UK Doctors Adopt Action Plan to Address Obesity in Patients
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) in the UK has published a report called
Measuring Up: The Medical Profession's Prescription for the Nation's Obesity Crisis, setting out a 10 point action plan for healthcare professionals aimed at tackling the nation’s obesity crisis.
Professor Terence Stephenson, a paediatrician and Chair of the Academy, said:
“As health professionals, we see it across all our disciplines – from the GP’s surgery to the operating table and everything in between. So it is no exaggeration to say that it is the biggest public health crisis facing the UK today."
The report recognises that some clinicians are
‘insensitive, ineffective, and lack confidence’ when dealing with patients with weight problems, but goes on to point out that part of the problem is doctors do not have the services to refer patients to. Many of the recommendations in the report in fact seem to be calling for external changes directed at the fast food industry and media advertising. This is all well and good but it brings to mind those two most popular words in the english language,
"you should".
The
BMA comments on the point that doctors themselves need to measure up. The other consideration is that doctors may not want to be seen as '
insulting' their patients, as highlighted by Brian Regan in his comedy sketch below of a visit to the doctor. A stronger emphasis on patient communication skills training for physicians and medical students, would be a good thing! Enjoy the video!
Labels: Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Brian Regan, comedy sketch, doctor patient interaction, obesity crisis, physician patient communication, public health, United Kingdom, visiting the doctor's office
e-Source for Behavioral and Social Science Research
Putting the
'science' into the social sciences and taking aim at emerging challenges in public health, the
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), of the
National Institutes of Health, has launched
e-Source for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. "The OBSSR mission is to stimulate behavioral and social science research and integrate these areas of research throughout NIH."
What does it offer? A
digital anthology of key methods for developing and implementing high quality BSS research through interactive learning.
"Inside you will find 20 interactive chapters with authoritative answers to methodological questions on behavioral and social science research. With contributions from a team of international experts, this anthology provides the latest information on addressing emerging challenges in public health."
Labels: behavioral science, behavioral science research, digital anthology, ebook, interactive tutorials, NIH, OBSSR, public health, public health research, research methods, social science research, social sciences
HealthKnowledge is a new online learning resource of value to anyone studying, teaching or working in the
community / public health and social care fields. The resource allows you to access a broad range of learning materials for teaching or personal use, with the aim of expanding public health knowledge.
The resource includes a section on
Finding and Appraising the Evidence which takes you through the process of
how to find the evidence and then
how to assess the validity and reliability of the published research in order to provide effective and efficient healthcare.
Another useful section teaches you
Research Methods , focusing on what is appropriate to the practice of public health; including epidemiology, statistical methods, qualitative research methods, etc.
The
Teaching module cover a variety of different subjects, including undergraduate training and a range of ‘soft skills’ required for an holistic education, such as leadership and management, and working collaboratively.
by the Public Health Action Support Team (PHAST): UK 2010. Labels: biostatistics, community health, epidemiology, learning resource, online tutorials, public health, research methods, statistical methods
"Global Health is the only specialist bibliographic, abstracting and indexing database dedicated to public health research and practice!
Derived from over 3500 journals, plus reports, books and conferences, Global Health (CABI) contains over 1.2 million scientific records from 1973 to the present. Over 90,000 records added each year, and over 95% of these records include an abstract. Publications from over 158 countries in 50 languages are abstracted,.. and 40% of material is unique to the database."
Labels: CABI, global health, indexes and abstracts, journal database, public health
Smita Prasad MPH, first year UMHS-SK medical student, has published her research findings along with co-author
Raymond Hill DrPH MPA.
"The objective of this study was to determine the cost-efficiency of vaccinating against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in Medicaid enrolled females of the Appalachian region of Kentucky (n=49,411 females) aged 12 to 25 years, versus paying for the treament of cervical cancer cases (n=643 cases) within this population later in life." The study demonstrated that such a prevention plan is cost-efficient and that over time, as the vaccinated population ages, an actual cost saving will be recognized.
Prasda SR, Hill R. A cost-benefit analsis on the HPV vaccine in Medicaid-enrolled females of the Appalachian region of Kentucky.
Kentucky Med Assoc J.June 2008;106:271-276.
Full text of the article is available in the library.Click for most information on
Cervical Cancer ,
Statistics Facts Sheet &
CDC 2007 National Immunization Survey Data.
Labels: cancer prevention, cancer research, Caribbean medical student, CDC, cost-benefit analysis, health care costs, HPV, human papillomavirus, public health, UMHS-SK, vaccination, womens health
"In the United States, nearly 13 percent of adults age 20 and older have diabetes, but 40 percent of them have not been diagnosed, according to epidemiologists from the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), whose study includes newly available data from an
Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT)." “These findings have grave implications for our health care system, which is already struggling to provide care for millions of diabetes patients, many of whom belong to vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or minorities,” said Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., director of the NIDDK. “Of paramount importance is the need to curb the obesity epidemic, which is the main factor driving the rise in type 2 diabetes.”
“These findings of yet another increase in diabetes prevalence are a reminder that a full-scale public health response is in order. Re-directing the trends in diabetes will require changing the nutritional and physical activity habits of people at risk, and also creative and substantial efforts by health systems and communities," said Ed Gregg, Ph.D., epidemiology and statistics branch chief in CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation.
Click on the title to link to the NIH news release and further informational links on Diabetes.Labels: applied statistics, burden of disease, CDC, diabetes, health care costs, NIH, obesity, OGTT, Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, public health, research study
