Using the World Health Organization's 4S-Framework to Strengthen National Strategies, Policies and Services to Address Mental Health Problems in Adolescents in Resource-Constrained Settings

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most adolescents live in resource-constrained countries and their mental health has been less well recognised than other aspects of their health. The World Health Organization's 4-S Framework provides a structure for national initiatives to improve adolescent health through: gathering and using strategic information; developing evidence-informed policies; scaling up provision and use of health services; and strengthening linkages with other government sectors. The aim of this paper is to discuss how the findings of a recent systematic review of mental health problems in adolescents in resource-constrained settings might be applied using the 4-S Framework.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Analysis of the implications of the findings of a systematic search of the English-language literature for national strategies, policies, services and cross-sectoral linkages to improve the mental health of adolescents in resource-constrained settings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data are available for only 33/112 [29%] resource-constrained countries, but in all where data are available, non-psychotic mental health problems in adolescents are identifiable, prevalent and associated with reduced quality of life, impaired participation and compromised development. In the absence of evidence about effective interventions in these settings expert opinion is that a broad public policy response which addresses direct strategies for prevention, early intervention and treatment; health service and health workforce requirements; social inclusion of marginalised groups of adolescents; and specific education is required. Specific endorsed strategies include public education, parent education, training for teachers and primary healthcare workers, psycho-educational curricula, identification through periodic screening of the most vulnerable and referral for care, and the availability of counsellors or other identified trained staff members in schools from whom adolescents can seek assistance for personal, peer and family relationship problems.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The predominant endorsed action is not that dedicated mental health services for adolescents are required, but that mental health care should be integrated using cross-sectoral strategies into the communities in which adolescents live, the institutions they attend and the organisations in which they participate.</p

Vacuum Polarization by a Magnetic Flux Tube at Finite Temperature in the Cosmic String Spacetime

In this paper we analyse the effect produced by the temperature in the vacuum polarization associated with charged massless scalar field in the presence of magnetic flux tube in the cosmic string spacetime. Three different configurations of magnetic fields are taken into account: $(i)$ a homogeneous field inside the tube, $(ii)$ a field proportional to $1/r$ and $(iii)$ a cylindrical shell with $\delta$-function. In these three cases, the axis of the infinitely long tube of radius $R$ coincides with the cosmic string. Because the complexity of this analysis in the region inside the tube, we consider the thermal effect in the region outside. In order to develop this analysis, we construct the thermal Green function associated with this system for the three above mentioned situations considering points in the region outside the tube. We explicitly calculate in the high-temperature limit, the thermal average of the field square and the energy-momentum tensor.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figur

Driving citizenship to connected aged population at digital inclusion program ACESSASP – Brazil

Digital inclusion programs contribute to promote a revolution regarding Internet access. WEB 2.0 platform democratization of access is increasing the opportunities to build digital citizenship. In Brazil one of the most important initiatives is AcessaSP Digital Inclusion Program, awarded in 2013 by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, a kind of digital inclusion Nobel, that recognizes innovative efforts worldwide to connect people. AcessaSP is a digital inclusion program, which is now 15 years old and already reached 80 million users in almost 850 infocenters in operation, developed by São Paulo state government in partnership with Research Center for New Communications Technologies Applied to Education – School of the Future / USP. This paper presents AcessaSP and discusses some results concerning connected aged populations practices as users of AcessaSP infocenters. The study was carried out as a comparative survey with statistical data collected in 2008, 2009 and 2012 based on a SPSS database originally developed to provide AcessaSP program with statistical data. Main results point an exponential participation in social networks and significant appropriation of WEB 2.0 tools, suggesting aged population empowerment

Aspectos de qualidade em concessões do transporte coletivo por ônibus : estudo de caso de Belo Horizonte e Porto Alegre

O transporte coletivo urbano por ônibus tem enfrentado uma perda crescente de passageiros nos últimos anos, e um dos motivos é a falta de qualidade do sistema. Considerando que na maioria das cidades brasileiras a sua prestação é feita pela iniciativa privada, a regulação do serviço deve prever critérios que garantam a qualidade e eficiência. Este trabalho se propõe a analisar como aspectos de qualidade estão inseridos nas concessões de Belo Horizonte e Porto Alegre, identificando potenciais lacunas. Para tanto, utilizou-se como referência a metodologia do Programa QualiÔnibus, desenvolvida pelo World Resources Institute (WRI) Brasil. Foram analisados os editais e contratos das concessões, e posteriormente foi feita uma comparação com os indicadores QualiÔnibus. Foi concluído que as concessões possuem metas e indicadores abrangentes em relação ao planejamento e operação do sistema e estabelecem várias diretrizes para informação e atendimento ao cliente, mas apresentam algumas lacunas no que se refere a segurança pública e viária, gasto com transporte e exposição a poluição. Também não são previstos mecanismos de avaliação da satisfação do cliente, um item importante para mensurar a qualidade do sistema.Bus public transport has faced an increasing loss of passengers in recent years, and one of the reasons is the lack of quality in the system. Since in most Brazilian cities the service is provided by the private sector, regulation must provide criteria that guarantee quality and efficiency. This paper aims to analyze how quality aspects are inserted in the Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre concessions, identifying potential gaps. For this, the methodology of the QualiÔnibus Program, developed by World Resources Institute (WRI) Brazil, was used as a reference. Concession announcements and contracts were analyzed, and later a comparison with the QualiÔnibus indicators was made. It was concluded that the concessions have comprehensive goals and indicators about the planning and operation of the system and establish several guidelines for information and customer service, but have some gaps concerning public and road safety, spending on transport, and exposure to pollution. There are also no mechanisms for assessing customer satisfaction, an important item to measure the quality of the system

Relato de caso : implementação do programa Quanum 3.0 como ferramenta de apoio à gestão da qualidade no Serviço de Medicina Nuclear do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

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