Foundational Knowledge for the Practice of Family Medicine in West Africa
Foundational Knowledge for the Practice of Family Medicine in West Africa is a selection of introductory concepts from the literature using literature search and review, collection of lectures from eminent Family Physicians from South Africa, Canada UK and the US, lecture notes, seminal essays, journal articles that guided the author through the transition from general practice to family medicine in the 1980s and 90 s . The concept of family medicine in West Africa was a paradigm shift from a specialty conception of a conglomeration of independent specialties in General Practice to a unique specialty with its own distinct identity with a fundamental principle based on the biopsychosocial model. The specialty draws a distinctive identity from its approach to care by placing emphasis on the contextual setting of the patient starting with the family and extending to the sociocultural and economic environment. This composite approach to health care was new and confusing to the uninitiated medical graduate undergoing a residency training taught in the traditional biomedical reductionist model and other medical specialist who asked what new knowledge we were bringing to the table that other specialist was not already teaching. As for those teachers of family medicine in the subregion it was quite clear as to the need for this conceptual framework in Family Medicine as opposed to the limitation of General Practice and this book documents the struggle to positions Family Medicine as a separate specialty of Medicine in West Africa.
Foundational Knowledge for the Practice of Family Medicine in West Africa
Foundational Knowledge for the Practice of Family Medicine in West Africa is a selection of introductory concepts from the literature using literature search and review, collection of lectures from eminent Family Physicians from South Africa, Canada UK and the US, lecture notes, seminal essays, journal articles that guided the author through the transition from general practice to family medicine in the 1980s and 90 s . The concept of family medicine in West Africa was a paradigm shift from a specialty conception of a conglomeration of independent specialties in General Practice to a unique specialty with its own distinct identity with a fundamental principle based on the biopsychosocial model. The specialty draws a distinctive identity from its approach to care by placing emphasis on the contextual setting of the patient starting with the family and extending to the sociocultural and economic environment. This composite approach to health care was new and confusing to the uninitiated medical graduate undergoing a residency training taught in the traditional biomedical reductionist model and other medical specialist who asked what new knowledge we were bringing to the table that other specialist was not already teaching. As for those teachers of family medicine in the subregion it was quite clear as to the need for this conceptual framework in Family Medicine as opposed to the limitation of General Practice and this book documents the struggle to positions Family Medicine as a separate specialty of Medicine in West Africa.
Antibiotics
Virtually everyone has taken antibiotics. They can be lifesavers -- or they can be useless. But what are they? How are they used? And what happens as the effectiveness of antibiotics begins to decline?
Drinking Water Quality and Human Health
The quality of drinking water is paramount for public health. Despite important improvements in the last decades, access to safe drinking water is not universal. The World Health Organization estimates that almost 10% of the population in the world do not have access to improved drinking water sources. Among other diseases, waterborne infections cause diarrhea, which kills nearly one million people every year, mostly children under 5 years of age. On the other hand, chemical pollution is a concern in high-income countries and an increasing problem in low- and middle-income countries. Exposure to chemicals in drinking water may lead to a range of chronic non-communicable diseases (e.g., cancer, cardiovascular disease), adverse reproductive outcomes, and effects on children's health (e.g., neurodevelopment), among other health effects. Although drinking water quality is regulated and monitored in many countries, increasing knowledge leads to the need for reviewing standards and guidelines on a nearly permanent basis, both for regulated and newly identified contaminants. Drinking water standards are mostly based on animal toxicity data, and more robust epidemiologic studies with accurate exposure assessment are needed. The current risk assessment paradigm dealing mostly with one-by-one chemicals dismisses the potential synergisms or interactions from exposures to mixtures of contaminants, particularly at the low-exposure range. Thus, evidence is needed on exposure and health effects of mixtures of contaminants in drinking water. Finally, water stress and water quality problems are expected to increase in the coming years due to climate change and increasing water demand by population growth, and new evidence is needed to design appropriate adaptation policies. This Special Issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge on the links between drinking water quality and human health.
Emerging Technology Applications to Promote Physical Activity and Health
As technology becomes an ever-more prevalent part of everyday life, and population-based physical activity programs seek new ways to increase life-long engagement with physical activity, these two ideas have become increasingly linked. This Special Issue attempts to offer a thorough and critical examination of emerging technologies in physical activity and health promotion, considering technological interventions in different contexts (communities, clinics, schools, homes, etc.) among various populations, exploring the challenges of integrating technology into physical activity promotion, and offering solutions for its implementation. This Special Issue aims to take a broadly positive stance toward interactive technology initiatives and, while discussing some negative implications of an increased use of technology, offers practical recommendations for promoting physical activity through various emerging technologies, including, but not limited to: Active video games (exergaming); social media; mobile device apps; health wearables; mobile games, augmented reality games, global positioning and geographic information systems; and virtual reality. Offering a logical and clear critique of emerging technologies in physical activity and health promotion, this Special Issue will provide useful suggestions and practical implications for researchers, practitioners, and educators in the fields of public health, kinesiology, physical activity and health, and healthcare.
Mama Might Be Better Off Dead
North Lawndale, a neighborhood that lies in the shadows of Chicago's Loop, is surrounded by some of the city's finest medical facilities, Yet, it is one of the sickest, most medically underserved communities in the country. Mama Might Be Better Off Dead immerses readers in the lives of four generations of a poor, African-American family in the neighborhood, who are beset with the devastating illnesses that are all too common in America's inner-cities. Headed by Jackie Banes, who oversees the care of a diabetic grandmother, a husband on kidney dialysis, an ailing father, and three children, the Banes family contends with countless medical crises. From visits to emergency rooms and dialysis units, to trials with home care, to struggles for Medicaid eligibility, Laurie Kaye Abraham chronicles their access--or more often, lack thereof--to medical care. Told sympathetically but without sentimentality, their story reveals an inadequate health care system that is further undermined by the direct and indirect effects of poverty. Both disturbing and illuminating, Mama Might Be Better Off Dead is an unsettling, profound look at the human face of health care in America. Published to great acclaim in 1993, the book in this new edition includes an incisive foreword by David Ansell, a physician who worked at Mt. Sinai Hospital, where much of the Banes family's narrative unfolds.
Impact of Bioactive Peptides on Human Health
Food-derived bioactive peptides or dietary peptides are increasingly becoming recognized as major food compounds for human health promotion, which prevent the occurrence of chronic diseases through their impacts on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune, and nervous systems. Further bioactive peptide discoveries are essential for maintaining human health and commercial development in the area of functional foods and nutraceuticals. This Special Issue covers a wide range of research topics specifically on food-derived bioactive proteins and peptides including the in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation of biological activities, bio-accessibility, intestinal absorption, bioavailability, the effect on chronic diseases, and the modulation of human nutrition.
Nutritional Intake and the Risk for Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
The aim of this Special Issue focusing on "Nutritional Intake and the Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease" is to provide an in-depth overview of the role of the intake of different macro- and micronutrients in the development and progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, as well as in its prevention and treatment. General over-nutrition but also alterations of the dietary pattern (e.g., towards a higher intake of fat, cholesterol, and sugar--and herein especially fructose) are discussed as being critical in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, it has also been suggested that a general reduction of caloric intake and/or modulation of dietary composition, be it in regard to fat or to sugar intake, may have beneficial effects on the liver status in settings of NAFLD. Furthermore, in more recent years, the intake of pre- and probiotics, but also of specific micronutrients or secondary plant compounds, has also been considered a means in the prevention and therapy of this disease. Despite intense research efforts during the last decades, our understanding of the effects of nutritional intake on the development as well as on the prevention and cure of NAFLD is still limited.Providing a better understanding of the effects of diet and especially of specific macro- and micronutrients as well as pre- and probiotics and secondary plant compounds in the context of the development of NAFLD and its progression could lead to novel prevention and therapeutic strategies for this metabolic liver disease. This Special Issue will thus include original research and scientific perspectives on the relationship between NAFLD and dietary constituents that may 1) be involved in the development of the disease and 2) prevent its onset and progression. Mechanistic insights defining the contribution of certain nutritional factors (e.g., macronutrients like fat and sugar but also micronutrients and secondary plant compounds as well as pre- and probiotics) to the occurrence and management of NAFLD will improve our understanding of the disease and eventually lead to the development of universally accepted prevention and therapeutic strategies.
Recreational Water Illnesses
The safety of recreational waters is affected by numerous variables such as the microbiological and chemical quality of water, the number and health conditions of the users, and the correct functioning of all technological installations used for water treatment. By evaluating the various health risks related to exposure to swimming pools, spas, and surface waters, this Special Issue seeks to address the proper management of waters used for recreational purposes, both in natural and built environments.This Issue contains 12 scientific papers. The first four, three of which are literature reviews, illustrate the epidemiological picture of infections related to recreational waters, by describing cases and outbreaks caused by both traditional and emerging microorganisms. The following four papers concern the microbiological monitoring of swimming pools, gardens, estuarine areas, and therapeutic spas. Two of these also analyse the distribution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the associated transmission risks. The relationship between microbial indicators and pathogens in recreational water is analysed by the following two papers, one of which is an experimental study on the survival of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in estuarine bank sediments and the other of which is an exhaustive literature review. The last two papers are focused on the development of risk control approaches, including the validation of questionnaire methods to quantify recreational water ingestion and the application of traditional and innovative technologies in water treatment.
Nutrition and Chronic Conditions
The effects of nutrition in chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, and inflammatory bowel disease continue to generate interest among researchers. This stems from the fact that diet is a modifiable risk factor for these diseases, which manifest either as single entities or in co-morbid states in individuals and populations around the world. In particular, the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease is on the rise, especially in developed countries, but also in developing economies, partly due to lifestyle changes, including diet. For example, ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death globally. When combined with stroke, these conditions accounted for 15 million deaths in 2015 and are the world's greatest killers (WHO, 2017). Furthermore, WHO (2016), reported that there were an estimated 422 million adults who were living with diabetes in 2014. This is significantly higher than the 108 million in 1980, representing a rise in worldwide diabetes prevalence from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014 among the adult population.These chronic conditions and their associated complications have significant implications for morbidity and mortality, and incur huge costs to the health services around the world. The composition of the diet, the proportion and types of macronutrients and micronutrients present in the diet are major contributors to these diseases. In addition, the beneficial effects of nutritional interventions have been well documented although differences remain among researchers with respect to their overall impact. The evaluation of the role of nutrition in chronic conditions draws on its effect on body weight and body composition, glycaemic and insulin excursions, vascular remodeling, and gastro-intestinal dysfunction.Therefore, this Special Issue on "Nutrition and Chronic Conditions" aims to evaluate the effect of nutrition in the development, care, and management of chronic conditions. The primary conditions of interest are diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Health Literacy in Context- Settings, Media, and Populations
To date, most published health literacy research has focused on assessing and improving personal skills and abilities. More recently, a better understanding has emerged of the extent to which these skills and abilities are mediated by environmental demands and situational complexities -- the context in which health literacy is developed and applied. This has led to much greater attention being given to ways of reducing the situational demands and complexity in which an individual makes a health decision. This collection of papers examines current progress in understanding health literacy "in context", by improving our understanding of the mutual impact of a range of social, economic, environmental, and organisational influences on health literacy.These papers provide unique and original perspectives on the concept, distribution, and application of health literacy in very diverse populations, offering cultural insights and a clear indication of the impact of social and environmental context on health literacy. These perspectives include an examination of differing national policy responses to health literacy illustrating how policy and practice can (and should) respond to this more complete but complex understanding of health literacy. Other papers look at the application of new digital media and the creative harnessing of popular culture as routes to extend the reach and customisation of communications.These papers also illustrate good progress in the evolution of research in the contexts in which health literacy is developed and applied, as well as signaling some areas in which more research would be useful.
More Than Medicine
Stanford's pioneering behavioral scientist draws on a lifetime of research and experience guiding the NIH to make the case that America needs to radically rethink its approach to health care if it wants to stop overspending and overprescribing and improve people's lives. American science produces the best--and most expensive--medical treatments in the world. Yet U.S. citizens lag behind their global peers in life expectancy and quality of life. Robert Kaplan brings together extensive data to make the case that health care priorities in the United States are sorely misplaced. America's medical system is invested in attacking disease, but not in addressing the social, behavioral, and environmental problems that engender disease in the first place. Medicine is important, but many Americans act as though it were all important. The United States stakes much of its health funding on the promise of high-tech diagnostics and miracle treatments, while ignoring strong evidence that many of the most significant pathways to health are nonmedical. Americans spend millions on drugs for high cholesterol, which increase life expectancy by only six to eight months on average. But they underfund education, which might extend life expectancy by as much as twelve years. Wars on infectious disease have paid off, but clinical trials for chronic conditions--costing billions--rarely confirm that new treatments extend life. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health spends just 3 percent of its budget on research on the social and behavioral determinants of health, even though these factors account for 50 percent of premature deaths. America's failure to take prevention seriously costs lives. More than Medicine argues that we need a shakeup in how we invest resources, and it offers a bold new vision for longer, healthier living.
The Bud Tender
The book The Bud Tender sheds light on how medical cannabis helps children and people cope with illness. It provides reference guides to herbal alternatives with medical International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes. Herbal medicines use plant's seeds or flowers for medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long effective tradition over conventional medicine. This treatment method is now becoming mainstream because of its advantages over traditional medicines. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes since 3000 BC. Herbal medicine is used to treat many conditions, such as allergies, asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, etc. Almost 25 percent of pharmaceutical products use herbals. It is best to take herbal supplements under the guidance of a trained health care provider. Since herbal medicines can potentially interact with prescription medications and may worsen certain medical conditions, be sure to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbs.
The Bud Tender
The book The Bud Tender sheds light on how medical cannabis helps children and people cope with illness. It provides reference guides to herbal alternatives with medical International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes. Herbal medicines use plant's seeds or flowers for medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long effective tradition over conventional medicine. This treatment method is now becoming mainstream because of its advantages over traditional medicines. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes since 3000 BC. Herbal medicine is used to treat many conditions, such as allergies, asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer, etc. Almost 25 percent of pharmaceutical products use herbals. It is best to take herbal supplements under the guidance of a trained health care provider. Since herbal medicines can potentially interact with prescription medications and may worsen certain medical conditions, be sure to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any herbs.
Dairy Products
Emerging evidence indicates that dairy foods and ingredients can influence human health. There is increasing interest around the specific role that particular components within dairy foods, such as fat, protein, and other bioactives, play in health. Dairy fat, although a source of saturated fat, may have neutral or beneficial effects on cardiometabolic and gut health. Further, specific types of fat within dairy fat have been linked with improved metabolic health and immune function, while the amount of milk fat globule membrane enclosing the fat may be important in cardiac and muscular outcomes. Dairy proteins may assist in maintaining skeletal muscle mass, particularly post-exercise. While research into individual dairy components is ongoing, the overall dairy food matrix may offer unique benefits to human health as well. For example, the fermentation process involved in cheese and yoghurt production may enhance the nutritional and functional abilities of these foods. This collection of research articles explores the effects of dairy components on health.]
Magnesium Intake and Human Health
Magnesium is universally recognized as an essential nutrient for human life and health. Indeed, magnesium plays an important physiologic role in every organ of the human body. Disturbances of Mg homeostasis have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several diseases, and Mg supplementation has been evaluated in numerous large-scale clinical trials. The World Health Organization has listed magnesium as among those essential nutrients that are consumed in suboptimal amounts by the general population. In particular, this occurs in Western ("Westernized") countries, where a modest to mild Mg2+ deficiency is thought to be common. The consequences of suboptimal Mg intake are largely unknown. A deeper understanding of the link between magnesium intake, its systemic homeostasis, and human pathophysiology is therefore much needed. Here, we have invited the experts to contribute original research or review articles that may help elucidate the pathophysiology of Mg and its underlying molecular mechanisms.]
Fe Deficiency, Dietary Bioavailbility and Absorption
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately one-third of worldwide infant deaths, and one half in developing countries, can be attributed to malnutrition. More specifically, iron (Fe) deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide and a major cause of infant mortality. Fe deficiency is particularly widespread in low-income countries because of a general lack of consumption of animal products (which can promote non-heme Fe absorption and contain highly bioavailable heme Fe) coupled with a high consumption of a monotonous diet of cereal grains and legumes. Such diets are low in bioavailable Fe due to the presence of phytic acid and certain polyphenols that are inhibitors of Fe bioavailability. Diets with chronically poor Fe bioavailability which result in high prevalence of Fe deficiency and anemia, increase the risk of all-cause child mortalities and also may lead to many pathophysiological consequences including stunted growth, low birth weight, delayed mental development and motor functioning, among others. Thus, a crucial step in alleviating Fe deficiency anemia is through understanding how specific dietary practices and components contribute to the Fe status in a particular region where Fe deficiency is prevalent. The aim of this Special Issue is to report on the recent advances and research developments related to the improvements of dietary Fe bioavailability and absorption in an effort to alleviate dietary Fe deficiency.
Dietary Supplements
We invite you to contribute to a Special Issue of Nutrients, entitled "Dietary Supplements". The purpose of this Special Issue is to advance dietary supplement science by presenting commissioned overviews on four nutrients of particular current interest and controversy: Vitamin D, iodine, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids. To supplement these contributions, we welcome the submission of manuscripts describing original research or providing systematic reviews related to various issues in dietary supplement science. Manuscripts across a broad range of topics will be considered, but we are particularly interested in manuscripts that address the following areas: - Health effects, both positive and negative, of single nutrients, such as vitamin D, iodine, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids, with an emphasis on human studies. - Human clinical trials of dietary supplement use - Motivations for and prevalence of the use of dietary supplements - Mechanisms of action of nutrients and other bioactive components of dietary supplements. - Biomarkers of nutritional status, especially those measured in human samples. - Development and application of analytical tools for the measurement of bioactive components of dietary supplements. - Databases of dietary supplements' composition for use in improving the assessment of nutrient intake and of the exposure to ingredients present in these products in human populations.
Dietary Intake and Behavior in Children
Dietary intake in children is not only associated with current and future health, but also with behavior and learning. Especially during early childhood and throughout the school-age years, adequate food and nutrient intake to support brain development and function are critical. Data on the effect of sugar intake on children's activity levels, or their ability to focus on cognitive tasks, are mixed. Overall, more research into nutrition and children's behavior is needed to address the questions: How does behavior affect children's nutrition and how does nutrition affect children's behavior?
Mental Illness in Children
In this Special Issue of Brain Sciences, we will be discussing "Mental Illness in Children" from a range of perspectives, exploring the prevalence and recognition of mental disorders in children, the types of disorders and approaches to meeting their needs, and the complexity and severity of mental health problems in children. We look to what models of care best respond to children's needs, the identification and management of risk, and the expertise needed to appropriately and effectively intervene when children need mental health care. We will welcome articles describing the range of issues that impact on mental disorder in children; models of intervention implemented and evaluated; new data on prevalence and nature of disorder; and critical reviews on mental health problems and vulnerability. We look forward to your valuable contribution to this Special Issue for this journal.
Superbugs
Antibiotics are powerful drugs that can prevent and treat infections, but they are becoming less effective as a result of drug resistance. Resistance develops because the bacteria that antibiotics target can evolve ways to defend themselves against these drugs. When antibiotics fail, there is very little else to prevent an infection from spreading. Unnecessary use of antibiotics in both humans and animals accelerates the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria, with potentially catastrophic personal and global consequences. Our best defenses against infectious disease could cease to work, surgical procedures would become deadly, and we might return to a world where even small cuts are life-threatening. The problem of drug resistance already kills over one million people across the world every year and has huge economic costs. Without action, this problem will become significantly worse. Following from their work on the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, William Hall, Anthony McDonnell, and Jim O'Neill outline the major systematic failures that have led to this growing crisis. They also provide a set of solutions to tackle these global issues that governments, industry, and public health specialists can adopt. In addition to personal behavioral modifications, such as better handwashing regimens, Superbugs argues for mounting an offense against this threat through agricultural policy changes, an industrial research stimulus, and other broad-scale economic and social incentives.
The 12-Lead Electrocardiogram for Nurses and Allied Professionals
The purpose of this book is to teach nurses and other allied health professionals how to easily and confidently interpret 12-lead electrocardiograms using the principles of pattern recognition. We begin with some basic principles and then move on to more specific clinical topics. Areas covered include right and left bundle branch block as well as the fascicular blocks. A fast and easy way to determine axis deviation is presented. Other topics include chamber enlargement and hypertrophy. There is an elaborate section on coronary artery disease including the patterns associated with myocardial infarction. Numerous rhythm and conduction abnormalities are also examined. Special clinical cases such as pericarditis, Wolff Parkinson White, and permanent pacemaker patterns are also reviewed. All of the topics have a strong clinical correlation. The last section is a ten case review to test the readers knowledge of the fundamental materials presented.
AIDS Between Science and Politics
Peter Piot, founding executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), recounts his experience as a clinician, scientist, and activist fighting the disease from its earliest manifestation to today. The AIDS pandemic was not only catastrophic to the health of millions worldwide but also fractured international relations, global access to new technologies, and public health policies in nations across the globe. As he struggled to get ahead of the disease, Piot found science does little good when it operates independently of politics and economics, and politics is worthless if it rejects scientific evidence and respect for human rights. Piot describes how the epidemic altered global attitudes toward sexuality, the character of the doctor-patient relationship, the influence of civil society in international relations, and traditional partisan divides. AIDS thrust health into national and international politics where, he argues, it rightly belongs. The global reaction to AIDS over the past decade is the positive result of this partnership, showing what can be achieved when science, politics, and policy converge on the ground. Yet it remains a fragile achievement, and Piot warns against complacency and the consequences of reduced investments. He refuses to accept a world in which high levels of HIV infection are the norm. Instead, he explains how to continue to reduce the incidence of the disease to minute levels through both prevention and treatment, until a vaccine is discovered.
Clean
A myth-shattering look at drug abuse and addiction treatment, based on cutting-edge researchAddiction is a preventable, treatable disease, not a moral failing. As with other illnesses, the approaches most likely to work are based on science -- not on faith, tradition, contrition, or wishful thinking. These facts are the foundation of Clean. The existing addiction treatments, including Twelve Step programs and rehabs, have helped some, but they have failed to help many more. To discover why, David Sheff spent time with scores of scientists, doctors, counselors, and addicts and their families, and explored the latest research in psychology, neuroscience, and medicine. In Clean, he reveals how addiction really works, and how we can combat it."A guide for those affected by addiction, but also a manifesto . . . for America as it confronts its drug problem. [Sheff] has performed a vital service by compiling sensible advice on a subject for which sensible advice is in short supply." -- New York Times Book Review"As a journalist, father, and clear-eyed chronicler of addiction, David Sheff is without peer." -- Sanjay Gupta, M.D., chief medical correspondent, CNN
The Putting Patients First Field Guide
"This book answers 'why not' and 'how to' for health care accreditation bodies, quality experts, and frontline professionals, moving the reader from timely information, to inspiration, and through patient-centered action with practical tools and potent case studies." --Paul vanOstenberg, DDS, MS, vice president, Accreditation and Standards, Joint Commission International "This superb guide from Planetree illustrates that providing high-quality, high-value, patient-centered health care is not a theoretical ideal. The case studies make clear that these goals are attainable; they are being achieved by leading health care organizations worldwide, and there is a clear road map for getting there--right here in this book." --Susan Dentzer, senior policy adviser to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation "At IHI, we follow the principle, 'all teach, all learn'--the idea that everyone, everywhere has something to teach, and something to learn. This remarkable and indispensable guide is as pure an example of this principle as I've come across." --Maureen Bisognano, president and chief executive officer, Institute for Healthcare Improvement "The International Society for Quality in Health Care's mission is to inspire, promote, and support continuous improvement in the quality and safety of health care worldwide. It is in this spirit that we welcome this new book on patient-centered care. As in their previous work, the authors demonstrate just how critical it is to develop an organizational culture that puts patients first." --Peter Carter, chief executive officer, International Society for Quality in Health Care
Ten Lessons in Public Health
A riveting personal tale of the rise of public health.There are occasions when a story told from a personal viewpoint can illuminate a profession. Alfred Sommer's epidemiological memoir is such a book. Adventurous, illuminating, and thought provoking, Ten Lessons in Public Health is more than the story of one man's work. It tells the tale of how epidemiology grew into global health. The book is organized around ten lessons Sommer learned as his career took him around the world, and within these lessons he explains how the modern era of public health research was born. Three themes emerge from Sommer's story: the duty to help your fellow human beings by traveling to places where there are problems; the knowledge that data-driven research is the key to improving public health; and the need to persevere with sensitivity and strength when science and cultural or sociological forces clash. Nothing in this compelling, sometimes controversial, history is glossed over, as the book's goal is to explain when and why public health efforts triumph or fail. Readers will travel to Bangladesh, Iran, Indonesia, South America, and the Caribbean, where they will learn about spreading epidemics, the aftermath of storms, and vexing epidemiological problems. Sommer reveals the inner politics of world health decisions and how difficult it can be to garner support for new solutions. Triumph, tragedy, frustration, and elation await those who set off on careers in public health, and Ten Lessons in Public Health is destined to become a classic book that puts the field into perspective.
Transforming Health Markets in Asia and Africa
There has been a dramatic spread of health markets in much of Asia and Africa over the past couple of decades. This has substantially increased the availability of health-related goods and services in all but the most remote localities, but it has created problems with safety, efficiency and cost. This book documents the problems associated with unregulated health markets and presents innovative approaches that have emerged to address them.
Master the Physician Assisant National Recertifying Exam
Peterson's Master the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam (PANRE) contains essential exam review tips and helps build important test-taking skills for physician assistants to score high, be recertified, and continue their professional careers. The guide provides: One full-length practice test with comprehensive answer explanations Extensive references to boost your knowledge of areas outside your clinical specialization Peterson's Master the Physician Assistant National Recertifying Exam (PANRE) offers crucial test-prep strategies and exam reviews for physician assistants to maintain or regain their certification by taking the PANRE. This essential guide features hundreds of practice questions with detailed answer explanations about: anatomy/physiology, bleeding disorders, CDC prevention isolation guidelines, dementia, HIV and AIDS, immune system, liver function, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, multiple sclerosis, obstetrics/gynecology, pharmacology, and surgical terminology. Every six years, all PAs must take and pass the PANRE exam to maintain their certification to practice medicine. Prepare for the comprehensive assessment of a practicing physician assistant's accumulated professional skills and knowledge base by reviewing the materials in this thorough user-friendly test-prep guide.
Humane Medicine
Despite its impressive achievements, modern medicine still seems to have failed to satisfy public expectations. Government regulation of hospitals and doctors is tightening in most Western countries. Health funding is a divisive political issue. In the United States especially, medical litigation has reached alarming levels. Is there something wrong with medical research and practice? This 1995 book examines what doctors do, and what patients expect them to do. It finds that in the face of uncertainty, expectation and reality often diverge. Starting from the communication difficulties that exist between doctors and patients, Humane Medicine explores the roles of science, ethics and the humanities in medical practice. It argues that more science cannot heal this rift, nor can better education in ethics. To foster better communication, medical teachers must ensure that value-laden issues in clinical medicine are interwoven with the necessary science. Professor Little outlines some possible ways to achieve this.
Gametes - The Spermatozoon
This volume, and its companion volume on the oocyte, provide a wide-ranging analysis of the gametes and their reproductive role in humans. The authors give a detailed account of the spermatozoon that includes particularly helpful information on male infertility and its treatment. The book starts with an evolutionary perspective before focusing on the molecular and cellular biology of the sperm cell and its structure and function. It describes the development and maturation of sperm and their movement and transport in the male and female genital tract. It also covers practical issues such as sperm storage and assisted contraception. This volume will be an essential source of information for all clinicians and scientists with an interest in human reproduction.
Behavior Theory in Health Promotion Practice & Research
Grounded in public health practice, this text offers a comprehensive study of the health behavior theories that are the foundation of all health education and promotion programs. Your students will come away with a clear understanding of essential relationships between human behavior and health, as well as the practical application of theory and approaches to health promotion research and practice. Designed for graduates or upper level undergraduates, the book maintains a consistent, single voice and offers many examples throughout. Contents: Section I. Theory in Context: 1. Health Behavior in the Context of Public Health 2. A Social Ecological Perspective 3. Theories of Motivation and Behavior: A Brief History and Contemporary Perspectives Section II. Cognitive and Social Theories of Motivation and Behavior 4. Expectancy Value Models 5. Operant Conditioning, Self-Regulation, and Social Cognitive Theory 6. Social Influence Theory: The Effects of Social Factors on Health Behavior 7. Diffusion of Innovations Theory Section III. Behavior Change Theories 8. Learning, Teaching, and Counseling 9. Self-Determination Theory and Motivational Interviewing 10. Stage Models 11. Health Communication and Social Marketing 12. Communities and Health Promotion
Public Health Ethics
Public health ethics is a discipline concerned with the health of the public or a population as a whole, rather than focusing on the individual. This book introduces a number of this new field's central concepts and explores the key and controversial issues arising. Topics covered include the nature of public health ethics, the concepts of disease and prevention, risk and precaution, health inequalities and justice, screening, vaccination and disease control, smoking and issues relating to the environment and public health. With insightful contributions from leading experts, Public Health Ethics presents thought-provoking reviews of these topics, at the same time as encouraging and identifying areas for future discussion in this emerging discipline. This is a valuable addition to the library of anyone working in the fields of public health, health policy, ethics, philosophy and social science.
Getting into Medical School
Applying to medical school has become increasingly competitive, with greater numbers of students applying every year. Applicants must take every available opportunity to make themselves stand out amongst the competition if they want to have a chance of getting into the school of their choice. Secrets of Success: Getting into Medical School is written for all potential medical students and is intended to guide applicants on making the right choices in choosing schools and optimizing their performance in the application process.
Get Through MRCPCH Part 1
Get Through MRCPCH Part 1: BOFs and EMQs is an essential revision tool for candidates preparing for the MRCPCH Part 1 examination. This easy to read and comprehensive text has been written in response to changes in the MRCPCH entry criteria and contains 500 questions using the Best of Fives (BOFs) or Extended Matching Questions (EMQs) format.Get Through MRCPCH Part 1: BOFs and EMQs is an invaluable guide for paediatricians in training, those preparing for postgraduate examinations and for paediatricians wishing to update their knowledge.The author, Nagi Barakat, is a Consultant Paediatrician at Hillingdon Hospital, Uxbridge and Honorary Consultant, Paediatric Neurology Department, at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, London, UK, and has previously authored several highly successful MRCPCH examination guides.
International Health and Aid Policies
International health and aid policies of the past two decades have had a major impact on the delivery of care in low and middle-income countries. This book argues that these policies have often failed to achieve their main aims, and have in fact contributed to restricted access to family medicine and hospital care. Presenting detailed evidence, and illustrated by case studies, this book describes how international health policies to date have largely resulted in expensive health care for the rich, and disjointed and ineffective services for the poor. As a result, large segments of the population world-wide continue to suffer from unnecessary casualties, pain and impoverishment. International Health and Aid Policies arms health professionals, researchers and policy makers with strategies that will enable them to bridge the gaps between public health, medicine and health policy in order to support robust, comprehensive and accessible health care systems in any political environment.
Get Through Medical School
Medical schools are rapidly adopting the popular style of Single Best Answers (SBAs), Best of Fives (BOFs) and Extended Matching Questions (EMQs). This unique and up-to-date book contains over 1000 clinically relevant questions, a selection of SBAs/BOFs an EMQs - the essential aid for every medical student. No need to spend time reading through several textbooks, everything you need is here in one place. Questions are presented to include typical scenarios you will encounter as a Junior Doctor and covers the core curriculum subjects: Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Paediatrics. Since the first edition was published, Get Through Medical School has been a bestselling revision book for medical students. Retaining the classic question types - SBAs/BOFs and EMQs, this second edition benefits from a host of new questions and a great deal more explanatory information within the answers. Written by Seema Khan MBBS MRCS MRCGP DRCOG, who has first hand experience of preparing for and taking this format of exam, Get Through Medical School, second edition is a valuable revision book for all candidates preparing for medical school exams and an equally useful tool to help Foundation Doctors prepare for managing patients.
The Case Against Fluoride
When the U.S. Public Health Service endorsed water fluoridation in 1950, there was little evidence of its safety. Now, six decades later and after most countries have rejected the practice, more than 70 percent of Americans, as well as 200 million people worldwide, are drinking fluoridated water. The Center for Disease Control and the American Dental Association continue to promote it--and even mandatory statewide water fluoridation--despite increasing evidence that it is not only unnecessary, but potentially hazardous to human health. In this timely and important book, Dr. Paul Connett, Dr. James Beck, and Dr. H. Spedding Micklem take a new look at the science behind water fluoridation and argue that just because the dental and medical establishments endorse a public health measure doesn't mean it's safe. In the case of water fluoridation, the chemicals that go into the drinking water that more than 180 million people drink each day are not even pharmaceutical grade, but rather a hazardous waste product of the phosphate fertilizer industry. It is illegal to dump this waste into the sea or local surface water, and yet it is allowed in our drinking water. To make matters worse, this program receives no oversight from the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency takes no responsibility for the practice. And from an ethical standpoint, say the authors, water fluoridation is a bad medical practice: individuals are being forced to take medication without their informed consent, there is no control over the dose, and no monitoring of possible side effects. At once painstakingly documented and also highly readable, The Case Against Fluoride brings new research to light, including links between fluoride and harm to the brain, bones, and endocrine system, and argues that the evidence that fluoridation reduces tooth decay is surprisingly weak.
Patient Empowerment Guide and Journal
The agency that accredits hospitals typically informs facilities that they are coming for a visit in advance. This allows administrators to have time to staff the units appropriately and clean the areas for inspection. It has been my observation that this agency rarely makes surprise visits. Hospitals spend billions of dollars lobbying our government to keep healthcare from being regulated. This means no one is watching how they take care of you or your loved one. This guide will help inform you of how to protect yourself from negligence, hospital-acquired infections, inflated billing, and possible wrongful death. It will assist you in understanding various tests, scans, procedures, and medical language. You need to protect yourself by always asking questions and documenting everything. Take charge of your healthcare. Remember that without you, they would be out of business. You do have choices. If you do not approve of the care that is being provided inform the chief nursing officer, case manager, and social worker. Do not settle for substandard care. Have you or your loved ones ever been a patient in the hospital or a nursing home? Have you found yourself agreeing with whatever test or procedure the physician orders only to feel frustrated due to lack of understanding of the purpose for the test? Have you felt as if your healthcare providers are speaking a different language? Patient Empowerment Guide and Journal provides you with the tools that you will need to understand the various tests, scans, procedures, and medical language that is used by your healthcare providers. It includes a written legal journal of what, when, and how activities should be performed. This guide will assist you in reducing the possibility of a hospital-acquired infection, give you a greater understanding of the tests and procedures that are being prescribed for you, and possibly protect your life.
Medical Charting Demystified
Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product.The CLEAR and ACCURATE way to navigate MEDICAL CHARTINGTrying to chart a course through the complex task of keeping patient records? Here's your lifeline! Medical Charting Demystified gives you the tools you need to prepare and update both computerized and written charts.You'll learn about chart components, what to write in a chart, and how to correct errors. Medical Charting Demystified covers entering vital signs, assessments, test results, medications, procedures, patient care plans, and more. Details on the legal aspects of medical charting, including confidentiality, HIPAA, malpractice, and informed consent, are also included. Hundreds of examples and illustrations make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce learning.This fast and easy guide offers: Coverage of the five common charting systems--narrative, problem-oriented, problem-intervention-evaluation, FOCUS, and charting by exceptionDetails on the MAR and the KARDEXAn overview of computer charting softwareA time-saving approach to performing better on an exam or at workSimple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Medical Charting Demystified is your key to mastering this vital nursing skill.
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
A companion to Textbook of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Fifth Edition, this volume allows students to learn, revise and test themselves on all aspects of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. The book contains a variety of question types, ensuring relevance to all UK medical schools, with MCQs, EMQs, "best of fives," and problem-solving questions. Detailed explanatory answers follow the questions. Topics covered included the nervous, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, alimentary, and endocrine systems. Clinical immunopharmacology, the skin and the eye, and clinical toxicology are also covered.
Economic Consequences of Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries in the Russian Federation
There is increasing evidence of the two-way relationship between health and economic growth: while economic development can lead to improved population health, a healthier population can also drive economic growth. Although this finding has important policy implications, little is known about its direct relevance for the transition countries in central and eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States that are facing a very particular health challenge, predominantly posed by noncommunicable diseases (NCD) and injuries.This study takes a first step towards analyzing the issue. The focus is on the Russian Federation, although the findings are also relevant to other transitional economies. Two important questions are examined: - What effect has adult ill-health, in particular NCD and injuries, had on the Russian economy and the economic outcomes of the people living there?- If the excessive burden of adult ill-health in the Russian Federation were reduced, what economic benefits could result?The answers are unambiguous: poor adult health negatively affects economic wellbeing at both the individual and household levels in the Russian Federation; and, if effective action were taken, improved health would play an important role in sustaining high economic growth rates.
Handbook of Disaster and Emergency Policies and Institutions
Hygiene Promotion
Indispensable for fieldworkers on projects or programmes aiming to reduce the incidence of water-and sanitation-related diseases, it will also be useful for other relief and development workers, particularly those working in the fields of community development, health, and engineering
