14 research outputs found
Trends in health outcomes for family caregivers of hipâfractured elders during the first 12âmonths after discharge
Aim.â This article reports on trends in health outcomes for family caregivers of hipâfractured patients and the effects of social support on these outcomes. Background.â Little is known about the impact of caregiving on the health outcomes of family caregivers of patients with hip fracture. Method.â For this prospective, correlational study, data were collected from 135 family caregivers of hipâfractured elders (2001â2005). Data on healthârelated quality of life and social support were collected from family caregivers at 1, 3, 6 and 12âmonths after discharge of the older hipâfractured patient. Findings.â During the 12âmonths after the patientsâ discharge, family caregiversâ scores improved significantly in role performanceârelated scales, including bodily pain, social function, role limitations due to emotional problems and role limitations due to physical problems. However, caregiversâ scores for general health and mental health were significantly lower at 12âmonths [59·91 ( sd â=â24·54) and 65·91 ( sd â=â14·36) respectively] than at 1âmonth after discharge [64·35 ( sd â=â23·29) and 67·94 ( sd â=â18·47) respectively]. The trends for most subscale scores for healthârelated quality of life were positively related to perceived availability of social support. Conclusions.â Caring for a hipâfractured older family member over a sustained period may enhance family caregiversâ role performance, but have a negative impact on their perceived general health and mental health. These results suggest that home care nurses should develop interventions early after discharge to assess and improve family caregiversâ health perception, mental health and social support.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90349/1/j.1365-2648.2011.05778.x.pd
The synergistic effect of cigarette taxes on the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and betel nuts
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Consumption of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages creates serious health consequences for individuals and overwhelming financial burdens for governments around the world. In Asia, a third stimulant â betel nuts â increases this burden exponentially. For example, individuals who simultaneously smoke, chew betel nuts and drink alcohol are approximately 123 times more likely to develop oral, pharyngeal and laryngeal cancer than are those who do not.</p> <p>To discourage consumption of cigarettes, the government of Taiwan has imposed three taxes over the last two decades. It now wishes to lower consumption of betel nuts. To assist in this effort, our study poses two questions: 1) Will the imposition of an NT10 tax on overall cigarette consumption as well as the cross price elasticities of cigarettes, betel nuts, and alcoholic beverages.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To establish the Central Bureau of Statistics demand function, we used cigarette, betel nut, and alcoholic beverage price and sales volume data for the years 1972â2002. To estimate the overall demand price elasticity of cigarettes, betel nuts, and alcoholic beverages, we used a seemingly unrelated regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We find that the NT10 health tax on cigarettes will reduce betel nut consumption by 20.07% and alcohol consumption by 7.5%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The assessment of a health tax on cigarettes as a smoking control policy tool yields a win-win outcome for both government and consumers because it not only reduces cigarette consumption, but it also reduces betel nut and alcoholic beverage consumption due to a synergistic relationship. Revenues generated by the tax can be used to fund city and county smoking control programs as well as to meet the health insurance system's current financial shortfall.</p