scholarly journals Geographical Access to Child and Family Healthcare Services and Hospitals for Africa-Born Migrants and Refugees in NSW, Australia; A Spatial Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13205
Author(s):  
Carolyne Njue ◽  
Nick Nicholas ◽  
Hamish Robertson ◽  
Angela Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Travel Distance ◽  
Fragile States ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Spatial Access ◽  
Geographical Access

Background: African-born migrants and refugees arriving from fragile states and countries with political and economic challenges have unique health needs requiring tailored healthcare services and support. However, there is little investigation into the distribution of this population and their spatial access to healthcare in Australia. This paper reports on research that aimed to map the spatial distribution of Africa-born migrants from low and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs) and refugees in New South Wales (NSW) and access to universal child and family health (CFH) services and hospitals. Methods: We analysed the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2016 Census data and Department of Social Services 2018 Settlement data. Using a Geographic Information System mapping software (Caliper Corporation. Newton, MA, USA), we applied data visualisation techniques to map the distribution of Africa-born migrants and refugees relative to CFH services and their travel distance to the nearest service. Results: Results indicate a spatial distribution of 51,709 migrants from LLMICs in Africa and 13,661 refugees from Africa live in NSW, with more than 70% of the total population residing in Sydney. The Africa-born migrant and refugee population in Sydney appear to be well served by CFH services and hospitals. However, there is a marked disparity between local government areas. For example, the local government areas of Blacktown and Canterbury-Bankstown, where the largest number of Africa-born migrants and refugees reside, have more uneven and widely dispersed services than those in Sydney’s inner suburbs. Conclusion: The place of residence and travel distance to services may present barriers to access to essential CFH services and hospitals for Africa-born refugees and migrants. Future analysis into spatial-access disadvantages is needed to identify how access to health services can be improved for refugees and migrants.

scholarly journals need for alternative solutions when caring for patients with language barriers

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-35
Author(s):  
Nour Seulami ◽  
Jun Yang Liu ◽  
Mélyssa Kaci ◽  
Zakaria Ratemi ◽  
Abbesha Nadarajah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Functional Limitation ◽  
Language Barriers ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Optimal Care ◽  
Alternative Solutions

Barriers to quality communication increase the risk for misunderstanding, negatively impact the thoroughness of health investigations, and can lead to delayed diagnoses and increased readmissions. In addition, language barriers disproportionately affect the most vulnerable populations; thus, a lack of appropriate interpretation services promotes health disparities and increases the vulnerability of the underserved minority populations. According to the Act Respecting Health Services and Social Services of Quebec, health organizations need to take into account the distinctive linguistic and sociocultural characteristics of each region and, “foster […] access to health services and social services through adapted means of communication for persons with functional limitations”. A language barrier is a form of functional limitation that patients face when accessing healthcare services. Despite a clear policy, the current use of professional interpretation services is limited in our healthcare facilities, thus increasing obstacles in accessing healthcare services for patients with language barriers. It is thought that by identifying how language barriers present in our healthcare system and by highlighting the tools available to mitigate their consequences, healthcare workers, including medical students, may be better placed to serve the non-French and non-English speaking community. A group of medical students from the Universities of Montreal and McGill who are part of MedComm researched the problematic, most specifically in Montreal, in the hopes of emphasizing the need for alternative solutions to the current state of affairs in regard to offering optimal care to patients with language barriers.

Corrupt Practices in the Public Health Sector: A Focus on Metropolitan Local Government Areas of Kano State, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 149
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mustapha Namadi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Healthcare Provision ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Sector ◽  
The Government

Corruption is pervasive in Nigeria at all levels. Thus, despite recent gains in healthcare provision, the health sector faces numerous corruption related challenges. This study aims at examining areas of corruption in the health sector with specific focus on its types and nature. A sample size of 480 respondents aged 18 years and above was drawn from the eight Metropolitan Local Government Areas of Kano State, using the multistage sampling technique. The results revealed evidence of corrupt practices including those related to unnecessary-absenteeism, diversion of patients from the public health facilities to the private sector, diverting money meant for the purchase of equipment, fuel and diesel, bribery, stealing of medications, fraud, misappropriation of medications and unjustifiable reimbursement claims. In order to resolve the problem of corrupt practices in the healthcare sector, the study recommended the need for enforcement of appropriate code of ethics guiding the conduct of the health professionals, adoption of anti-corruption strategies, and strengthening the government monitoring system to check corruption in public health sector in order to ensure equitable access to healthcare services among the under-privileged people in the society.

scholarly journals Modelling improved efficiency in healthcare referral systems for the urban poor using a geo-referenced health facility data: the case of Sylhet City Corporation, Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alayne M. Adams ◽  
Rushdia Ahmed ◽  
Shakil Ahmed ◽  
Sifat Shahana Yusuf ◽  
Rubana Islam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Care ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Tertiary Hospital ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Referral Systems ◽  
Alternative Scenarios

Abstract Background An effective referral system is critical to ensuring access to appropriate and timely healthcare services. In pluralistic healthcare systems such as Bangladesh, referral inefficiencies due to distance, diversion to inappropriate facilities and unsuitable hours of service are common, particularly for the urban poor. This study explores the reported referral networks of urban facilities and models alternative scenarios that increase referral efficiency in terms of distance and service hours. Methods Road network and geo-referenced facility census data from Sylhet City Corporation were used to examine referral linkages between public, private and NGO facilities for maternal and emergency/critical care services, respectively. Geographic distances were calculated using ArcGIS Network Analyst extension through a “distance matrix” which was imported into a relational database. For each reported referral linkage, an alternative referral destination was identified that provided the same service at a closer distance as indicated by facility geo-location and distance analysis. Independent sample t-tests with unequal variances were performed to analyze differences in distance for each alternate scenario modelled. Results The large majority of reported referrals were received by public facilities. Taking into account distance, cost and hours of service, alternative scenarios for emergency services can augment referral efficiencies by 1.5–1.9 km (p < 0.05) compared to 2.5–2.7 km in the current scenario. For maternal health services, modeled alternate referrals enabled greater referral efficiency if directed to private and NGO-managed facilities, while still ensuring availability after working-hours. These referral alternatives also decreased the burden on Sylhet City’s major public tertiary hospital, where most referrals were directed. Nevertheless, associated costs may be disadvantageous for the urban poor. Conclusions For both maternal and emergency/critical care services, significant distance reductions can be achieved for public, NGO and private facilities that avert burden on Sylhet City’s largest public tertiary hospital. GIS-informed analyses can help strengthen coordination between service providers and contribute to more effective and equitable referral systems in Bangladesh and similar countries.

Without IPv6, there is no digital transformation for healthcare

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Rosa M. Delgado
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Internet Protocol ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Sustainable Growth ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Healthcare Industry ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Fifth Generation ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Close Relationship

BACKGROUND: Originally, digital healthcare was created to support underserved and rural patients gain access to health services. Phones, devices, and computers need IP (Internet Protocol) addresses to connect to the Internet. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to study the close relationship between the Internet and the transformation of healthcare services. METHODS: The current protocol in use is the Internet protocol version 4 (IPv4), whose number of Internet addresses has been globally exhausted. The Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) with 47 octillion unique addresses for every person on the planet has become the only option for sustainable growth and innovation. However, most of the worldwide industry is still in IPv4. In the era of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Fifth Generation of Cellular Technology (5G), and Blockchain, there will be a massive need of IP addresses. For 2025, experts predict over 1.5 billion new IPv6 users which will continue to grow exponentially. RESULTS: Nations need to tackle the increasing industry requirements for IPv6 and telehealth adoption to benefit from the full IPv6 connectivity which is the key strategic advantage for the healthcare industry. CONCLUSION: The strategic potential that telehealth brings to the healthcare industry is widely appreciated. However, what are the implications of its expansion around the world? How can we prioritize the poorest and most vulnerable in society without new technologies?

scholarly journals The expression of vulnerability through infant mortality in the municipality of Embu

2008 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 262-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renato Nabas Ventura ◽  
Rosana Fiorini Puccini ◽  
Nilza Nunes da Silva ◽  
Edina Mariko Koga da Silva ◽  
Eleonora Menicucci de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Infant Mortality ◽  
Prenatal Care ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Healthcare Access ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
One Year

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Infant mortality expresses a set of living, working and healthcare access conditions and opens up possibilities for adopting interventions to expand equity in healthcare. This study aimed to investigate vulnerability and the consequent differences in access to health services and occurrences of deaths among infants under one year of age in the municipality of Embu. DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a descriptive study in the municipality of Embu. METHODS: Primary data were collected through interviews with the families of children living in the municipality of Embu who died in the years 1996 and 1997 before reaching one year of age. Secondary data were obtained from death certificates. The variables collected related to living conditions, income, occupation, prenatal care, delivery and the healthcare provided for children. These data were compared with the results obtained from a study carried out in 1996. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found with regard to income, working without a formal employment contract and access to private health plans among the families of the children who died. There were also differences in access to and quality of prenatal care, frequency of low birth weight and neonatal intercurrences. CONCLUSIONS: The employment/unemployment situation was decisive in determining the degree of family stability and vulnerability to the occurrence of infant deaths, in addition to the conditions of access to and quality of healthcare services.

scholarly journals Geospatial Distribution of Public Secondary in Gombe Local Government Area, Gombe State of Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-39
Author(s):  
Yila Caiaphas Makadi ◽  
Abecca Stephen Sati ◽  
Ismail Dankaka
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Spatial Pattern ◽  
Nearest Neighbor ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Local Government Area ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Public Secondary School ◽  
Data Survey ◽  
Senior Secondary

The paper reviews research tradition of accessibility level and spatial distribution of student in public secondary school in gombe local government area, Gombe state. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. Primary data was collected using questionnaire and a hand-held GPS receiver to capture the coordinate points of schools and other relevant data. Secondary data include administrative map, population figures of both students and Teachers, Names and addresses of the secondary schools in the study area. The data were analyzed using geographic information techniques. From the data survey carried out, the result of the analysis showed the accessibility level and spatial distribution of school in Gombe were seventeen (17) public senior secondary and total number of students were nineteen thousand and eleven (19,011). The nearest neighbor analysis (NNA) for the spatial pattern of school were carried out based on each ward in study area which as ten (10) wards in each ward revealed two major spatial distributions. The spatial pattern of the Gombe LGA has Nearest Neighbour Ratio (NNR): 3.385087, Bolari East ward with NNR: 3.385087 and Shamaki wards NNR: 1.600148, which showed dispersed pattern, while Jekada Fari ward with NNR: 0.214890, Pantami ward with NNR: 0.226863, and Herwo Gana wards with NNR: 0.185239, were showed clustered pattern. The nearest neighbor index shows clustered pattern for all the wards in the local government area except Bolari East and Shamaki wards that has dispersed pattern of distribution. The implication of these two patterns means that accessibility is poor in the study area. Students travel than normal to overcome the function of distance.

scholarly journals Social services departments: success or failure?

Social Work ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 21-36
Author(s):  
Terry Bamford
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Social Security ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Care Management ◽  
Community Care ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Child Deaths ◽  
Security Funds

Social Services departments, created after the 1970 Local Authority Social Services Act, survived for nearly half a century. Their ability to meet the vision set out in the Seebohm Report was compromised by curtailment of expansion after the financial crisis in 1975. Their reputation was damaged by a number of widely reported child deaths in which social work was seen as passive and ineffective. Severe criticism followed when they were viewed as over active as in Cleveland and Orkney. As a result social services were seen as toxic in deprived communities. Despite winning responsibility for community care in the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act, departments suffered, first, from the requirement to spend the bulk of transferred social security funds in the independent sector and secondly from the prolonged squeeze on local government spending. The potential of care management for innovation and empowering service users was never fully realised.

scholarly journals Creating Additional Census Income Topics from Linked Administrative Data

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Mowle
Keyword(s):  
Income Distribution ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Community Services ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Australian Community ◽  
Linked Administrative Data ◽  
Australian Bureau Of Statistics ◽  
Integration Project

IntroductionThe Census is the largest statistical collection undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), with its data critical to informing the planning and delivery of Government and community services. While the Census measure of income supports a wide range of analysis, demand exists for additional income topics to complement and extend the range of socio economic analysis that can be undertaken. The ABS has recently developed three experimental income topics for the 2016 Census using linked administrative data: main source of income; main source of government payments; and previous financial year income. Objectives and ApproachThis research utilised administrative data integrated by the ABS for the Multi-Agency Data Integration Project (MADIP). Taxation data from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and social security data from the Department of Social Services (DSS) were used in conjunction with the 2016 Census data to derive the additional topics. ResultsOverall, the three measures compare relatively closely to similar measures from the ABS Survey of Income and Housing (SIH). The ‘Main source of income’ and ‘Main source of government payments’ measures exhibit similar distributions to those from the SIH. The ‘Previous financial year income’ measures compare more closely with Census and SIH at the higher end of the income distribution, with some differences apparent at the lower end of the income distribution. Conclusion / ImplicationsThis work demonstrates the potential to supplement and enhance existing Census topics with linked administrative data. Further research, development and consultation with data users and the Australian community is needed.

Egyptian Local Government Website Portals

2012 ◽  
pp. 577-593
Author(s):  
Hisham M. Abdelsalam ◽  
Christopher G. Reddick ◽  
Hatem A. ElKadi
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Human Development ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Limited Impact ◽  
Development Indicators ◽  
Government Websites ◽  
Developed Nations ◽  
Government Website

This chapter examines the development of e-Government in selected Egyptian local governments. A content analysis of 25 local government website portals was conducted examining categories of e-Management, e-Services, e-Democracy, and e-Decision making. The study first sets out to examine the overall level of maturity of local government websites in these four areas in Egypt. Second, this study examines whether Egyptian human development indicators explain the maturity of local government websites. Firstly, the overall results indicated that e-Government maturity in Egypt was primarily in the information dissemination stage. Secondly, local governments had a greater population in social services industries which indicated a greater level of e-Government maturity. Out of 17 variables tested, there were very few human development indicators related to e-Government website maturity. The results of this chapter showed the maturity of e-Government in local governments in a developing country matched against developed nations. Also, the results showed the limited impact of human development indicators to predict e-Government website maturity.

When a Country Ignores Its Own Data

2021 ◽  
pp. 175-182
Author(s):  
Rob Kitchin
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Housing Crisis ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Property Prices ◽  
Property Data ◽  
Public Data ◽  
Construction Activity ◽  
Vacancy Rates ◽  
Quality Issues

This chapter evaluates the benefits of evidence-informed policy over anecdote through an account of the financial crash in Ireland and the effect of creating public data stories. If politicians, policy makers, local government, the banks and property developers had paid proper attention to the data, the crash may not have happened, or at least might have had a softer landing. Instead, the data were ignored. The census data showed that all the way through the boom, vacancy rates were increasing, housing completions were running way ahead of household increase, more land was being zoned than could realistically be developed, and land and property prices were overheating. As a consequence, Ireland was still paying the price and continuing to experience a housing crisis. While some oversupply still existed in parts of the country, over a decade of suppressed construction activity and rising population had led to a shortage of housing in the cities and their commuter belts. Moreover, Ireland still has an issue with property data, with some datasets being discontinued, some having quality issues, some released in non-open formats and some still non-existent.

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