Cancer genetic counseling in China and Denmark; a comparative anthropological perspective

This dissertation compares cancer genetic counseling in China and Denmark using an anthropological perspective.It uses anthropological theory to argue how ideas of genetic responsibility and demands for responsibility investments may be understood as the products of everyday practices unfolding within local worlds. Finding very different forms of cancer genetic counseling in China and Denmark, it analytically argues that the local organization of health care provides a salient example of a local world. It uses an STS framework to analyze how differences in the organization of health care in China and Denmark, may be seen as promoting very different webs of everyday human and non-human actors, resulting in very different cancer genetic counseling practices, respectively. For professionels, patients and their families in China and Denmark, these differences lead to very different demands for patient- family collaboration and interdependence, and ultimately to very different local forms of genetic responsibility. 

End of life nursing education consortium grant implementation project

This project addressed the continuing education needs of nursing staff and other health care professionals for delivering competent and compassionate palliative or end of life care. The scope of the project included, writing a grant application, training and certification by the end of life Nursing Education Consortium and implementing an education program for staff at the Loma Linda Veterans Affairs medical center

Towering above: an interpretation of the Late Iron Age architecture at Toftum Næs, Denmark

The newly excavated sites of Toftum Næs, Jutland (Denmark), will be presented, and the special features that have been registered here will be discussed. In particular, the conspicuous architecture will figure prominently; a very sturdily built and thus high structure that can only be interpreted as a tower placed along with a succession of larger hall-type buildings, and a possible ritual building. This ‘aristocratic quarter’ is in direct contact with another area characterized by a larger pit-house cluster of more the 100 units, and placed in the vicinity of two conjoining streams. The different structures mentioned and their internal, topographical distribution as well as architectural features will be incorporated as the main base for a functional interpretation of and motive behind the buildings and the activities pertaining to the site in general. The topic of commercial control and what type of influence the aristocracy had on the early development on these types of sites will be included. Furthermore, the structural fluctuation of the site at Toftum Næs, and in particular the changes that seem to have taken place during the main use-phase both at the site in question and with regard to the overall development of aristocratic sites with production areas and at the Viking Age towns, will be debated in this paper

Effectiveness of the population-based Check your health preventive programme conducted in primary care with 4 years follow-up [the CORE trial]: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The periodic health check-up has been a fundamental part of routine medical practice for decades, despite a lack of consensus regarding its value in health promotion and disease prevention. A large-scale Danish population-based preventive programme ‘Check your health’ was developed based on available evidence of screening and successive accepted treatment, prevention for diseases and health promotion, and is closely aligned with the current health care system. The objective of the ‘Check your health’ [CORE] trial is to investigate effectiveness on health outcomes of a preventive health check offered at a population-level to all individuals aged 30–49 years, and to establish the cost-effectiveness. METHODS/DESIGN: The trial will be conducted as a pragmatic household-cluster randomised controlled trial involving 10,505 individuals. All individuals within a well-defined geographical area in the Central Denmark Region, Denmark (DK) were randomised to be offered a preventive health check (Intervention group, n = 5250) or to maintain routine access to healthcare until a delayed intervention (Comparison group, n = 5255). The programme consists of a health examination which yields an individual risk profile, and according to this participants are assigned to one of the following interventions: (a) referral to a health promoting consultation in general practice, (b) behavioural programmes at the local Health Centre, or (c) no need for follow-up. The primary outcomes at 4 years follow-up are: ten-year-risk of fatal cardiovascular event (Heart-SCORE model), physical activity level (self-report and cardiorespiratory fitness), quality of life (SF12), sick leave and labour market attachment. Cost-effectiveness will be evaluated according to life years gained, direct costs and total health costs. Intention to treat analysis will be performed. DISCUSSION: Results from the largest Danish health check programme conducted within the current healthcare system, spanning the sectors which share responsibility for the individual, will provide a scientific basis to be used in the development of systems to optimise population health in the 21st century. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with an ID: NCT02028195 (7. March 2014)