Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Health Priorities”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Australian public health policy in 2003 - 2004.

In Australia, compared with other developed countries the many and varied programs which comprise public health have continued to be funded poorly and unsystematically, particularly given the amount of publicly voiced political support.In 2003, the major public health policy developments in communicable disease control were in the fields of SARS, and vaccine funding, whilst the TGA was focused on the Pan Pharmaceutical crisis. Programs directed to health maintenance and healthy ageing were approved. The tertiary education sector was involved in the development of programs for training the public health workforce and new professional qualifications and competencies. The Abelson Report received support from overseas experts, providing a potential platform for calls to improve national funding for future Australian preventive programs; however, inconsistencies continued across all jurisdictions in their approaches to tackling national health priorities. Despite 2004 being an election year, public health policy was not visible, with the bulk of the public health funding available in the 2004/05 federal budget allocated to managing such emerging risks as avian flu. We conclude by suggesting several implications for the future.

Editorial↗
PubMed2005

A private-sector preferred provider network model for public health screening of newly resettled refugees.

US law and regulations stipulate a process for the health screening of refugees. The responsibility of caring for refugees resettled in the United States rests, in part, with public health or welfare departments. Massachusetts has met its screening responsibilities through the innovative creation of a network of private preferred providers. We explore the Massachusetts model of public-private collaboration within the context of federal refugee health priorities and current state fiscal restraints affecting public health programs, and demonstrate the model's accomplishments.

Community Health Centers↗
PubMed1998

Service development to meet the needs of 'people with communication disabilities' in developing countries.

PURPOSE: In spite of the catastrophic consequences of impaired communication skills on the quality of human life, development of services for people with communication disabilities have low priority in health care and rehabilitation. Nowhere is this more apparent than in developing countries. The low coverage levels of the limited services which do exist in these countries, indicate a need to develop new and innovative service structures. It is to this end, given the limited literature available, that this review looks mainly at articles of a descriptive nature based on clinical experience. The review seeks to identify ideology which could be used to under-pin alternative service delivery and structures. METHOD: Three collections of literature relevant to the topic under discussion are identified, one collection relates to impairment categories, one to disability perspectives and one to speech and language therapy provision. It is recognized that all three collections are needed to form a basis for innovative change, but this review aims to examine the latter collection only, referring the reader to items in the other collections, when relevant. RESULTS: The information reviewed is analysed for recurring themes and the results are seen to concur with many of the disability perspectives expressed in present day literature.

Communication Disorders↗
PubMed2001

Eliciting public preferences for healthcare: a systematic review of techniques.

BACKGROUND: Limited resources coupled with unlimited demand for healthcare mean that decisions have to be made regarding the allocation of scarce resources across competing interventions. Policy documents have advocated the importance of public views as one such criterion. In principle, the elicitation of public values represents a big step forward. However, for the exercise to be worthwhile, useful information must be obtained that is scientifically defensible, whilst decision-makers must be able and willing to use it. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to identify techniques that could be reasonably used to elicit public views on the provision of healthcare. Hence, the objectives were: (1) to identify research methods with the potential to take account of public views on the delivery of healthcare; (2) to identify criteria for assessing these methods; (3) to assess the methods identified according to the predefined criteria; (4) to assess the importance of public views vis-à-vis other criteria for setting priorities, as judged by a sample of decision-makers; (5) to make recommendations regarding the use of methods and future research. METHODS: A systematic literature review was carried out to identify methods for eliciting public views. Criteria currently used to evaluate such methods were identified. The methods identified were then evaluated according to predefined criteria. A questionnaire-based survey assessed the relative importance of public views vis-à-vis five other criteria for setting priorities: potential health gain; evidence of clinical effectiveness; budgetary impact; equity of access and health status inequalities; and quality of service. Two techniques were used: choice-based conjoint analysis and allocation of points technique. The questionnaire was sent to 143 participants. A subsample was followed up with a telephone interview. RESULTS: The methods identified were classified as quantitative or qualitative. RESULTS - QUANTITATIVE TECHNIQUES: Quantitative techniques, classified as ranking, rating or choice-based approaches, were evaluated according to eight criteria: validity; reproducibility; internal consistency; acceptability to respondents; cost (financial and administrative); theoretical basis; whether the technique offered a constrained choice; and whether the technique provided a strength of preference measure. Regarding ranking exercises, simple ranking exercises have proved popular, but their results are of limited use. The qualitative discriminant process has not been used to date in healthcare, but may be useful. Conjoint analysis ranking exercises did well against the above criteria. A number of rating scales were identified. The visual analogue scale has proved popular within the quality-adjusted life-year paradigm, but lacks constrained choice and may not measure strength of preference. However, conjoint analysis rating scales performed well. Methods identified for eliciting attitudes include Likert scales, the semantic differential technique, and the Guttman scale. These methods provide useful information, but do not consider strength of preference or the importance of different components within a total score. Satisfaction surveys have been frequently used to elicit public opinion. Researchers should ensure that they construct sensitive techniques, despite their limited use, or else use generic techniques where validity has already been established. Service quality (SERVQUAL) appears to be a potentially useful technique and its application should be researched. Three choice-based techniques with a limited application in healthcare are measure of value, the analytical hierarchical process and the allocation of points technique, while those more widely used, and which did well against the predefined criteria, include standard gamble, time trade-off, discrete choice conjoint analysis and willingness to pay. Little methodological work is currently available on the person trade-off. RESULTS - QUALITATIVE TECHNIQUES: Qualitative techniques were classified as either individual or group-based approaches. Individual approaches included one-to-one interviews, dyadic interviews, case study analyses, the Delphi technique and complaints procedures. Group-based methods included focus groups, concept mapping, citizens' juries, consensus panels, public meetings and nominal group techniques. Six assessment criteria were identified: validity; reliability; generalisability; objectivity; acceptability to respondents; and cost. Whilst all the methods have distinct strengths and weaknesses, there is a lot of ambiguity in the literature. Whether to use individual or group methods depends on the specific topic being discussed and the people being asked, but for both it is crucial that the interviewer/moderator remains as objective as possible. The most popular and widely used such methods were one-to-one interviews and focus groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Data Collection↗
PubMed2004

Burden of disease and injury in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in the Northern Territory.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the burden of disease and injury for the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations in the Northern Territory. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of Northern Territory data for 1 January 1994 to 30 December 1998 from multiple sources. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), by age, sex, cause and Aboriginality. RESULTS: Cardiovascular disease was the leading contributor (14.9%) to the total burden of disease and injury in the NT, followed by mental disorders (14.5%) and malignant neoplasms (11.2%). There was also a substantial contribution from unintentional injury (10.4%) and intentional injury (4.9%). Overall, the NT Aboriginal population had a rate of burden of disease 2.5 times higher than the non-Aboriginal population; in the 35-54-year age group their DALY rate was 4.1 times higher. The leading causes of disease burden were cardiovascular disease for both Aboriginal men (19.1%) and women (15.7%) and mental disorders for both non-Aboriginal men (16.7%) and women (22.3%). CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive assessment of fatal and non-fatal conditions is important in describing differentials in health status of the NT population. Our study provides comparative data to identify health priorities and facilitate a more equitable distribution of health funding.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A survey of kidney disease and risk-factor information on the World Wide Web.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is epidemic, and informing those at risk is a national health priority. However, the discrepancy between the readability of health information and the literacy skills of those it targets is a recognized barrier to communicating health information that may promote good health outcomes. Because the World Wide Web has become one of the most important sources of health information, we sought to assess the readability of commonly available CKD information. METHODS: Twelve highly cited English-language, kidney disease Web sites were identified with 4 popular search engines. Each Web site was reviewed for the availability of 6 domains of information germane to CKD and risk-factor information. We estimated readability scores with the Flesch-Kincaid and Flesch Reading Ease Index methods. The deviation of readability scores for CKD information from readability appropriate to average literacy skills and the limited literacy skills of vulnerable populations (low socioeconomic status, health disparities, and elderly) were calculated. RESULTS: Eleven Web sites met the inclusion criteria. Six of 11 sites provided information on all 6 domains of CKD and risk-factor information. Mean readability scores for all 6 domains of CKD information exceeded national average literacy skills and far exceeded the fifth-grade-level readability desired for informing vulnerable populations. Information about CKD and diabetes consistently had higher readability scores. CONCLUSION: Information on the World Wide Web about CKD and its risk factors may not be readable for comprehension by the general public, especially by underserved minority populations with limited literacy skills. Barriers to health communication may be important contributors to the rising CKD epidemic and disparities in CKD health status experienced by minority populations.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reducing the health consequences of smoking--a progress report.

Smoking has been identified as one of the health priority areas to be addressed by the Public Health Service's Objectives for the Nation initiative. Several gains in moving toward the 1990 goals for smoking and health have been recorded. Only 32.6 percent of the U.S. population over 16 years old were smokers in 1980, compared with 41.7 percent in 1965. The proportion of high school seniors who were daily smokers fell from nearly 30 percent in 1977 to 20 percent in 1981. Changes in smoking prevalence were related to critical events, such as the Surgeon General's reports on smoking. A variety of information and education programs aimed at specific groups are being carried out by Federal, State, and local governmental agencies and voluntary health organizations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Infant mortality in a deprived area of Papua New Guinea: priorities for antenatal services and health education.

This cross-sectional study of women was conducted in a deprived area of Papua New Guinea with an estimated infant mortality rate of 133/1000 live births. Mortality patterns derived from birth histories showed that neonatal deaths contribute proportionally more to infant mortality than postneonatal deaths, emphasizing the need for better care at delivery. To examine possible mechanisms for intervention, pregnant women were interviewed to determine patterns of antenatal clinic use, antimalarial drugs and micronutrient supplements given, and how much the women smoked. The results showed that the health system was failing to implement current routine supplementation and prophylaxis regimens, and that there was a need to revise national guidelines. A large proportion of pregnant women smoked during pregnancy, and this behaviour could be a target for future public health campaigns and health worker promotion advice to women.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Heart Smart: a school health program meeting the 1990 Objectives for the Nation.

The importance of health promotion is recognized throughout the nation. The Surgeon General's report of 1980, Promoting Health/Preventing Disease, delineates objectives for intervention in 15 health priority areas. Approximately one-third of the objectives relate directly to the health of children, and many are addressed by a comprehensive cardiovascular (CV) health promotion program for elementary school children--Heart Smart. Priority areas addressed by this program are high blood pressure control, nutrition, fluoridation and dental health, smoking, misuse of alcohol and drugs, physical fitness and exercise, and control of stress and violence. Heart Smart is a cognitive behavioral intervention designed to address health enabling and reinforcing factors within the school environment. It is based on data from the Bogalusa Heart Study which clearly document the need for CV health intervention beginning early in life. Heart Smart includes a longitudinal classroom curriculum, an aerobic fitness program taught within physical education classes, a school lunch program offering CV healthy foods, and a teacher staff development program. The goal is to reduce CV risk factors in children. With health-enhancing behavior change of the students, family, and elementary school staff, objectives for CV risk reduction in our nation can be achieved.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Screen compliance rates in 14-years annual screening program for colorectal cancer with immunochemical fecal occult blood test-- identification of higher priority subjects in health education.

OBJECTIVES: The present study was carried out to assess compliance rates with annual colorectal cancer screening for fecal occult blood, and to identify the subjects with higher priority in health education to increase screen compliance. DESIGN AND SETTING: A screening program for colorectal cancer was conducted between 1982 and 1995 in a Japanese villlage. Screen compliance rates in this program were summarised related to sex distribution as well as 10-year age cohorts. MAIN RESULTS: Screen compliance declined slowly during 14 years time period, and averaged 55.4%. Mean screen compliance was significantly higher in women (56.8%) than in men (53. 8%), and also in aged 50-79 (63.5%) than in aged 50 or less (43.8%), and those 80 and older(12.3%). Subjects who experienced a negative result on colonoscopic examination had significantly lower compliance with screening. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that the youngest as well as oldest subjects, and the subjects with negative results of fecal occult blood test should be given higher priority in health education to improve screen compliance.

Aged↗