scholarly journals Barriers to Testing and Treatment for Chagas Disease among Latino Immigrants in Georgia

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Minneman ◽  
Monique M. Hennink ◽  
Andrea Nicholls ◽  
Sahar S. Salek ◽  
Francisco S. Palomeque ◽  
...  

Background. The lack of testing and treatment of Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, amongst infected immigrants in the USA increases the risk of serious health complications and transmission (congenital or via blood transfusions).Goal. Our goal was to identify the barriers to testing and treatment of CD and understand the process of seeking healthcare amongst Latino immigrants in Georgia.Methods. In this qualitative study, eleven focus group discussions were conducted with 82 Latino immigrants, including migrant farm workers. Grounded theory was used to collect and analyze the data to develop an inductive conceptual framework to explain the context and process of seeking healthcare for CD amongst this at-risk population.Results. Participants were not aware of CD. Three healthcare seeking behaviors were identified: delaying treatment, using traditional remedies, and using either mainstream or alternative health providers. Behaviors and motivations differed by gender, and the use of licensed medical providers was considered a last resort due to the cost of healthcare, loss of earnings while seeking care, and fear of diagnosis with fatal illness.Discussion. Providing free or low cost services, mobile clinics, and education regarding CD is critical to increase testing and treatment of CD in the US.

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 281-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Schneider

SummaryIt is possible to tackle exclusion by altering the nature of transactions between individuals and groups, including mental health services. One way to do this is to cultivate ‘social capital’ or interdependence between individuals and groups – as well as giving, each is entitled, but not compelled, to claim something in return. It is difficult, if not impossible, to sustain stigma and social exclusion when people are meeting mutual needs, building trust and helping each other. Mental health providers can foster social capital by creating community cohesion, namely interdependent relationships between individuals and organisations. This approach has been put into practice in the USA, where providers assert that small investments in building social capital return many times the cost. In the UK there is evidence that community development can make a contribution to mental health but it does not fit well with conventional approaches to mental health services – it calls for different skills and a vision that is collective rather than individualised.


Author(s):  
Nada Abughanam ◽  
Shahd Sameer Mohammed Gaben ◽  
Muhammad E. H. Chowdhury ◽  
Amith Khandakar

AbstractThe onset of the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused shortages in mechanical ventilators (MVs) essential for the intensive care unit (ICU) in the hospitals. The increasing crisis prompted the investigation of ventilators which is low cost and offers lower health complications. Many researchers are revisiting the use of negative pressure ventilators (NPVs), due to the cost and complications of positive pressure ventilators (PPVs). This paper summarizes the evolution of the MVs, highlighting the limitations of popular positive and negative pressure ventilators and how NPV can be a cost-effective and lower health complication solution. This paper also provides a detailed investigation of the structure and material for the patient enclosure that can be used for a cost-effective NPV system using ANSYS simulations. The simulation results can confirm the selection and also help in developing a low cost while based on readily available materials. This can help the manufacturer to develop low-cost NPV and reduce the pressure on the healthcare system for any pandemic situation similar to COVID-19.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 208-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip A Bushby

Impact: Low-cost spay–neuter clinics were first established nearly 50 years ago in response to the numbers of dogs and cats euthanized in animal shelters. Since then, high-quality, high-volume spay–neuter (HQHVSN) clinics have been established throughout the USA and have contributed to a significant reduction in animal euthanasia in shelters. These clinics, specializing in efficient systems and surgical techniques, provide an avenue for clients who cannot afford surgery to sterilize their pets. These clinics have also helped animal shelters with limited financial resources implement spay–neuter prior to adoption policies. Response: The veterinary profession’s reaction to HQHVSN clinics has been mixed; some practitioners question the quality of care provided or fear the loss of clientele, while others recognize the need for such clinics and support their development. Challenges: As veterinary education has become more expensive and veterinary care more sophisticated, the cost of veterinary care, including spay–neuter surgery, has risen. With increasing costs, the numbers of pets that receive little or no veterinary care has increased. Indeed, a 2018 survey by the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition documented that more than 25% of pet-owning households in the USA experienced difficulties obtaining veterinary care for their pets and the most frequent barrier was financial. Aim: This review looks at the reality of HQHVSN clinics and what this means for the private practitioner. By adopting similar systems and techniques that lower the cost of spay–neuter surgery, practitioners could potentially pass on cost savings to clients. Moreover, the same principles may be applied to other aspects of basic care to further address access to care issues.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (50) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Marcelo Da Silva Leite ◽  
Celeste Gaia

Over the past decade due the expansion of globalization there has been an increasing emphasis on internationalization among faculty, administration and accrediting agencies in the Higher Education.  Although to promote internationalization in the Higher Education, costs are a big challenge, one way to have the international actions with low cost, it is seeking for grants from different governmental agencies and foundations.The Fulbright Scholar program provides a long-standing and externally-funded means for internationalizing college and university curriculum. This article is going to share the perspective   of a Brazilian Fulbright Scholar at an American college and the institution perspective of the Fulbright scholar participation at the College.


Author(s):  
Karan S Belsare ◽  
Gajanan D Patil

A low cost and reliable protection scheme has been designed for a three phase induction motor against unbalance voltages, under voltage, over voltage, short circuit and overheating protection. Taking the cost factor into consideration the design has been proposed using microcontroller Atmega32, MOSFETs, relays, small CTs and PTs. However the sensitivity of the protection scheme has been not compromised. The design has been tested online in the laboratory for small motors and the same can be implemented for larger motors by replacing the i-v converters and relays of suitable ratings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (4) ◽  
pp. 7-22
Author(s):  
Georges Bridel ◽  
Zdobyslaw Goraj ◽  
Lukasz Kiszkowiak ◽  
Jean-Georges Brévot ◽  
Jean-Pierre Devaux ◽  
...  

Abstract Advanced jet training still relies on old concepts and solutions that are no longer efficient when considering the current and forthcoming changes in air combat. The cost of those old solutions to develop and maintain combat pilot skills are important, adding even more constraints to the training limitations. The requirement of having a trainer aircraft able to perform also light combat aircraft operational mission is adding unnecessary complexity and cost without any real operational advantages to air combat mission training. Thanks to emerging technologies, the JANUS project will study the feasibility of a brand-new concept of agile manoeuvrable training aircraft and an integrated training system, able to provide a live, virtual and constructive environment. The JANUS concept is based on a lightweight, low-cost, high energy aircraft associated to a ground based Integrated Training System providing simulated and emulated signals, simulated and real opponents, combined with real-time feedback on pilot’s physiological characteristics: traditionally embedded sensors are replaced with emulated signals, simulated opponents are proposed to the pilot, enabling out of sight engagement. JANUS is also providing new cost effective and more realistic solutions for “Red air aircraft” missions, organised in so-called “Aggressor Squadrons”.


1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 381-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Upton

The European waste water industry will need to develop denitrification processes to remove nitrogen as pressures increase to reduce nutrient levels discharged in effluents. In the USA deep bed filter technology has been used extensively to provide denitrification to levels less than 5 mg/l TN. This paper describes this technology and the full scale performance at some waste water plants in Florida, USA. This paper also describes a pilot study in the United Kingdom at Severn Trent Water. The results of the pilot plant study indicate that denitrification in deep bed sand filters is a sound robust technology using methanol addition. Nitrogen removals greater than the 70% required in the EC Directive 1991 are possible at winter sewage temperatures. The process is most suitable for achieving nitrogen removal at trickling filter plants. The cost of methanol addition is calculated to be ₤10/1000m3.


2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Lazarus ◽  
M. Ncube

Abstract Background Technology currently used for surgical endoscopy was developed and is manufactured in high-income economies. The cost of this equipment makes technology transfer to resource constrained environments difficult. We aimed to design an affordable wireless endoscope to aid visualisation during rigid endoscopy and minimally invasive surgery (MIS). The initial prototype aimed to replicate a 4-mm lens used in rigid cystoscopy. Methods Focus was placed on using open-source resources to develop the wireless endoscope to significantly lower the cost and make the device accessible for resource-constrained settings. An off the shelf miniature single-board computer module was used because of its low cost (US$10) and its ability to handle high-definition (720p) video. Open-source Linux software made monitor mode (“hotspot”) wireless video transmission possible. A 1280 × 720 pixel high-definition tube camera was used to generate the video signal. Video is transmitted to a standard laptop computer for display. Bench testing included latency of wireless digital video transmission. Comparison to industry standard wired cameras was made including weight and cost. The battery life was also assessed. Results In comparison with industry standard cystoscope lens, wired camera, video processing unit and light source, the prototype costs substantially less. (US$ 230 vs 28 000). The prototype is light weight (184 g), has no cables tethering and has acceptable battery life (of over 2 h, using a 1200 mAh battery). The camera transmits video wirelessly in near real time with only imperceptible latency of < 200 ms. Image quality is high definition at 30 frames per second. Colour rendering is good, and white balancing is possible. Limitations include the lack of a zoom. Conclusion The novel wireless endoscope camera described here offers equivalent high-definition video at a markedly reduced cost to contemporary industry wired units and could contribute to making minimally invasive surgery possible in resource-constrained environments.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 3515
Author(s):  
Sung-Ho Sim ◽  
Yoon-Su Jeong

As the development of IoT technologies has progressed rapidly recently, most IoT data are focused on monitoring and control to process IoT data, but the cost of collecting and linking various IoT data increases, requiring the ability to proactively integrate and analyze collected IoT data so that cloud servers (data centers) can process smartly. In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based IoT big data integrity verification technique to ensure the safety of the Third Party Auditor (TPA), which has a role in auditing the integrity of AIoT data. The proposed technique aims to minimize IoT information loss by multiple blockchain groupings of information and signature keys from IoT devices. The proposed technique allows IoT information to be effectively guaranteed the integrity of AIoT data by linking hash values designated as arbitrary, constant-size blocks with previous blocks in hierarchical chains. The proposed technique performs synchronization using location information between the central server and IoT devices to manage the cost of the integrity of IoT information at low cost. In order to easily control a large number of locations of IoT devices, we perform cross-distributed and blockchain linkage processing under constant rules to improve the load and throughput generated by IoT devices.


Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 882
Author(s):  
M. Munzer Alseed ◽  
Hamzah Syed ◽  
Mehmet Cengiz Onbasli ◽  
Ali K. Yetisen ◽  
Savas Tasoglu

Civil wars produce immense humanitarian crises, causing millions of individuals to seek refuge in other countries. The rate of disease prevalence has inclined among the refugees, increasing the cost of healthcare. Complex medical conditions and high numbers of patients at healthcare centers overwhelm the healthcare system and delay diagnosis and treatment. Point-of-care (PoC) testing can provide efficient solutions to high equipment cost, late diagnosis, and low accessibility of healthcare services. However, the development of PoC devices in developing countries is challenged by several barriers. Such PoC devices may not be adopted due to prejudices about new technologies and the need for special training to use some of these devices. Here, we investigated the concerns of end users regarding PoC devices by surveying healthcare workers and doctors. The tendency to adopt PoC device changes is based on demographic factors such as work sector, education, and technology experience. The most apparent concern about PoC devices was issues regarding low accuracy, according to the surveyed clinicians.


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