The Italian SEME Surveillance System of Severe Mental Disorders Presenting to Community Mental Health Services

Mental health is recognized worldwide as a major public health priority for the twenty-first century. Different actions are needed, including developing or strengthening national mental health information systems, based on standardized indicators that allow national and international monitoring. In 2008, the national Centre for Disease prevention and Control of the Italian Ministry of Health and the Mental Health Unit of the Italian National Institute of Health (INIH) jointly launched a mental health information system named SEME (an Italian acronym meaning ‘mental health epidemiological surveillance’) based upon data collected from trained psychiatrists working in 22 selected sentinel community mental health centers distributed across Italy and covering a total population of 1,941,853 inhabitants, in order to collect and report site-level information on first-contact patients suffering from specific severe mental disorders (schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, bipolar I disorder, anorexia nervosa, major depressive episode with psychotic symptoms or suicide attempt). Strengths of the system are the high reliability of diagnoses and the use of a web-based technique for data collection with data entry forms designed for ease of completion. During the first year of implementation of this system, a total of 343 first-contact patients met criteria for one of the severe mental disorders under surveillance. As the system includes standardized instruments to measure psychiatric symptoms and psychosocial functioning, it may facilitate health services research based on longitudinal measurements aimed at evaluating the continuity of psychiatric care and the effectiveness of innovative therapeutic and rehabilitative programs

Trends in prevalence of HIV infection: a 4-year review of the general population in Plateau State, Nigeria

Background: Plateau state is among the HIV hot zones with HIV prevalence above national average and the 6th state with the highest HIV burden in Nigeria. The study sought to determined the trend of HIV prevalence in the general population and the pattern by age and sex in Plateau state.Methodology: The study was a 4-year descriptive analysis of the trend in Prevalence of HIV in the general population of Plateau state, Nigeria based on the data generated between January 2012 and December 2015. The data on HIV services were managed through the electronic Nigerian National HIV/AIDS Response Information Management System (eNNRIMS) which was a web-based software. The data analyses were done using excel to obtain the proportions and trend of HIV prevalence in the general population and by year, age and sex.Results: Out of a total of 495,718 tested for HIV, 30,450 people tested positive, with the highest (13.1%) HIV prevalence recorded in 2012 and the lowest (3.2%) HIV prevalence recorded in 2015. The age groups 25 – 49 years and 50 years and above accounted for higher HIV prevalence, and the female population had higher HIV prevalence for most of the age groups.Conclusion: The HIV prevalence is on a downward trend with relatively less decline among the older female population in Plateau state.Keywords: HIV, Prevalence, Infection, Trends, Plateau Stat

Indigenous Health – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States - Laying Claim to a Future that Embraces Health for Us All.

Improving the health of all peoples has been a call across the globe for many decades and unfortunately remains relevant today, particularly given the large disparities in health status of peoples found around the world. Rather than differences in health, or health inequalities, we use a different term, health inequities. This is so as mere differences in health (or inequalities ) can be common in societies and do not necessarily reflect unfair social policies or practices. For example, natural ageing implies older people are more prone to illness. Yet, when differences are systematic, socially produced and unfair, these are considered health inequities. Certainly making judgments on what is systematic, socially produced and unfair, reflects value judgments and merit open debate. We are making explicit in this paper what our judgments are, and the basis for these judgment

Seafloor characterization using airborne hyperspectral co-registration procedures independent from attitude and positioning sensors

The advance of remote-sensing technology and data-storage capabilities has progressed in the last decade to commercial multi-sensor data collection. There is a constant need to characterize, quantify and monitor the coastal areas for habitat research and coastal management. In this paper, we present work on seafloor characterization that uses hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The HSI data allows the operator to extend seafloor characterization from multibeam backscatter towards land and thus creates a seamless ocean-to-land characterization of the littoral zone

Issues in Evaluating Health Department Web-Based Data Query Systems: Working Papers

Compiles papers on conceptual and methodological topics to consider in evaluating state health department systems that provide aggregate data online, such as taxonomy, logic models, indicators, and design. Includes surveys and examples of evaluations

Assessing the Readiness of Nairobi Deaf Youth to Accept a Best-practice HIV/AIDS Intervention

After nearly forty years of HIV/AIDS research in the global community, data on HIV/AIDS in the Deaf population is still disproportionately neglected. No surveillance system is in place to monitor prevalence, awareness or mode of HIV infection in the Deaf community. Additionally, prevention and education interventions have yet to be tailored to meet the specific needs of this highly vulnerable population. Purpose: This project attempted to assess the readiness of the Nairobi Deaf youth community to accept a best-practice HIV/AIDS intervention. The broad objective of this research was to assess HIV awareness, perceptions and behaviors of Deaf youth in regards to HIV/AIDS in Nairobi, Kenya. Method: This project used the snowball sampling method to conduct a survey using a combination of pre-coded, and open-answer questions conducted with 60 Deaf youth (18-35) in Nairobi, Kenya. Interviews included topics of HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk perception, and risk behaviors. Results: The Nairobi Deaf youth community is unequipped to accept a best practice HIV/AIDS intervention at this time. Efforts need to be made to increase risk perception and develop social support. Also, comprehensive prevalence research needs to be conducted in this population. Conclusion: Based on the data collected in this survey and a review of literature, a peer-led, extracurricular education campaign seems to be the most acceptable best-practice intervention for targeting Deaf youth. Additionally, a supplementary, video-based, multifaceted language component would be suggested

Aiming Higher for Health System Performance: A Profile of Seven States That Perform Well on the Commonwealth Fund's 2009 State Scorecard

Identifies policies and practices linked to high performance in six top-ranked states and the most-improved state in 2007-09. Offers insights into improving coverage, prevention and treatment, avoidable hospital use and costs, equity, and healthy lives

The Value of Information Technology-Enabled Diabetes Management

Reviews different technologies used in diabetes disease management, as well as the costs, benefits, and quality implications of technology-enabled diabetes management programs in the United States

Harnessing Health Care Markets for the Public Interest: Insights for U.S. Health Reform From the German and Dutch Multipayer Systems

Outlines how the German and Dutch systems offer universal coverage via competing insurance plans and promote effective and efficient care. Highlights insurance exchanges, multipayer policies and group purchasing, information systems, and public reporting

Directory of Federal Funding Sources for Adult Education

Lists funding sources for adult education and literacy services. Describes forty-nine federal programs in ten agencies that authorized expenditures for adult basic education services during the 2007 and 2008 fiscal years, including to state agencies