Audiology India (Non-Governmental Organization): Background, Mission, and Accomplishments

Hearing loss is a global health concern, particularly in the low- and middle-income countries. Some of the reasons for this include, higher prevalence of hearing loss in these countries, lack of adequate awareness on hearing loss and its consequences, limited access to hearing care services to in suburban/rural areas, and high cost of such services. To make matters worse, health care services provided by the government in developing countries such as India are limited, and services provided by for-profit institutions are expensive. Therefore, there is a need for other stakeholders (e.g., non-governmental organizations) to bridge this service gap. In this paper, we introduce Audiology India (AI) to readers, an organization that is striving to improve ear and hearing health care services in India. We begin this paper by providing an overview of the current status of hearing care services in India. Next, we describe the background of AI, its mission, and accomplishments. Briefly, the goals of AI are: (a) to provide community-based hearing care services to individuals with no access to mainstream ear-care; (b) to conduct campaigns to raise public awareness about hearing loss and avenues for its prevention; (c) to carry out need-based research to continuously fine-tune our services and advance audiology in India; and (d) to offer consultancy services related to ear and hearing care.

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Utilization of AYUSH in public health care system: a review

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20192351 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (6) ◽

pp. 2730 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chithra Boovaragasamy ◽

Seetharaman Narayanan

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Scale Up ◽

Public Health Care ◽

Health Coverage ◽

Medical Subject Headings ◽

Care Services ◽

Mesh Terms ◽

The Government

India is currently facing shortage of trained health workforce, especially in rural areas. WHO recommends mainstreaming of Complementary & Traditional systems of medicine as an affordable & culturally acceptable way towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Despite the Government of India operating AYUSH clinics in PHCs for more than 10 years, we know very little about patients attending these clinics. Exploring the reasons for utilization of AYUSH care is of much value for planning to scale up the integration of AYUSH. The required information on utilization of AYUSH services were obtained through a review of the literature in PubMed databases (including MEDLINE) using the medical subject headings (MeSH) terms: ‘AYUSH’, ‘utilization’, ‘Ayurveda’, ‘Siddha’, ‘Homeopathy’, ‘morbidities’. All such studies which have focussed on profiling of patients who sought care in AYUSH were the individuals who have non–life-threatening chronic diseases or conditions. To improve AYUSH based health care services, it is imperative to understand the acceptability of AYUSH interventions among the general public for the utmost utilization of AYUSH services.

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A Socio-ecological Framing of the Philippine Mental Health Act of 2017

Spectrum ◽

10.29173/spectrum18 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Josiah Michael Villareal De Los Santos ◽

Sonya Jakubec

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Mental Health Care ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Population Level ◽

Case Review ◽

Care Services ◽

Barriers To Implementation ◽

Sphere Of Influence

Filipinos experience numerous barriers to mental health care in their country, such as stigmatization ofillness and behaviours, lack of mental health care services, and resource deficits. The Philippine MentalHealth Act of 2017 was formed to resolve these issues and is in its early stages of implementation.Legislation and policy interventions of this nature are but one level of many interventions that can addresshealth care at a population level. The influence of this legislation for different levels of society is analyzed inorder to understand the different barriers and alternatives to its implementation. Solutions suggested in thelegislation, such as addressing lack of accessibility in rural areas, creating liaisons between different levelsof mental health care, and educating the population regarding mental health, are explored for their effects ondifferent spheres, or levels, of influence. The comprehensiveness of the legislation to address the needs ofmental health service users are highlighted, as are barriers to implementation that inhibit the realization ofpractical strategies. This policy case review and analysis informs program development by highlighting thestrengths and weaknesses aligned to the legislative articles’ target sphere of influence and the population.

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Improving Access to Radiology Health Care Services in Rural Areas of Developing Nations through a Secure Web Based Teleradiology Steganographic Method

International Journal of Computer Science Issues ◽

10.20943/01201701.8795 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 87-95

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Developing Nations ◽

Web Based ◽

Care Services

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Prison Health as Public Health in Ontario Corrections

Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being ◽

10.35502/jcswb.122 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 19

Author(s):

Yoko Murphy ◽

Howard Sapers

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Care Needs ◽

Term Care ◽

Care Services ◽

Prison Health ◽

Independent Review ◽

Recent Reform ◽

The Government

The majority of incarcerated individuals in Canada, and especially in Ontario provincial correctional institutions, are released into the community after a short duration in custody. Adult correctional populations have generally poor health, including a heightened prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders. There are legal and ethical obligations to address health care needs of incarcerated individuals, and also public health benefits from ensuring adequate, appropriate, and accessible health services to individuals in custody. The Independent Review of Ontario Corrections recommended the transformation of health care in Ontario provincial corrections in 2017, including transferring health service responsibilities to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The Correctional Services and Reintegration Act, 2018, would affirm the provincial government’s obligation to provide patient-centred, equitable health care services for individuals in custody. We encourage the Government of Ontario to proclaim the Act and continue the momentum of recent reform efforts in Ontario.

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THE HEALTH-CARE NEEDS AMONG OLDER PERSONS IN AN INDONESIAN URBAN SETTING

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research ◽

10.22159/ajpcr.2017.v10i7.18300 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 233

Author(s):

Setiawan E ◽

Poedjibudojo J K ◽

Tondok Ms

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Older Persons ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Capital City ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Health Care Needs ◽

Care Needs ◽

Care Services ◽

Unmet Health Care Needs ◽

The Government

Objective: The unmet health-care needs among older persons population should be identified and anticipated due to hideous potential impacts. Ironically, no published study regarding this phenomenon was found in Indonesia. Derived from the Indonesian population and civil data, this study was conducted to identify the health-care needs of urban older people living on Java Island, the most populated island in Indonesia.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 3 subdistricts in Surabaya, the capital city of East Java, namely, Rungkut, Kenjeran, and Tenggilis. There were 9 focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted during March-August 2015. Participants in this study were recruited purposively, i.e., person in charge of “Karang Werda,” and the discussion explored thematically various topics in the area of unmet health needs phenomena related to: (1) Availability, (2) accessibility, and (3) acceptability. A FGD guide was developed to ensure in-depth discussion.Results: There were 90 older persons serving as volunteers who participated in this study. The unmet health-care needs addressed by participants in this study were (1) Integrated and specialized health-care services for older persons and (2) skillful yet age-friendly health-care personnel were needed by participants. Our findings pointed out that the unmet health-care needs in Indonesian urban settings were classified as primarily availability, accessibility, and acceptability issues.Conclusion: The government needs to take actions to solve the challenges related to the fulfillment of health-care needs among older persons in Indonesia. Further study of the health care personnel’s beliefs and attitudes in providing care among older persons needs to be conducted to provide a more holistic picture of the phenomena before making any strategy for the future Indonesia’s health-care system.

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Innovation in ICT-Based Health Care Provision

International Journal of Healthcare Information Systems and Informatics ◽

10.4018/jhisi.2011040102 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 14-27 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Synnøve Thomassen Andersen ◽

Arild Jansen

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Innovation Process ◽

Care Provision ◽

Power Structures ◽

Mobile Phone Technology ◽

Existing Structures ◽

Care Services ◽

Decentralized Model

This paper describes a project redesigning psychiatric services for children and adolescents, introducing a new decentralized model into the ordinary structures of health care services in rural areas in Norway by using mobile phone technology. The authors apply a multilayer and dialectic perspective in the analysis of the innovation process that created the ICT solution that supports this treatment model. The salient challenges of the project were related to the contradictions between the existing, dominant power structures and the emergent structures in the different layers of the design structures. As a result of the development process, a new model emerged with a larger potential for creating a new innovation path than if it had been linked to existing structures. This paper contributes to the understanding of how user-driven innovation can break with existing power structures through focusing on different layers in the change processes.

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Promoting Health in Rural India: Enhancing Job Performance of Lay Health Care Activists

IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review ◽

10.1177/2277975219857411 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 226-242 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jatin Pandey ◽

Manjari Singh ◽

Biju Varkkey ◽

Dileep Mavalankar

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Job Performance ◽

Community Health ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Rural India ◽

Community Health Care ◽

Care Services ◽

Care Workers

The health of people in a nation is a potential indicator of its development. Over and above that, the job performance of people involved in the delivery and facilitation of health care services within a nation reflects the actual health conditions in it. In developing countries, where a large chunk of the population lives in rural areas, the job performance of grass-roots health care workers gains significant importance in order to ensure effective and efficient delivery of health care services to the masses and marginalized communities. The present study takes the case of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in difficult rural areas of India to identify factors that affect their job performance and suggests interventions through which it could be enhanced. Fifty-five ASHAs were interviewed and five focused group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Additionally, triangulation was done by interviewing other stakeholders, while studying relevant documents. Through content analysis of these interviews and documents, this study identifies the demands, resources and stressors that affect the job performance of these important intermediaries in the health care supply chain (in the Indian context). The study also suggests policy-level decisions that could help in enhancing job performance of ASHAs by managing demands, increasing resources and reducing stressors. Key Messages We have developed a model that delineates the demands, resources and stressors that affect job performance of women workers in rural India. We have studied Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) who are part of community health care sector. However, our findings are applicable to a wider set of similar job roles. We have studied the nuances of factors affecting job performance for a category of community health care workers who are not full-time employees, have received minimal training and work in close proximity of their residence in a closely knit society. We have looked at job performance of ASHAs who are women community health workers, with low educational qualifications, based in rural setting of a developing country. We have recommended policy implications that would aid in enhancing the performance of ASHAs and thus improve the health care situation in rural India.

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Factors affecting access to primary health care services for persons with disabilities in rural areas: a “best-fit” framework synthesis

Global Health Research and Policy ◽

10.1186/s41256-018-0091-x ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ebenezer Dassah ◽

Heather Aldersey ◽

Mary Ann McColl ◽

Colleen Davison

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Persons With Disabilities ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Care Services ◽

Primary Health ◽

Primary Health Care Services ◽

Best Fit ◽

Best Fit Framework Synthesis

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Postdischarge Adverse Events Among Patients Who Received Home Health Care Services

Home Health Care Management & Practice ◽

10.1177/1084822319856004 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 257-262

Author(s):

Dennis Tsilimingras ◽

Liying Zhang ◽

Askar Chukmaitov

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Health Care ◽

Patient Safety ◽

Adverse Events ◽

Home Health Care ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Home Health ◽

Health Concern ◽

Care Services ◽

Safety Research

Adverse events that occur in urban and rural adults during the posthospitalization period have become a major public health concern. However, postdischarge adverse events for patients receiving home health care have been understudied. The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence and risk factors associated with postdischarge adverse events for patients who received home health care services. We analyzed data from a prospective cohort study that was conducted among patients who were hospitalized in the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital from December 2011 to October 2012. Telephone interviews were conducted by trained nurses who contacted patients within 4 weeks after discharge. Physicians reviewed cases with possible adverse events that were triaged by the nurses. The adverse events that were identified were categorized as preventable, ameliorable, and nonpreventable/nonameliorable. Nearly 39% of 85 patients who received home health care experienced postdischarge adverse events that were predominantly preventable or ameliorable. The associated risk factors were living alone (odds ratio [OR] = 7.860, p = .020), insured by Medicare or Medicaid (OR = 6.402, p = .048), type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR = 6.323, p = .004), pneumonia (OR = 5.504, p = .004), and other infections (OR = 4.618, p = .031). This study was able to identify that nearly one in every two patients who received home health care after hospital discharge experienced an adverse event. Patient safety research needs to focus in the home by developing specific interventions to avert adverse events and improve patient safety during the delivery of home health care services.

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