scholarly journals Characteristics of patients visiting naturopathic practitioners for maternal and reproductive health

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Steel ◽  
H Foley ◽  
J Schloss ◽  
R Redmond
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Postnatal Care ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
World Health ◽  
Stepwise Logistic Regression ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Health Concerns ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World

Abstract Background Naturopathy, recognised by the World Health Organisation as a European traditional medicine system, is practiced in every world region. Patients in countries where naturopathy is practiced visit a naturopathic practitioner for a range of health concerns including maternal and reproductive health; recognised as a global health priority area. This study aims to examine the characteristics of patients visiting naturopathic practitioners for their maternal and reproductive health concerns, and the clinical care provided by naturopathic practitioners to those patients. Methods An international cross-sectional survey of typical naturopathic practices and their associated patients, conducted in naturopathic clinics in 14 countries and 4 world regions. Naturopathic practitioners(n = 54) were invited to prospectively complete an online survey for up to 20 consecutive cases within the study period. Univariate relationships were examined through chi-square tests. Backwards stepwise logistic regression was employed to explore the characteristics most likely to be associated with individuals visiting a naturopath for maternal and reproductive health. Results Naturopathic practitioners provided data for 852 patients, with 43 (5.0%) visiting a naturopath for maternal and reproductive health concerns such as fertility (54.8%), pregnancy (26.2%), preconception health (11.9%), and lactation, breastfeeding or other postnatal care (7.1%). The regression analysis indicates the practitioners are more likely to prescribe acupuncture (OR 2.71, p<.001) and more likely to identify gynecological (OR 4.31, p<.001) or endocrine (OR 3.30, p=.01) systems as important in the management of the health of these patients. Conclusions Individuals are accessing naturopathic practitioners for maternal and reproductive health. An examination of the motivations influencing this population to access naturopathic care and the outcomes of this care is urgently needed. Key messages Naturopathic practitioners throughout the world are being visited for assistance with maternal and reproductive health issues including fertility, pregnancy, preconception and postnatal care. Naturopathic practitioners are prescribing acupuncture, as well as a wide range of other treatments, for maternal and reproductive health issues.

scholarly journals Comparison of Road Noise Policies across Australia, Europe, and North America

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
Maxime Perna ◽  
Thomas Padois ◽  
Christopher Trudeau ◽  
Edda Bild ◽  
Josée Laplace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Road Traffic ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Road Noise ◽  
Common Basis ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Different Levels

Developing innovative noise policies that build on international best practices is difficult when policies around the world differ along many dimensions, ranging from different sources covered to different levels of governance involved. This is particularly critical in the context of road traffic, identified as one of the main culprits leading to noise-associated complaints and health issues. In this article, we document the wide range of specifications observed in road traffic policies and propose a methodology to compare noise limits across noise policies. First, we present the responsibilities of administrative governments according to the scope (e.g., emission vs. exposure). Second, we compare noise limits by scope and geographic areas by separating acoustic indicators (overall and event indicators). Third, we convert overall outdoor noise limits into a common basis using the method described by Brink and his associates (2018) and compare them with the World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommendations (2018). Finally, measurement protocols are also compared across outdoor noise policies. This paper shows that road noise is managed at several administrative levels using approaches that are either centralized or decentralized. We also observed disparities in the associated noise limits across geographic areas. The converted outdoor noise limits generally exceeded the WHO’s recommendations (2018). Finally, this paper outlines how outdoor measurement protocols vary across geographic areas. However, similarities were identified between state and provincial noise policies within the same country.

Healthcare apps on smartphones available in Brazil: a preliminary classification (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
André De Faria Pereira Neto ◽  
Leticia Barbosa ◽  
Rodolfo Paolucci
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Disease Process ◽  
World Health ◽  
Computing Device ◽  
Care Treatment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Applications

UNSTRUCTURED Billions of people in the world own a smartphone. It is a low-cost, portable computing device with countless features, among which applications stand out, which are programs or software developed to meet a specific goal. A wide range of applications available ranging from entertainment and personal organization to work and education is available currently. It is a vast and profitable market. Health applications have been a means of intervention for different areas, including chronic diseases, epidemics, and health emergencies. A recently published paper in the journal with the highest impact factor in Digital Health (“Journal of Medical Internet Research”) proposes a classification of health applications. This study performs a critical analysis of this organization and presents other sort criteria. This paper also presents and analyzes the “Meu Info Saúde” (“My Health Info”) app – a pioneering government initiative focused on primary care launched by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. The application classification proposal that will be presented builds on the intervention strategies in the health-disease process, namely: “Health Promotion”, “Disease Prevention” and “Care, Treatment and Rehabilitation”, as defined by official documents such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most applications present in the sample are of private and foreign origin, free to download, but with a display of ads or the sale of products and services. The sampled applications were classified as “Health Promotion”, and some applications have also been categorized as “Disease Prevention” or “Care, Treatment or Rehabilitation” because they have multiple functionalities. The applications identified as “Health Promotion” focused only on individuals’ lifestyle and their increased autonomy and self-care management capacity. From this perspective, the apps analyzed in this paper differ from the “Meu Info-Saúde” application developed at Fiocruz.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown Measures on Quality of Life among Italian General Population

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Stella Epifanio ◽  
Federica Andrei ◽  
Giacomo Mancini ◽  
Francesca Agostini ◽  
Marco Andrea Piombo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
World Health Organization Quality ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the world in the year 2020 has put a strain on our ability to cope with events and revolutionized our daily habits. On 9 March, Italy was forced to lockdown to prevent the spread of the infection, with measures including the mandatory closure of schools and nonessential activities, travel restrictions, and the obligation to spend entire weeks in the same physical space. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on quality of life (QoL) in a large Italian sample, in order to investigate possible differences in QoL levels related to both demographic and pandemic-specific variables. A total of 2251 Italian adults (1665 women, mainly young and middle adults) were recruited via a snowball sampling strategy. Participants were requested to answer to an online survey, which included demographic and COVID-related information items, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The results showed statistically significant differences in QoL depending on a number of variables, including sex, area of residence in Italy, and being diagnosed with a medical/psychiatric condition. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess QoL during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, therefore the present findings can offer guidelines regarding which social groups are more vulnerable of a decline in QoL and would benefit of psychological interventions.

scholarly journals Building evidence on what works (and what does not): practical guidance from the World Health Organization on post-project evaluation of adolescent sexual and reproductive health projects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Igras ◽  
Marina Plesons ◽  
Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Project Evaluation ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
What Works ◽  
The World ◽  
Practical Guidance ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Over the past 25 years, there has been significant progress in increasing the recognition of, resources for, and action on adolescent health, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) in particular. As with numerous other health areas, however, many of the projects that aim to improve ASRH are implemented without well-thought-out plans for evaluation. As a result, the lessons that projects learn as they encounter and address policy and programmatic challenges are often not extracted and placed in the public arena. In such cases, post-project evaluation (PPE) offers the possibility to generate learnings about what works (and does not work), to complement prospective studies of new or follow-on projects. To fill the gap in the literature and guidance on PPE, the World Health Organization developed The project has ended, but we can still learn from it! Practical guidance for conducting post-project evaluations of adolescent sexual and reproductive health projects. This article provides an overview of the guidance by outlining key methodological and contextual challenges in conducting PPE, as well as illustrative solutions for responding to them.

scholarly journals The WHO European health for all database

2003 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
World Health ◽  
Health Statistics ◽  
Regional Office ◽  
International Context ◽  
Health Trends ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
European Health ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Situation

The European health for all database provides easy and rapid access to a wide range of basic health statistics (indicators) for the 51 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. It was developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe in the mid 1980s to support the monitoring of health trends in the Region. The database is a helpful tool for international comparison and for assessing the health situation and trends in any European country in an international context.

scholarly journals Roles and challenges of family physicians in Uganda: A qualitative study

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Innocent K. Besigye ◽  
Jude Onyango ◽  
Fred Ndoboli ◽  
Vincent Hunt ◽  
Cynthia Haq ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Family Physicians ◽  
World Health ◽  
World Health Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Report ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
The World

Background: The World Health report (2008), the World Health Assembly (2009) and the Declaration of Astana (2018) acknowledge the significant contribution of family physicians (FPs) in clinical and primary healthcare. Given the lack of resources and low numbers of FPs coupled with the contextual nature of family medicine (FM), the scope of practice of African FPs is likely to differ from that of colleagues in America and Europe. Thus, this study explored the roles of Ugandan FPs and the challenges they face.Methods: This cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews with FPs who are working in Uganda. Participants who work in public and private healthcare systems including non-governmental organisations and in all geographical regions were purposively selected. Interviews were conducted from July 2016 to June 2017. Qualitative thematic content analysis of the transcripts was performed using a framework approach.Results: The study team identified three and six thematic roles and challenges, respectively, from the interview transcripts. The roles were clinician, leadership and teaching and learning. Challenges included lack of common identity, low numbers of FPs, conflicting roles, unrealistic expectations, poor organisational infrastructure and lack of incentives.Conclusion: The major roles of FPs in Uganda are similar to those of their counterparts in other parts of the world. Family physicians provide clinical care for patients, including preventive and curative services; providing leadership, management and mentorship to clinical teams; and teaching and learning. However, their roles are exercised differently as a result of lack of proper institutionalisation of FM within the Uganda health system. Family physicians in Uganda have found many opportunities to contribute to healthcare leadership, education and service, but have not yet found a stable niche within the healthcare system.

scholarly journals A mixed-method exploration into the experience of members of the FAO/WHO International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN): study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e027091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Joseph Savelli ◽  
Céu Mateus
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Global Network ◽  
World Health ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Phase 3 ◽  
Medicine Research ◽  
The World

IntroductionThe International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) is a global network of national food safety authorities from 188 countries, managed jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), which facilitates the rapid exchange of information during food safety related events. The proposed research will interrogate INFOSAN in order to describe and explore the experiences of members and better understand the role of the network in mitigating the burden of foodborne illness around the world.MethodsExamined through a community of practice lens, a three-phase research design will combine quantitative and qualitative methods (including website analytics in phase 1, online survey administration in phase 2 and semistructured interviews in phase 3) to elicit a broad and deep understanding of the network operation and member experiences.AnalysisIn phases 1 and 2, quantitative data collected from the INFOSAN Community website and the online questionnaires will be analysed using descriptive summary statistics. In phase 3, interpretative phenomenological analysis will be used to engage in a dialogue with study participants to explore and describe their lived experiences regarding participation in activities related to INFOSAN. An important aspect of the overall analysis will be triangulation of the information collected from each phase, including quantitative indicators and qualitative value stories, in order to provide a robust understanding of member experience.Ethics and disseminationThis study has undergone ethical review and has received approval from Lancaster University’s Faculty of Health and Medicine Research Ethics Committee, as well as the ethics review committee of the WHO. Findings from the study will be disseminated as a PhD thesis submitted to Lancaster University. In addition, results of the research shall be submitted for publication to relevant academic or professional conferences and journals or other media, including books or websites.

Understanding Client Empowerment: An Online Survey of Social Workers Serving People with Mental Health Issues

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jialiang Cui ◽  
Limin Mao ◽  
Grenville Rose ◽  
Christy E Newman
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mental Health Issues ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract This study explored how social workers located in Sydney and Hong Kong conceptualised client empowerment. Further, it investigated these professionals’ perceived facilitators and barriers to their empowerment practices, based on an ecological framework. A cross-sectional online survey was used, where the original Empowerment Scale for clients with mental health issues was adapted to measure conceptualisation of client empowerment from social workers’ perspectives. Eighty-three social workers serving people with mental health issues (MHIs) in Sydney and eighty in Hong Kong responded. A two-factor model was generated suggesting that practitioners tend to conceptualise client empowerment into two aspects: a relation-based dimension and a resource-oriented one. Compared with their Sydney counterparts, the Hong Kong practitioners considered resource-oriented empowerment as more integral to client empowerment (t(161) = 4.17, p < 0.001). Several key factors were found to be independently associated with endorsement of the two-factor client-empowerment model by practitioners: perceived less support from medical specialists but more support from teams serving the same client, perceived benefits of social work training and, finally, beliefs in the importance of social workers’ role in client empowerment. The study highlights the multiple dimensions of client empowerment and a wide range of inter-professional and sociostructural factors enabling social workers’ practices that support empowerment. Our paper highlights the role of professional empowerment as a stepping stone to enable their client-empowerment practices through policy support and inter-professional collaboration.

scholarly journals Willingness of Nigerian residents to disclose COVID-19 symptoms and take COVID-19 test

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Oladoyin ◽  
Oluyemi Okunlola ◽  
Oluwaseyi Israel ◽  
Demilade Ibirongbe ◽  
Joy Osifo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Predicting Factors ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Willingness To Disclose ◽  
The World ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractBackgroundAn understanding of willingness of people to disclose coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms and take the COVID-19 test will help provide important insight for motivators towards the self-surveillance and testing strategies recommended by the World Health Organization to curtail and halt the transmission of COVID-19.ObjectivesThis study assessed willingness to disclose symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and willingness to take COVID-19 test as well as their predictors.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey of 524 Nigerian adults, aged ≥ 18 years, residing in Nigeria and who had not taken the COVID-19 test was conducted. Information on willingness to disclose COVID-19 symptoms, take COVID-19 test and possible predictors were collected. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics evaluated at 5% significance level.ResultsMean age of respondents was 35.8 ± 10.7 years and 57.0% were males. Majority (85.8% and 86.2% respectively) were willing to disclose COVID-19 symptoms and take COVID-19 test. Self-risk perception of contracting COVID-19 predicted both willingness to disclose COVID-19 symptoms (aOR=3.236; 95%CI=1.836-5.704) and take COVID-19 test (aOR=3.174; 95%CI=1.570-6.419). Willingness to disclose COVID-19 symptoms (aOR=13.060; 95%CI= 6.253-27.276), knowledge of someone who had taken the test (aOR= 4.106; 95%CI= 1.179-14.299) and thought that it was important for people to know their COVID-19 status (aOR=3.123; 95%CI= 1.516-6.434) also predicted willingness to take COVID-19 test.ConclusionNigerians are willing to disclose symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and take the COVID-19 test. Investment in interventions developed based on the predicting factors will help speed up the finding and testing of suspected COVID-19 cases.

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