Non-respiratory infections – specific considerations in care homes

This review provides an update on current evidence surrounding the epidemiology, treatment and prevention of non-respiratory infections in care homes. It covers urinary tract infection (UTI), methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), decubitus ulcers, scabies, tinea infections and viral and bacterial gastroenteritis. The care home sector provides a unique ecological niche for infections, housing frail older people with multiple co-morbidities and frequent contact with healthcare services in a semi-closed environment. This leads to differences in the diagnosis and management of infections – particularly of outbreaks – when compared with community-dwelling counterparts. It is essential that care home staff play a role in the early recognition, isolation and treatment of infections but they are often not trained as healthcare professionals – this presents a challenge to systematised response. Effective interface between care homes, public health and infection control services are essential to the delivery of care, yet it is not clear how most-effectively to structure such links

Achieving Family Health Literacy: The Case for Insuring Children

One aspect of the SCHIP reauthorization debate that has received more limited attention than it deserves is the relationship between children\u27s health insurance coverage and family health literacy. That is, to what extent is children\u27s health insurance associated with higher health literacy, and to what extent is reduced parental health literacy linked to lower rates of health insurance among children? This association is extremely important, since there is strong evidence of a link between health literacy and the appropriate use of health care. Evidence suggests that when previously uninsured children are covered by health insurance, parents at all income levels make significantly more appropriate use of health care. Expanded health insurance coverage has been shown to be associated with improved access to health care and an increased rate in families who report a regular source of health care