Mortality in the USA, the UK and Other Western Countries, 1989-2015: What Is Wrong With the US?

This population-based study compares U.S. effectiveness with 20 Other Western Countries (OWC) in reducing mortality 1989-1991 and 2013-2015 and, responding to criticisms of Britain's National Health Service, directly compares U.S. with U.K. child (0-4), adult (55-74), and 24 global mortality categories. World Health Organization Age-Standardized Death Rates (ASDR) data are used to compare American and OWC mortality over the period, juxtaposed against national average percentages of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Expenditure on Health (%GDPEH) drawn from World Bank data. America's average %GDPEH was highest at 13.53% and Britain's the lowest at 7.68%. Every OWC had significantly greater ASDR reductions than America. Current U.S. child and adult mortality rates are 46% and 19% higher than Britain's. Of 24 global diagnostic mortalities, America had 16 higher rates than Britain, notably for Circulatory Disease (24%), Endocrine Disorders (70%), External Deaths (53%), Genitourinary (44%), Infectious Disease (65%), and Perinatal Deaths (34%). Conversely, U.S. rates were lower than Britain's for Neoplasms (11%), Respiratory (12%), and Digestive Disorder Deaths (11%). However, had America matched the United Kingdom's ASDR, there would have been 488,453 fewer U.S. deaths. In view of American %GDPHE and their mortality rates, which were significantly higher than those of the OWC, these results suggests that the U.S. health care system is the least efficient in the Western world

Population-Based Study of Child Mortality (0-4) and Income Inequality in Japan and the Developed world 1989-91 v 2012-14: Any Excess Deaths Between the Most Unequal Countries?

Introduction: Parental child `neglect’ is usually linked to parents but can apply to nations using the criteria explicit in UNICEF statement “in the last analysis Child-Mortality-Rates (CMR) indicates how well a nation meets the needs of its children”. Hence under-five (0-4) CMR rates of Japan and twenty Other Developed Countries (ODC) are compared within the context of relative poverty. Method: WHO data yields CMR rates per million (pm), analysed between 1989-91 and 2012-14 to compare Japan against ODC. World Bank Income Inequality data used as a measure of relative poverty. Excess deaths calculated by matching the most unequal Income Inequality country’s CMR with the most equal nation. Results: All countries reduced CMR substantially. The highest CMR was in USA 1383pm, followed by three English-speaking countries. Japan at 597pm was 19th of 21. USA and New Zealand were double Japan’s CMR, whilst twelve ODC had rates 25% higher than Japan. Most unequal Income Inequality USA at 15.9 times, Japan the most equal at 4.5 times. Income Inequality and CMR were strongly correlated (+0.6188 p<0.005). The countries with the lowest Income Inequality, had lowest CMR namely Finland Japan, Norway and Sweden. America not matching Japan’s CMR, meant an average excess of 16,838 US children’s deaths annually. Discussion: The strong statistical association between higher CMR and Income Inequality, suggests that one factor in Japan’s results is the lower social inequality, unlike Canada, New Zealand, the UK and USA. Does Japan’s results indicate cultural factors suggesting Japan is more child orientated than English-speaking countries

Pan Dorset and Wiltshire Social Work Teaching Partnership (PDWTP) Evaluation

The National Centre for Post-Qualifying Social Work and Professional Practice (NCPQSW) was commissioned in April 2019 to conduct an evaluation of the Pan Dorset and Wiltshire Social Work Teaching Partnership (PDWTP). The Teaching Partnership (TP) was a 2-year project, which was led by BCP Council on behalf of Dorset Council, Wiltshire Council, BCP Council and Bournemouth University. The remit of the evaluation was to contextually capture learning and TP activities to evaluate impact and sustainability. The organisations and their stakeholders are the primary intended audiences for this report

Evaluating the impact of the IPOP (Improving Personal and Organisational Performance) programme: An introductory leadership and management development module for social work managers

A host of recent UK social work publications have highlighted the critical importance of leadership and management development for social work managers. The lack of specialist leadership and management development is evidenced by the General Social Care Council’s figures on the uptake of post-qualifying leadership and management programmes. There is a limited amount of published research on the impact of this type of professional learning as most studies focus on programme delivery rather than on their impact on practice. Hence, this paper will report on an evaluation of the practice related impact of an introductory leadership and management programme, using data from pre-and post-programme questionnaires (n=75), follow up telephone interviews at 3-months (n=24) and an initial analysis of submitted assignments (n=32). Those data are drawn from consenting social work managers across 5 widespread local authorities in England. The programme, Improving Personal and Organisational Performance, is taught over 4-days in two, 2-day blocks and focuses on three areas of development: self-leadership, communication and resilience as a leader. A third-party testimony process, alongside assignment submission, ensures the involvement of, and validation from, the employer. The findings of the evaluation indicate positive, statistically significant evidence of initial programme impact on managers and longitudinal examples of actual programme impact on managers, their teams, organisations and services. The implications of these findings will be considered in relation to the new Professional Capabilities Framework

21st Century Early Adult (55-74) Deaths from Brain-Disease-Deaths Compared to All Other Cause Mortality in the Major Western Countries - Exposing a Hidden Epidemic.

OBJECTIVES: To examine early adult deaths (EAD) - people aged 55-74 due to brain disease deaths (BDD) compared to all other causes (AOC) in the 21st century in 21 major Western countries (MWC). METHOD: EAD are below MWCc average life expectancy. All mortality drawn from the latest WHO data. The three global BDD categories consist of mental and behaviour disorder, nervous diseases and Alzheimer and other dementias. Mortality rates per million are analysed for people 55-74 years and total age-standardised death rates (ASDR). BDD rates between 2000-2015 compared against AOC of deaths for EAD and ASDR. Confidence Intervals determine any significant difference AOC and BDD over the period 2000-15, plus an examination of EAD in six separate global mortality categories. RESULTS: EAD: The separate BDD categories for EAD significantly positively correlated, validating their combination as BDD. Every country's AOC 55-74 rates fell substantially, but fourteen country's BDD rose substantially (>20%) and all MWC countries BDD rose significantly more than AOC. ASDR: All nations total AOC fell substantially, whereas seventeen BDD rates rose substantially and every country's BDD significantly increased compared to AOC deaths. Six other EAD mortalities, circulatory, cancer, respiratory, compared to BDD produced Odds Ratios ranging from 1:1.54 to 1:2.36 such were the marked differences over the period. DISCUSSION: Positive news is that AOC are down across all investigated countries in the 21st century. However, the extent of the EAD rises in just 16 years indicates that these BDD conditions are starting earlier suggesting multiple interactive environmental factors impacting upon brain related diseases

Comparing Total Neoplasms, Breast & Prostate Cancer Mortality Rates of the UK and 20 Major Developed Countries 1989-91 v 2013- 15 - Identifying Progress

Introduction: Britain’s cancer survival results have been criticised as being significantly higher than twenty Major Developed Countries (MDC). Hence this comparison of current UK Total Age-StandardisedDeath-Rates (ASDR), female Breast and Prostate cancer mortality rates with twenty (MDC) between1989 to 2015 to determine any significant change. Method: WHO data ASDR per million (pm) for Total, Breast and Prostate cancer mortality rates examined for the years 1989-91 to 2013-15. Confidence Intervals (+/- 95%) are used to determine any significant differences between the UK and other country’s outcomes over the period. Chi square tests for each nation’s Breast and Prostate mortality. Results: Every country’s Total ASDR, Breast and Prostate cancer mortality fell except Greece and Japan. Total ASDR Male cancer mortality rates ranged from Portugal 1653pm to Sweden 1232pm. UK at 1475pm were 10th but had been 6th highest. Total ASDR Female rates went from Denmark’s 1176pm to Japan’s 740pm, the UK 1092pm now 5th but previously had been second highest. No country’s Total rates fell significantly more than Britain’s who had significantly bigger reductions than four other countries for both sexes. Breast mortality ranged from Ireland’s 206pm to Japan’s 99pm, UK rates fell significantly more than five countries. Whilst Breast mortality fell in every country Norway and UK had significantly bigger reductions in Breast than Prostate deaths, conversely France’s Prostate rates fell more than Breast mortality. Prostate mortality went from Norway 213pm Japan’s 60pm, the UK 167pm and five countries had greater reductions than Britain. Conclusions: Results reflect well on UK services for Total and Breast cancers, showing the NHS achieving more with proportionately less as Britain spends less on health than most MDC. The need how to improve UK prostate results are briefly discussed, such as a public information campaign to match the successful Breast cancer aware programme of the 1990’s

Older peoples’ preferences and challenges when using digital technology: a systematic review with particular reference to digital games

Digital games offer an increasingly important way for older people to access new knowledge and skills particularly in terms of improving health and well-being. Currently there is limited research exploring how older people interact with digital games, and this review of the literature contributes insights into the preferences and limitations that older users encounter when using digital technology. Although older users of technology do not present as a homogeneous group due to differences linked to experience, specific older age cohort, dexterity and sensory loss, several key considerations are identified. Key factors include those linked to usability, learnability, efficiency, and satisfaction for the user and the article concludes with a suggestion that bespoke tools should be developed in an inclusive way with older peoples’ needs and experiences as a central consideration