scholarly journals IMPACT: A Generic Tool for Modelling and Simulating Public Health Policy

2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (05) ◽  
pp. 454-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Carruthers ◽  
P. Couch ◽  
N. Green ◽  
M. O’Flaherty ◽  
M. Sperrin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
Method Development ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Simulation Engine ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

SummaryBackground: Populations are under-served by local health policies and management of resources. This partly reflects a lack of realistically complex models to enable appraisal of a wide range of potential options. Rising computing power coupled with advances in machine learning and healthcare information now enables such models to be constructed and executed. However, such models are not generally accessible to public health practitioners who often lack the requisite technical knowledge or skills.Objectives: To design and develop a system for creating, executing and analysing the results of simulated public health and health-care policy interventions, in ways that are accessible and usable by modellers and policy-makers.Methods: The system requirements were captured and analysed in parallel with the statistical method development for the simulation engine. From the resulting software requirement specification the system architecture was designed, implemented and tested. A model for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) was created and validated against empirical data.Results: The system was successfully used to create and validate the CHD model. The initial validation results show concordance between the simulation results and the empirical data.Conclusions: We have demonstrated the ability to connect health policy-modellers and policy-makers in a unified system, thereby making population health models easier to share, maintain, reuse and deploy.

scholarly journals Media, Health & Health Promotion in Nepal

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 70-75
Author(s):  
Edwin Van Teijlingen ◽  
Padam Simkhada ◽  
Ann Luce ◽  
Vanora Hundley
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Media ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

 It has been recognised that the media can affect our perceptions, views and tastes on a wide-range of issues. The mass media in it various forms (newspapers, television & radio, the internet and Twitter) and formats, have a far reaching influence through, for example news programmes, documentaries, advertising and entertainment. At the same time the media can also be seen as a channel for agencies responsible for public health to get their messages across to the population. Public health agencies are always searching for ways to disseminate health information and messages to their intended audiences. These are, of course, global concerns, but as both public health and the media are part of the society in which they operate there will be locally specific issues and considerations. To date most of the research into the media and public health has been conducted in high-income countries, and there has been very little research in Nepal on the interaction of public health and health promotion with the media.This overview paper highlights some of the key issues that public health practitioners, media editors and journalists, health policy-makers and researchers could consider.Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences Vol. 2 2016 p.70-75

scholarly journals Public health decisions in the COVID-19 pandemic require more than ‘follow the science’

2021 ◽  
pp. medethics-2020-107134
Author(s):  
Thana Cristina de Campos-Rudinsky ◽  
Eduardo Undurraga
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Ethical Reasoning ◽  
Reliable Data ◽  
Good Decision

Although empirical evidence may provide a much desired sense of certainty amidst a pandemic characterised by uncertainty, the vast gamut of available COVID-19 data, including misinformation, has instead increased confusion and distrust in authorities’ decisions. One key lesson we have been gradually learning from the COVID-19 pandemic is that the availability of empirical data and scientific evidence alone do not automatically lead to good decisions. Good decision-making in public health policy, this paper argues, does depend on the availability of reliable data and rigorous analyses, but depends above all on sound ethical reasoning that ascribes value and normative judgement to empirical facts.

Capacity building in the public health field in the Tunisian medical faculties

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Coman ◽  
O Oltean ◽  
M Palianopoulou ◽  
D Plancikova ◽  
C Zedini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
National Level ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Local Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Training ◽  
Medical Faculties ◽  
Health Field

Abstract Over the past years, Tunisia has experienced important reforms in the field of public health. The Tunisian medical faculties (Universities of Sfax, Tunis el Manar, Sousse and Monastir) play a key role in this endeavor by training public health professionals who can contribute to the modernization of the health system. Funded by the EC through Erasmus+ programme, the CONFIDE project (coordinated by Babes-Bolyai University, having as EU partners the Universities of Southern Denmark and Trnava, and the above mentioned Tunisian universities) has established the Research into Policy training programme by strengthening their capacity to provide public health training. The Research into Policy training programme has been delivered by the Centres for Evidence into Health Policy (C4EHPs) established within the Tunisian partner universities for the needs of CONFIDE. The training programme was implemented in four steps: (1) train the trainer sessions - the European experts trained 18 Tunisian trainers; (2) shadowing sessions - the trainers participated in shadowing sessions in the European partner institutions; (3) training delivery - the CONFIDE trainers, assisted by the European experts, delivered the training to an interdisciplinary group of 25 students and professionals; (4) internships - the students participated in internships in local health institutions. Three modules have been built within the Research into Policy training programme: Public health research, Health promotion policies and Evidence based public health policy. They contributed to increasing the public health knowledge and skills of the professionals trained. The training programme was well received by the Tunisian universities and the material developed so far during the project was adapted to the Tunisian context in the third step of implementation. On the long term, the project is expected to have an impact at the national level and produce updates at curricula level in the Tunisian medical faculties. Key messages Research into Policy training programme developed by the EC partners and culturally adapted by the Tunisian partners to the Tunisian public health context. Research into Policy training is a well-received tool for the high quality learning process in the public health field in Tunisian medical faculties.

scholarly journals After Action Review of the 2019 measles outbreak in Clark County, Washington, U.S.A

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Stoto ◽  
R Piltch-Loeb ◽  
R Wolfe ◽  
R Albrandt ◽  
A Melnick
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Mutual Aid ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Clark County ◽  
After Action Review ◽  
Measles Outbreak ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

Abstract Issue Clark County experienced a measles outbreak that challenged public health authorities. Description of the practice: We conducted a formal After Action Review with state and local health officials, school officials, and others to identify lessons for public health practitioners facing future outbreaks. Results Following the early identification of measles in a child who had recently arrived from Ukraine, active surveillance identified 71 confirmed cases, most in unvaccinated persons under 18 years of age. 4,138 contacts were traced and public health personnel made daily monitoring calls to 816. 53 potential exposure sites in healthcare facilities, schools and other public places were identified and communicated to the public. As a social distancing measure, unvaccinated students, teachers, and staff were excluded from schools in which exposure had occurred. Ascertaining susceptibility status was challenging. The national anti-vaccination sentiment and a parallel outbreak in a New York religious community created challenges in representing community risk while avoiding stigmatization of a community in which the first reported case was identified. Rather than respond to every false claim on social media, the health department developed talking points about emerging issues and engaged the community in dialogue. Lessons Responding to the measles outbreak required innovative approaches to surveillance and contact tracing, social distancing (school exclusions), and emergency risk communication. The response required extensive coordinated efforts of the county and state health departments, school systems, and many other organizations. Mutual aid enabled an influx of resources but managing the surge of responders proved challenging. Key messages Public health emergencies require effective emergency management practices. Carefully conducted After Action Reviews of health emergencies can help public health practitioners identify challenges and innovative practices.

scholarly journals Understanding needs and barriers to using geospatial tools for public health policymaking in China

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dohyeong Kim ◽  
Yingyuan Zhang ◽  
Chang Kil Lee
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Adoption And Implementation ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Geospatial Tools

Despite growing popularity of using geographical information systems and geospatial tools in public health fields, these tools are only rarely implemented in health policy management in China. This study examines the barriers that could prevent policy-makers from applying such tools to actual managerial processes related to public health problems that could be assisted by such approaches, e.g. evidence-based policy-making. A questionnaire-based survey of 127 health-related experts and other stakeholders in China revealed that there is a consensus on the needs and demands for the use of geospatial tools, which shows that there is a more unified opinion on the matter than so far reported. Respondents pointed to lack of communication and collaboration among stakeholders as the most significant barrier to the implementation of geospatial tools. Comparison of survey results to those emanating from a similar study in Bangladesh revealed different priorities concerning the use of geospatial tools between the two countries. In addition, the follow-up in-depth interviews highlighted the political culture specific to China as a critical barrier to adopting new tools in policy development. Other barriers included concerns over the limited awareness of the availability of advanced geospatial tools. Taken together, these findings can facilitate a better understanding among policy-makers and practitioners of the challenges and opportunities for widespread adoption and implementation of a geospatial approach to public health policy-making in China.

EU ‘Public Health’ and ‘Health-care’ Law and Policy

2019 ◽  
pp. 52-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anniek de Ruijter
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Law And Policy ◽  
Concept Of Health ◽  
Eu Policies ◽  
Health Care Law

Taking into consideration the central health provision in the Treaty, which outlines that health is to be ‘mainstreamed’ in all other EU policies, it could be inferred that EU public health and health-care policy and law is either non-existent as an autonomous policy area, or that it is basically everything, in that all EU public policy is also health policy. This puzzle forms the starting point for this chapter, which describes the nature of EU power in the field of human health currently. The chapter first, as an initial exploration, questions the existence of a European authoritative concept of ‘health’. Second, the chapter takes into consideration the nature of EU policymaking in general and regarding health in particular and develops a concept of EU health law and policy, distinguishing between EU public health and EU health-care law and policy. Last, to draw out the scope of EU health policy more specifically, a historical overview is given of the involvement of the EU in health. The chapter conceptualizes EU power in the field of human health as authoritative allocations of value through the European Union political system with the object of protecting and promoting human health. This conceptualization draws out the scope of policy that will be the central focus for the following chapters.

scholarly journals Dissemination of the capacity building results - tools adapted to the local context

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
K Kallel ◽  
L Zakraoui ◽  
Y Ben Othman ◽  
M Jouini ◽  
F Selaouati
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Health Decision ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
Key Success Factor

Abstract Introduction The Centres for Evidence into Health Policy created by the CONFIDE project are multidisciplinary; they are dedicated not only to health professionals but also to researchers, policy makers as well as other social, environmental and economic stakeholders. Good dissemination and awareness among all stakeholders are the basis of the success and sustainability of the project results. The progress Since the start of the project in October 2017 and after developing a dissemination plan, the first and large-scale dissemination action was the creation of a communication platform and a website. Subsequently, we have setup Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages targeting people more involved in the project. These pages are regularly updated (progress of the project, actions carried out). Two press conferences have taken place in order to reach all targeted audiences in Tunisia. Indeed, our press conferences attracted journalists as well as representatives of NGOs, and health decision-makers in the ministry. A poster and a portfolio were designed in order to introduce the project to partner organizations that provide the students` internships and field trainings. The project also includes a policy game as a tool to bring to the same table the policymakers, researchers and other stakeholders in the community that will further contribute to the dissemination of the CONFIDE project results. Due to the dissemination activities of the Tunisian partners, the academic community in Tunisia has been exposed to a different approach and understanding of public health. The dissemination activities of the CONFIDE results have shed a new light on public health in Tunisia. Conclusions A good diffusion of the project, using tools adapted to the various audiences, will make it possible to reach a large and multidisciplinary target public and to associate them with the project. This is a key success factor for the sustainability of the Centres for Evidence into Health Policy.

Breaking the back of love: attachment goes neuro-molecular

2019 ◽  
pp. 107-122
Author(s):  
Sue White ◽  
Matthew Gibson ◽  
David Wastell ◽  
Patricia Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Attachment Theory ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Developmental Neuroscience ◽  
Adverse Childhood ◽  
New Generation

This chapter explores how attachment theory is increasingly going ‘under the skin’, looking for fundamental biological mechanisms to explain behaviours and consequences. Attachment scholars and researchers have sought new alignments with developments in evolutionary biology and developmental neuroscience. All these domains — despite inconsistent findings, thorny issues relating to extrapolations from animal work, and problems with replication — are purported to provide further support for attachment theory's veracity. In addition, they dangle the tantalising prospects of better targeting of interventions and more efficacious clinical approaches to fixing the effects of disrupted attachments, including some normative and sensitive matters such as the onset of puberty, and what are somewhat euphemistically called ‘reproductive strategies’, often meaning girls having babies too early. This ‘new generation’ of biological reasoning looks to the molecular level to explain health inequalities, with the prevention of adverse childhood experiences on the ‘to do’ list for public health policy makers. This has profound potential implications for child welfare practices.

Demystifying Public Health Policy Through Service-Learning Pedagogy

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-136
Author(s):  
Maxim Gakh
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Policy ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Public Health Policy ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Great Promise ◽  
Public Health Programs ◽  
Training Stress ◽  
Pedagogy Literature ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

Policy shapes the health of communities by enabling and limiting public health practice. Major organizations that focus on public health systems, education, and training stress the importance of policy to population health. They also recognize that practitioners should learn, practice, and be able to deploy policy skills. However, despite the recognized role of policy in public health, some public health practitioners remain uncomfortable with policy. And although teaching policy in public health programs appears on the rise, public health policy pedagogy literature is limited and tends to define policy narrowly. Service learning, which is used to teach other skills critical for public health, exhibits great promise as a tool to teach public health policy. This article describes an interdisciplinary, graduate-level public health policy course that relies on a service-learning approach. The course aims to teach public health policy principles, theories, and concepts and to make students more comfortable with public health policy through applied learning.

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