate aspirin use. Obesity was the only significant

  16. Use and Misuse of Aspirin in Primary Cardiovascular Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio Coccheri

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The use of low-dose aspirin in primary prevention of cardiovascular (CV events in healthy or apparently healthy people is a widely debated topic. Many arguments indicate that “primary prevention” is only a conventional definition and that the transition from primary to secondary prevention represents a continuum of increasing levels of CV risk. Although there are no direct proofs of a different efficacy of aspirin at different CV risk levels, in low-risk populations aspirin will appear to be less efficient. In fact, the lower number of events occurring in patients at low risk yields lower absolute numbers of events prevented. As many as 6 meta-analyses of trials of primary CV prevention with aspirin versus placebo, performed between 2009 and 2016, confirmed the above concepts and showed a concordant, significant reduction in nonfatal myocardial infarction, with no significant effects on stroke, as well as on CV and all-cause mortality. The recent demonstration of a moderate protective effect of aspirin on cancer (especially colorectal confers, however, additional value to the use of aspirin, although unusually long durations of treatment and optimal daily compliance seem to be necessary. Because aspirin increases the bleeding risk, the evaluation of its net clinical benefit is an important point of debate. Thus, it is justified to search for a cutoff level of global CV risk above which the net clinical benefit of aspirin becomes evident. Such a threshold value has been calculated considering the data of 9 primary prevention trials, by the Thrombosis Group of the European Society of Cardiology, and has been indicated as a risk value of 2 or more major CV events per 100 persons per year. Also, in the recent 2016 US Guidelines, the main criterion adopted for the indication of aspirin is the level of global CV risk (suggested cutoff is 1 or more major CV events per 100 persons per year. Beyond the different values selected, it is seems very

  17. [Primary prevention of coronary thrombosis by antithrombotic agents].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milon, H; Lantelme, P; Khettab, F; Mestre-Fernandes, C; Lasserre-Remy, S

    2001-11-01

    At the start of the eighties, in the wake of the good results obtained with aspirin in secondary prevention, two studies were launched aimed at testing the effect of aspirin on the primary prevention of myocardial infarction. The results published in 1988 and 1989 were divergent: the study conducted by British doctors showed no benefit with aspirin, that conducted by American doctors showed a very distinct benefit concerning myocardial infarction but no advantage for cerebral vascular accidents. Besides, in both studies an additional risk of haemorrhagic cerebral vascular accident was described. Methodological reasons were the origin of these facts, but it resulted in a certain confusion as to the practical conduct to adopt. Ten years later it is much more clear after the publication of three supplementary trials. The benefits of aspirin in terms of prevention of myocardial infarction are certain and considerable, at the price of a haemorrhagic risk equally certain but moderate. On the other hand, questions remain concerning the preventive effect of aspirin on cerebral vascular accidents and also on the expected benefits in the female sex. In practice, the prescription of aspirin with the objective of primary prevention must take into account the absolute benefit which can be expected. This is a function of the individual absolute risk before treatment which therefore signifies an evaluation based on the risk factors. Only subjects exposed to a substantial risk before treatment are likely to benefit from aspirin. For the others, the risks linked with aspirin could counterbalance its preventive advantages.

  18. Estimated time spent on preventive services by primary care physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gradison Margaret

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Delivery of preventive health services in primary care is lacking. One of the main barriers is lack of time. We estimated the amount of time primary care physicians spend on important preventive health services. Methods We analyzed a large dataset of primary care (family and internal medicine visits using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2001–4; analyses were conducted 2007–8. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the amount of time spent delivering each preventive service, controlling for demographic covariates. Results Preventive visits were longer than chronic care visits (M = 22.4, SD = 11.8, M = 18.9, SD = 9.2, respectively. New patients required more time from physicians. Services on which physicians spent relatively more time were prostate specific antigen (PSA, cholesterol, Papanicolaou (Pap smear, mammography, exercise counseling, and blood pressure. Physicians spent less time than recommended on two "A" rated ("good evidence" services, tobacco cessation and Pap smear (in preventive visits, and one "B" rated ("at least fair evidence" service, nutrition counseling. Physicians spent substantial time on two services that have an "I" rating ("inconclusive evidence of effectiveness", PSA and exercise counseling. Conclusion Even with limited time, physicians address many of the "A" rated services adequately. However, they may be spending less time than recommended for important services, especially smoking cessation, Pap smear, and nutrition counseling. Future research is needed to understand how physicians decide how to allocate their time to address preventive health.

  19. Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... and Multivitamin Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force ( ... and Multivitamin Supplements for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. This final recommendation statement applies to ...

  20. Incorporating Primary and Secondary Prevention Approaches To Address Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment in a Low-Income, Ethnically Diverse Population: Study Design and Demographic Data from the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (TX CORD) Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butte, Nancy F.; Barlow, Sarah; Vandewater, Elizabeth A.; Sharma, Shreela V.; Huang, Terry; Finkelstein, Eric; Pont, Stephen; Sacher, Paul; Byrd-Williams, Courtney; Oluyomi, Abiodun O.; Durand, Casey; Li, Linlin; Kelder, Steven H.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Background: There is consensus that development and evaluation of a systems-oriented approach for child obesity prevention and treatment that includes both primary and secondary prevention efforts is needed. This article describes the study design and baseline data from the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (TX CORD) project, which addresses child obesity among low-income, ethnically diverse overweight and obese children, ages 2–12 years; a two-tiered systems-oriented approach is hypothesized to reduce BMI z-scores, compared to primary prevention alone. Methods: Our study aims are to: (1) implement and evaluate a primary obesity prevention program; (2) implement and evaluate efficacy of a 12-month family-centered secondary obesity prevention program embedded within primary prevention; and (3) quantify the incremental cost-effectiveness of the secondary prevention program. Baseline demographic and behavioral data for the primary prevention community areas are presented. Results: Baseline data from preschool centers, elementary schools, and clinics indicate that most demographic variables are similar between intervention and comparison communities. Most families are low income (≤$25,000) and Hispanic/Latino (73.3–83.8%). The majority of parents were born outside of the United States. Child obesity rates exceed national values, ranging from 19.0% in preschool to 35.2% in fifth-grade children. Most parents report that their children consume sugary beverages, have a television in the bedroom, and do not consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. Conclusions: Interventions to address childhood obesity are warranted in low-income, ethnically diverse communities. Integrating primary and secondary approaches is anticipated to provide sufficient exposure that will lead to significant decreases in childhood obesity. PMID:25555188

  1. Incorporating primary and secondary prevention approaches to address childhood obesity prevention and treatment in a low-income, ethnically diverse population: study design and demographic data from the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (TX CORD) study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoelscher, Deanna M; Butte, Nancy F; Barlow, Sarah; Vandewater, Elizabeth A; Sharma, Shreela V; Huang, Terry; Finkelstein, Eric; Pont, Stephen; Sacher, Paul; Byrd-Williams, Courtney; Oluyomi, Abiodun O; Durand, Casey; Li, Linlin; Kelder, Steven H

    2015-02-01

    There is consensus that development and evaluation of a systems-oriented approach for child obesity prevention and treatment that includes both primary and secondary prevention efforts is needed. This article describes the study design and baseline data from the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (TX CORD) project, which addresses child obesity among low-income, ethnically diverse overweight and obese children, ages 2-12 years; a two-tiered systems-oriented approach is hypothesized to reduce BMI z-scores, compared to primary prevention alone. Our study aims are to: (1) implement and evaluate a primary obesity prevention program; (2) implement and evaluate efficacy of a 12-month family-centered secondary obesity prevention program embedded within primary prevention; and (3) quantify the incremental cost-effectiveness of the secondary prevention program. Baseline demographic and behavioral data for the primary prevention community areas are presented. Baseline data from preschool centers, elementary schools, and clinics indicate that most demographic variables are similar between intervention and comparison communities. Most families are low income (≤$25,000) and Hispanic/Latino (73.3-83.8%). The majority of parents were born outside of the United States. Child obesity rates exceed national values, ranging from 19.0% in preschool to 35.2% in fifth-grade children. Most parents report that their children consume sugary beverages, have a television in the bedroom, and do not consume adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables. Interventions to address childhood obesity are warranted in low-income, ethnically diverse communities. Integrating primary and secondary approaches is anticipated to provide sufficient exposure that will lead to significant decreases in childhood obesity.

  2. Implantable Cardioverter-defibrillator Therapy for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Usefulness in Primary and Secondary Prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarrias, Axel; Galve, Enrique; Sabaté, Xavier; Moya, Àngel; Anguera, Ignacio; Núñez, Elaine; Villuendas, Roger; Alcalde, Óscar; García-Dorado, David

    2015-06-01

    Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a frequent cause of sudden death. Clinical practice guidelines indicate defibrillator implantation for primary prevention in patients with 1 or more risk factors and for secondary prevention in patients with a history of aborted sudden death or sustained ventricular arrhythmias. The aim of the present study was to analyze the follow-up of patients who received an implantable defibrillator following the current guidelines in nonreferral centers for this disease. This retrospective observational study included all patients who underwent defibrillator implantation between January 1996 and December 2012 in 3 centers in the province of Barcelona. The study included 69 patients (mean age [standard deviation], 44.8 [17] years; 79.3% men), 48 in primary prevention and 21 in secondary prevention. The mean number of risk factors per patient was 1.8 in the primary prevention group and 0.5 in the secondary prevention group (P=.029). The median follow-up duration was 40.5 months. The appropriate therapy rate was 32.7/100 patient-years in secondary prevention and 1.7/100 patient-years in primary prevention (P<.001). Overall mortality was 10.1%. Implant-related complications were experienced by 8.7% of patients, and 13% had inappropriate defibrillator discharges. In patients with a defibrillator for primary prevention, the appropriate therapy rate is extremely low, indicating the low predictive power of the current risk stratification criteria. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Integrated care as a means to improve primary care delivery for adults and adolescents in the developing world: a critical analysis of Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult Illness (IMAI).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasan, Ashwin; Ellner, Andrew; Lawn, Stephen D; Gove, Sandy; Anatole, Manzi; Gupta, Neil; Drobac, Peter; Nicholson, Tom; Seung, Kwonjune; Mabey, David C; Farmer, Paul E

    2014-01-14

    More than three decades after the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata enshrined the goal of 'health for all', high-quality primary care services remain undelivered to the great majority of the world's poor. This failure to effectively reach the most vulnerable populations has been, in part, a failure to develop and implement appropriate and effective primary care delivery models. This paper examines a root cause of these failures, namely that the inability to achieve clear and practical consensus around the scope and aims of primary care may be contributing to ongoing operational inertia. The present work also examines integrated models of care as a strategy to move beyond conceptual dissonance in primary care and toward implementation. Finally, this paper examines the strengths and weaknesses of a particular model, the World Health Organization's Integrated Management of Adolescent and Adult Illness (IMAI), and its potential as a guidepost toward improving the quality of primary care delivery in poor settings. Integration and integrated care may be an important approach in establishing a new paradigm of primary care delivery, though overall, current evidence is mixed. However, a number of successful specific examples illustrate the potential for clinical and service integration to positively impact patient care in primary care settings. One example deserving of further examination is the IMAI, developed by the World Health Organization as an operational model that integrates discrete vertical interventions into a comprehensive delivery system encompassing triage and screening, basic acute and chronic disease care, basic prevention and treatment services, and follow-up and referral guidelines. IMAI is an integrated model delivered at a single point-of-care using a standard approach to each patient based on the universal patient history and physical examination. The evidence base on IMAI is currently weak, but whether or not IMAI itself ultimately proves useful in

  4. The effectiveness of a cardiometabolic prevention program in general practices offering integrated care programs including a patient tailored lifestyle treatment.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hollander, M.; Eppink, L.; Nielen, M.; Badenbroek, I.; Stol, D.; Schellevis, F.; Wit, N. de

    2016-01-01

    Background & Aim: Selective cardio-metabolic prevention programs (CMP) may be especially effective in well-organized practices. We studied the effect of a CMP program in the academic primary care practices of the Julius Health Centers (JHC) that offer integrated cardiovascular disease management

  5. Hormone Therapy for the Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions in Postmenopausal Women: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossman, David C; Curry, Susan J; Owens, Douglas K; Barry, Michael J; Davidson, Karina W; Doubeni, Chyke A; Epling, John W; Kemper, Alex R; Krist, Alex H; Kurth, Ann E; Landefeld, C Seth; Mangione, Carol M; Phipps, Maureen G; Silverstein, Michael; Simon, Melissa A; Tseng, Chien-Wen

    2017-12-12

    Menopause occurs at a median age of 51.3 years, and the average US woman who reaches menopause is expected to live another 30 years. The prevalence and incidence of most chronic conditions, such as coronary heart disease, dementia, stroke, fractures, and breast cancer, increase with age; however, the excess risk for these conditions that can be attributed to menopause alone is uncertain. Since the publication of findings from the Women's Health Initiative that hormone therapy use is associated with serious adverse health effects in postmenopausal women, use of menopausal hormone therapy has declined. To update the 2012 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on the use of menopausal hormone therapy for the primary prevention of chronic conditions. The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on the benefits and harms of systemic (ie, oral or transdermal) hormone therapy for the prevention of chronic conditions in postmenopausal women and whether outcomes vary among women in different subgroups or by timing of intervention after menopause. The review did not address hormone therapy for preventing or treating menopausal symptoms. Although the use of hormone therapy to prevent chronic conditions in postmenopausal women is associated with some benefits, there are also well-documented harms. The USPSTF determined that the magnitude of both the benefits and the harms of hormone therapy in postmenopausal women is small to moderate. Therefore, the USPSTF concluded with moderate certainty that combined estrogen and progestin has no net benefit for the primary prevention of chronic conditions for most postmenopausal women with an intact uterus and that estrogen alone has no net benefit for the primary prevention of chronic conditions for most postmenopausal women who have had a hysterectomy. The USPSTF recommends against the use of combined estrogen and progestin for the primary prevention of chronic conditions in postmenopausal women. (D recommendation) The USPSTF

  6. Cyber-bullying prevention in primary school: School leaders’ understanding of cyber-bullying prevention

    OpenAIRE

    Vestvik, Svitlana

    2011-01-01

    This master‟s thesis is about cyber-bullying prevention in primary school. My reason for choosing this issue was a desire to get a greater insight into cyber-bullying as a phenomenon. In addition, I found it interesting to find how the principals can work systematically for prevention and reduction of cyber-bullying incidents in schools, with the purpose of offering pupils a good psycho-social environment as enshrined in the Education Act, Section 9a-3. My attention was focused on understa...

  7. Osteoporosis: primary prevention in the community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loh, K Y; Shong, H K

    2007-10-01

    The incidence of osteoporosis is increasing worldwide. It has great impact on the life of the elderly population. The most significant medical consequence of osteoporosis is fragility fracture which without proper treatment will cause severe medical and psychosocial complications. The overall cost in managing osteoporosis and its related fractures is escalating. Using bone densitometry to measure bone mineral density is useful in the diagnosis of osteoporosis but it is costly and not feasible in the community. Drugs such as estrogen replacement, raloxifene and calcitonin are effective in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis but they are also expensive. Identifying modifiable risk factors such as smoking, lack of exercise, low dietary calcium and vitamin D intake and healthy life style remain strategy in the primary prevention of osteoporosis in the community.

  8. Integration of depression and primary care: barriers to adoption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grazier, Kyle L; Smith, Judith E; Song, Jean; Smiley, Mary L

    2014-01-01

    Despite the prevailing consensus as to its value, the adoption of integrated care models is not widespread. Thus, the objective of this article it to examine the barriers to the adoption of depression and primary care models in the United States. A literature search focused on peer-reviewed journal literature in Medline and PsycInfo. The search strategy focused on barriers to integrated mental health care services in primary care, and was based on previously existing searches. The search included: MeSH terms combined with targeted keywords; iterative citation searches in Scopus; searches for grey literature (literature not traditionally indexed by commercial publishers) in Google and organization websites, examination of reference lists, and discussions with researchers. Integration of depression care and primary care faces multiple barriers. Patients and families face numerous barriers, linked inextricably to create challenges not easily remedied by any one party, including the following: vulnerable populations with special needs, patient and family factors, medical and mental health comorbidities, provider supply and culture, financing and costs, and organizational issues. An analysis of barriers impeding integration of depression and primary care presents information for future implementation of services.

  9. Primary Prevention Is? A Global Perspective on How Organizations Engaging Men in Preventing Gender-Based Violence Conceptualize and Operationalize Their Work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storer, Heather L; Casey, Erin A; Carlson, Juliana; Edleson, Jeffrey L; Tolman, Richard M

    2016-02-01

    Engaging men in addressing violence against women (VAW) has become a strategy in the global prevention of gender-based violence. Concurrently, Western public health frameworks have been utilized to guide prevention agendas worldwide. Using qualitative methods, this study describes how global anti-violence organizations that partner with men conceptualize primary prevention in their work. Findings suggest that "primary prevention" is not a fixed term in the context of VAW and that front-line prevention work challenges rigidly delineated distinctions between levels of prevention. Much can be learned from global organizations' unique and contextualized approaches to the prevention of VAW. © The Author(s) 2015.

  10. PRIMARY PREVENTION IS? A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON HOW ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGING MEN IN PREVENTING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONCEPTUALIZE AND OPERATIONALIZE THEIR WORK

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storer, Heather L.; Casey, Erin A.; Carlson, Juliana; Edleson, Jeffrey L.; Tolman, Richard M.

    2014-01-01

    Engaging men in addressing violence against women (VAW) has become a strategy in the global prevention of gender-based violence. Concurrently, Western public health frameworks have been utilized to guide prevention agendas worldwide. Using qualitative methods, this study describes how global anti-violence organizations that partner with men conceptualize primary prevention in their work. Findings suggest that ‘primary prevention’ is not a fixed term in the context of VAW and that front-line prevention work challenges rigidly delineated distinctions between levels of prevention. Much can be learned from global organizations’ unique and contextualized approaches to the prevention of VAW. PMID:26333283

  11. Primary Prevention With Statins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortensen, Martin B; Afzal, Shoaib; Nordestgaard, Børge G

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend initiating primary prevention for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) with statins based on absolute ASCVD risk assessment. Recently, alternative trial-based and hybrid approaches were suggested for statin treatment eligibility. OBJECTIVES: This study...... the population studied, 42% were eligible for statin therapy according to the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) risk assessment and cholesterol treatment guidelines approach, versus 56% with the trial-based approach and 21% with the hybrid approach. Among these statin......-eligible subjects, the ASCVD event rate per 1,000 person-years was 9.8, 6.8, and 11.2, respectively. The ACC/AHA-recommended absolute risk score was well calibrated around the 7.5% 10-year ASCVD risk treatment threshold and discriminated better than the trial-based or hybrid approaches. Compared with the ACC...

  12. Public Health and Preventive Medicine Meet Integrative Health: Applications of Competency Mapping to Curriculum Education at the University of Michigan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wells, Eden V; Benn, Rita K; Warber, Sara L

    2015-11-01

    The University of Michigan School of Public Health Preventive Medicine Residency (UMSPH PMR) Integrative Medicine Program (IMP) was developed to incorporate integrative medicine (IM), public health, and preventive medicine principles into a comprehensive curriculum for preventive medicine residents and faculty. The objectives of this project were to (1) increase the preventive medicine workforce skill sets based in complementary and alternative medicine and IM that would address individual and population health issues; (2) address the increasing demand for evidence-based IM by training physicians to implement cost-effective primary and secondary prevention services and programs; and (3) share lessons learned, curriculum evaluations, and best practices with the larger cohort of funded IM PMR programs. The UMSPH PMR collaborated with University of Michigan IM faculty to incorporate existing IM competencies with those already established for preventive medicine and public health residency training as the first critical step for IMP curriculum integration. Essential teaching strategies incorporated didactic and practicum methods, and made use of seasoned IM faculty, along with newly minted preventive medicine integrative teaching faculty, and PMR resident learners as IM teachers. The major components of the IMP curriculum included resident participation in IMP Orientation Sessions, resident leadership in epidemiology graduate IM seminars, resident rotations in IM month-long clinical practicums, resident participation in interprofessional health system-wide IM clinical case conferences, and PMR faculty enrollment in the renowned Faculty Scholars Program in Integrative Healthcare. This paper describes the novel interdisciplinary collaborations and key curriculum components that resulted in the IMP, as well as evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, and lessons learned. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Practice of preventive dentistry for nursing staff in primary care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acuña-Reyes, Raquel; Cigarroa-Martínez, Didier; Ureña-Bogarín, Enrique; Orgaz-Fernández, Jose David

    2014-01-01

    Objectives: Determine the domain of preventive dentistry in nursing personnel assigned to a primary care unit. Methods: Prospective descriptive study, questionnaire validation, and prevalence study. In the first stage, the questionnaire for the practice of preventive dentistry (CPEP, for the term in Spanish) was validated; consistency and reliability were measured by Cronbach's alpha, Pearson's correlation, factor analysis with intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). In the second stage, the domain in preventive dental nurses was explored. Results: The overall internal consistency of CPEP is α= 0.66, ICC= 0.64, CI95%: 0.29-0.87 (p >0.01). Twenty-one subjects in the study, average age 43, 81.0% female, average seniority of 12.5 were included. A total of 71.5% showed weak domain, 28.5% regular domain, and there was no questionnaire with good domain result. The older the subjects were, the smaller the domain; female nurses showed greater mastery of preventive dentistry (29%, CI95%: 0.1-15.1) than male nurses. Public health nurses showed greater mastery with respect to other categories (50%, CI95%: 0.56-2.8). Conclusions: The CDEP has enough consistency to explore the domain of preventive dentistry in health-care staff. The domain of preventive dentistry in primary care nursing is poor, required to strengthen to provide education in preventive dentistry to the insured population. PMID:25386037

  14. Using Misoprostol for Primary versus Secondary Prevention of Postpartum Haemorrhage - Do Costs Matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatterjee, Susmita; Sarkar, Anupam; Rao, Krishna D

    2016-01-01

    Postpartum heammorrhage (PPH), defined as blood loss greater than or equal to 500 ml within 24 hours after birth, is the leading cause of maternal deaths globally and in India. Misoprostol is an important option for PPH management in setting where oxytocin (the gold standard for PPH prevention and treatment) in not available or not feasible to use. For the substantial number of deliveries which take place at home or at lower level heatlh facilities in India, misoprostol pills can be adminstered to prevent PPH. The standard approach using misoprostol is to administer it prophylactically as primary prevention (600 mcg). An alternative strategy could be to administer misoprostol only to those who are at high risk of having PPH i.e. as secondary prevention. This study reports on the relative cost per person of a strategy involving primary versus secondary prevention of PPH using misoprostol. It is based on a randomized cluster trial that was conducted in Bijapur district in Karnataka, India between December 2011 and March 2014 among pregnant women to compare two community-level strategies for the prevention of PPH: primary and secondary. The analysis was conducted from the government perspective using an ingredient approach. The cluster trial showed that there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two study arms. However, the results of the cost analysis show that there is a difference of INR 6 (US$ 0.1) per birth for implementing the strategies primary versus secondary prevention. In India where 14.9 million births take place at sub-centres and at home, this additional cost of INR 6 per birth translates to an additional cost of INR 94 (US$ 1.6) million to the government to implement the primary prevention compared to the secondary prevention strategy. As clinical outcomes did not differ significantly between the two arms in the trial, taking into account the difference in costs and potential issues with sustainability, secondary prevention

  15. Using Misoprostol for Primary versus Secondary Prevention of Postpartum Haemorrhage - Do Costs Matter?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susmita Chatterjee

    Full Text Available Postpartum heammorrhage (PPH, defined as blood loss greater than or equal to 500 ml within 24 hours after birth, is the leading cause of maternal deaths globally and in India. Misoprostol is an important option for PPH management in setting where oxytocin (the gold standard for PPH prevention and treatment in not available or not feasible to use. For the substantial number of deliveries which take place at home or at lower level heatlh facilities in India, misoprostol pills can be adminstered to prevent PPH. The standard approach using misoprostol is to administer it prophylactically as primary prevention (600 mcg. An alternative strategy could be to administer misoprostol only to those who are at high risk of having PPH i.e. as secondary prevention.This study reports on the relative cost per person of a strategy involving primary versus secondary prevention of PPH using misoprostol. It is based on a randomized cluster trial that was conducted in Bijapur district in Karnataka, India between December 2011 and March 2014 among pregnant women to compare two community-level strategies for the prevention of PPH: primary and secondary. The analysis was conducted from the government perspective using an ingredient approach.The cluster trial showed that there were no significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two study arms. However, the results of the cost analysis show that there is a difference of INR 6 (US$ 0.1 per birth for implementing the strategies primary versus secondary prevention. In India where 14.9 million births take place at sub-centres and at home, this additional cost of INR 6 per birth translates to an additional cost of INR 94 (US$ 1.6 million to the government to implement the primary prevention compared to the secondary prevention strategy.As clinical outcomes did not differ significantly between the two arms in the trial, taking into account the difference in costs and potential issues with sustainability, secondary

  16. Environmental and occupational interventions for primary prevention of cancer: a cross-sectorial policy framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espina, Carolina; Porta, Miquel; Schüz, Joachim; Aguado, Ildefonso Hernández; Percival, Robert V; Dora, Carlos; Slevin, Terry; Guzman, Julietta Rodriguez; Meredith, Tim; Landrigan, Philip J; Neira, Maria

    2013-04-01

    Nearly 13 million new cancer cases and 7.6 million cancer deaths occur worldwide each year; 63% of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. A substantial proportion of all cancers are attributable to carcinogenic exposures in the environment and the workplace. We aimed to develop an evidence-based global vision and strategy for the primary prevention of environmental and occupational cancer. We identified relevant studies through PubMed by using combinations of the search terms "environmental," "occupational," "exposure," "cancer," "primary prevention," and "interventions." To supplement the literature review, we convened an international conference titled "Environmental and Occupational Determinants of Cancer: Interventions for Primary Prevention" under the auspices of the World Health Organization, in Asturias, Spain, on 17-18 March 2011. Many cancers of environmental and occupational origin could be prevented. Prevention is most effectively achieved through primary prevention policies that reduce or eliminate involuntary exposures to proven and probable carcinogens. Such strategies can be implemented in a straightforward and cost-effective way based on current knowledge, and they have the added benefit of synergistically reducing risks for other noncommunicable diseases by reducing exposures to shared risk factors. Opportunities exist to revitalize comprehensive global cancer control policies by incorporating primary interventions against environmental and occupational carcinogens.

  17. Primary prevention of food allergy in infants who are at risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høst, Arne; Halken, Susanne

    2005-01-01

    on primary prevention of food allergy. RECENT FINDINGS: In prospective observational controlled studies of high quality of birth cohorts, exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months combined with introduction of solid foods after 4 months of age is associated with a reduced risk of food allergy and atopic......: Breastfeeding should be encouraged for 4-6 months. In high-risk infants a documented hypoallergenic hydrolysed formula is recommended if exclusively breastfeeding is not possible for the first 4 months. As regards primary prevention of food allergy there is no evidence for preventive dietary intervention during......PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Allergic diseases represent a major burden of health problems in industrialized countries. Though several studies have focused on possible preventive measure and strategies much controversy still exists on this topic. The aim of this review is to discuss the recent literature...

  18. Primary and secondary prevention in cardiovascular disease : an old-fashioned concept?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Venrooij, FV; Stolk, RP; Banga, JD; Erkelens, DW; Grobbee, DE

    Objective. Is the concept of primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention an old-fashioned concept that needs to be re-defined? Design. Discussion paper. Results. Cardiovascular prevention means reduction of absolute risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), irrespective of clinical stage.

  19. Primary Prevention of Urinary Incontinence: A Case Study of Prenatal and Intrapartum Interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kissler, Katherine; Yount, Susan M; Rendeiro, Melissa; Zeidenstein, Laura

    2016-07-01

    A wealth of information is available regarding the diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence. However, there is a dearth of quality information and clinical practice guidelines regarding the primary prevention of urinary incontinence. Given the high prevalence of this concern and the often cited correlation between pregnancy, childbirth, and urinary incontinence, women's health care providers should be aware of risk factors and primary prevention strategies for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in order to reduce associated physical and emotional suffering. This case report describes several common risk factors for SUI and missed opportunities for primary prevention of postpartum urinary incontinence. The most effective methods for preventing urinary incontinence include correct teaching of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT; specifically Kegel exercises), moderate combined physical exercise regimens, counseling and support for weight loss, counseling against smoking, appropriate treatment for asthma and constipation, and appropriate labor management to prevent pelvic organ prolapse, urethral injury, and pelvic floor muscle damage. © 2016 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

  20. Multimorbidity and quality of preventive care in Swiss university primary care cohorts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sven Streit

    Full Text Available Caring for patients with multimorbidity is common for generalists, although such patients are often excluded from clinical trials, and thus such trials lack of generalizability. Data on the association between multimorbidity and preventive care are limited. We aimed to assess whether comorbidity number, severity and type were associated with preventive care among patients receiving care in Swiss University primary care settings.We examined a retrospective cohort composed of a random sample of 1,002 patients aged 50-80 years attending four Swiss university primary care settings. Multimorbidity was defined according to the literature and the Charlson index. We assessed the quality of preventive care and cardiovascular preventive care with RAND's Quality Assessment Tool indicators. Aggregate scores of quality of provided care were calculated by taking into account the number of eligible patients for each indicator.Participants (mean age 63.5 years, 44% women had a mean of 2.6 (SD 1.9 comorbidities and 67.5% had 2 or more comorbidities. The mean Charlson index was 1.8 (SD 1.9. Overall, participants received 69% of recommended preventive care and 84% of cardiovascular preventive care. Quality of care was not associated with higher numbers of comorbidities, both for preventive care and for cardiovascular preventive care. Results were similar in analyses using the Charlson index and after adjusting for age, gender, occupation, center and number of visits. Some patients may receive less preventive care including those with dementia (47% and those with schizophrenia (35%.In Swiss university primary care settings, two thirds of patients had 2 or more comorbidities. The receipt of preventive and cardiovascular preventive care was not affected by comorbidity count or severity, although patients with certain comorbidities may receive lower levels of preventive care.

  1. The flow measurement methods for the primary system of integral reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, J.; Seo, J. K.; Lee, D. J.

    2001-01-01

    It is the common features of the integral reactors that the main components of the primary system are installed within the reactor vessel, and so there are no any flow pipes connecting the reactor coolant pumps or steam generators. Due to no any flow pipes, it is impossible to measure the differential pressure at the primary system of the integral reactors, and it also makes impossible measure the primary coolant flow rate. The objective of the study is to draw up the flow measurement methods for the primary system of integral reactors. As a result of the review, we have made a selection of the flow measurement method by pump speed, bt HBM, and by pump motor power as the flow measurement methods for the primary system of integral reactors. Peculiarly, we did not found out a precedent which the direct pump motor power-flow rate curve is used as the flow measurement method in the existing commercial nuclear power reactors. Therefore, to use this method for integral reactors, it is needed to bear the follow-up measures in mind. The follow-up measures is included in this report

  2. Consulting Psychiatry within an Integrated Primary Care Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schreiter, Elizabeth A. Zeidler; Pandhi, Nancy; Fondow, Meghan D. M.; Thomas, Chantelle; Vonk, Jantina; Reardon, Claudia L.; Serrano, Neftali

    2014-01-01

    Summary After implementation of an integrated consulting psychiatry model and psychology services within primary care at a federally qualified health center, patients have increased access to needed mental health services, and primary care clinicians receive the support and collaboration needed to meet the psychiatric needs of the population. PMID:24185149

  3. Promoting Science and Technology in Primary Education: A Review of Integrated Curricula

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Drs Rens Gresnigt; Koeno Gravemeijer; Hanno Keulen, van; Liesbeth Baartman; Ruurd Taconis

    2014-01-01

    Integrated curricula seem promising for the increase of attention on science and technology in primary education. A clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of integration efforts could help curriculum innovation. This review has focussed on integrated curricula in primary education from

  4. Promoting science and technology in primary education : a review of integrated curricula

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gresnigt, H.L.L.; Taconis, R.; Keulen, van Hanno; Gravemeijer, K.P.E.; Baartman, L.K.J.

    2014-01-01

    Integrated curricula seem promising for the increase of attention on science and technology in primary education. A clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of integration efforts could help curriculum innovation. This review has focused on integrated curricula in primary education from

  5. Promoting science and technology in primary education : a review of integrated curricula

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hanno van Keulen; Rens Gresnigt; Liesbeth Baartman; Ruurd Taconis; Koeno Gravemeijer

    2014-01-01

    Integrated curricula seem promising for the increase of attention on science and technology in primary education. A clear picture of the advantages and disadvantages of integration efforts could help curriculum innovation. This review has focussed on integrated curricula in primary education from

  6. Primary Prevention of Food Allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenhawt, Matthew J; Fleischer, David M

    2017-04-01

    Food allergy is estimated to affect approximately 8% of children in the USA. This is a disease without any known treatment or cure and, for some, a disease that can be quite severe, even life-threatening. While recent advances in potential treatment have made remarkable strides, with two food-targeted immunotherapy products now in phase III trials, perhaps the biggest gains in the field have come in the advent of potential preventative strategies to avoid the development of food allergy in high-risk individuals. There have been multiple, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) performed in the past 5 years that have demonstrated significant risk reduction from early allergen introduction. These include two trials for early peanut introduction and five trials for early egg introduction in the first year of life. The results indicate that primary prevention of food allergy through early allergen introduction may represent a strategy that could potentially avert tens of thousands of children from becoming food allergic. In support of the data for peanut, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases recently sponsored an addendum to the 2010 food allergy guidelines, specifically recommending peanut be introduced in both high- and standard-risk infants to reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy. To date, no formal recommendations have been made for egg, however. This review will focus on the latest evidence supporting early introduction as a strategy to prevent food allergy, as well as on practical aspects for its successful implementation.

  7. PRIMARY PREVENTION IS? A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE ON HOW ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGING MEN IN PREVENTING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE CONCEPTUALIZE AND OPERATIONALIZE THEIR WORK

    OpenAIRE

    Storer, Heather L.; Casey, Erin A.; Carlson, Juliana; Edleson, Jeffrey L.; Tolman, Richard M.

    2015-01-01

    © 2015, The Author(s) 2015. Engaging men in addressing violence against women (VAW) has become a strategy in the global prevention of gender-based violence. Concurrently, Western public health frameworks have been utilized to guide prevention agendas worldwide. Using qualitative methods, this study describes how global anti-violence organizations that partner with men conceptualize primary prevention in their work. Findings suggest that “primary prevention” is not a fixed term in the context ...

  8. Role of the primary health care team in preventing accidents to children.

    OpenAIRE

    Kendrick, D

    1994-01-01

    Accidents are the most common cause of mortality in children and account for considerable childhood morbidity. The identification of risk factors for childhood accidents suggests that many are predictable and therefore preventable. Numerous interventions have been found to be effective in reducing the morbidity and mortality from childhood accidents. The scope for accident prevention within the primary care setting and the roles of the members of the primary health care team are discussed. Fi...

  9. Physician perceptions of primary prevention: qualitative base for the conceptual shaping of a practice intervention tool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kuo Christina L

    2002-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A practice intervention must have its basis in an understanding of the physician and practice to secure its benefit and relevancy. We used a formative process to characterize primary care physician attitudes, needs, and practice obstacles regarding primary prevention. The characterization will provide the conceptual framework for the development of a practice tool to facilitate routine delivery of primary preventive care. Methods A focus group of primary care physician Opinion Leaders was audio-taped, transcribed, and qualitatively analyzed to identify emergent themes that described physicians' perceptions of prevention in daily practice. Results The conceptual worth of primary prevention, including behavioral counseling, was high, but its practice was significantly countered by the predominant clinical emphasis on and rewards for secondary care. In addition, lack of health behavior training, perceived low self-efficacy, and patient resistance to change were key deterrents to primary prevention delivery. Also, the preventive focus in primary care is not on cancer, but on predominant chronic nonmalignant conditions. Conclusions The success of the future practice tool will be largely dependent on its ability to "fit" primary prevention into the clinical culture of diagnoses and treatment sustained by physicians, patients, and payers. The tool's message output must be formatted to facilitate physician delivery of patient-tailored behavioral counseling in an accurate, confident, and efficacious manner. Also, the tool's health behavior messages should be behavior-specific, not disease-specific, to draw on shared risk behaviors of numerous diseases and increase the likelihood of perceived salience and utility of the tool in primary care.

  10. Primary prevention of colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Andrew T; Giovannucci, Edward L

    2010-06-01

    Colorectal cancer has been strongly associated with a Western lifestyle. In the past several decades, much has been learned about the dietary, lifestyle, and medication risk factors for this malignancy. Although there is controversy about the role of specific nutritional factors, consideration of dietary pattern as a whole appears useful for formulating recommendations. For example, several studies have shown that high intake of red and processed meats, highly refined grains and starches, and sugars is related to increased risk of colorectal cancer. Replacing these factors with poultry, fish, and plant sources as the primary source of protein; unsaturated fats as the primary source of fat; and unrefined grains, legumes and fruits as the primary source of carbohydrates is likely to lower risk of colorectal cancer. Although a role for supplements, including vitamin D, folate, and vitamin B6, remains uncertain, calcium supplementation is likely to be at least modestly beneficial. With respect to lifestyle, compelling evidence indicates that avoidance of smoking and heavy alcohol use, prevention of weight gain, and maintenance of a reasonable level of physical activity are associated with markedly lower risks of colorectal cancer. Medications such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and postmenopausal hormones for women are associated with substantial reductions in colorectal cancer risk, though their utility is affected by associated risks. Taken together, modifications in diet and lifestyle should substantially reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and could complement screening in reducing colorectal cancer incidence.

  11. Integrating mental health in primary healthcare in low-income countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Carina Winkler; Bæk, Ole; Kallestrup, Per

    2017-01-01

    . AIMS: This paper seeks to explore the rationale behind the WHO recommendations for improving mental health services in LICs. At the core of these recommendations is an integration of mental health services into existing primary healthcare. This article presents available research supporting...... from LICs that investigate mental health interventions is scarce. The evidence that does exist favours integration into primary healthcare. There is evidence that collaborative- and stepped-care interventions can provide viable treatment options for patients. CONCLUSION: Integration of mental health...... services into primary healthcare seems like a viable solution to ensure that treatment becomes more available, even though the evidence is limited. Locally conducted research is needed to guide the development of sustainable evidence-based mental health treatment, involving relevant healthcare providers...

  12. Attitudes About and Practices of Health Promotion and Prevention Among Primary Care Providers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luquis, Raffy R; Paz, Harold L

    2015-09-01

    The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's emphasis on health promotion and prevention activities required an examination of the current practices of primary care providers in these areas. A total of 196 primary care providers completed a survey to assess current health promotion and prevention attitudes, practices, and barriers. Results of this study showed that family physicians in Pennsylvania recognize the importance of and their role in providing health promotion and prevention and offer advice in key behavioral and disease prevention areas. Results from the study suggest that their ability to provide these services is hindered by a lack of time and the heavy workload. Although most family physicians provided advice to patients in several health promotion and prevention areas, few participants reported that they referred patients to other health professionals. Finally, when it comes to preventive services, participants ranked blood pressure screening, tobacco use screening, and tobacco use cessation interventions as the most important services. Effective implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will require necessary resources and support of primary care providers to help patients achieve healthier lives. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

  13. Primary prevention of colorectal cancer: are we closer to reality?

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Qasim, Asghar

    2012-02-01

    Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. An early detection of colorectal cancer determines therapeutic outcomes, while primary prevention remains a challenge. Our aim was to review the dietary, geographical and genetic factors in the causation and their possible role in the primary prevention of colorectal cancer. Data from experimental and clinical studies and population screening programmes were analysed to determine the factors responsible for causation of colorectal cancer. The role of dietary constituents, including the consumption of fat, red meat, fibre content, alcohol consumption, and other lifestyle issues, including obesity, lack of exercise and geographical variations in cancer prevalence were reviewed. The role of genetic and lifestyle factors in causation of colorectal cancer is evident from the experimental, clinical and population-based studies. Dietary factors, including the consumption of fat, fibre, red meat and alcohol, seem to have a significant influence in this regard. The role of micronutrients, vitamins, calcium may be relevant but remain largely unclear. In conclusion, there is ample evidence favouring the role of various dietary and lifestyle factors in the aetiology of colorectal cancer. Modification of these factors is an attractive option, which is likely to help in the primary prevention and reduced disease burden.

  14. Primary Prevention from the Epidemiology Perspective: Three Examples from the Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jahn Ingeborg

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Primary prevention programmes are of increasing importance to reduce the impact of chronic diseases on the individual, institutional and societal level. However, most initiatives that develop and implement primary prevention programmes are not evaluated with scientific rigor. On the basis of three different projects we discuss necessary steps on the road to evidence-based primary prevention. Discussion We first discuss how to identify suitable target groups exploiting sophisticated statistical methods. This is illustrated using data from a health survey conducted in a federal state of Germany. A literature review is the more typical approach to identify target groups that is demonstrated using a European project on the prevention of childhood obesity. In the next step, modifiable risk factors and realistic targets of the intervention have to be specified. These determine the outcome measures that in turn are used for effect evaluation. Both, the target groups and the outcome measures, lay the ground for the study design and the definition of comparison groups as can be seen in our European project. This project also illustrates the development and implementation of a prevention programme. These may require active involvement of participants which can be achieved by participatory approaches taking into account the socio-cultural and living environment. Evaluation is of utmost importance for any intervention to assess structure, process and outcome according to rigid scientific criteria. Different approaches used for this are discussed and illustrated by a methodological project developed within a health promotion programme in a deprived area. Eventually the challenge of transferring an evidence-based intervention into practice and to achieve its sustainability is addressed. Summary This article describes a general roadmap to primary prevention comprising (1 the identification of target groups and settings, (2 the

  15. Transforming Coverage of Primary Prevention in Abnormal Psychology Courses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalton, James H.; And Others

    1994-01-01

    Maintains that a comprehensive understanding of abnormal psychology requires coverage of recent advances in primary prevention. Describes a conceptual scheme and recommends resources and teaching methods for instructors. Asserts that clinical and community psychology are conceptually distinct but complementary fields. (CFR)

  16. [Benefits and risks for primary prevention with statins in the elderly].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Jean-Philippe; Afonso, Mélanie; Berdaï, Driss; Salles, Nathalie; Bénard, Antoine; Gay, Bernard; Bonnet, Fabrice

    2015-12-01

    Statins in primary prevention before 75 years old reduce cardiovascular events from 20 to 30% and mortality from 10% with acceptable side effects. We investigated whether these results persisted for patients aged 75 and older taking statin. Methodic review of large randomized clinical trials and meta-analyzes that included patients 75 years and older treated with statins in primary prevention. Since the 1990s, a score of randomized controlled trials studying statins versus placebo in primary prevention were published and studied in meta-analyses. Exclusion criteria, including persons older than 70 years, are often restrictive. The impact on all-cause mortality in the four main studies and meta-analyses in over 75 years has not been demonstrated. On the other hand, a recent meta-analyses of observational studies including subjects between 70 and 89 years treated with statins found that low total cholesterol was associated with a moderate decrease in cardiovascular mortality, with no decrease in all-cause mortality. Moreover, in a common context of comorbidities in this age group, statins may be responsible for many adverse effects, drug interactions and impaired quality of life. Given the lack of formal evidence of effectiveness in terms of all-cause mortality and a high level of adverse effects, the benefit/risk of primary prevention with statins is not established in the elderly. The economic weight of statin prescriptions and their possible impact on quality of life justify an economic analysis of discontinuing statin therapy for people 75 years and older. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Prevention of anxiety disorders in primary care: A feasibility study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Batelaan Neeltje M

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in primary care and cause a substantial burden of disease. Screening on risk status, followed by preventive interventions in those at risk may prevent the onset of anxiety disorders, and thereby reduce the disease burden. The willingness to participate in screening and interventions is crucial for the scope of preventive strategies, but unknown. This feasibility study, therefore, investigated participation rates of screening and preventive services for anxiety disorders in primary care, and explored reasons to refrain from screening. Methods In three general practices, screening was offered to individuals visiting their general practitioner (total n = 2454. To assess risk status, a 10-item questionnaire was followed by a telephone interview (including the CIDI when scoring above a predefined threshold. Preventive services were offered to those at risk. Participation rates for screening and preventive services for anxiety disorders were assessed. Those not willing to be screened were asked for their main reason to refrain from screening. Results Of all individuals, 17.3% participated in initial screening, and of those with a possible risk status, 56.0% continued screening. In 30.1% of those assessed, a risk status to develop an anxiety disorder was verified. Of these, 22.6% already received some form of mental health treatment and 38.7% of them agreed to participate in a preventive intervention and were referred. The most frequently mentioned reasons to refrain from screening were the emotional burden associated with elevated risk status, the assumption not to be at risk, and a lack of motivation to act upon an elevated risk status by using preventive services. Conclusions Screening in general practice, followed by offering services to prevent anxiety disorders in those at risk did not appear to be a feasible strategy due to low participation rates. To enable the development of

  18. Integrated fuel cell stack shunt current prevention arrangement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roche, Robert P. (Cheshire, CT); Nowak, Michael P. (Bolton, CT)

    1992-01-01

    A fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells juxtaposed with one another in the stack and each including a pair of plate-shaped anode and cathode electrodes that face one another, and a quantity of liquid electrolyte present at least between the electrodes. A separator plate is interposed between each two successive electrodes of adjacent ones of the fuel cells and is unified therewith into an integral separator plate. Each integral separator plate is provided with a circumferentially complete barrier that prevents flow of shunt currents onto and on an outer peripheral surface of the separator plate. This barrier consists of electrolyte-nonwettable barrier members that are accommodated, prior to the formation of the integral separator plate, in corresponding edge recesses situated at the interfaces between the electrodes and the separator plate proper. Each barrier member extends over the entire length of the associated marginal portion and is flush with the outer periphery of the integral separator plate. This barrier also prevents cell-to-cell migration of any electrolyte that may be present at the outer periphery of the integral separator plate while the latter is incorporated in the fuel cell stack.

  19. Sexual and reproductive health and HIV services: integrating HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer prevention and control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belhadj, Hedia; Rasanathan, Jennifer J K; Denny, Lynette; Broutet, Nathalie

    2013-05-01

    People living with HIV are at an increased risk of acquiring HPV and of developing evolutive cervical cancers (women) and penile and anal cancers (men). Low-cost screening-visual inspection with acetic acid, HPV DNA diagnostics and primary care level treatment, cryotherapy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 2), and primary prevention through HPV vaccination of girls aged 9-13 years-makes the goal of eliminating cervical cancer possible in the long term. Integration of cervical cancer screening and treatment into a sexual and reproductive health service package raises programmatic questions and calls for a continuum of care. The latter is only possible when adequate cytopathology skills and treatment for advanced cancer conditions are available. The present paper highlights the role of member societies of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) in developing the base for an integrated package that responds to women's sexual and reproductive health needs. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. All rights reserved.

  20. Well Baby Group Care: Evaluation of a Promising Intervention for Primary Obesity Prevention in Toddlers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machuca, Hildred; Arevalo, Sandra; Hackley, Barbara; Applebaum, Jo; Mishkin, Arielle; Heo, Moonseong; Shapiro, Alan

    2016-06-01

    Nationally, approximately 24% of preschool children are overweight or obese, with low-income communities disproportionately affected. Few interventions to prevent obesity in children at greatest risk have demonstrated positive results. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of a novel group well-child care intervention for primary obesity prevention at age 2 years. Well Baby Group (WBG) is an alternative to traditional well-child care offered at a federally qualified health center in the South Bronx. Facilitated by a pediatrician and nutritionist, WBG fosters positive dietary behaviors, responsive parenting and feeding practices, and peer support during the first 18 months of life. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to test the effect of WBG on rates of overweight/obesity at 2 years (BMI-for-age ≥85th percentile) using a nonrandomized comparison group of children receiving traditional care at our center over the same period. Characteristics of mothers and infants were comparable between intervention (n = 47) and comparison (n = 140) groups. Children enrolled in WBG were significantly less likely to be overweight/obese at 2 years than children receiving traditional well-child care (2.1% vs. 15.0%; OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02-0.94; p = 0.02). In multivariable regression analysis, WBG remained a significant independent protective factor (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.02-0.93; p = 0.04), adjusting for birthweight and parity. WBG, a replicable model integrated into primary care visits, affords a unique opportunity to intervene consistently and early, providing families in at-risk communities with increased provider time, intensive education, and ongoing support. Further study of group well-child care for primary obesity prevention is warranted to confirm the effectiveness of the model.

  1. Primary prevention: exposure reduction, skin exposure and respiratory protection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Heederik, D.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/072910542; Henneberger, P.K.; Redlich, C.A.

    2012-01-01

    Interventions for the primary prevention of occupational asthma have been reported in the medical literature, understanding the effectiveness of these efforts could help future interventions. The aim of our study was to evaluate the existing knowledge regarding the impact of controlling work

  2. A systematic review of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeGue, Sarah; Valle, Linda Anne; Holt, Melissa K; Massetti, Greta M; Matjasko, Jennifer L; Tharp, Andra Teten

    2014-01-01

    This systematic review examined 140 outcome evaluations of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration. The review had two goals: 1) to describe and assess the breadth, quality, and evolution of evaluation research in this area; and 2) to summarize the best available research evidence for sexual violence prevention practitioners by categorizing programs with regard to their evidence of effectiveness on sexual violence behavioral outcomes in a rigorous evaluation. The majority of sexual violence prevention strategies in the evaluation literature are brief, psycho-educational programs focused on increasing knowledge or changing attitudes, none of which have shown evidence of effectiveness on sexually violent behavior using a rigorous evaluation design. Based on evaluation studies included in the current review, only three primary prevention strategies have demonstrated significant effects on sexually violent behavior in a rigorous outcome evaluation: Safe Dates (Foshee et al., 2004); Shifting Boundaries (building-level intervention only, Taylor, Stein, Woods, Mumford, & Forum, 2011); and funding associated with the 1994 U.S. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA; Boba & Lilley, 2009). The dearth of effective prevention strategies available to date may reflect a lack of fit between the design of many of the existing programs and the principles of effective prevention identified by Nation et al. (2003).

  3. A systematic review of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeGue, Sarah; Valle, Linda Anne; Holt, Melissa K.; Massetti, Greta M.; Matjasko, Jennifer L.; Tharp, Andra Teten

    2018-01-01

    This systematic review examined 140 outcome evaluations of primary prevention strategies for sexual violence perpetration. The review had two goals: 1) to describe and assess the breadth, quality, and evolution of evaluation research in this area; and 2) to summarize the best available research evidence for sexual violence prevention practitioners by categorizing programs with regard to their evidence of effectiveness on sexual violence behavioral outcomes in a rigorous evaluation. The majority of sexual violence prevention strategies in the evaluation literature are brief, psycho-educational programs focused on increasing knowledge or changing attitudes, none of which have shown evidence of effectiveness on sexually violent behavior using a rigorous evaluation design. Based on evaluation studies included in the current review, only three primary prevention strategies have demonstrated significant effects on sexually violent behavior in a rigorous outcome evaluation: Safe Dates (Foshee et al., 2004); Shifting Boundaries (building-level intervention only, Taylor, Stein, Woods, Mumford, & Forum, 2011); and funding associated with the 1994 U.S. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA; Boba & Lilley, 2009). The dearth of effective prevention strategies available to date may reflect a lack of fit between the design of many of the existing programs and the principles of effective prevention identified by Nation et al. (2003). PMID:29606897

  4. Towards an integration of positive and sickness paradigms in the prevention of eating disorders in adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanesa C. Góngora

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Eating disorders problems are highly relevant in adolescence and require intervention through the implementation of prevention and promotion health programs. A Few primary prevention programmers to fight eating disorders have reached satisfactory results. The most successful results have been obtained with approaches that promote media literacy, the use of cognitive dissonance and the enhancement of self-esteem. Since many of the programs based on the disease model have failed to prevent such difficulties, the prevention of eating disorders may be improved by taking the contributions of positive psychology. Studies have shown that interventions based on this paradigm are effective to increase the feeling of happiness and subjective well-being. Unlike the traditional approach that works with the identification of risk and protective factors, positive psychology emphasizes the identification and promotion of healthy factors. Positive interventions assume that strengthening the positive, the dysfunctional or negative will be diminished. The integration of both contributions will enrich the approach to promote healthy behavior in adolescents.

  5. Stress Prevention@Work: a study protocol for the evaluation of a multifaceted integral stress prevention strategy to prevent employee stress in a healthcare organization: a cluster controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoek, Rianne J A; Havermans, Bo M; Houtman, Irene L D; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Heerkens, Yvonne F; Zijlstra-Vlasveld, Moniek C; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J; Boot, Cécile R L

    2017-07-17

    Adequate implementation of work-related stress management interventions can reduce or prevent work-related stress and sick leave in organizations. We developed a multifaceted integral stress-prevention strategy for organizations from several sectors that includes a digital platform and collaborative learning network. The digital platform contains a stepwise protocol to implement work-related stress-management interventions. It includes stress screeners, interventions and intervention providers to facilitate access to and the selection of matching work-related stress-management interventions. The collaborative learning network, including stakeholders from various organizations, plans meetings focussing on an exchange of experiences and good practices among organizations for the implementation of stress prevention measures. This paper describes the design of an integral stress-prevention strategy, Stress Prevention@Work, and the protocol for the evaluation of: 1) the effects of the strategy on perceived stress and work-related outcomes, and 2) the barriers and facilitators for implementation of the strategy. The effectiveness of Stress Prevention@Work will be evaluated in a cluster controlled trial, in a large healthcare organization in the Netherlands, at six and 12 months. An independent researcher will match teams on working conditions and size and allocate the teams to the intervention or control group. Teams in the intervention group will be offered Stress Prevention@Work. For each intervention team, one employee is responsible for applying the strategy within his/her team using the digital platform and visiting the collaborative learning network. Using a waiting list design, the control group will be given access to the strategy after 12 months. The primary outcome is the employees' perceived stress measured by the stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Secondary outcome measures are job demands, job resources and the number

  6. Time dependence of risks and benefits in pediatric primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeWitt, Elizabeth S; Triedman, John K; Cecchin, Frank; Mah, Doug Y; Abrams, Dominic J; Walsh, Edward P; Gauvreau, Kimberlee; Alexander, Mark E

    2014-12-01

    Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) used to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in children not only provide appropriate therapy in 25% of patients but also result in a significant incidence of inappropriate shocks and other device complications. ICDs placed for secondary prevention have higher rates of appropriate therapy than those placed for primary prevention. Pediatric patients with primary prevention ICDs were studied to determine time-dependent incidence of appropriate use and adverse events. A total of 140 patients aged prevention were retrospectively identified. Demographics and times to first appropriate shock; adverse events (including inappropriate shock, lead failure, reintervention, and complication); generator replacement and follow-up were noted. During mean follow-up of 4 years, appropriate shock occurred in 19% patients and first adverse event (excluding death/transplant) occurred in 36%. Risk of death or transplant was ≈1% per year and was not related to receiving appropriate therapy. Conditional survival analysis showed rates of appropriate therapy and adverse events decrease soon after implantation, but adverse events are more frequent than appropriate therapy throughout follow-up. Primary prevention ICDs were associated with appropriate therapy in 19% and adverse event in 36% in this cohort. The incidence of both first appropriate therapy and device-related adverse events decreased during longer periods of follow-up after implantation. This suggests that indications for continued device therapy in pediatric primary prevention ICD patients might be reconsidered after a period of nonuse. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  7. Integration of Mental Health into Primary Health Care in a rural ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: Mental health has been identified as a major priority in the Ugandan Health Sector Strategic Plan. Efforts are currently underway to integrate mental health services into the Primary Health Care system. In this study, we report aspects of the integration of mental health into primary health care in one rural district in ...

  8. Fall Prevention in a Primary Care Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siegrist, Monika; Freiberger, Ellen; Geilhof, Barbara; Salb, Johannes; Hentschke, Christian; Landendoerfer, Peter; Linde, Klause; Halle, Martin; Blank, Wolfgang A

    2016-05-27

    Falls and fall-related injuries are common in community-dwelling elderly people. Effective multifactorial fall prevention programs in the primary care setting may be a promising approach to reduce the incidence rate of falls. In a cluster randomized trial in 33 general practices 378 people living independently and at high risk of falling (65 to 94 years old; 285 women) were allocated to either a 16 week exercise-based fall prevention program including muscle strengthening and challenging balance training exercises, combined with a 12 week home-based exercise program (222 participants), or to usual care (156 participants). The main outcome was number of falls over a period of 12 months. Secondary outcomes were the number of fall-related injuries, physical function (Timed-Up-and-Go-Test, TUG, Chair-Stand-Test, CST, modified Romberg Test), and fear of falling. In the intervention group (n=222 patients in 17 general practices) 291 falls occurred, compared to 367 falls in the usual care group (n=156 patients in 16 general practices). We observed a lower incidence rate for falls in the intervention group (incidence rate ratio/IRR: 0.54; 95% confidence interval (CI): [0.35; 0.84], p=0.007) and for fall-related injuries (IRR: 0.66; [0.42; 0.94], p=0.033). Additionally, patients in the intervention group showed significant improvements in secondary endpoints (TUG: -2.39 s, [-3.91; -0.87], p=0.014; mRomberg: 1.70 s, [0.35; 3.04], p=0.037; fear of falling: -2.28 points, [-3.87; -0.69], p=0.022) compared to usual care. A complex falls prevention program in a primary care setting was effective in reducing falls and fall-related injuries in community dwelling older adults at risk.

  9. Childhood Leukemia and Primary Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitehead, Todd P.; Metayer, Catherine; Wiemels, Joseph L.; Singer, Amanda W.; Miller, Mark D.

    2016-01-01

    Leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer, affecting 3,800 children per year in the United States. Its annual incidence has increased over the last decades, especially among Latinos. Although most children diagnosed with leukemia are now cured, many suffer long-term complications, and primary prevention efforts are urgently needed. The early onset of leukemia – usually before age five – and the presence at birth of “pre-leukemic” genetic signatures indicate that pre- and postnatal events are critical to the development of the disease. In contrast to most pediatric cancers, there is a growing body of literature – in the United States and internationally – that has implicated several environmental, infectious, and dietary risk factors in the etiology of childhood leukemia, mainly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common subtype. For example, exposures to pesticides, tobacco smoke, solvents, and traffic emissions have consistently demonstrated positive associations with the risk of developing childhood leukemia. In contrast, intake of vitamins and folate supplementation during the pre-conception period or pregnancy, breastfeeding, and exposure to routine childhood infections have been shown to reduce the risk of childhood leukemia. Some children may be especially vulnerable to these risk factors, as demonstrated by a disproportionate burden of childhood leukemia in the Latino population of California. The evidence supporting the associations between childhood leukemia and its risk factors – including pooled analyses from around the world and systematic reviews – is strong; however, the dissemination of this knowledge to clinicians has been limited. To protect children’s health, it is prudent to initiate programs designed to alter exposure to well-established leukemia risk factors rather than to suspend judgement until no uncertainty remains. Primary prevention programs for childhood leukemia would also result in the significant co

  10. The long term importance of English primary care groups for integration in primary health care and deinstitutionalisation of hospital care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodwin, N

    2001-01-01

    This article reviews the impact of successive experiments in the development of primary care organisations in England and assesses the long-term importance of English primary care groups for the integration of health and community and health and social care and the deinstitutionalisation of hospital care. Governments in a number of Western countries are attempting to improve the efficiency, appropriateness and equity of their health systems. One of the main ways of doing this is to devolve provision and commissioning responsibility from national and regional organisations to more local agencies based in primary care. Such primary care organisations are allocated budgets that span both primary and secondary (hospital) services and also, potentially, social care. This article is based on a systematic review of the literature forthcoming from the UK Government's Department of Health-funded evaluations of successive primary care organisational developments. These include total purchasing pilots, GP commissioning group pilots, personal medical services pilots and primary care groups and trusts. Primary care organisations in England have proved to be a catalyst in facilitating the development of integrated care working between primary and community health services. Conversely, primary care organisations have proved less effective in promoting integration between health and social care agencies where most progress has been made at the strategic commissioning level. The development of primary care trusts in England is heralding an end to traditional community hospitals. The development of primary care groups in England are but an intermediate step of a policy progression towards future primary care-based organisations that will functionally integrate primary and community health services with local authority services under a single management umbrella.

  11. The long term importance of English primary care groups for integration in primary health care and deinstitutionalisation of hospital care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nick Goodwin

    2001-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This article reviews the impact of successive experiments in the development of primary care organisations in England and assesses the long-term importance of English primary care groups for the integration of health and community and health and social care and the deinstitutionalisation of hospital care. Theory: Governments in a number of Western countries are attempting to improve the efficiency, appropriateness and equity of their health systems. One of the main ways of doing this is to devolve provision and commissioning responsibility from national and regional organisations to more local agencies based in primary care. Such primary care organisations are allocated budgets that span both primary and secondary (hospital services and also, potentially, social care. Method: This article is based on a systematic review of the literature forthcoming from the UK Government's Department of Health-funded evaluations of successive primary care organisational developments. These include total purchasing pilots, GP commissioning group pilots, personal medical services pilots and primary care groups and trusts. Results: Primary care organisations in England have proved to be a catalyst in facilitating the development of integrated care working between primary and community health services. Conversely, primary care organisations have proved less effective in promoting integration between health and social care agencies where most progress has been made at the strategic commissioning level. The development of primary care trusts in England is heralding an end to traditional community hospitals. Conclusions: The development of primary care groups in England are but an intermediate step of a policy progression towards future primary care-based organisations that will functionally integrate primary and community health services with local authority services under a single management umbrella.

  12. Primary mental health prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel

    OpenAIRE

    Nakash, Ora; Razon, Liat; Levav, Itzhak

    2015-01-01

    Background The World Health Organization Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (CMHAP) 2013?2020 proposes the implementation of primary prevention strategies to reduce the mental health burden of disease. The extent to which Israeli academic programs and published research adhere to the principles spelled out by the CMHAP is unknown. Objective To investigate the presence of mental health primary prevention themes in published research and academic programs in Israel. Methods We searched for...

  13. [Human ecology and interdisciplinary cooperation for primary prevention of environmental risk factors for public health].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobrowolski, Jan W

    2007-01-01

    training activity in ecologically-based primary prevention. Training in this important field is not adequate in medical, technological, and also natural subjects of studies. There is not enough opportunity for education of the students and graduates toward the application of integrated system approach of new achievements in different sciences and technologies. Interesting are experiences connected with long-term case studies in highly polluted regions in Poland, Japan, India, as well as exchange of methodological experiences during the series of International Summer Schools on the Human Environment from 1972, as well as during series of 11 International Conferences on Sustainable Development organized at AGH-UST from 1989 to 2006 and Polish Conferences in 2004 and 2007. It seems necessary not only to develop a training of experts that would be adequate to present needs, but also education of the whole society (including formal activities at all levels of education) as well as informal education (e.g. at Open Universities and Distance Education, based on the Internet) to achieve the integration of activity of scientists, practitioners and the whole society. It would be useful to focus this activity on crucial problems and selected regions. Let me propose as the top priority for inhabitants of Tarnow region as well as pilot projects for Poland; utilization of all possible achievements of science and technology for primary prevention of health hazard for inhabitants of Gmina Szczucin that is very polluted by asbestos, and also model management reducing risk factors for the natural environment and health of inhabitants in the regions of new motor-ways, as well as better primary prevention against flood accidents and connected with their effects (higher humidity of housing environment and its contamination by toxinogenic moulds) risk factors for health of communities living in rivers regions. For the purpose of optimisation of preventive action, it is necessary not only to

  14. Variable Structure PID Control to Prevent Integrator Windup

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, C. E.; Hodel, A. S.; Hung, J. Y.

    1999-01-01

    PID controllers are frequently used to control systems requiring zero steady-state error while maintaining requirements for settling time and robustness (gain/phase margins). PID controllers suffer significant loss of performance due to short-term integrator wind-up when used in systems with actuator saturation. We examine several existing and proposed methods for the prevention of integrator wind-up in both continuous and discrete time implementations.

  15. Prevention of Alzheimer disease: The roles of nutrition and primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bane, Tabitha J; Cole, Connie

    2015-05-15

    Risk factors for developing Alzheimer disease include hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. Due to lack of effective treatments for Alzheimer disease, nutrition and primary prevention becomes important.

  16. Primary prevention of periodontitis: managing gingivitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chapple, Iain L C; Van der Weijden, Fridus; Doerfer, Christof; Herrera, David; Shapira, Lior; Polak, David; Madianos, Phoebus; Louropoulou, Anna; Machtei, Eli; Donos, Nikos; Greenwell, Henry; Van Winkelhoff, Ari J; Eren Kuru, Bahar; Arweiler, Nicole; Teughels, Wim; Aimetti, Mario; Molina, Ana; Montero, Eduardo; Graziani, Filippo

    2015-04-01

    Periodontitis is a ubiquitous and irreversible inflammatory condition and represents a significant public health burden. Severe periodontitis affects over 11% of adults, is a major cause of tooth loss impacting negatively upon speech, nutrition, quality of life and self-esteem, and has systemic inflammatory consequences. Periodontitis is preventable and treatment leads to reduced rates of tooth loss and improved quality of life. However, successful treatment necessitates behaviour change in patients to address lifestyle risk factors (e.g. smoking) and, most importantly, to attain and sustain high standards of daily plaque removal, lifelong. While mechanical plaque removal remains the bedrock of successful periodontal disease management, in high-risk patients it appears that the critical threshold for plaque accumulation to trigger periodontitis is low, and such patients may benefit from adjunctive agents for primary prevention of periodontitis. The aims of this working group were to systematically review the evidence for primary prevention of periodontitis by preventing gingivitis via four approaches: 1) the efficacy of mechanical self-administered plaque control regimes; 2) the efficacy of self-administered inter-dental mechanical plaque control; 3) the efficacy of adjunctive chemical plaque control; and 4) anti-inflammatory (sole or adjunctive) approaches. Two meta-reviews (mechanical plaque removal) and two traditional systematic reviews (chemical plaque control/anti-inflammatory agents) formed the basis of this consensus. Data support the belief that professionally administered plaque control significantly improves gingival inflammation and lowers plaque scores, with some evidence that reinforcement of oral hygiene provides further benefit. Re-chargeable power toothbrushes provide small but statistically significant additional reductions in gingival inflammation and plaque levels. Flossing cannot be recommended other than for sites of gingival and periodontal

  17. Preventing violence against women by challenging gender stereotypes in Scottish primary schools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fage-Butler, Antoinette Mary

    2016-01-01

    Gender violence is a major public health issue in Europe; it is normalized and partly legitimized by gender stereotypes. An example of a primary prevention education programme designed to challenge the attitudes that underpin gender violence, particularly violence against women, is the Zero...... Tolerance Respect (ZTR) programme developed for Scottish pupils. Given the importance of early preventative action in this area, this paper analyses how gender stereotypes were challenged in ZTR materials for primary pupils aged 10-12 years. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the content...... of the seven lessons in the ZTR primary school programme; the materials were also evaluated in relation to best practice within attitudinal change promotion. Analysis shows that ZTR empowers pupils to reflect on and confront gender stereotypes by developing pupils’ social awareness, as respect is characterized...

  18. Integrated pollution prevention and control scares industrial companies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zackova, K.; Sobinkovic, B.

    2003-01-01

    It will not be easy to obtain a permit to open a new industrial plant. And not only the new ones but all important operating industrial productions will require a so called integrated permit. Both authorities and company managers consider the validation process to be more demanding compared to the current procedure for obtaining a building or user permit. As of August 1, 2003 - the day a new Act on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) is expected to enter into force - only integrated permits will be given. The related bill has been passed to the parliament for the second reading. As of end of April next year the future of 31 industrial plants will depend on whether they will be granted a integrated permit or not. IPPC is a terror for companies due to its seriousness, complexity and the relatively short time given, should they not manage to obtain a permit the plant may be closed down. The European Commission (EC) Directive 96/61/EC Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control raises the same concerns among companies in European Union (EU) member states. It is one of the most strict environmental standards and one of the sensitive conditions of EU entry. That is one of the reasons transition periods for this Directive were negotiated for ten Slovak companies. (Authors)

  19. Policy environment for prevention, control and management of cardiovascular diseases in primary health care in Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asiki, Gershim; Shao, Shuai; Wainana, Carol; Khayeka-Wandabwa, Christopher; Haregu, Tilahun N; Juma, Pamela A; Mohammed, Shukri; Wambui, David; Gong, Enying; Yan, Lijing L; Kyobutungi, Catherine

    2018-05-09

    In Kenya, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) accounted for more than 10% of total deaths and 4% of total Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in 2015 with a steady increase over the past decade. The main objective of this paper was to review the existing policies and their content in relation to prevention, control and management of CVDs at primary health care (PHC) level in Kenya. A targeted document search in Google engine using keywords "Kenya national policy on cardiovascular diseases" and "Kenya national policy on non-communicable diseases (NCDs)" was conducted in addition to key informant interviews with Kenyan policy makers. Relevant regional and international policy documents were also included. The contents of documents identified were reviewed to assess how well they aligned with global health policies on CVD prevention, control and management. Thematic content analysis of the key informant interviews was also conducted to supplement the document reviews. A total of 17 documents were reviewed and three key informants interviewed. Besides the Tobacco Control Act (2007), all policy documents for CVD prevention, control and management were developed after 2013. The national policies were preceded by global initiatives and guidelines and were similar in content with the global policies. The Kenya health policy (2014-2030), The Kenya Health Sector Strategic and Investment Plan (2014-2018) and the Kenya National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable diseases (2015-2020) had strategies on NCDs including CVDs. Other policy documents for behavioral risk factors (The Tobacco Control Act 2007, Alcoholic Drinks Control (Licensing) Regulations (2010)) were available. The National Nutrition Action Plan (2012-2017) was available as a draft. Although Kenya has a tiered health care system comprising primary healthcare, integration of CVD prevention and control at PHC level was not explicitly mentioned in the policy documents. This review revealed

  20. Stress Prevention@Work: a study protocol for the evaluation of a multifaceted integral stress prevention strategy to prevent employee stress in a healthcare organization: a cluster controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rianne J. A. Hoek

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Adequate implementation of work-related stress management interventions can reduce or prevent work-related stress and sick leave in organizations. We developed a multifaceted integral stress-prevention strategy for organizations from several sectors that includes a digital platform and collaborative learning network. The digital platform contains a stepwise protocol to implement work-related stress-management interventions. It includes stress screeners, interventions and intervention providers to facilitate access to and the selection of matching work-related stress-management interventions. The collaborative learning network, including stakeholders from various organizations, plans meetings focussing on an exchange of experiences and good practices among organizations for the implementation of stress prevention measures. This paper describes the design of an integral stress-prevention strategy, Stress Prevention@Work, and the protocol for the evaluation of: 1 the effects of the strategy on perceived stress and work-related outcomes, and 2 the barriers and facilitators for implementation of the strategy. Methods The effectiveness of Stress Prevention@Work will be evaluated in a cluster controlled trial, in a large healthcare organization in the Netherlands, at six and 12 months. An independent researcher will match teams on working conditions and size and allocate the teams to the intervention or control group. Teams in the intervention group will be offered Stress Prevention@Work. For each intervention team, one employee is responsible for applying the strategy within his/her team using the digital platform and visiting the collaborative learning network. Using a waiting list design, the control group will be given access to the strategy after 12 months. The primary outcome is the employees’ perceived stress measured by the stress subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21. Secondary outcome measures

  1. [Acetylsalicylic acid in primary prevention of cardiovascular events; literature study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bredie, S.J.H.; Wollersheim, H.C.H.; Verheugt, F.W.A.; Thien, Th.

    2002-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate literature data on the use of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) as a primary prevention measure for cardiovascular events. DESIGN: Literature search. METHOD: Using Medline, all randomised placebo-controlled trials of ASA published between 1985 and 1 May 2001, and which used

  2. Improving Obesity Prevention and Management in Primary Care in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell-Scherer, Denise; Sharma, Arya Mitra

    2016-09-01

    Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases with significant morbidity, mortality and health care cost. There is concern due to the dramatic increase in overweight and obesity in Canada in the last 20 years. The causes of obesity are multifactorial, with underestimation by patients and healthcare providers of the long-term nature of the condition, and its complexity. Solutions related to prevention and management will require multifaceted strategies involving education, health policy, public health and health systems across the care continuum. We believe that to support such strategies we need to have a strong primary care workforce equipped with appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to support persons at risk for, or with, obesity. To achieve this end, significant skills building is required to improve primary care obesity prevention and management efforts. This review will first examine the current state, and then will outline how we can improve.

  3. Perspectives on Providing And Receiving Preventive Health Care From Primary Care Providers and Their Patients With Mental Illnesses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stumbo, Scott P; Yarborough, Bobbi Jo H; Yarborough, Micah T; Green, Carla A

    2018-01-01

    Individuals with mental illnesses have higher morbidity rates and reduced life expectancy compared to the general population. Understanding how patients and providers perceive the need for prevention, as well as the barriers and beliefs that may contribute to insufficient care, are important for improving service delivery tailored to this population. Cross-sectional; mixed methods. An integrated health system and a network of federally qualified health centers and safety net clinics. Interviews (n = 30) and surveys (n = 249) with primary care providers. Interviews (n = 158) and surveys (n = 160) with patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar, anxiety, or major depressive disorders. Semi-structured interviews and surveys. Thematic analysis for qualitative data; frequencies for quantitative data. More than half (n = 131, 53%) of clinicians believed patients with mental illnesses care less about preventive care than the general population, yet 88% (n = 139) of patients reported interest in improving health. Most providers (n = 216, 88%) lacked confidence that patients with mental illnesses would follow preventive recommendations; 82% (n = 129) of patients reported they would try to change lifestyles if their doctor recommended. Clinicians explained that their perception of patients' chaotic lives and lack of interest in preventive care contributed to their fatalistic attitudes on care delivery to this population. Clinicians and patients agreed on substantial need for additional support for behavior changes. Clinicians reported providing informational support by keeping messages simple; patients reported a desire for more detailed information on reasons to complete preventive care. Patients also detailed the need for assistive and tangible support to manage behavioral health changes. Our results suggest a few clinical changes could help patients complete preventive care recommendations and improve health behaviors: improving clinician-patient collaboration on

  4. Preparing the Workforce for Behavioral Health and Primary Care Integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Jennifer; Cohen, Deborah J; Davis, Melinda; Gunn, Rose; Blount, Alexander; Pollack, David A; Miller, William L; Smith, Corey; Valentine, Nancy; Miller, Benjamin F

    2015-01-01

    To identify how organizations prepare clinicians to work together to integrate behavioral health and primary care. Observational cross-case comparison study of 19 U.S. practices, 11 participating in Advancing Care Together, and 8 from the Integration Workforce Study. Practices varied in size, ownership, geographic location, and experience delivering integrated care. Multidisciplinary teams collected data (field notes from direct practice observations, semistructured interviews, and online diaries as reported by practice leaders) and then analyzed the data using a grounded theory approach. Organizations had difficulty finding clinicians possessing the skills and experience necessary for working in an integrated practice. Practices newer to integration underestimated the time and resources needed to train and organizationally socialize (onboard) new clinicians. Through trial and error, practices learned that clinicians needed relevant training to work effectively as integrated care teams. Training efforts exclusively targeting behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) and new employees were incomplete if primary care clinicians (PCCs) and others in the practice also lacked experience working with BHCs and delivering integrated care. Organizations' methods for addressing employees' need for additional preparation included hiring a consultant to provide training, sending employees to external training programs, hosting residency or practicum training programs, or creating their own internal training program. Onboarding new employees through the development of training manuals; extensive shadowing processes; and protecting time for ongoing education, mentoring, and support opportunities for new and established clinicians and staff were featured in these internal training programs. Insufficient training capacity and practical experience opportunities continue to be major barriers to supplying the workforce needed for effective behavioral health and primary care integration

  5. Evaluation of an integrated services program to prevent subsequent pregnancy and birth among urban teen mothers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patchen, Loral; Letourneau, Kathryn; Berggren, Erica

    2013-01-01

    This article details the evaluation of a clinical services program for teen mothers in the District of Columbia. The program's primary objectives are to prevent unintended subsequent pregnancy and to promote contraceptive utilization. We calculated contraceptive utilization at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after delivery, as well as occurrence of subsequent pregnancy and birth. Nearly seven in ten (69.5%) teen mothers used contraception at 24 months after delivery, and 57.1% of contraceptive users elected long-acting reversible contraception. In the 24-month follow-up period, 19.3% experienced at least one subsequent pregnancy and 8.0% experienced a subsequent birth. These results suggest that an integrated clinical services model may contribute to sustained contraceptive use and may prove beneficial in preventing subsequent teen pregnancy and birth.

  6. Incorporating primary and secondary prevention approaches to address childhood obesity prevention and treatment in a low-income, ethnically diverse population

    Science.gov (United States)

    There is consensus that development and evaluation of a systems-oriented approach for child obesity prevention and treatment that includes both primary and secondary prevention efforts is needed. This article describes the study design and baseline data from the Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demo...

  7. Aspirin for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. A Benefit and Harm Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stegeman, Inge; Bossuyt, Patrick M.; Yu, Tsung; Boyd, Cynthia; Puhan, Milo A.

    2015-01-01

    Aspirin is widely used for prevention of cardiovascular disease. In recent years randomized trials also suggested a preventive effect for various types of cancer. We aimed to assess, in a quantitative way, benefits and harms of aspirin for primary prevention of both cardiovascular disease and cancer

  8. Exploring primary school headteachers' perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of preventing childhood obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howard-Drake, E J; Halliday, V

    2016-03-01

    Headteachers of primary schools in England are a crucial partner for childhood obesity prevention. Understanding how this works in practice is limited by their views being underrepresented or missing from the evidence base. The aim of this study was to explore primary school headteachers' perspectives on childhood obesity and the perceived barriers and facilitators of prevention. A qualitative study with a purposive sample of 14 primary school headteachers from the Yorkshire and Humber region of England was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were audio-taped, transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic approach. An extensive range of barriers and facilitators emerged within four key themes; understanding childhood obesity, primary school setting, the role of parents and external partners. A lack of knowledge, awareness and skills to deal with the sensitivity and complexity of childhood obesity across all school stakeholders presents the most significant barrier to effective action. Headteachers recognize primary schools are a crucial setting for childhood obesity prevention; however their school's often do not have the capability, capacity and confidence to make a meaningful and sustainable impact. To increase headteachers' ability and desire to prevent childhood obesity, schools require specialist and tailored training, resources and support from external partners such as public health teams and school nursing services. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. PRIMARY PREVENTION OF MALIGNANT SKIN TUMORS – PHOTOPROTECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Benedičič - Pilih

    2001-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. The incidence of skin cancer is increasing in the world as well as in our country. Decades of research have increased the understanding of the ethiopathogenetic influences and risk factors for development of malignant skin tumors and stimulated efforts to promote their prevention. There are successes of prevention programs in some places in the world expressing with the reduction of mortality because of the cutaneous malignant melanoma. A primary prevention of a skin cancer attempts to change population knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about sunlight, leading to reduce of sunlight exposure.Conclusions. In this article we are discussing guidelines for photoprevention. The best approach to it is a reduction in the overall exposure to sunlight. The natural protection with the use of shade, clothing and hats is promoted as the best protection. Sunscreens are assumed as an important component of adjuvant photoprotection based on their convenience of use and also on their widespread promotion. While it has been argued that all tanning is a manifestation of skin injury, avoiding of artificial tanning devices is proposed also.

  10. The role of homocysteine-lowering B-vitamins in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Debreceni, Balazs; Debreceni, Laszlo

    2014-06-01

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in the Western world. The effort of research should aim at the primary prevention of CVD. Alongside statin therapy, which is maintained to be an effective method of CVD prevention, there are alternative methods such as vitamin B substitution therapy with folic acid (FA), and vitamins B12 and B6 . B-vitamins may inhibit atherogenesis by decreasing the plasma level of homocysteine (Hcy)-a suspected etiological factor for atherosclerosis-and by other mechanisms, primarily through their antioxidant properties. Although Hcy-lowering vitamin trials have failed to demonstrate beneficial effects of B-vitamins in the prevention of CVD, a meta-analysis and stratification of a number of large vitamin trials have suggested their effectiveness in cardiovascular prevention (CVP) in some aspects. Furthermore, interpretation of the results from these large vitamin trials has been troubled by statin/aspirin therapy, which was applied along with the vitamin substitution, and FA fortification, both of which obscured the separate effects of vitamins in CVP. Recent research results have accentuated a new approach to vitamin therapy for CVP. Studies undertaken with the aim of primary prevention have shown that vitamin B substitution may be effective in the primary prevention of CVD and may also be an option in the secondary prevention of disease if statin therapy is accompanied by serious adverse effects. Further investigations are needed to determine the validity of vitamin substitution therapy before its introduction in the protocol of CVD prevention. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Integrating Buddhism and HIV prevention in U.S. southeast Asian communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loue, S; Lane, S D; Lloyd, L S; Loh, L

    1999-02-01

    Asian Pacific Islander communities in the United States have experienced an alarming increase in HIV infection over the past few years, possibly due to a lack of knowledge and the relative absence of appropriate educational interventions. The authors propose a new approach to the development of HIV prevention programs in U.S. southeast Asian communities. This article reviews the cultural and economic factors that may facilitate HIV transmission within these communities. Relying on the basic precepts of Buddhism, the dominant religion of many southeast Asian populations in the United States, the health belief model is utilized to demonstrate how recognizable, acceptable religious constructs can be integrated into the content of HIV prevention messages. This integration of religious concepts with HIV prevention messages may increase the likelihood that the message audience will accept the prevention messages as relevant. This nuanced approach to HIV prevention must be validated and refined through field research.

  12. Preventing HIV/AIDS through education: the role of primary and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: This study was aimed at assessing the knowledge, opinion and practices of Nigerian primary and secondary school teachers on HIV/AIDS education. Method: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on demography, knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention, training on HIV transmission ...

  13. Implementing Digital Storytelling as a Technology Integration Approach with Primary School Children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nuala Sweeney-Burt

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Irish educational policy acknowledges the importance of integrating technology meaningfully into teaching and learning at the primary level. Much remains to be done, however, in terms of developing, practically implementing and evaluating the use of technology in the Irish primary classroom. This paper describes a study on the use of a structured approach to digital storytelling as a tool for meaningful technology integration with children at primary level. In this study, the researcher developed a structured approach for implementing digital storytelling with primary school children, and collaborated with a class teacher in an Irish primary school to prepare to implement the approach. Multiple qualitative methods were used to evaluate the implementation, including interviews with the teacher, classroom observation, and focus group interviews with participating children. The results suggested that this structured approach to digital storytelling has the potential to be used successfully as a meaningful technology integration approach with this cohort. The findings also explored implications for the implementation of digital storytelling at primary level, and identified aspects on which further research should be undertaken to enhance and extend the approach that was used.

  14. Comprehensive Sexuality Education as a Primary Prevention Strategy for Sexual Violence Perpetration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, Madeline; Hirsch, Jennifer S

    2018-01-01

    Sexual violence (SV) represents a serious public health problem with high rates and numerous health consequences. Current primary prevention strategies to reduce SV perpetration have been shown to be largely ineffective-not surprisingly, since as others have pointed out current prevention largely fails to draw on existing knowledge about the characteristics of effective prevention. In this article, we examine the potential of K-12 comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), guided by the National Sexuality Education Standards (NSES), to be an effective strategy. Our discussion uses socioecological and feminist theories as a guide, examines the extent to which NSES-guided CSE could both meet the qualities of effective prevention programs and mitigate the risk factors that are most implicated in perpetration behavior, and considers the potential limitations of this approach. We suggest that sequential, K-12 program has potential to prevent the emergence of risk factors associated with SV perpetration by starting prevention early on in the life course. CSE has not yet been evaluated with SV perpetration behavior as an outcome, and this article synthesizes what is known about drivers of SV perpetration and the potential impacts of CSE to argue for the importance of future research in this area. The primary recommendation is for longitudinal research to examine the impact of CSE on SV perpetration as well as on other sexual and reproductive health outcomes.

  15. Integrated primary care in Germany: the road ahead

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophia Schlette

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Problem statement: Health care delivery in Germany is highly fragmented, resulting in poor vertical and horizontal integration and a system that is focused on curing acute illness or single diseases instead of managing patients with more complex or chronic conditions, or managing the health of determined populations. While it is now widely accepted that a strong primary care system can help improve coordination and responsiveness in health care, primary care has so far not played this role in the German system. Primary care physicians traditionally do not have a gatekeeper function; patients can freely choose and directly access both primary and secondary care providers, making coordination and cooperation within and across sectors difficult. Description of policy development: Since 2000, driven by the political leadership and initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health, the German Bundestag has passed several laws enabling new forms of care aimed to improve care coordination and to strengthen primary care as a key function in the German health care system. These include on the contractual side integrated care contracts, and on the delivery side disease management programmes, medical care centres, gatekeeping and ‘community medicine nurses’. Conclusion and discussion: Recent policy reforms improved framework conditions for new forms of care. There is a clear commitment by the government and the introduction of selective contracting and financial incentives for stronger cooperation constitute major drivers for change. First evaluations, especially of disease management programmes, indicate that the new forms of care improve coordination and outcomes. Yet the process of strengthening primary care as a lever for better care coordination has only just begun. Future reforms need to address other structural barriers for change such as fragmented funding streams, inadequate payment systems, the lack of standardized IT systems and trans

  16. Integrated primary care in Germany: the road ahead.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlette, Sophia; Lisac, Melanie; Blum, Kerstin

    2009-04-20

    Health care delivery in Germany is highly fragmented, resulting in poor vertical and horizontal integration and a system that is focused on curing acute illness or single diseases instead of managing patients with more complex or chronic conditions, or managing the health of determined populations. While it is now widely accepted that a strong primary care system can help improve coordination and responsiveness in health care, primary care has so far not played this role in the German system. Primary care physicians traditionally do not have a gatekeeper function; patients can freely choose and directly access both primary and secondary care providers, making coordination and cooperation within and across sectors difficult. Since 2000, driven by the political leadership and initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health, the German Bundestag has passed several laws enabling new forms of care aimed to improve care coordination and to strengthen primary care as a key function in the German health care system. These include on the contractual side integrated care contracts, and on the delivery side disease management programmes, medical care centres, gatekeeping and 'community medicine nurses'. Recent policy reforms improved framework conditions for new forms of care. There is a clear commitment by the government and the introduction of selective contracting and financial incentives for stronger cooperation constitute major drivers for change. First evaluations, especially of disease management programmes, indicate that the new forms of care improve coordination and outcomes. Yet the process of strengthening primary care as a lever for better care coordination has only just begun. Future reforms need to address other structural barriers for change such as fragmented funding streams, inadequate payment systems, the lack of standardized IT systems and trans-sectoral education and training of providers.

  17. Community-Based Rehabilitation in Bangladesh, Health Components Need to be Integrated with Primary Health Care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Shahidur Rahman

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Community-based rehabilitation (CBR is defined as a strategy within general community development for the rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities, poverty reduction and social inclusion of people with disabilities. The role of CBR is to work closely with the health sector to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities and their family members are addressed in the areas of health promotion, prevention, medical care, rehabilitation and assistive devices. CBR also needs to work with individuals and their families to facilitate their access to health services and to work with other sectors to ensure that all aspects of health are addressed. Health components of CBR as per WHO guidelines are grossly neglected in Bangladesh. Some government and non-government organizations are working independently, but health components are inadequately addressed. We observed that primary health care, if integrated with medical rehabilitation of disabled, will better address the need and help bring disabled into mainstream of development. Health care providers at grass root level need to be trained in CBR activities which can be arranged centrally with health ministry, social welfare ministry and rehabilitation specialists. In this review we have tried to reveal the health components of CBR in global and Bangladesh context and importance of integrating health components of CBR with primary health care.

  18. European recommendations for primary prevention of congenital anomalies: a joined effort of EUROCAT and EUROPLAN projects to facilitate inclusion of this topic in the National Rare Disease Plans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taruscio, Domenica; Arriola, Larraitz; Baldi, Francesca; Barisic, Ingeborg; Bermejo-Sánchez, Eva; Bianchi, Fabrizio; Calzolari, Elisa; Carbone, Pietro; Curran, Rhonda; Garne, Ester; Gatt, Miriam; Latos-Bieleńska, Anna; Khoshnood, Babak; Irgens, Lorentz; Mantovani, Alberto; Martínez-Frías, Maria Luisa; Neville, Amanda; Rißmann, Anke; Ruggeri, Stefania; Wellesley, Diana; Dolk, Helen

    2014-01-01

    Congenital anomalies (CA) are the paradigm example of rare diseases liable to primary prevention actions due to the multifactorial etiology of many of them, involving a number of environmental factors together with genetic predispositions. Yet despite the preventive potential, lack of attention to an integrated preventive strategy has led to the prevalence of CA remaining relatively stable in recent decades. The 2 European projects, EUROCAT and EUROPLAN, have joined efforts to provide the first science-based and comprehensive set of recommendations for the primary prevention of CA in the European Union. The resulting EUROCAT-EUROPLAN 'Recommendations on Policies to Be Considered for the Primary Prevention of Congenital Anomalies in National Plans and Strategies on Rare Diseases' were issued in 2012 and endorsed by EUCERD (European Union Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases) in 2013. The recommendations exploit interdisciplinary expertise encompassing drugs, diet, lifestyles, maternal health status, and the environment. The recommendations include evidence-based actions aimed at reducing risk factors and at increasing protective factors and behaviors at both individual and population level. Moreover, consideration is given to topics specifically related to CA (e.g. folate status, teratogens) as well as of broad public health impact (e.g. obesity, smoking) which call for specific attention to their relevance in the pre- and periconceptional period. The recommendations, reported entirely in this paper, are a comprehensive tool to implement primary prevention into national policies on rare diseases in Europe. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  19. Translating evidence into practice: Hong Kong Reference Framework for Preventive Care for Children in Primary Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siu, Natalie P Y; Too, L C; Tsang, Caroline S H; Young, Betty W Y

    2015-06-01

    There is increasing evidence that supports the close relationship between childhood and adult health. Fostering healthy growth and development of children deserves attention and effort. The Reference Framework for Preventive Care for Children in Primary Care Settings has been published by the Task Force on Conceptual Model and Preventive Protocols under the direction of the Working Group on Primary Care. It aims to promote health and prevent disease in children and is based on the latest research, and contributions of the Clinical Advisory Group that comprises primary care physicians, paediatricians, allied health professionals, and patient groups. This article highlights the comprehensive, continuing, and patient-centred preventive care for children and discusses how primary care physicians can incorporate the evidence-based recommendations into clinical practice. It is anticipated that the adoption of this framework will contribute to improved health and wellbeing of children.

  20. Bleeding Risks With Aspirin Use for Primary Prevention in Adults: A Systematic Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitlock, Evelyn P; Burda, Brittany U; Williams, Selvi B; Guirguis-Blake, Janelle M; Evans, Corinne V

    2016-06-21

    The balance between potential aspirin-related risks and benefits is critical in primary prevention. To evaluate the risk for serious bleeding with regular aspirin use in cardiovascular disease (CVD) primary prevention. PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2010 through 6 January 2015), and relevant references from other reviews. Randomized, controlled trials; cohort studies; and meta-analyses comparing aspirin with placebo or no treatment to prevent CVD or cancer in adults. One investigator abstracted data, another checked for accuracy, and 2 assessed study quality. In CVD primary prevention studies, very-low-dose aspirin use (≤100 mg daily or every other day) increased major gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding risk by 58% (odds ratio [OR], 1.58 [95% CI, 1.29 to 1.95]) and hemorrhagic stroke risk by 27% (OR, 1.27 [CI, 0.96 to 1.68]). Projected excess bleeding events with aspirin depend on baseline assumptions. Estimated excess major bleeding events were 1.39 (CI, 0.70 to 2.28) for GI bleeding and 0.32 (CI, -0.05 to 0.82) for hemorrhagic stroke per 1000 person-years of aspirin exposure using baseline bleeding rates from a community-based observational sample. Such events could be greater among older persons, men, and those with CVD risk factors that also increase bleeding risk. Power to detect effects on hemorrhagic stroke was limited. Harms other than serious bleeding were not examined. Consideration of the safety of primary prevention with aspirin requires an individualized assessment of aspirin's effects on bleeding risks and expected benefits because absolute bleeding risk may vary considerably by patient. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

  1. Primary care in the prevention, treatment and control of cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojji, Dike B; Ojji, Dike B Ojji; Lamont, Kim; Sliwa, Karen; Ojji, Olubunmi I; Egenti, Bibiana Nonye; Sliwa, Karen

    2017-01-01

    Summary Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the frontrunner in the disease spectrum of sub-Saharan Africa, with stroke and ischaemic heart disease ranked seventh and 14th as leading causes of death, respectively, on this sub-continent. Unfortunately, this region is also grappling with many communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional disorders. Limited resources and the high cost of CVD treatment necessitate that primary prevention should have a high priority for CVD control in sub- Saharan Africa. One major challenge of such an approach is how to equip primary care to respond promptly and effectively to this burden. We present a practical approach on how primary care in sub-Saharan Africa could effectively address the prevention, treatment and control of CVD on the subcontinent. For effective prevention, control and treatment of CVD in sub-Saharan Africa, there should be strategic plans to equip primary care clinics with well-trained allied healthcare workers who are supervised by physicians. PMID:28752890

  2. [Integrated prevention and control strategy for dengue in Mesoamerica].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez-Dantés, Héctor; San Martín, José Luis; Danis-Lozano, Rogelio; Manrique-Saide, Pablo

    2011-01-01

    Dengue in the Americas is a public health problem in ascent. The control strategies have not been effective when sustained in the intensive use of insecticides and poor community participation. The Mesoamerican Initiative for the Prevention and the Integrated Control of Dengue synthesizes the works generated by the Integrated Strategy of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the risks stratification strategy designed by the countries of the Mesoamerican region. The objective is to progressively reduce the incidence of dengue cases until a 50% reduction is reached over a five years period. This document describes the elements for the risk stratification, the activities for prevention and control organized by levels of intensity and frequency and the indicators used to pursuit the objectives. To face the dispersion of the problem a concentration of efforts for control in the areas of greater risk is presented; the opportunity in the detection of cases is highlighted to tackle the fast dissemination of the infection; focus on the most productive breeding sites is proposed to battle against the vast dissemination of the breeding sites; and the severity of the infection must be addressed by capable clinical human resources. This strategy was designed along with the national representatives of the control programs to create master plans that provided the basis for the integrated prevention and control of dengue in the Mesoamerican region.

  3. Application of Ultra High Pressure Cavitation Peening to Prevent PWSCC on Primary Plant Components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poling, G.R.

    2015-07-01

    Primary Water Stress Corrosion Cracking (PWSCC) on Alloy 600/82/182 susceptible materials can lead to increased costs for maintenance and repair/replacement activities on nuclear power plant primary components. A process called Ultra High Pressure (UHP) cavitation peening can be safely and cost effectively applied to the susceptible materials to generate compressive stresses on the surface and prevent PWSCC initiation. AREVA has developed the tooling systems to apply the UHP cavitation peening process on reactor vessel head penetration nozzles, bottom mounted nozzles and primary nozzles. Applying the UHP cavitation peening process before PWSCC initiation will prevent future repairs/replacements, reduce maintenance costs, and provide more effective on-time for the reactor. (Author)

  4. Breast cancer prevention across the cancer care continuum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klemp, Jennifer R

    2015-05-01

    To review the current state of breast cancer prevention from primary prevention through survivorship, highlight cross-cutting issues, and discuss strategies for clinical integration and future research. Published articles between 1985 and 2015 and original research. Cancer risk persists across the lifespan. Interprofessional strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality from cancer include primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention (survivorship). Prevention strategies across the cancer care continuum are cross-cutting and focus on measures to: prevent the onset of disease, identify and treat asymptomatic persons who have already developed risk factors or preclinical disease, and restore function, minimize the negative effects of disease, and prevent disease-related complications. Oncology nurses and advanced practice nurses are vital in the delivery of breast cancer prevention strategies. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Multi-objective group scheduling optimization integrated with preventive maintenance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Wenzhu; Zhang, Xiufang; Jiang, Min

    2017-11-01

    This article proposes a single-machine-based integration model to meet the requirements of production scheduling and preventive maintenance in group production. To describe the production for identical/similar and different jobs, this integrated model considers the learning and forgetting effects. Based on machine degradation, the deterioration effect is also considered. Moreover, perfect maintenance and minimal repair are adopted in this integrated model. The multi-objective of minimizing total completion time and maintenance cost is taken to meet the dual requirements of delivery date and cost. Finally, a genetic algorithm is developed to solve this optimization model, and the computation results demonstrate that this integrated model is effective and reliable.

  6. Patient safety and infection control: bases for curricular integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, Andréa Mara Bernardes da; Bim, Lucas Lazarini; Bim, Felipe Lazarini; Sousa, Alvaro Francisco Lopes; Domingues, Pedro Castania Amadio; Nicolussi, Adriana Cristina; Andrade, Denise de

    2018-05-01

    To analyze curricular integration between teaching of patient safety and good infection prevention and control practices. Integrative review, designed to answer the question: "How does curricular integration of content about 'patient safety teaching' and content about 'infection prevention and control practices' occur in undergraduate courses in the health field?". The following databases were searched for primary studies: CINAHL, LILACS, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Scopus, Europe PMC and MEDLINE. The final sample consisted of 13 studies. After content analysis, primary studies were grouped into two subject categories: "Innovative teaching practices" and "Curricular evaluation. Patient safety related to infection prevention and control practices is present in the curriculum of health undergraduate courses, but is not coordinated with other themes, is taught sporadically, and focuses mainly on hand hygiene.

  7. [Primary and secondary prevention procedures of temporo-mandibular joint disease in the evolutive age].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciavarella, D; Mastrovincenzo, M; Sabatucci, A; Campisi, G; Di Cosola, M; Suriano, M; Lo Muzio, L

    2009-02-01

    In the last years prevention of temporomandiboular joint (TMJ) disease had acquired great importance. According to the neuro-occlusal rehabilitation (RNO) it is possible to say that TMJ disease starts since first years of life. So it is important both for dentist and for pediatric know what are the conditions and the atypical functions which predispose to this pathology. The aim of this work was to show how it is possible to intercept since primary teeth and the correct norms of primary and secondary prevention.

  8. Primary and Secondary Prevention Trials in Alzheimer Disease: Looking Back, Moving Forward

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, David C.; Marshall, Gad A.

    2015-01-01

    The field of Alzheimer disease (AD) prevention has been a culmination of basic science, clinical, and translational research. In the past three years since the new 2011 AD diagnostic guidelines, large-scale collaborative efforts have embarked on new clinical trials with the hope of someday preventing AD. This review will shed light on the historical and scientific contexts in which these trials were based on, as well as discuss potential challenges these trials may face in the coming years. Primary preventive measures, such as lifestyle, multidomain, medication, and supplemental interventions, will be analyzed. Secondary prevention as represented by disease-modifying interventions, such as anti-amyloid therapy and pioglitazone, will also be reviewed. Finally, hypotheses on future directions for AD prevention trials will be proposed. PMID:27697063

  9. General practice, primary care, and health service psychology: concepts, competencies, and the Combined-Integrated model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulte, Timothy J; Isley, Elayne; Link, Nancy; Shealy, Craig N; Winfrey, LaPearl Logan

    2004-10-01

    The profession of psychology is being impacted profoundly by broader changes within the national system of health care, as mental and behavioral health services are being recognized as essential components of a comprehensive, preventive, and cost-efficient primary care system. To fully define and embrace this role, the discipline of professional psychology must develop a shared disciplinary identity of health service psychology and a generalized competency-based model for doctoral education and training. This very framework has been adopted by Combined-Integrated (C-I) doctoral programs in professional psychology, which train across the practice areas (clinical, counseling, and school psychology) to provide a general and integrative foundation for their students. Because C-I programs produce general practitioners who are competent to function within a variety of health service settings, this innovative training approach has great potential to educate and train psychologists for a changing health care marketplace. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Integration of ICTs into the Basic Curriculum in Primary Schools in ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Integration of ICTs into the Basic Curriculum in Primary Schools in Sénégal - Phase II ... for integrating ICTs at various stages of the teaching and learning process. ... première cohorte de chercheuses en science des changements climatiques.

  11. Challenges and opportunities for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of Chagas' disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rassi, A; Dias, J C P; Marin-Neto, J A; Rassi, A

    2009-04-01

    A century after its discovery, Chagas' disease still represents a major public health challenge in Latin America. Moreover, because of growing population movements, an increasing number of cases of imported Chagas' disease have now been detected in non-endemic areas, such as North America and some European countries. This parasitic zoonosis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is transmitted to humans by infected Triatominae insects, or occasionally by non-vectorial mechanisms, such as blood transfusion, mother to fetus, or oral ingestion of materials contaminated with parasites. Following the acute phase of the infection, untreated individuals enter a chronic phase that is initially asymptomatic or clinically unapparent. Usually, a few decades later, 40-50% of patients develop progressive cardiomyopathy and/or motility disturbances of the oesophagus and colon. In the last decades several interventions targeting primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of Chagas' disease have been attempted. While control of both vectorial and blood transfusion transmission of T cruzi (primary prevention) has been successful in many regions of Latin America, early detection and aetiological treatment of asymptomatic subjects with Chagas' disease (secondary prevention) have been largely underutilised. At the same time, in patients with established chronic disease, several pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions are currently available and have been increasingly used with the intention of preventing or delaying complications of the disease (tertiary prevention). In this review we discuss in detail each of these issues.

  12. A Primary Prevention Program to Reduce Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullari, Salvatore; Redmon, William K.

    This paper presents a theoretical model for a primary prevention program for bulimia and anorexia nervosa to be used with adolescents and young women considered most at risk of developing these eating disorders. Characteristics of potential anorexics and bulimics are identified to aid in the selection of target groups for the program. It is…

  13. Control of Hypertension in STULONG - Twenty Years Lasting Primary Preventive Study

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tomečková, Marie; Stanovská, Zuzana; Boudík, F.; Zvárová, Jana

    22 Suppl. 2, - (2004), s. 271 ISSN 0263-6352. [European Meeting on Hypertension /14./. 13.06.2004-17.06.2004, Paris] R&D Projects: GA MŠk LN00B107 Keywords : hypertension * primary preventive study Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research

  14. Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control: a review of health authorities' experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lanser, Shelley; Pless-Mulloli, Tanja

    2003-09-01

    In August 2000, health authorities in England and Wales became statutory consultees for permits issued to industry by the Environment Agency as part of the implementation of EU directives. This responsibility has since been delegated to Primary Care Trusts. To assess health authority responses to applications made under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) regulations, we collected data from public registers during the first 12 months of this new regulatory regime. There was evidence of 27 applications, of which 59 per cent had substantive comments from health authorities. There was wide variation in the length and content. Responses were from Consultants in Communicable Disease Control (57 per cent) or Directors of Public Health (43 per cent). Only two health authorities had a dedicated resource for responding to IPPC applications. Capacity and capability are lacking and require resources invested for consistent, effective public health input to the process of permitting potentially polluting industries.

  15. Introduction to Integrative Medicine in the Primary Care Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ring, Melinda; Mahadevan, Rupa

    2017-06-01

    Integrative Medicine has been described as "healing oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit) including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes therapeutic relationships and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative." National surveys consistently report that approximately one-third of adults and 12% of children use complementary and integrative medicine approaches. Although there are barriers to primary care professionals engaging in discussions about lifestyle change and complementary and integrative medicine options, there is also great potential to impact patient well-being. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Spatial integration in mouse primary visual cortex

    OpenAIRE

    Vaiceliunaite, Agne; Erisken, Sinem; Franzen, Florian; Katzner, Steffen; Busse, Laura

    2013-01-01

    Responses of many neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) are suppressed by stimuli exceeding the classical receptive field (RF), an important property that might underlie the computation of visual saliency. Traditionally, it has proven difficult to disentangle the underlying neural circuits, including feedforward, horizontal intracortical, and feedback connectivity. Since circuit-level analysis is particularly feasible in the mouse, we asked whether neural signatures of spatial integration in ...

  17. Observations of infection prevention and control practices in primary health care, Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedoya, Guadalupe; Dolinger, Amy; Rogo, Khama; Mwaura, Njeri; Wafula, Francis; Coarasa, Jorge; Goicoechea, Ana; Das, Jishnu

    2017-07-01

    To assess compliance with infection prevention and control practices in primary health care in Kenya. We used an observational, patient-tracking tool to assess compliance with infection prevention and control practices by 1680 health-care workers during outpatient interactions with 14 328 patients at 935 health-care facilities in 2015. Compliance was assessed in five domains: hand hygiene; protective glove use; injections and blood sampling; disinfection of reusable equipment; and waste segregation. We calculated compliance by dividing the number of correct actions performed by the number of indications and evaluated associations between compliance and the health-care worker's and facility's characteristics. Across 106 464 observed indications for an infection prevention and control practice, the mean compliance was 0.318 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.315 to 0.321). The compliance ranged from 0.023 (95% CI: 0.021 to 0.024) for hand hygiene to 0.871 (95% CI: 0.866 to 0.876) for injection and blood sampling safety. Compliance was weakly associated with the facility's characteristics (e.g. public or private, or level of specialization) and the health-care worker's knowledge of, and training in, infection prevention and control practices. The observational tool was effective for assessing compliance with infection prevention and control practices across multiple domains in primary health care in a low-income country. Compliance varied widely across infection prevention and control domains. The weak associations observed between compliance and the characteristics of health-care workers and facilities, such as knowledge and the availability of supplies, suggest that a broader focus on behavioural change is required.

  18. Primary prevention of peri-implantitis: Managing peri-implant mucositis

    OpenAIRE

    Jepsen, Søren; Berglundh, Tord; Genco, Robert; Aass, Anne Merete; Demirel, Korkud; Derks, Jan; Figuero, Elena; Giovannoli, Jean Louis; Goldstein, Moshe; LAMBERT, France; Ortiz-Vigon, Alberto; Polyzois, Ioannis; Salvi, Giovanni; Schwarz, Frank; Serino, Giovanni

    2015-01-01

    Abstract AIMS: Over the past decades, the placement of dental implants has become a routine procedure in the oral rehabilitation of fully and partially edentulous patients. However, the number of patients/implants affected by peri-implant diseases is increasing. As there are--in contrast to periodontitis--at present no established and predictable concepts for the treatment of peri-implantitis, primary prevention is of key importance. The management of peri-implant mucositis is considere...

  19. Lifestyle measures for primary prevention of T2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M S A Mansur Ahmed

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Worldwide, the number of adults with diabetes was 285 million in 2010 and it will be 439 million in the year 2030. Although the genes we inherit may influence the development of type 2 diabetes, they take a back seat to behavioral and lifestyle factors. Data from the Nurses’ Health Study suggest that 90 percent of type 2 diabetes in women can be attributed to five such factors: excess weight, lack of exercise, a less-than-healthy diet, smoking, and abstaining from alcohol. From this data it can be said that up to 90 percent of diabetes prevention is possible with behavioral and lifestyle factors intervention. This intervention should be given to the people through primary prevention. The purpose of primary prevention is to limit the number of people who develop a disease by controlling causes and risk factors for the disease.

  20. Integrated forest management to prevent wildfires under Mediterranean environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piermaria Corona

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This review presents a multidisciplinary framework for integrating the ecological, regulatory, procedural and technical aspects of forest management for fires prevention under Mediterranean environments. The aims are to: i provide a foreground of wildfire scenario; ii illustrate the theoretical background of forest fuel management; iii describe the available fuel management techniques and mechanical operations for fire prevention in forest and wildland-urban interfaces, with exemplification of case-studies; iv allocate fire prevention activities under the hierarchy of forest planning. The review is conceived as an outline commentary discussion targeted to professionals, technicians and government personnel involved in forestry and environmental management.

  1. Translation of clinical practice guidelines for childhood obesity prevention in primary care mobilizes a rural Midwest community.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, S Jo

    2016-03-01

    The purpose of this project was to implement clinic system changes that support evidence-based guidelines for childhood obesity prevention. Adherence rates for prevention and screening of children in a rural Midwest primary care setting were used to measure the success of the program. Retrospective chart reviews reflected gaps in current practice and documentation. An evidence-based toolkit for childhood obesity prevention was used to implement clinic system changes for the identified gaps. The quality improvement approach proved to be effective in translating knowledge of obesity prevention guidelines into rural clinic practices with significant improvements in documentation of prevention measures that may positively impact the childhood obesity epidemic. Primary care providers, including nurse practitioners (NPs), are at the forefront of diagnosing, educating, and counseling children and families on obesity prevention and need appropriate resources and tools to deliver premier care. The program successfully demonstrated how barriers to practice, even with the unique challenges in a rural setting, can be overcome. NPs fulfill a pivotal primary care role and can provide leadership that may positively impact obesity prevention in their communities. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

  2. Using Social Network Theory to Influence the Development of State and Local Primary Prevention Capacity-Building Teams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook-Craig, Patricia G.

    2010-01-01

    This article examines the role that social network theory and social network analysis has played in assessing and developing effective primary prevention networks across a southeastern state. In 2004 the state began an effort to develop a strategic plan for the primary prevention of violence working with local communities across the state. The…

  3. Development and Testing of Intervention Model for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention on Primary School Children in Padang City, 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meri Neherta

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Sexual violence against children increased in many regions in Indonesia, both in cities and in desa. Keadaan is also happening in the city of Padang, where cases of sexual violence against children is increasing from year to year. Therefore, necessary one model to be able to do primary prevention. Aims & Objectives: The aim of this study is to establish a model of promotion and prevention interventions that can be used as primary prevention of sexual violence against primary school children in Padang City. Material & Methods: The method was combining qualitative and quantitative research. The population of this study was the teachers and students within amount of ten elementary schools in the Padang City with 170 sample of people. Result: The model of intervention through Minangkabau language songs can enhance children's knowledge and assertiveness toward primary prevention of sexual violence. Conclusion: "Neherta" Model is a promotion and prevention interventions model of sexual violence against primary school children in Padang City.

  4. Older Americans and AIDS: Transmission Risks and Primary Prevention Research Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Catania, Joseph A.; And Others

    1989-01-01

    Growing number of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) cases among older Americans is of increasing concern. In context of primary prevention, reviews findings that bear on modes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission (blood transfusions, sexual) among older individuals and knowledge of magnitude of the AIDS problem represented…

  5. Integrating mental health services into primary HIV care for women: the Whole Life project.

    OpenAIRE

    Dodds, Sally; Nuehring, Elane M.; Blaney, Nancy T.; Blakley, Theresa; Lizzotte, Jean-Marie; Lopez, Myriam; Potter, JoNell E.; O'Sullivan, Mary J.

    2004-01-01

    The high rate of mental health problems in HIV-infected women jeopardizes the health of this vulnerable population, and constitutes a mandate for integrating mental health services into HIV primary care. The Whole Life project-a collaboration of the departments of Psychiatry and Obstetrics/Gynecology at the University of Miami School of Medicine-successfully integrated mental health services into primary HIV care for women. This article describes the conceptual framework of the integration, i...

  6. Effects of a Theory-Based Education Program to Prevent Overweightness in Primary School Children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kocken, P.L.; Scholten, A.M.; Westhoff,E.; Kok, B.P.H.; Taal, E.M.; Goldbohm, R.A.

    2016-01-01

    The effectiveness of the “Extra Fit!” (EF!) education program in promoting healthy diet and physical activity to prevent and reduce overweightness among primary school children aged 9 to 11 was evaluated. A randomized controlled design was carried out in 45 primary schools (n = 1112) in the

  7. Global cancer patterns: causes and prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vineis, Paolo; Wild, Christopher P

    2014-02-08

    Cancer is a global and growing, but not uniform, problem. An increasing proportion of the burden is falling on low-income and middle-income countries because of not only demographic change but also a transition in risk factors, whereby the consequences of the globalisation of economies and behaviours are adding to an existing burden of cancers of infectious origin. We argue that primary prevention is a particularly effective way to fight cancer, with between a third and a half of cancers being preventable on the basis of present knowledge of risk factors. Primary prevention has several advantages: the effectiveness could have benefits for people other than those directly targeted, avoidance of exposure to carcinogenic agents is likely to prevent other non-communicable diseases, and the cause could be removed or reduced in the long term--eg, through regulatory measures against occupational or environmental exposures (ie, the preventive effort does not need to be renewed with every generation, which is especially important when resources are in short supply). Primary prevention must therefore be prioritised as an integral part of global cancer control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Integration of fall prevention into state policy in Connecticut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Terrence E; Baker, Dorothy I; Leo-Summers, Linda S; Bianco, Luann; Gottschalk, Margaret; Acampora, Denise; King, Mary B

    2013-06-01

    To describe the ongoing efforts of the Connecticut Collaboration for Fall Prevention (CCFP) to move evidence regarding fall prevention into clinical practice and state policy. A university-based team developed methods of networking with existing statewide organizations to influence clinical practice and state policy. We describe steps taken that led to funding and legislation of fall prevention efforts in the state of Connecticut. We summarize CCFP's direct outreach by tabulating the educational sessions delivered and the numbers and types of clinical care providers that were trained. Community organizations that had sustained clinical practices incorporating evidence-based fall prevention were subsequently funded through mini-grants to develop innovative interventional activities. These mini-grants targeted specific subpopulations of older persons at high risk for falls. Building collaborative relationships with existing stakeholders and care providers throughout the state, CCFP continues to facilitate the integration of evidence-based fall prevention into clinical practice and state-funded policy using strategies that may be useful to others.

  9. Preventing violence against women by challenging gender stereotypes in Scottish primary schools

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fage-Butler, Antoinette Mary

    2016-01-01

    stereotypes for the individual pupil. Moreover, further attention could have been given to surrounding powerful discourses and media representations that may be at odds with the messages of the programme. The present study illustrates that the growing field of public health can be supported through an “all......Gender violence is a major public health issue in Europe; it is normalized and partly legitimized by gender stereotypes. An example of a primary prevention education programme designed to challenge the attitudes that underpin gender violence, particularly violence against women, is the Zero...... Tolerance Respect (ZTR) programme developed for Scottish pupils. Given the importance of early preventative action in this area, this paper analyses how gender stereotypes were challenged in ZTR materials for primary pupils aged 10-12 years. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the content...

  10. European Consensus on Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Assmann, G

    1988-07-01

    The European Consensus on Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease has recommended that providing care for individuals at particular risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) requires case finding through medical examinations in primary care, hospital and employment health examination settings. Decisions concerning management of elevated lipid levels should be based on overall cardiovascular risk. The goal of reducing cholesterol levels through risk reduction can ultimately be accomplished only with the implementation of health education efforts directed toward all age groups and actions by government and supranational agencies, including adequate food labelling to identify fat content, selective taxation to encourage healthful habits and wider availability of exercise facilities. Only measures directed at the overall population can eventually reach the large proportion of individuals at mildly to moderately increased risk for CAD. The European Policy Statement on the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease recognizes that the question of lipid elevation as a risk factor for CAD involves assessment, not only of cholesterol level alone, but also of triglycerides and the HDL cholesterol lipid fraction. Five specific categories of dyslipidemia have been identified, with individualized screening and treatment strategies advised for each. It is the consensus of the study group panel members that these procedures are both practical and feasible. They begin the necessary long term process to reduce the unacceptably high levels of morbidity and mortality due to CAD throughout the European community.

  11. Primary prevention of cannabis use: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norberg, Melissa M; Kezelman, Sarah; Lim-Howe, Nicholas

    2013-01-01

    A systematic review of primary prevention was conducted for cannabis use outcomes in youth and young adults. The aim of the review was to develop a comprehensive understanding of prevention programming by assessing universal, targeted, uni-modal, and multi-modal approaches as well as individual program characteristics. Twenty-eight articles, representing 25 unique studies, identified from eight electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, DRUG, EBM Reviews, and Project CORK), were eligible for inclusion. Results indicated that primary prevention programs can be effective in reducing cannabis use in youth populations, with statistically significant effect sizes ranging from trivial (0.07) to extremely large (5.26), with the majority of significant effect sizes being trivial to small. Given that the preponderance of significant effect sizes were trivial to small and that percentages of statistically significant and non-statistically significant findings were often equivalent across program type and individual components, the effectiveness of primary prevention for cannabis use should be interpreted with caution. Universal multi-modal programs appeared to outperform other program types (i.e, universal uni-modal, targeted multi-modal, targeted unimodal). Specifically, universal multi-modal programs that targeted early adolescents (10-13 year olds), utilised non-teacher or multiple facilitators, were short in duration (10 sessions or less), and implemented boosters sessions were associated with large median effect sizes. While there were studies in these areas that contradicted these results, the results highlight the importance of assessing the interdependent relationship of program components and program types. Finally, results indicated that the overall quality of included studies was poor, with an average quality rating of 4.64 out of 9. Thus, further quality research and reporting and the development of new innovative programs are required.

  12. Primary prevention of cannabis use: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa M Norberg

    Full Text Available A systematic review of primary prevention was conducted for cannabis use outcomes in youth and young adults. The aim of the review was to develop a comprehensive understanding of prevention programming by assessing universal, targeted, uni-modal, and multi-modal approaches as well as individual program characteristics. Twenty-eight articles, representing 25 unique studies, identified from eight electronic databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, DRUG, EBM Reviews, and Project CORK, were eligible for inclusion. Results indicated that primary prevention programs can be effective in reducing cannabis use in youth populations, with statistically significant effect sizes ranging from trivial (0.07 to extremely large (5.26, with the majority of significant effect sizes being trivial to small. Given that the preponderance of significant effect sizes were trivial to small and that percentages of statistically significant and non-statistically significant findings were often equivalent across program type and individual components, the effectiveness of primary prevention for cannabis use should be interpreted with caution. Universal multi-modal programs appeared to outperform other program types (i.e, universal uni-modal, targeted multi-modal, targeted unimodal. Specifically, universal multi-modal programs that targeted early adolescents (10-13 year olds, utilised non-teacher or multiple facilitators, were short in duration (10 sessions or less, and implemented boosters sessions were associated with large median effect sizes. While there were studies in these areas that contradicted these results, the results highlight the importance of assessing the interdependent relationship of program components and program types. Finally, results indicated that the overall quality of included studies was poor, with an average quality rating of 4.64 out of 9. Thus, further quality research and reporting and the development of new innovative programs are

  13. The Role of the Pediatrician in Primary Prevention of Obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels, Stephen R; Hassink, Sandra G

    2015-07-01

    The adoption of healthful lifestyles by individuals and families can result in a reduction in many chronic diseases and conditions of which obesity is the most prevalent. Obesity prevention, in addition to treatment, is an important public health priority. This clinical report describes the rationale for pediatricians to be an integral part of the obesity-prevention effort. In addition, the 2012 Institute of Medicine report "Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention" includes health care providers as a crucial component of successful weight control. Research on obesity prevention in the pediatric care setting as well as evidence-informed practical approaches and targets for prevention are reviewed. Pediatricians should use a longitudinal, developmentally appropriate life-course approach to help identify children early on the path to obesity and base prevention efforts on family dynamics and reduction in high-risk dietary and activity behaviors. They should promote a diet free of sugar-sweetened beverages, of fewer foods with high caloric density, and of increased intake of fruits and vegetables. It is also important to promote a lifestyle with reduced sedentary behavior and with 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity. This report also identifies important gaps in evidence that need to be filled by future research. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  14. Violence prevention in special education schools - an integrated practice?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pihl, Patricia; Grytnes, Regine; Andersen, Lars Peter S

    2018-06-01

    Research has shown that employees in special education settings are at high risk for work-related threats and violence. Previous research has not yet been able to identify the essential components of training programs that offer protection from work-related threats and violence. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore how employees in special education schools deal with prevention of work-related threats and violence. Group interviews were conducted with 14 employees working at 5 special education schools. Results show that employees use a wide range of prevention strategies drawing on specific violence prevention techniques as well as professional pedagogical approaches. We propose that the prevention of threats and violence in special education schools can be understood as an integrated pedagogical practice operating on three interrelated levels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Integrative Genome Comparison of Primary and Metastatic Melanomas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Bin; Nazarian, Rosalynn M.; Bosenberg, Marcus; Wu, Min; Scott, Kenneth L.; Kwong, Lawrence N.; Xiao, Yonghong; Cordon-Cardo, Carlos; Granter, Scott R.; Ramaswamy, Sridhar; Golub, Todd; Duncan, Lyn M.; Wagner, Stephan N.; Brennan, Cameron; Chin, Lynda

    2010-01-01

    A cardinal feature of malignant melanoma is its metastatic propensity. An incomplete view of the genetic events driving metastatic progression has been a major barrier to rational development of effective therapeutics and prognostic diagnostics for melanoma patients. In this study, we conducted global genomic characterization of primary and metastatic melanomas to examine the genomic landscape associated with metastatic progression. In addition to uncovering three genomic subclasses of metastastic melanomas, we delineated 39 focal and recurrent regions of amplification and deletions, many of which encompassed resident genes that have not been implicated in cancer or metastasis. To identify progression-associated metastasis gene candidates, we applied a statistical approach, Integrative Genome Comparison (IGC), to define 32 genomic regions of interest that were significantly altered in metastatic relative to primary melanomas, encompassing 30 resident genes with statistically significant expression deregulation. Functional assays on a subset of these candidates, including MET, ASPM, AKAP9, IMP3, PRKCA, RPA3, and SCAP2, validated their pro-invasion activities in human melanoma cells. Validity of the IGC approach was further reinforced by tissue microarray analysis of Survivin showing significant increased protein expression in thick versus thin primary cutaneous melanomas, and a progression correlation with lymph node metastases. Together, these functional validation results and correlative analysis of human tissues support the thesis that integrated genomic and pathological analyses of staged melanomas provide a productive entry point for discovery of melanoma metastases genes. PMID:20520718

  16. Integrated preventive maintenance and production decisions for imperfect processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nourelfath, Mustapha; Nahas, Nabil; Ben-Daya, Mohamed

    2016-01-01

    This paper integrates production, maintenance, and quality for an imperfect process in a multi-period multi-product capacitated lot-sizing context. The production system is modeled as an imperfect machine, whose the status is considered to be either in-control or out-of-control. When the machine is out of control, it produces a fraction of nonconforming items. During each period, this machine is inspected and imperfect preventive maintenance activities are simultaneously performed to reduce its age, proportional to the preventive maintenance level. The objective is to minimize the total cost, while satisfying the demand for all products. Our optimization model allows for a joint selection of the optimal values of production plan, and the maintenance policy, while taking into account quality related costs. A solution algorithm is developed and illustrative numerical examples are presented. It is found that the increase in PM level leads to reductions in quality control costs. Furthermore, if the cost of performing PM is high to the point where it is not compensated for by reductions in the quality related costs, then performing PM is not justifiable. Finally, using non-periodic preventive maintenance with the possibility of different preventive maintenance levels may result in an improvement of the total cost. - Highlights: • We integrate production, maintenance, and quality. • We evaluate all the expected costs. • Our model allows for a joint selection of the optimal values. • A solution algorithm is developed. • Increasing PM level will decrease quality control costs.

  17. Development and application of an integrated evaluation framework for preventive safety applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Scholliers, J.; Joshi, S.; Gemou, M.; Hendriks, F.; Ljung Aust, M.; Luoma, J.; Netto, M.; Engstrom, J.; Leanderson Olsson, S.; Kutzner, R.; Tango, F.; Amditis, A.J.; Blosseville, J.M.; Bekiaris, E.

    2011-01-01

    Preventive safety functions help drivers avoid or mitigate accidents. No quantitative methods have been available to evaluate the safety impact of these systems. This paper describes a framework for the assessment of preventive and active safety functions, which integrates procedures for technical

  18. Rationale for the prevention of oral diseases in primary health care: an international collaborative study in oral health education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourgeois, Denis M; Phantumvanit, Prathip; Llodra, Juan Carlos; Horn, Virginie; Carlile, Monica; Eiselé, Jean-Luc

    2014-10-01

    Ensuring that members of society are healthy and reaching their full potential requires the prevention of oral diseases through the promotion of oral health and well-being. The present article identifies the best policy conditions of effective public health and primary care integration and the actors who promote and sustain these efforts. In this review, arguments and recommendations are provided to introduce an oral health collaborative promotion programme called Live.Learn.Laugh. phase 2, arising from an unique partnership between FDI World Dental Federation, the global company Unilever plc and an international network of National Dental Associations, health-care centres, schools and educators populations. © 2014 FDI World Dental Federation.

  19. Review of behavioral health integration in primary care at Baylor Scott and White Healthcare, Central Region

    OpenAIRE

    Jolly, John B.; Fluet, Norman R.; Reis, Michael D.; Stern, Charles H.; Thompson, Alexander W.; Jolly, Gillian A.

    2016-01-01

    The integration of behavioral health services in primary care has been referred to in many ways, but ultimately refers to common structures and processes. Behavioral health is integrated into primary care because it increases the effectiveness and efficiency of providing care and reduces costs in the care of primary care patients. Reimbursement is one factor, if not the main factor, that determines the level of integration that can be achieved. The federal health reform agenda supports change...

  20. Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilakazi, S S; Chabeli, M M; Roos, S D

    2000-12-01

    The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994: 155). Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

  1. Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SS Vilakazi

    2000-09-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994:155. Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/ goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

  2. The Benefits of Fine Art Integration into Mathematics in Primary School

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brezovnik, Anja

    2015-01-01

    The main purpose of the article is to research the effects of the integration of fine art content into mathematics on students at the primary school level. The theoretical part consists of the definition of arts integration into education, a discussion of the developmental process of creative mathematical thinking, an explanation of the position…

  3. Impact of remuneration and organizational factors on completing preventive manoeuvres in primary care practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dahrouge, Simone; Hogg, William E; Russell, Grant; Tuna, Meltem; Geneau, Robert; Muldoon, Laura K; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Fletcher, John

    2012-02-07

    Several jurisdictions attempting to reform primary care have focused on changes in physician remuneration. The goals of this study were to compare the delivery of preventive services by practices in four primary care funding models and to identify organizational factors associated with superior preventive care. In a cross-sectional study, we included 137 primary care practices in the province of Ontario (35 fee-for-service practices, 35 with salaried physicians [community health centres], 35 practices in the new capitation model [family health networks] and 32 practices in the established capitation model [health services organizations]). We surveyed 288 family physicians. We reviewed 4108 randomly selected patient charts and assigned prevention scores based on the proportion of eligible preventive manoeuvres delivered for each patient. A total of 3284 patients were eligible for at least one of six preventive manoeuvres. After adjusting for patient profile and contextual factors, we found that, compared with prevention scores in practices in the new capitation model, scores were significantly lower in fee-for-service practices (β estimate for effect on prevention score = -6.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] -11.9 to -0.6) and practices in the established capitation model (β = -9.1, 95% CI -14.9 to -3.3) but not for those with salaried remuneration (β = -0.8, 95% CI -6.5 to 4.8). After accounting for physician characteristics and organizational structure, the type of funding model was no longer a statistically significant factor. Compared with reference practices, those with at least one female family physician (β = 8.0, 95% CI 4.2 to 11.8), a panel size of fewer than 1600 patients per full-time equivalent family physician (β = 6.8, 95% CI 3.1 to 10.6) and an electronic reminder system (β = 4.6, 95% CI 0.4 to 8.7) had superior prevention scores. The effect of these three factors was largely but not always consistent across the funding models; it was largely

  4. Vitamin D, Calcium, or Combined Supplementation for the Primary Prevention of Fractures in Community-Dwelling Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossman, David C; Curry, Susan J; Owens, Douglas K; Barry, Michael J; Caughey, Aaron B; Davidson, Karina W; Doubeni, Chyke A; Epling, John W; Kemper, Alex R; Krist, Alex H; Kubik, Martha; Landefeld, Seth; Mangione, Carol M; Silverstein, Michael; Simon, Melissa A; Tseng, Chien-Wen

    2018-04-17

    Because of the aging population, osteoporotic fractures are an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Approximately 2 million osteoporotic fractures occurred in the United States in 2005, and annual incidence is projected to increase to more than 3 million fractures by 2025. Within 1 year of experiencing a hip fracture, many patients are unable to walk independently, more than half require assistance with activities of daily living, and 20% to 30% of patients will die. To update the 2013 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on vitamin D supplementation, with or without calcium, to prevent fractures. The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on vitamin D, calcium, and combined supplementation for the primary prevention of fractures in community-dwelling adults (defined as not living in a nursing home or other institutional care setting). The review excluded studies conducted in populations with a known disorder related to bone metabolism (eg, osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiency), taking medications known to be associated with osteoporosis (eg, long-term steroids), or with a previous fracture. The USPSTF found inadequate evidence to estimate the benefits of vitamin D, calcium, or combined supplementation to prevent fractures in community-dwelling men and premenopausal women. The USPSTF found adequate evidence that daily supplementation with 400 IU or less of vitamin D and 1000 mg or less of calcium has no benefit for the primary prevention of fractures in community-dwelling, postmenopausal women. The USPSTF found inadequate evidence to estimate the benefits of doses greater than 400 IU of vitamin D or greater than 1000 mg of calcium to prevent fractures in community-dwelling postmenopausal women. The USPSTF found adequate evidence that supplementation with vitamin D and calcium increases the incidence of kidney stones. The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of the

  5. [Compliance with recommendations in secondary prevention of stroke in primary care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tamayo-Ojeda, Carmen; Parellada-Esquius, Neus; Salvador-González, Betlem; Oriol-Torón, Pilar Ángeles; Rodríguez-Garrido, M Dolores; Muñoz-Segura, Dolores

    Knowing compliance with secondary prevention recommendations of stroke in primary care and to identify factors associated with compliance. Multi-centre cross-sectional. Health primary care centres in a metropolitan area (944,280 inhabitants). Patients aged 18years and over with ischemic brain disease diagnosis prior to 6months before the study. Clinical history records of demographic variables, risk factors and cardiovascular comorbidity, drugs, blood pressure values (BP), LDL-cholesterol and medical visits by doctor and nurses after the event. Good adherence was considered when BP <140/90 mmHg, LDL-cholesterol <100 mg/dL, smoking abstention and preventive drugs prescription (anti-platelet/anticoagulants, statins and angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin-receptor-antagonists or diuretics) during the last 18months. A total of 21,976 patients, mean age 73.12 years (SD: 12.13), 48% women, 72.7% with stroke. Co-morbidity: hypertension 70.8%, dyslipidemia 55.1%, DM 30.9%, atrial fibrillation 14.1%, ischemic heart disease 13.5%, chronic renal failure 12.5%, heart failure 8.8%, peripheral arterial disease 6.2%, dementia 7.8%. No record was found for smoking in 3.7%, for BP in 3.5% and for LDL in 6.5%. Optimal control: abstention smoking in 3.7%, BP <140/90 in 65.7% and LDL <100 mg/dL in 41.0%. 86.2% anti-platelet/anticoagulants, 61.3% statins and 61.8% angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor-antagonists or diuretic. Registration and risk factors control was higher in 66-79years aged and lower in 18-40years aged. The implementation of clinical guidelines recommendations for stroke prevention in primary care must be improved, especially among younger population. Organizational changes and more active involvement by professionals and strategies against therapeutic inertia must be taken. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  6. Rethinking Dabrowski's Theory: I. the Case against Primary Integration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piechowski, Michael M.

    2014-01-01

    Some terms of Dabrowski's theory are misleading. The construct of level and the concepts of integration and disintegration mean different things. The concept of primary integration as a starting point for personality development is untenable in light of research on child development. In its place, Level I as a type of development that is…

  7. Clinician perceptions and patient experiences of antiretroviral treatment integration in primary health care clinics, Tshwane, South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathibe, Maphuthego D; Hendricks, Stephen J H; Bergh, Anne-Marie

    2015-10-02

    Primary Health Care (PHC) clinicians and patients are major role players in the South African antiretroviral treatment programme. Understanding their perceptions and experiences of integrated care and the management of people living with HIV and AIDS in PHC facilities is necessary for successful implementation and sustainability of integration. This study explored clinician perceptions and patient experiences of integration of antiretroviral treatment in PHC clinics. An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted in four city of Tshwane PHC facilities. Two urban and two rural facilities following different models of integration were included. A self-administered questionnaire with open-ended items was completed by 35 clinicians and four focus group interviews were conducted with HIV-positive patients. The data were coded and categories were grouped into sub-themes and themes. Workload, staff development and support for integration affected clinicians' performance and viewpoints. They perceived promotion of privacy, reduced discrimination and increased access to comprehensive care as benefits of service integration. Delays, poor patient care and patient dissatisfaction were viewed as negative aspects of integration. In three facilities patients were satisfied with integration or semi-integration and felt common queues prevented stigma and discrimination, whilst the reverse was true in the facility with separate services. Single-month issuance of antiretroviral drugs and clinic schedule organisation was viewed negatively, as well as poor staff attitudes, poor communication and long waiting times. Although a fully integrated service model is preferable, aspects that need further attention are management support from health authorities for health facilities, improved working conditions and appropriate staff development opportunities.

  8. [The CHILT I project (Children's Health Interventional Trial). A multicomponent intervention to prevent physical inactivity and overweight in primary schools].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graf, C; Dordel, S

    2011-03-01

    Child and juvenile obesity is increasing worldwide; therefore, effective preventive strategies are warranted. The stepwise project CHILT (Children's Health Interventional Trial) was initiated in 2000 and combines in its multicomponent school-based arm CHILT I health education and physical activity for primary school children to prevent physical inactivity and overweight. The effect on obesity and physical performance was studied in 12 primary schools (intervention schools, IS) compared with 5 control schools (CS). Anthropometric data were recorded. Physical performance was measured by a coordination test for children (the "Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder", KTK) and the 6-minute run. Anthropometric and motoric data of 436 children in IS (55.0% of the population) and 179 children in CS (62.8%) were available at baseline and at follow-up. No difference in the incidence of overweight was found between the IS and CS after 4 years of intervention. Remission of overweight was higher in IS (23.2% versus 19.2%), but not significant. The increase in BMI was significantly lower in IS, in which the program was regularly performed. There was an improvement in selected items of the KTK in IS. In particular, endurance performance tended to be higher at final examination. School-based preventive intervention seems to have a positive influence on physical motor skills and the remission of overweight. To optimize the effects, a consistent and quality assured implementation and the integration of the children's whole environment are warranted.

  9. Probiotics for the Primary and Secondary Prevention of C. difficile Infections: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lynne V. McFarland

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Clostridium difficile infections are a global clinical concern and are one of the leading causes of nosocomial outbreaks. Preventing these infections has benefited from multidisciplinary infection control strategies and new antibiotics, but the problem persists. Probiotics are effective in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea and may also be a beneficial strategy for C. difficile infections, but randomized controlled trials are scarce. This meta-analysis pools 21 randomized, controlled trials for primary prevention of C. difficile infections (CDI and four trials for secondary prevention of C. difficile recurrences and assesses the efficacy of specific probiotic strains. Four probiotics significantly improved primary CDI prevention: (Saccharomyces boulardii, Lactobacillus casei DN114001, a mixture of L. acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum, and a mixture of L. acidophilus, L. casei and L. rhamnosus. None of the tested probiotics significantly improved secondary prevention of CDI. More confirmatory randomized trials are needed to establish if probiotics are useful for preventing C. difficile infections. v

  10. What imaging techniques should be used in primary versus secondary prevention for further risk stratification?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schiele, François; Navarese, Eliano Pio; Visoná, Adriana; Ray, Kausik

    2017-04-01

    An accurate assessment of the cardiovascular (CV) risk of an individual is key for guiding the appropriate treatment strategy for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although conventional risk factors for CVD are well established, there can be substantial variation in the extent of atherosclerosis between patients. The use of a variety of imaging modalities can be beneficial in the primary prevention stage and in the classification of an individual's CV risk. Therefore, appropriate implementation of these imaging techniques for risk assessment purposes, in line with clinical guidelines, can influence the outcomes of CVD prevention. The expert working group collaborated to review current invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques available to healthcare practitioners and how they can be used in the measurement of preclinical vascular damage and CV risk assessment. After evaluation of the current guideline recommendations and clinical data available, the expert working group collaborated to produce recommendations regarding the use of imaging in the risk stratification in primary prevention, CV risk in peri-acute coronary syndrome and CV risk assessment in secondary prevention. Overall, a variety of both invasive and non-invasive imaging modalities were highlighted by the expert working group as having the potential to assist in the risk assessments of patients at risk of CVD. These imaging techniques can be utilised in both primary and secondary prevention strategies and have the potential to be important risk modifiers, improving the outcome of CV risk assessment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Risks for depression onset in primary care elderly patients: potential targets for preventive interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyness, Jeffrey M; Yu, Qin; Tang, Wan; Tu, Xin; Conwell, Yeates

    2009-12-01

    Prevention of late-life depression, a common, disabling condition with often poor outcomes in primary care, requires identification of seniors at highest risk of incident episodes. The authors examined a broad range of clinical, functional, and psychosocial predictors of incident depressive episodes in a well-characterized cohort of older primary care patients. In this observational cohort study, patients age >/=65 years without current major depression, recruited from practices in general internal medicine, geriatrics, and family medicine, received annual follow-up assessments over a period of 1 to 4 years. Of 617 enrolled subjects, 405 completed the 1-year follow-up evaluation. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) determined incident major depressive episodes. Each risk indicator's predictive utility was examined by calculating the risk exposure rate, incident risk ratio, and population attributable fraction, leading to determination of the number needed to treat in order to prevent incident depression. A combination of risks, including minor or subsyndromal depression, impaired functional status, and history of major or minor depression, identified a group in which fully effective treatment of five individuals would prevent one new case of incident depression. Indicators routinely assessed in primary care identified a group at very high risk for onset of major depressive episodes. Such markers may inform current clinical care by fostering the early detection and intervention critical to improving patient outcomes and may serve as the basis for future studies refining the recommendations for screening and determining the effectiveness of preventive interventions.

  12. Review of behavioral health integration in primary care at Baylor Scott and White Healthcare, Central Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jolly, John B; Fluet, Norman R; Reis, Michael D; Stern, Charles H; Thompson, Alexander W; Jolly, Gillian A

    2016-04-01

    The integration of behavioral health services in primary care has been referred to in many ways, but ultimately refers to common structures and processes. Behavioral health is integrated into primary care because it increases the effectiveness and efficiency of providing care and reduces costs in the care of primary care patients. Reimbursement is one factor, if not the main factor, that determines the level of integration that can be achieved. The federal health reform agenda supports changes that will eventually permit behavioral health to be fully integrated and will allow the health of the population to be the primary target of intervention. In an effort to develop more integrated services at Baylor Scott and White Healthcare, models of integration are reviewed and the advantages and disadvantages of each model are discussed. Recommendations to increase integration include adopting a disease management model with care management, planned guideline-based stepped care, follow-up, and treatment monitoring. Population-based interventions can be completed at the pace of the development of alternative reimbursement methods. The program should be based upon patient-centered medical home standards, and research is needed throughout the program development process.

  13. Impact of the Prevention Plan on Employee Health Risk Reduction

    OpenAIRE

    Loeppke, Ronald; Edington, Dee W.; Bég, Sami

    2010-01-01

    This study evaluated the impact of The Prevention Plan™ on employee health risks after 1 year of integrated primary prevention (wellness and health promotion) and secondary prevention (biometric and lab screening as well as early detection) interventions. The Prevention Plan is an innovative prevention benefit that provides members with the high-tech/high-touch support and encouragement they need to adopt healthy behaviors. Support services include 24/7 nurse hotlines, one-on-one health coach...

  14. An integrated stewardship model : Antimicrobial, infection prevention and diagnostic (AID)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dik, Jan-Willem H.; Poelman, Randy; Friedrich, Alexander W.; Panday, Prashant Nannan; Lo-Ten-Foe, Jerome R.; van Assen, Sander; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E. W. C.; Niesters, Hubert G. M.; Hendrix, Ron; Sinha, Bhanu

    2016-01-01

    Considering the threat of antimicrobial resistance and the difficulties it entails in treating infections, it is necessary to cross borders and approach infection management in an integrated, multidisciplinary manner. We propose the antimicrobial, infection prevention and diagnostic stewardship

  15. An integrated stewardship model: antimicrobial, infection prevention and diagnostic (AID)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dik, Jan-Willem H.; Poelman, Randy; Friedrich, Alexander W.; Panday, Prashant N.; Lo-Ten-Foe, Jerome R.; van Assen, Sander; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.; Niesters, Hubert G.M.; Hendrix, Ron; Sinha, Bhanu

    2015-01-01

    Considering the threat of antimicrobial resistance and the difficulties it entails in treating infections, it is necessary to cross borders and approach infection management in an integrated, multidisciplinary manner. We propose the antimicrobial, infection prevention and diagnostic stewardship

  16. Statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Fiona; Ward, Kirsten; Moore, Theresa HM; Burke, Margaret; Smith, George Davey; Casas, Juan P; Ebrahim, Shah

    2014-01-01

    Background Reducing high blood cholesterol, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in people with and without a past history of coronary heart disease (CHD) is an important goal of pharmacotherapy. Statins are the first-choice agents. Previous reviews of the effects of statins have highlighted their benefits in people with coronary artery disease. The case for primary prevention, however, is less clear. Objectives To assess the effects, both harms and benefits, of statins in people with no history of CVD. Search methods To avoid duplication of effort, we checked reference lists of previous systematic reviews. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 1, 2007), MEDLINE (2001 to March 2007) and EMBASE (2003 to March 2007). There were no language restrictions. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials of statins with minimum duration of one year and follow-up of six months, in adults with no restrictions on their total low density lipoprotein (LDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, and where 10% or less had a history of CVD, were included. Data collection and analysis Two authors independently selected studies for inclusion and extracted data. Outcomes included all cause mortality, fatal and non-fatal CHD, CVD and stroke events, combined endpoints (fatal and non-fatal CHD, CVD and stroke events), change in blood total cholesterol concentration, revascularisation, adverse events, quality of life and costs. Relative risk (RR) was calculated for dichotomous data, and for continuous data pooled weighted mean differences (with 95% confidence intervals) were calculated. Main results Fourteen randomised control trials (16 trial arms; 34,272 participants) were included. Eleven trials recruited patients with specific conditions (raised lipids, diabetes, hypertension, microalbuminuria). All-cause mortality was reduced by statins (RR 0.84, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.96) as was combined fatal and non-fatal CVD endpoints

  17. Assessing Patients' Preference for Integrating Herbal Medicine Within Primary Care Services in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allam, Safaa; Moharam, Maha; Alarfaj, Gada

    2014-07-01

    Family physician advice and follow-up may be important to reduce the negative aspects of locally marketed herbal remedies and improve the patient outcome. There is a lack of studies assessing the preference of Saudi patients for the integration of herbal medicine into primary care services. To examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of Saudi patients toward herbal medicine and its integration into primary care services. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2013 among adult patients attending the family medicine clinics at a primary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire (27 items) was developed and administered to all patients. A total of 240 patients were included in the current analysis. The average age was 33.5 ± 9.9 years, and 61% of the patients were women. Approximately 60% of the patients were aware of herbal medicine use and its possible side effects. More than 85% of the patients believed that herbal containers should be labeled with safety information. Approximately 71% of the patients had a favorable attitude toward integrated services. Approximately 65% of the patients used herbal remedies for themselves, and 42% used them for their children. Preference for integrated services was significantly associated with female sex, better knowledge, positive attitudes toward safety and regulations, and higher level of practice. A good knowledge and a very favorable attitude toward integrating herbal medicine into primary care services were found among a group of patients attending a primary care center in Saudi Arabia. © The Author(s) 2014.

  18. The Centers for Disease Control program to prevent primary and secondary disabilities in the United States.

    OpenAIRE

    Houk, V N; Thacker, S B

    1989-01-01

    The Disabilities Prevention Program builds on traditional Centers for Disease Control (CDC) strengths in public health surveillance, epidemiology, and technology transfer to State and local governments in translating the findings of research into prevention programs. The objectives of the CDC program are to provide a national focus for the prevention of primary and secondary disabilities, build capacity at the State and community levels to maintain programs to prevent disabilities, and increa...

  19. Platelet aggregation inhibitors in primary and secondary prevention of ischemic stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    von der Schulenburg, Johann-Matthias

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: The ischaemic stroke (IS is one of the most frequent cause of death in Germany. Besides of non-drug many drug-based interventions are used in primary or secondary prevention of IS, among them the thrombocyte aggregation inhibitors (TAI. Objectives: The evaluation addresses the questions on medical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the TAI administration in the prevention of IS as compared to the management of risk factors alone as well as to the use of anticoagulant drugs. Methods: The literature search for articles published after 1997 was conducted in December 2003 in the most important medical and economic databases. The medical analysis was performed on the basis of the most up-to date meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCT as well as of new published RCT. The data from the studies for stroke, bleeding complications as well as for the combined endpoint "severe vascular events" (SVE: death or stroke or myocardial infarction were summarised in meta-analyses.In order to include grey literature contact has been taken up with the pharmaceutical manufacturers of TAI. Results are presented in a descriptive way. Results: The medical analysis included data from 184 RCT (vs. placebo and from 22 RCT (vs. anticoagulant drugs. The absolute reduction of IS (4.8% vs. 6.6%; p<0,00001 and SVE (10.0% vs. 12.4%; p<0,00001 were definitely higher than the absolute increase of bleeding complications (1.6% vs. 0.9%; p<0,00001, but relatively similar to this absolute increase in a subpopulation with a low risk for SVE. With regard to the stroke prevention, evidence of efficacy could be yielded for acetylsalicil acid (ASA, dipyridamole, cilostazol, ridogrel and the combination ASA with dipyridamole. ASA is less effective than anticoagulants in the prevention of ischaemic stroke in atrial fibrillation, however, it causes fewer bleeding complications.Low dosed ASA can be considered cost-effective in secondary prevention of ischemic stroke

  20. Development of web-based integrity evaluation system for primary components in a nuclear power plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, S.M.; Kim, J.C.; Choi, J.B.; Kim, Y.J. [SAFE Research Center, Sungkyunkwan Univ., Suwon (Korea); Choi, S.N.; Jang, K.S.; Hong, S.Y. [Korea Electronic Power Research Inst., Daejeon (Korea)

    2004-07-01

    A nuclear power plant is composed of a number of primary components. Maintaining the integrity of these components is one of the most critical issues in nuclear industry. In order to maintain the integrity of these primary components, a complicated procedure is required including periodical in-service inspection, failure assessment, fracture mechanics analysis, etc. Also, experts in different fields have to co-operate to resolve the integrity issues on the basis of inspection results. This integrity evaluation process usually takes long, and thus, is detrimental for the plant productivity. Therefore, an effective safety evaluation system is essential to manage integrity issues on a nuclear power plant. In this paper, a web-based integrity evaluation system for primary components in a nuclear power plant is proposed. The proposed system, which is named as WEBIES (web-based integrity evaluation system), has been developed in the form of 3-tier system architecture. The system consists of three servers; application program server, user interface program server and data warehouse server. The application program server includes the defect acceptance analysis module and the fracture mechanics analysis module which are programmed on the basis of ASME sec. XI, appendix A. The data warehouse server provides data for the integrity evaluation including material properties, geometry information, inspection data and stress data. The user interface program server provides information to all co- workers in the field of integrity evaluation. The developed system provides engineering knowledge-based information and concurrent and collaborative working environment through internet, and thus, is expected to raise the efficiency of integrity evaluation procedures on primary components of a nuclear power plant. (orig.)

  1. Development of web-based integrity evaluation system for primary components in a nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, S.M.; Kim, J.C.; Choi, J.B.; Kim, Y.J.; Choi, S.N.; Jang, K.S.; Hong, S.Y.

    2004-01-01

    A nuclear power plant is composed of a number of primary components. Maintaining the integrity of these components is one of the most critical issues in nuclear industry. In order to maintain the integrity of these primary components, a complicated procedure is required including periodical in-service inspection, failure assessment, fracture mechanics analysis, etc. Also, experts in different fields have to co-operate to resolve the integrity issues on the basis of inspection results. This integrity evaluation process usually takes long, and thus, is detrimental for the plant productivity. Therefore, an effective safety evaluation system is essential to manage integrity issues on a nuclear power plant. In this paper, a web-based integrity evaluation system for primary components in a nuclear power plant is proposed. The proposed system, which is named as WEBIES (web-based integrity evaluation system), has been developed in the form of 3-tier system architecture. The system consists of three servers; application program server, user interface program server and data warehouse server. The application program server includes the defect acceptance analysis module and the fracture mechanics analysis module which are programmed on the basis of ASME sec. XI, appendix A. The data warehouse server provides data for the integrity evaluation including material properties, geometry information, inspection data and stress data. The user interface program server provides information to all co- workers in the field of integrity evaluation. The developed system provides engineering knowledge-based information and concurrent and collaborative working environment through internet, and thus, is expected to raise the efficiency of integrity evaluation procedures on primary components of a nuclear power plant. (orig.)

  2. Primary prevention of diabetes mellitus: current strategies and future trends

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prasanta K. Bhattacharya

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Aim of this paper is to find evidence for primary prevention of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM from epidemiological studies and clinical trials, and the feasibility of applying these interventions in resource limited countries. T2DM, which accounts for more than nine-tenths of all diabetics, results from inadequate insulin secretion or underlying insulin resistance. The prevalence of diabetes, mainly T2DM, has increased rapidly during the last few decades worldwide. Since the genetic background is unlikely to change during this short time period, the growing epidemic of T2DM is more likely due to changes in environmental or lifestyle risk factors including obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and stress. The scope and feasibility for primary prevention of T2DM is based on elimination of these risk factors. This evidence that T2DM is preventable comes from epidemiologic studies and clinical trials of effect of lifestyle changes and drugs in development of T2DM. The positive effects are more profound and safer with lifestyle modifications (LSM compared to medications. This is shown to be effective globally, across various ethnicities and races and sustainable on long-term follow-up. However, there is a major challenge in translating this evidence into economically viable and sustained community programs, as these LSM interventions are expensive, even from western standards point of view. Future plan should focus on health education of the public, improving the national capacity to detect and manage the environmental risks including strategies to reduce stress, and development of innovative, cost effective, and scalable methodologies.

  3. Integrated Assessment of Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bautista, S.; Orr, B. J.; Vallejo, R.

    2009-12-01

    Recent advances in desertification and land degradation research have provided valuable conceptual and analytical frameworks, degradation indicators, assessment tools and surveillance systems with respect to desertification drivers, processes, and impacts. These findings, together with stakeholders’ perceptions and local/regional knowledge, have helped to define and propose measures and strategies to combat land degradation. However, integrated and comprehensive assessment and evaluation of prevention and restoration strategies and techniques to combat desertification is still lacking, and knowledge on the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the proposed strategies over a wide range of environmental and socio-economic conditions is very scarce. To address this challenge, we have launched a multinational project (PRACTICE - Prevention and Restoration Actions to Combat Desertification. An Integrated Assessment), funded by the European Commission, in order to link S & T advances and traditional knowledge on prevention and restoration practices to combat desertification with sound implementation, learning and adaptive management, knowledge sharing, and dissemination of best practices. The key activities for pursuing this goal are (1) to establish a platform and information system of long-term monitoring sites for assessing sustainable management and actions to combat desertification, (2) to define an integrated protocol for the assessment of these actions, and (3) to link project assessment and evaluation with training and education, adaptive management, and knowledge sharing and dissemination through a participatory approach involving scientists, managers, technicians, financial officers, and members of the public who are/were impacted by the desertification control projects. Monitoring sites are distributed in the Mediterranean Europe (Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal), Africa (Morocco, Namibia, South Africa), Middle East (Israel), China, and South and North

  4. Primary prevention and screening practices among long-term breast cancer survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandelzweig, Lori; Chetrit, Angela; Amitai, Tova; Silverman, Barbara; Siegelmann-Danieli, Nava; Sadetzki, Siegal

    2017-07-01

    Parallel to increasing survival of breast cancer (BC) patients, a need has arisen to characterize the follow-up required to improve and maintain their health. Our study aimed to assess changes in lifestyle habits over time among the study population, compare compliance rates of selected primary and secondary prevention practices between long-term BC survivors and an age-matched comparison group, and identify factors associated with compliance to these practices. The study population comprised 250 Israeli BC survivors, diagnosed with BC between 1999 and 2003, without evidence of disease after 8-12 years, and 250 women with no cancer history, individually matched to survivors by age and area of residence. Data collection and analysis were conducted during August 2012-June 2015 and included socio-demographic variables, lifestyle habits, health promotion by the family physician, and participation in screening procedures and prevention measures. Higher performance rates of mammography and colonoscopy among BC survivors were observed, as well as a greater likelihood of receiving an influenza vaccine and undergoing a bone mineral density scan (adjusted-ORs: 7.7, 1.48, 1.42, and 2.59, respectively) compared to controls. Factors identified with compliance to selected practices were age, higher levels of education and income, never smoking, and strenuous physical activity. The survivors adopted healthier lifestyles, which were similar to those of women who never had cancer. About 10 years after BC diagnosis, the survivors generally comply with primary and secondary prevention practices.

  5. Prevention of infection in children and adolescents with primary immunodeficiency disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadopoulou-Alataki, Efimia; Hassan, Amel; Davies, E Graham

    2012-12-01

    Primary Immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs) are a heterogenous group of inherited disorders that may involve one or multiple components of the immune system. PIDs are uncommon, chronic and severe disorders, in which patients cannot mount a sufficiently protective immune response, leading to an increased susceptibility to infections. This review addresses the current practices for the prevention of infection in children and adolescents with PIDs, particular covering immunisations and antimicrobial prophylaxis. Over recent years, there have been major advances in molecular and cellular understanding in the field of PIDs. Many different disorders are recognised with variable spectra of infection susceptibility depending on the particular aspects of the immune response that are affected. Immunoglobulin prophylaxis is the mainstay of treatment for PIDs and provides passive protection. Prophylactic antimicrobials are efficacious in children and adolescents with predominant defects in primary T cell immunodeficiency diseases and phagocytic disorders, and also with predominant defects in antibody production. Prophylactic antibiotics are suggested for patients with antibody deficiency diseases if recurrent infections exceed three per year, if severe infections occur despite adequate immunoglobulin replacement and in hypogammaglobulinaemic patients who have bronchiectasis. Certain immunisations are effective in antibody deficiencies, T cell deficiencies, complement deficiencies and phagocytic disorders. There are remarkably few published data relating to clinical management aimed at preventing infectious complications in children and adolescents with PIDs. The cornerstones of the prevention of infection in most PID patients are: antimicrobial prophylaxis, appropriate vaccination, immunoglobulin replacement, for the more severe cases, and regular ongoing follow-up.

  6. Special Operations can make a difference in integrated conflict prevention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Lars H. Ehrensvärd

    The fifth brief in the series about special operations highlights the possible strategic role of special operations in connection with Denmark's revitalized vision of integration of the state's instruments to create security through preventive stabilization efforts. The brief offers suggestion...

  7. Coronary artery disease - strategies for primary prevention in Pakistan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, M.H.

    2000-01-01

    Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death among middle aged and elderly population. The increase in prevalence of coronary artery disease in Pakistan, has also involved the younger population and about 30% of the patients of coronary artery disease are below the age of 40 years. It seems that with this high prevalence of coronary artery disease, we will be entering in the new millennium with coronary artery disease as number one killer in young adults in Pakistan. This is the time, though belated, we must embark on strategies for primary prevention of this disease so that we are able to reduce the incidence of the disease and the economic burden it entails on the national exchequer. Before suggesting the strategies for the prevention of coronary artery disease in Pakistan, let us briefly review the significance of modifiable risk factors for coronary artery disease. Several studies have been found a significant relationship between physical inactivity and coronary artery disease. (A.B./orig.)

  8. Primary prevention of cardio-metabolic diseases in general practice: a Dutch survey of attitudes and working methods of general practitioners.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nielen, M.M.J.; Assendelft, W.J.J.; Drenthen, A.J.M.; Hombergh, P. van den; Dis, I. van; Schellevis, F.G.

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: To study the attitudes and working methods of general practitioners (GPs) in primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney diseases. METHODS: A questionnaire with questions about attitude and working methods in the primary prevention of

  9. Nursing competency standards in primary health care: an integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halcomb, Elizabeth; Stephens, Moira; Bryce, Julianne; Foley, Elizabeth; Ashley, Christine

    2016-05-01

    This paper reports an integrative review of the literature on nursing competency standards for nurses working in primary health care and, in particular, general practice. Internationally, there is growing emphasis on building a strong primary health care nursing workforce to meet the challenges of rising chronic and complex disease. However, there has been limited emphasis on examining the nursing workforce in this setting. Integrative review. A comprehensive search of relevant electronic databases using keywords (e.g. 'competencies', 'competen*' and 'primary health care', 'general practice' and 'nurs*') was combined with searching of the Internet using the Google scholar search engine. Experts were approached to identify relevant grey literature. Key websites were also searched and the reference lists of retrieved sources were followed up. The search focussed on English language literature published since 2000. Limited published literature reports on competency standards for nurses working in general practice and primary health care. Of the literature that is available, there are differences in the reporting of how the competency standards were developed. A number of common themes were identified across the included competency standards, including clinical practice, communication, professionalism and health promotion. Many competency standards also included teamwork, education, research/evaluation, information technology and the primary health care environment. Given the potential value of competency standards, further work is required to develop and test robust standards that can communicate the skills and knowledge required of nurses working in primary health care settings to policy makers, employers, other health professionals and consumers. Competency standards are important tools for communicating the role of nurses to consumers and other health professionals, as well as defining this role for employers, policy makers and educators. Understanding the content

  10. Integrated Current Balancing Transformer for Primary Parallel Isolated Boost Converter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sen, Gökhan; Ouyang, Ziwei; Thomsen, Ole Cornelius

    2011-01-01

    A simple, PCB compatible integrated solution is proposed for the current balancing requirement of the primary parallel isolated boost converter (PPIBC). Input inductor and the current balancing transformer are merged into the same core, which reduces the number of components allowing a cheaper...

  11. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated cardiometabolic risk assessment and treatment program in primary care (the INTEGRATE study).

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stol, D.; Badenbroek, I.; Hollander, M.; Nielen, M.; Schellevis, F.; Wit, N. de

    2014-01-01

    The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated cardiometabolic risk assessment and treatment program in primary care (the INTEGRATE study): a stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial protocol. Rationale: The increasing prevalence of cardiometabolic disease (CMD), including cardiovascular

  12. The informatics capability maturity of integrated primary care centres in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liaw, Siaw-Teng; Kearns, Rachael; Taggart, Jane; Frank, Oliver; Lane, Riki; Tam, Michael; Dennis, Sarah; Walker, Christine; Russell, Grant; Harris, Mark

    2017-09-01

    Integrated primary care requires systems and service integration along with financial incentives to promote downward substitution to a single entry point to care. Integrated Primary Care Centres (IPCCs) aim to improve integration by co-location of health services. The Informatics Capability Maturity (ICM) describes how well health organisations collect, manage and share information; manage eHealth technology, implementation, change, data quality and governance; and use "intelligence" to improve care. Describe associations of ICM with systems and service integration in IPCCs. Mixed methods evaluation of IPCCs in metropolitan and rural Australia: an enhanced general practice, four GP Super Clinics, a "HealthOne" (private-public partnership) and a Community Health Centre. Data collection methods included self-assessed ICM, document review, interviews, observations in practice and assessment of electronic health record data. Data was analysed and compared across IPCCs. The IPCCs demonstrated a range of funding models, ownership, leadership, organisation and ICM. Digital tools were used with varying effectiveness to collect, use and share data. Connectivity was problematic, requiring "work-arounds" to communicate and share information. The lack of technical, data and software interoperability standards, clinical coding and secure messaging were barriers to data collection, integration and sharing. Strong leadership and governance was important for successful implementation of robust and secure eHealth systems. Patient engagement with eHealth tools was suboptimal. ICM is positively associated with integration of data, systems and care. Improved ICM requires a health workforce with eHealth competencies; technical, semantic and software standards; adequate privacy and security; and good governance and leadership. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Bridging the gap between public health and primary care in prevention of cardiometabolic diseases: background of and experiences with the Prevention Consultation in The Netherlands.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Assendelft, W.J.J.; Nielen, M.M.J.; Hettinga, D.M.; Meer, V. van der; Vliet, M. van; Drenthen, A.J.M.; Schellevis, F.G.; Oosterhout, M.J.W. van

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There is an increasing need for programmatic prevention of cardiometabolic diseases (cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease). Therefore, in the Netherlands, a prevention programme linked to primary care has been developed. This initiative was supported by the

  14. Clinician perceptions and patient experiences of antiretroviral treatment integration in primary health care clinics, Tshwane, South Africa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maphuthego D. Mathibe

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Primary Health Care (PHC clinicians and patients are major role players in the South African antiretroviral treatment programme. Understanding their perceptions and experiences of integrated care and the management of people living with HIV and AIDS in PHC facilities is necessary for successful implementation and sustainability of integration. Objective: This study explored clinician perceptions and patient experiences of integration of antiretroviral treatment in PHC clinics. Method: An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted in four city of Tshwane PHC facilities. Two urban and two rural facilities following different models of integration were included. A self-administered questionnaire with open-ended items was completed by 35 clinicians and four focus group interviews were conducted with HIV-positive patients. The data were coded and categories were grouped into sub-themes and themes. Results: Workload, staff development and support for integration affected clinicians’ performance and viewpoints. They perceived promotion of privacy, reduced discrimination and increased access to comprehensive care as benefits of service integration. Delays, poor patient care and patient dissatisfaction were viewed as negative aspects of integration. In three facilities patients were satisfied with integration or semi-integration and felt common queues prevented stigma and discrimination, whilst the reverse was true in the facility with separate services. Single-month issuance of antiretroviral drugs and clinic schedule organisation was viewed negatively, as well as poor staff attitudes, poor communication and long waiting times. Conclusion: Although a fully integrated service model is preferable, aspects that need further attention are management support from health authorities for health facilities, improved working conditions and appropriate staff development opportunities.

  15. The use of guideline recommended beta-blocker therapy in primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ruwald, Anne Christine; Gislason, Gunnar Hilmar; Vinther, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Aims: We aimed to examine the use of guideline recommended beta-blocker therapy prior to and after primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation in a 'real-life' setting. Methods and results: From the Danish Pacemaker and ICD Registry we identified all 1st-time prim......Aims: We aimed to examine the use of guideline recommended beta-blocker therapy prior to and after primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation in a 'real-life' setting. Methods and results: From the Danish Pacemaker and ICD Registry we identified all 1st......-time primary prevention ICD and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) implantations in Denmark from 2007-12 (n = 2935). Use of beta-blocker, type and dose was acquired through the Danish Prescription Registry. According to guideline recommendations, we defined target daily doses as ≥50 mg...... carvedilol and ≥200 mg metoprolol. Prior to implantation 2427 of 2935 (83%) patients received beta-blocker therapy, with 2166 patients (89%) having initiated treatment 3 months or more prior to implantation. The majority of patients was prescribed carvedilol (52%) or metoprolol (41%). Patients on carvedilol...

  16. Public perceptions of the causes and prevention of obesity among primary school children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hardus, P.M.; Vuuren, van C.L.; Crawford, D.; Worsley, A.

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate lay perceptions of the causes and prevention of obesity among primary school children. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey of randomly selected sample of adults in a shopping centre. SUBJECTS: 315 adults in Melbourne, Australia. MEASUREMENTS: Subjects completed a

  17. Obstacles to the Primary and Secondary Prevention of Breast Cancer in African-American Women

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hargreaves, Margaret

    1997-01-01

    Study objectives are to develop a quantitative assessment tool to describe barriers to primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer, to use this tool to establish preliminary norms in an urban...

  18. Combining Primary Prevention and Risk Reduction Approaches in Sexual Assault Protection Programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menning, Chadwick; Holtzman, Mellisa

    2015-01-01

    Objective: The object of this study is to extend prior evaluations of Elemental, a sexual assault protection program that combines primary prevention and risk reduction strategies within a single program. Participants and Methods: During 2012 and 2013, program group and control group students completed pretest, posttest, and 6-week and 6-month…

  19. Toward Primary Prevention of Asthma. Reviewing the Evidence for Early-Life Respiratory Viral Infections as Modifiable Risk Factors to Prevent Childhood Asthma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldman, Amy S.; He, Yuan; Moore, Martin L.; Hershenson, Marc B.

    2015-01-01

    A first step in primary disease prevention is identifying common, modifiable risk factors that contribute to a significant proportion of disease development. Infant respiratory viral infection and childhood asthma are the most common acute and chronic diseases of childhood, respectively. Common clinical features and links between these diseases have long been recognized, with early-life respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus (RV) lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) being strongly associated with increased asthma risk. However, there has long been debate over the role of these respiratory viruses in asthma inception. In this article, we systematically review the evidence linking early-life RSV and RV LRTIs with asthma inception and whether they could therefore be targets for primary prevention efforts. PMID:25369458

  20. Vitamin K for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartley, Louise; Clar, Christine; Ghannam, Obadah; Flowers, Nadine; Stranges, Saverio; Rees, Karen

    2015-09-21

    A deficiency in vitamin K has been associated with increased calcium deposition and coronary artery calcification, which may lead to cardiovascular disease. To determine the effectiveness of vitamin K supplementation as a single nutrient supplement for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. We searched the following electronic databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, Issue 8 of 12, 2014); MEDLINE (Ovid, 1946 to September week 2 2014); EMBASE Classic + EMBASE (Ovid, 1947 to September 18 2014); Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) and Conference Proceedings Citation Index, Science (CPCI-S) (both 1990 to 17 September 2014) on Web of Science (Thomson Reuters); Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE); Health Technology Assessment Database and Health Economics Evaluations Database (Issue 3 of 4, 2014). We searched trial registers and reference lists of reviews for further studies. We applied no language restrictions. We included randomised controlled trials of vitamin K supplementation as a single nutrient supplement, lasting at least three months, and involving healthy adults or adults at high risk of cardiovascular disease. The comparison group was no intervention or placebo. The outcomes of interest were cardiovascular disease clinical events and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Two review authors independently selected trials for inclusion, abstracted the data and assessed the risk of bias. We included only one small trial (60 participants randomised) which overall was judged to be at low risk of bias. The study examined two doses of menaquinone (vitamin K2) over 3 months in healthy participants aged 40 to 65 years. The primary focus of the trial was to examine the effects of menaquinone (subtype MK7) on different matrix Gla proteins (MGP - vitamin K dependent proteins in the vessel wall) at different doses, but the authors also reported blood pressure and lipid levels. The trial did not report on our

  1. The need for integrated pollution prevention control of the environment concerning industrial and power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trpevska T, Magdalena; Kostova, Brankitsa

    2008-01-01

    Within the Low on the Environment, Regulations of the Directive 96/61/Eu regarding Integrated Pollution Prevention Control are implemented. The Low significantly changes the manner of industrial plants operation in reference to environmental protection. The study presents description of the system for Integrated Pollution Prevention Control, list of production branches to which this system refers, and as well as experiences of Tehnolab Ltd, Skopje - expert consulting company, concerning preparation of A and B Integrated Environmental Permits for several installation from R. Macedonia.(Author)

  2. Developing the Botswana Primary Care Guideline: an integrated, symptom-based primary care guideline for the adult patient in a resource-limited setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsima BM

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Billy M Tsima,1 Vincent Setlhare,1 Oathokwa Nkomazana2 1Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, 2Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana Background: Botswana’s health care system is based on a primary care model. Various national guidelines exist for specific diseases. However, most of the guidelines address management at a tertiary level and often appear nonapplicable for the limited resources in primary care facilities. An integrated symptom-based guideline was developed so as to translate the Botswana national guidelines to those applicable in primary care. The Botswana Primary Care Guideline (BPCG integrates the care of communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS and noncommunicable diseases, by frontline primary health care workers.Methods: The Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, together with guideline developers from the Knowledge Translation Unit (University of Cape Town collaborated with the Ministry of Health to develop the guideline. Stakeholder groups were set up to review specific content of the guideline to ensure compliance with Botswana government policy and the essential drug list.Results: Participants included clinicians, academics, patient advocacy groups, and policymakers from different disciplines, both private and public. Drug-related issues were identified as necessary for implementing recommendations of the guideline. There was consensus by working groups for updating the essential drug list for primary care and expansion of prescribing rights of trained nurse prescribers in primary care within their scope of practice. An integrated guideline incorporating common symptoms of diseases seen in the Botswana primary care setting was developed.Conclusion: The development of the BPCG took a broad consultative approach with buy in from relevant stakeholders. It is anticipated that implementation of the BPCG will translate into better

  3. The failure of suicide prevention in primary care: family and GP perspectives - a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leavey, Gerard; Mallon, Sharon; Rondon-Sulbaran, Janeet; Galway, Karen; Rosato, Michael; Hughes, Lynette

    2017-11-21

    Although Primary care is crucial for suicide prevention, clinicians tend to report completed suicides in their care as non-preventable. We aimed to examine systemic inadequacies in suicide prevention from the perspectives of bereaved family members and GPs. Qualitative study of 72 relatives or close friends bereaved by suicide and 19 General Practitioners who have experienced the suicide of patients. Relatives highlight failures in detecting symptoms and behavioral changes and the inability of GPs to understand the needs of patients and their social contexts. A perceived overreliance on anti-depressant treatment is a major source of criticism by family members. GPs tend to lack confidence in the recognition and management of suicidal patients, and report structural inadequacies in service provision. Mental health and primary care services must find innovative and ethical ways to involve families in the decision-making process for patients at risk of suicide.

  4. Stress Prevention@Work : A study protocol for the evaluation of a multifaceted integral stress prevention strategy to prevent employee stress in a healthcare organization: a cluster controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoek, R.J.A.; Havermans, B.M.; Houtman, I.L.D.; Brouwers, E.P.M.; Heerkens, Y.F.; Zijlstra-vlasveld, M.C.; Anema, J.R.; van der Beek, A.J.; Boot, C.R.L.

    2018-01-01

    Adequate implementation of work-related stress management interventions can reduce or prevent work-related stress and sick leave in organizations. We developed a multifaceted integral stress-prevention strategy for organizations from several sectors that includes a digital platform and collaborative

  5. Stress Prevention@Work: a study protocol for the evaluation of a multifaceted integral stress prevention strategy to prevent employee stress in a healthcare organization: a cluster controlled trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoek, R.J.A.; Havermans, B.M.; Houtman, I.L.D.; Brouwers, E.P.M.; Heerkens, Y.F.; Zijlstra-Vlasveld, M.C.; Anema, J.R.; Beek, A.J. van der; Boot, C.R.L.

    2017-01-01

    Background. Adequate implementation of work-related stress management interventions can reduce or prevent work-related stress and sick leave in organizations. We developed a multifaceted integral stress-prevention strategy for organizations from several sectors that includes a digital platform and

  6. First Consensus on Primary Prevention and Early Intervention in Aesthetic Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landau, Marina; Anand, Chytra V; Besins, Thierry; Chao, Yates Yen Yu; Fabi, Sabrina Guillen; Gout, Uliana; Kerscher, Martina; Pavicic, Tatjana; Peng, Peter Hsien Li; Rzany, Berthold; Sattler, Gerhard; Tiryaki, Tunk; Waldorf, Heidi A; Braz, Andre

    2017-09-01

    Facial aging is a complex interplay of extrinsic and intrinsic factors leading to progressive changes in the skin, subcutaneous tissue, and bone. Clinical experience suggests that early aesthetic intervention may slow the signs of aging, but treatment in the absence of symptoms or with minimal signs of aging has not yet been properly addressed. To provide treatment recommendations for primary prevention and early intervention in individuals with no or minimal signs of aging. Fourteen specialists in aesthetic medicine convened over a full-day meeting under the guidance of a certified moderator. Tailored treatment recommendations have been provided for prevention and early intervention of fine wrinkles, static lines and folds, irregular pigmentation, laxity, and subcutaneous volume loss by protecting the epidermis, stimulating neocollagenesis, reducing hyperkinetic musculature, and reinforcing supporting structures. Preventive measures and early therapeutic interventions that may alter the course of facial aging were defined. Further studies are needed to support these recommendations with the best possible evidence. J Drugs Dermatol. 2017;16(9):846-854..

  7. Spatial integration in mouse primary visual cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaiceliunaite, Agne; Erisken, Sinem; Franzen, Florian; Katzner, Steffen; Busse, Laura

    2013-08-01

    Responses of many neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) are suppressed by stimuli exceeding the classical receptive field (RF), an important property that might underlie the computation of visual saliency. Traditionally, it has proven difficult to disentangle the underlying neural circuits, including feedforward, horizontal intracortical, and feedback connectivity. Since circuit-level analysis is particularly feasible in the mouse, we asked whether neural signatures of spatial integration in mouse V1 are similar to those of higher-order mammals and investigated the role of parvalbumin-expressing (PV+) inhibitory interneurons. Analogous to what is known from primates and carnivores, we demonstrate that, in awake mice, surround suppression is present in the majority of V1 neurons and is strongest in superficial cortical layers. Anesthesia with isoflurane-urethane, however, profoundly affects spatial integration: it reduces the laminar dependency, decreases overall suppression strength, and alters the temporal dynamics of responses. We show that these effects of brain state can be parsimoniously explained by assuming that anesthesia affects contrast normalization. Hence, the full impact of suppressive influences in mouse V1 cannot be studied under anesthesia with isoflurane-urethane. To assess the neural circuits of spatial integration, we targeted PV+ interneurons using optogenetics. Optogenetic depolarization of PV+ interneurons was associated with increased RF size and decreased suppression in the recorded population, similar to effects of lowering stimulus contrast, suggesting that PV+ interneurons contribute to spatial integration by affecting overall stimulus drive. We conclude that the mouse is a promising model for circuit-level mechanisms of spatial integration, which relies on the combined activity of different types of inhibitory interneurons.

  8. Representación social de la prevención de enfermedades en la atención primaria de salud Social consideration related to diseases prevention in health primary care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariela Rodríguez Méndez

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCCIÓN: el plan del Médico de Familia está instaurado hace más de 20 años para prevenir enfermedades y promover salud; sin embargo, los resultados no se corresponden aún con lo esperado. La forma en que los profesionales de la Atención Primaria de la Salud se representan y practican la prevención pudiera condicionar tal problema. OBJETIVO: explorar la relación de las representaciones sociales del profesional de la salud en la Atención Primaria de la Salud con sus prácticas preventivas cotidianas. MÉTODOS: cualitativos, aplicando las técnicas de entrevista, observación y análisis de contenido a la Revista Cubana de Medicina General Integral. RESULTADOS: los profesionales de la Atención Primaria de la Salud se representan la prevención de enfermedades esencialmente como la ejecución de acciones orientadas por programas e informar a la población sobre las pautas de conducta a seguir. Aunque se manifestó una actitud favorable hacia la prevención en sí, se quejan de sobrecarga laboral y las condiciones de trabajo en este nivel de atención. CONCLUSIONES: las representaciones de la prevención de enfermedades y las prácticas preventivas en Atención Primaria de la Salud son complementarias, puesto que la práctica preventiva en este nivel de atención se caracteriza por realizar lo exigido por los programas, sobre todo, si son priorizados, así como por informar sobre las pautas de conductas preventivas.INTRODUCTION: family Physician program was established twenty years ago to prevent diseases and to promote the health; however, results are not as expected. How the Health Primary Care professionals consider and practice the prevention could fit such problem. AIM: to explore the relation of social consideration of health professional in Health Primary Care with their daily preventive practices. METHODS: qualitative types applying the interview, observation, and content analysis techniques to Cuban Journal of General

  9. Physical Activity and Nutrition in Primary and Tertiary Prevention of Colorectal Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenberg, Michael H

    2016-06-01

    Lifestyle factors play a pivotal role in the primary and tertiary prevention of colorectal cancer. The purpose of this review article is to summarize data concerning the effect of the lifestyle factors physical activity (PA) and nutrition in primary and, more importantly, tertiary prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). Focusing on the influence of lifestyle factors on prognosis und quality of life (QOL), a comprehensive literature search of clinical studies published mainly in the years 2000 until 2015 was performed and the current knowledge based on these clinical studies reviewed. Besides avoiding risk factors (such as smoking and overindulgence in alcohol), healthy weight, regular and moderate PA as well as a diet which contains fruit, vegetables, poultry, and fish (so-called 'Mediterranean' diet) may reduce the risk of the disease significantly. Patients already diagnosed with CRC can also actively improve the prognosis of CRC and QOL by changing their lifestyle. Patients commencing moderate exercise and modifying their eating habits in terms of a 'Mediterranean' diet can reduce cancer-specific and overall mortality by up to 40% and significantly increase their quality of life already during chemotherapy. Therefore, moderate physical exercise, calorie restriction, and a Mediterranean dietary pattern for patients with CRC should be recommended by physicians treating these patients. In fact, the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR/WCRF) systematic literature review from 2007 shows that the lifestyle changes recommended after diagnosis are the same for primary prevention of this disease. Lifestyle changes such as moderate PA and a Mediterranean diet significantly improve the QOL as well as the prognosis of patients suffering from colorectal disease. However, the effect of lifestyle changes is mostly based on observational studies, while only few studies are prospective and none are randomized. Therefore, these observational

  10. Decline in Coronary Mortality in Sweden between 1986 and 2002: Comparing Contributions from Primary and Secondary Prevention.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lena Björck

    Full Text Available The relative importance of risk factor reduction in healthy people (primary prevention versus that in patients with coronary heart disease (secondary prevention has been debated. We aimed to quantify the contribution of the two.We used the previously validated IMPACT model to estimate contributions from primary prevention (reducing risk factors in the population, particularly smoking, cholesterol and systolic blood pressure and from secondary prevention (reducing risk factors in coronary heart disease patients in the Swedish population.Between 1986 and 2002, about 8,690 fewer deaths were related to changes in the three major risk factors. Population cholesterol fell by 0.64 mmol/L, with approximately 5,210 fewer deaths attributable to diet changes (4,470 in healthy people740 in patients. plus 810 to statin treatment (200 in healthy people, 610 in patients. Overall smoking prevalence decreased by 10.3%, resulting in 1,195 fewer deaths, attributable to smoking cessation (595 in healthy people, 600 in patients. Mean population systolic blood pressure fell by 2.6 mmHg, resulting in 900 fewer deaths (865 in healthy people, 35 in patients, plus 575 fewer deaths attributable to antihypertensive medication in healthy people. The majority of falls in deaths attributable to risk factors occurred in people without known heart disease: 6,705 fewer deaths compared with 1,985 fewer deaths in patients (secondary prevention, emphasizing the importance of promoting health interventions in the general population.The largest effects on mortality came from primary prevention, giving markedly larger mortality reductions than secondary prevention.

  11. Integration of oral health in primary health care through motivational interviewing for mothers of young children: A pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batra, Manu; Shah, Aasim Farooq; Virtanen, Jorma I

    2018-01-01

    Early childhood caries (ECC) continues to affect children worldwide. In India, primary health centers (PHCs) comprises the primary tier where Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) provide integrated curative and preventive health care. The aim of the study was to pilot test the integration of oral health in primary health care through motivational interviewing (MI) for mothers of young children provided by ASHAs. The pilot study was conducted in Kashipur, Uttarakhand. From the six PHCs in Kashipur, three were randomly selected, one each was assigned to MI group, traditional health education group, and control group. From 60 mothers with 8-12 months child, ASHAs of all three groups gathered mother's knowledge regarding child's oral health using close-ended questionnaire and diagnosed clinical risk markers of ECC in children and ASHAs of Group A and B imparted the oral health education as per their training. The comparison of ASHA's performances on the MI training competency pre- and post-test showed an overall average of 74% improvement in post-test scores. Interexaminer reliability of the parallel clinical measurements by 6 ASHAs and the investigator for the maxillary central incisors showed 93% of agreement for both dental plaque and dental caries assessment with 0.86 and 0.89 kappa values, respectively. The health education through MI is feasible and can be cost-effective by utilization of ASHAs at PHCs to provide the oral health education to mothers which will in turn improve the oral health status of children.

  12. Primary stroke prevention and hypertension treatment: which is the first-line strategy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravenni, Roberta; Jabre, Joe F; Casiglia, Edoardo; Mazza, Alberto

    2011-07-05

    Hypertension (HT) is considered the main classic vascular risk factor for stroke and the importance of lowering blood pressure (BP) is well established. However, not all the benefit of antihypertensive treatment is due to BP reduction per se, as the effect of reducing the risk of stroke differs among classes of antihypertensive agents. Extensive evidences support that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCB) and thiazide diuretics each reduced risk of stroke compared with placebo or no treatment. Therefore, when combination therapy is required, a combination of these antihypertensive classes represents a logical approach. Despite the efficacy of antihypertensive therapy a large proportion of the population, still has undiagnosed or inadequately treated HT, and remain at high risk of stroke. In primary stroke prevention current guidelines recommend a systolic/diastolic BP goal of market of the fixed-dose combination (FDC) of ACEI or ARB and CCB should provide a better control of BP. However to confirm the efficacy of the FDC in primary stroke prevention, clinical intervention trials are needed.

  13. "What about FH of my child?" parents' opinion on family history collection in preventive primary pediatric care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Syurina, Elena V; Gerritsen, Anne-Marie Jm; Hens, Kristien; Feron, Frans Jm

    2015-08-01

    Family history (FH) in Preventive Primary Pediatric Care is to identify children at risk for complex diseases and provide personal preventive strategies. This study was to assess parents' opinion on FH collection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Among issues addressed were: former experiences with FH, knowledge about FH, family definition and sharing information about FH. The importance of FH for participants depended on their knowledge, perceived family health status and former experiences. After insight into FH, parents shift to believing it to be important, but certain barriers exist in reporting FH. Parents suggest that the importance of FH should be more emphasized and more trusting relationship with Preventive Primary Pediatric Care should be invested in.

  14. [Role and integration of technical prevention figures in the management system].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartolucci, G B; Santantonio, P; Casciani, M; Dagazzini, I

    2010-01-01

    The multifarious issues of health and safety at work require multi-disciplinary skills, both in the risk assessment and in the subsequent definition and management of preventive measures, and this requires a renewed operational protocol that supports integration and co-operation between the technical prevention figures. Thus, between occupational physicians and technical advisers there should be a concrete and fruitful interaction, which should not be episodic or occasional, but a modus operandi systematic and constant. In this contribution is discussed as the technical prevention figures should be included in the Health and Safety Management System and should make a specific contribution in defining corporate policies on prevention. In particular it is outlined the role that the occupational physician may play in the development of prevention and health promotion activities within the strategies of corporate social responsibility.

  15. Contemporary Primary Prevention Aspirin Use by Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Impact of US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations, 2007-2015: A Serial, Cross-sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van't Hof, Jeremy R; Duval, Sue; Walts, Adrienne; Kopecky, Stephen L; Luepker, Russell V; Hirsch, Alan T

    2017-10-03

    No previous study has evaluated the impact of past US Preventive Services Task Force statements on primary prevention (PP) aspirin use in a primary care setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate temporal changes in PP aspirin use in a primary care population, stratifying patients by their 10-year global cardiovascular disease risk, in response to the 2009 statement. This study estimated biannual aspirin use prevalence using electronic health record data from primary care clinics within the Fairview Health System (Minnesota) from 2007 to 2015. A total of 94 270 patient encounters had complete data to estimate a 10-year cardiovascular disease risk score using the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association global risk estimator. Patients were stratified into low- (aspirin use averaged 43%. When stratified by low, intermediate and high risk, average PP aspirin use was 41%, 63%, and 73%, respectively. Average PP aspirin use decreased after the publication of the 2009 US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement: from 45% to 40% in the low-risk group; from 66% to 62% in the intermediate-risk group; and from 76% to 73% in the high-risk group, before and after the guideline. Publication of the 2009 US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation was not associated with an increase in aspirin use. High risk PP patients utilized aspirin at high rates. Patients at intermediate risk were less intensively treated, and patients at low risk used aspirin at relatively high rates. These data may inform future aspirin guideline dissemination. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  16. "Just dreaming of them": The Berlin Project for Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse by Juveniles (PPJ).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beier, Klaus M; Oezdemir, Umut C; Schlinzig, Eliza; Groll, Anna; Hupp, Elena; Hellenschmidt, Tobias

    2016-02-01

    The Berlin Project for Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse by Juveniles (PPJ) offers diagnostic and therapeutic help to 12-to-18-year-old juveniles with a sexual preference for the prepubescent and/or early pubescent body of children and who apply for treatment on a voluntary basis. The project goal is to prevent primary or recurrent child sexual abuse as well as primary or recurrent use of child abuse images. Treatment aims to enable affected juveniles to obtain control over their conflictual sexual behaviors. In the present article, the origin of the PPJ; its main approach, including the conception of a media campaign; as well as results from the first year of a three-year study are presented. Further, initial characterizations of juveniles taking part in the project for the first 12 months are provided. The results confirmed that the group of 12-to-18-year-old juveniles with a sexual preference for prepubescent and/or early pubescent minors exists as a target group for primary preventive measures and that they can be assessed for their sexual preferences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effect of supervised brushing with fluoride gel during primary school, taking into account the group prevention schedule in kindergarten.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winter, Julia; Jablonski-Momeni, Anahita; Ladda, Annett; Pieper, Klaus

    2017-07-01

    In one region of Germany, a group of children took part in regular fluoride gel applications during primary school following intensified prevention in kindergarten. This observational study aimed to ascertain whether the dental health of primary school children can be improved by introducing a group prevention program based on applications of fluoride gel. The subjects were distributed among six groups with varying preventive measures in kindergarten and at school. The basis for determining caries experience and calculating the caries increment consisted of dental findings gathered in the second and fourth grade. While second graders without professionally supported daily toothbrushing in kindergarten exhibited an average d 3 -6 mft of 2.17, in those who had enjoyed intensive dental prevention, the corresponding value was 19% lower (d 3-6 mft = 1.74). The caries increment was significantly lower mainly among children who had received the maximum of group prevention (intensive prevention in kindergarten and gel program at school). The results show that intensified preventive programs in kindergartens and schools, based mainly on supervised toothbrushing, have a positive effect on the dental health of primary school children. Such programs are efficient in reducing caries experience especially in socially deprived areas.

  18. Optimizing production and imperfect preventive maintenance planning's integration in failure-prone manufacturing systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aghezzaf, El-Houssaine; Khatab, Abdelhakim; Tam, Phuoc Le

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates the issue of integrating production and maintenance planning in a failure-prone manufacturing system. It is assumed that the system's operating state is stochastically predictable, in terms of its operating age, and that it can accordingly be preventively maintained during preplanned periods. Preventive maintenance is assumed to be imperfect, that is when performed, it brings the manufacturing system to an operating state that lies between ‘as bad as old’ and ‘as good as new’. Only an overhauling of the system brings it to a ‘as good as new’ operating state again. A practical integrated production and preventive maintenance planning model, that takes into account the system's manufacturing capacity and its operational reliability state, is developed. The model is naturally formulated as a mixed-integer non-linear optimization problem, for which an extended mixed-integer linear reformulation is proposed. This reformulation, while it solves the proposed integrated planning problem to optimality, remains quite demanding in terms of computational time. A fix-and-optimize procedure, that takes advantage of some properties of the original model, is then proposed. The reformulation and the fix-and-optimize procedure are tested on some test instances adapted from those available in the literature. The results show that the proposed fix-and-optimize procedure performs quite well and opens new research direction for future improvements. - Highlights: • Integration of production planning and imperfect preventive maintenance is explored. • Imperfect maintenance is modeled using a fitting age reduction hybrid hazard rate. • A practical approximate optimization model for this integration is proposed. • The resulting naturally MINL optimization model is reformulated and solved as a MILP. • An effective fix-and-optimize procedure is proposed for large instances of this MILP.

  19. The human papillomavirus vaccine: A powerful tool for the primary prevention of cervical cancer.

    OpenAIRE

    Nubia Muñoz; Julio César Reina; Gloria Inés Sánchez

    2009-01-01

    Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is the most promissory public health tool for primary prevention of cervical cancer. Immunization of females before the acquisition of HPV infection has the greatest impact in preventing pre-neoplasic lesions and cervical cancer. Current HPV vaccines do not eliminate cervical cancer risk, therefore, screening should continue covering vaccinated as well as women that do not get the vaccine. The strategies that include combination of high-coverage...

  20. Impact of Instructional Resources on Mathematics Performance of Learners with Dyscalculia in Integrated Primary Schools, Arusha City, Tanzania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusta, Nyudule; Karugu, Geoffrey; Muthee, Jessica; Tekle, Tesfu

    2016-01-01

    Learners with dyscalculia in the integrated primary schools in Arusha have been performing poorly in the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Thus, the journal sought to investigate the impact of instructional resources on mathematics performance of learners with dyscalculia in integrated primary schools found in Arusha city, Tanzania. The…

  1. Modifying Health Behavior to Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases: A Nationwide Survey among German Primary Care Physicians

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sven Schneider

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Cardiovascular diseases (CVD are a major public health concern as they are the leading cause of death in developed countries. Primary care is considered to be the ideal setting for CVD prevention. Therefore, more than 4,000 German primary care physicians (PCPs were asked about their attitudes towards and their activities regarding the prevention of CVD in the nationwide ÄSP-kardio Study. The focus of the study was on health behavior modification. Two thirds of the participating PCPs stated that they routinely provided brief inventions to assist patients in reducing both their tobacco (72% and alcohol (61% consumption, to encourage them to increase their levels of physical activity (72%, and to assist them in adjusting to a more healthy diet (66%, and in achieving a healthy body weight (69%. However, only between 23% (quitting smoking and 49% (diet modification of PCPs felt that they had been successful in helping patients modify their lifestyles. Insufficient reimbursement, cultural diversity and a lack of time were reported to be the most problematic barriers to successful intervention in the primary care setting. Despite these obstacles, the majority of German PCPs was engaged in prevention and health behavior intervention to reduce the incidence and progression of CVD.

  2. Preventive effect of piracetam and vinpocetine on hypoxia-reoxygenation induced injury in primary hippocampal culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solanki, P; Prasad, D; Muthuraju, S; Sharma, A K; Singh, S B; Ilavzhagan, G

    2011-04-01

    The present study investigates the potential of Piracetam and Vinpocetine (nootropic drugs, known to possess neuroprotective properties) in preventing hypoxia-reoxygenation induced oxidative stress in primary hippocampal cell culture. The hippocampal culture was exposed to hypoxia (95% N(2), 5% CO(2)) for 3h and followed by 1h of reoxygenation (21% O(2) and 5% CO(2)) at 37 °C. The primary hippocampal cultures were supplemented with the optimum dose of Piracetam and Vinpocetine, independently, and the cultures were divided into six groups, viz. Control/Normoxia, Hypoxia, Hypoxia+Piracetam, Hypoxia+Vinpocetine, Normoxia + Piracetam and Normoxia+Vinpocetine. The cell-viability assays and biochemical oxidative stress parameters were evaluated for each of the six groups. Administration of 1mM Piracetam or 500 nM Vinpocetine significantly prevents the culture from hypoxia-reoxygenation injury when determined by Neutral Red assay, LDH release and Acetylcholine esterase activity. Results showed that Piracetam and Vinpocetine supplementation significantly prevented the fall of mitochondrial membrane potential, rise in ROS generation and reduction in antioxidant levels associated with the hypoxia-reoxygenation injury. In conclusion, the present study establishes that both Piracetam and Vinpocetine give neuroprotection against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in primary hippocampal cell culture. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [The prospects for using potable mineral waters as agents for the primary prevention of gastroduodenal ulcers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polushina, N D; Frolkov, V K

    1990-01-01

    Primary preventive effects of mineral water Essentuki 17 were investigated on 500 male Wistar rats (body mass 200-250 g). It is demonstrated that oral pretreatment with the above water can prevent the onset of gastroduodenal ulcers. Changes in secretion of gastrin, insulin, glucagon, triiodothyronine and thyroxin support the clinical evidence.

  4. Banding ligation versus beta-blockers for primary prevention in oesophageal varices in adults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gluud, Lise Lotte; Krag, Aleksander

    2012-01-01

    Non-selective beta-blockers are used as a first-line treatment for primary prevention in patients with medium- to high-risk oesophageal varices. The effect of non-selective beta-blockers on mortality is debated and many patients experience adverse events. Trials on banding ligation versus non...

  5. A governance model for integrated primary/secondary care for the health-reforming first world - results of a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholson, Caroline; Jackson, Claire; Marley, John

    2013-12-20

    Internationally, key health care reform elements rely on improved integration of care between the primary and secondary sectors. The objective of this systematic review is to synthesise the existing published literature on elements of current integrated primary/secondary health care. These elements and how they have supported integrated healthcare governance are presented. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature from PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Informit Health Collection, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service, the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, European Foundation for Primary Care, European Forum for Primary Care, and Europa Sinapse was undertaken for the years 2006-2012. Relevant websites were also searched for grey literature. Papers were assessed by two assessors according to agreed inclusion criteria which were published in English, between 2006-2012, studies describing an integrated primary/secondary care model, and had reported outcomes in care quality, efficiency and/or satisfaction. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies evaluated the process of integrated governance and service delivery structures, rather than the effectiveness of services. They included case reports and qualitative data analyses addressing policy change, business issues and issues of clinical integration. A thematic synthesis approach organising data according to themes identified ten elements needed for integrated primary/secondary health care governance across a regional setting including: joint planning; integrated information communication technology; change management; shared clinical priorities; incentives; population focus; measurement - using data as a quality improvement tool; continuing professional development supporting joint working; patient/community engagement; and, innovation. All examples of successful primary/secondary care integration reported in the literature have focused on a combination

  6. Primary prevention of dental erosion by calcium and fluoride: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zini, A; Krivoroutski, Y; Vered, Y

    2014-02-01

    Overviews of the current literature only provide summaries of existing relevant preventive strategies for dental erosion. To perform a systematic review according to the quantitative meta-analysis method of the scientific literature on prevention of dental erosion. The focused question will address primary prevention of dental erosion by calcium and fluoride. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) regarding dental erosion prevention. The search included five databases: Embase, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, PubMed (MEDLINE), FDA publication and Berman medical library of the Hebrew University. The search included data in the English language, with effect on preventing dental erosion always presented as mean enamel loss and measured by profilometer. Statistical meta-analysis was performed by StatsDirect program and PEPI statistical software. Fixed- and random-effect models were used to analyse the data. Heterogeneity tests were employed to validate the fixed-effect model assumption. A total of 475 articles on dental erosion prevention were located. A four-stage selection process was employed, and 10 RCT articles were found to be suitable for meta-analysis. The number of studies on prevention of dental erosion maintaining standards of evidence-based dentistry remains insufficient to reach any definite conclusions. The focused questions of this review cannot be addressed according to the existing literature. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Are the current recommendations for the use of aspirin in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease applicable in low-income countries?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noubiap JJ

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Jean Jacques N Noubiap,1,2 Jobert Richie N Nansseu3,41Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; 2Medical Diagnostic Center, Yaoundé, Cameroon; 3Sickle Cell Disease Unit, Mother and Child Centre, Chantal BIYA Foundation, Yaoundé, Cameroon; 4Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, CameroonAbstract: Although evidence has accumulated that long-term aspirin therapy is beneficial in secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD, a lot of controversies persist regarding the benefit of aspirin use in primary prevention of CVD. In low-income countries (LIC specifically, the decision to prescribe aspirin for primary CVD prevention is more problematic, as there is a dearth of evidence in this regard. Aspirin has been shown to have relative beneficial effects in preventing a first myocardial infarction, but not stroke. However, as stroke is the prevailing CVD in many LIC, especially in Africa, the benefit of aspirin in these settings is therefore questionable. Indeed, there is no published trial that has evaluated the benefits and risks of continuous aspirin therapy in populations of LIC. Furthermore, though cardiovascular risk assessment is crucial in decision-making for the use of aspirin in primary prevention of CVD, there are no risk assessment tools that have been validated in African populations. Studies are urgently warranted, to determine the usefulness of aspirin in primary prevention of CVD in low-income settings where the drug is highly available and affordable, as CVD is becoming the leading cause of deaths in LIC.Keywords: aspirin, cardiovascular disease, primary prevention, low-income countries

  8. Primary prevention of colorectal cancer: myth or reality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosara Teixeira, Marcela; Braghiroli, Maria Ignez; Sabbaga, Jorge; Hoff, Paulo M

    2014-11-07

    Colorectal cancer incidence has been rising strongly in parallel with economic development. In the past few decades, much has been learned about the lifestyle, dietary and medication risk factors for this malignancy. With respect to lifestyle, compelling evidence indicates that prevention of weight gain and maintenance of a reasonable level of physical activity can positively influence in lowering the risk. Although there is controversy about the role of specific nutritional factors, consideration of dietary pattern as a whole appears useful for formulating recommendations. Though quite often recommended, the role for many supplements, including omega-3, vitamin D, folate, and vitamin B6, remains unsettled. Only calcium and vitamin D supplementation appear to add a modest benefit, particularly in those with a low daily intake. With regard to chemoprevention, medications such as aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and postmenopausal hormonal replacement for women might be associated with substantial reductions in colorectal cancer risk, though their utility is affected by their side effect profile. However, the role of agents such as statins, bisphosphonates and antioxidants have yet to be determined. Ultimately, primary prevention strategies focusing on modifying environmental, lifestyle risk factors, and chemopreventive drugs are options that have already been tested, and may impact on colon cancer incidence.

  9. Integration of ICTs into the Basic Curriculum in Primary Schools in ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Integration of ICTs into the Basic Curriculum in Primary Schools in Sénégal - Phase ... Special journal issue highlights IDRC-supported findings on women's paid work ... A new website and resource library will help improve developing country ...

  10. [The Use of Nudging for Primary Prevention: A Review and Perspectives for Germany].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krisam, Mathias; von Philipsborn, Peter; Meder, Björn

    2017-02-01

    Nudging as a means of influencing human behaviour has received increasing attention by policy makers, including those in the field of public health. Nudges are generally understood as specific aspects of a choice architecture that make certain behaviours more likely to occur without mandating them through binding rules, and without relying on economic incentives. Following the example of the United States and Great Britain, the German government has established a working group tasked with advising the federal government on the use of nudging and other behavioural interventions in policy making. The working group's inception in February 2015 inspired a lively public debate. While numerous opportunities for the use of nudging in primary prevention and health promotion in Germany exist, the concept has not yet been widely used in practice. We discuss the basic theoretical concepts of nudging, relating the underlying ideas to the terminology used in prevention and health promotion. In addition, we present typologies and practical examples for nudging interventions, and discuss criticisms raised in the academic and public debate. Finally, we discuss implications for research and policy, highlighting how nudging and related approaches can be used to strengthen primary prevention in Germany. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  11. Pencegahan primer pada anak yang berisiko karies tinggi (Primary prevention in children with high caries risk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ami Angela

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Oral and dental health has got improvement tremendously over the last century but the prevalence of dental caries in children has remained a significant clinical problem. Caries risk varies between individuals according to each subject’s balance between factors exposing to and protecting from caries attack. It is important to assess the risk of caries for all patients on a routine basis. Caries risk is divided into three levels: high, moderate, and low. Thereby, the dental professional is better to make a specific prevention and treatment recommendations to reduce a child risk and improve overall oral health. The goal of caries-risk assessment and preventive treatment is to eliminate caries or at least to reduce the high-caries occurrence down to the level of the remaining part of the age group. Preventive treatment is divided into three parts: primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. This paper describes the primary prevention in children with high caries risk by behavior modification and tooth protection. Behavior modification is about dental health education, oral hygiene, diet and sugar consumption, sugar-free chewing gum and sugar-free medicines. Tooth protection is about sealant, usage of flouride and chlorhexidine.

  12. Prevention of skin cancer in primary healthcare: an evaluation of three different prevention effort levels and the applicability of a phototest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falk, Magnus; Anderson, Chris

    2008-01-01

    The high skin cancer incidence in western society, and its known association with sun exposure habits, makes the area an important target for prevention. We investigated, in a primary healthcare setting, differentiated levels of prevention efforts directed at the propensity of the patient to change his/her sun habits, sun protection behaviour, and attitudes, after information intervention. Additionally, the impact of the performance of a phototest to determine individual sun sensitivity was evaluated. 308 patients visiting a primary healthcare centre in southern Sweden completed a questionnaire concerning sun habits, sun protection behaviour, and attitudes, and were randomized into one of three groups, representing increasing levels of prevention effort in terms of resources. Feedback on their questionnaire and general preventive sun protection advice was given, in the first group by means of a letter, and in the second and third groups by a doctor's consultation. Group 3 also underwent a phototest, with a self-reading assessment and a written follow-up of the phototest result. Change of sun habits, behaviour, and attitudes, based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change and on Likert scale scorings, was evaluated after 6 months, by a repeated questionnaire. Prevention mediated by a doctor's consultation had a clearly better impact on the subjects. The addition of a phototest did not further reinforce this effect in the group as a whole, but it did for a subgroup of individuals with high ultraviolet (UV) sensitivity, as determined by the phototest itself, suggesting that this might actually be a tool to improve outcome in this high-risk group. A personal doctor's consultation is a valuable tool in the effective delivery of preventive information in the general practice setting. In individuals with high UV-sensitivity and thus high risk for skin cancer the performance of a photo-test reinforces a positive outcome in habits, behaviour and attitudes.

  13. Effectiveness of programmes as part of primary prevention demonstrated on the example of cardiovascular diseases and the metabolic syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korczak, Dieter; Dietl, Markus; Steinhauser, Gerlinde

    2011-04-01

    The HTA-report (HTA = Health Technology Assessment) deals with the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. In 2009 approximately 356,000 people died in Germany due to cardiovascular diseases. According to estimations about 6.3 million people are suffering from diabetes mellitus type 2. The interventions that are subsidized by the public health insurance are mainly focused on sufficient physical activities, healthy nutrition, stress management and the reduction of the consumption of addictive drugs and luxury food. Which lifestyle-related measures and/or programmes for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and of the metabolic syndrome are effective? To what extent will the health status be improved by these offers? To what extent will existing health resources and skills be strengthened by these offers? Are there any differences regarding the effectiveness among the interventions with respect to different settings or subgroups? Which lifestyle-related interventions and/or programmes for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and of the metabolic syndrome are sustainable and cost-effective? Which outcome parameters are in the view of the contributors decisive for the evaluation of the effectiveness? In the view of the contributor are there different values between the outcome parameters? In the view of the payers and other actors are there different values between the outcome parameters? Which ethical and juridical factors have to be considered? Which social and/or socio-economic parameters influence the use of the services and effectiveness? A systematic literature research is done in 35 databases. For the period 2005 to 2010, reviews, epidemiological and clinical studies as well as economical evaluations which deal with primary prevention programmes regarding cardiovascular diseases or the metabolic syndrome are included. 44 publications meet the inclusion criteria. These studies confirm the effectiveness of the

  14. Effectiveness of programmes as part of primary prevention demonstrated on the example of cardiovascular diseases and the metabolic syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Korczak, Dieter

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The HTA-report (HTA = Health Technology Assessment deals with the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. In 2009 approximately 356,000 people died in Germany due to cardiovascular diseases. According to estimations about 6.3 million people are suffering from diabetes mellitus type 2. The interventions that are subsidized by the public health insurance are mainly focused on sufficient physical activities, healthy nutrition, stress management and the reduction of the consumption of addictive drugs and luxury food. Objectives: Which lifestyle-related measures and/or programmes for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and of the metabolic syndrome are effective? To what extent will the health status be improved by these offers? To what extent will existing health resources and skills be strengthened by these offers? Are there any differences regarding the effectiveness among the interventions with respect to different settings or subgroups? Which lifestyle-related interventions and/or programmes for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and of the metabolic syndrome are sustainable and cost-effective? Which outcome parameters are in the view of the contributors decisive for the evaluation of the effectiveness? In the view of the contributor are there different values between the outcome parameters? In the view of the payers and other actors are there different values between the outcome parameters? Which ethical and juridical factors have to be considered? Which social and/or socio-economic parameters influence the use of the services and effectiveness? Methods: A systematic literature research is done in 35 databases. For the period 2005 to 2010, reviews, epidemiological and clinical studies as well as economical evaluations which deal with primary prevention programmes regarding cardiovascular diseases or the metabolic syndrome are included. Results: 44 publications meet the

  15. Use of a computerized decision support system for primary and secondary prevention of work-related MSD disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Womack, Sarah K; Armstrong, Thomas J

    2005-09-01

    The present study evaluates the effectiveness of a decision support system used to evaluate and control physical job stresses and prevent re-injury of workers who have experienced or are concerned about work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The software program is a database that stores detailed job information such as standardized work data, videos, and upper-extremity physical stress ratings for over 400 jobs in the plant. Additionally, the database users were able to record comments about the jobs and related control issues. The researchers investigated the utility and effectiveness of the software by analyzing its use over a 20-month period. Of the 197 comments entered by the users, 25% pertained to primary prevention, 75% pertained to secondary prevention, and 94 comments (47.7%) described ergonomic interventions. Use of the software tool improved primary and secondary prevention by improving the quality and efficiency of the ergonomic job analysis process.

  16. Office-Based Tools and Primary Care Visit Communication, Length, and Preventive Service Delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lafata, Jennifer Elston; Shay, L Aubree; Brown, Richard; Street, Richard L

    2016-04-01

    The use of physician office-based tools such as electronic health records (EHRs), health risk appraisal (HRA) instruments, and written patient reminder lists is encouraged to support efficient, high-quality, patient-centered care. We evaluate the association of exam room use of EHRs, HRA instruments, and self-generated written patient reminder lists with patient-physician communication behaviors, recommended preventive health service delivery, and visit length. Observational study of 485 office visits with 64 primary care physicians practicing in a health system serving the Detroit metropolitan area. Study data were obtained from patient surveys, direct observation, office visit audio-recordings, and automated health system records. Outcome measures included visit length in minutes, patient use of active communication behaviors, physician use of supportive talk and partnership-building communication behaviors, and percentage of delivered guideline-recommended preventive health services for which patients are eligible and due. Simultaneous linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between tool use and outcomes. Adjusted models controlled for patient characteristics, physician characteristics, characteristics of the relationship between the patient and physician, and characteristics of the environment in which the visit took place. Prior to adjusting for other factors, visits in which the EHR was used on average were significantly (p communication behaviors facilitating patient involvement (2.1 vs. 2.6 occurrences), but more use of active patient communication behaviors (4.4 vs. 2.6). Likewise, HRA use was significantly associated with increased preventive services delivery (62.1 percent vs. 57.0 percent). All relationships remained significant (p > .05) in adjusted models with the exception of that between HRA use and preventive service delivery. Office-based tools intended to facilitate the implementation of desired primary care practice

  17. Efficacy of carvedilol versus propranolol versus variceal band ligation for primary prevention of variceal bleeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd ElRahim, Ayman Yosry; Fouad, Rabab; Khairy, Marwa; Elsharkawy, Aisha; Fathalah, Waleed; Khatamish, Haytham; Khorshid, Omayma; Moussa, Mona; Seyam, Moataz

    2018-01-01

    Band ligation and propranolol are the current therapies for primary prevention of variceal bleeding. Carvedilol is a rising nonselective beta-blocker used for reducing portal pressure with favorable outcome. The aim of this study to assess the efficacy of carvedilol, propranolol, and band ligation for primary prevention of variceal bleeding based on the effect of each regimen on progression of Child score and portal hypertensive gastropathy after 1 year. The study included 264 cirrhotic patients with medium/large-sized varices who were candidates for primary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding. Patients were randomly divided into three groups: group I: band ligation; group II: propranolol; group III: carvedilol. Group I showed higher success rate of 75 %, followed by group III with 70.2 % and group II with 65.2 %. Risk of bleeding was comparable between the three groups, with group II carrying the highest rate of complications (34.7 %) followed by group III (14.2 %) and finally group I (5.7 %). After 1 year of follow-up, Child score did not improve in any of the studied groups, while portal hypertensive gastropathy significantly increased in group I but decreased in groups II and III. Band ligation is the best treatment option for primary prevention of variceal bleeding with minimal complications. Carvedilol is a good pharmaceutical alternative medicine to propranolol with lesser side-effects. Progress of liver disease as represented by Child score is not affected by any of the primary variceal prophylactic regimens, although medical treatment reduces portal hypertensive gastropathy. Choice of treatment depends on patient will, compliance with treatment, and endoscopist competence.

  18. Individualized Statin Benefit for Determining Statin Eligibility in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thanassoulis, George; Williams, Ken; Altobelli, Kathleen Kimler; Pencina, Michael J; Cannon, Christopher P; Sniderman, Allan D

    2016-04-19

    Current guidelines recommend statins in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease on the basis of predicted cardiovascular risk without directly considering the expected benefits of statin therapy based on the available randomized, controlled trial evidence. We included 2134 participants representing 71.8 million American residents potentially eligible for statins in primary prevention from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for the years 2005 to 2010. We compared statin eligibilities using 2 separate approaches: a 10-year risk-based approach (≥7.5% 10-year risk) and an individualized benefit approach (ie, based on predicted absolute risk reduction over 10 years [ARR10] ≥2.3% from randomized, controlled trial data). A risk-based approach led to the eligibility of 15.0 million (95% confidence interval, 12.7-17.3 million) Americans, whereas a benefit-based approach identified 24.6 million (95% confidence interval, 21.0-28.1 million). The corresponding numbers needed to treat over 10 years were 21 (range, 9-44) and 25 (range, 9-44). The benefit-based approach identified 9.5 million lower-risk (statin treatment who had the same or greater expected benefit from statins (≥2.3% ARR10) compared with higher-risk individuals. This lower-risk/acceptable-benefit group includes younger individuals (mean age, 55.2 versus 62.5 years; PStatin treatment in this group would be expected to prevent an additional 266 508 cardiovascular events over 10 years. An individualized statin benefit approach can identify lower-risk individuals who have equal or greater expected benefit from statins in primary prevention compared with higher-risk individuals. This approach may help develop guideline recommendations that better identify individuals who meaningfully benefit from statin therapy. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

  19. Barriers and facilitators in the integration of oral health into primary care: a scoping review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnagea, Hermina; Couturier, Yves; Shrivastava, Richa; Girard, Felix; Lamothe, Lise; Bedos, Christophe Pierre; Emami, Elham

    2017-09-25

    This scoping study has been conducted to map the literature and provide a descriptive synthesis on the barriers and facilitators of the integration of oral health into primary care. Grounded in the Rainbow conceptual model and using the Levac et al six-stage framework, we performed a systematic search of electronic databases, organisational websites and grey literature from 1978 to April 2016. All publications with a focus on the integration of oral health into primary care were included except commentaries and editorials. Thematic analyses were performed to synthesise the results. From a total of 1619 citations, 58 publications were included in the review. Barrier-related themes included: lack of political leadership and healthcare policies; implementation challenges; discipline-oriented education; lack of continuity of care and services and patients' oral healthcare needs. The facilitators of integration were supportive policies and resources allocation, interdisciplinary education, collaborative practices between dental and other healthcare professionals, presence of local strategic leaders and geographical proximity. This work has advanced the knowledge on the barriers and facilitators at each integration domain and level, which may be helpful if the healthcare organisations decide to integrate oral health and dental services into primary care. The scoping review findings could be useful for both dental and medical workforce and allied primary healthcare providers. They could also guide the development of healthcare policies that support collaborative practices and patient-centred care in the field of primary care. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. PRIMARY PREVENTION OF DIABETES MELLITUS: CORRECTION OF EARLY DISORDERS OF GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN CARDIOLOGY PRACTICE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. N. Mamedov

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Early glucose metabolism disorders (GMD are of interest in development of effective approaches to prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM. Data of international clinical trials shows that early GMD are an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The possibilities of GMD prevention and early treatment are discussed. Antihyperglycemic medications classification, their mode of action and efficacy are presented from evidence-based medicine point of view. This data confirms that successful DM primary prevention at early stage of GMD reduces the risk of cardiovascular complications.

  1. Review of The Behavioral Health Specialist in Primary Care: Skills for Integrated Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harsh, Jennifer

    2016-03-01

    Reviews the book, The Behavioral Health Specialist in Primary Care: Skills for Integrated Practice edited by Mary Ann Burg and Oliver Oyama (see record 2015-46891-000). The editors and the chapter authors of this useful book provide insight into the skills and knowledge needed to do integrated behavioral health in primary care. The most beneficial part of the book is the layout of the chapters, and the authors do a great job of articulating the clinical components of care. Behavioral health and medical providers in practice or in training could greatly benefit from reading this book. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

  2. Integration of oral health in primary health care through motivational interviewing for mothers of young children: A pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manu Batra

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Early childhood caries (ECC continues to affect children worldwide. In India, primary health centers (PHCs comprises the primary tier where Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA provide integrated curative and preventive health care. The aim of the study was to pilot test the integration of oral health in primary health care through motivational interviewing (MI for mothers of young children provided by ASHAs. Subjects and Methods: The pilot study was conducted in Kashipur, Uttarakhand. From the six PHCs in Kashipur, three were randomly selected, one each was assigned to MI group, traditional health education group, and control group. From 60 mothers with 8–12 months child, ASHAs of all three groups gathered mother's knowledge regarding child's oral health using close-ended questionnaire and diagnosed clinical risk markers of ECC in children and ASHAs of Group A and B imparted the oral health education as per their training. Results: The comparison of ASHA's performances on the MI training competency pre- and post-test showed an overall average of 74% improvement in post–test scores. Interexaminer reliability of the parallel clinical measurements by 6 ASHAs and the investigator for the maxillary central incisors showed 93% of agreement for both dental plaque and dental caries assessment with 0.86 and 0.89 kappa values, respectively. Conclusion: The health education through MI is feasible and can be cost-effective by utilization of ASHAs at PHCs to provide the oral health education to mothers which will in turn improve the oral health status of children.

  3. The Child Anxiety Prevention Study: intervention model and primary outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ginsburg, Golda S

    2009-06-01

    The article presents the intervention model and primary outcomes of a preventive intervention designed to reduce anxiety symptoms and prevent the onset of anxiety disorders in the offspring of parents with anxiety disorders. Participants were 40 volunteer children (mean age = 8.94 years; 45% girls; 90% Caucasian) whose parents met criteria for a broad range of anxiety disorders. Families were randomly assigned to an 8-week cognitive-behavioral intervention, the Coping and Promoting Strength program (CAPS; n = 20) or a wait list control condition (WL; n = 20). Independent evaluators (IEs) conducted diagnostic interviews, and children and parents completed measures of anxiety symptoms. Assessments were conducted pre- and postintervention and 6 and 12 months after the postintervention assessment. On the basis of intent to treat analyses, 30% of the children in the WL group developed an anxiety disorder by the 1-year follow-up compared with 0% in the CAPS group. IE and parent-reported (but not child-reported) levels of anxiety showed significant decreases from the preintervention assessment to the 1-year follow-up assessment in the CAPS but not the WL group. Parental satisfaction with the intervention was high. Findings suggest that a family-based intervention may prevent the onset of anxiety disorders in the offspring of parents with anxiety disorders. Copyright 2009 APA

  4. [Individuals, structures, and risks: an overview of primary HIV prevention in Portugal].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacramento, Octávio

    2016-06-20

    This article debates the principal guidelines and procedures that shape HIV/AIDS prevention in Portugal, focusing on risk reduction in the two major scenarios for spread of the epidemic: sexuality and injection drug use. The analysis views the risks of infection as expressions of practices that are densely interwoven into social structures and cultural frameworks. Based on this conception, the article seeks to evaluate and understand the extent to which preventive strategies take a broad and integrative underlying approach by including individuals and their circumstances. Meanwhile, the study identifies some of the main structural constraints impeding the achievement of more favorable conditions for minimizing risks and adopting safe behaviors. These analytical exercises include not only policy and program guidelines, but also processes in daily reality, showing how the non-implementation of measures already guaranteed by law poses powerful structural barriers to HIV prevention.

  5. A governance model for integrated primary/secondary care for the health-reforming first world – results of a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Internationally, key health care reform elements rely on improved integration of care between the primary and secondary sectors. The objective of this systematic review is to synthesise the existing published literature on elements of current integrated primary/secondary health care. These elements and how they have supported integrated healthcare governance are presented. Methods A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature from PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Informit Health Collection, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service, the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation, European Foundation for Primary Care, European Forum for Primary Care, and Europa Sinapse was undertaken for the years 2006–2012. Relevant websites were also searched for grey literature. Papers were assessed by two assessors according to agreed inclusion criteria which were published in English, between 2006–2012, studies describing an integrated primary/secondary care model, and had reported outcomes in care quality, efficiency and/or satisfaction. Results Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies evaluated the process of integrated governance and service delivery structures, rather than the effectiveness of services. They included case reports and qualitative data analyses addressing policy change, business issues and issues of clinical integration. A thematic synthesis approach organising data according to themes identified ten elements needed for integrated primary/secondary health care governance across a regional setting including: joint planning; integrated information communication technology; change management; shared clinical priorities; incentives; population focus; measurement – using data as a quality improvement tool; continuing professional development supporting joint working; patient/community engagement; and, innovation. Conclusions All examples of successful primary/secondary care integration reported in

  6. Designing Clinical Space for the Delivery of Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunn, Rose; Davis, Melinda M; Hall, Jennifer; Heintzman, John; Muench, John; Smeds, Brianna; Miller, Benjamin F; Miller, William L; Gilchrist, Emma; Brown Levey, Shandra; Brown, Jacqueline; Wise Romero, Pam; Cohen, Deborah J

    2015-01-01

    This study sought to describe features of the physical space in which practices integrating primary care and behavioral health care work and to identify the arrangements that enable integration of care. We conducted an observational study of 19 diverse practices located across the United States. Practice-level data included field notes from 2-4-day site visits, transcripts from semistructured interviews with clinicians and clinical staff, online implementation diary posts, and facility photographs. A multidisciplinary team used a 4-stage, systematic approach to analyze data and identify how physical layout enabled the work of integrated care teams. Two dominant spatial layouts emerged across practices: type-1 layouts were characterized by having primary care clinicians (PCCs) and behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) located in separate work areas, and type-2 layouts had BHCs and PCCs sharing work space. We describe these layouts and the influence they have on situational awareness, interprofessional "bumpability," and opportunities for on-the-fly communication. We observed BHCs and PCCs engaging in more face-to-face methods for coordinating integrated care for patients in type 2 layouts (41.5% of observed encounters vs 11.7%; P < .05). We show that practices needed to strike a balance between professional proximity and private work areas to accomplish job tasks. Private workspace was needed for focused work, to see patients, and for consults between clinicians and clinical staff. We describe the ways practices modified and built new space and provide 2 recommended layouts for practices integrating care based on study findings. Physical layout and positioning of professionals' workspace is an important consideration in practices implementing integrated care. Clinicians, researchers, and health-care administrators are encouraged to consider the role of professional proximity and private working space when creating new facilities or redesigning existing space to foster

  7. The impact of BWR MK I primary containment failure dynamics on secondary containment integrity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greene, S.R.

    1987-01-01

    During the past four years, the ORNL BWRSAT Program has developed a series of increasingly sophisticated BWR secondary containment models. These models have been applied in a variety of studies to evaluate the severe accident mitigation capability of BWR secondary containments. This paper describes the results of a recent ORNL study of the impact of BWR MK I primary containment failure dynamics on secondary containment integrity. A 26-cell MELCOR Browns Ferry secondary containment model is described and the predicted thermodynamic response of the secondary containment to a variety of postulated primary containment failure modes is presented. The effects of primary containment failure location, timing, and ultimate hole size on secondary containment response is investigated, and the potential impact of hydrogen deflagrations on secondary containment integrity is explored

  8. Sexual Abuse Prevention Mobile Application (SAP_MobAPP) for Primary School Children in Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moon, Kyoung Ja; Park, Kyung Min; Sung, Yunsick

    2017-07-01

    This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effects of a sexual abuse prevention mobile application, SAP_MobAPP, for primary school children. Forty-five subjects were trained for 40 minutes once a week. The experimental group received education that utilized the SAP_MobAPP. Control group A received Web based sexual abuse prevention education, while control group B received textbook based sexual abuse prevention education. Effectiveness was verified through a survey on child sexual abuse recognition and avoidance skills administered before and after training. The SAP_MobAPP program improved recognition (awareness) and the child's skills to avoid child sexual abuse situations, and the effects were long-lasting. However, differences between groups were not statistically significant. This study developed a sexual abuse prevention application and verified its effectiveness. Awareness and skills to avoid child sexual abuse after app education increased immediately after training and four weeks later. The SAP_MobAPP could be used for sexual abuse prevention education in schools.

  9. Integrating Early Child Development and Violence Prevention Programs: A Systematic Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efevbera, Yvette; McCoy, Dana C.; Wuermli, Alice J.; Betancourt, Theresa S.

    2018-01-01

    Limited evidence describes promoting development and reducing violence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a missed opportunity to protect children and promote development and human capital. This study presents a systematic literature review of integrated early childhood development plus violence prevention (ECD+VP) interventions in…

  10. Risk communication concerning welding fumes for the primary preventive care of welding apprentices in southern Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cezar-Vaz, Marta Regina; Bonow, Clarice Alves; Vaz, Joana Cezar

    2015-01-19

    This study's aim was to assess the perceptions of welding apprentices concerning welding fumes being associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disorders and assess the implementation of risk communication as a primary prevention tool in the welding training process. This quasi-experimental, non-randomized study with before-and-after design was conducted with 84 welding apprentices in Southern Brazil. Poisson Regression analysis was used. Relative Risk was the measure used with a 95% confidence interval and 5% (p ≤ 0.05) significance level. Significant association was found between perceptions of worsened symptoms of respiratory disorders caused by welding fumes and educational level (p = 0.049), the use of goggles to protect against ultraviolet rays (p = 0.023), and access to services in private health facilities without insurance coverage (p = 0.001). Apprentices younger than 25 years old were 4.9 times more likely to perceive worsened cardiovascular symptoms caused by welding fumes after risk communication (RR = 4.91; CI 95%: 1.09 to 22.2). The conclusion is that risk communication as a primary preventive measure in continuing education processes implemented among apprentices, who are future welders, was efficacious. Thus, this study confirms that risk communication can be implemented as a primary prevention tool in welding apprenticeships.

  11. Integrated and Gender-Affirming Transgender Clinical Care and Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radix, Asa; Deutsch, Madeline B.

    2016-01-01

    Abstract: Transgender (trans) communities worldwide, particularly those on the trans feminine spectrum, are disproportionately burdened by HIV infection and at risk for HIV acquisition/transmission. Trans individuals represent an underserved, highly stigmatized, and under-resourced population not only in HIV prevention efforts but also in delivery of general primary medical and clinical care that is gender affirming. We offer a model of gender-affirmative integrated clinical care and community research to address and intervene on disparities in HIV infection for transgender people. We define trans terminology, briefly review the social epidemiology of HIV infection among trans individuals, highlight gender affirmation as a key social determinant of health, describe exemplar models of gender-affirmative clinical care in Boston MA, New York, NY, and San Francisco, CA, and offer suggested “best practices” for how to integrate clinical care and research for the field of HIV prevention. Holistic and culturally responsive HIV prevention interventions must be grounded in the lived realities the trans community faces to reduce disparities in HIV infection. HIV prevention interventions will be most effective if they use a structural approach and integrate primary concerns of transgender people (eg, gender-affirmative care and management of gender transition) alongside delivery of HIV-related services (eg, biobehavioral prevention, HIV testing, linkage to care, and treatment). PMID:27429189

  12. Primary Science Teaching--Is It Integral and Deep Experience for Students?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timoštšuk, Inge

    2016-01-01

    Integral and deep pedagogical content knowledge can support future primary teachers' ability to follow ideas of education for sustainability in science class. Initial teacher education provides opportunity to learn what and how to teach but still the practical experiences of teaching can reveal uneven development of student teachers'…

  13. Preventable hospitalization and the role of primary care: a comparison between Italy and Germany.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rosano, A.; Peschel, P.; Kugler, J.; Zee, J. van der; Ricciardi, W.; Guasticchi, G.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Hospitalization may often be prevented by timely and effective outpatient care. For Italy we found that the type and density of primary-care facilities, among other factors, influence admission rates. However, results from Italy may not be valid for other types of health-care systems,

  14. Management of pelvic inflammatory disease by primary care physicians. A comparison with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hessol, N A; Priddy, F H; Bolan, G; Baumrind, N; Vittinghoff, E; Reingold, A L; Padian, N S

    1996-01-01

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published recommendations for clinicians on the management of pelvic inflammatory disease, but it is unknown if providers are aware of the guidelines or follow them. To compare pelvic inflammatory disease screening, diagnosis, treatment, and reporting practices among primary care physicians with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pelvic inflammatory disease. A weighted random sample of California primary care physicians surveyed in November 1992 and January 1993. Of the 1,165 physicians surveyed, 553 (48%) returned completed questionnaires. Among respondents, 302 (55%) reported having treated a case of pelvic inflammatory disease during the last 12 months, and of these, 52% answered that they were unsure of or do not follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pelvic inflammatory disease. Pediatricians and those with more years since residency were less likely to deviate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pelvic inflammatory disease, and family practitioners were more likely to deviate from the guidelines. Pelvic inflammatory disease is commonly encountered by primary care physicians in California. Training and experience were important predictors of compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations; however, substantial divergence from the guidelines occurs.

  15. Medical overuse and quaternary prevention in primary care - A qualitative study with general practitioners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alber, Kathrin; Kuehlein, Thomas; Schedlbauer, Angela; Schaffer, Susann

    2017-12-08

    Medical overuse is a topic of growing interest in health care systems and especially in primary care. It comprises both over investigation and overtreatment. Quaternary prevention strategies aim at protecting patients from unnecessary or harmful medicine. The objective of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of relevant aspects of medical overuse in primary care from the perspective of German general practitioners (GPs). We focused on the scope, consequences and drivers of medical overuse and strategies to reduce it (=quaternary prevention). We used the qualitative Grounded Theory approach. Theoretical sampling was carried out to recruit GPs in Bavaria, Germany. We accessed the field of research through GPs with academic affiliation, recommendations by interview partners and personal contacts. They differed in terms of primary care experience, gender, region, work experience abroad, academic affiliation, type of specialist training, practice organisation and position. Qualitative in-depth face-to-face interviews with a semi-structured interview guide were conducted (n = 13). The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was carried out using open and axial coding. GPs defined medical overuse as unnecessary investigations and treatment that lack patient benefit or bear the potential to cause harm. They observed that medical overuse takes place in all three German reimbursement categories: statutory health insurance, private insurance and individual health services (direct payment). GPs criticised the poor acceptance of gate-keeping in German primary care. They referred to a low-threshold referral policy and direct patient access to outpatient secondary care, leading to specialist treatment without clear medical indication. The GPs described various direct drivers of medical overuse within their direct area of influence. They also emphasised indirect drivers related to system or societal processes. The proposed strategies for

  16. Long-term effect of intensive prevention on dental health of primary school children by socioeconomic status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winter, Julia; Jablonski-Momeni, Anahita; Ladda, Annett; Pieper, Klaus

    2017-12-29

    Children in a German region took part in regular toothbrushing with fluoride gel during their time in primary school after having received a preventive program in kindergarten. The study aimed at determining the dental health of the students as a function of prevention in kindergarten and at school while taking into account their socioeconomic status and other confounders. The subjects were in six groups: groups 1 and 2, intensive prevention in kindergarten with and without fluoride gel at school; groups 3 and 4, basic prevention in kindergarten with and without fluoride gel at school; groups 5 and 6, no organized prevention in kindergarten with and without fluoride gel at school. Two dental examinations were performed for assessing caries experience and calculating caries increment from second grade (7-year-olds) to fourth grade (9-year-olds). A standardized questionnaire was used to record independent variables. To compare caries scores and preventive measures of various subgroups, non-parametric tests and a binary logistic regression analysis were performed. A significant difference was found in the mean decayed, missing, and filled tooth/teeth (DMFT) depending on socioeconomic status (no prevention in kindergarten, fluoride gel at school in children with low SES: DMFT = 0.47 vs. DMFT = 0.18 in children with high SES; p = 0.023). Class-specific differences were no longer visible among children who had taken part in an intensive preventive program combining daily supervised toothbrushing in kindergarten and application of fluoride gel in school. Early prevention, focusing on professionally supported training of toothbrushing in kindergarten and at school, has a positive effect on dental health and is able to reduce class-specific differences in caries distribution. Early training of toothbrushing and fissure sealing of first permanent molars are the most important factors for the dental health of primary school children.

  17. Partnership for fragility bone fracture care provision and prevention program (P4Bones: study protocol for a secondary fracture prevention pragmatic controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gaboury Isabelle

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Fractures associated with bone fragility in older adults signal the potential for secondary fracture. Fragility fractures often precipitate further decline in health and loss of mobility, with high associated costs for patients, families, society and the healthcare system. Promptly initiating a coordinated, comprehensive pharmacological bone health and falls prevention program post-fracture may improve osteoporosis treatment compliance; and reduce rates of falls and secondary fractures, and associated morbidity, mortality and costs. Methods/design This pragmatic, controlled trial at 11 hospital sites in eight regions in Quebec, Canada, will recruit community-dwelling patients over age 50 who have sustained a fragility fracture to an intervention coordinated program or to standard care, according to the site. Site study coordinators will identify and recruit 1,596 participants for each study arm. Coordinators at intervention sites will facilitate continuity of care for bone health, and arrange fall prevention programs including physical exercise. The intervention teams include medical bone specialists, primary care physicians, pharmacists, nurses, rehabilitation clinicians, and community program organizers. The primary outcome of this study is the incidence of secondary fragility fractures within an 18-month follow-up period. Secondary outcomes include initiation and compliance with bone health medication; time to first fall and number of clinically significant falls; fall-related hospitalization and mortality; physical activity; quality of life; fragility fracture-related costs; admission to a long term care facility; participants’ perceptions of care integration, expectations and satisfaction with the program; and participants’ compliance with the fall prevention program. Finally, professionals at intervention sites will participate in focus groups to identify barriers and facilitating factors for the integrated

  18. Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care: Consulting, Coordinating and Collaborating Among Professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Deborah J; Davis, Melinda; Balasubramanian, Bijal A; Gunn, Rose; Hall, Jennifer; deGruy, Frank V; Peek, C J; Green, Larry A; Stange, Kurt C; Pallares, Carla; Levy, Sheldon; Pollack, David; Miller, Benjamin F

    2015-01-01

    This paper sought to describe how clinicians from different backgrounds interact to deliver integrated behavioral and primary health care, and the contextual factors that shape such interactions. This was a comparative case study in which a multidisciplinary team used an immersion-crystallization approach to analyze data from observations of practice operations, interviews with practice members, and implementation diaries. The observed practices were drawn from 2 studies: Advancing Care Together, a demonstration project of 11 practices located in Colorado; and the Integration Workforce Study, consisting of 8 practices located across the United States. Primary care and behavioral health clinicians used 3 interpersonal strategies to work together in integrated settings: consulting, coordinating, and collaborating (3Cs). Consulting occurred when clinicians sought advice, validated care plans, or corroborated perceptions of a patient's needs with another professional. Coordinating involved 2 professionals working in a parallel or in a back-and-forth fashion to achieve a common patient care goal, while delivering care separately. Collaborating involved 2 or more professionals interacting in real time to discuss a patient's presenting symptoms, describe their views on treatment, and jointly develop a care plan. Collaborative behavior emerged when a patient's care or situation was complex or novel. We identified contextual factors shaping use of the 3Cs, including: time to plan patient care, staffing, employing brief therapeutic approaches, proximity of clinical team members, and electronic health record documenting behavior. Primary care and behavioral health clinicians, through their interactions, consult, coordinate, and collaborate with each other to solve patients' problems. Organizations can create integrated care environments that support these collaborations and health professions training programs should equip clinicians to execute all 3Cs routinely in practice

  19. PREVENTION OF ONCOLOGICAL DISEASES AS THE BASIS OF INTERACTION OF ONCOLOGICAL SERVICE WITH PRIMARY LINK OF HEALTH CARE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. M. Aleksandrova

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Malignant neoplasms (MN are the second cause of death for the population of Russia, resulted in 15.5% of all deaths in 2015. Their share in the structure of the male population mortality rate was 16.4%, female — 14.4%. Among both sexes, deaths of working age, the proportion of deaths from MN was 16.0%, among women of reproductive age — 16.3%. More than half of the working age population of deaths in Russia falls on the disease from the group of preventable death, and a third — to preventable causes, depending on the primary and secondary prevention, quality of care, along with a high prevalence of behavioral risk factors (RF, demographic characteristics, marked medical and social reasons for the high mortality rate of the MN: late uptake of the population for health care, lack of alertness in oncology healthcare professionals, patients defects in routing.The leading factor in increasing life expectancy is prevention. Today, prevention is regarded as active method of strengthening and preservation of health, and the currently existing approaches in promoting healthy life mostly only directed at the prevention of behavioral risk factors: tobacco use, poor diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. Experts estimate the impact on them will prevent, at least 40% of the cases of MN.In Russia we have a 3-step system of health care. In general preventive health orientation is implemented on the 1st level: in the provision of primary health care. In this regard, particular attention should be paid to the implementation of measures for specific clinical examination of the adult population, which plays an important role in the early detection of both the disease and the risk factors for their development. Properly organized conduct of the clinical examination can provide a substantial, up to 30%, the contribution to the reduction of total mortality, including mortality from MN. The necessity of increasing the role of the oncology service

  20. Risk scoring for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karmali, Kunal N; Persell, Stephen D; Perel, Pablo; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M; Berendsen, Mark A; Huffman, Mark D

    2017-03-14

    The current paradigm for cardiovascular disease (CVD) emphasises absolute risk assessment to guide treatment decisions in primary prevention. Although the derivation and validation of multivariable risk assessment tools, or CVD risk scores, have attracted considerable attention, their effect on clinical outcomes is uncertain. To assess the effects of evaluating and providing CVD risk scores in adults without prevalent CVD on cardiovascular outcomes, risk factor levels, preventive medication prescribing, and health behaviours. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library (2016, Issue 2), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to March week 1 2016), Embase (embase.com) (1974 to 15 March 2016), and Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science (CPCI-S) (1990 to 15 March 2016). We imposed no language restrictions. We searched clinical trial registers in March 2016 and handsearched reference lists of primary studies to identify additional reports. We included randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing the systematic provision of CVD risk scores by a clinician, healthcare professional, or healthcare system compared with usual care (i.e. no systematic provision of CVD risk scores) in adults without CVD. Three review authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and evaluated study quality. We used the Cochrane 'Risk of bias' tool to assess study limitations. The primary outcomes were: CVD events, change in CVD risk factor levels (total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and multivariable CVD risk), and adverse events. Secondary outcomes included: lipid-lowering and antihypertensive medication prescribing in higher-risk people. We calculated risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous data and mean differences (MD) or standardised mean differences (SMD) for continuous data using 95% confidence intervals. We used a fixed-effects model when heterogeneity (I²) was at least 50% and a random-effects model for substantial heterogeneity

  1. The (cost-)effectiveness of preventive, integrated care for community-dwelling frail older people: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Looman, Wilhelmina Mijntje; Huijsman, Robbert; Fabbricotti, Isabelle Natalina

    2018-04-17

    Integrated care is increasingly promoted as an effective and cost-effective way to organise care for community-dwelling frail older people with complex problems but the question remains whether high expectations are justified. Our study aims to systematically review the empirical evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of preventive, integrated care for community-dwelling frail older people and close attention is paid to the elements and levels of integration of the interventions. We searched nine databases for eligible studies until May 2016 with a comparison group and reporting at least one outcome regarding effectiveness or cost-effectiveness. We identified 2,998 unique records and, after exclusions, selected 46 studies on 29 interventions. We assessed the quality of the included studies with the Effective Practice and Organization of Care risk-of-bias tool. The interventions were described following Rainbow Model of Integrated Care framework by Valentijn. Our systematic review reveals that the majority of the reported outcomes in the studies on preventive, integrated care show no effects. In terms of health outcomes, effectiveness is demonstrated most often for seldom-reported outcomes such as well-being. Outcomes regarding informal caregivers and professionals are rarely considered and negligible. Most promising are the care process outcomes that did improve for preventive, integrated care interventions as compared to usual care. Healthcare utilisation was the most reported outcome but we found mixed results. Evidence for cost-effectiveness is limited. High expectations should be tempered given this limited and fragmented evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of preventive, integrated care for frail older people. Future research should focus on unravelling the heterogeneity of frailty and on exploring what outcomes among frail older people may realistically be expected. © 2018 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community

  2. An integrated production, inventory and preventive maintenance model for a multi-product production system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Xuejuan; Wang, Wenbin; Peng, Rui

    2015-01-01

    This paper considers a production system that can produce multiple products alternately. Products go through the system in a sequence and a complete run of all products forms a production cycle. An integrated production, inventory and preventive maintenance model is constructed, which is characterized by the delay-time concept. Two different situations are studied based on whether the unqualified products and downtime caused by the failures of the system, set-up and preventive maintenance can be ignored or not. Three cases are considered for each situation, depending on the position of the preventive maintenance epochs: the first case, where preventive maintenance is carried out at the end of each production cycle; the second case, where preventive maintenance is carried out at each set-up time of the products; and the third case, where preventive maintenance is carried out at some set-up times only, since it may not always be optimal to carry out preventive maintenance at the end of the production cycle or at each set-up time. The modeling objectives are to find the optimal number of production cycles per year and the optimal position of preventive maintenance that will maximize the expected profit per unit time. Numerical examples, using real data, are presented to illustrate the model. - Highlights: • We propose an integrated economic production quantity and preventive maintenance model. • The situation that multiple products are produced on the same system alternately is studied. • Two situations are studied based on whether the downtime and the product quality can be ignored or not. • We use enumeration method and analytical method to select the optimal preventive maintenance policy, respectively. • We use the delay-time concept to model the preventive maintenance policy

  3. Evaluation of a primary prevention program for anxiety disorders using story books with children aged 9-12 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouchard, Stéphane; Gervais, Jean; Gagnier, Nadia; Loranger, Claudie

    2013-10-01

    This article reports the results of a study evaluating a book-supported primary prevention program "Dominique's Handy Tricks" for anxiety disorders in children aged 9-12 years. This cognitive-behavioural program is delivered using a combination of storybooks and workshop sessions. The originality of the program comes from the use of storybooks that were not developed specifically for anxiety management. Every session is based on a story describing characters facing common stressors and how they manage to cope with their daily problems. In our randomized control trial with 46 children, participation in the program led to a significant improvement in coping skills, perceived self-efficacy, anxiety sensitivity, as well as in symptoms of anxiety and fear. The theoretical and practical elements underlying the delivery of this primary prevention program are described. It is suggested that such an approach, without any labelling specific to anxiety disorders, can be useful in primary prevention programs.

  4. Utilizing Peer Education Theater for the Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence on College Campuses

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMahon, Sarah; Postmus, Judy L.; Warrener, Corinne; Koenick, Ruth Anne

    2014-01-01

    To address the widespread problem of sexual assault, many colleges and universities are providing primary prevention education programs. Although a number of such programs exist and appear in the literature (for review see Vladutiu, Martin, & Macy, 2011), the role of peer education theater offers a unique approach. Peer education has been…

  5. Effects of Training Programme on HIV/AIDS Prevention among Primary Health Care Workers in Oyo State, Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajuwon, Ademola; Funmilayo, Fawole; Oladepo, Oladimeji; Osungbade, Kayode; Asuzu, Michael

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to train primary health care workers to be trainers and implementers of community-based AIDS prevention activities in Oyo State, Nigeria, by describing an evaluation of the project. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 148 primary health care workers recruited from the 33 local government areas (LGA) of the…

  6. Primary care providers' discussion of fall prevention approaches with their older adult patients—DocStyles, 2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elizabeth R. Burns

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. The American and British Geriatric Societies recommend a fall risk assessment to identify risk factors and guide interventions to prevent these falls. This study describes the self-reported discussion of fall prevention approaches used by primary care providers (PCPs—family practitioners, internists and nurse practitioners—who treat older adults. Results are described overall and by PCP type.We analyzed a sample of 1210 U.S. PCPs who participated in the 2014 DocStyles survey. PCPs reported on their recommendation of fall prevention approaches including general exercise, Tai Chi, medication adjustments, home safety modifications, vitamin D supplements, assistive devices, alarm systems, and referral to physical therapy, foot specialist, or vision specialist. Frequencies and adjusted odds ratios for fall prevention approaches were assessed by provider and practice characteristics.Self-reported discussion of any fall prevention approaches was 89.3%. Controlling for provider and practice characteristics, there were significant differences for some approaches by provider type. Family practitioners were more likely to suggest home modification [adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.8 (1.3–2.4], exercise [aOR: 2.0 (1.5–2.5], and Tai Chi [aOR: 1.5 (1.0–2.2] than internists. Nurse practitioners were more likely to suggest home modification [aOR: 2.1 (1.3–3.4] and less likely to suggest vitamin D [aOR: 0.6 (0.4–1.0] than internists.Fall prevention suggestions vary by type of PCP. Dissemination of geriatric guidelines should include all PCPs who routinely see older adults. Keywords: Primary care providers, Falls, Prevention, Older adults, Geriatrics

  7. What Can Elder Mistreatment Researchers Learn About Primary Prevention From Family Violence Intervention Models?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Kylie; Yonashiro-Cho, Jeanine; Gassoumis, Zachary D; Mosqueda, Laura; Han, S Duke; Wilber, Kathleen H

    2017-11-28

    Elder mistreatment (EM) is a public health problem that harms millions of older Americans each year. Despite growing recognition of its occurrence, there are no evidence-based primary prevention programs. Although EM is distinct from other areas of family violence, including child maltreatment and intimate partner violence, common risk factors and theoretical underpinnings point to opportunities for prevention strategies. Drawing on evidence-based best practices found in other fields of family violence, we identify approaches that could be tested to prevent EM at the hands of family caregivers, who are among the most likely to commit mistreatment. Specifically, we examine home visiting approaches primarily used in the child maltreatment field and identify components that have potential to inform EM interventions, including prevention. We conclude that there is enough information to begin testing a prevention intervention for EM that targets caregivers. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Implementation of an integrated primary care cardiometabolic risk prevention and management network in Montréal: does greater coordination of care with primary care physicians have an impact on health outcomes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylvie Provost

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Chronic disease management requires substantial services integration. A cardiometabolic risk management program inspired by the Chronic Care Model was implemented in Montréal for patients with diabetes or hypertension. One of this study's objectives was to assess the impact of care coordination between the interdisciplinary teams and physicians on patient participation in the program, lifestyle improvements and disease control. Methods: We obtained data on health outcomes from a register of clinical data, questionnaires completed by patients upon entry into the program and at the 12-month mark, and we drew information on the program's characteristics from the implementation analysis. We conducted multiple regression analyses, controlling for patient sociodemographic and health characteristics to measure the association between interdisciplinary team coordination with primary care physicians and various health outcomes. Results: A total of 1689 patients took part in the study (60.1% participation rate. Approximately 40% of patients withdrew from the program during the first year. At the 12-month follow-up (n = 992, we observed a significant increase in the proportion of patients achieving the various clinical targets. The perception by the interdisciplinary team of greater care coordination with primary care physicians was associated with increased participation in the program and the achievement of better clinical results. Conclusion: Greater coordination of patient services between interdisciplinary teams and primary care physicians translates into benefits for patients.

  9. Implementation of an integrated primary care cardiometabolic risk prevention and management network in Montréal: does greater coordination of care with primary care physicians have an impact on health outcomes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Provost, Sylvie; Pineault, Raynald; Grimard, Dominique; Pérez, José; Fournier, Michel; Lévesque, Yves; Desforges, Johanne; Tousignant, Pierre; Borgès Da Silva, Roxane

    2017-04-01

    Chronic disease management requires substantial services integration. A cardiometabolic risk management program inspired by the Chronic Care Model was implemented in Montréal for patients with diabetes or hypertension. One of this study's objectives was to assess the impact of care coordination between the interdisciplinary teams and physicians on patient participation in the program, lifestyle improvements and disease control. We obtained data on health outcomes from a register of clinical data, questionnaires completed by patients upon entry into the program and at the 12-month mark, and we drew information on the program's characteristics from the implementation analysis. We conducted multiple regression analyses, controlling for patient sociodemographic and health characteristics, to measure the association between interdisciplinary team coordination with primary care physicians and various health outcomes. A total of 1689 patients took part in the study (60.1% participation rate). Approximately 40% of patients withdrew from the program during the first year. At the 12-month follow-up (n = 992), we observed a significant increase in the proportion of patients achieving the various clinical targets. The perception by the interdisciplinary team of greater care coordination with primary care physicians was associated with increased participation in the program and the achievement of better clinical results. Greater coordination of patient services between interdisciplinary teams and primary care physicians translates into benefits for patients.

  10. The Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team performance indicators for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a modified Delphi panel study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tu, Jack V; Maclagan, Laura C; Ko, Dennis T; Atzema, Clare L; Booth, Gillian L; Johnston, Sharon; Tu, Karen; Lee, Douglas S; Bierman, Arlene; Hall, Ruth; Bhatia, R Sacha; Gershon, Andrea S; Tobe, Sheldon W; Sanmartin, Claudia; Liu, Peter; Chu, Anna

    2017-04-25

    High-quality ambulatory care can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, but important gaps exist in the provision of cardiovascular preventive care. We sought to develop a set of key performance indicators that can be used to measure and improve cardiovascular care in the primary care setting. As part of the Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team initiative, we established a 14-member multidisciplinary expert panel to develop a set of indicators for measuring primary prevention performance in ambulatory cardiovascular care. We used a 2-stage modified Delphi panel process to rate potential indicators, which were identified from the literature and national cardiovascular organizations. The top-rated indicators were pilot tested to determine their measurement feasibility with the use of data routinely collected in the Canadian health care system. A set of 28 indicators of primary prevention performance were identified, which were grouped into 5 domains: risk factor prevalence, screening, management, intermediate outcomes and long-term outcomes. The indicators reflect the major cardiovascular risk factors including smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and atrial fibrillation. All indicators were determined to be amenable to measurement with the use of population-based administrative (physician claims, hospital admission, laboratory, medication), survey or electronic medical record databases. The Cardiovascular Health in Ambulatory Care Research Team indicators of primary prevention performance provide a framework for the measurement of cardiovascular primary prevention efforts in Canada. The indicators may be used by clinicians, researchers and policy-makers interested in measuring and improving the prevention of cardiovascular disease in ambulatory care settings. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its licensors.

  11. Process evaluation of a lifestyle intervention to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in primary care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lakerveld, J.; Bot, S.D.M.; Chin A Paw, M.J.M.; van Tulder, M.W.; Kingo, L.; Nijpels, G.

    2012-01-01

    Effective, cost-effective, safe, and feasible interventions to improve lifestyle behavior in at-risk populations are needed in primary care. In the Hoorn Prevention Study, the authors implemented a theory-based lifestyle intervention in which trained practice nurses used an innovative combination of

  12. Administrative Challenges to the Integration of Oral Health With Primary Care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maxey, Hannah L.; Randolph, Courtney; Gano, Laura; Kochhar, Komal

    2017-01-01

    Inadequate access to preventive oral health services contributes to oral health disparities and is a major public health concern in the United States. Federally Qualified Health Centers play a critical role in improving access to care for populations affected by oral health disparities but face a number of administrative challenges associated with implementation of oral health integration models. We conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis with health care executives to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of successful oral health integration in Federally Qualified Health Centers. Four themes were identified: (1) culture of health care organizations; (2) operations and administration; (3) finance; and (4) workforce. PMID:27218701

  13. Digital Story-Based Problem Solving Applications: Preservice Primary Teachers' Experiences and Future Integration Plans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kilic, Çigdem; Sancar-Tokmak, Hatice

    2017-01-01

    This case study investigates how preservice primary school teachers describe their experiences with digital story-based problem solving applications and their plans for the future integration of this technology into their teaching. Totally 113 preservice primary school teachers participated in the study. Data collection tools included a…

  14. [Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Brazil: inclusion in the Brazilian Unified National Health System and integration with primary care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sousa, Islandia Maria Carvalho de; Tesser, Charles Dalcanale

    2017-01-23

    This study aimed to analyze the inclusion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS) and its integration with primary healthcare (PHC). A qualitative study drew on institutional data, indexed articles, and case studies in selected Brazilian cities: Campinas (São Paulo State), Florianópolis (Santa Catarina State), Recife (Pernambuco State), Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. The analysis adopted the perspective of inclusion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the healthcare network and its integration with primary healthcare, based on the following dimensions: presence of Traditional and Complementary Medicine on the municipal agenda; position in the services; mode of access to Traditional and Complementary Medicine; Traditional and Complementary Medicine practitioners; types of practices; demand profile; and potential for expansion in the SUS. The authors identified and characterized four types of inclusion and integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, whether in association or not: Type 1 - in primary healthcare via professionals from the family health teams - Integrated; Type 2 - in primary healthcare via professionals with full-time employment - Juxtaposed; Type 3 - in primary healthcare via matrix-organized teams - Matrix Organization; Type 4 - in specialized services - Without Integration. The combination of types 1 and 3 was considered a potential guideline for the expansion of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the SUS and can orient the growth and integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine with primary healthcare. The growing presence of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in the SUS requires conceiving its strategic expansion, while existing experiences should not be wasted.

  15. Primary and Secondary Prevention of Colorectal Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro J. Tárraga López

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Cancer is a worldwide problem as it will affect one in three men and one in four women during their lifetime. Colorectal cancer (CRC is the third most frequent cancer in men, after lung and prostate cancer, and is the second most frequent cancer in women after breast cancer. It is also the third cause of death in men and women separately, and is the second most frequent cause of death by cancer if both genders are considered together. CRC represents approximately 10% of deaths by cancer. Modifiable risk factors of CRC include smoking, physical inactivity, being overweight and obesity, eating processed meat, and drinking alcohol excessively. CRC screening programs are possible only in economically developed countries. However, attention should be paid in the future to geographical areas with ageing populations and a western lifestyle. 19 , 20 Sigmoidoscopy screening done with people aged 55-64 years has been demonstrated to reduce the incidence of CRC by 33% and mortality by CRC by 43%. Objective To assess the effect on the incidence and mortality of CRC diet and lifestyle and to determine the effect of secondary prevention through early diagnosis of CRC. Methodology A comprehensive search of Medline and Pubmed articles related to primary and secondary prevention of CRC and subsequently, a meta-analysis of the same blocks are performed. Results 225 articles related to primary or secondary prevention of CRC were retrieved. Of these 145 were considered valid on meta-analysis: 12 on epidemiology, 56 on diet and lifestyle, and over 77 different screenings for early detection of CRC. Cancer is a worldwide problem as it will affect one in three men and one in four women during their lifetime. There is no doubt whatsoever which environmental factors, probably diet, may account for these cancer rates. Excessive alcohol consumption and cholesterol-rich diet are associated with a high risk of colon cancer. A diet poor in folic acid and vitamin

  16. Investigation for integration of the German Public Health Service in catastrophe and disaster prevention programs in Germany

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pfenninger, E.; Koenig, S.; Himmelseher, S.

    2004-01-01

    This research project aimed at investigating the integration of the GPHS into the plans for civil defence and protection as well as catastrophe prevention of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following a comprehensive analysis of the current situation, potential proposals for an improved integrative approach will be presented. In view of the lack of topics relevant for medical care in disaster medicine in educational curricula and training programs for medical students and postgraduate board programs for public health physicians, a working group of the Civil Protection Board of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior already complained in their 'Report on execution of legal rules for protection and rescue of human life as well as restitution of public health after disaster' in 1999, that the integration of the GPHS into catastrophe and disaster prevention programs has insufficiently been solved. On a point-by-point approach, our project analysed the following issues: - Legislative acts for integration of the German Public Health Service into medical care in catastrophes and disasters to protect the civilian population of Germany and their implementation and execution. - Administrative rules and directives on state and district levels that show relationship to integration of the German Public Health Service into preparedness programs for catastrophe prevention and management and their implementation and execution. - Education and postgraduate training options for physicians and non-physician employees of the German Public health Service to prepare for medical care in catastrophes and disasters. - State of knowledge and experience of the German Public Health Service personnel in emergency and disaster medicine. - Evaluation of the German administrative catastrophe prevention authorities with regard to their integration of the German Public Health Service into preparedness programs for catastrophe prevention and management. - Development of a concept to remedy the

  17. Investigation of primary-to-secondary leakage accident on the PSB-VVER integral test facility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lipatov, I.A.; Dremin, G.I.; Galtchanskaya, S.A.; Chmal, I.I.; Moloshnikov, A.S.; Gorbunov, Y.S.; Antonova, A.I.; Elkin, I.V.

    2001-01-01

    The full text follows. The paper presents the main results from the test on primary-to-secondary leakage of 100 mm in equivalent diameter. The test was performed on the PSB-VVER integral test facility. PSB-VVER is a 4-loops scaled down model of primary system of NPP with VVER-1000 Russian type reactor. Volume - power scale is about 1/300 while elevation scale is 1/1. All components of the primary system of the reference NPP are modeled on PSB-VVER. Both passive (accumulators) and active (high and low pressure) ECCSs, pressurizer spray and relief circuits, feed water system and atmospheric dumping system (ADS) as well as the primary circuit gas remove emergency system are also simulated. The primary-to-secondary leakage was simulated using an external break line which connects the upper part of the hot header to SG water volume. The break line included a break nozzle (a cylindrical channel d = 5.8 mm, l/d = 10 with sharp inlet edge), quick-acting valve and two-phase mass flow rate measurement system. In addition loss of off-site power at the moment when a scram-signal is generated was assumed in the experiment. Thus the accident is to be considered as a beyond-design-basic one. The loss of off-site power results in the following: -main circulation pump shutdown; -pressurizer heaters switching off; -HPIS water cooling flow rate and number of points of water injection are reduced The study focuses on the adequacy of the associated accident management (AM) procedure developed by EDO ''GIDROPRESS'' as a General Designer of VVER-type reactors. The AM-procedure was adopted to the PSB-VVER test facility conditions using CATHARE (France) and DINAMIKA (Russia) codes analysis. The AM-procedure in PSB-VVER is as follows: after about 30 min of the onset of the accident, when the accident type and the localization of the SG affected become evident for the operator, he closes all the main steam isolation valves, inhibits the ADS actuation in the affected SG and begins to remove

  18. Models for Primary Eye Care Services in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vasundhra Misra

    2015-01-01

    In the current situation, an integrated health care system with primary eye care promoted by government of India is apparently the best answer. This model is both cost effective and practical for the prevention and control of blindness among the underprivileged population. Other models functioning with the newer technology of tele-ophthalmology or mobile clinics also add to the positive outcome in providing primary eye care services. This review highlights the strengths and weaknesses of various models presently functioning in the country with the idea of providing useful inputs for eye care providers and enabling them to identify and adopt an appropriate model for primary eye care services.

  19. Primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer in mountain guides: attitude and motivation for or against participation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zink, Alexander; Thome, Frank; Schielein, Maximilian; Spinner, Christoph D; Biedermann, Tilo; Tizek, Linda

    2018-05-30

    Outdoor professionals such as mountain guides are at a substantial risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) due to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Despite major recent primary prevention efforts, studies on secondary skin cancer prevention efforts are limited and corresponding data on outdoor workers scarce. To assess the sun-protective behavior and individual motivations for or against skin cancer screening examinations in the German mountain guide population to aid in the development of effective awareness and prevention strategies. A cross-sectional study among all registered mountain guides in Germany was conducted using a 35-item online questionnaire on primary and secondary prevention of NMSC as well as perceived barriers for prevention. A total of 145 mountain guides participated in the study in January 2017. Of these, 86.2% reported using sunscreen often or always, 62.1% with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30-50; and 60.7% had undergone dermatological examination by a medical professional. The most common reasons for using secondary prevention efforts were hope of an early diagnosis (77.3%), fear of skin cancer (73.9%), and the intention to be aware of one's own health (70.5%). The main reasons for not doing so were absence of conspicuous skin conditions (63.2%), and feeling healthy (59.6%). Awareness of prevention strategies recommended by the scientific community is low among affected occupationally high-risk mountain guide populations. Understanding the specific needs of this high-risk group is essential for the development of sustainable awareness and prevention strategies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  20. Population Based Cancer Screening Programmes as a Teachable Moment for Primary Prevention Interventions. A Review of the Literature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Senore, Carlo; Giordano, Livia; Bellisario, Cristina; Di Stefano, Francesca; Segnan, Nereo, E-mail: carlo.senore@cpo.it [Epidemiologia dei Tumori II, AOU S Giovanni Battista – CPO Piemonte, Torino (Italy)

    2012-05-08

    Background and aim: Unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and smoking are key risk factors for the major non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. The screening procedure may represent an ideal setting for promoting healthy lifestyles as it represents a time when subjects are probably more inclined to consider a relationship between their own habits and their effects on health. The aim of this study is to review available evidence concerning interventions combining screening and primary prevention interventions, aimed at promoting the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Methods: We searched the MEDLINE and Cochrane library electronic databases for intervention studies of primary prevention interventions implemented in the context of established screening programmes, or of pilot screening projects, where the study design included a comparison group. Results: Comprehensive interventions are acceptable for asymptomatic subjects targeted for cancer screening, can result in improvements and may be cost–effective. A positive impact of these interventions in favoring the adoption of cancer protective dietary behaviors was observed in all studies. Conflicting results were instead reported with respect to physical activity, while no impact could be observed for interventions aimed to favor smoking cessation. Conclusions: The retrieved studies suggest that the screening setting may offer valuable opportunities to provide credible, potentially persuasive life style advice, reaching a wide audience. A multiple risk factor approach may maximize the benefit of behavioral change, as the same health related habits are associated not only with cancers targeted by screening interventions, but also with other cancers, coronary artery disease, and other chronic conditions, while unhealthy behaviors may be mutually reinforcing. In order to cover a maximum number of possibilities, health education programmes should include multiple strategies

  1. Population Based Cancer Screening Programmes as a Teachable Moment for Primary Prevention Interventions. A Review of the Literature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Senore, Carlo; Giordano, Livia; Bellisario, Cristina; Di Stefano, Francesca; Segnan, Nereo

    2012-01-01

    Background and aim: Unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and smoking are key risk factors for the major non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. The screening procedure may represent an ideal setting for promoting healthy lifestyles as it represents a time when subjects are probably more inclined to consider a relationship between their own habits and their effects on health. The aim of this study is to review available evidence concerning interventions combining screening and primary prevention interventions, aimed at promoting the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Methods: We searched the MEDLINE and Cochrane library electronic databases for intervention studies of primary prevention interventions implemented in the context of established screening programmes, or of pilot screening projects, where the study design included a comparison group. Results: Comprehensive interventions are acceptable for asymptomatic subjects targeted for cancer screening, can result in improvements and may be cost–effective. A positive impact of these interventions in favoring the adoption of cancer protective dietary behaviors was observed in all studies. Conflicting results were instead reported with respect to physical activity, while no impact could be observed for interventions aimed to favor smoking cessation. Conclusions: The retrieved studies suggest that the screening setting may offer valuable opportunities to provide credible, potentially persuasive life style advice, reaching a wide audience. A multiple risk factor approach may maximize the benefit of behavioral change, as the same health related habits are associated not only with cancers targeted by screening interventions, but also with other cancers, coronary artery disease, and other chronic conditions, while unhealthy behaviors may be mutually reinforcing. In order to cover a maximum number of possibilities, health education programmes should include multiple strategies

  2. Computerized clinical decision support systems for primary preventive care: a decision-maker-researcher partnership systematic review of effects on process of care and patient outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, Nathan M; Sebaldt, Rolf J; Mackay, Jean A; Prorok, Jeanette C; Weise-Kelly, Lorraine; Navarro, Tamara; Wilczynski, Nancy L; Haynes, R Brian

    2011-08-03

    Computerized clinical decision support systems (CCDSSs) are claimed to improve processes and outcomes of primary preventive care (PPC), but their effects, safety, and acceptance must be confirmed. We updated our previous systematic reviews of CCDSSs and integrated a knowledge translation approach in the process. The objective was to review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of CCDSSs for PPC on process of care, patient outcomes, harms, and costs. We conducted a decision-maker-researcher partnership systematic review. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid's EBM Reviews Database, Inspec, and other databases, as well as reference lists through January 2010. We contacted authors to confirm data or provide additional information. We included RCTs that assessed the effect of a CCDSS for PPC on process of care and patient outcomes compared to care provided without a CCDSS. A study was considered to have a positive effect (i.e., CCDSS showed improvement) if at least 50% of the relevant study outcomes were statistically significantly positive. We added 17 new RCTs to our 2005 review for a total of 41 studies. RCT quality improved over time. CCDSSs improved process of care in 25 of 40 (63%) RCTs. Cumulative scientifically strong evidence supports the effectiveness of CCDSSs for screening and management of dyslipidaemia in primary care. There is mixed evidence for effectiveness in screening for cancer and mental health conditions, multiple preventive care activities, vaccination, and other preventive care interventions. Fourteen (34%) trials assessed patient outcomes, and four (29%) reported improvements with the CCDSS. Most trials were not powered to evaluate patient-important outcomes. CCDSS costs and adverse events were reported in only six (15%) and two (5%) trials, respectively. Information on study duration was often missing, limiting our ability to assess sustainability of CCDSS effects. Evidence supports the effectiveness of CCDSSs for screening and

  3. Clinical data integration model. Core interoperability ontology for research using primary care data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ethier, J-F; Curcin, V; Barton, A; McGilchrist, M M; Bastiaens, H; Andreasson, A; Rossiter, J; Zhao, L; Arvanitis, T N; Taweel, A; Delaney, B C; Burgun, A

    2015-01-01

    This article is part of the Focus Theme of METHODS of Information in Medicine on "Managing Interoperability and Complexity in Health Systems". Primary care data is the single richest source of routine health care data. However its use, both in research and clinical work, often requires data from multiple clinical sites, clinical trials databases and registries. Data integration and interoperability are therefore of utmost importance. TRANSFoRm's general approach relies on a unified interoperability framework, described in a previous paper. We developed a core ontology for an interoperability framework based on data mediation. This article presents how such an ontology, the Clinical Data Integration Model (CDIM), can be designed to support, in conjunction with appropriate terminologies, biomedical data federation within TRANSFoRm, an EU FP7 project that aims to develop the digital infrastructure for a learning healthcare system in European Primary Care. TRANSFoRm utilizes a unified structural / terminological interoperability framework, based on the local-as-view mediation paradigm. Such an approach mandates the global information model to describe the domain of interest independently of the data sources to be explored. Following a requirement analysis process, no ontology focusing on primary care research was identified and, thus we designed a realist ontology based on Basic Formal Ontology to support our framework in collaboration with various terminologies used in primary care. The resulting ontology has 549 classes and 82 object properties and is used to support data integration for TRANSFoRm's use cases. Concepts identified by researchers were successfully expressed in queries using CDIM and pertinent terminologies. As an example, we illustrate how, in TRANSFoRm, the Query Formulation Workbench can capture eligibility criteria in a computable representation, which is based on CDIM. A unified mediation approach to semantic interoperability provides a

  4. The Efficacy of Eradication of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Primary Prevention of NSAID-induced Gastropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S.M. Tkach

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available With the aim of clarifying the efficacy of eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori (Hp infection in primary prevention of NSAID-induced gastropathy, we have examined 39 Hp-positive patients, in whom we planned to administer non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs for various arthritis. In group I, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were prescribed after anti-helicobacter therapy, in group II eradication was not carried out, and the patients immediately received diclofenac. In both groups the incidence of peptic ulcers has been compared in 1 month after receiving diclofenac. In group I, peptic ulcers occurred in 2 patients (10.5 %, in group II — in 5 patients (26.3 %, ie in the group of eradication therapy they occurred significantly less frequently (χ2 = 0.5221. It is concluded that eradication of Hp-infection can be considered as an effective strategy for primary prevention of NSAID-induced gastropathy.

  5. Water hammer characteristics of integral pressurized water reactor primary loop

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuo, Qiaolin; Qiu, Suizheng; Lu, Wei; Tian, Wenxi; Su, Guanghui; Xiao, Zejun

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Water hammer models developed for IPWR primary loop using MOC. • Good agreement between the developed code and the experiment. • The good agreement between WAHAP and Flowmaster can validate the equations in WAHAP. • The primary loop of IPWR suffers from slight water hammer impact. -- Abstract: The present work discussed the single-phase water hammer phenomenon, which was caused by the four-pump-alternate startup in an integral pressurized water reactor (IPWR). A new code named water hammer program (WAHAP) was developed independently based on the method of characteristic to simulate hydraulic transients in the primary system of IPWR and its components such as reactor core, once-through steam generators (OTSG), the main coolant pumps and so on. Experimental validation for the correctness of the equations and models in WAHAP was carried out and the models fit the experimental data well. Some important variables were monitored including transient volume flow rates, opening angle of valve disc and pressure drop in valves. The water hammer commercial software Flowmaster V7 was also employed to compare with WAHAP and the good agreement can validate the equations in WAHAP. The transient results indicated that the primary loop of IPWR suffers from slight water hammer impact under pump switching conditions

  6. Water hammer characteristics of integral pressurized water reactor primary loop

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zuo, Qiaolin [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shanxi 710049 (China); Qiu, Suizheng, E-mail: szqiu@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shanxi 710049 (China); Lu, Wei; Tian, Wenxi; Su, Guanghui [School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shanxi 710049 (China); Xiao, Zejun [Nuclear Power Institute of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 (China)

    2013-08-15

    Highlights: • Water hammer models developed for IPWR primary loop using MOC. • Good agreement between the developed code and the experiment. • The good agreement between WAHAP and Flowmaster can validate the equations in WAHAP. • The primary loop of IPWR suffers from slight water hammer impact. -- Abstract: The present work discussed the single-phase water hammer phenomenon, which was caused by the four-pump-alternate startup in an integral pressurized water reactor (IPWR). A new code named water hammer program (WAHAP) was developed independently based on the method of characteristic to simulate hydraulic transients in the primary system of IPWR and its components such as reactor core, once-through steam generators (OTSG), the main coolant pumps and so on. Experimental validation for the correctness of the equations and models in WAHAP was carried out and the models fit the experimental data well. Some important variables were monitored including transient volume flow rates, opening angle of valve disc and pressure drop in valves. The water hammer commercial software Flowmaster V7 was also employed to compare with WAHAP and the good agreement can validate the equations in WAHAP. The transient results indicated that the primary loop of IPWR suffers from slight water hammer impact under pump switching conditions.

  7. Health system challenges to integration of mental health delivery in primary care in Kenya--perspectives of primary care health workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, Rachel; Othieno, Caleb; Okeyo, Stephen; Aruwa, Julyan; Kingora, James; Jenkins, Ben

    2013-09-30

    Health system weaknesses in Africa are broadly well known, constraining progress on reducing the burden of both communicable and non-communicable disease (Afr Health Monitor, Special issue, 2011, 14-24), and the key challenges in leadership, governance, health workforce, medical products, vaccines and technologies, information, finance and service delivery have been well described (Int Arch Med, 2008, 1:27). This paper uses focus group methodology to explore health worker perspectives on the challenges posed to integration of mental health into primary care by generic health system weakness. Two ninety minute focus groups were conducted in Nyanza province, a poor agricultural region of Kenya, with 20 health workers drawn from a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a mental health training programme for primary care, 10 from the intervention group clinics where staff had received the training programme, and 10 health workers from the control group where staff had not received the training). These focus group discussions suggested that there are a number of generic health system weaknesses in Kenya which impact on the ability of health workers to care for clients with mental health problems and to implement new skills acquired during a mental health continuing professional development training programmes. These weaknesses include the medicine supply, health management information system, district level supervision to primary care clinics, the lack of attention to mental health in the national health sector targets, and especially its absence in district level targets, which results in the exclusion of mental health from such district level supervision as exists, and the lack of awareness in the district management team about mental health. The lack of mental health coverage included in HIV training courses experienced by the health workers was also striking, as was the intensive focus during district supervision on HIV to the detriment of other

  8. An integrated approach to preventing cardiovascular disease: community-based approaches, health system initiatives, and public health policy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tina Karwalajtys

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Tina Karwalajtys1, Janusz Kaczorowski2,31Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; 2Primary Care & Community Research, Child & Family Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 3Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, CanadaAbstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD is largely the product of interactions among modifiable risk factors that are common in developed nations and increasingly of concern in developing countries. Hypertension is an important precursor to the development of CVD, and although detection and treatment rates have improved in recent years in some jurisdictions, effective strategies and policies supporting a shift in distribution of risk factors at the population level remain paramount. Challenges in managing cardiovascular health more effectively include factors at the patient, provider, and system level. Strategies to reduce hypertension and CVD should be population based, incorporate multilevel, multicomponent, and socioenvironmental approaches, and integrate community resources with public health and clinical care. There is an urgent need to improve monitoring and management of risk factors through community-wide, primary care-linked initiatives, increase the evidence base for community-based prevention strategies, further develop and evaluate promising program components, and develop new approaches to support healthy lifestyle behaviors in diverse age, socioeconomic, and ethnocultural groups. Policy and system changes are critical to reduce risk in populations, including legislation and public education to reduce dietary sodium and trans-fatty acids, food pricing policies, and changes to health care delivery systems to explicitly support prevention and management of CVD.Keywords: risk factors, blood pressure determination, community health services, community health planning, public health practice

  9. Theory of Planned Behavior in School-Based Adolescent Problem Gambling Prevention: A Conceptual Framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St-Pierre, Renée A; Temcheff, Caroline E; Derevensky, Jeffrey L; Gupta, Rina

    2015-12-01

    Given its serious implications for psychological and socio-emotional health, the prevention of problem gambling among adolescents is increasingly acknowledged as an area requiring attention. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) is a well-established model of behavior change that has been studied in the development and evaluation of primary preventive interventions aimed at modifying cognitions and behavior. However, the utility of the TPB has yet to be explored as a framework for the development of adolescent problem gambling prevention initiatives. This paper first examines the existing empirical literature addressing the effectiveness of school-based primary prevention programs for adolescent gambling. Given the limitations of existing programs, we then present a conceptual framework for the integration of the TPB in the development of effective problem gambling preventive interventions. The paper describes the TPB, demonstrates how the framework has been applied to gambling behavior, and reviews the strengths and limitations of the model for the design of primary prevention initiatives targeting adolescent risk and addictive behaviors, including adolescent gambling.

  10. A Community-Engaged Approach to Developing an mHealth HIV/STI and Drug Abuse Preventive Intervention for Primary Care: A Qualitative Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauermeister, Jose A; Fessler, Kathryn; Delva, Jorge; Nelson, Annabelle; Nurenberg, Rachel; Mendoza Lua, Frania; Alers-Rojas, Francheska; Salas-Wright, Christopher P

    2015-01-01

    Background Despite ongoing prevention efforts, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STIs) and drug use remain public health concerns. Urban adolescents, many of whom are underserved and racial minorities, are disproportionately affected. Recent changes in policy, including the Affordable Care Act, and advances in technology provide HIV/STI and drug abuse prevention scientists with unique opportunities to deliver mobile health (mHealth) preventive interventions in primary care. Objectives The purpose of this community-engaged study was to develop an mHealth version of the Storytelling for Empowerment preventive intervention for primary care (hereinafter referred to as “S4E”). Methods A total of 29 adolescents were recruited from a youth-centered primary care clinic in Southeast, Michigan, to participate in qualitative interviews. Participants were predominantly African American (n=19, 65.5%) and female (n=21, 72.4%) with a mean age of 16.23 (SD 2.09). The principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR), in conjunction with agile software development and the recommended core prevention principles of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) were employed during S4E development. CBPR principles are aimed at improving the effectiveness of research by addressing locally relevant health problems, working with community strengths, and translating basic science into applied research. Complementing this approach, the NIDA prevention principles are derived from decades of drug abuse prevention research aimed at increasing the effectiveness and uptake of programs, through the development of culturally specific interventions and ensuring the structure, content, and delivery of the intervention fit the needs of the community. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results A total of 5 themes emerged from the data: (1) acceptability of the mHealth app to adolescents in primary care, (2) inclusion of a risk assessment to improve clinician

  11. A Community-Engaged Approach to Developing an mHealth HIV/STI and Drug Abuse Preventive Intervention for Primary Care: A Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordova, David; Bauermeister, Jose A; Fessler, Kathryn; Delva, Jorge; Nelson, Annabelle; Nurenberg, Rachel; Mendoza Lua, Frania; Alers-Rojas, Francheska; Salas-Wright, Christopher P

    2015-12-18

    Despite ongoing prevention efforts, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STIs) and drug use remain public health concerns. Urban adolescents, many of whom are underserved and racial minorities, are disproportionately affected. Recent changes in policy, including the Affordable Care Act, and advances in technology provide HIV/STI and drug abuse prevention scientists with unique opportunities to deliver mobile health (mHealth) preventive interventions in primary care. The purpose of this community-engaged study was to develop an mHealth version of the Storytelling for Empowerment preventive intervention for primary care (hereinafter referred to as "S4E"). A total of 29 adolescents were recruited from a youth-centered primary care clinic in Southeast, Michigan, to participate in qualitative interviews. Participants were predominantly African American (n=19, 65.5%) and female (n=21, 72.4%) with a mean age of 16.23 (SD 2.09). The principles of community-based participatory research (CBPR), in conjunction with agile software development and the recommended core prevention principles of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) were employed during S4E development. CBPR principles are aimed at improving the effectiveness of research by addressing locally relevant health problems, working with community strengths, and translating basic science into applied research. Complementing this approach, the NIDA prevention principles are derived from decades of drug abuse prevention research aimed at increasing the effectiveness and uptake of programs, through the development of culturally specific interventions and ensuring the structure, content, and delivery of the intervention fit the needs of the community. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of 5 themes emerged from the data: (1) acceptability of the mHealth app to adolescents in primary care, (2) inclusion of a risk assessment to improve clinician-adolescent HIV/STI and drug use communication

  12. Guidelines for integrating population education into primary education and literacy programmes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1989-01-01

    In recent seminars and workshops in the Asia and Pacific region the integration of population education into primary schools and literacy programs were the main topics. In most of the countries in this area separate courses in population education appear to be unfeasible for primary and secondary schools. In the nonformal area experience has indicated that population education acquires more meaning and relevance if it is integrated into an ongoing development program. The integration approach requires knowledge of the contents of the accommodating subjects or programs and knowledge of the contents of the accommodating subjects or programs and knowledge of the contents of population education. Guidelines suggested include the following steps in developing an integrated curriculum and instructional materials. First determine the needs, characteristics and other background information needed on the target group. Next prioritize the problems and needs of the target group, and formulate educational objectives from the identified needs and problems. Next determine and sequence the curriculum contents and then determine specific population education objectives and contents for integration, and what specific materials have to be developed. Then identify the specific type of format of materials to be developed, and write the first draft of the material. Also prepare illustrations and other art and graphic materials. Then the draft material should be reviewed and translated into the language of the target audience if needed. The materials should then be pretested, or field tested, using a sample of the intended users. To make sure the materials are reaching the target groups and being used effectively, a user's guide should be prepared and teachers and facilitators, as well as supervisors, should be prepared on the use of the material. In addition, a distribution and utilization plan should be prepared. Nonformal education materials can be distributed through libraries

  13. Feasibility and effectiveness of the implementation of a primary prevention programme for type 2 diabetes in routine primary care practice: a phase IV cluster randomised clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanchez Alvaro

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The objective of this study is to perform an independent evaluation of the feasibility and effectiveness of an educational programme for the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes (DM2 in high risk populations in primary care settings, implanted within the Basque Health Service - Osakidetza. Methods/design This is a prospective phase IV cluster clinical trial conducted under routine conditions in 14 primary health care centres of Osakidetza, randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. We will recruit a total sample of 1089 individuals, aged between 45 and 70 years old, without diabetes but at high risk of developing the condition (Finnish Diabetes Risk Score, FINDRISC ≥ 14 and follow them up for 2 years. Primary health care nursing teams of the intervention centres will implement DE-PLAN, a structured educational intervention program focused on changing healthy lifestyles (diet and physical activity; while the patients in the control centres will receive the usual care for the prevention and treatment of DM2 currently provided in Osakidetza. The effectiveness attributable to the programme will be assessed by comparing the changes observed in patients exposed to the intervention and those in the control group, with respect to the risk of developing DM2 and lifestyle habits. In terms of feasibility, we will assess indicators of population coverage and programme implementation. Discussion The aim of this study is to provide the scientific basis for disseminate the programme to the remaining primary health centres in Osakidetza, as a novel way of addressing prevention of DM2. The study design will enable us to gather information on the effectiveness of the intervention as well as the feasibility of implementing it in routine practice. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01365013

  14. Benefit-harm analysis and charts for individualized and preference-sensitive prevention: example of low dose aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puhan, Milo A; Yu, Tsung; Stegeman, Inge; Varadhan, Ravi; Singh, Sonal; Boyd, Cynthia M

    2015-10-01

    Clinical practice guidelines provide separate recommendations for different diseases that may be prevented or treated by the same intervention. Also, they commonly provide recommendations for entire populations but not for individuals. To address these two limitations, our aim was to conduct benefit-harm analyses for a wide range of individuals using the example of low dose aspirin for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer and to develop Benefit-Harm Charts that show the overall benefit-harm balance for individuals. We used quantitative benefit-harm modeling that included 16 outcomes to estimate the probability that low dose aspirin provides more benefits than harms for a wide range of men and women between 45 and 84 years of age and without a previous myocardial infarction, severe ischemic stroke, or cancer. We repeated the quantitative benefit-harm modeling for different combinations of age, sex, and outcome risks for severe ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, myocardial infarction, cancers, and severe gastrointestinal bleeds. The analyses considered weights for the outcomes, statistical uncertainty of the effects of aspirin, and death as a competing risk. We constructed Benefit-Harm Charts that show the benefit-harm balance for different combinations of outcome risks. The Benefit-Harm Charts ( http://www.benefit-harm-balance.com ) we have created show that the benefit-harm balance differs largely across a primary prevention population. Low dose aspirin is likely to provide more benefits than harms in men, elderly people, and in those at low risk for severe gastrointestinal bleeds. Individual preferences have a major impact on the benefit-harm balance. If, for example, it is a high priority for individuals to prevent stroke and severe cancers while severe gastrointestinal bleeds are deemed to be of little importance, the benefit-harm balance is likely to favor low dose aspirin for most individuals. Instead, if severe gastrointestinal bleeds are

  15. 78 FR 10618 - Re-Establishment of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-02-14

    ..., Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health..., Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health (hereafter referred to as ``the Advisory Group... Advisory Group provides recommendations and advice to the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public...

  16. Improving rates of screening and prevention by leveraging existing information systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neil, Nancy

    2003-11-01

    In 1997 Virginia Mason Health System (VMMC), a vertically integrated hospital and multispecialty group practice, had no process or system to deliver the right patient clinical data, in the right form, at the right place--when providers needed it for effective patient care. Without any new investment in technology, a work group of five individuals leveraged existing, primarily paper-based information systems to launch development and implementation of a provider prompting tool--a primary care and prevention (PCP) report--which prompted providers to complete screening, prevention, and disease management services at every patient appointment. The work group developed and pilot tested the report and created a mechanism by which the report could be delivered just in time before each patient's appointment. The report integrated information from independent appointment scheduling, laboratory results reporting, patient demographics, and billing data sources. MEASURING THE PCP REPORT'S IMPACT: The results of two separate analyses demonstrate improvement in rates of screening and prevention across VMMC soon after the PCP report became available. These results led senior leadership to make the PCP report's utilization a systemwide imperative. The PCP report is used by nearly all primary care providers as a prompt to complete screening, prevention, and disease management services at every patient appointment.

  17. From theoretical concepts to policies and applied programmes: the landscape of integration of oral health in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harnagea, Hermina; Lamothe, Lise; Couturier, Yves; Esfandiari, Shahrokh; Voyer, René; Charbonneau, Anne; Emami, Elham

    2018-02-15

    Despite its importance, the integration of oral health into primary care is still an emerging practice in the field of health care services. This scoping review aims to map the literature and provide a summary on the conceptual frameworks, policies and programs related to this concept. Using the Levac et al. six-stage framework, we performed a systematic search of electronic databases, organizational websites and grey literature from 1978 to April 2016. All relevant original publications with a focus on the integration of oral health into primary care were retrieved. Content analyses were performed to synthesize the results. From a total of 1619 citations, 67 publications were included in the review. Two conceptual frameworks were identified. Policies regarding oral heath integration into primary care were mostly oriented toward common risk factors approach and care coordination processes. In general, oral health integrated care programs were designed in the public health sector and based on partnerships with various private and public health organizations, governmental bodies and academic institutions. These programmes used various strategies to empower oral health integrated care, including building interdisciplinary networks, training non-dental care providers, oral health champion modelling, enabling care linkages and care coordinated process, as well as the use of e-health technologies. The majority of studies on the programs outcomes were descriptive in nature without reporting long-term outcomes. This scoping review provided a comprehensive overview on the concept of integration of oral health in primary care. The findings identified major gaps in reported programs outcomes mainly because of the lack of related research. However, the results could be considered as a first step in the development of health care policies that support collaborative practices and patient-centred care in the field of primary care sector.

  18. Core Competencies in Integrative Pain Care for Entry-Level Primary Care Physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tick, Heather; Chauvin, Sheila W; Brown, Michael; Haramati, Aviad

    2015-11-01

    The objective was to develop a set of core competencies for graduating primary care physicians in integrative pain care (IPC), using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) domains. These competencies build on previous work in competencies for integrative medicine, interprofessional education, and pain medicine and are proposed for inclusion in residency training. A task force was formed to include representation from various professionals who are involved in education, research, and the practice of IPC and who represent broad areas of expertise. The task force convened during a 1.5-day face-to-face meeting, followed by a series of surveys and other vetting processes involving diverse interprofessional groups, which led to the consensus of a final set of competencies. The proposed competencies focus on interprofessional knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) and are in line with recommendations by the Institute of Medicine, military medicine, and professional pain societies advocating the need for coordination and integration of services for effective pain care with reduced risk and cost and improved outcomes. These ACGME domain compatible competencies for physicians reflect the contributions of several disciplines that will need to be included in evolving interprofessional settings and underscore the need for collaborative care. These core competencies can guide the incorporation of KSAs within curricula. The learning experiences should enable medical educators and graduating primary care physicians to focus more on integrative approaches, interprofessional team-based, patient-centered care that use evidence-based, traditional and complementary disciplines and therapeutics to provide safe and effective treatments for people in pain. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. An integrated approach to preventing cardiovascular disease: community-based approaches, health system initiatives, and public health policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karwalajtys, Tina; Kaczorowski, Janusz

    2010-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is largely the product of interactions among modifiable risk factors that are common in developed nations and increasingly of concern in developing countries. Hypertension is an important precursor to the development of CVD, and although detection and treatment rates have improved in recent years in some jurisdictions, effective strategies and policies supporting a shift in distribution of risk factors at the population level remain paramount. Challenges in managing cardiovascular health more effectively include factors at the patient, provider, and system level. Strategies to reduce hypertension and CVD should be population based, incorporate multilevel, multicomponent, and socioenvironmental approaches, and integrate community resources with public health and clinical care. There is an urgent need to improve monitoring and management of risk factors through community-wide, primary care-linked initiatives, increase the evidence base for community-based prevention strategies, further develop and evaluate promising program components, and develop new approaches to support healthy lifestyle behaviors in diverse age, socioeconomic, and ethnocultural groups. Policy and system changes are critical to reduce risk in populations, including legislation and public education to reduce dietary sodium and trans-fatty acids, food pricing policies, and changes to health care delivery systems to explicitly support prevention and management of CVD.

  20. OECD Health Care Quality Indicator Project. The expert panel on primary care prevention and health promotion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marshall, Martin; Klazinga, Niek; Leatherman, Sheila; Hardy, Charlie; Bergmann, Eckhard; Pisco, Luis; Mattke, Soeren; Mainz, Jan

    2006-01-01

    PURPOSE: This article describes a project undertaken as part of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s Healthcare Quality Indicator (HCQI) Project, which aimed to develop a set of quality indicators representing the domains of primary care, prevention and health

  1. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Greece: Greek results of the EURIKA study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elisaf, Moses; Tzouvelekis, Emmanouil; Nikas, Nikos

    2014-01-01

    The EURIKA study was designed to describe the control of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a real-world primary prevention setting in Europe, to estimate residual CVD risk, and to assess physicians' attitudes to and perceptions of risk factor management. The present manuscript reports the EURIKA results from Greece. EURIKA was a multinational, cross-sectional study conducted in 12 European countries. Randomly selected physicians completed a questionnaire regarding their demographics and CVD prevention beliefs and practices. Consenting patients who were free of CVD, aged 50 years, and with 1 CVD risk factor, were recruited. Risk factor definition and treatment goals were based on the 2007 European guidelines on CVD prevention. Global CVD risk was estimated using the SCORE equation. In addition, each patient provided a fasting blood sample for measurement of serum lipids, and HbA1c. Overall, 620 evaluable patients (male/female 46%/54%) were enrolled by 63 physicians (13 hospital-based, 50 office-based) across Greece. Almost one-third of the patients (27.3%) were classified as highrisk (SCORE5%). Blood pressure, dyslipidaemia and diabetes were controlled in 47.5%, 37.4% and 43.8% of the population who were treated for the respective risk factors, with more than one-fourth of the controlled patients remaining at high risk. The ESC 2007 and ESC/ESH 2007 guidelines were the most popular (44.4% and 38.1% respectively), while the ESC/ESH tool was most frequently reported to be used by physicians for global CVD risk calculation (42%), followed by SCORE (36%), and Framingham (36%). The major barriers to the use of guidelines and risk calculation tools were the plethora of guidelines and time constraints (87.5% and 69.2% respectively). Control of key CVD risk factors appears to be suboptimal in primary prevention patients in Greece, with a remarkable proportion of controlled patients remaining at high risk. Although guidelines and global risk calculation tools are

  2. Integrating Antiretroviral Strategies for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention: Post- and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Early Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grant, Robert M; Smith, Dawn K

    2015-12-01

    Best practices for integrating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and antiretroviral interventions for prevention and treatment are suggested based on research evidence and existing normative guidance. The goal is to provide high-impact prevention services during periods of substantial risk. Antiretroviral medications are recommended for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and treatment of HIV infection. We reviewed research evidence and current normative guidelines to identify best practices for integrating these high-impact prevention strategies. More sensitive HIV tests used for screening enable earlier diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection, more appropriate counseling, and help limit drug resistance. A fully suppressive PEP regimen should be initiated based on exposure history or physical findings when sensitive diagnostic testing is delayed or not available and antibody tests are negative. Transitions from PEP to PrEP are often warranted because HIV exposure events may continue to occur. This algorithmic approach to integrating PEP, PrEP, and early treatment decisions may increase the uptake of these interventions by a greater number and diversity of knowledgeable healthcare providers.

  3. Parent and African American Daughter Obesity Prevention Interventions: An Integrative Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reed, Monique; Wilbur, JoEllen; Schoeny, Michael

    2015-08-01

    In the U.S., overweight/obesity among African American (AA) girls has become epidemic. Since parental factors may be associated with improved weight status, it is important to understand the empirical evidence for including parents in obesity prevention interventions with AA girls. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify effectiveness and characteristics of obesity prevention interventions for AA girls (6-17 years) and their parent. Included interventions addressed physical activity (PA), dietary/eating behaviors, and body composition. Of 708 studies published through March 2014, eight met inclusion criteria. Though effects were in the intended direction for most, statistically significant effects were found only for dietary intake and eating behavior. Interventions were characterized by exclusion of girls ages 13-17, failure to link parent involvement to child outcomes, the absence of family systems theory, and modest effects. Further research is needed to ascertain the effectiveness of daughter/parent obesity prevention interventions.

  4. [Knowledge and prevention management of vitamin D deficiency in primary care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Senan Sanz, M R; Gilaberte Calzada, Y; Olona Tabueña, N; Magallón Botaya, R

    2014-01-01

    To determine the knowledge and management of vitamin D (Vit D) in primary care (PC). Observational study. A total of 69 primary care centres, with 57 in Barcelona and 12 in Huesca. All medical and nursing graduates of these centres. A specifically designed questionnaire was used to collect knowledge on the actions of Vit D (on bone metabolism, cardiovascular and immune systems), its deficiency and prevention measures. Of the total of 2100 professionals, 785 completed the survey (37.78%), of whom 79.9% were women. Their mean age was 47 years (SD: 9.7). Only 4.8% knew the overall actions of Vitamin D, although the majority (66%) knew only its effects on bone metabolism. Almost two-thirds (62.4%) were unaware that its deficiency was a common problem, and 54.9% believed that photoprotection was contraindicated. Almost three-quarters of those surveyed (73.6%) never or almost never determined Vit D levels in their patients. A minority (23%) offered advice to maintain an adequate level of Vit D, with the most frequent being sun exposure (16.8%). Pediatricians were more knowledgeable (p<.001) and offered more advice for maintaining adequate levels of Vit D in blood (p<.001). Most of the professionals were unaware of the overall actions of Vit D, or that its deficiency was common, or the factors contributing to this. The advice that was more often offered to avoid its deficiency was not the safest. Paediatricians are more aware of how to prevent Vit D deficiency. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  5. PRIMARY PREVENTION OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN MIDDLE-AGED MALES (15-YEAR FOLLOW-UP: CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF THE PROBLEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. M. Kalinina

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To estimate incidence rate of first myocardial infarction (MI with different outcomes and factors, it is influenced by, depending on the intensity of preventive measures in a population of middle-aged men during 15-year follow-up; to evaluate economic efficiency of primary medical prevention.Material and methods. Two populations of middle-aged men with a total of 6656 males (3488 men the group of active prevention and 3168 the group of comparison were followed up over 15 years.Results. The group of active prevention revealed 22.1% reduced MI incidence rate during 5-year follow-up as compared to the second group, fatal MI incidence rate was 42.4% lower, p<0.05. Mortality rate in new cases of MI was 35.8% in the group of active prevention and 48.5% at routine treatment (p<0.05. The group of active prevention continued to have 17.9% reduced MI incidence rate during the 10-year follow-up as compared to the group of routine management (p>0.05, while patients with clinical signs of ischemic heart disease (IHD and no history of previous MI kept significant distinctions in first MI incidence rate (41% less in the first group, p<0.05. First MI incidence for the 10-year period was the least at risk factors (RF absence and twice higher even at single RF presence. Combination of RF caused 4-5 fold increase in risk for MI. Life status of 81.3% of the enrolled men (5410 of 6656 followed over 15 years was received along with the monitoring of prognosis.Such indices as “life years saved” (LYS and “quality-adjusted life years saved” (QALYS for 1000 persons in the active prevention group were 53 and 51 years, respectively during the 5-year follow-up, 147 and 143 years – during the 10-year follow-up. In the long-term actual expenses for 1 LYS were 3.4-fold less than annual gross domestic product (GDP value, at that charges for primary prevention – 4-fold less, which has been for the first time demonstrated using factual data and not mathematic

  6. Willingness of Rhode Island Dentists to Provide Limited Preventive Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dang, Catherine Tuyet Mai; Shield, Renee R; Giddon, Donald B

    2016-07-01

    In response to the shortage of primary care physicians and the need for greater intercollaboration among health professionals, dentists with sufficient medical and surgical training are an untapped resource to provide limited preventive primary care (LPPC), such as chairside screening for chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to determine attitudes of Rhode Island dentists toward becoming more involved in the overall health of their patients. Using a 5-point scale (1 being highest), a pretested survey was administered to 92 respondent RI dentists who were asked to indicate their willingness to become more involved in patients' overall health, and undergo additional training to provide LPPC. Their moderate level of willingness was offset by great concern for liability, with older dentists being significantly more willing to assume these additional responsibilities than younger dentists (pstomiatrist was still dentist first, but with no significant difference between the mean ranks of dentist and oral physician.[Full article available at http://rimed.org/rimedicaljournal-2016-07.asp, free with no login].

  7. Integrating an infectious disease programme into the primary health care service: a retrospective analysis of Chagas disease community-based surveillance in Honduras.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashimoto, Ken; Zúniga, Concepción; Nakamura, Jiro; Hanada, Kyo

    2015-03-24

    Integration of disease-specific programmes into the primary health care (PHC) service has been attempted mostly in clinically oriented disease control such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis but rarely in vector control. Chagas disease is controlled principally by interventions against the triatomine vector. In Honduras, after successful reduction of household infestation by vertical approach, the Ministry of Health implemented community-based vector surveillance at the PHC services (health centres) to prevent the resurgence of infection. This paper retrospectively analyses the effects and process of integrating a Chagas disease vector surveillance system into health centres. We evaluated the effects of integration at six pilot sites in western Honduras during 2008-2011 on; surveillance performance; knowledge, attitude and practice in schoolchildren; reports of triatomine bug infestation and institutional response; and seroprevalence among children under 15 years of age. The process of integration of the surveillance system was analysed using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for health programme planning. The model was employed to systematically determine influential and interactive factors which facilitated the integration process at different levels of the Ministry of Health and the community. Overall surveillance performance improved from 46 to 84 on a 100 point-scale. Schoolchildren's attitude (risk awareness) score significantly increased from 77 to 83 points. Seroprevalence declined from 3.4% to 0.4%. Health centres responded to the community bug reports by insecticide spraying. As key factors, the health centres had potential management capacity and influence over the inhabitants' behaviours and living environment directly and through community health volunteers. The National Chagas Programme played an essential role in facilitating changes with adequate distribution of responsibilities, participatory modelling, training and, evaluation and advocacy. We found that Chagas

  8. Non-melanoma Skin Cancer in Canada Chapter 2: Primary Prevention of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barber, Kirk; Searles, Gordon E; Vender, Ronald; Teoh, Hwee; Ashkenas, John

    2015-01-01

    Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal and squamous cell carcinoma (BCC and SCC), represents the most common malignancy. To provide guidance to Canadian health care practitioners regarding primary prevention of NMSC. Structured literature searches were conducted, using search terms including prevention, sunscreen, and sun prevention factor. All recommendations concern guidance that physicians should regularly discuss with their patients to help establish photoprotection habits. The GRADE system was used to assign strength to each recommendation. Ultraviolet exposure is the major modifiable risk factor for NMSC. Aspects of photoprotection, including effective sunscreen use and avoidance of both the midday sun and artificial tanning, are discussed. Several widespread misunderstandings that undermine responsible public health measures related to sun safety are addressed. Photoprotection represents both an individual priority and a public health imperative. By providing accurate information during routine patient visits, physicians reinforce the need for ongoing skin cancer prevention. © The Author(s) 2015.

  9. Medicaid Primary Care Physician Fees and the Use of Preventive Services among Medicaid Enrollees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atherly, Adam; Mortensen, Karoline

    2014-01-01

    Objective The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) increases Medicaid physician fees for preventive care up to Medicare rates for 2013 and 2014. The purpose of this paper was to model the relationship between Medicaid preventive care payment rates and the use of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)–recommended preventive care use among Medicaid enrollees. Data Sources/Study Session We used data from the 2003 and 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a national probability sample of the U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population, linked to Kaiser state Medicaid benefits data, including the state Medicaid-to-Medicare physician fee ratio in 2003 and 2008. Study Design Probit models were used to estimate the probability that eligible individuals received one of five USPSF-recommended preventive services. A difference-in-difference model was used to separate out the effect of changes in the Medicaid payment rate and other factors. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Data were linked using state identifiers. Principal Findings Although Medicaid enrollees had a lower rate of use of the five preventive services in univariate analysis, neither Medicaid enrollment nor changes in Medicaid payment rates had statistically significant effects on meeting screening recommendations for the five screenings. The results were robust to a number of different sensitivity tests. Individual and state characteristics were significant. Conclusions Our results suggest that although temporary changes in primary care provider payments for preventive services for Medicaid enrollees may have other desirable effects, they are unlikely to substantially increase the use of these selected USPSTF-recommended preventive care services among Medicaid enrollees. PMID:24628495

  10. [Venous thromboembolism prevention in pregnancy and the postpartum period in Primary and Specialized Care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallo-Vallejo, J L; Naveiro-Fuentes, M; Puertas-Prieto, A; Gallo-Vallejo, F J

    2017-09-01

    After noting that there are a number of risk factors for venous thromboembolism disease during pregnancy, it emphasizes primary prevention and treatment of this serious condition during pregnancy and the postpartum period are essential to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. Low molecular-weight heparins are under the anticoagulant of choice in pregnancy. Your prescription may make both the primary care physician, as the hematologist and obstetrician. As for prescribing terms, an application protocol in both primary and specialized, multidisciplinary care, based on the existing literature on the subject is presented, which indicated that the hypercoagulable disorders associated with some of the risk factors, forced to do thromboprophylaxis with low molecular-weight heparins throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period presented. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Trauma Center Based Youth Violence Prevention Programs: An Integrative Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikhail, Judy Nanette; Nemeth, Lynne Sheri

    2016-12-01

    Youth violence recidivism remains a significant public health crisis in the United States. Violence prevention is a requirement of all trauma centers, yet little is known about the effectiveness of these programs. Therefore, this systematic review summarizes the effectiveness of trauma center-based youth violence prevention programs. A systematic review of articles from MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsychINFO databases was performed to identify eligible control trials or observational studies. Included studies were from 1970 to 2013, describing and evaluating an intervention, were trauma center based, and targeted youth injured by violence (tertiary prevention). The social ecological model provided the guiding framework, and findings are summarized qualitatively. Ten studies met eligibility requirements. Case management and brief intervention were the primary strategies, and 90% of the studies showed some improvement in one or more outcome measures. These results held across both social ecological level and setting: both emergency department and inpatient unit settings. Brief intervention and case management are frequent and potentially effective trauma center-based violence prevention interventions. Case management initiated as an inpatient and continued beyond discharge was the most frequently used intervention and was associated with reduced rearrest or reinjury rates. Further research is needed, specifically longitudinal studies using experimental designs with high program fidelity incorporating uniform direct outcome measures. However, this review provides initial evidence that trauma centers can intervene with the highest of risk patients and break the youth violence recidivism cycle. © The Author(s) 2015.

  12. [Folic acid: Primary prevention of neural tube defects. Literature Review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llamas Centeno, M J; Miguélez Lago, C

    2016-03-01

    Neural tube defects (NTD) are the most common congenital malformations of the nervous system, they have a multifactorial etiology, are caused by exposure to chemical, physical or biological toxic agents, factors deficiency, diabetes, obesity, hyperthermia, genetic alterations and unknown causes. Some of these factors are associated with malnutrition by interfering with the folic acid metabolic pathway, the vitamin responsible for neural tube closure. Its deficit produce anomalies that can cause abortions, stillbirths or newborn serious injuries that cause disability, impaired quality of life and require expensive treatments to try to alleviate in some way the alterations produced in the embryo. Folic acid deficiency is considered the ultimate cause of the production of neural tube defects, it is clear the reduction in the incidence of Espina Bifida after administration of folic acid before conception, this leads us to want to further study the action of folic acid and its application in the primary prevention of neural tube defects. More than 40 countries have made the fortification of flour with folate, achieving encouraging data of decrease in the prevalence of neural tube defects. This paper attempts to make a literature review, which clarify the current situation and future of the prevention of neural tube defects.

  13. Provider perceptions of an integrated primary care quality improvement strategy: The PPAQ toolkit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beehler, Gregory P; Lilienthal, Kaitlin R

    2017-02-01

    The Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model of integrated primary care is challenging to implement with high fidelity. The Primary Care Behavioral Health Provider Adherence Questionnaire (PPAQ) was designed to assess provider adherence to essential model components and has recently been adapted into a quality improvement toolkit. The aim of this pilot project was to gather preliminary feedback on providers' perceptions of the acceptability and utility of the PPAQ toolkit for making beneficial practice changes. Twelve mental health providers working in Department of Veterans Affairs integrated primary care clinics participated in semistructured interviews to gather quantitative and qualitative data. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used to analyze data. Providers identified several positive features of the PPAQ toolkit organization and structure that resulted in high ratings of acceptability, while also identifying several toolkit components in need of modification to improve usability. Toolkit content was considered highly representative of the (PCBH) model and therefore could be used as a diagnostic self-assessment of model adherence. The toolkit was considered to be high in applicability to providers regardless of their degree of prior professional preparation or current clinical setting. Additionally, providers identified several system-level contextual factors that could impact the usefulness of the toolkit. These findings suggest that frontline mental health providers working in (PCBH) settings may be receptive to using an adherence-focused toolkit for ongoing quality improvement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  14. Integrating cervical cancer screening and preventive treatment with family planning and HIV-related services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Heather L; Meglioli, Alejandra; Chowdhury, Raveena; Nuccio, Olivia

    2017-07-01

    Cervical cancer is a leading cause of mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa-in large part because of inadequate coverage of screening and preventive treatment services. A number of programs have begun integrating cervical cancer prevention services into existing family planning or HIV/AIDS service delivery platforms, to rapidly expand "screen and treat" programs and mitigate cervical cancer burden. Drawing upon a review of literature and our experiences, we consider benefits and challenges associated with such programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. We then outline steps that can optimize uptake and sustainability of integrated sexual and reproductive health services. These include increasing coordination among implementing organizations for efficient use of resources; task shifting for services that can be provided by nonphysicians; mobilizing communities via trusted frontline health workers; strengthening management information systems to allow for monitoring of multiple services; and prioritizing an operational research agenda to provide further evidence on the cost-effectiveness and benefits of integrated service delivery. © 2017 The Authors. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

  15. [Social constructionism in primary health care: an integrative review].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cadoná, Eliane; Scarparo, Helena

    2015-09-01

    This study sets out to analyze scientific articles in order to investigate how researchers in the area of Social Constructionism define "health" in Primary Health Care. An integrative review of the literature was conducted along with a decision to concentrate on those works with narrative experiences and research studies. The database researched was the Brazilian Virtual Health Library, with experiences in the scope of Primary Health Care. The effectiveness of this step resulted in 12 articles. Data were analyzed and discussed based on the perspectives of social constructionism, which generated two central themes. They were: citizenship exercises - promoting health in collective spaces; health practices - overcoming the dichotomies and absolute truths. This study revealed the relevance of the notion of shared responsibility on meanings of health contained in the texts analyzed. The researchers claim that it is possible to expand health practices into collective action to facilitate ongoing dialogue between health users and workers. However, the dominance of biomedical discourse is criticized by the researchers, because that paradigm still promotes practices of care focused on illness.

  16. Bring in the social context: towards an integrated approach to health promotion and prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorlindsson, Thorolfur

    2011-03-01

    In this paper I take up the quest for an integrated approach to health promotion and prevention that incorporates the social context. I suggest that an integrated theory of public health has to rethink the individual society relationships and move beyond the dominance of socialization theory and individual level analysis. A theoretical analysis of key issues in an integrated theory of public health. I maintain that we must shift the attention away from the individual to the social organization and the embeddedness of the social actor in the ongoing social networks and relationships; we must pay attention to the definition of levels of analysis and the relationships between them; we must emphasize the social mechanisms that influence people in social relationships and networks and connect various levels; we must reconsider some of the epistemological and methodological ideas that have been taken for granted and pay attention to issues of emergence and reductionism and the use of multiple methods. I conclude by suggesting that if public health is to move forward and develop better theories, and more efficient ways of prevention and health promotion, it needs to move beyond reductionist models of social behaviour and develop a transdisciplinary approach that integrates various elements from different disciplines and different levels of analysis.

  17. Impact of implementation and conduct of the HEALTHY primary prevention trial on student performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez, Arthur E; Marcus, Marsha D; Hirst, Kathryn; Faith, Myles S; Goldberg, Linn; Treviño, Roberto P

    2014-01-01

    To determine whether a school-wide intervention program to reduce risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D) affected student achievement, rates of disciplinary actions, and attendance rates. The HEALTHY primary prevention trial was designed to evaluate a comprehensive school-based intervention to reduce factors for T2D, especially overweight and obesity. Students were followed up from beginning of sixth grade (Fall 2006) through end of eighth grade (Spring 2009). Forty-two middle schools at seven U.S. sites. Schools were randomized in equal numbers at each site to intervention (21 schools, 2307 students) or control (21 schools, 2296 students). Intervention . An integrated school-wide program that focused on (1) foods and beverages, (2) physical education, (3) classroom-based behavior change and education, and (4) social marketing communication and promotional campaigns. Aggregate (grade- and school-wide) test performance (passing rate), attendance, and referrals for disciplinary actions. Descriptive statistics and tests of intervention versus control using mixed linear models methods to adjust for the clustering of students within schools. There were no differences between intervention and control schools in test performance for mathematics (p = .7835) or reading (p = .6387), attendance (p = .5819), or referrals for disciplinary action (p = .8671). The comprehensive HEALTHY intervention and associated research procedures did not negatively impact student achievement test scores, attendance, or referrals for disciplinary action.

  18. Investigation of primary-to-secondary leakage accident on the PSB-VVER integral test facility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lipatov, I.A.; Dremin, G.I.; Galtchanskaya, S.A.; Chmal, I.I.; Moloshnikov, A.S.; Gorbunov, Y.S.; Antonova, A.I. [Electrogorsk Research and Engineering Center, EREC, Moscow (Russian Federation); Elkin, I.V. [RRC ' ' Kurchatov Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2001-07-01

    The full text follows. The paper presents the main results from the test on primary-to-secondary leakage of 100 mm in equivalent diameter. The test was performed on the PSB-VVER integral test facility. PSB-VVER is a 4-loops scaled down model of primary system of NPP with VVER-1000 Russian type reactor. Volume - power scale is about 1/300 while elevation scale is 1/1. All components of the primary system of the reference NPP are modeled on PSB-VVER. Both passive (accumulators) and active (high and low pressure) ECCSs, pressurizer spray and relief circuits, feed water system and atmospheric dumping system (ADS) as well as the primary circuit gas remove emergency system are also simulated. The primary-to-secondary leakage was simulated using an external break line which connects the upper part of the hot header to SG water volume. The break line included a break nozzle (a cylindrical channel d = 5.8 mm, l/d = 10 with sharp inlet edge), quick-acting valve and two-phase mass flow rate measurement system. In addition loss of off-site power at the moment when a scram-signal is generated was assumed in the experiment. Thus the accident is to be considered as a beyond-design-basic one. The loss of off-site power results in the following: -main circulation pump shutdown; -pressurizer heaters switching off; -HPIS water cooling flow rate and number of points of water injection are reduced The study focuses on the adequacy of the associated accident management (AM) procedure developed by EDO ''GIDROPRESS'' as a General Designer of VVER-type reactors. The AM-procedure was adopted to the PSB-VVER test facility conditions using CATHARE (France) and DINAMIKA (Russia) codes analysis. The AM-procedure in PSB-VVER is as follows: after about 30 min of the onset of the accident, when the accident type and the localization of the SG affected become evident for the operator, he closes all the main steam isolation valves, inhibits the ADS actuation in the affected SG

  19. The impact of integrated prevention and treatment on child malnutrition and health: the PROMIS project, a randomized control trial in Burkina Faso and Mali.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huybregts, Lieven; Becquey, Elodie; Zongrone, Amanda; Le Port, Agnes; Khassanova, Regina; Coulibaly, Lazare; Leroy, Jef L; Rawat, Rahul; Ruel, Marie T

    2017-03-09

    Evidence suggests that both preventive and curative nutrition interventions are needed to tackle child acute malnutrition (AM) in developing countries. In addition to reducing the incidence of AM, providing preventive interventions may also help increase attendance (and coverage) of AM screening, a major constraint in the community-based management of child acute malnutrition (CMAM) model. There is a paucity of evidence-based strategies to deliver integrated preventive and curative interventions effectively and affordably at scale. The aim of the Innovative Approaches for the Prevention of Childhood Malnutrition (PROMIS) study is to assess the feasibility, quality of implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated child malnutrition prevention and treatment intervention package implemented through a community-based platform in Mali and a facility-based platform in Burkina Faso. The PROMIS intervention entails a comprehensive preventive package offered on a monthly basis to caregivers of children, while children are screened for acute malnutrition (AM). The package consists of behavior change communication on essential nutrition and hygiene actions, and monthly preventive doses of small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) for children aged 6 to 23.9 months. Positive AM cases are referred to treatment services offered by first-line health services according to the CMAM model. The PROMIS intervention will be evaluated using a mixed methods approach. The impact study encompasses two types of study design: i) repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted at baseline and at endline after 24 months of program implementation and ii) a longitudinal study with a monthly follow-up for 18 months. Primary study impact measures include the incidence and endpoint prevalence of AM, AM screening coverage and treatment compliance. A process evaluation will assess the feasibility and quality of implementation of the intervention guided by country

  20. The impact of integrated prevention and treatment on child malnutrition and health: the PROMIS project, a randomized control trial in Burkina Faso and Mali

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lieven Huybregts

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Evidence suggests that both preventive and curative nutrition interventions are needed to tackle child acute malnutrition (AM in developing countries. In addition to reducing the incidence of AM, providing preventive interventions may also help increase attendance (and coverage of AM screening, a major constraint in the community-based management of child acute malnutrition (CMAM model. There is a paucity of evidence-based strategies to deliver integrated preventive and curative interventions effectively and affordably at scale. The aim of the Innovative Approaches for the Prevention of Childhood Malnutrition (PROMIS study is to assess the feasibility, quality of implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated child malnutrition prevention and treatment intervention package implemented through a community-based platform in Mali and a facility-based platform in Burkina Faso. Methods/Design The PROMIS intervention entails a comprehensive preventive package offered on a monthly basis to caregivers of children, while children are screened for acute malnutrition (AM. The package consists of behavior change communication on essential nutrition and hygiene actions, and monthly preventive doses of small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS for children aged 6 to 23.9 months. Positive AM cases are referred to treatment services offered by first-line health services according to the CMAM model. The PROMIS intervention will be evaluated using a mixed methods approach. The impact study encompasses two types of study design: i repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted at baseline and at endline after 24 months of program implementation and ii a longitudinal study with a monthly follow-up for 18 months. Primary study impact measures include the incidence and endpoint prevalence of AM, AM screening coverage and treatment compliance. A process evaluation will assess the feasibility and quality of

  1. Cost-benefit analysis of the polypill in the primary prevention of myocardial infarction and stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wald, Nicholas J; Luteijn, Johannes Michiel; Morris, Joan K; Taylor, David; Oppenheimer, Peter

    2016-04-01

    The primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is a public health priority. To assess the costs and benefits of a Polypill Prevention Programme using a daily 4-component polypill from age 50 in the UK, we determined the life years gained without a first myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke, together with the total service cost (or saving) and the net cost (or saving) per year of life gained without a first MI or stroke. This was estimated on the basis of a 50 % uptake and a previously published 83 % treatment adherence. The total years of life gained without a first MI or stroke in a mature programme is 990,000 each year in the UK. If the cost of the Polypill Prevention Programme were £1 per person per day, the total cost would be £4.76 bn and, given the savings (at 2014 prices) of £2.65 bn arising from the disease prevented, there would be a net cost of £2.11 bn representing a net cost per year of life gained without a first MI or stroke of £2120. The results are robust to sensitivity analyses. A national Polypill Prevention Programme would have a substantial effect in preventing MIs and strokes and be cost-effective.

  2. Primary healthcare-based integrated care with opioid agonist treatment: First experience from Ukraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morozova, Olga; Dvoriak, Sergey; Pykalo, Iryna; Altice, Frederick L

    2017-04-01

    Ukraine's HIV epidemic is concentrated among people who inject drugs (PWID), however, coverage with opioid agonist therapies (OATs) available mostly at specialty addiction clinics is extremely low. OAT integrated into primary healthcare clinics (PHCs) provides an opportunity for integrating comprehensive healthcare services and scaling up OAT. A pilot study of PHC-based integrated care for drug users conducted in two Ukrainian cities between 2014 and 2016 included three sub-studies: 1) cross-sectional treatment site preference assessment among current OAT patients (N=755); 2) observational cohort of 107 PWID who continued the standard of care versus transition of stabilized and newly enrolled PWID into PHC-based integrated care; and 3) pre/post analysis of attitudes toward PWID and HIV patients by PHC staff (N=26). Among 755 OAT patients, 53.5% preferred receiving OAT at PHCs, which was independently correlated with convenience, trust in physician, and treatment with methadone (vs. buprenorphine). In 107 PWID observed over 6 months, retention in treatment was high: 89% in PWID continuing OAT in specialty addiction treatment settings (standard of care) vs 94% in PWID transitioning to PHCs; and 80% among PWID newly initiating OAT in PHCs. Overall, satisfaction with treatment, subjective self-perception of well-being, and trust in physician significantly increased in patients prescribed OAT in PHCs. Among PHC staff, attitudes towards PWID and HIV patients significantly improved over time. OAT can be successfully integrated into primary care in low and middle-income countries and improves outcomes in both patients and clinicians while potentially scaling-up OAT for PWID. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Integrating interdisciplinary pain management into primary care: development and implementation of a novel clinical program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorflinger, Lindsey M; Ruser, Christopher; Sellinger, John; Edens, Ellen L; Kerns, Robert D; Becker, William C

    2014-12-01

    The aims of this study were to develop and implement an interdisciplinary pain program integrated in primary care to address stakeholder-identified gaps. Program development and evaluation project utilizing a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) approach to address the identified problem of insufficient pain management resources within primary care. A large Healthcare System within the Veterans Health Administration, consisting of two academically affiliated medical centers and six community-based outpatients clinics. An interprofessional group of stakeholders participated in a Rapid Process Improvement Workshop (RPIW), a consensus-building process to identify systems-level gaps and feasible solutions and obtain buy-in. Changes were implemented in 2012, and in a 1-year follow-up, we examined indicators of engagement in specialty and multimodal pain care services as well as patient and provider satisfaction. In response to identified barriers, RPIW participants proposed and outlined two readily implementable, interdisciplinary clinics embedded within primary care: 1) the Integrated Pain Clinic, providing in-depth assessment and triage to targeted resources; and 2) the Opioid Reassessment Clinic, providing assessment and structured monitoring of patients with evidence of safety, efficacy, or misuse problems with opioids. Implementation of these programs led to higher rates of engagement in specialty and multimodal pain care services; patients and providers reported satisfaction with these services. Our PDSA cycle engaged an interprofessional group of stakeholders that recommended introduction of new systems-based interventions to better integrate pain resources into primary care to address reported barriers. Early data suggest improved outcomes; examination of additional outcomes is planned. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Systematic review of integrated models of health care delivered at the primary-secondary interface: how effective is it and what determines effectiveness?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Geoffrey K; Burridge, Letitia; Zhang, Jianzhen; Donald, Maria; Scott, Ian A; Dart, Jared; Jackson, Claire L

    2015-01-01

    Integrated multidisciplinary care is difficult to achieve between specialist clinical services and primary care practitioners, but should improve outcomes for patients with chronic and/or complex chronic physical diseases. This systematic review identifies outcomes of different models that integrate specialist and primary care practitioners, and characteristics of models that delivered favourable clinical outcomes. For quality appraisal, the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was used. Data are presented as a narrative synthesis due to marked heterogeneity in study outcomes. Ten studies were included. Publication bias cannot be ruled out. Despite few improvements in clinical outcomes, significant improvements were reported in process outcomes regarding disease control and service delivery. No study reported negative effects compared with usual care. Economic outcomes showed modest increases in costs of integrated primary-secondary care. Six elements were identified that were common to these models of integrated primary-secondary care: (1) interdisciplinary teamwork; (2) communication/information exchange; (3) shared care guidelines or pathways; (4) training and education; (5) access and acceptability for patients; and (6) a viable funding model. Compared with usual care, integrated primary-secondary care can improve elements of disease control and service delivery at a modestly increased cost, although the impact on clinical outcomes is limited. Future trials of integrated care should incorporate design elements likely to maximise effectiveness.

  5. [Physical activity in basic and primary prevention of cardiovascular disease].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobieszczańska, Małgorzata; Kałka, Dariusz; Pilecki, Witold; Adamus, Jerzy

    2009-06-01

    On account of the frequency of appearing and character of atherosclerosis cardiac vascular disease, one of the most crucial elements of effective fight against it is preparation of complex preventive programs including as vast number of population as possible. Consequently, Benjamin and Smitch suggested attaching the notion of basic prevention to the standard division into primary and secondary one. The basic prevention, carrying out in the general population, should concern genetic predisposition, psychosocial factors, keeping up proper body weight, healthy eating and physical activity. Especially high hopes are connected with high efficiency, simplicity and low money-consumption of preventive activities associated with physical activity modification, which has a crucial influence on reducing negative impact of atherosclerosis hazard. The results of numerous scientific research, carried out in many countries and on various, large groups, proved undoubtedly that at the healthy adult people of both sex the systematic physical activity of moderate intensification plays an essential part in preventing CVD and decreasing the death risk because of that reason as well. Moreover, systematic physical exercises show many other health-oriented actions, thanks to which they have an influence on decreasing premature and total death rate. The risk of incidence of civilization-related diseases such as diabetes type II, hypertension, obesity, osteoporosis, tumors (of large intestine, breast, prostatic gland) and depression has decreased significantly. Unequivocally positive influence has been proved at many observations dedicated to health recreational physical activity and physical activity connected with professional work based on aerobe effort. The positive effects have been also observed at children population and senior population which is more and more numerous and the most at risk. The beneficial action of physical activity is connected with direct effect on organism

  6. Evaluation of implementation an Integrated Safety and Preventive Maintenance System for Improving of Safety Indexes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I mohammadfam

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Accident analysis shows that one of the main reasons for accidents is non-integration of maintenance units with safety. Merging these two processes through an integrated system can reduce and or eliminate accidents, diseases, and environmental pollution. These issues lead to improvement in organizational performance, as well. The aim of this study is to design and establish an integrated system for obtaining the aforementioned goal. Integration was carried out at Nirou Moharreke Machine Tools Company via Structured System Analysis & Design Method (SSADM. In order to measure the effectiveness of the system, selected indexes were compared using statistical methods prior and after system establishment. Results show that the accident severity index reduced from 135.46 in 2010, to 43.85 in 2012. Moreover, system effectiveness improved equipment reliability and availability (e.g. reliability of the Pfeiffer Milling machine (P (t>50 increased from 0.89 in 2010, to 0.9 in 2012. This system by forecasting various failures, and planning and designing the required operations for preventing occurrence of these failures, plays an important role in improving safety conditions of equipment, and increasing organizational performance, and is capable of presenting an excellent accident prevention program.

  7. Mass media and marketing communication promoting primary and secondary cancer prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hannon, Peggy; Lloyd, Gareth P; Viswanath, K; Smith, Tenbroeck; Basen-Engquist, Karen; Vernon, Sally W; Turner, Gina; Hesse, Bradford W; Crammer, Corinne; von Wagner, Christian; Backinger, Cathy L

    2009-01-01

    People often seek and receive cancer information from mass media (including television, radio, print media, and the Internet), and marketing strategies often inform cancer information needs assessment, message development, and channel selection. In this article, we present the discussion of a 2-hour working group convened for a cancer communications workshop held at the 2008 Society of Behavioral Medicine meeting in San Diego, CA. During the session, an interdisciplinary group of investigators discussed the current state of the science for mass media and marketing communication promoting primary and secondary cancer prevention. We discussed current research, new research areas, methodologies and theories needed to move the field forward, and critical areas and disciplines for future research.

  8. [Primary Prevention of Mental Disorders in Children of Mentally Ill Parents. The Kanu Programme "Canoe--Moving Jointly Forward"].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linthorst, K; Bauer, U; Osipov, I; Pinheiro, P; Rehder, M

    2015-09-01

    Children of parents who suffer from mental health disorders are more likely to develop mental disorders than children of parents not suffering from mental disorders. For children at risk, preventive strategies are hardly available and, if available, rarely supported by a scientific evaluation. "Kanu - Gemeinsam weiterkommen (canoe - moving jointly forward)" is a preventive strategy that was developed within a research project focusing on primary prevention in children who live in families with parents affected by mental disorders. The intervention is characterised by a multi-modular concept and was tested in the adult psychiatric setting. Preliminary results indicate a preventive impact of the intervention programme. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. Computerized clinical decision support systems for primary preventive care: A decision-maker-researcher partnership systematic review of effects on process of care and patient outcomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wilczynski Nancy L

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Computerized clinical decision support systems (CCDSSs are claimed to improve processes and outcomes of primary preventive care (PPC, but their effects, safety, and acceptance must be confirmed. We updated our previous systematic reviews of CCDSSs and integrated a knowledge translation approach in the process. The objective was to review randomized controlled trials (RCTs assessing the effects of CCDSSs for PPC on process of care, patient outcomes, harms, and costs. Methods We conducted a decision-maker-researcher partnership systematic review. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Ovid's EBM Reviews Database, Inspec, and other databases, as well as reference lists through January 2010. We contacted authors to confirm data or provide additional information. We included RCTs that assessed the effect of a CCDSS for PPC on process of care and patient outcomes compared to care provided without a CCDSS. A study was considered to have a positive effect (i.e., CCDSS showed improvement if at least 50% of the relevant study outcomes were statistically significantly positive. Results We added 17 new RCTs to our 2005 review for a total of 41 studies. RCT quality improved over time. CCDSSs improved process of care in 25 of 40 (63% RCTs. Cumulative scientifically strong evidence supports the effectiveness of CCDSSs for screening and management of dyslipidaemia in primary care. There is mixed evidence for effectiveness in screening for cancer and mental health conditions, multiple preventive care activities, vaccination, and other preventive care interventions. Fourteen (34% trials assessed patient outcomes, and four (29% reported improvements with the CCDSS. Most trials were not powered to evaluate patient-important outcomes. CCDSS costs and adverse events were reported in only six (15% and two (5% trials, respectively. Information on study duration was often missing, limiting our ability to assess sustainability of CCDSS effects. Conclusions

  10. Effects of the integrated pollution prevention and control directive on environmental protection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kat, W. [Corus Staal BV, Evironmental Manangement Dept. (Netherlands)

    2005-06-01

    The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Directive (IPPC) published in the EU in 1996 is presented within an approach based on source-targeted measures. The Directive implementation is based on the granting of permits and it introduces new concepts like Best Available Technique (BAT), Best Reference Document (BREF) and Level Playing Field (LPF). The consequences for the EU steel industry are discussed. (author)

  11. Integrating health promotion and disease prevention interventions with vaccination in Honduras.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina-Aguilera, Ida Berenice; Mendoza-Rodríguez, Lourdes Otilia; Palma-Ríos, María Aparicia; Danovaro-Holliday, M Carolina

    2012-03-01

    We sought to review and describe health interventions integrated with immunization delivery, both routine and during national vaccination weeks, in Honduras between 1991 and 2009. We compiled and examined all annual evaluation reports from the national Expanded Program on Immunization and reports from the national vaccination weeks (NVWs) between 1988 and 2009. We held discussions with the persons responsible for immunization and other programs in the Health Secretary of Honduras for the same time period. Since 1991, several health promotion and disease prevention interventions have been integrated with immunization delivery, including vitamin A supplementation (since 1994), folic acid supplementation (2003), early detection of retinoblastoma (since 2003), breastfeeding promotion (2007-2008), and disease control activities during public health emergencies, such as cholera control (1991-1992) and dengue control activities (since 1991, when a dengue emergency coincides with the NVW). Success factors included sufficient funds and supplies to ensure sustainability and joint planning, delivery, and monitoring. Several health interventions have been integrated with vaccination delivery in Honduras for nearly 20 years. The immunization program in Honduras has sufficient structure, organization, acceptance, coverage, and experience to achieve successful integration with health interventions if carefully planned and suitably implemented.

  12. Cost-Effectiveness Comparison of Breast Cancer Screening and Vascular Event Primary Prevention with Aspirin in Wales

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Gareth

    2011-01-01

    Aim: For the first time, this article presents a cost-effectiveness comparison of a breast cancer screening programme with a possible health education programme with aspirin for vascular event primary prevention. Background: Breast cancer screening is a well established part of cancer control programmes yet recent evidence on this intervention has…

  13. Utility of electronic patient records in primary care for stroke secondary prevention trials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashworth Mark

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This study aimed to inform the design of a pragmatic trial of stroke prevention in primary care by evaluating data recorded in electronic patient records (EPRs as potential outcome measures. The study also evaluated achievement of recommended standards of care; variation between family practices; and changes in risk factor values from before to after stroke. Methods Data from the UK General Practice Research Database (GPRD were analysed for 22,730 participants with an index first stroke between 2003 and 2006 from 414 family practices. For each subject, the EPR was evaluated for the 12 months before and after stroke. Measures relevant to stroke secondary prevention were analysed including blood pressure (BP, cholesterol, smoking, alcohol use, body mass index (BMI, atrial fibrillation, utilisation of antihypertensive, antiplatelet and cholesterol lowering drugs. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC were estimated by family practice. Random effects models were fitted to evaluate changes in risk factor values over time. Results In the 12 months following stroke, BP was recorded for 90%, cholesterol for 70% and body mass index (BMI for 47%. ICCs by family practice ranged from 0.02 for BP and BMI to 0.05 for LDL and HDL cholesterol. For subjects with records available both before and after stroke, the mean reductions from before to after stroke were: mean systolic BP, 6.02 mm Hg; diastolic BP, 2.78 mm Hg; total cholesterol, 0.60 mmol/l; BMI, 0.34 Kg/m2. There was an absolute reduction in smokers of 5% and heavy drinkers of 4%. The proportion of stroke patients within the recommended guidelines varied from less than a third (29% for systolic BP, just over half for BMI (54%, and over 90% (92% on alcohol consumption. Conclusions Electronic patient records have potential for evaluation of outcomes in pragmatic trials of stroke secondary prevention. Stroke prevention interventions in primary care remain suboptimal but important

  14. Effectiveness of school network for childhood obesity prevention (SNOCOP) in primary schools of Saraburi Province, Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banchonhattakit, Pannee; Tanasugarn, Chanuantong; Pradipasen, Mandhana; Miner, Kathleen R; Nityasuddhi, Dechavudh

    2009-07-01

    This research was designed to test the effectiveness of a school network for childhood obesity prevention (SNOCOP) in primary schools; a program that aimed to improve student behavior in terms of knowledge, attitude, intention towards obesity prevention, and their food consumption behavior. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest time series study was conducted. By 2-stage stratified sampling selection 180 students from 6 schools were assigned to the intervention group and 195 students from 6 schools to the control group at Saraburi Province, Thailand in 2006- 2007. In addition, thirty-one participants being school administrators, teachers, parents, and community members from six schools formed the social network initiating the intervention. The schoolchildren in the intervention group improved their eating behavior, knowledge, attitude, intention towards obesity preventive behavior. The six schools of the intervention group changed school policies and school activities aiming to reduce the proportion of obesity among their student. No such activities could be observed in the control group. These findings suggest that the School-Social Network of Childhood Obesity Prevention program is an effective means to prevent childhood obesity.

  15. Brazilian research about prevention of cervical neoplasia: an integrative review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaqueline Apolônio de Freitas Guimarães

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available This is an integrative review that aimed to synthesize the scientific knowledge published in national nursing journals about the prevention of cervical cancer. It was made a literature review in May 2009 in BIREME, covering the national nursing publications, from 1999 to 2009. We identified 15 articles that comprised the study sample. Of these, 11 addressed the nursing care, 6 were about prevention of cancer and 5 were about risk factors for such disease. In 4 articles the studies were accomplished in the Family Health Care Unit (UBASF which was the most prevalent place. It was found out that 6 of the articles used the qualitative method. The most studied population was formed by users of the Family Health Care Unit, in 3 studies. It was so concluded that the national research about this topic was related to the problems identified in health places, either in the effectiveness of the examination, in the knowledge of users or in conducted health education.

  16. Obesity and eating disorders in integrative prevention programmes for adolescents: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leme, Ana Carolina Barco; Thompson, Debbe; Lenz Dunker, Karin Louise; Nicklas, Theresa; Tucunduva Philippi, Sonia; Lopez, Tabbetha; Vézina-Im, Lydi-Anne; Baranowski, Tom

    2018-04-19

    Obesity and eating disorders are public health problems that have lifelong financial and personal costs and common risk factors, for example, body dissatisfaction, weight teasing and disordered eating. Obesity prevention interventions might lead to the development of an eating disorder since focusing on weight may contribute to excessive concern with diet and weight. Therefore, the proposed research will assess whether integrating obesity and eating disorder prevention procedures ('integrated approach') do better than single approach interventions in preventing obesity among adolescents, and if integrated approaches influence weight-related outcomes. Integrated obesity and eating disorder prevention interventions will be identified. Randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental trials reporting data on adolescents ranging from 10 to 19 years of age from both sexes will be included. Outcomes of interest include body composition, unhealthy weight control behaviours and body satisfaction measurements. MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and SciELO will be searched. Data will be extracted independently by two reviewers using a standardised data extraction form. Trial quality will be assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration criteria. The effects of integrated versus single approach intervention studies will be compared using systematic review procedures. If an adequate number of studies report data on integrated interventions among similar populations (k>5), a meta-analysis with random effects will be conducted. Sensitivity analyses and meta-regression will be performed only if between-study heterogeneity is high (I 2 ≥75%). Ethics approval will not be required as this is a systematic review of published studies. The findings will be disseminated through conference presentations and peer-reviewed journals. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted

  17. Primary prevention in patients with a strong family history of coronary heart disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke, Lora A

    2003-01-01

    The interplay of genetic and environmental factors places first-degree relatives of individuals with premature coronary heart disease at greater risk of developing the disease than the general population. Disease processes, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and glucose and insulin metabolism, and lifestyle habits, such as eating and exercise patterns, as well as socioeconomic status aggregate in families with coronary heart disease. The degree of risk associated with a family history varies with the degree of relationship and the age at onset of disease. All individuals with a family history of premature heart disease should have a thorough coronary risk assessment performed, which can be initiated in an office visit. Absolute risk for coronary heart disease determination will predict the intensity of preventive interventions. This article reviews the components of risk determination and primary prevention in individuals with a strong family history of coronary heart disease.

  18. Early Childhood Behavioral Health Integration in Pediatric Primary Care: Serving Refugee Families in the Healthy Steps Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchholz, Melissa; Fischer, Collette; Margolis, Kate L.; Talmi, Ayelet

    2016-01-01

    Primary care settings are optimal environments for providing comprehensive, family-centered care to young children and their families. Primary care clinics with integrated behavioral health clinicians (BHCs) are well-positioned to build trust and create access to care for marginalized and underserved populations. Refugees from around the world are…

  19. Integration of Gender-sensitive Approach to Safe Motherhood Program for the Prevention of STD/ HIV in Iran: A Qualitative Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatemeh Rahmanian

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background & aim: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs present a serious public health burden, which are considered as the factors contributing to acute illnesses, infertility, long-term disability, and mortality. The aim of the present study was to provide an in-depth understanding of the participants' perceptions about the integration of gender-sensitive approach to safe motherhood program for the prevention of STIs/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV in Iran. Methods: This qualitative exploratory study was conducted on 32 male and female key informants, including health managers, health policy makers, and reproductive health providers. The participants were selected through the purposive sampling method, followed by the snowball sampling technique. The data collection was performed using the semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed through the content analysis. Results: Based on the results, the participants’ perceptions were categorized into two categories, namely the STIs/HIV prevention among males in safe motherhood and gender-sensitivity in primary maternal STIs/HIV prevention. Each of the patients was further divided into codes. The first category includes accountability to men's own sexual health needs’ and prevention of ill-health effects of men on women’s STIs/HIV status and the second category includes (1 condom negotiation skills in women (2 mandatory pre-marital HIV test policy, (3 partner notification guidelines, (4 STI/HIV risk assessment in safe motherhood services, and (5 women’s right-based instruction for prenatal HIV screening in private services. Conclusion: As the findings of the present study indicated, the health policy makers were not adequately sensitive to gender sensitivity, which is particularly crucial for STIs/HIV prevention in the safe motherhood programs.

  20. Reduced anterior internal capsule white matter integrity in primary insomnia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiegelhalder, Kai; Regen, Wolfram; Prem, Martin; Baglioni, Chiara; Nissen, Christoph; Feige, Bernd; Schnell, Susanne; Kiselev, Valerij G; Hennig, Jürgen; Riemann, Dieter

    2014-07-01

    Chronic insomnia is one of the most prevalent central nervous system diseases, however, its neurobiology is poorly understood. Up to now, nothing is known about the integrity of white matter tracts in insomnia patients. In this study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used in a well-characterized sample of primary insomnia (PI) patients and good sleeper controls to fill this void. Voxelwise between-group comparisons of fractional anisotropy (FA) were performed in 24 PI patients (10 males; 14 females; 42.7 ± 14.5 years) and 35 healthy good sleepers (15 males; 20 females; 40.1 ± 9.1 years) with age and sex as covariates. PI patients showed reduced FA values within the right anterior internal capsule and a trend for reduced FA values in the left anterior internal capsule. The results suggest that insomnia is associated with a reduced integrity of white matter tracts in the anterior internal capsule indicating that disturbed fronto-subcortical connectivity may be a cause or consequence of the disorder.

  1. The 'third wave' of HIV prevention: filling gaps in integrated interventions, knowledge, and funding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepúlveda, Jaime

    2012-07-01

    There is growing optimism in the global health community that the HIV epidemic can be halted. After decades of relying primarily on behavior change to prevent HIV transmission, a second generation of prevention efforts based on medical or biological interventions such as male circumcision and preexposure prophylaxis--the use of antiretroviral drugs to protect uninfected, at-risk individuals--has shown promising results. This article calls for a third generation of HIV prevention efforts that would integrate behavioral, biological, and structural interventions focused on the social, political, and environmental underpinnings of the epidemic, making use of local epidemiological evidence to target affected populations. In this third wave, global programs should deliver HIV prevention services together with cost-effective interventions for reproductive health and for tuberculosis, malaria, and other diseases. Additionally, new efforts are needed to address gaps in HIV prevention research, evaluation, and implementation. Increased and sustained funding, along with evidence-based allocation of funds, will be necessary to accelerate the decline in new HIV infections.

  2. [Detection of the largest population susceptible to prescription of a program of exercises in Primary Care to prevent frailty].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosas Hernández, Ana María; Alejandre Carmona, Sergio; Rodríguez Sánchez, Javier Enrique; Castell Alcalá, Maria Victoria; Otero Puime, Ángel

    2018-03-16

    Identify the population over 70 year's old treated in primary care who should participate in a physical exercise program to prevent frailty. Analyze the concordance among 2criteria to select the beneficiary population of the program. Population-based cross-sectional study. Primary Care. Elderly over 70 years old, living in the Peñagrande neighborhood (Fuencarral district of Madrid) from the Peñagrande cohort, who accepted to participate in 2015 (n = 332). The main variable of the study is the need for exercise prescription in people over 70 years old at the Primary Care setting. It was identified through 2different definitions: Prefrail (1-2 of 5 Fried criteria) and Independent individuals with physical performance limited, defined by Consensus on frailty and falls prevention among the elderly (independent and with a total SPPB score <10). The 63,8% of participants (n = 196) need exercise prescription based on criteria defined by Fried and/or the consensus for prevention of frailty and falls in the elderly. In 82 cases the 2criteria were met, 80 were prefrail with normal physical performance and 34 were robust with a limited physical performance. The concordance among both criteria is weak (kappa index 0, 27). Almost 2thirds of the elderly have some kind of functional limitation. The criteria of the consensus document to prevent frailty detect half of the pre-frail individuals in the community. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Prescribed burning experiences in Italy: an integrated approach to prevent forest fires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ascoli D

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Prescribed burning is used in many geographical areas for multiple and integrated objectives (wildfire prevention, habitat conservation, grazing management. In Europe the collaboration between researchers and fire professionals has brought to implement this technique over increasing areas (~104 ha year-1, effectively and efficiently. In Italy prescribed burning has not been much studied and it is rarely applied. A new interest is recently rising. Some Regions particularly threatened by wildfires have updated their legislation and set up procedures to authorize prescribed fire experiments and interventions. From 2004 to 2011 several scientific, operative and training experiences have been carried out at a regional level (Basilicata, Campania, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piemonte, Sardegna, Toscana. The present paper aims to: (i document and compare these regional programs; (ii discuss their frameworks and limitations; (iii provide information about objectives, prescriptions, methods and results. The study has involved Universities, Forest Corps, Civil Protection, Municipalities, Parks and professionals from Italy and other Countries. Interventions have regarded integrated objectives (fire hazard reduction; habitat conservation; forest and grazing management, and involved several vegetation types (broadleaved and conifer forests; Mediterranean and Continental shrublands; grasslands. Studies on fire behaviour and ecology have helped to set prescriptions for specific objectives and environments. Results have been transferred to professionals through training sessions. Several common elements are outlined: integrated objectives, multidisciplinary character, training and research products. Ecological questions, certification to the use of fire, communication to local communities and the proposal of new studies, are some of the issues outlined in the discussion. The present study is the first review at national level and we hope it will help to deepen the

  4. A systematic review of published interventions for primary and secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease (IHD in rural populations of Australia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura V. Alston

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Rural Australians are known to experience a higher burden of ischaemic heart disease (IHD than their metropolitan counterparts and the reasons for this appear to be highly complex and not well understood. It is not clear what interventions and prevention efforts have occurred specifically in rural Australia in terms of IHD. A summary of this evidence could have implications for future action and research in improving the health of rural communities. The aim of this study was to review all published interventions conducted in rural Australia that were aimed at the primary and/or secondary prevention of ischaemic heart disease (IHD in adults. Methods Systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature published between January 1990 and December 2015. Search terms were derived from four major topics: (1 rural; (2 ischaemic heart disease; (3 Australia and; (4 intervention/prevention. Terms were adapted for six databases and three independent researchers screened results. Studies were included if the published work described an intervention focussed on the prevention or reduction of IHD or risk factors, specifically in a rural population of Australia, with outcomes specific to participants including, but not limited to, changes in diet, exercise, cholesterol or blood pressure levels. Results Of 791 papers identified in the search, seven studies met the inclusion criteria, and one further study was retrieved from searching reference lists of screened abstracts. Typically, excluded studies focused on cardiovascular diseases without specific reference to IHD, or presented intervention results without stratification by rurality. Larger trials that included metropolitan residents without stratification were excluded due to differences in the specific needs, characteristics and health service access challenges of rural populations. Six interventions were primary prevention studies, one was secondary prevention only and one included both

  5. 76 FR 67731 - Meeting of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-02

    ... Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the... Public Health Service. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory... scheduled to be held for the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public...

  6. 76 FR 26300 - Meeting of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-05-06

    ... Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the... Public Health Service. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory... scheduled to be held for the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public...

  7. 76 FR 58007 - Meeting of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-19

    ... Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the... Public Health Service. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory... scheduled to be held for the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public...

  8. 77 FR 15372 - Meeting of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-15

    ... Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the... Public Health Service. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In accordance with Section 10(a) of the Federal Advisory... scheduled to be held for the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public...

  9. Barriers and facilitators among health professionals in primary care to prevention of cardiometabolic diseases: a systematic review.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wandell, P.E.; Waard, A.K.M. de; Holzmann, M.J.; Gornitzki, C.; Lionis, C.; Wit, N.J. de; Søndergaard, J.; Sønderlund, A.L.; Král, N.; Seifert, B.; Korevaar, J.C.; Schellevis, F.G.; Carlsson, A.C.

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study is to identify potential facilitators and barriers for health care professionals to undertake selective prevention of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) in primary health care. We developed a search string for Medline, Embase, Cinahl and PubMed. We also screened reference lists of

  10. [Preventable drug-related morbidity: determining valid indicators for primary care in Portugal].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerreiro, Mara Pereira; Cantrill, Judith A; Martins, Ana Paula

    2007-01-01

    Preventable drug-related morbidity (PDRM) indicators are operational measures of therapeutic risk management. These clinical indicators, which cover a wide range of drugs, combine process and outcome in the same instrument. They were developed in the US and have been validated for primary care settings in the US, UK and Canada. This study is part of a research programme; it aimed to determine a valid set of PDRM indicators for adult patients in primary care in Portugal. Face validity of 61 US and UK-derived indicators translated to Portuguese was preliminarily determined by means of a postal questionnaire using a purposive sample of four Portuguese pharmacists with different backgrounds. Preliminary content validity of indicators approved in the previous stage was determined by cross-checking each definition of PDRM with standard drug information sources in Portugal. Face and content validity of indicators yielded by preliminary work were then established by a 37 expert panel (20 community pharmacists and 17 general practitioners) using a two-round Delphi survey. Data were analysed using SPSS release 11.5. Nineteen indicators were ruled out in preliminary validation. Changes were made in the content of eight of the remaining 42 indicators; these were related to differences in the drugs being marketed and patterns of drug monitoring between countries. Thirty-five indicators were consensus approved as PDRM for adult patients in Portuguese primary care by the Delphi panel.

  11. Promotion of Influenza Prevention Beliefs and Behaviors through Primary School Science Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koep, T H; Jenkins, S; M Hammerlund, M E; Clemens, C; Fracica, E; Ekker, S C; Enders, F T; Huskins, W C; Pierret, C

    2016-06-01

    School-based campaigns to improve student health have demonstrated short-term success across various health topics. However, evidence of the effectiveness of programs in promoting healthy beliefs and behaviors is limited. We hypothesized that educational curricula teaching the science behind health promotion would increase student knowledge, beliefs and adherence to healthy behaviors, in this case related to influenza. Integrated Science Education Outreach is a successful education intervention in Rochester, Minnesota public schools that has demonstrated improvements in student learning. Within this program, we designed novel curricula and assessments to determine if gains in knowledge extended to influenza prevention. Further, we coupled InSciEd Out programming with a clinical intervention, Influenza Prevention Prescription Education (IPPE), to compare students' attitudes, intentions and healthy behaviors utilizing surveys and hand hygiene monitoring equipment. 95 students participated in (IPPE) in the intervention school. Talking drawings captured improvement in influenza prevention understanding related to hand washing [pre n=17(43%); post n=30(77%)] and vaccination [pre n=2(5%); post n=15(38%)]. Findings from 1024 surveys from 566 students revealed strong baseline understanding and attitudes related to hand washing and cough etiquette (74% or greater positive responses). Automated hand hygiene monitoring in school bathrooms and classrooms estimated compliance for both soap (overall median 63%, IQR 38% to 100%) and hand sanitizer use (0.04 to 0.24 uses per student per day) but did not show significant pre/ post IPPE differences. Student understanding of principles of influenza prevention was reasonably high. Even with this baseline, InSciEd Out and IPPE improved students' unprompted knowledge of behaviors to prevent influenza, as reflected by talking drawings. This novel metric may be more sensitive in capturing knowledge among students than traditional

  12. The CAP study, evaluation of integrated universal and selective prevention strategies for youth alcohol misuse: study protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Newton Nicola C

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Alcohol misuse amongst young people is a serious concern. The need for effective prevention is clear, yet there appear to be few evidenced-based programs that prevent alcohol misuse and none that target both high and low-risk youth. The CAP study addresses this gap by evaluating the efficacy of an integrated approach to alcohol misuse prevention, which combines the effective universal internet-based Climate Schools program with the effective selective personality-targeted Preventure program. This article describes the development and protocol of the CAP study which aims to prevent alcohol misuse and related harms in Australian adolescents. Methods/Design A cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT is being conducted with Year 8 students aged 13 to 14-years-old from 27 secondary schools in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. Blocked randomisation was used to assign schools to one of four groups; Climate Schools only, Preventure only, CAP (Climate Schools and Preventure, or Control (alcohol, drug and health education as usual. The primary outcomes of the trial will be the uptake and harmful use of alcohol and alcohol related harms. Secondary outcomes will include alcohol and cannabis related knowledge, cannabis related harms, intentions to use, and mental health symptomatology. All participants will complete assessments on five occasions; baseline; immediately post intervention, and at 12, 24 and 36 months post baseline. Discussion This study protocol presents the design and current implementation of a cluster RCT to evaluate the efficacy of the CAP study; an integrated universal and selective approach to prevent alcohol use and related harms among adolescents. Compared to students who receive the stand-alone universal Climate Schools program or alcohol and drug education as usual (Controls, we expect the students who receive the CAP intervention to have significantly less uptake of alcohol use, a reduction in average

  13. Roles of primary care physicians in managing bipolar disorders in adults

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CPG Secretariat

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Management of bipolar disorder (BD is challenging due to its multiple and complex facets of presentations as well as various levels of interventions. There is also limitation of treatment accessibility especially at the primary care level. Local evidence-based clinical practice guidelines address the importance of integrated care of BD at various levels. Primary care physicians hold pertinent role in maintaining remission and preventing relapse by providing systematic monitoring of people with BD. Pharmacological treatment in particular mood stabilisers remain the most effective management with psychosocial interventions as adjunct. This paper highlights the role of primary care physicians in the management of BD.

  14. Identification and Management of Eating Disorders in Integrated Primary Care: Recommendations for Psychologists in Integrated Care Settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buchholz, Laura J; King, Paul R; Wray, Laura O

    2017-06-01

    Eating disorders are associated with deleterious health consequences, increased risk of mortality, and psychosocial impairment. Although individuals with eating disorders are likely to seek treatment in general medical settings such as primary care (PC), these conditions are often under-detected by PC providers. However, psychologists in integrated PC settings are likely to see patients with eating disorders because of the mental health comorbidities associated with these conditions. Further, due to their training in identifying risk factors associated with eating disorders (i.e., comorbid mental health and medical disorders) and opportunities for collaboration with PC providers, psychologists are well-positioned to improve the detection and management of eating disorders in PC. This paper provides a brief overview of eating disorders and practical guidance for psychologists working in integrated PC settings to facilitate the identification and management of these conditions.

  15. INTEGRATED DRILLING SYSTEM USING MUD ACTUATED DOWN HOLE HAMMER AS PRIMARY ENGINE

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    John V. Fernandez; David S. Pixton

    2005-12-01

    A history and project summary of the development of an integrated drilling system using a mud-actuated down-hole hammer as its primary engine are given. The summary includes laboratory test results, including atmospheric tests of component parts and simulated borehole tests of the hammer system. Several remaining technical hurdles are enumerated. A brief explanation of commercialization potential is included. The primary conclusion for this work is that a mud actuated hammer can yield substantial improvements to drilling rate in overbalanced, hard rock formations. A secondary conclusion is that the down-hole mud actuated hammer can serve to provide other useful down-hole functions including generation of high pressure mud jets, generation of seismic and sonic signals, and generation of diagnostic information based on hammer velocity profiles.

  16. 'We are doing our best': African and African-Caribbean fatherhood, health and preventive primary care services, in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Robert; Hewison, Alistair; Stewart, Mel; Liles, Clive; Wildman, Stuart

    2012-03-01

    Recent policy pronouncements emphasise the importance of engaging fathers with preventive primary care services. However, in England, there is a paucity of literature which examines African and African-Caribbean fathers' experiences of service provision. This paper reports a study that investigated African and African-Caribbean fathers' beliefs about fatherhood, health and preventive primary care services, with the aim of addressing the deficit in the literature. Nine focus groups involving 46 African and African-Caribbean fathers, recruited using purposive sampling, were undertaken between October 2008-January 2009. Fatherhood was seen as a core aspect of the participants' identities. The fathers enacted these identities in a number of ways, such as caring for and protecting children, which were influenced by spirituality, relationships with women, paid work and racism. The fathers had concerns about their bodies, medical conditions, physical activity and forms of consumption. However, their primary focus was on maintaining and improving the well-being of their children. This resulted in them neglecting their own health needs as they had to meet the obligations of family life and paid work. The fathers reported limited contact with preventive primary care services and were unaware of their purpose, function and availability. They identified ethnicity as a positive asset, and felt their families and communities had particular strengths. However they acknowledged that structural constraints, including racism, influenced their perceptions of and access to local health services. The engagement of African and African-Caribbean fathers needs to be addressed more specifically in policy as part of a broader programme of action to tackle health inequalities. In addition, child health services could build on fathers' commitment to children's well-being through practice that addresses fathers' as well as mothers' needs in families. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  17. An Innovative Model of Integrated Behavioral Health: School Psychologists in Pediatric Primary Care Settings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Carolyn D.; Hinojosa, Sara; Armstrong, Kathleen; Takagishi, Jennifer; Dabrow, Sharon

    2016-01-01

    This article discusses an innovative example of integrated care in which doctoral level school psychology interns and residents worked alongside pediatric residents and pediatricians in the primary care settings to jointly provide services to patients. School psychologists specializing in pediatric health are uniquely trained to recognize and…

  18. The Benefits of Fine Art Integration into Mathematics in Primary School

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anja Brezovnik

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of the article is to research the effects of the integration of fine art content into mathematics on students at the primary school level. The theoretical part consists of the definition of arts integration into education, a discussion of the developmental process of creative mathematical thinking, an explanation of the position of art and mathematics in education today, and a summary of the benefits of arts integration and its positive effects on students. The empirical part reports on the findings of a pedagogical experiment involving two different ways of teaching fifth-grade students: the control group was taught mathematics in a traditional way, while the experimental group was taught with the integration of fine art content into the mathematics lessons. At the end of the teaching periods, four mathematics tests were administered in order to determine the difference in knowledge between the control group and the experimental group. The results of our study confirmed the hypotheses, as we found positive effects of fine art integration into mathematics, with the experimental group achieving higher marks in the mathematics tests than the control group. Our results are consistent with the findings of previous research and studies, which have demonstrated and confirmed that long-term participation in fine art activities offers advantages related to mathematical reasoning, such as intrinsic motivation, visual imagination and reflection on how to generate creative ideas.

  19. An Integrative Suicide Prevention Program for Visitor Charcoal Burning Suicide and Suicide Pact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Paul W. C.; Liu, Patricia M. Y.; Chan, Wincy S. C.; Law, Y. W.; Law, Steven C. K.; Fu, King-Wa; Li, Hana S. H.; Tso, M. K.; Beautrais, Annette L.; Yip, Paul S. F.

    2009-01-01

    An integrative suicide prevention program was implemented to tackle an outbreak of visitor charcoal burning suicides in Cheung Chau, an island in Hong Kong, in 2002. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the program. The numbers of visitor suicides reduced from 37 deaths in the 51 months prior to program implementation to 6 deaths in the 42…

  20. Factors associated with integrating self-management support into primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crespo, Richard; Shrewsberry, Molly

    2007-06-01

    The purpose of this article is to expand the understanding of self-management support by describing factors that contribute to implementing a comprehensive self-management program in primary care. Four rural health centers in medically underserved areas participated in a study to document the implementation of a self-management program. This program consisted of a social marketing plan and decision-making tools to guide patients in making self-management behavior changes. The stages of change constructs of the transtheoretical model were used to design the social marketing plan. Key informant interviews were conducted at 6-month and 9-month intervals to document the implementation process. A standardized set of questions was used in the interviews. The data from the interviews were analyzed using content analysis techniques. One of the principle findings is that self-management support requires putting a system in place, not just adding a new component to primary care. The health centers that fully implemented the self-management program made an organizational commitment to keep self-management on the agenda in management meetings, clinical staff set the example by adopting self-management behaviors, and patient self-management support was implemented in multiple patient care venues. Primary care centers with limited financial resources are able to integrate self-management support into their system of chronic illness care.

  1. A Framework for Integrating Environmental and Occupational Health and Primary Care in a Postdisaster Context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkland, Katherine; Sherman, Mya; Covert, Hannah; Barlet, Grace; Lichtveld, Maureen

    Integration of environmental and occupational health (EOH) into primary care settings is a critical step to addressing the EOH concerns of a community, particularly in a postdisaster context. Several barriers to EOH integration exist at the physician, patient, and health care system levels. This article presents a framework for improving the health system's capacity to address EOH after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and illustrates its application in the Environmental and Occupational Health Education and Referral (EOHER) program. This program worked with 11 Federally Qualified Health Center systems in the Gulf Coast region to try to address the EOH concerns of community members and to assist primary care providers to better understand the impact of EOH factors on their patients' health. The framework uses a 3-pronged approach to (1) foster coordination between primary care and EOH facilities through a referral network and peer consultations, (2) increase physician capacity in EOH issues through continuing education and training, and (3) conduct outreach to community members about EOH issues. The EOHER program highlighted the importance of building strong partnerships with community members and other relevant organizations, as well as high organizational capacity and effective leadership to enable EOH integration into primary care settings. Physicians in the EOHER program were constrained in their ability to engage with EOH issues due to competing patient needs and time constraints, indicating the need to improve physicians' ability to assess which patients are at high risk for EOH exposures and to efficiently take environmental and occupational histories. This article highlights the importance of addressing EOH barriers at multiple levels and provides a model that can be applied to promote community health, particularly in the context of future natural or technological disasters.

  2. Primary prevention of stroke and cardiovascular disease in the community (PREVENTS): Methodology of a health wellness coaching intervention to reduce stroke and cardiovascular disease risk, a randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahon, Susan; Krishnamurthi, Rita; Vandal, Alain; Witt, Emma; Barker-Collo, Suzanne; Parmar, Priya; Theadom, Alice; Barber, Alan; Arroll, Bruce; Rush, Elaine; Elder, Hinemoa; Dyer, Jesse; Feigin, Valery

    2018-02-01

    Rationale Stroke is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, yet 80% of strokes can be prevented through modifications of risk factors and lifestyle and by medication. While management strategies for primary stroke prevention in high cardiovascular disease risk individuals are well established, they are underutilized and existing practice of primary stroke prevention are inadequate. Behavioral interventions are emerging as highly promising strategies to improve cardiovascular disease risk factor management. Health Wellness Coaching is an innovative, patient-focused and cost-effective, multidimensional psychological intervention designed to motivate participants to adhere to recommended medication and lifestyle changes and has been shown to improve health and enhance well-being. Aims and/or hypothesis To determine the effectiveness of Health Wellness Coaching for primary stroke prevention in an ethnically diverse sample including Māori, Pacific Island, New Zealand European and Asian participants. Design A parallel, prospective, randomized, open-treatment, single-blinded end-point trial. Participants include 320 adults with absolute five-year cardiovascular disease risk ≥ 10%, calculated using the PREDICT web-based clinical tool. Randomization will be to Health Wellness Coaching or usual care groups. Participants randomized to Health Wellness Coaching will receive 15 coaching sessions over nine months. Study outcomes A substantial relative risk reduction of five-year cardiovascular disease risk at nine months post-randomization, which is defined as 10% relative risk reduction among those at moderate five-year cardiovascular disease risk (10-15%) and 25% among those at high risk (>15%). Discussion This clinical trial will determine whether Health Wellness Coaching is an effective intervention for reducing modifiable risk factors, and hence decrease the risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.

  3. Triple surveillance: a proposal for an integrated strategy to support and accelerate birth defect prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Botto, Lorenzo D; Mastroiacovo, Pierpaolo

    2018-02-01

    Preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) easily qualifies as a high-value opportunity to improve childhood survival and health: the unmet need is significant (major preventable burden), the intervention is transformative (providing sufficient folic acid), and delivery strategies (e.g., fortification) are effective in low-resource countries. Yet, NTD prevention is lagging. Can public health surveillance help fix this problem? Critics contend that surveillance is largely unnecessary, that limited resources are best spent on interventions, and that surveillance is unrealistic in developing countries. The counterargument is twofold: (1) in the absence of surveillance, interventions will provide fewer benefits and cost more and (2) effective surveillance is likely possible nearly everywhere, with appropriate strategies. As a base strategy, we propose "triple surveillance:" integrating surveillance of cause (folate insufficiency), of disease occurrence (NTD prevalence), and of health outcomes (morbidity, mortality, and disability). For better sustainability and usefulness, it is crucial to refocus and streamline surveillance activities (no recreational data collection), weave surveillance into clinical care (integrate in clinical workflow), and, later, work on including additional risk factors and pediatric outcomes (increase benefits at low marginal cost). By doing so, surveillance becomes not a roadblock but a preferential path to prevention and better care. © 2018 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

  4. Primary Prevention of Coronary Artery Disease Among Middle Aged Men in Prague: Twenty-year Follow-up Results

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Boudík, F.; Reissigová, Jindra; Hrach, Karel; Tomečková, Marie; Bultas, J.; Anger, Z.; Aschermann, M.; Zvárová, Jana

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 184, č. 1 (2006), s. 86-93 ISSN 0021-9150 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LN00B107 Keywords : primary prevention study * atherosclerosis * cardiovascular diseases * coronary artery disease * Framingham risk function * mortality * risk factors Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 3.811, year: 2006

  5. Targeted prevention of lifestyle related diseases in the primary care sector – results from the TOF pilot project

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bruun Larsen, Lars; Thilsing, Trine

    This abstract reports on the results of a non-randomized pilot study carried out to test the acceptability, feasibility and short-term effects of a healthcare intervention in primary care. The intervention is designed to systematically identify persons at risk of developing lifestyle-related dise...... is facilitated by a digital support system. The pilot makes use of both quantitative and qualitative research methods....... prevention and health promotion is required. This has been attempted in past efforts by offering individual preventive health checks to the general population. However, the evidence on the effectiveness of this approach is mixed. Several systematic reviews, on the other hand, suggest that health checks......This abstract reports on the results of a non-randomized pilot study carried out to test the acceptability, feasibility and short-term effects of a healthcare intervention in primary care. The intervention is designed to systematically identify persons at risk of developing lifestyle...

  6. Implementing preventive chemotherapy through an integrated National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program in Mali.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Massitan Dembélé

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mali is endemic for all five targeted major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs. As one of the five 'fast-track' countries supported with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID funds, Mali started to integrate the activities of existing disease-specific national control programs on these diseases in 2007. The ultimate objectives are to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma as public health problems and to reduce morbidity caused by schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis through regular treatment to eligible populations, and the specific objectives were to achieve 80% program coverage and 100% geographical coverage yearly. The paper reports on the implementation of the integrated mass drug administration and the lessons learned. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The integrated control program was led by the Ministry of Health and coordinated by the national NTD Control Program. The drug packages were designed according to the disease endemicity in each district and delivered through various platforms to eligible populations involving the primary health care system. Treatment data were recorded and reported by the community drug distributors. After a pilot implementation of integrated drug delivery in three regions in 2007, the treatment for all five targeted NTDs was steadily scaled up to 100% geographical coverage by 2009, and program coverage has since been maintained at a high level: over 85% for lymphatic filariasis, over 90% for onchocerciasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, around 90% in school-age children for schistosomiasis, and 76-97% for trachoma. Around 10 million people have received one or more drug packages each year since 2009. No severe cases of adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Mali has scaled up the drug treatment to national coverage through integrated drug delivery involving the primary health care system. The successes and lessons

  7. Advances in Integrating Traditional and Omic Biomarkers When Analyzing the Effects of the Mediterranean Diet Intervention in Cardiovascular Prevention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fitó, Montserrat; Melander, Olle; Martínez, José Alfredo; Toledo, Estefanía; Carpéné, Christian; Corella, Dolores

    2016-01-01

    Intervention with Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has provided a high level of evidence in primary prevention of cardiovascular events. Besides enhancing protection from classical risk factors, an improvement has also been described in a number of non-classical ones. Benefits have been reported on biomarkers of oxidation, inflammation, cellular adhesion, adipokine production, and pro-thrombotic state. Although the benefits of the MedDiet have been attributed to its richness in antioxidants, the mechanisms by which it exercises its beneficial effects are not well known. It is thought that the integration of omics including genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics, into studies analyzing nutrition and cardiovascular diseases will provide new clues regarding these mechanisms. However, omics integration is still in its infancy. Currently, some single-omics analyses have provided valuable data, mostly in the field of genomics. Thus, several gene-diet interactions in determining both intermediate (plasma lipids, etc.) and final cardiovascular phenotypes (stroke, myocardial infarction, etc.) have been reported. However, few studies have analyzed changes in gene expression and, moreover very few have focused on epigenomic or metabolomic biomarkers related to the MedDiet. Nevertheless, these preliminary results can help to better understand the inter-individual differences in cardiovascular risk and dietary response for further applications in personalized nutrition. PMID:27598147

  8. The Esperance primary prevention of suicide project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slaven, Janine; Kisely, Stephen

    2002-10-01

    Suicide has been a major community concern in Esperance, a geographically isolated port on the south coast of Western Australia. To evaluate the effect of three evidence-based initiatives for the primary prevention of suicide: (i) providing suicide awareness sessions for staff members in health, education and social services; (ii) limiting the sale of over the counter analgesics (aspirin and paracetamol) to packets containing less than the minimum lethal dose; and (iii) implementing Commonwealth media guidelines in the reporting of suicides by media. Changes in knowledge, awareness, attitudes, comfort and use, before and after each intervention were assessed using standardized instruments and pro forma derived from previous work, such as the Youth Suicide Prevention Training Manual and Suicide Intervention Beliefs Scale. Percentage changes in the number of retail outlets selling over the counter analgesics to less than potentially lethal quantities (less than 8 g of paracetamol or aspirin) were also measured. Media representatives were interviewed to gain their perceptions of Commonwealth Guidelines for the reporting of suicide, and encouraged to consult the project team before reporting suicide related issues. The baseline survey illustrated that mental health staff and general practitioners were more aware of suicide issues, risk factors for suicide and awareness of professional and ethical responses than staff from other services, and were more willing to raise the issue with a person at risk. Thirty-three subjects participated in suicide awareness training of whom 21 (66%) returned questionnaires. There were significant increases in awareness of suicide-related issues and risk factors, as well as reported levels of knowledge of professional and ethical responses and comfort, competence and confidence levels when assisting a person at risk. Only three media representatives were aware of the Commonwealth Health Department Guidelines for reporting suicide and only

  9. The primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: nurse practitioners using behaviour modification strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrell, Todd Charles; Keeping-Burke, Lisa

    2014-01-01

    Cardiovascular disease (CVD) places great financial strain on the health care system and dramatically affects individual quality of life. As primary health care providers, nurse practitioners (NPs) are ideally positioned to advise clients on risk factor and lifestyle modifications that ameliorate the impact of CVD. While the lifestyle targets for CVD prevention are established, the most effective means of achieving these goals remain uncertain. Behaviour modification strategies, including motivational interviewing (MI) and the transtheoretical model (TTM), have been suggested, but neither approach is established as being more efficacious than the other. In this paper, evidence on the effectiveness of the two approaches for modifying smoking, diet, and exercise behaviour are presented, and a recommendation for NP practice is made.

  10. Primary care in the prevention, treatment and control of cardiovascular disease in sub-Saharan Africa

    OpenAIRE

    Ojji, Dike B; Ojji, Dike B Ojji; Lamont, Kim; Sliwa, Karen; Ojji, Olubunmi I; Egenti, Bibiana Nonye; Sliwa, Karen

    2017-01-01

    Summary Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the frontrunner in the disease spectrum of sub-Saharan Africa, with stroke and ischaemic heart disease ranked seventh and 14th as leading causes of death, respectively, on this sub-continent. Unfortunately, this region is also grappling with many communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional disorders. Limited resources and the high cost of CVD treatment necessitate that primary prevention should have a high priority for CVD control in sub- Saharan A...

  11. Adherence to recommendations for primary prevention of atopic disease in neonatology clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passariello, Annalisa; Terrin, Gianluca; Baldassarre, Maria E; Bisceglia, Massimo; Ruotolo, Serena; Berni Canani, Roberto

    2010-08-01

    The prevalence and severity of atopic manifestations in children are increasing in western countries in the last decades. Specific nutritional intervention may prevent or delay the onset of atopic diseases in infants at high risk of developing allergy. These nutritional interventions should be applied early in the perinatal period to have a chance of success. Thus, we assessed adherence to the dietary management recommendations of the Committee on Nutrition and Section on Allergy and Immunology of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for the prevention of atopic diseases in neonatal age through an audit study. Questionnaire was administered to the chiefs of 30 maternity units (MU) with more than 1500 live births/yr to report the policy applied in their MU. Twenty-two MU returned the questionnaire. Identification of high-risk newborns was routinely performed only in 7/22 MU (31.8%). High-risk newborns were identified by the presence of at least two or one first-degree relative (parent or sibling) with documented allergic disease by 18.2% and 45.5% of MU, respectively. Specific maternal dietary restrictions during lactation were adopted in 7/22 MU (31.8%). Extensively or partially hydrolyzed formula was prescribed for bottle-fed high-risk infants in 22.7% of MU. Only 2/22 MU have a policy in complete agreement with the nutritional intervention proposed by the AAP. Our study suggest a poor adherence to dietary recommendations for primary prevention of atopic disease in neonatology clinical practice. Further efforts should be planned to improve the knowledge and the application of these preventive strategies.

  12. [Effects of an Integrated Internet Addiction Prevention Program on Elementary Students' Self-regulation and Internet Addiction].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mun, So Youn; Lee, Byoung Sook

    2015-04-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop an integrated internet addiction prevention program and test its effects on the self-regulation and internet addiction of elementary students who are at risk for internet addiction. A quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants were assigned to the experimental group (n=28) or control group (n=28). Contents of the program developed in this study included provision of information about internet addiction, interventions for empowerment and methods of behavioral modification. A pre-test and two post-tests were done to identify the effects of the program and their continuity. Effects were testified using Repeated measures ANOVA, simple effect analysis, and Time Contrast. The self-regulation of the experimental group after the program was significantly higher than the control group. The score for internet addiction self-diagnosis and the internet use time in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group. The effects of the integrated internet addiction prevention program for preventing internet addiction in elementary students at risk for internet addiction were validated.

  13. Integrating Early Child Development and Violence Prevention Programs: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efevbera, Yvette; McCoy, Dana C; Wuermli, Alice J; Betancourt, Theresa S

    2018-03-01

    Limited evidence describes promoting development and reducing violence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a missed opportunity to protect children and promote development and human capital. This study presents a systematic literature review of integrated early childhood development plus violence prevention (ECD+VP) interventions in LMICs. The search yielded 5,244 unique records, of which N = 6 studies met inclusion criteria. Interventions were in Chile, Jamaica, Lebanon, Mexico, Mozambique, and Turkey. Five interventions were parent education programs, including center-based sessions (n = 3) and home visiting (n = 2), while one intervention was a teacher education program. All but one study reported improvements in both child development and maltreatment outcomes. The dearth of evidence on ECD+VP interventions suggests additional research is needed. Integrated ECD+VP interventions may improve multiple child outcome domains while leveraging limited resources in LMICs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Pediatric primary care to help prevent child maltreatment: the Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubowitz, Howard; Feigelman, Susan; Lane, Wendy; Kim, Jeongeun

    2009-03-01

    Effective strategies for preventing child maltreatment are needed. Few primary care-based programs have been developed, and most have not been well evaluated. Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of the Safe Environment for Every Kid model of pediatric primary care in reducing the occurrence of child maltreatment. A randomized trial was conducted from June 2002 to November 2005 in a university-based resident continuity clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. The study population consisted of English-speaking parents of children (0-5 years) brought in for child health supervision. Of the 1118 participants approached, 729 agreed to participate, and 558 of them completed the study protocol. Resident continuity clinics were cluster randomized by day of the week to the model (intervention) or standard care (control) groups. Model care consisted of (1) residents who received special training, (2) the Parent Screening Questionnaire, and (3) a social worker. Risk factors for child maltreatment were identified and addressed by the resident physician and/or social worker. Standard care involved routine pediatric primary care. A subset of the clinic population was sampled for the evaluation. Child maltreatment was measured in 3 ways: (1) child protective services reports using state agency data; (2) medical chart documentation of possible abuse or neglect; and (3) parental report of harsh punishment via the Parent-Child Conflict Tactics scale. Model care resulted in significantly lower rates of child maltreatment in all the outcome measures: fewer child protective services reports, fewer instances of possible medical neglect documented as treatment nonadherence, fewer children with delayed immunizations, and less harsh punishment reported by parents. One-tailed testing was conducted in accordance with the study hypothesis. The Safe Environment for Every Kid (SEEK) model of pediatric primary care seems promising as a practical strategy for helping prevent child maltreatment

  15. Youth suicide prevention: does access to care matter?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campo, John V

    2009-10-01

    Recent increases in adolescent suicide rates after a decade of decline highlight the relevance of pediatric suicide prevention. Existing strategies to intervene with youth at risk for suicide are largely based on the premise that access to effective services is of critical importance. This review aims to examine the relationship between youth suicide and access to care. Promising reductions in suicidal thinking and behavior have been associated with the application of manualized psychotherapies, collaborative interventions in primary care, lithium for mood-disordered adults, and clozapine in schizophrenia. Suicide rates correlate inversely with indices of care access across the lifespan, including antidepressant prescription rates. Suicide is a preventable cause of death, and any public health relevant effort to prevent youth suicide must include improving access to effective care for at-risk youth as a strategy. Education and training of professionals and consumers, the integration of mental health services in primary care, and the use of novel technologies to track and maintain contact with at-risk youth are worthy of study. Additional research on the relationship between specific treatments, especially antidepressants, and youth suicide risk reduction is desperately needed.

  16. Gender roles, physical and sexual violence prevention in primary extend to secondary school in Samutsakorn Province, Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamroonsawasdi, Kanittha; Suparp, Jarueyporn; Kittipichai, Wirin; Khajornchaikul, Piyathida

    2010-03-01

    To enhance positive attitude and life skills on gender roles to prevent physical and sexual violence. A whole school-based participatory learning program using a quasi-experimental study with pre and post test design was conducted among 2 schools during June-September, 2005. The experimental group, were 134 students in a primary school and 179 students in a secondary school. While the control group, were 122 students in a primary school and 95 students in a secondary school. Means score of attitude toward gender roles before implementation in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (p 0.05). Means paired different score (after-before) between the two groups was significantly different (p = 0.002). A whole school-based program on gender roles and violence prevention is suitable for youths and should be merged as school curricula and expanded as a nationwide program at all level of education. Gender equity should be taught at an early childhood. Parental involvement in school-based activities should be negotiated.

  17. Unintentional injury prevention and the role of occupational therapy in the Solomon Islands: an integrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daufanamae, Barbara U; Franklin, Richard C; Eagers, Jackie

    2016-01-01

    Unintentional injuries (injuries for which there is no evidence of a predetermined intent) are one of the leading causes of death worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Although evidence demonstrates unintentional injuries are preventable it is a public health challenge for many LMICs such as the Solomon Islands. Occupational therapists are well placed to contribute to injury prevention, as they have specialised skills to analyse the accessibility and safety of the environments within which people conduct their daily occupations. While the role of occupational therapy in unintentional injury prevention is well known in high-income countries, it is unfamiliar in LMICs, especially in the Solomon Islands. This integrative review aimed to explore the incidence of common unintentional injuries, and the burden in the Solomon Islands; and explore the potential role of occupational therapy in unintentional injury prevention in the Solomon Islands, based on current activities in LMICs. Articles were reviewed from six databases (Medline, CINAHL, OTDBase, OT Seeker, Scopus and PsychInfo). Five articles met the inclusion criteria for the first objective and 15 articles met the inclusion criteria for the second objective. These articles were thematically analysed where themes and codes associated with the research objectives were extracted and analysed. Unintentional injuries in the Solomon Islands reported in the literature included ocular trauma, falls from fruit trees and coconut palms, and road traffic crashes. Burden of injury reported was mostly associated with loss of productivity. Occupational therapists undertook rehabilitative, biomechanical, neurodevelopmental and educational roles in LMIC, focusing on tertiary and secondary injury prevention. This integrative review suggests that there is limited information regarding injury in the Solomon Islands. However, evidence is available in LMICs to suggest that occupational therapy services can

  18. Attitudes of Arab and Jewish patients toward integration of complementary medicine in primary care clinics in Israel: a cross-cultural study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Arye, Eran; Karkabi, Khaled; Karkabi, Sonia; Keshet, Yael; Haddad, Maria; Frenkel, Moshe

    2009-01-01

    The purpose of this cross-cultural study was to evaluate patient perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) integration within primary care clinics. It is one of the first multiethnic studies to explore patients' perspectives on the best model for integrating CAM into the conventional care setting. We developed a 13-item questionnaire that addresses issues of CAM use, expectations from the primary care physicians concerning CAM, and attitudes toward CAM integration within a patient's primary care clinic. We constructed the questionnaire with cross-cultural sensitivity concerning the core concepts of CAM and traditional medicine in both the Arab and Jewish communities in northern Israel. Data for statistical analysis were obtained from 3840 patients attending seven primary care clinics. Of the 3713 respondents who were willing to identify their religion, 2184 defined themselves as Muslims, Christians, or Druze and 1529 as Jews. Respondents in the two groups were equally distributed by sex but differed significantly by age, education, self-rated religiosity, and self-reported chronic diseases in their medical background. Respondents in the two groups reported comparable overall CAM use during the previous year, but the Arab respondents reported more use of herbs and traditional medicine. Respondents in both groups stated that their primary expectation from a family physician concerning CAM was to refer them appropriately and safely to a CAM practitioner. Respondents in both groups greatly supported a theoretical scenario of CAM integration into primary medical care. However, Arab respondents were more supportive of the option that non-physician CAM practitioners would provide CAM rather than physicians.

  19. Which interventions offer best value for money in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Linda J Cobiac

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Despite many decades of declining mortality rates in the Western world, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. In this research we evaluate the optimal mix of lifestyle, pharmaceutical and population-wide interventions for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. METHODS AND FINDINGS: In a discrete time Markov model we simulate the ischaemic heart disease and stroke outcomes and cost impacts of intervention over the lifetime of all Australian men and women, aged 35 to 84 years, who have never experienced a heart disease or stroke event. Best value for money is achieved by mandating moderate limits on salt in the manufacture of bread, margarine and cereal. A combination of diuretic, calcium channel blocker, ACE inhibitor and low-cost statin, for everyone with at least 5% five-year risk of cardiovascular disease, is also cost-effective, but lifestyle interventions aiming to change risky dietary and exercise behaviours are extremely poor value for money and have little population health benefit. CONCLUSIONS: There is huge potential for improving efficiency in cardiovascular disease prevention in Australia. A tougher approach from Government to mandating limits on salt in processed foods and reducing excessive statin prices, and a shift away from lifestyle counselling to more efficient absolute risk-based prescription of preventive drugs, could cut health care costs while improving population health.

  20. Using Large-Scale Linkage Data to Evaluate the Effectiveness of a National Educational Program on Antithrombotic Prescribing and Associated Stroke Prevention in Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhixin; Moorin, Rachael; Worthington, John; Tofler, Geoffrey; Bartlett, Mark; Khan, Rabia; Zuo, Yeqin

    2016-10-13

    The National Prescribing Service (NPS) MedicineWise Stroke Prevention Program, which was implemented nationally in 2009-2010 in Australia, sought to improve antithrombotic prescribing in stroke prevention using dedicated interventions that target general practitioners. This study evaluated the impact of the NPS MedicineWise Stroke Prevention Program on antithrombotic prescribing and primary stroke hospitalizations. This population-based time series study used administrative health data linked to 45 and Up Study participants with a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) to assess the possible impact of the NPS MedicineWise program on first-time aspirin prescriptions and primary stroke-related hospitalizations. Time series analysis showed that the NPS MedicineWise program was significantly associated with increased first-time prescribing of aspirin (P=0.03) and decreased hospitalizations for primary ischemic stroke (P=0.03) in the at-risk study population (n=90 023). First-time aspirin prescription was correlated with a reduction in the rate of hospitalization for primary stroke (P=0.02). Following intervention, the number of first-time aspirin prescriptions increased by 19.8% (95% confidence interval, 1.6-38.0), while the number of first-time stroke hospitalizations decreased by 17.3% (95% confidence interval, 1.8-30.0). Consistent with NPS MedicineWise program messages for the high-risk CVD population, the NPS MedicineWise Stroke Prevention Program (2009) was associated with increased initiation of aspirin and a reduced rate of hospitalization for primary stroke. The findings suggest that the provision of evidence-based multifaceted large-scale educational programs in primary care can be effective in changing prescriber behavior and positively impacting patient health outcomes. © 2016 The Authors and NPS MedicineWise. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  1. Promoting a Shared Representation of Workers' Activities to Improve Integrated Prevention of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yves Roquelaure

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Effective and sustainable prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WR-MSDs remains a challenge for preventers and policy makers. Coordination of stakeholders involved in the prevention of WR-MSDs is a key factor that requires greater reflection on common knowledge and shared representation of workers' activities among stakeholders. Information on workers' strategies and operational leeway should be the core of common representations, because it places workers at the center of the “work situation system” considered by the intervention models. Participatory ergonomics permitting debates among stakeholders about workers' activity and strategies to cope with the work constraints in practice could help them to share representations of the “work situation system” and cooperate. Sharing representation therefore represents a useful tool for prevention, and preventers should provide sufficient space and time for dialogue and discussion of workers' activities among stakeholders during the conception, implementation, and management of integrated prevention programs.

  2. The prevention and management of chronic disease in primary care: recommendations from a knowledge translation meeting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Sara; Ware, Patrick; Visca, Regina; Bareil, Celine; Chouinard, Maud-Christine; Desforges, Johanne; Finlayson, Roderick; Fortin, Martin; Gauthier, Josée; Grimard, Dominique; Guay, Maryse; Hudon, Catherine; Lalonde, Lyne; Lévesque, Lise; Michaud, Cecile; Provost, Sylvie; Sutton, Tim; Tousignant, Pierre; Travers, Stella; Ware, Mark; Gogovor, Amede

    2015-10-15

    Seven chronic disease prevention and management programs were implemented across Quebec with funding support from a provincial-private industry funding initiative. Given the complexity of implementing integrated primary care chronic disease management programs, a knowledge transfer meeting was held to share experiences across programs and synthesize common challenges and success factors for implementation. The knowledge translation meeting was held in February 2014 in Montreal, Canada. Seventy-five participants consisting of 15 clinicians, 14 researchers, 31 knowledge users, and 15 representatives from the funding agencies were broken up into groups of 10 or 11 and conducted a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis on either the implementation or the evaluation of these chronic disease management programs. Results were reported back to the larger group during a plenary and recorded. Audiotapes were transcribed and summarized using pragmatic thematic analysis. Strengths to leverage for the implementation of the seven programs include: (1) synergy between clinical and research teams; (2) stakeholders working together; (3) motivation of clinicians; and (4) the fact that the programs are evidence-based. Weaknesses to address include: (1) insufficient resources; (2) organizational change within the clinical sites; (3) lack of referrals from primary care physicians; and (4) lack of access to programs. Strengths to leverage for the evaluation of these programs include: (1) engagement of stakeholders and (2) sharing of knowledge between clinical sites. Weaknesses to address include: (1) lack of referrals; (2) difficulties with data collection; and (3) difficulties in identifying indicators and control groups. Opportunities for both themes include: (1) fostering new and existing partnerships and stakeholder relations; (2) seizing funding opportunities; (3) knowledge transfer; (4) supporting the transformation of professional roles; (5) expand the use of

  3. Primary prevention of coronary heart disease: integration of new data, evolving views, revised goals, and role of rosuvastatin in management. A comprehensive survey

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    Kones R

    2011-06-01

    , since ≥90% of young adults with a low 10-year risk have a lifetime risk of ≥39%; over half of all American adults have a low 10-year risk but a high lifetime risk. At age 50 the absence of traditional risk factors is associated with extremely low lifetime risk and significantly greater longevity. Pathological and epidemiological data confirm that atherosclerosis begins in early childhood, and advances seamlessly and inexorably throughout life. Risk factors in childhood are similar to those in adults, and track between stages of life. When indicated, aggressive treatment should begin at the earliest indication, and be continued for years. For those patients at intermediate risk according to global risk scores, C-reactive protein (CRP, coronary artery calcium (CAC, and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT are available for further stratification. Using statins for primary prevention is recommended by guidelines, is prevalent, but remains underprescribed. Statin drugs are unrivaled, evidence-based, major weapons to lower cardiovascular risk. Even when low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C targets are attained, over half of patients continue to have disease progression and clinical events. This residual risk is of great concern, and multiple sources of remaining risk exist. Though clinical evidence is incomplete, altering or raising the blood high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C level continues to be pursued. Of all agents available, rosuvastatin produces the greatest reduction in LDL-C, LDL-P, and improvement in apoA-I/apoB, together with a favorable safety profile. Several recent proposals and methods to lower cardiovascular risk are reviewed. A combination of approaches, such as the addition of lifetime risk, refinement of risk prediction, guideline compliance, novel treatments, improvement in adherence, and primordial prevention, including environmental and social intervention, will be necessary to lower the present high risk burden.Keywords: primary

  4. Defibrillator implantations for primary prevention in the United States: Inappropriate care or inadequate documentation: Insights from the National Cardiovascular Data ICD Registry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaiser, Daniel W; Tsai, Vivian; Heidenreich, Paul A; Goldstein, Mary K; Wang, Yongfei; Curtis, Jeptha; Turakhia, Mintu P

    2015-10-01

    Prior studies have reported that more than 20% of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantations in the United States do not adhere to trial-based criteria. We sought to investigate the patient characteristics associated with not meeting the inclusion criteria of the clinical trials that have demonstrated the efficacy of primary prevention ICDs. Using data from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry's ICD Registry, we identified patients who received ICDs for primary prevention from January 2006 to December 2008. We determined whether patients met the inclusion criteria of at least 1 of the 4 ICD primary prevention trials: Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT), MADIT-II, Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT), and the Multicenter Unsustained Tachycardia Trial (MUSTT). Among 150,264 patients, 86% met criteria for an ICD implantation based on trial data. The proportion of patients who did not meet trial-based criteria increased as age decreased. In multivariate analysis, the significant predictors for not meeting trial criteria included prior cardiac transplantation (odds ratio [OR] 2.1), pediatric electrophysiology operator (OR 2.0), and high-grade atrioventricular conduction disease (OR 1.4). Among National Cardiovascular Data Registry registrants receiving first-time ICDs for primary prevention, the majority met trial-based criteria. Multivariate analyses suggested that many patients who did not meet the trial-based criteria may have had clinical circumstances that warranted ICD implantation. These findings caution against the use of trial-based indications to determine site quality metrics that could penalize sites that care for younger patients. The planned incorporation of appropriate use criteria into the ICD registry may better characterize patient- and site-level quality and performance. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  5. Integrated real time control of influent pumping station and primary settling tanks at WWTP Eindhoven

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Daal-Rombouts, P.M.M.; de Jonge, J; Langeveld, J.G.; Clemens, F.H.L.R.

    2016-01-01

    This research deals with the design and implementation of an integrated control for the WWTP of Eindhoven. The control influences the operation of the primary settling tanks and influent pumping station to reduce reduce ammonia peaks in the WWTP effluent. The control takes into account the treatment

  6. Environmental and health disparities in residential communities of New Orleans: the need for soil lead intervention to advance primary prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mielke, Howard W; Gonzales, Christopher R; Powell, Eric T; Mielke, Paul W

    2013-01-01

    Urban environments are the major sites for human habitation and this study evaluates soil lead (Pb) and blood Pb at the community scale of a U.S. city. There is no safe level of Pb exposure for humans and novel primary Pb prevention strategies are requisite to mitigate children's Pb exposure and health disparities observed in major cities. We produced a rich source of environmental and Pb exposure data for metropolitan New Orleans by combining a large soil Pb database (n=5467) with blood Pb databases (n=55,551 pre-Katrina and 7384 post-Katrina) from the Louisiana Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (LACLPPP). Reanalysis of pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina soil samples indicates relatively unchanged soil Pb. The objective was to evaluate the New Orleans soil Pb and blood Pb database for basic information about conditions that may merit innovative ways to pursue primary Pb exposure prevention. The city was divided into high (median census tract soil≥100 mg/kg) and low Pb areas (median census tract soilprevention. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. An Integrated Approach to Falls Prevention: A Model for Linking Clinical and Community Interventions through the Massachusetts Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coe, Laura J.; St. John, Julie Ann; Hariprasad, Santhi; Shankar, Kalpana N.; MacCulloch, Patricia A.; Bettano, Amy L.; Zotter, Jean

    2017-01-01

    Older adult falls continue to be a public health priority across the United States—Massachusetts (MA) being no exception. The MA Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund (PWTF) program within the MA Department of Public Health aims to reduce the physical and economic burdens of chronic health conditions by linking evidence-based clinical care with community intervention programs. The PWTF partnerships that focused on older adult falls prevention integrated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Death and Injuries toolkit into clinical settings. Partnerships also offer referrals for home safety assessments, Tai Chi, and Matter of Balance programs. This paper describes the PWTF program implementation process involving 49 MA organizations, while highlighting the successes achieved and lessons learned. With the unprecedented expansion of the U.S. Medicare beneficiary population, and the escalating incidence of falls, widespread adoption of effective prevention strategies will become increasingly important for both public health and for controlling healthcare costs. The lessons learned from this PWTF initiative offer insights and recommendations for future falls prevention program development and implementation. PMID:28321393

  8. Applying the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion to a videotape-based eating disorders primary prevention program for adolescent girls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Withers, Giselle F; Wertheim, Eleanor H

    2004-01-01

    This study applied principles from the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion to the prevention of disordered eating. Early adolescent girls watched either a preventive videotape only (n=114) or video plus post-video activity (verbal discussion, written exercises, or control discussion) (n=187); or had no intervention (n=104). Significantly more body image and knowledge improvements occurred at post video and follow-up in the intervention groups compared to no intervention. There were no outcome differences among intervention groups, or between girls with high or low elaboration likelihood. Further research is needed in integrating the videotape into a broader prevention package.

  9. Preventing dehydration-related hospitalizations: a mixed-methods study of parents, inpatient attendings, and primary care physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shanley, Leticia; Mittal, Vineeta; Flores, Glenn

    2013-07-01

    The goal of this study was to identify the proportion of dehydration-related ambulatory care-sensitive condition hospitalizations, the reasons why these hospitalizations were preventable, and factors associated with preventability. A cross-sectional survey of primary care providers (PCPs), inpatient attending physicians, and parents was conducted in a consecutive series of children with ambulatory care-sensitive conditions admitted to an urban hospital over 14 months. Eighty-five children were diagnosed with dehydration. Their mean age was 1.6 years; most had public (74%) or no (17%) insurance, and were nonwhite (91%). The proportion of hospitalizations assessed as preventable varied from 12% for agreement among all 3 sources to 45% for any source. Parents identified inadequate prevention (50%), poor self-education (34%), and poor quality of care (38%) as key factors. PCPs identified parents providing insufficient home rehydration (33%), not visiting the clinic (25%), and not calling earlier (16%) as reasons. Inpatient attending physicians cited home rehydration (40%), delays in seeking care (40%), and lacking a PCP (20%) as contributors. Physicians (PCPs and inpatient attending physicians) were more likely than parents to describe the admission as inappropriate (75% vs 67% vs 0%; P dehydration-related hospitalizations may be preventable. Inadequate parental education by physicians, insufficient home rehydration, deferring clinic visits, insurance and cost barriers, inappropriate admissions, poor quality of care, and parental dissatisfaction with PCPs are the reasons that these hospitalizations might have been prevented.

  10. Traditional and new strategies in the primary prevention of eating disorders: a comparative study in Spanish adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ignacio Jáuregui Lobera

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Ignacio Jáuregui Lobera1, Pilar León Lozano2, Patricia Bolaños Ríos3, Juan Romero Candau2, Gregorio Sánchez del Villar y Lebreros4, M Teresa Morales Millán1,5, M Teresa Montaña González1,5, Lourdes Andrés Martín2, Isabela Justo Villalobos2, Nuria Vargas Sánchez21Área de Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad Pablo de Olavide; 2Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos; 3Instituto de Ciencias de la Conducta; 4Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria “Murillo”; 5Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, SpainBackground: Research conducted to date into the primary prevention of eating disorders (ED has mainly considered the provision of information regarding risk factors. Consequently, there is a need to develop new methods that go a step further, promoting a change in attitudes and behavior in the target population.Objective: This study describes an adaptation of the Girls’ Group model to the Spanish context, the main objective being to compare two types of intervention, ie, one based on this model and the other following the traditional approach of providing information. The ultimate aim was to implement a prevention program that reduces the risk factors and boosts the protection factors that have been empirically shown to be related to ED.Methods: On the basis of previous research on the primary prevention of ED, and taking into account recognized risk and protective factors, the following topics were addressed: nutritional aspects; self-esteem; coping strategies; the ideal image of what is attractive and role of the media; and body image. The total sample (174 girls and 197 boys was divided into 12 work groups, six for the intervention group (one school and six for the control group (two schools. School-based input (intervention group was provided by a pharmacist, a psychologist, a qualified nutritionist/dietician, and specialist support staff (psychologists and/or educators and teachers of the three schools

  11. Community-based primary prevention programs decrease the rate of metabolic syndrome among socioeconomically disadvantaged women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilstrap, Lauren Gray; Malhotra, Rajeev; Peltier-Saxe, Donna; Slicas, Donna; Pineda, Eliana; Culhane-Hermann, Catherine; Cook, Nakela; Fernandez-Golarz, Carina; Wood, Malissa

    2013-04-01

    Metabolic Syndrome (MetSyn) is one of the strongest predictors of type 2 diabetes (DM2) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is associated with a 4- to 10-fold increased risk of DM2 and a 2- to 3-fold increased risk of CVD. Low income and minority women have some of the highest rates of MetSyn. This study examines the effect of a unique, community based, primary prevention program on the rates of MetSyn and health habits. Sixty-four low income and minority women were enrolled in the HAPPY (Health Awareness and Primary Prevention in Your neighborhood) Heart Program in an eastern suburb of Boston. Over these 2 years, patients were evaluated by an interdisciplinary medical team: their primary physician, cardiologist, nutritionist, physical therapist, and health coach. The rate of MetSyn was measured at baseline, year 1, and year 2. Comparisons were made either using the paired t test for normally distributed variables or the Wilcoxon Sign test for non-normal variables. The rate of MetSyn fell from 64.7% at baseline to 34.9% at year 1 (p=0.01) and 28.2% at year 2 (p<0.001). This was driven by increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) (p<0.001) and decreases in blood pressure (p=0.05). Fasting blood glucose trended down, but the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) reached significance (decreasing from 6 to 5.8, p<0.01). Nutrition and exercise habits trended toward improvement. There were significant decreases in anxiety (p<0.001), depression (p=0.006) and stress (p=0.002). This lifestyle intervention program is effective at decreasing MetSyn in a socioeconomically disadvantaged, largely minority, female population. This program also decreases anxiety, stress, and depression among participants.

  12. School-based intervention to prevent overweight and disordered eating in secondary school Malaysian adolescents: a study protocol

    OpenAIRE

    Sharif Ishak, Sharifah Intan Zainun; Chin, Yit Siew; Mohd. Taib, Mohd. Nasir; Mohd. Shariff, Zalilah

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background Obesity, eating disorders and unhealthy weight-loss practices have been associated with diminished growth in adolescents worldwide. Interventions that address relevant behavioural dimensions have been lacking in Malaysia. This paper describes the protocol of an integrated health education intervention namely ‘Eat Right, Be Positive About Your Body and Live Actively’ (EPaL), a primary prevention which aimed to promote healthy lifestyle in preventing overweight and disordere...

  13. [Pulmonary carcinoma nowadays: notes on epidemiology, primary prevention, and therapeutic planning].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motta, G

    1995-01-01

    Among the solid malignancies, lung cancer is today the most common cancer in the world (850,000 new cases during 1990). Moreover, with an estimated increase of about 5 percent a year, it now represents the first cause of mortality for cancer in both sexes. The evidence of a close relationship between lung cancer and cigarette smoking was first pointed out by E. Graham in 1950. Since then, the responsibility of active cigarette smoking in determining lung cancer as well as that of nicotine causing addictiveness, have been assessed clearly. Nevertheless primary prevention, mainly through the campaign against cigarette smoking, has always faced great difficulties because it clashes with the economic power and interests of tobacco companies. Moreover the epidemiologic trends show a progressive increase of the disease with a silent epidemic-like worldwide diffusion, in close similarity to AIDS. So, more than 5 million new cases a year of lung cancer are expected to appear at the beginning of 2000. The primary prevention against the major factor of risk-the cigarette-is mainly based, in developed countries, through the following official measures: i) a heavy taxation on the finished goods; ii) the conversion of the tobacco growing to other crops and iii) the package-based health information for all tobacco products. On the other side, while waiting for new effective chemoprevention methods, the need of getting a true early clinical diagnosis of tumor is emphasised. Only by this means is it indeed possible to improve the rate of cure through performing conventional resections of those cancers which could be discovered in still limited clinical stage. In the same time, a strong effort for radically operating Stage III locally advanced cancers, is also attempted through the newer tracheobronchoplastic procedures as well as the other over extended resections done directly in the mediastinal area. The neoadjuvant radio and/or chemotherapy combined treatments preceding surgery

  14. Assessment of a primary and tertiary care integrated management model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peiro Meritxell

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The diagnosis and treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD in Spain continues to present challenges, and problems are exacerbated when there is a lack of coordinated follow-up between levels of care. This paper sets out the protocol for assessing the impact of an integrated management model for the care of patients with COPD. The new model will be evaluated in terms of 1 improvement in the rational utilization of health-care services and 2 benefits reflected in improved health status and quality of life for patients. Methods/Design A quasi-experimental study of the effectiveness of a COPD management model called COPD PROCESS. The patients in the study cohorts will be residents of neighborhoods served by two referral hospitals in Barcelona, Spain. One area comprises the intervention group (n = 32,248 patients and the other the control group (n = 32,114 patients. The study will include pre- and post-intervention assessment 18 months after the program goes into effect. Analyses will be on two datasets: clinical and administrative data available for all patients, and clinical assessment information for a cohort of 440 patients sampled randomly from the intervention and control areas. The main endpoints will be the hospitalization rates in the two health-care areas and quality-of-life measures in the two cohorts. Discussion The COPD PROCESS model foresees the integrated multidisciplinary management of interventions at different levels of the health-care system through coordinated routine clinical practice. It will put into practice diagnostic and treatment procedures that are based on current evidence, multidisciplinary consensus, and efficient use of available resources. Care pathways in this model are defined in terms of patient characteristics, level of disease severity and the presence or absence of exacerbation. The protocol covers the full range of care from primary prevention to treatment of

  15. BURNOUT SYNDROME IN NURSES OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

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    Magno Conceição das Merces

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and Objective: Burnout Syndrome (BS also known as burnout is described as a phenomenon composed of feelings of failure and exhaustion, caused by excessive wear and energy resources, mediated by practice and work stress. In this sense, the nurse Primary Health Care (PHC is not exempted in the development of the syndrome in question, since it is a profession that develops their work activities through direct contact with patients and families, making workloads too much which can depreciate the quality of care. This study becomes relevant because it will contribute to the PHC nurses have deeper knowledge of the BS, and few studies at this level of health care. He stood as guiding question: What is the prevalence of BS nurses in the PHC based in Brazilian literature from 2000 to 2014? And as objective to determine the prevalence of BS nurses in the PHC. Content: This is an integrative literature review. To that end, we conducted survey of manuscripts published from 2000 to 2014, using as descriptors, in combination: nurse; burnout and primary care in the Virtual Health Library (VHL. Conclusion: It is not yet possible to know the prevalence of BS nurses in the PHC due to lack of studies in the area. KEYWORDS: Nurse. Burnout, Professional. Primary Health Care.

  16. Electronic Cigarette: Role in the Primary Prevention of Oral Cavity Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Teresa; Trapasso, Serena; Puzzo, Lidia; Allegra, Eugenia

    2016-01-01

    Cigarette smoke has been identified as the main cause of oral cavity carcinoma. Recently, the electronic cigarette, a battery-operated device, was developed to help smokers stop their tobacco addiction. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of electronic cigarettes and to establish the possible role of such device in the primary prevention of oral cavity cancer. This study included 65 subjects who were divided into three groups (smokers, e-cigarette smokers, and nonsmokers). All subjects were submitted to cytologic examination by scraping of oral mucosa. The slides were microscopically evaluated through a micronucleus assay test. The prevalence of micronuclei was significantly decreased in the e-cigarette smoker group. There were no statistically significant differences in micronuclei distribution according to the type of cigarette, gender, and age. The use of electronic cigarettes seems to be safe for oral cells and should be suggested as an aid to smoking cessation.

  17. Integrated primary health care in Greece, a missing issue in the current health policy agenda: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christos Lionis

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Over the past years, Greece has undergone several endeavors aimed at modernizing and improving national health care services with a focus on PHC. However, the extent to which integrated primary health care has been achieved is still questioned. Purpose: This paper explores the extent to which integrated primary health care (PHC is an issue in the current agenda of policy makers in Greece, reporting constraints and opportunities and highlighting the need for a policy perspective in developing integrated PHC in this Southern European country. Methods: A systematic review in PubMed/Medline and SCOPUS, along with a hand search in selected Greek biomedical journals was undertaken to identify key papers, reports, editorials or opinion letters relevant to integrated health care. Results: Our systematic review identified 198 papers and 161 out of them were derived from electronic search. Fifty-three papers in total served the scope of this review and are shortly reported. A key finding is that the long-standing dominance of medical perspectives in Greek health policy has been paving the way towards vertical integration, pushing aside any discussions about horizontal or comprehensive integration of care. Conclusion: Establishment of integrated PHC in Greece is still at its infancy, requiring major restructuring of the current national health system, as well as organizational culture changes. Moving towards a new policy-based model would bring this missing issue on the discussion table, facilitating further development.

  18. Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Use of Primary Care Providers and Preventive Health Services at a Midwestern University.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Focella, Elizabeth S; Shaffer, Victoria A; Dannecker, Erin A; Clark, Mary J; Schopp, Laura H

    2016-06-01

    Many universities seek to improve the health and wellbeing of their faculty and staff through employer wellness programs but racial/ethnic disparities in health care use may still persist. The purpose of this research was to identify racial/ethnic disparities in the use of preventive health services at a Midwestern university. A record review was conducted of self-reported health data from University employees, examining the use of primary care and common screening procedures collected in a Personal Health Assessment conducted by the University's wellness program. Results show that there were significant racial/ethnic differences in the use of primary care and participation in screening. Notably, Asian employees in this sample were less likely to have a primary care provider and participate in routine cancer screenings. The observed racial/ethnic differences in screening behavior were mediated by the use of primary care. Together, these data show that despite equal access to care, racial and ethnic disparities in screening persist and that having a primary care provider is an important predictor of screening behavior. Results suggest that health communications designed to increase screening among specific racial/ethnic minority groups should target primary care use.

  19. [Metabolic Syndrome as a marker of cardiovascular events in hypertensives in primary prevention].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, José Antonio; Rodilla, Enrique; Cardona, Joaquín; González, Carmen; Pascual, José María

    2012-07-07

    The aim of this study was to assess the impact of metabolic syndrome (MS) as a predictor of cardiovascular events (CVE) in hypertensives in primary prevention. This retrospective study involved 2410 non-diabetic, hypertensive patients (52% women, 43% with MS), without previous CVE. The total follow-up was 13096 patient-years with a median of 4,5 years (IIQ; 2,2-7,3). Patients with metabolic syndrome did not have more risk of CVE (HR 1,19; CI 95%:0,89-1,58; p=0,292), 183 patients had a CVE, 88 in patients with MS (15,4; CI 95%:12,4-19,0 patients-years), and 95 in patients without MS (13,0; CI 95%:10,5-15,9 patients/years) (p=0,279). In a multivariate analysis corrected for other factors, only age (HR 1,08; CI 95%: 1,07-1,10; p=0,001), male gender (HR 1,77; CI 95%: 1,27-2,45; p=0,001), smoking (HR 2,95; CI 95%: 2,01-4,34; p=0,001) at the beginning, and values of systolic arterial pressure ≥160 mm Hg (HR 1,83; CI 95%: 1,17-2,89; p=0,009) and cholesterol-low density lipoproteins ≥160 mg/dl (HR 1,58; CI 95%: 1,05-2,38; p=0,029) during the follow-up, were associated with new CVE. In hypertensive non-diabetic patients in primary prevention the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome did not add any significant prediction about future CVE over the traditional risk factors. Systolic arterial pressure ≥160 mm Hg and cholesterol-low density lipoproteins ≥160 mg/dl, respectively, during the follow up were factors related to new CVE. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  20. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Atorvastatin versus Rosuvastatin in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention Populations in Brazil and Columbia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mould-Quevedo, Joaquín F; Gutiérrez-Ardila, Magda Vianey; Ordóñez Molina, Jaime Eduardo; Pinsky, Brett; Vargas Zea, Nicolás

    2014-12-01

    Latin America has witnessed a marked increase in cardiovascular (CV) disease, the leading cause of death in many countries. The benefits of lipid-lowering therapy to reduce CV-related events are widely accepted. Clinical evidence suggests that rosuvastatin is associated with slightly greater reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than is atorvastatin at comparable doses. Rosuvastatin, however, is often priced at a premium. Our objective was to examine the cost-effectiveness of using atorvastatin versus rosuvastatin in reducing CV events in Brazil and Colombia using real-world prices. A global Markov cohort model of primary and secondary CV prevention was developed and adapted to Brazilian and Colombian settings. The risks and costs of major CV events and efficacy, adherence, and costs of statins were considered. Total gains in life-years, quality-adjusted life-years, major CV events avoided, and costs over the lifetime horizon were estimated. Several dose comparisons were considered. In the Colombian analyses, differences in drug costs between therapies were considerable while outcomes were similar. The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained for rosuvastatin versus atorvastatin was more than $700,000 and $200,000 in primary and secondary prevention, respectively. Brazilian analyses found lower incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for rosuvastatin at some dose comparisons due to similar pricing between statins. Sensitivity analyses revealed that changes in treatment efficacy and adherence had the largest impact on results. In primary and secondary CV prevention, the efficacy advantage of rosuvastatin was minimal, while its acquisition cost was higher, particularly in Colombia. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were, therefore, generally in favor of atorvastatin being the cost-effective option. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

  1. Integrating Social Services and Home-Based Primary Care for High-Risk Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feinglass, Joe; Norman, Greg; Golden, Robyn L; Muramatsu, Naoko; Gelder, Michael; Cornwell, Thomas

    2018-04-01

    There is a consensus that our current hospital-intensive approach to care is deeply flawed. This review article describes the research evidence for developing a better system of care for high-cost, high-risk patients. It reviews the evidence that home-centered care and integration of health care with social services are the cornerstones of a more humane and efficient system. The article describes the strengths and weaknesses of research evaluating the effects of social services in addressing social determinants of health, and how social support is critical to successful acute care transition programs. It reviews the history of incorporating social services into care management, and the prospects that recent payment reforms and regulatory initiatives can succeed in stimulating the financial integration of social services into new care coordination initiatives. The article reviews the literature on home-based primary care for the chronically ill and disabled, and suggests that it is the emergence of this care modality that holds the greatest promise for delivery system reform. In the hope of stimulating further discussion and debate, the authors summarize existing viewpoints on how a home-centered system, which integrates social and medical services, might emerge in the next few years.

  2. Lifestyle and gallstone disease: Scope for primary prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandeep Sachdeva

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective : To study the antecedent risk factors in the causation of gallstone disease in a hospital-based case control study. Materials and Methods: Cases (n = 150 from all age groups and both sexes with sonographically proven gallstones were recruited over a duration of 3 months from the surgical wards of a tertiary care teaching hospital. Modes of presentation were also noted among cases. Age- and sex-matched controls (n = 150 were chosen from among ward inmates admitted for other reasons. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed for selected sociodemographic, dietary, and lifestyle-related variables. Results : Females had a higher prevalence of gallstone disease than males (P 60 years was relatively more susceptible (28%. Prepubertal age group was least afflicted (3.3%. Univariate analysis revealed multiparity, high fat, refined sugar, and low fiber intakes to be significantly associated with gallstones. Sedentary habits, recent stress, and hypertension were also among the significant lifestyle-related factors. High body mass index and waist hip ratios, again representing unhealthy lifestyles, were the significant anthropometric covariates. However, only three of these, viz., physical inactivity, high saturated fats, and high waist hip ratio emerged as significant predictors on stepwise logistic regression analysis (P < 0.05. Conclusion : Gallstone disease is frequent among females and elderly males. Significant predictor variables are abdominal adiposity, inadequate physical activity, and high intake of saturated fats; thus representing high risk lifestyles and yet amenable to primary prevention.

  3. Educating Masters of Public Health Students on Tobacco Control and Prevention: An Integrated Curriculum Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lowe, John; Aquilino, Mary; Abramsohn, Erin

    2007-01-01

    Objectives: Comprehensive training in the area of tobacco control and prevention has not been available to public health students receiving professional degrees. This study describes findings of a project designed to develop and evaluate an integrated approach to the education of Masters of Public Health (MPH) students at the University of Iowa…

  4. Primary health services at district level in South Africa: a critique of the primary health care approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dookie Sunitha

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rhetoric of primary health care philosophy in the district health system is widely cited as a fundamental component of the health transformation process in post-apartheid South Africa. Despite South Africa’s progress and attempts at implementing primary health care, various factors still limit its success. Discussion Inconsistencies and poor understanding of primary care and primary health care raises unrealistic expectations in service delivery and health outcomes, and blame is apportioned when expectations are not met. It is important for all health practitioners to consider the contextual influences on health and ill-health and to recognise the role of the underlying determinants of ill-health, namely, social, economic and environmental influences. The primary health care approach provides a strong framework for this delivery but it is not widely applied. There is a need for renewed political and policy commitments toward quality primary health care delivery, re-orientation of health care workers, integration of primary health care activities into other community-based development, improved management skills and effective coordination at all levels of the health system. There should also be optimal capacity building, and skills development in problem-solving, communication, networking and community participation. Summary A well-functioning district health system is required for the re-engineering of primary health care. This strategy requires a strong leadership, a strengthening of the current district heath system and a greater emphasis on health promotion, prevention, and community participation and empowerment.

  5. Opportunities in the integration of primary care and public health nursing: Two case exemplars on physical activity and nutrition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans-Agnew, Robin A; Mayer, Kala A; Miller, Lori L L

    2018-01-01

    The integration of primary care and public health nursing may provide new opportunities for transforming nursing practice that addresses population health. Effective programs emphasize multilevel approaches that include both downstream (education) and upstream (policy change) actions. The purpose of this article is to identify downstream and upstream nursing actions that integrate public health and primary care practice through two case exemplars concerning disparities in physical activity and nutrition. Describe two research case exemplars: (1) a secondary analysis of school physical activity policy for female adolescents in 36 public middle schools and (2) a focus group study of African American adults in a community kitchen program. In exemplar 1, school policies lacked population-based standards and presented structural disadvantages to African American girls who were already obese. In exemplar 2, participants found the community kitchen program to be more effective than the federally funded nutrition program. Integrating primary care and public health nursing could improve the tailoring of physical activity and nutrition programs to local populations by following core principles of community engagement, infrastructural sustainability, aligned leadership, and data sharing for population health improvement. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Statin cost effectiveness in primary prevention: A systematic review of the recent cost-effectiveness literature in the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mitchell Aaron P

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The literature on the cost-effectiveness of statin drugs in primary prevention of coronary heart disease is complex. The objective of this study is to compare the disparate results of recent cost-effectiveness analyses of statins. Findings We conducted a systematic review of the literature on statin cost-effectiveness. The four studies that met inclusion criteria reported varying conclusions about the cost-effectiveness of statin treatment, without a clear consensus as to whether statins are cost-effective for primary prevention. However, after accounting for each study’s assumptions about statin costs, we found substantial agreement among the studies. Studies that assumed statins to be more expensive found them to be less cost-effective, and vice-versa. Furthermore, treatment of low-risk groups became cost-effective as statins became less expensive. Conclusions Drug price is the primary determinant of statin cost-effectiveness within a given risk group. As more statin drugs become generic, patients at low risk for coronary disease may be treated cost-effectively. Though many factors must be weighed in any medical decision, from a cost-effectiveness perspective, statins may now be considered an appropriate therapy for many patients at low risk for heart disease.

  7. A randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a brief cannabis universal prevention program among adolescents in primary care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, Maureen A; Resko, Stella; Barry, Kristen L; Chermack, Stephen T; Zucker, Robert A; Zimmerman, Marc A; Booth, Brenda M; Blow, Frederic C

    2014-05-01

    To examine the efficacy of a brief intervention delivered by a therapist (TBI) or a computer (CBI) in preventing cannabis use among adolescents in urban primary care clinics. A randomized controlled trial comparing: CBI and TBI versus control. Urban primary care clinics in the United States. Research staff recruited 714 adolescents (aged 12-18 years) who reported no life-time cannabis use on a screening survey for this study, which included a baseline survey, randomization (stratified by gender and grade) to conditions (control; CBI; TBI) and 3-, 6- and 12-month assessments. Using an intent-to-treat approach, primary outcomes were cannabis use (any, frequency); secondary outcomes included frequency of other drug use, severity of alcohol use and frequency of delinquency (among 85% completing follow-ups). Compared with controls, CBI participants had significantly lower rates of any cannabis use over 12 months (24.16%, 16.82%, respectively, P cannabis use at 3 and 6 months (P cannabis use or frequency, but had significantly less other drug use at 3 months (P prevent and reduce cannabis use. Both computer and therapist delivered brief interventions appeared to have small effects in reducing other risk behaviors, but these dissipated over time. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  8. [Cost-benefit analysis of primary prevention programs for mental health at the workplace in Japan].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshimura, Kensuke; Kawakami, Norito; Tsusumi, Akizumi; Inoue, Akiomi; Kobayashi, Yuka; Takeuchi, Ayano; Fukuda, Takashi

    2013-01-01

    To determine the cost-benefits of primary prevention programs for mental health at the workplace, we conducted a meta-analysis of published studies in Japan. We searched the literature, published as of 16 November 2011, using the Pubmed database and relevant key words. The inclusion criteria were: conducted in the workplace in Japan; primary prevention focus; quasi-experimental studies or controlled trials; and outcomes including absenteeism or presenteeism. Four studies were identified: one participatory work environment improvement, one individual-oriented stress management, and two supervisor education programs. Costs and benefits in yen were estimated for each program, based on the description of the programs in the literature, and additional information from the authors. The benefits were estimated based on each program's effect on work performance (measured using the WHO Health and Work Performance Questionnaire in all studies), as well as sick leave days, if available. The estimated relative increase in work performance (%) in the intervention group compared to the control group was converted into labor cost using the average bonus (18% of the total annual salary) awarded to employees in Japan as a base. Sensitive analyses were conducted using different models of time-trend of intervention effects and 95% confidence limits of the relative increase in work performance. For the participatory work environment improvement program, the cost was estimated as 7,660 yen per employee, and the benefit was 15,200-22,800 yen per employee. For the individual-oriented stress management program, the cost was 9,708 yen per employee, and the benefit was 15,200-22,920 yen per employee. For supervisor education programs, the costs and benefits were respectively 5,209 and 4,400-6,600 yen per employee, in one study, 2,949 and zero yen per employee in the other study. The 95% confidence intervals were wide for all these studies. For the point estimates based on these cases, the

  9. Primary care providers' discussion of fall prevention approaches with their older adult patients-DocStyles, 2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Elizabeth R; Haddad, Yara K; Parker, Erin M

    2018-03-01

    Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults. The American and British Geriatric Societies recommend a fall risk assessment to identify risk factors and guide interventions to prevent these falls. This study describes the self-reported discussion of fall prevention approaches used by primary care providers (PCPs)-family practitioners, internists and nurse practitioners-who treat older adults. Results are described overall and by PCP type. We analyzed a sample of 1210 U.S. PCPs who participated in the 2014 DocStyles survey. PCPs reported on their recommendation of fall prevention approaches including general exercise, Tai Chi, medication adjustments, home safety modifications, vitamin D supplements, assistive devices, alarm systems, and referral to physical therapy, foot specialist, or vision specialist. Frequencies and adjusted odds ratios for fall prevention approaches were assessed by provider and practice characteristics. Self-reported discussion of any fall prevention approaches was 89.3%. Controlling for provider and practice characteristics, there were significant differences for some approaches by provider type. Family practitioners were more likely to suggest home modification [adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.8 (1.3-2.4)], exercise [aOR: 2.0 (1.5-2.5)], and Tai Chi [aOR: 1.5 (1.0-2.2)] than internists. Nurse practitioners were more likely to suggest home modification [aOR: 2.1 (1.3-3.4)] and less likely to suggest vitamin D [aOR: 0.6 (0.4-1.0)] than internists. Fall prevention suggestions vary by type of PCP. Dissemination of geriatric guidelines should include all PCPs who routinely see older adults.

  10. Early detection and prevention of domestic violence using the Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) in primary health care clinics in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yut-Lin, Wong; Othman, Sajaratulnisah

    2008-01-01

    Despite being an emergent major public health problem, little research has been done on domestic violence from the perspectives of early detection and prevention. Thus, this cross-sectional study was conducted to identify domestic violence among female adult patients attending health centers at the primary care level and to determine the relationship between social correlates of adult patients and domestic violence screening and subsequent help/health-seeking behavior if abused. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 710 female adult patients from 8 health centers in Selangor who matched the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in the study, using a structured questionnaire that included adaptation of a validated 8-item Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST). Statistical tests showed significant differences in ethnicity, income, and education between those screened positive and those screened negative for domestic violence. Of the participants, 92.4% reported that during consultations, doctors had never asked them whether they were abused by their husband/partner. Yet, 67.3% said they would voluntarily tell the doctor if they were abused by their husband/partner. The findings indicate that primary care has an important role in identifying domestic violence by applying the WAST screening tool, or an appropriate adaptation, with women patients during routine visits to the various health centers. Such assessment for abuse could be secondary prevention for the abused women, but more important, it will serve as primary prevention for nonabused women. This approach not only will complement the existing 1-stop crisis center policy by the Ministry of Health that copes with crisis intervention but also will spearhead efforts toward prevention of domestic violence in Malaysia.

  11. [Recognizing prevention and treatment of burn sepsis with the concept of holistic integrative medicine].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huan, J N

    2017-04-20

    Sepsis remains a major cause of death in severe burns. The effect of sepsis management is influenced by its complicated pathophysiologic changes. In order to improve the outcome of burn sepsis, the predisposing factor of sepsis after burn analyzed by advanced technology, the early prevention, antibiotics therapy, and combined treatment in severe burns with sepsis are discussed using the concept of holistic integrative medicine.

  12. Integrating mental health into primary care for displaced populations: the experience of Mindanao, Philippines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gil Tatiana

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background For more than forty years, episodes of violence in the Mindanao conflict have recurrently led to civilian displacement. In 2008, Medecins Sans Frontieres set up a mental health program integrated into primary health care in Mindanao Region. In this article, we describe a model of mental health care and the characteristics and outcomes of patients attending mental health services. Methods Psychologists working in mobile clinics assessed patients referred by trained clinicians located at primary level. They provided psychological first aid, brief psychotherapy and referral for severe patients. Patient characteristics and outcomes in terms of Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ20 and Global Assessment of Functioning score (GAF are described. Results Among the 463 adult patients diagnosed with a common mental disorder with at least two visits, median SRQ20 score diminished from 7 to 3 (p Conclusions Brief psychotherapy sessions provided at primary level during emergencies can potentially improve patients' symptoms of distress.

  13. Primary prevention of peri-implantitis: managing peri-implant mucositis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jepsen, Søren; Berglundh, Tord; Genco, Robert; Aass, Anne Merete; Demirel, Korkud; Derks, Jan; Figuero, Elena; Giovannoli, Jean Louis; Goldstein, Moshe; Lambert, France; Ortiz-Vigon, Alberto; Polyzois, Ioannis; Salvi, Giovanni E; Schwarz, Frank; Serino, Giovanni; Tomasi, Cristiano; Zitzmann, Nicola U

    2015-04-01

    Over the past decades, the placement of dental implants has become a routine procedure in the oral rehabilitation of fully and partially edentulous patients. However, the number of patients/implants affected by peri-implant diseases is increasing. As there are--in contrast to periodontitis--at present no established and predictable concepts for the treatment of peri-implantitis, primary prevention is of key importance. The management of peri-implant mucositis is considered as a preventive measure for the onset of peri-implantitis. Therefore, the remit of this working group was to assess the prevalence of peri-implant diseases, as well as risks for peri-implant mucositis and to evaluate measures for the management of peri-implant mucositis. Discussions were informed by four systematic reviews on the current epidemiology of peri-implant diseases, on potential risks contributing to the development of peri-implant mucositis, and on the effect of patient and of professionally administered measures to manage peri-implant mucositis. This consensus report is based on the outcomes of these systematic reviews and on the expert opinion of the participants. Key findings included: (i) meta-analysis estimated a weighted mean prevalence for peri-implant mucositis of 43% (CI: 32-54%) and for peri-implantitis of 22% (CI: 14-30%); (ii) bleeding on probing is considered as key clinical measure to distinguish between peri-implant health and disease; (iii) lack of regular supportive therapy in patients with peri-implant mucositis was associated with increased risk for onset of peri-implantitis; (iv) whereas plaque accumulation has been established as aetiological factor, smoking was identified as modifiable patient-related and excess cement as local risk indicator for the development of peri-implant mucositis; (v) patient-administered mechanical plaque control (with manual or powered toothbrushes) has been shown to be an effective preventive measure; (vi) professional intervention

  14. A Policy Analysis on the Proactive Prevention of Chronic Disease: Learnings from the Initial Implementation of Integrated Measurement for Early Detection (MIDO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Tapia-Conyer

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Mexico, like many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs, faces an epidemic of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs, specifically diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and lipid disorders. Many people with these NCDs may not be aware that they have a disease, pointing to the need for broader screening programs. The traditional prevention policy in Mexico was based on screening with a paper-based risk factor questionnaire. However, this was used to screen patients already seeking healthcare services at facilities, and screening goals were set as a function of the number of questionnaires applied, not number of individuals screened. Due to this, Fundación Carlos Slim developed Medición Integrada para la Detección Oportuna (MIDOTM, or Integrated Measurement for Early Detection, an NCD screening and proactive prevention policy. This document is a policy analysis based on early learnings from the initial implementation of MIDO in eight primary healthcare centers in two central Mexican states. MIDO was found to expand screening programs beyond clinic walls, systematize community screening strategies, emphasize the detection of pre-disease phases, incorporate lifestyle counseling, and propose screening goals based on population targets. In collaboration with the Mexican Ministry of Health, MIDO has successfully screened over 500 000 individuals—about 40% of whom would not have been screened under previous policies. Of these more than 500 000 screened individuals, 13.4% had pre-diabetes (fasting glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL, and 5.8% had undiagnosed diabetes (defined as fasting glucose above 126 mg/dL or random glucose above 200 mg/dL. However, there is still room for improvement in linking positive results from screening with disease confirmation and with patient incorporation into disease management. The experience of implementing MIDO in Mexico suggests that primary and secondary prevention programs in other parts of the world should

  15. Towards a model for integrative medicine in Swedish primary care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Falkenberg Torkel

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Collaboration between providers of conventional care and complementary therapies (CTs has gained in popularity but there is a lack of conceptualised models for delivering such care, i.e. integrative medicine (IM. The aim of this paper is to describe some key findings relevant to the development and implementation of a proposed model for IM adapted to Swedish primary care. Methods Investigative procedures involved research group and key informant meetings with multiple stakeholders including general practitioners, CT providers, medical specialists, primary care administrators and county council representatives. Data collection included meeting notes which were fed back within the research group and used as ongoing working documents. Data analysis was made by immersion/crystallisation and research group consensus. Results were categorised within a public health systems framework of structures, processes and outcomes. Results The outcome was an IM model that aimed for a patient-centered, interdisciplinary, non-hierarchical mix of conventional and complementary medical solutions to individual case management of patients with pain in the lower back and/or neck. The IM model case management adhered to standard clinical practice including active partnership between a gate-keeping general practitioner, collaborating with a team of CT providers in a consensus case conference model of care. CTs with an emerging evidence base included Swedish massage therapy, manual therapy/naprapathy, shiatsu, acupuncture and qigong. Conclusion Despite identified barriers such as no formal recognition of CT professions in Sweden, it was possible to develop a model for IM adapted to Swedish primary care. The IM model calls for testing and refinement in a pragmatic randomised controlled trial to explore its clinical effectiveness.

  16. Electronic Cigarette: Role in the Primary Prevention of Oral Cavity Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa Franco

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background Cigarette smoke has been identified as the main cause of oral cavity carcinoma. Recently, the electronic cigarette, a battery-operated device, was developed to help smokers stop their tobacco addiction. This study aimed to evaluate the safety of electronic cigarettes and to establish the possible role of such device in the primary prevention of oral cavity cancer. Subjects and Methods This study included 65 subjects who were divided into three groups (smokers, e-cigarette smokers, and nonsmokers. All subjects were submitted to cytologic examination by scraping of oral mucosa. The slides were microscopically evaluated through a micronucleus assay test. Results The prevalence of micronuclei was significantly decreased in the e-cigarette smoker group. There were no statistically significant differences in micronuclei distribution according to the type of cigarette, gender, and age. Conclusions The use of electronic cigarettes seems to be safe for oral cells and should be suggested as an aid to smoking cessation.

  17. Development and pilot study of a marketing strategy for primary care/internet-based depression prevention intervention for adolescents (the CATCH-IT intervention).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Voorhees, Benjamin W; Watson, Natalie; Bridges, John F P; Fogel, Joshua; Galas, Jill; Kramer, Clarke; Connery, Marc; McGill, Ann; Marko, Monika; Cardenas, Alonso; Landsback, Josephine; Dmochowska, Karoline; Kuwabara, Sachiko A; Ellis, Justin; Prochaska, Micah; Bell, Carl

    2010-01-01

    Adolescent depression is both common and burdensome, and while evidence-based strategies have been developed to prevent adolescent depression, participation in such interventions remains extremely low, with less than 3% of at-risk individuals participating. To promote participation in evidence-based preventive strategies, a rigorous marketing strategy is needed to translate research into practice. To develop and pilot a rigorous marketing strategy for engaging at-risk individuals with an Internet-based depression prevention intervention in primary care targeting key attitudes and beliefs. A marketing design group was constituted to develop a marketing strategy based on the principles of targeting, positioning/competitor analysis, decision analysis, and promotion/distribution and incorporating contemporary models of behavior change. We evaluated the formative quality of the intervention and observed the fielding experience for prevention using a pilot study (observational) design. The marketing plan focused on "resiliency building" rather than "depression intervention" and was relayed by office staff and the Internet site. Twelve practices successfully implemented the intervention and recruited a diverse sample of adolescents with > 30% of all those with positive screens and > 80% of those eligible after phone assessment enrolling in the study with a cost of $58 per enrollee. Adolescent motivation for depression prevention (1-10 scale) increased from a baseline mean value of 7.45 (SD = 2.05) to 8.07 poststudy (SD = 1.33) (P = .048). Marketing strategies for preventive interventions for mental disorders can be developed and successfully introduced and marketed in primary care.

  18. Educating Students in Preventive Counseling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conyne, Robert K.

    1997-01-01

    Provides a comprehensive set of competencies for counselors doing primary prevention. Describes 10 expanded clusters of skills (primary prevention perspective, personal attributes and behaviors, ethics, marketing, multiculturalism, group facilitation, organization and setting dynamics, trends and political dynamics, and research and evaluation)…

  19. Blueprint for an Undergraduate Primary Care Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazio, Sara B; Demasi, Monica; Farren, Erin; Frankl, Susan; Gottlieb, Barbara; Hoy, Jessica; Johnson, Amanda; Kasper, Jill; Lee, Patrick; McCarthy, Claire; Miller, Kathe; Morris, Juliana; O'Hare, Kitty; Rosales, Rachael; Simmons, Leigh; Smith, Benjamin; Treadway, Katherine; Goodell, Kristen; Ogur, Barbara

    2016-12-01

    In light of the increasing demand for primary care services and the changing scope of health care, it is important to consider how the principles of primary care are taught in medical school. While the majority of schools have increased students' exposure to primary care, they have not developed a standardized primary care curriculum for undergraduate medical education. In 2013, the authors convened a group of educators from primary care internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, and medicine-pediatrics, as well as five medical students to create a blueprint for a primary care curriculum that could be integrated into a longitudinal primary care experience spanning undergraduate medical education and delivered to all students regardless of their eventual career choice.The authors organized this blueprint into three domains: care management, specific areas of content expertise, and understanding the role of primary care in the health care system. Within each domain, they described specific curriculum content, including longitudinality, generalism, central responsibility for managing care, therapeutic alliance/communication, approach to acute and chronic care, wellness and prevention, mental and behavioral health, systems improvement, interprofessional training, and population health, as well as competencies that all medical students should attain by graduation.The proposed curriculum incorporates important core features of doctoring, which are often affirmed by all disciplines but owned by none. The authors argue that primary care educators are natural stewards of this curriculum content and can ensure that it complements and strengthens all aspects of undergraduate medical education.

  20. Cost analysis of an integrated vaccine-preventable disease surveillance system in Costa Rica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toscano, C M; Vijayaraghavan, M; Salazar-Bolaños, H M; Bolaños-Acuña, H M; Ruiz-González, A I; Barrantes-Solis, T; Fernández-Vargas, I; Panero, M S; de Oliveira, L H; Hyde, T B

    2013-07-02

    Following World Health Organization recommendations set forth in the Global Framework for Immunization Monitoring and Surveillance, Costa Rica in 2009 became the first country to implement integrated vaccine-preventable disease (iVPD) surveillance, with support from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). As surveillance for diseases prevented by new vaccines is integrated into existing surveillance systems, these systems could cost more than routine surveillance for VPDs targeted by the Expanded Program on Immunization. We estimate the costs associated with establishing and subsequently operating the iVPD surveillance system at a pilot site in Costa Rica. We retrospectively collected data on costs incurred by the institutions supporting iVPD surveillance during the preparatory (January 2007 through August 2009) and implementation (September 2009 through August 2010) phases of the iVPD surveillance project in Costa Rica. These data were used to estimate costs for personnel, meetings, infrastructure, office equipment and supplies, transportation, and laboratory facilities. Costs incurred by each of the collaborating institutions were also estimated. During the preparatory phase, the estimated total cost was 128,000 U.S. dollars (US$), including 64% for personnel costs. The preparatory phase was supported by CDC and PAHO. The estimated cost for 1 year of implementation was US$ 420,000, including 58% for personnel costs, 28% for laboratory costs, and 14% for meeting, infrastructure, office, and transportation costs combined. The national reference laboratory and the PAHO Costa Rica office incurred 64% of total costs, and other local institutions supporting iVPD surveillance incurred the remaining 36%. Countries planning to implement iVPD surveillance will require adequate investments in human resources, laboratories, data management, reporting, and investigation. Our findings will be valuable for

  1. Verification test for radiation reduction effect and material integrity on PWR primary system by zinc injection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawakami, H.; Nagata, T.; Yamada, M. [Nuclear Power Engineering Corp. (Japan); Kasahara, K.; Tsuruta, T.; Nishimura, T. [Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Japan); Ishigure, K. [Saitama Inst. of Tech. (Japan)

    2002-07-01

    Zinc injection is known to be an effective method for the reduction of radiation source in the primary water system of a PWR. There is a need to verify the effect of Zn injection operation on radiation source reduction and materials integrity of PWR primary circuit. In order to confirm the effectiveness of Zn injection, verification test as a national program sponsored by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) was started in 1995 for 7-year program, and will be finished by the end of March in 2002. This program consists of irradiation test and material integrity test. Irradiation test as an In-Pile-Test managed by AEAT Plc(UK) was performed using the LVR-15 reactor of NRI Rez in Check Republic. Furthermore, Out-of-Pile-Test using film adding unit was also performed to obtain supplemental data for In-Pile-Test at Takasago Engineering Laboratory of NUPEC. Material Integrity test was planned to perform constant load test, constant strain test and corrosion test at the same time using large scale Loop and slow strain extension rate testing (SSRT) at Takasago Engineering Laboratory of NUPEC. In this paper, the results of the verification test for Zinc program at present are discussed. (authors)

  2. Efficacy of Sublingual Misoprostol versus Intramuscular Methylergometrine in Prevention of Primary Postpartum Hemorrhage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anwar, R.; Ambreen, A.; Khuram, A.; Mushtaq, M.

    2013-01-01

    Post partum hemorrhage still remains a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Most of oxytocics like methylergometrine require parenteral administration, which requires special storage. Misoprostol is thermo stable, has a long shelf life and is widely recommended for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. This can be a choice of oxytocic in developing countries like ours, where storage facilities and resources are limited. Objectives: To compare efficacy of sublingual Misoprostol versus intramuscular Methylergometrine in prevention of primary postpartum hemorrhage after delivery. Study Design: Quasi experimental study Place and Duration of Study: Department of Gynae/Obs, Military Hospital and Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi cantt. December 2007 to July 2008. Material and Methods: One hundred and thirty six pregnant ladies were selected. On arrival each patient was examined thoroughly along with baseline investigations. Therapeutic option was allocated to the patients simply by using a table of random numbers and dividing them in two equal groups. Informed written consent was taken. Each patient was observed for blood loss estimation and hematocrit drop. All the data was analyzed using SPSS version 10.0. Mean +- SD for age, pre-delivery and post-delivery hematocrit, percentage of drop in hematocrit and blood loss during labour was calculated. Results: Mean drop of hematocrit and blood loss were compared among two groups. At the end, it was revealed that there was no significant difference among two groups in blood loss (p=0.49) and hematocrit drop (p=0.14). Conclusion: There is no significant better effect in preventing post partum hemorrhage among the two drugs. (author)

  3. Rosuvastatin and the JUPITER trial: critical appraisal of a lifeless planet in the galaxy of primary prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    López, Antonio; Wright, James M

    2012-01-01

    In November 2008, the JUPITER trial was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. JUPITER is an acronym for Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin. It was an AstraZeneca sponsored randomized double-blind trial comparing rosuvastatin 20 mg with placebo in 17,802 apparently healthy men and women with LDL cholesterol JUPITER trial have been widely publicized, and based on the trial, the main regulatory agencies have approved rosuvastatin for the indication of primary prevention of vascular events. However, the interpretation and clinical implications of the JUPITER trial have been questioned and remain controversial. The objective of this commentary is to evaluate the relevance, design, results, and conclusions of the JUPITER study.

  4. The degree of integration of non-dispensing pharmacists in primary care practice and the impact on health outcomes: A systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hazen, Ankie C M; de Bont, Antoinette A; Boelman, Lia; Zwart, Dorien L M; de Gier, Johan J; de Wit, Niek J; Bouvy, Marcel L

    2018-03-01

    A non-dispensing pharmacist conducts clinical pharmacy services aimed at optimizing patients individual pharmacotherapy. Embedding a non-dispensing pharmacist in primary care practice enables collaboration, probably enhancing patient care. The degree of integration of non-dispensing pharmacists into multidisciplinary health care teams varies strongly between settings. The degree of integration may be a determinant for its success. This study investigates how the degree of integration of a non-dispensing pharmacist impacts medication related health outcomes in primary care. In this literature review we searched two electronic databases and the reference list of published literature reviews for studies about clinical pharmacy services performed by non-dispensing pharmacists physically co-located in primary care practice. We assessed the degree of integration via key dimensions of integration based on the conceptual framework of Walshe and Smith. We included English language studies of any design that had a control group or baseline comparison published from 1966 to June 2016. Descriptive statistics were used to correlate the degree of integration to health outcomes. The analysis was stratified for disease-specific and patient-centered clinical pharmacy services. Eighty-nine health outcomes in 60 comparative studies contributed to the analysis. The accumulated evidence from these studies shows no impact of the degree of integration of non-dispensing pharmacists on health outcomes. For disease specific clinical pharmacy services the percentage of improved health outcomes for none, partial and fully integrated NDPs is respectively 75%, 63% and 59%. For patient-centered clinical pharmacy services the percentage of improved health outcomes for none, partial and fully integrated NDPs is respectively 55%, 57% and 70%. Full integration adds value to patient-centered clinical pharmacy services, but not to disease-specific clinical pharmacy services. To obtain maximum benefits

  5. Integrating HIV care and treatment into primary healthcare: Are clinics equipped?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Talitha Crowley

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The demand for HIV care and treatment services is increasing rapidly and strategies to sustain long-term care should be employed. The decentralisation and integration of HIV care and treatment services into primary healthcare (PHC is vitally important in order to ensure optimal access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy and ongoing chronic care. Conversely, the PHC system is fraught with the current burden of disease. Setting: The study was conducted in PHC clinics in the uMgungundlovu district, Kwa-Zulu Natal.Aim: The objectives of the study were to assess whether PHC clinics were equipped to deliver integrated HIV services and to evaluate the availability of resources as well as support systems for HIV care and treatment in PHC clinics.Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken in 20 randomly-selected, eligible clinics in the uMgungundlovu district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An evaluation instrument was completed through observations and review of the clinic data records. Criteria were based on the World Health Organization’s guide to indicators for antiretroviral programmes as well as South African HIV standards for PHC facilities.Results: None of the clinics were equipped adequately. Clinics with a higher patient load had poorer scores, whilst clinics providing antiretroviral therapy were better equipped in terms of human resources and infrastructure.Conclusion: HIV services are an essential part of primary healthcare and clinics need to be equipped adequately in order to render this service. It is unlikely that the over-burdened health system would be able to cope with an increased number of patients on antiretroviral therapy in the long term, whilst maintaining quality of services, without support being given to PHC clinics.

  6. Integrating HIV care and treatment into primary healthcare: Are clinics equipped?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Talitha Crowley

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: The demand for HIV care and treatment services is increasing rapidly and strategies to sustain long-term care should be employed. The decentralisation and integration of HIV care and treatment services into primary healthcare (PHC is vitally important in order to ensure optimal access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy and ongoing chronic care. Conversely, the PHC system is fraught with the current burden of disease. Setting: The study was conducted in PHC clinics in the uMgungundlovu district, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Aim: The objectives of the study were to assess whether PHC clinics were equipped to deliver integrated HIV services and to evaluate the availability of resources as well as support systems for HIV care and treatment in PHC clinics. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken in 20 randomly-selected, eligible clinics in the uMgungundlovu district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An evaluation instrument was completed through observations and review of the clinic data records. Criteria were based on the World Health Organization’s guide to indicators for antiretroviral programmes as well as South African HIV standards for PHC facilities. Results: None of the clinics were equipped adequately. Clinics with a higher patient load had poorer scores, whilst clinics providing antiretroviral therapy were better equipped in terms of human resources and infrastructure. Conclusion: HIV services are an essential part of primary healthcare and clinics need to be equipped adequately in order to render this service. It is unlikely that the over-burdened health system would be able to cope with an increased number of patients on antiretroviral therapy in the long term, whilst maintaining quality of services, without support being given to PHC clinics.

  7. Primary prevention of food allergy in children and adults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Silva, D; Geromi, M; Halken, S

    2014-01-01

    or breastfeeding women should change their diet or take supplements to prevent allergies in infants at high or normal risk. There were mixed findings about the preventive benefits of breastfeeding for infants at high or normal risk, but there was evidence to recommend avoiding cow's milk and substituting...... with extensively or partially hydrolyzed whey or casein formulas for infants at high risk for the first 4 months. Soy milk and delaying the introduction of solid foods beyond 4 months did not have preventive benefits in those at high or normal risk. There was very little evidence about strategies for preventing...

  8. How do primary health care teams learn to integrate intimate partner violence (IPV) management? A realist evaluation protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen; San Sebastian, Miguel; Marchal, Bruno; Kegels, Guy; Hurtig, Anna-Karin

    2013-03-23

    Despite the existence of ample literature dealing, on the one hand, with the integration of innovations within health systems and team learning, and, on the other hand, with different aspects of the detection and management of intimate partner violence (IPV) within healthcare facilities, research that explores how health innovations that go beyond biomedical issues-such as IPV management-get integrated into health systems, and that focuses on healthcare teams' learning processes is, to the best of our knowledge, very scarce if not absent. This realist evaluation protocol aims to ascertain: why, how, and under what circumstances primary healthcare teams engage (if at all) in a learning process to integrate IPV management in their practices; and why, how, and under what circumstances team learning processes lead to the development of organizational culture and values regarding IPV management, and the delivery of IPV management services. This study will be conducted in Spain using a multiple-case study design. Data will be collected from selected cases (primary healthcare teams) through different methods: individual and group interviews, routinely collected statistical data, documentary review, and observation. Cases will be purposively selected in order to enable testing the initial middle-range theory (MRT). After in-depth exploration of a limited number of cases, additional cases will be chosen for their ability to contribute to refining the emerging MRT to explain how primary healthcare learn to integrate intimate partner violence management. Evaluations of health sector responses to IPV are scarce, and even fewer focus on why, how, and when the healthcare services integrate IPV management. There is a consensus that healthcare professionals and healthcare teams play a key role in this integration, and that training is important in order to realize changes. However, little is known about team learning of IPV management, both in terms of how to trigger such learning

  9. Managing Chronic Pain in Primary Care: It Really Does Take a Village.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seal, Karen; Becker, William; Tighe, Jennifer; Li, Yongmei; Rife, Tessa

    2017-08-01

    Some healthcare systems are relieving primary care providers (PCPs) of "the burden" of managing chronic pain and opioid prescribing, instead offloading chronic pain management to pain specialists. Last year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a biopsychosocial approach to pain management that discourages opioid use and promotes exercise therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and non-opioid medications as first-line patient-centered, multi-modal treatments best delivered by an interdisciplinary team. In the private sector, interdisciplinary pain management services are challenging to assemble, separate from primary care and not typically reimbursed. In contrast, in a fully integrated health care system like the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), interdisciplinary clinics already exist, and one such clinic, the Integrated Pain Team (IPT) clinic, integrates and co-locates pain-trained PCPs, a psychologist and a pharmacist in primary care. The IPT clinic has demonstrated significant success in opioid risk reduction. Unfortunately, proposed legislation threatens to dismantle aspects of the VA such that these interdisciplinary services may be eliminated. This Perspective explains why it is critical not only to maintain interdisciplinary pain services in VHA, but also to consider disseminating this model to other health care systems in order to implement patient-centered, guideline-concordant care more broadly.

  10. Collaborative modeling of an implementation strategy: a case study to integrate health promotion in primary and community care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grandes, Gonzalo; Sanchez, Alvaro; Cortada, Josep M; Pombo, Haizea; Martinez, Catalina; Balagué, Laura; Corrales, Mary Helen; de la Peña, Enrique; Mugica, Justo; Gorostiza, Esther

    2017-12-06

    Evidence-based interventions are more likely to be adopted if practitioners collaborate with researchers to develop an implementation strategy. This paper describes the steps to plan and execute a strategy, including the development of structure and supports needed for implementing proven health promotion interventions in primary and community care. Between 10 and 13 discussion and consensus sessions were performed in four highly-motivated primary health care centers involving 80% of the primary care staff and 21 community-based organizations. All four centers chose to address physical activity, diet, and smoking. They selected the 5 A's evidence-based clinical intervention to be adapted to the context of the health centers. The planned implementation strategy worked at multiple levels: bottom-up primary care organizational change, top-down support from managers, community involvement, and the development of innovative e-health information and communication tools. Shared decision making and practice facilitation were perceived as the most positive aspects of the collaborative modeling process, which took more time than expected, especially the development of the new e-health tools integrated into electronic health records. Collaborative modeling of an implementation strategy for the integration of health promotion in primary and community care was feasible in motivated centers. However, it was difficult, being hindered by the heavy workload in primary care and generating uncertainty inherent to a bottom-up decision making processes. Lessons from this experience could be useful in diverse settings and for other clinical interventions. Two companion papers report the evaluation of its feasibility and assess quantitatively and qualitatively the implementation process.

  11. The Evidence-base for Using Ontologies and Semantic Integration Methodologies to Support Integrated Chronic Disease Management in Primary and Ambulatory Care: Realist Review. Contribution of the IMIA Primary Health Care Informatics WG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liyanage, H; Liaw, S-T; Kuziemsky, C; Terry, A L; Jones, S; Soler, J K; de Lusignan, S

    2013-01-01

    Most chronic diseases are managed in primary and ambulatory care. The chronic care model (CCM) suggests a wide range of community, technological, team and patient factors contribute to effective chronic disease management. Ontologies have the capability to enable formalised linkage of heterogeneous data sources as might be found across the elements of the CCM. To describe the evidence base for using ontologies and other semantic integration methods to support chronic disease management. We reviewed the evidence-base for the use of ontologies and other semantic integration methods within and across the elements of the CCM. We report them using a realist review describing the context in which the mechanism was applied, and any outcome measures. Most evidence was descriptive with an almost complete absence of empirical research and important gaps in the evidence-base. We found some use of ontologies and semantic integration methods for community support of the medical home and for care in the community. Ubiquitous information technology (IT) and other IT tools were deployed to support self-management support, use of shared registries, health behavioural models and knowledge discovery tools to improve delivery system design. Data quality issues restricted the use of clinical data; however there was an increased use of interoperable data and health system integration. Ontologies and semantic integration methods are emergent with limited evidence-base for their implementation. However, they have the potential to integrate the disparate community wide data sources to provide the information necessary for effective chronic disease management.

  12. The relationship between technology leadership roles and profiles of school principals and technology integration in primary school classrooms

    OpenAIRE

    Mustafa SAMANCIOĞLU; Murat BAĞLIBEL; Mahmut KALMAN; Mehmet SİNCAR

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between technology leadership behaviors of school principals and teachers’ level of technology integration, and to determine technology leadership profiles based on teacher views and examine their association with technology integration. The researchers administered two questionnaires to 352 teachers working at sixteen primary schools in a large city in southeastern Turkey. The results revealed a positive, but weak relationship bet...

  13. Predicting Teacher Participation in a Classroom-Based, Integrated Preventive Intervention for Preschoolers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baker, Courtney N; Kupersmidt, Janis B; Voegler-Lee, Mary Ellen; Arnold, David H; Willoughby, Michael T

    2010-01-01

    Preschools provide a promising setting in which to conduct preventive interventions for childhood problems, but classroom programs can only be effective if teachers are willing and able to implement them. This study is one of the first to investigate predictors of the frequency of teacher participation in a classroom-based, randomized controlled trial of an integrated prevention program for preschoolers. The intervention was designed to promote school readiness with an integrated social and academic program, to be implemented by teachers with the support of classroom consultants. The current study is part of a larger project conducted with Head Start and community child care centers that serve primarily economically disadvantaged families; 49 teachers from 30 centers participated in this study. Overall, teachers conducted approximately 70% of the program activities. Participation decreased significantly over time from the first to the final week of the intervention, and also decreased within each week of the intervention, from the first to the final weekly activity. Teachers working at community child care centers implemented more intervention activities than did Head Start teachers. Teacher concerns about the intervention, assessed prior to training, predicted less participation. In addition, teachers' participation was positively related to their perception that their centers and directors were supportive, collegial, efficient, and fair, as well as their job satisfaction and commitment. Teacher experience, education, ethnicity, and self-efficacy were not significantly related to participation. In multi-level models that considered center as a level of analysis, substantial variance was accounted for by centers, pointing to the importance of considering center-level predictors in future research.

  14. Do Health Promotion Messages Integrate Unintended Pregnancy and STI Prevention? A Content Analysis of Online Information for Adolescents and Young Adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steiner, Riley J; Rasberry, Catherine N; Sales, Jessica M; Gaydos, Laura M; Pazol, Karen; Kramer, Michael; Swartzendruber, Andrea

    2018-04-20

    Recently there have been calls to strengthen integration of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention messages, spurred by increasing use of long-acting reversible contraception. To assess the extent to which public health/clinical messages about unintended pregnancy prevention also address STI prevention, we conducted a content analysis of web-based health promotion information for young people. Websites identified through a systematic Google search were eligible for inclusion if they were operated by a United States-based organization with a mission related to public health/clinical services and the URL included: 1) original content; 2) about sexual and reproductive health; 3) explicitly for adolescents and/or young adults. Using defined protocols, URLs were screened and content was selected and analyzed thematically. Many of the 32 eligible websites presented information about pregnancy and STI prevention separately. Concurrent discussion of the two topics was often limited to statements about (1) strategies that can prevent both outcomes (abstinence, condoms only, condoms plus moderate or highly effective contraceptive methods) and (2) contraceptive methods that confer no STI protection. We also identified framing of condom use with moderate or highly effective contraceptive method for back-up pregnancy prevention but not STI prevention. STI prevention methods in addition to condoms, such as STI/HIV testing, vaccination, or pre-exposure or post-exposure prophylaxis, were typically not addressed with pregnancy prevention information. There may be missed opportunities for promoting STI prevention online in the context of increasing awareness of and access to a full range of contraceptive methods. Strengthening messages that integrate pregnancy and STI prevention may include: describing STI prevention strategies when noting that birth control methods do not prevent STIs; promoting a full complement of STI prevention strategies; and

  15. The timing hypothesis and hormone replacement therapy: a paradigm shift in the primary prevention of coronary heart disease in women. Part 2: comparative risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodis, Howard N; Mack, Wendy J

    2013-06-01

    A major misperception concerning postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is that the associated risks are large in magnitude and unique to HRT, but over the past 10 years, sufficient data have accumulated so that the magnitude and perspective of risks associated with the primary coronary heart disease prevention therapies of statins, aspirin, and postmenopausal HRT have become more fully defined. Review of randomized controlled trials indicates that the risks of primary prevention therapies and other medications commonly used in women's health are of similar type and magnitude, with the majority of these risks categorized as rare to infrequent (risks of postmenopausal HRT are predominantly rare (risks, including breast cancer, stroke, and venous thromboembolism are common across medications and are rare, and even rarer when HRT is initiated in women younger than 60 or who are less than 10 years since menopause. In Part 1 of this series, the sex-specificity of statins and aspirin and timing of initiation of HRT as modifiers of efficacy in women were reviewed. Herein, the comparative risks of primary prevention therapies in women are discussed. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

  16. Prevention of Graves' ophthalmopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartalena, Luigi

    2012-06-01

    Smoking is the most important risk factor for the occurrence/progression of Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), as well as for its lower/slower response to immunosuppression. Accordingly, refrain from smoking should be urged, both as primary prevention (removal of risk factors in Graves' patients without GO), secondary prevention (early detection and treatment of asymptomatic/very mild GO) and tertiary prevention (reduction of complications/disability of overt GO). A 6-month course of 200 μg/day sodium selenite can prevent progression of mild GO to more severe GO and is, therefore, a form of secondary prevention and, probably, primary prevention. Correction of thyroid dysfunction and stable maintenance of euthyroidism are important preventive measures. The optimal treatment for hyperthyroidism in patients with GO is uncertain, because evidence demonstrating the superiority of antithyroid drugs over thyroid ablation (radioiodine, thyroidectomy, or both) is lacking. If radioiodine is used, low-dose steroid prophylaxis is recommended, particularly in smokers, to prevent radioiodine-associated GO progression. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Medical curricula and preventing childhood obesity: pooling the resources of medical students and primary care to inform curricula.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wylie, Ann; Furmedge, Daniel S; Appleton, Amber; Toop, Helen; Coats, Tom

    2009-03-01

    The study aimed to firstly provide a small self-selecting group of medical students with the opportunity to explore current approaches and opportunities addressing the prevention of childhood obesity and, secondly, to consider what aspects could be part of the taught curriculum. Medical students in their third and fourth year were invited to self-design special study modules (SSMs) exploring interventions and processes addressing the growing concern about childhood obesity. One student looked at the role of the primary care teams, two looked at community-based opportunities to improve physical activity in urban areas where there is significant deprivation and one student explored the complex role of the media as a social determinant of dietary patterns and sedentary behaviour. Primary care health professionals questioned their role in regard to raising the topic of obesity in the consultation and had limited awareness of current NICE guidelines and local interventions for referral. Local authority physical activity programmes have an important role in preventing and tackling obesity and although the media are regulated, there is limited impact on reducing obesity. Conversely, the influence of the media is complex and enables medical students and teachers to be aware of some of the social determinants influencing health-related behaviour. About a third of UK GP practices have some role in medical undergraduate education. It will therefore be inevitable that students will encounter GPs working with prevention and management of childhood obesity, however limited, and this will increasingly be part of the teaching agenda, whether formal and planned or opportunistic. Curricula could include being familiar with the evidence that informs NICE guidelines, observing these guidelines being implemented and their limitations, awareness of local schemes for referral to prevent or treat obesity and the influence of wider determinants on diet and physical activity behaviour

  18. The Usability and Acceptability of an Adolescent mHealth HIV/STI and Drug Abuse Preventive Intervention in Primary Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordova, David; Alers-Rojas, Francheska; Lua, Frania Mendoza; Bauermeister, Jose; Nurenberg, Rachel; Ovadje, Lauretta; Fessler, Kathryn; Delva, Jorge; Salas-Wright, Christopher P; Council, Youth Leadership

    2018-01-01

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk behaviors among adolescents remain significant public health concerns. Shifts in policy and advances in technology provide opportunities for researchers and clinicians to deliver and evaluate mobile-health (mHealth) prevention programs in primary care, however, research is limited. This study assessed the usability and acceptability of Storytelling 4 Empowerment-a mHealth HIV/STI and drug abuse preventive intervention app-among adolescents in primary care. Informed by principles of community-based participatory research, we recruited a purposive sample of 30 adolescents from a youth-centered community health care clinic in Southeast Michigan. The study sample is primarily African American and female. Adolescents who participated in the Storytelling 4 Empowerment intervention assessed its usability and acceptability, and self-reported their HIV/STI risk behaviors. We used a multiple-methods approach. Adolescents reported high acceptability of the content, process, and format of Storytelling 4 Empowerment, as evidenced by qualitative data and mean scores from the Session Evaluation Form for the HIV/STI and Alcohol/Drug content, overall Storytelling 4 Empowerment intervention, and Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8. Findings indicate that Storytelling 4 Empowerment is acceptable among adolescents in primary care. A next step is to examine the effect of Storytelling 4 Empowerment on adolescent sexual risk and drug use behaviors and HIV/STI testing.

  19. Development and Pilot Study of a Marketing Strategy for Primary Care/Internet–Based Depression Prevention Intervention for Adolescents (The CATCH-IT Intervention)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, Natalie; Bridges, John F. P.; Fogel, Joshua; Galas, Jill; Kramer, Clarke; Connery, Marc; McGill, Ann; Marko, Monika; Cardenas, Alonso; Landsback, Josephine; Dmochowska, Karoline; Kuwabara, Sachiko A.; Ellis, Justin; Prochaska, Micah; Bell, Carl

    2010-01-01

    Background: Adolescent depression is both common and burdensome, and while evidence-based strategies have been developed to prevent adolescent depression, participation in such interventions remains extremely low, with less than 3% of at-risk individuals participating. To promote participation in evidence-based preventive strategies, a rigorous marketing strategy is needed to translate research into practice. Objective: To develop and pilot a rigorous marketing strategy for engaging at-risk individuals with an Internet-based depression prevention intervention in primary care targeting key attitudes and beliefs. Method: A marketing design group was constituted to develop a marketing strategy based on the principles of targeting, positioning/competitor analysis, decision analysis, and promotion/distribution and incorporating contemporary models of behavior change. We evaluated the formative quality of the intervention and observed the fielding experience for prevention using a pilot study (observational) design. Results: The marketing plan focused on “resiliency building” rather than “depression intervention” and was relayed by office staff and the Internet site. Twelve practices successfully implemented the intervention and recruited a diverse sample of adolescents with > 30% of all those with positive screens and > 80% of those eligible after phone assessment enrolling in the study with a cost of $58 per enrollee. Adolescent motivation for depression prevention (1–10 scale) increased from a baseline mean value of 7.45 (SD = 2.05) to 8.07 poststudy (SD = 1.33) (P = .048). Conclusions: Marketing strategies for preventive interventions for mental disorders can be developed and successfully introduced and marketed in primary care. PMID:20944776

  20. Evolution, current structure, and role of a primary care clinical pharmacy service in an integrated managed care organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heilmann, Rachel M F; Campbell, Stephanie M; Kroner, Beverly A; Proksel, Jenel R; Billups, Sarah J; Witt, Daniel M; Helling, Dennis K

    2013-01-01

    The impact of the declining number of primary care physicians is exacerbated by a growing elderly population in need of chronic disease management. Primary care clinical pharmacy specialists, with their unique knowledge and skill set, are well suited to address this gap. At Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (KPCO), primary care clinical pharmacy specialists have a long history of integration with medical practices and are located in close proximity to physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team. Since 1992, Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services (PCCPS) has expanded from 4 to 30 full-time equivalents (FTEs) to provide services in all KPCO medical office buildings. With this growth in size, PCCPS has evolved to play a vital role in working with primary care medical teams to ensure that drug therapy is effective, safe, and affordable. In addition, PCCPS specialists provide ambulatory teaching sites for pharmacy students and pharmacy residents. There is approximately 1 specialist FTE for every 13,000 adult KPCO members and every 9 clinical FTEs of internal medicine and family medicine physicians. All clinical pharmacy specialists in the pharmacy department are required to have a PharmD degree, to complete postgraduate year 2 residencies, and, as a condition of employment, to become board certified in an applicable specialty. The evolution, current structure, and role of PCCPS at KPCO, including factors facilitating successful integration within the medical team, are highlighted. Patient and nonpatient care responsibilities are described.

  1. Integration of mental health resources in a primary care setting leads to increased provider satisfaction and patient access.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vickers, Kristin S; Ridgeway, Jennifer L; Hathaway, Julie C; Egginton, Jason S; Kaderlik, Angela B; Katzelnick, David J

    2013-01-01

    This evaluation assessed the opinions and experiences of primary care providers and their support staff before and after implementation of expanded on-site mental health services and related system changes in a primary care clinic. Individual semistructured interviews, which contained a combination of open-ended questions and rating scales, were used to elicit opinions about mental health services before on-site system and resource changes occurred and repeated following changes that were intended to improve access to on-site mental health care. In the first set of interviews, prior to expanding mental health services, primary care providers and support staff were generally dissatisfied with the availability and scheduling of on-site mental health care. Patients were often referred outside the primary care clinic for mental health treatment, to the detriment of communication and coordinated care. Follow-up interviews conducted after expansion of mental health services, scheduling refinements and other system changes revealed improved provider satisfaction in treatment access and coordination of care. Providers appreciated immediate and on-site social worker availability to triage mental health needs and help access care, and on-site treatment was viewed as important for remaining informed about patient care the primary care providers are not delivering directly. Expanding integrated mental health services resulted in increased staff and provider satisfaction. Our evaluation identified key components of satisfaction, including on-site collaboration and assistance triaging patient needs. The sustainability of integrated models of care requires additional study. © 2013.

  2. Integrated equipment for increasing and maintaining coolant pressure in primary circuit of PWR nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sykora, D.

    1986-01-01

    An open heat pump circuit is claimed connected to the primary circuit. The pump circuit consists of a steam pressurizer with a built-in steam distributor, a compressor, an expander, a reducing valve, an auxiliary pump, and of water and steam pipes. The operation is described and a block diagram is shown of integrated equipment for increasing and maintaining pressure in the nuclear power plant primary circuit. The appropriate entropy diagram is also shown. The advantage of the open pump circuit consists in reducing the electric power input and electric power consumption for the steam pressurizers, removing entropy loss in heat transfer with high temperature gradient, in the possibility of inserting, between the expander and the auxiliary pump, a primary circuit coolant treatment station, in simplified design and manufacture of the high-pressure steam pressurizer vessel, reducing the weight of the steam pressurizer by changing its shape from cylindrical to spherical, increasing the rate of pressure growth in the primary circuit. (E.S.)

  3. Integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of patients with primary cervical cancer: preliminary results

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grueneisen, Johannes; Kinner, Sonja; Forsting, Michael; Lauenstein, Thomas; Umutlu, Lale [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen (Germany); Schaarschmidt, Benedikt Michael [University Hospital Dusseldorf, University of Dusseldorf, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Dusseldorf (Germany); Heubner, Martin; Aktas, Bahriye [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Essen (Germany); Ruhlmann, Verena [University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Essen (Germany)

    2015-11-15

    To assess the diagnostic value of integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of cervical cancer patients, as well as to investigate a potential association between PET/MRI derived functional parameters and prognostic factors of cervical cancer. The present study was approved by the local institutional review board. Twenty-seven patients with histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer were prospectively enrolled in our study. All patients underwent a whole-body PET/MRI examination after written informed consent was obtained. Two radiologists separately evaluated the PET/MRI data sets regarding the determination of local tumor extent of primary cervical cancer lesions, as well as detection of nodal and distant metastases. Furthermore, SUV and ADC values of primary tumor lesions were analyzed and correlated with dedicated prognostic factors of cervical cancer. Results based on histopathology and cross-sectional imaging follow-up served as the reference standard. PET/MRI enabled the detection of all 27 primary tumor lesions of the uterine cervix and allowed for the correct determination of the T-stage in 23 (85 %) out of the 27 patients. Furthermore, the calculated sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of nodal positive patients (n = 11) were 91 %, 94 % and 93 %, respectively. PET/MRI correctly identified regional metastatic disease (N1-stage) in 8/10 (80 %) patients and non-regional lymph node metastases in 5/5 (100 %) patients. In addition, quantitative analysis of PET and MRI derived functional parameters (SUV; ADC values) revealed a significant correlation with pathological grade and tumor size (p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates the high potential of integrated PET/MRI for the assessment of primary tumor and the detection of lymph node metastases in patients with cervical cancer. Providing additional prognostic information, PET/MRI may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for cervical cancer patients in a pretreatment setting

  4. Integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of patients with primary cervical cancer: preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grueneisen, Johannes; Kinner, Sonja; Forsting, Michael; Lauenstein, Thomas; Umutlu, Lale; Schaarschmidt, Benedikt Michael; Heubner, Martin; Aktas, Bahriye; Ruhlmann, Verena

    2015-01-01

    To assess the diagnostic value of integrated PET/MRI for whole-body staging of cervical cancer patients, as well as to investigate a potential association between PET/MRI derived functional parameters and prognostic factors of cervical cancer. The present study was approved by the local institutional review board. Twenty-seven patients with histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer were prospectively enrolled in our study. All patients underwent a whole-body PET/MRI examination after written informed consent was obtained. Two radiologists separately evaluated the PET/MRI data sets regarding the determination of local tumor extent of primary cervical cancer lesions, as well as detection of nodal and distant metastases. Furthermore, SUV and ADC values of primary tumor lesions were analyzed and correlated with dedicated prognostic factors of cervical cancer. Results based on histopathology and cross-sectional imaging follow-up served as the reference standard. PET/MRI enabled the detection of all 27 primary tumor lesions of the uterine cervix and allowed for the correct determination of the T-stage in 23 (85 %) out of the 27 patients. Furthermore, the calculated sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy for the detection of nodal positive patients (n = 11) were 91 %, 94 % and 93 %, respectively. PET/MRI correctly identified regional metastatic disease (N1-stage) in 8/10 (80 %) patients and non-regional lymph node metastases in 5/5 (100 %) patients. In addition, quantitative analysis of PET and MRI derived functional parameters (SUV; ADC values) revealed a significant correlation with pathological grade and tumor size (p < 0.05). The present study demonstrates the high potential of integrated PET/MRI for the assessment of primary tumor and the detection of lymph node metastases in patients with cervical cancer. Providing additional prognostic information, PET/MRI may serve as a valuable diagnostic tool for cervical cancer patients in a pretreatment setting

  5. A long-term risk-benefit analysis of low-dose aspirin in primary prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, I-Chen; Hsieh, Hui-Min; Yu, Fang-Jung; Wu, Meng-Chieh; Wu, Tzung-Shiun; Wu, Ming-Tsang

    2016-02-01

    The long-term risk-benefit effect of occasional and regular use of low-dose aspirin (≤ 100 mg per day) in primary prevention of vascular diseases and cancers was calculated. One representative database of 1 000 000 participants from Taiwan's National Health Insurance scheme in 1997-2000 was used. The potential study subjects were those aged 30-95 years, were found not to have been prescribed aspirin before 1 January 2000, but to have first been prescribed low-dose aspirin (≤ 100 mg per day) after that date and were followed up to 31 December 2009. Participants prescribed low-dose aspirin risk. A total of 1720 pairs were analysed. During the study period, haemorrhage and ischaemia occurred in 25 (1·45%) and 67 participants (3·90%) in occasional users and 69 (4·01%) and 100 participants (5·81%) in regular users, whereas cancer occurred in 32 participants (1·86%) in occasional users and 26 participants (1·51%) in regular users. The crude and adjusted net clinical risks of low-dose aspirin use between the two frequency of users (≥ 80% vs. prevention against major vascular diseases and cancer. © 2015 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

  6. Adolescent suicide prevention. Current research and social policy implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garland, A F; Zigler, E

    1993-02-01

    The rate of adolescent suicide has increased dramatically in the past few decades, prompting several interventions to curb the increase. Unfortunately, many of the intervention efforts have not benefited from current research findings because the communication between researchers and those who develop the interventions is inadequate. Of specific concern are the increasingly popular curriculum-based suicide prevention programs, which have not demonstrated effectiveness and may contain potentially deleterious components. This article reviews the current epidemiological research in adolescent suicide and suggests how this knowledge could be used more effectively to reduce the rate of adolescent suicide. Recommendations include support for integrated primary prevention efforts; suicide prevention education for professionals; education and policies on firearm management; education for the media about adolescent suicide; more efficient identification and treatment of at-risk youth, including those exposed to suicidal behavior; crisis intervention; and treatment for suicide attempters.

  7. Committee Opinion No. 661: Integrating Immunizations Into Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-01

    Immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases is an essential component of women's primary and preventive health care. Despite the importance of vaccination and clear guidance from public health agencies, rates of vaccination lag behind national goals. Obstetrician-gynecologists can play a major role in reducing morbidity and mortality from a range of vaccine-preventable diseases, including pertussis, influenza, human papillomavirus, and hepatitis. Given demonstrated vaccine efficacy and safety, and the large potential for prevention of many infectious diseases that affect adults, pregnant women, and newborns, obstetrician-gynecologists should include immunizations as an integral part of their practice. To do so, they must embrace their role as important sources of information and advice on immunization for adults, adolescents, and pregnant women, and advance their patients' well-being with continued efforts to augment immunization services in their offices. Increasing awareness combined with the many suggestions in this document will work to enhance immunization uptake.

  8. Learning to listen to the organisational rhetoric of primary health and social care integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warne, T; McAndrew, S; King, M; Holland, K

    2007-11-01

    The sustained modernisation of the UK primary health care service has resulted in individuals and organisations having to develop more integrated ways of working. This has resulted in changes to the structure and functioning of primary care organisations, changes to the traditional workforce, and an increase in scope of primary care practice. These changes have contributed to what for many staff has become a constantly turbulent organisational and practice environment. Data from a three-year project, commissioned by the North West Development Agency is used to explore how staff involved in these changes dealt with this turbulence. Three hundred and fifty staff working within primary care participated in the study. A multimethods approach was used which facilitated an iterative analysis and data collection process. Thematic analysis revealed a high degree of congruence between the perceptions of all staff groups with evidence of a generally well-articulated, but often rhetorical view of the organisational and professional factors involved in how these changes were experienced. This rhetoric was used by individuals as a way of containing both the good and bad elements of their experience. This paper discusses how these defense mechanisms need to be recognised and understood by managers so that a more supportive organisational culture is developed.

  9. Security management: a question of integration between people, systems and organizations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drukaroff, M. C.; Romano, A.

    2015-01-01

    Safety Management has always been the most important process of the Juzbado Factory since beginning of operations in 1985. this process has evolved, moving from focusing primary on preventive control of operation risks by means of adequate exploitation of Safety Systems, to integrating aspects related with Safety culture and Organization Factors, as key players in order to achieve sustainable safety improvements. This paper presents how Safety Management has evolved at the Factory, emphasizing especially on the integration process of the three main factors affecting safety: people, technology and organizations. (Author)

  10. Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation for Women in an HIV-1 Prevention Clinical Trial Experiencing Primary HIV-1 Infection during Pregnancy or Breastfeeding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, Susan; John-Stewart, Grace; Egessa, John J; Mubezi, Sezi; Kusemererwa, Sylvia; Bii, Dennis K; Bulya, Nulu; Mugume, Francis; Campbell, James D; Wangisi, Jonathan; Bukusi, Elizabeth A; Celum, Connie; Baeten, Jared M

    2015-01-01

    During an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial in East Africa, we observed 16 cases of primary HIV-1 infection in women coincident with pregnancy or breastfeeding. Nine of eleven pregnant women initiated rapid combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), despite having CD4 counts exceeding national criteria for ART initiation; breastfeeding women initiated ART or replacement feeding. Rapid ART initiation during primary HIV-1 infection during pregnancy and breastfeeding is feasible in this setting.

  11. Rapid Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation for Women in an HIV-1 Prevention Clinical Trial Experiencing Primary HIV-1 Infection during Pregnancy or Breastfeeding.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan Morrison

    Full Text Available During an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial in East Africa, we observed 16 cases of primary HIV-1 infection in women coincident with pregnancy or breastfeeding. Nine of eleven pregnant women initiated rapid combination antiretroviral therapy (ART, despite having CD4 counts exceeding national criteria for ART initiation; breastfeeding women initiated ART or replacement feeding. Rapid ART initiation during primary HIV-1 infection during pregnancy and breastfeeding is feasible in this setting.

  12. Applicability of JIS SPV 50 steel to primary containment vessels of nuclear power stations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iida, K.; Ishikawa, K.; Satoh, M.; Soya, I.

    1980-01-01

    The fracture toughness of JIS SPV 50 steel and its weldment has been examined in order to verify the applicability of these materials to primary containment vessels of nuclear power stations. Test results were evaluated using elastic plastic fracture mechanics through the COD and the J integral concepts for non ductile fracture initiation characteristics. Linear fracture mechanics was employed for propagation arrest characteristics. Results showed that the materials tested here have a sufficient fracture toughness to prevent nonductile fracture and that this steel is a suitable material for use in construction of primary containment vessels of nuclear power stations. (author)

  13. Baseline characteristics of participants in the JUPITER trial, a randomized placebo-controlled primary prevention trial of statin therapy among individuals with low low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ridker, Paul M.; Fonseca, Francisco A. H.; Genest, Jacques; Gotto, Antonio M.; Kastelein, John J. P.; Khurmi, Nardev S.; Koenig, Wolfgang; Libby, Peter; Lorenzatti, Alberto J.; Nordestgaard, Borge G.; Shepherd, James; Willerson, James T.; Glynn, Robert J.

    2007-01-01

    The Justification for the Use of statins in Primary prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin (JUPITER) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial of statin therapy among persons with average to low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

  14. The organization and financing of cervical cancer prevention carried out by midwives in primary health care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sobczyk, Karolina; Woźniak-Holecka, Joanna; Holecki, Tomasz; Szałabska, Dorota

    2016-01-01

    The main objective of the project was the evaluation of the organizational and financial aspects of midwives in primary health care (PHC), functioning under The Population Program for the Early Detection of Cervical Cancer two years after the implementation of new law regulations, which enable this occupational group to collect cytological material for screening. Under this project, the data of the Program's Coordinating Centre, affecting midwives' postgraduate education in the field of pap smear tests, was taken into analysis. Furthermore, The National Health Fund (NFZ) reports on contracts entered in the field of the discussed topics, taking into consideration the value of health services performed within the Program in respect of ambulatory care and primary care units. NFZ concluded contracts for the provision of PHC service with 6124 service providers in 2016, including the contracts in the field of providing health services under the cervical cancer prevention program by PHC midwifes, which were entered into by 358 institutions (5.85%). The value of the basic services under the Program, carried out under NFZ contracts in 2014, amounted to approx. PLN 12.3 million, while the value of services performed by PHC midwives represented only 0.38% of this sum. The introduction of legislative changes, allowing PHC midwives to collect cytological material for screening, did not cause, in the period of the observation on a national scale, the expected growth of availability of basic stage services within the cervical cancer prevention program.

  15. The Role of eHealth in Optimizing Preventive Care in the Primary Care Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carey, Mariko; Noble, Natasha; Mansfield, Elise; Waller, Amy; Henskens, Frans; Sanson-Fisher, Rob

    2015-05-22

    Modifiable health risk behaviors such as smoking, overweight and obesity, risky alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and poor nutrition contribute to a substantial proportion of the world's morbidity and mortality burden. General practitioners (GPs) play a key role in identifying and managing modifiable health risk behaviors. However, these are often underdetected and undermanaged in the primary care setting. We describe the potential of eHealth to help patients and GPs to overcome some of the barriers to managing health risk behaviors. In particular, we discuss (1) the role of eHealth in facilitating routine collection of patient-reported data on lifestyle risk factors, and (2) the role of eHealth in improving clinical management of identified risk factors through provision of tailored feedback, point-of-care reminders, tailored educational materials, and referral to online self-management programs. Strategies to harness the capacity of the eHealth medium, including the use of dynamic features and tailoring to help end users engage with, understand, and apply information need to be considered and maximized. Finally, the potential challenges in implementing eHealth solutions in the primary care setting are discussed. In conclusion, there is significant potential for innovative eHealth solutions to make a contribution to improving preventive care in the primary care setting. However, attention to issues such as data security and designing eHealth interfaces that maximize engagement from end users will be important to moving this field forward.

  16. Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in STEMI Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Busch, Sarah Victoria Ekeløf; Jensen, Svend Eggert; Rosenberg, Jacob

    2012-01-01

    -acetylcysteine, one study of early and late hydration regimens, one study of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide and one study comparing a low-osmolar contrast agent with an iso-osmolar contrast agent. Results: Recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide and the regimens of hydration significantly reduced...... the incidence of CIN and administration of N-acetylcysteine in one of the six studies significantly reduced the occurrence of CIN. The iso-osmolar contrast agent was not proven to be superior to the low-osmolar contrast agent in terms of preventing CIN. Conclusion: Preliminary studies are promising but further......Objective: To evaluate the current prophylactic strategies against CIN in patients with STEMI treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is the third leading course of acute renal failure and a recognized complication to cardiac...

  17. Which factors play a role in Dutch health promotion professionals' decision to recruit actively primary schools to use a web-based smoking prevention programme?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cremers, Henricus-Paul; Oenema, Anke; Mercken, Liesbeth; Candel, Math; de Vries, Hein

    2013-12-03

    Municipal Health Promotion Organisations (MHPOs) play an important role in promoting and disseminating prevention programmes, such as smoking prevention programmes, in schools. This study identifies factors that may facilitate or hinder MHPOs' willingness to recruit actively primary schools to use a smoking prevention programme. In 2011, 31 Dutch MHPOs were invited to recruit schools to use a smoking prevention programme. All MHPO employees involved in smoking prevention activities (n = 68) were asked to complete a questionnaire assessing psychological factors and characteristics of their organisation that might affect their decision to be involved in active recruitment of schools. T-tests and multivariate analysis of variance assessed potential differences in psychological and organisational factors between active and non-active recruiters. A total of 45 professionals returned the questionnaire (66.2%). Active recruiters (n = 12) had more positive attitudes (p = 0.02), higher self-efficacy expectations (p primary schools, compared with non-active recruiters. Organisational factors did not discriminate between active and non-active recruiters. Primarily psychological factors seem to be associated with MHPOs' decision to recruit schools actively. This indicates that creating more positive attitude, self-efficacy beliefs and formation of plans may help in getting more MHPOs involved in active recruitment procedures.

  18. Relevant patient characteristics for guiding tailored integrated diabetes primary care: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hertroijs, Dorijn F L; Elissen, Arianne M J; Brouwers, Martijn C G J; Schaper, Nicolaas C; Ruwaard, Dirk

    2018-02-06

    Aim To identify which patient-related effect modifiers influence the outcomes of integrated care programs for type 2 diabetes in primary care. Integrated care is a widespread management strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, most integrated care programs are not tailored to patients' needs, preferences and abilities. There is increasing consensus that such a patient-centered approach could improve the management of type 2 diabetes. Thus far, it remains unclear which patient-related effect modifiers should guide such an approach. PubMed, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched for empirical studies published after 1998. A systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Findings In total, 23 out of 1015 studies were included. A total of 21 studies measured the effects of integrated diabetes care programs on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and three on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and health-care utilization. In total, 49 patient characteristics were assessed as potential effect modifiers with HbA1c as an outcome, of which 46 were person or health-related and only three were context-related. Younger age, insulin therapy and longer disease duration were associated with higher HbA1c levels in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Higher baseline HbA1c was associated with higher HbA1c at follow-up in longitudinal studies. Information on context- and person-related characteristics was limited, but is necessary to help identify the care needs of individual patients and implement an effective integrated type 2 diabetes tailored care program.

  19. Cost-effectiveness of a cardiovascular disease primary prevention programme in a primary health care setting. Results of the Polish part of the EUROACTION project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sović, Nevena; Pająk, Andrzej; Jankowski, Piotr; Duenas, Alejandra; Kawecka-Jaszcz, Kalina; Wolfshaut-Wolak, Renata; Stepaniak, Urszula; Kawalec, Paweł

    2013-01-01

    Well designed cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention programmes appear to be generally applicable and effective in reducing exposure to risk factors and the incidence of disease. However, introducing them broadly into clinical practice would have a significant impact on the healthcare budget, and requires careful consideration. The purpose of this health economic analysis was to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of the model nurse-led, comprehensive CVD primary prevention programme which was prepared and introduced in the EUROACTION project, in high-risk patients in Poland. A Markov model was developed to assess the long-term costs of preventive intervention. The health states modelled were: event-free (all patients at the beginning of observation), stable angina first year, acute myocardial infarction, stable angina subsequent year, myocardial infarction subsequent year, CVD death, and other causes of death. Health benefits from the reduction in risk factors were estimated based on Framingham risk function assuming the probability of defined health states according to British registers. The time horizon of the analysis was ten years, and one Markov cycle length was one year. The analysis was prepared from the healthcare payer's perspective. A willingness to pay threshold of three gross domestic product (GDP) per capita / quality-adjusted life years (QALY) was used. Univariate sensitivity analysis was conducted. Results were presented as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) expressed as an incremental cost per QALY. In Poland, EUROACTION intervention resulted mainly in reductions in the prevalence of smoking (by 14%) and high blood pressure (by 7%). Intervention on other risk factors, including blood lipids, was found to be less effective. Estimated ICERs were 19,524 PLN for men and 82,262 PLN for women. The programme was even more cost-effective in smokers i.e. estimated ICERs were 12,377 PLN in men and 53,471 PLN in women. The results were most

  20. Implementation of the structural integrity analysis for PWR primary components and piping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pellissier-Tanon, A.

    1982-01-01

    The trends on the definition, the assessment and the application of fracture strength evaluation methodology, which have arisen through experience in the design, construction and operation of French 900-MW plants are reviewed. The main features of the methodology proposed in a draft of Appendix ZG of the RCC-M code of practice for the design verification of fracture strength of primary components are presented. The research programs are surveyed and discussed from four viewpoints, first implementation of the LEFM analysis, secondly implementation of the fatigue crack propagation analysis, thirdly analysis of vessel integrity during emergency core cooling, and fourthly methodology for tear fracture analysis. (author)