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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A study of client-focused case management and consumer advocacy: the Community and Consumer Service Project.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the provision of client-focused services to community-based clients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. It hypothesised that the delivery of more client-focused services would improve client outcome in terms of functioning, disability and satisfaction with services. Client-focused services were developed using an empowerment model of case management and by the addition of consumer advocates. METHOD: Clients referred for case management were randomly allocated to one of three groups: standard case management (n = 35), client-focused case management (n = 39), or client-focused case management plus consumer advocacy (n = 45). Measures of functioning, disability, quality of life, burden of care and service satisfaction were measured at baseline and 12 months. Outcome data were collected concerning number and duration of hospital readmission, crisis intervention and compliance with treatment and services. RESULTS: While there were no differences between the groups on quantitative measures of functioning, disability, quality of life, service satisfaction and burden of care, there were significant between-group differences on qualitative measures of satisfaction with services. CONCLUSIONS: Several methodological difficulties hampered interpretation of the findings. Although clients did not differ on outcome measures of functioning and disability, the group receiving client-focused case management reported greater satisfaction with service delivery.

Adolescent↗

Development of a consumer advocacy program.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present paper was to describe the development of a consumer advocacy program within the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney (NSW, Australia). METHODS: The program was developed within the context of a research project that investigated the effect on outcome of client-focused approaches to community case management for clients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. RESULTS: While the development of the advocacy program was limited by the constraints imposed by the research methodology, the study provided the opportunity to delineate the process involved and identify key components that need to be incorporated into future advocacy programs. CONCLUSIONS: The main guidelines determined were that consumer participation in service delivery needs to be flexible, consumer driven, have broad-based support, ready access to supervision and debriefing, ongoing training and clear job descriptions. Given adequate support, autonomy and funding, consumer advocates can provide a much needed resource for their fellow consumers.

Bipolar Disorder↗

Consumer advocacy, elective surgery, and the "golden era of medicine".

The process of medical quality assurance evolved logically from the consumer advocacy movement of the past decades. This process has fundamentally altered the personal and legal relationship between patients and physicians. The need for development and adoption of a medically, ethically, and fiscally sound standard of elective surgical practice is clear and immediate. A system that may be used to evaluate the appropriateness of elective surgical procedures is proposed.

Consumer Advocacy↗

Consumer advocacy in Medicare HMOs.

Rising out-of-pocket health care costs and premiums for Medicare supplemental insurance are driving many beneficiaries out of traditional fee-for-service Medicare and into health maintenance organizations. These consumers give up unrestricted provider choice in exchange for controlled costs and some additional service. However, in the context of weak oversight by the federal Health Care Financing Administration, the push by health plans to increase profits has meant that vulnerable Medicare HMO enrollees may not receive the services and consumer protections required by law.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.↗

Consumer advocacy.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Community Participation↗

Pediatricians advocating for children: an annotated bibliography.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pediatricians have for many years been strong advocates for the health and safety of children. This article reviews the health literature to provide a historical perspective of advocacy efforts of pediatricians and examples of advocacy for patients at the bedside, in the community, and through local, state, and federal legislation, as well as policymaking. Studying these advocacy activities and incorporating them into pediatric practice and education of residents will surely result in stronger, healthier, safer, and happier children and families. RECENT FINDINGS: Some of the cited works relate to pediatric advocacy in general, and some relate to advocacy for specific pediatric topics. Also, articles relating to the education of medical students and pediatric residents are reviewed; they may be of benefit to educators who develop advocacy curriculum. SUMMARY: A review of the MEDLINE literature database from 1966 through October 2003 was performed looking for the terms advocacy (child advocacy, consumer advocacy, legislative advocacy, patient advocacy), as well as advocacy education and training, and was limited to children from birth through 18 years. The titles and many of the abstracts of 4580 articles were reviewed, and 104 articles were read in full. From these, 68 were selected for review here; they were thought to be of particular interest to practicing pediatricians and pediatric educators.

Child↗

Consumer-centric advocacy: its connection to nursing frameworks.

The concept of advocacy is redefined here as consumer-centric advocacy and its essential attributes are identified. Theoretical linkages between advocacy and selected nursing models are described. Specifically, the construct of advocacy is considered as it is operationalized within the theoretical frameworks of King, Newman, Orem, and Rogers. The health care system in the United States is in a state of unrest and undergoing nearly continuous change and reorganization. This reorganization has been hastened by tightened resources within the health care financing system, a growing number of elderly and indigent needing care, and the advent of care intensive disease processes such as AIDS and substance addicted newborns. In addition, the general public has become better informed concerning health and is seeking new approaches to the delivery of health care services. As changes in the health care system continue to occur, the role of nurses, the largest group of health care providers also is changing. In a system in which there is both a shortage of registered nurses and a growing demand for their services, nurses must develop strategies to maximize their impact on the health care system to meet the needs of consumers as well as protect their own professional integrity. The development of such strategies within nursing frameworks may be facilitated by closer scrutiny and clarification of the nurse's traditional role as advocate.

Consumer Advocacy↗

Community mental health and mental retardation services in the United States: a comparative study of resource allocation.

OBJECTIVE: Preliminary studies suggest that during the 1980s, spending for community mental retardation services in the United States may have grown much more rapidly than spending for community mental health. The primary objective of this study was to test empirically the validity of this thesis on a national basis. An additional objective was to determine why such a distinction in community spending patterns might have evolved nationally. METHOD: The study used states as the units of analysis and employed a five-factor hierarchical regression to predict variance in mental health and mental retardation spending. Factors were state size, state wealth, degree of federal assistance, state civil rights activity, and strength of consumer advocacy groups. Strong roles for the civil rights and consumer advocacy factors were hypothesized. A collateral opinion survey in the 10 states exhibiting the greatest within-state difference in community mental health and mental retardation spending was also completed. RESULTS: Community mental retardation spending grew nearly four times more rapidly than community mental health spending in the 1980s. The consumer advocacy and civil rights factors were strongly associated with spending for community mental retardation services in the states, but these factors did not predict spending for community mental health services. CONCLUSIONS: Study recommendations included strengthening mental health family and consumer advocacy groups in the states and promoting systematic exchange between the mental health and mental retardation fields through joint state planning initiatives, studies, and conferences. The need for Medicaid reform is a unifying theme in both the mental health and mental retardation fields.

Community Mental Health Services↗

Consumer protection and managed care: the need for organized consumers.

Despite its many advantages, managed care creates new problems for consumers. Activists have proposed four types of remedies: (1) increased information and choice; (2) standards for services and marketing; (3) administrative oversight; and (4) procedural due process for complaints. Each approach offers some benefits, but they are insufficient to cope with consumer problems. What is lacking is effective, organized consumer advocacy.

Communication↗

Health and safety issues pertaining to genetically modified foods.

Genetic modification involves the insertion of genes from other organisms (within or between species) into host cells to select for desirable qualities. Potential benefits of GM foods include increased nutritional value; reduced allergenicity; pest and disease-resistance; and enhanced processing value. Possible detrimental outcomes include producing foods with novel toxins, allergens or reduced nutritional value, and development of antibiotic resistance or herbicide-resistant weeds. Benefits to individuals or populations need to be weighed against adverse health and environmental risks, and may differ between developing and Westernised countries. Whether testing and monitoring should exceed requirements for conventional foods is under debate. While not necessarily scientifically justifiable, consumer concerns have resulted in Australian and New Zealand requirements to label foods containing GM-produced proteins. Dissatisfied consumer advocacy groups are calling for all foods involving GM technology to be labelled, irrelevant of whether the final product contains novel protein. Goals to improve the quantity, quality and safety of foods are laudable; however, the primary aim of the bio-food industry is financial gain. GM foods may be as safe as conventional foods but public distrust runs high. It is important that discussion is informed by science and that claims of both benefits and risks are evidence-based, to ensure that the process is driven neither by the vested interest of the bio-technical multinational companies on the one hand, nor ill-informed public fears on the other.

Attitude to Health↗