Infectious addictions: Geographies of colliding epidemics

2021 ◽  
pp. 030913252110520
Author(s):  
Brian King ◽  
Andrea Rishworth
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
The Body ◽  
Health Geography ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Disease Patterns ◽  
Disease Exposure

Medical geography and health geography have made significant contributions to studies of human health by addressing the spatial patterns of disease exposure, location of health care services, and place-specific processes producing health and wellbeing. Human geography and human-environment geography have also contributed with emerging attention to the body, uncertainty, and health and environment interactions. What remains understudied are the co-occurrence of multiple disease patterns, including the relationships between infectious disease and addiction. We review geographic research on infectious disease and addiction to advance a theoretical framework that emphasizes the centrality of complexity, uncertainty, difference, and care in shaping human health.

scholarly journals ‘We are not blaming anyone, but if we don't know about amenities, we cannot seek them out’: black and minority older people's views on the quality of local health and personal social services in England

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
JILL MANTHORPE ◽  
STEVE ILIFFE ◽  
JO MORIARTY ◽  
MICHELLE CORNES ◽  
ROGER CLOUGH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
The Body ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Care Services ◽  
National Service Framework ◽  
Nominal Groups ◽  
Minority Ethnic

ABSTRACTImproving access to culturally-appropriate services and enhancing responses to the needs of older people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds were among the aims of theNational Service Framework for Older People(NSFOP) that was introduced in England in 2001. Progress in meeting the aims of the NSFOP was evaluated by a mid-term independent review led by the Healthcare Commission, the body responsible for regulating health-care services in England. This paper reports the consultation with older people that underpinned the evaluation. It focuses on the views and experiences of older people from black and minority ethnic (BME) groups and of the staff that work in BME voluntary organisations. A rapid appraisal approach was used in 10 purposively selected local councils, and plural methods were used, including public listening events, nominal groups and individual interviews. In total 1,839 older people participated in the consultations and 1,280 (70%) completed a monitoring form. Some 30 per cent defined themselves as of a minority ethnic background. The concerns were more about the low recognition of culturally-specific and language needs than for the development of services exclusively for BME older people.

scholarly journals How do members of a fire and rescue service perceive expanding their roles to deliver more health care services?

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 593-599
Author(s):  
L M T Byrne-Davis ◽  
D Marchant ◽  
E R Bull ◽  
D Gyles ◽  
E Dean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Services ◽  
Fire Service ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Rescue Service ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Medical Response ◽  
Role Expansion ◽  
Emergency Medical Response ◽  
Response Trial

Abstract Background Increasingly, public sector workers are being required to expand their roles into public health. Fire and rescue services, as part of the Emergency Medical Response trial, are at the forefront of role expansion, with increasing capacity due to reducing numbers of fires in recent years. Firefighter roles, successfully implemented, include responding to cardiac arrests and conducting checks on health and wellbeing in people’s own homes. In this study, we explored fire service members’ perceptions about this role expansion, to increase understanding of how role expansion can be introduced and supported. Methods We interviewed 21 firefighters and team members about their perceptions of new roles. Interviews were conducted, transcribed and thematically analysed until reaching thematic saturation. Results Perspectives differed for responding to cardiac arrests and wellbeing checks. Cardiac arrests were seen as aligned with core roles and thus more acceptable. For both types of new role participants wanted more training and opportunities to provide feedback on implementation. Conclusions How team members viewed role expansion depended on new role alignment with core role, training and being able to give feedback to management to shape future services.

scholarly journals Cultural Determinants of Help Seeking: A Model for Research and Practice

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Saint Arnault
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Cultural Models ◽  
The Body ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Care Services ◽  
National Priority ◽  
Cultural Determinants ◽  
Distribution Of Resources

Increasing access to and use of health promotion strategies and health care services for diverse cultural groups is a national priority. While theories about the structural determinants of help seeking have received empirical testing, studies about cultural determinants have been primarily descriptive, making theoretical and empirical analysis difficult. This article synthesizes concepts and research by the author and others from diverse disciplines to develop the midrange theoretical model called the Cultural Determinants of Help Seeking (CDHS). The multidimensional construct of culture, which defines the iterative dimensions of ideology, political economy, practice, and the body, is outlined. The notion of cultural models of wellness and illness as cognitive guides for perception, emotion and behavior as well as the synthesized concept of idioms of wellness and distress are introduced. Next, the CDHS theory proposes that sign and symptom perception, the interpretation of their meaning, and the dynamics of the social distribution of resources are all shaped by cultural models. Then the CDHS model is applied to practice using research with Asians. Finally, implications for research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Health Literacy: Addressing Well-Being: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 105-112
Author(s):  
Faisal Noor Ahmad ◽  
Ravishankar TL ◽  
Amit Tirth ◽  
Parmieka Rawat
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Limited Health Literacy ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Causes Of Disease

Literacy forms an important input in overall development of individual enabling them to comprehend their social, political and cultural environment better and respond to it. Health literacy requires knowledge of health topics. People with limited health literacy often lack knowledge or have misinformation about the body as well as the nature and causes of disease. Without this knowledge, they may not understand the relationship between lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise and various health outcomes. Health literacy plays a key role on the overall health and wellbeing and is now recognized as a determinant of health and has been made a priority of public health agendas, as there is existence of clear scientific evidence regarding its association with health outcomes such as use of health care services, hospitalizations, mortality rates, and adherence to treatment regimens. Therefore, responsive health system that eliminates barriers to clear communication and provides usable and actionable health information and services is important to uplift the current situation.

scholarly journals How Do Health, Care Services Consumption and Lifestyle Factors Affect the Choice of Health Insurance Plans in Switzerland?

Risks ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Veronika Kalouguina ◽  
Joël Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Insurance ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Lifestyle Factors ◽  
The Body ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Insurance Plan ◽  
Health Care Consumption ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Swiss Health

In compulsory health insurance in Switzerland, policyholders can choose two main features, the level of deductible and the type of plan. Deductibles can be chosen among six levels, which range from CHF 300 to 2500. While the coverage and benefits are identical, insurers offer several plans where policyholders must first call a medical hotline, consult their family doctor, or visit a doctor from a defined network. The main benefit of higher deductibles and insurance plans with limitations is lower premiums. The insureds’ decisions to opt for a specific cover depend on observed and unobserved characteristics. The aim of this research is to understand the correlation between insurance plan choices and lifestyle through the state of health and medical care consumption in the setting of Swiss mandatory health insurance. To do so, we account for individual health and medical health care consumption as unobserved variables employing structural equation modeling. Our empirical analysis is based on data from the Swiss Health Survey wherein lifestyle factors like the body mass index, diet, physical activity, and commuting mode are available. From the 9301 recorded observations, we find a positive relationship between having a “healthy” lifestyle, a low consumption of doctors’ services, and choosing a high deductible, as well as an insurance plan with restrictions. Conversely, higher health care services’ usage triggers the choice of lower deductibles and standard insurance plans.

scholarly journals The Sources, Synthesis and Biological Actions of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids in Red Meat: An Overview

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1358
Author(s):  
Eric N. Ponnampalam ◽  
Andrew J. Sinclair ◽  
Benjamin W. B. Holman
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The Body ◽  
Short Chain ◽  
Farm Animals ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Omega 6

The maximisation of available resources for animal production, food security and maintenance of human–animal wellbeing is important for an economically viable, resilient and sustainable future. Pasture and forage diets are common sources of short chain omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while grain-based and feedlot diets are common sources of short chain omega-6 (n-6) PUFA. Animals deposit n-3 and n-6 PUFA as a result of their direct consumption, as feeds or by synthesis of longer chain PUFA from short chain FA precursors in the body via desaturation and elongation processes. Research conducted over the last three decades has determined that the consumption of n-3 PUFA can improve the health and wellbeing of humans through its biological, biochemical, pathological and pharmacological effects. n-6 PUFA also play an important role in human health, but when consumed at high levels, are potentially harmful. Research shows that current consumption of n-6 PUFA by the human population is high due to their meal choices and the supplied food types. If consumption of n-3 PUFA from land- and marine-based foods improves human health, it is likely that these same food types can improve the health and wellbeing of livestock (farm animals) by likewise enhancing the levels of the n-3 PUFA in their circulatory and tissue systems. Modern agricultural systems and advanced technologies have fostered large scale animal and crop production systems. These allow for the utilisation of plant concentrate-based diets to increase the rate of animal growth, often based on economics, and these diets are believed to contribute to unfavourable FA intakes. Knowledge of the risks associated with consuming foods that have greater concentration of n-6 PUFA may lead to health-conscious consumers avoiding or minimising their intake of animal- and plant-based foods. For this reason, there is scope to produce food from plant and animal origins that contain lesser amounts of n-6 PUFA and greater amounts of n-3 PUFA, the outcome of which could improve both animal and human health, wellbeing and resilience to disease.

Exercise, Health and Well-Being in Older Australians

1995 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Kirkby ◽  
Jeremy Cass ◽  
Helen Carouzos
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Older People ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Health And Well Being

Exercise can be an effective medicine for many of the health problems of older Australians. Although older adults are the major consumers of health care services they are among the most physically unfit of our community and represent the group least likely to exercise. Exercise has substantial physical and psychological benefits for older people, particularly older women. A review of the literature has indicated that older people are deterred from exercise activities by environmental barriers (poor weather, lack of appropriate facilities), personal beliefs (inaccurate perceptions about their needs or abilities to exercise), and health obstacles (fear of injury, discomfort from conditions such as arthritis). The limited research on why older Australians exercise has suggested that motives such as 'to improve my fitness', 'to get exercise', 'to be fit' and 'I like the company' are likely to be rated highly. Encouraging older people to exercise has clear advantages, not only to the health and wellbeing of the individual, but also, to the community through possible savings to the health care system, and the contributions of older people.

Service Provision Factors that Affect the Health and Wellbeing of People Living in a Lower SES Environment: The Perspective of Service Providers

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Savage ◽  
Susan Bailey ◽  
David Wellman ◽  
Sharon Brady
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Health Planning ◽  
Low Ses ◽  
Service Needs ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Care Services

Inequalities in health and wellbeing within low socioeconomic (SES) environments are well documented. Factors inherent to the health care system itself, such as inaccessible, inflexible or inappropriate service provision, contribute to the poorer health status of residents of low SES areas. This paper explores the issues of service provision in low SES areas, documenting the perceptions of service providers about the service needs of residents, in order to understand the systemic factors that negatively impact on health and wellbeing. A total of 54 health and welfare service providers from two adjacent low SES suburbs within regional Victoria were interviewed using qualitative research methods. Key findings indicate that successful navigation of health care services by residents within these low SES environments is being impeded by issues of access, a lack of appropriate early intervention options or measures, and general resident disempowerment. Central to the improvement of service provision is the need for services to become economically, geographically and culturally accessible. In particular, the importance of community involvement in health planning and health promoting services must be reflected in the ethos of service provision.

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