When Do We Know Enough to Recommend Action on the Social Determinants of Health?

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 27 de enero de 2011 14:34
asunto: When Do We Know Enough to Recommend Action on the Social Determinants of Health?



When Do We Know Enough to Recommend Action on the Social Determinants of Health?


Paula A. Braveman, , Susan A. Egerter, Steven H. Woolf, James S. Marks
From the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California San Francisco (Braveman, Egerter), San Francisco, California; the Department of Family Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University (Woolf), Richmond, Virginia; and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Marks), Princeton, New Jersey


Am J Prev Med 2011;40(1S1):S58–S66 - 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine


Website: http://bit.ly/gWr6i7

“………..The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America was charged to identify strategies beyond medical care to address health disparities in the U.S. related to social and economic disadvantage.

Based on insights gained while providing scientifıc support for the commission’s efforts, this paper presents an overview of major issues that arise when assessing evidence to inform policies and programs to address the social determinants of health. While many of the insights are not new, they have not been widely assimilated within medicine and public health. They have particular relevance now, given growing awareness of the important health influences of social factors.

The discussion presented here is intended to highlight key considerations for researchers who study social determinants of health and policymakers whose decisions are shaped by research fındings. Policies should be based on the best available knowledge, derived from diverse sources and methods.
An array of tools and guidelines is now available to guide the assessment of evidence on the social determinants of health, building on—and going beyond—principles fırst articulated in the “Evidence-Based Medicine” movement.

The central thesis of the current paper is that the standards for evidence to guide social policies must be equally rigorous but also more comprehensive than those traditionally used to inform clinical interventions, because social policies must deal with upstream factors that affect health through complex causal pathways over potentially long time periods….”



Broadening the Focus: The Need to Address the Social Determinants of Health
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 1, Supplement 1, January 2011, Pages S4-S18
Paula A. Braveman, Susan A. Egerter, Robin E. Mockenhaupt

Website: http://bit.ly/i6RG63

“…..While ensuring that individuals have access to appropriate medical care and information about health-promoting behaviors remains important, effective solutions also will require a broader focus on the contexts that powerfully shape both health behaviors and health itself. Much remains to be learned about which strategies are most effective, but current knowledge is suffıcient to indicate promising directions….”


Commission publications: http://www.commissiononhealth.org/Publications.aspx


* * *

The Future of Pensions and Healthcare in a Rapidly Ageing World - Scenarios to 2030

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 27 de enero de 2011 16:05
asunto: The Future of Pensions and Healthcare in a Rapidly Ageing World - Scenarios to 2030


The Future of Pensions and Healthcare in a Rapidly Ageing World
Scenarios to 2030

World Economic Forum - Davos, Switzerland - January 2011

Available online PDF [117p.] at: http://bit.ly/hRMix2

“…….This report presents three broad global scenarios on the future of pensions and healthcare. Each of these scenarios provides a very different perspective on how the various driving forces and stakeholder responses to the demographic challenge could evolve over the next two decades.

“….The report also includes a “deep dive” into two case study countries: Italy and China. These case studies explore in more detail how the three global scenarios could play out in specific developed and emerging economies.
Italy is an interesting case study as it has one of the oldest populations in the world due to low fertility rates and very high life expectancies.
China presents an equally interesting case as it is not only one of the world’s fastest-growing economies but also one of the fastest ageing societies due to its family planning policy. Finally, this report also presents a number of strategic options based on preliminary research and insights from leaders in the field….”


Contents

Executive Summary
Section 1: The Key Challenges for Pensions and Healthcare

Section 2: Scenarios to 2030
The Winners and the Rest
We Are in This Together
You Are on Your Own

Section 3: From Scenarios to Strategic Options
Section 4: Conclusion
Partners’ View
Appendices


Health for all is one of the World Economic Forum’s Key Issues
- Davos, Switzerland, January 2011

“….Forum focuses on three key health-related activities: advocacy, dialogue and action through partnership….”

Chronic Diseases http://www.weforum.org/issues/chronic-diseases

Jeffrey A Hubbell on regeneration Regenerative med
Julio Frenk on healthcare reform Creative solutions to healthcare
James Moody on malnutrition Using science to tackle malnutrition
Ideas for tackling malnutrition How to feed the world
GAVI, a global success Immunisation worldwide

Workplace Wellness Alliance http://www.weforum.org/issues/workplace-wellness-alliance/index.html

Mark Foster on Workplace Health
Peter Piot on workplace health
Martin Sorrell on Workplace
Jan Malek, Cisco, health innovation

mHealth http://www.weforum.org/issues/mhealth/index.html

Michael E Porter Using innovation in healthcare
Michael Hedges on mobile health The changing face of healthcare
Tanya Mounier, Health Handbook How healthcare is changing
George Poste, mobile healthcare How technology impacts healthcare
Andrew Schiermeier, Medicine in Need The need for new drugs

Global Health http://www.weforum.org/issues/global-health/index.html

Christopher Murray A new paradigm for healthcare
Patricia Woertz Global healthcare: the industry outlook
Mark Foster Global health awareness is rising
Krista Thompson VP, Global Health
Reggie Van Lee Partnerships in global healthcare

Innovative healthcare delivery models
http://www.weforum.org/issues/innovative-healthcare-delivery-models/index.html

Steinberg, mobile healthcare The mobile health opportunity
Angela McLean, Drug Resistance Drug resistance and the global commons
Andrew Schiermeier, Medicine in Need The need for new drugs
George Poste, mobile healthcare How technology impacts healthcare
Tanya Mounier, Health Handbook How healthcare is changing


A Charter for Health Data http://www.weforum.org/issues/charter-health-data/index.html

* * *

Tomorrow [EQ] PAHO/WHO Lecture online: Chronic Disease: the real epidemic - Wednesday 26 January 2011

De: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 25 de enero de 2011 12:23
asunto: Tomorrow [EQ] PAHO/WHO Lecture online: Chronic Disease: the real epidemic - Wednesday 26 January 2011


PAHO/WHO Guest Speaker Lecture on Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Prof. Robert A. Spasoff, Emeritus Professor, Ottawa University, Epidemiology & Community Medicine

Title: Chronic Disease: the real epidemic

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am — Room C - WDC Time

To check local time in WDC against your time zone, see the World Clock at:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

Language: English and Spanish - Simultaneous translation will be available

To participate in person:
Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO
525 23rd. St. N.W. Washington DC 20037 Room C

To participate online via Elluminate:
To login to the Elluminate session, use the link below and type your name on the sign in page:

English: http://bit.ly/dYvr2w

Spanish: http://bit.ly/gEEPdy


Agenda

09-00 – 09:10 Welcome Remarks.
Dr. Marcos Antonio Espinal. Manager, Health Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, PAHO/WHO

09:10 – 09:55 Lecture by Dr. Robert Spasoff; Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology and Community Medicine; Ottawa University
Chronic Disease: the real epidemic
Main Points:
• Chronic disease is big, and will become much bigger
• Approaches to controlling chronic disease: emphasis on prevention
• We should be careful about what we prevent!
• What else should we do?

09:55 – 10:30 Discussion; Moderator
Dr. James Hospedales, Project Coordinator, Prevention & Control of Chronic Diseases, PAHO

10:30 Adjourn

Contact: email - Dr. Oscar Mujica mujicaos@paho.org
This webinar will be conducted in English and Spanish with simultaneous translation using the Elluminate Live!® platform. You will need a computer with Internet access and speakers. A microphone is optional. Elluminate will prompt you to install Java Web Start (free) as needed.
To adjust webinar start time to your time zone, consult: www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html. For some attendees, this could mean the next day in your part of the world.



* * *

UNESCO Science Report 2010

De: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 25 de enero de 2011 15:19
asunto: UNESCO Science Report 2010


UNESCO’s Science Report 2010

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Paris, France
UNESCO 2010

Available online PDF [ 541p.] at: http://bit.ly/dVuo1j


“….UNESCO Science Report 2010 analyses the trends and developments that have shaped scientific research, innovation and higher education over the past five years, including the impact of the current global economic recession, which has hit the Triad harder than either Brazil, China or India.

The report depicts an increasingly competitive environment, one in which the flow of information, knowledge, personnel and investment has become a two-way traffic. Both China and India, for instance, are using their newfound economic might to invest in high-tech companies in Europe and elsewhere to acquire technological expertise overnight. Other large emerging economies are also spending more on research and development than before, among them Brazil, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey.

If more countries are participating in science, we are also seeing a shift in global influence. China is a hair’s breadth away from counting more researchers than either the USA or the European Union, for instance, and now publishes more scientific articles than Japan.

Even countries with a lesser scientific capacity are finding that they can acquire, adopt and sometimes even transform existing technology and thereby ‘leapfrog’ over certain costly investments, such as infrastructure like land lines for telephones. Technological progress is allowing these countries to produce more knowledge and participate more actively than before in international networks and research partnerships with countries in both North and South.

This trend is fostering a democratization of science worldwide. In turn, science diplomacy is becoming a key instrument of peace-building and sustainable development in international relations. ….”


Download chapters in PDF format:

Contents
List of Illustrations
Foreword
The growing role of knowledge in the global economy
United States of America
Canada
Latin America
Brazil
Cuba
The CARICOM countries
European Union
Southeast Europe
Turkey
Russian Federation
Central Asia
Arab States
Sub-Saharan Africa
South Asia
Iran
India
China
Japan
Republic of Korea
Southeast Asia and Oceania
Annexes
Statistical annex

Table 1 GERD as a percentage of GDP, 2000–2008
Table 2 GERD in purchasing power parity dollars, 2002 and 2007
Table 3 GERD by performing sector and source of funds, 2002 and 2007 (%)
Table 4 Total researchers and per million inhabitants, 2002 and 2007
Table 5 Scientific publications by country, 2000–2008
Table 6 Publications by major field of science, 2002 and 2008
Table 7 Scientific publications in international collaboration, 2002–2008
Table 8 International trade in high-tech products, 2002 and 2007

* * *

Weight of nations: a socioeconomic analysis of women in low- to middle-income countries

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 25 de enero de 2011 15:55
asunto: Weight of nations: a socioeconomic analysis of women in low- to middle-income countries


Weight of nations:
a socioeconomic analysis of women in low- to middle-income countries


SV Subramanian, Jessica M Perkins, Emre Özaltin, and George Davey Smith
From the Department of Society, Human Development and Health (SVS), and the Department of Global Health and Population (EC), Harvard School of Public Health; the Department of Health Policy, Harvard University (JMP); and the Department of Social Medicine, Bristol University, Bristol, United Kingdom (GDS).
Am J Clin Nutr 2011;93:413–21. - 2011 American Society for Nutrition

Website: http://bit.ly/f8USKS

“…..Weights of individuals in developing countries have shown an upward shift with corresponding increases in prevalence of overweight and obesity in developing countries (1–5). These overall assessments, however, mask the substantial variation within and between developing countries, especially along socioeconomic dimensions (2). In several developing countries (6–11), weight status is positively associated with socioeconomic status (SES), which is in stark contrast to the patterns observed in developed countries (12–16).

It has been hypothesized that the association between SES and weight within countries is contingent on the country's overall level of economic development, with the prevalence of overweight shifting from high to low socioeconomic groups in countries at higher levels of economic development (17–19). A review of 333 studies showed a gradual reversal of the social gradient in weight, in which the proportion of positive associations between SES and weight increased (and the proportion of negative associations decreased) when moving from countries ranked high to medium to low in development (20).

However, the review also showed that for women in low- and middle-income countries, a positive association between SES and weight was the most common pattern. Furthermore, in a sample of 41 countries, obesity was observed to be most prevalent in the richest quintile, although this was based on self-reported height and weight data (21).

Despite the increasing prevalence of overweight in developing countries (22), and the policy relevance of ascertaining who is more likely to be burdened with the problem of overweight, there is limited systematic evidence on the association between SES and weight in developing countries….”

“…The distributive aspects of BMI and overweight by socioeconomic groups need to be central to the deliberations and development of appropriate policy responses to improving nutritional status of populations in developing countries. …” [au]….”


* * *

The Impact of eHealth on the Quality and Safety of Health Care: A Systematic Overview

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 21 de enero de 2011 10:07
asunto: The Impact of eHealth on the Quality and Safety of Health Care: A Systematic Overview


The Impact of eHealth on the Quality and Safety of Health Care:
A Systematic Overview

…..report the findings of their systematic overview that assessed the impact of eHealth solutions on the quality and safety of health care…

Ashly D. Black1, Josip Car1, Claudia Pagliari2, Chantelle Anandan2, Kathrin Cresswell2, Tomislav Bokun1, Brian McKinstry2, Rob Procter3, Azeem Majeed4, Aziz Sheikh2*
1 eHealth Unit, Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom,
2 eHealth Research Group, Centre for Population Health Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,
3 National Centre for e-Social Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom,
4 Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom

PLoS Med 8(1): e1000387. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000387 - January 18,2011

Available online at: http://bit.ly/fwF8bq

“…..There is considerable international interest in exploiting the potential of digital solutions to enhance the quality and safety of health care. Implementations of transformative eHealth technologies are underway globally, often at very considerable cost. In order to assess the impact of eHealth solutions on the quality and safety of health care, and to inform policy decisions on eHealth deployments, we undertook a systematic review of systematic reviews assessing the effectiveness and consequences of various eHealth technologies on the quality and safety of care.

Methods and Findings
We developed novel search strategies, conceptual maps of health care quality, safety, and eHealth interventions, and then systematically identified, scrutinised, and synthesised the systematic review literature. Major biomedical databases were searched to identify systematic reviews published between 1997 and 2010.

Related theoretical, methodological, and technical material was also reviewed. We identified 53 systematic reviews that focused on assessing the impact of eHealth interventions on the quality and/or safety of health care and 55 supplementary systematic reviews providing relevant supportive information.

This systematic review literature was found to be generally of substandard quality with regards to methodology, reporting, and utility. We thematically categorised eHealth technologies into three main areas:
(1) storing, managing, and transmission of data;
(2) clinical decision support; and
(3) facilitating care from a distance.
We found that despite support from policymakers, there was relatively little empirical evidence to substantiate many of the claims made in relation to these technologies. Whether the success of those relatively few solutions identified to improve quality and safety would continue if these were deployed beyond the contexts in which they were originally developed, has yet to be established. Importantly, best practice guidelines in effective development and deployment strategies are lacking.

Conclusions
There is a large gap between the postulated and empirically demonstrated benefits of eHealth technologies. In addition, there is a lack of robust research on the risks of implementing these technologies and their cost-effectiveness has yet to be demonstrated, despite being frequently promoted by policymakers and “techno-enthusiasts” as if this was a given. In the light of the paucity of evidence in relation to improvements in patient outcomes, as well as the lack of evidence on their cost-effectiveness, it is vital that future eHealth technologies are evaluated against a comprehensive set of measures, ideally throughout all stages of the technology's life cycle. Such evaluation should be characterised by careful attention to socio-technical factors to maximise the likelihood of successful implementation and adoption….”

* * *

WHO: Webinar: Global Health Histories Seminars: Infant growth and nutrition - Wednesday, February 2, 2011

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 21 de enero de 2011 10:25
asunto: [EQ] WHO: Webinar: Global Health Histories Seminars: Infant growth and nutrition - Wednesday, February 2, 2011


Global Health Histories Seminars: Infant growth and nutrition

World Health Organization WHO and The University of York

Join us for a Webinar on February 2


Space is limited.
Registration at: http://bit.ly/gxPfhC


Title:

Global Health Histories Seminars: Infant growth and nutrition



Date:

Wednesday, February 2, 2011



Time:

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM CET


Rates and patterns of growth in weight of infants vary geographically, related to how the infants are fed and the prevalence of disease, and have changed over the last 100 years.

In this seminar, Lawrence Weaver, Professor of Public Health at the University of Glasgow, argues that the WHO infant growth standard should not alone be regarded as an ideal growth trajectory for all babies.

Professor Weaver, a consultant paediatrician at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow, is an expert in the history of nutrition, growth and development in early life.

His co-speaker in this seminar is Doctor Mercedes de Onis, Dept of Nutrition for Health and Development, WHO
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer



* * *

Report and Web seminar: Canadian Health Care Matters - How Do Canadians Rate the Health Care System?

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 21 de enero de 2011 11:47
asunto: Report and Web seminar: Canadian Health Care Matters - How Do Canadians Rate the Health Care System?


How Do Canadians Rate the Health Care System?

Results from the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey.

Canadian Health Care Matters, Bulletin 4. Toronto: Health Council of Canada

Available online PDF [38p.] at: http://bit.ly/flcjVm


Web seminar:
February 14, 2011

Website to register: http://bit.ly/e9zcQT - Monday, February 14, 2011 from 10am - 11:30am (Toronto-EST)


To learn about Health System Performance in Canada: What Can We Learn from Top Performing Countries?.

Recent analysis of the 2010 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey on citizens’ perceptions of the health care system shows that Canada has much to learn from other countries when it comes to access, affordability, timeliness and coordination of primary health care.

John G. Abbott, CEO of the Health Council of Canada, will host a panel of researchers from three of the survey’s top performing countries.

- From the Netherlands is Dr. Jako Burgers, Senior Researcher, IQ Healthcare, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre.
- From the United Kingdom is Nicholas Mays, Professor of Health Policy, Department of Health Services Research & Policy at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
- From Switzerland is Dr. Monika Diebold, Head of the Swiss Health Observatory in Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

Each panelist will provide a brief overview of the structure of the primary health care system in their country, and their thoughts about their citizens’ general perceptions of care and overall ratings of the health system.
As representatives of top performing countries, the panelists will comment on best practices, system characteristics, policy drivers or other factors they feel may have contributed to their countries’ high rankings in the survey.


To read the report in advance of the webinar. Here is the link PDF [38p.] at:http://bit.ly/flcjVm



* * *

OECD Labour Force Statistics 2010

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 21 de enero de 2011 12:33
asunto: OECD Labour Force Statistics 2010


Labour Force Statistics 2010

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Publication Date :11 Jan 2011 - Pages :480
ISBN :9789264097599 () ; 9789264097575 (print) - DOI :10.1787/lfs-2010-en-fr

Available online at: http://bit.ly/e7vEk5

“…..This annual edition of Labour Force Statistics provides detailed statistics on population, labour force, employment and unemployment, broken down by gender, as well as unemployment duration, employment status, employment by sector of activity and part-time employment.
It also contains participation and unemployment rates by gender and detailed age groups as well as comparative tables for the main components of the labour force.
The time series presented in the publication cover 20 years for most countries. It also provides information on the sources and definitions used…..”


Summary tables

– Population
– Population by sex
– Population under 15 years
– Population from 15 to 64 years
– Population from 15 to 64 years by sex
– Population 65 years and over
– Total labour force
– Civilian labour force
– Civilian labour force by sex
– Total employment
– Civilian employment
– Civilian employment, females
– Civilian employment, agriculture
– Self-employment
– Self-employment rates
– Part-time employment
– Unemployment
– Duration of unemployment

Table for countries
– Australia
– Austria
– Belgium
– Canada
– Czech Republic
– Denmark
– Finland
– France
– Germany
– Greece
– Hungary
– Iceland
– Ireland
– Italy
– Japan
– Korea
– Luxeourg
– Mexico
– Netherlands
– New Zealand
– Norway
– Poland
– Portugal
– Slovak Republic
– Spain
– Sweden
– Switzerland
– Turkey
– United Kingdom
– United States
– Definitions
– Notes by Country


* * *

PAHO/WHO Lecture online: Chronic Disease: the real epidemic - Wednesday 26 January 2011

de: Ruggiero, Mrs. Ana Lucia (WDC) : ruglucia@paho.org
para: EQUIDAD@listserv.paho.org
fecha: 21 de enero de 2011 17:49
asunto: PAHO/WHO Lecture online: Chronic Disease: the real epidemic - Wednesday 26 January 2011

PAHO/WHO Guest Speaker Lecture on Chronic Disease Epidemiology

Prof. Robert A. Spasoff, Emeritus Professor, Ottawa University, Epidemiology & Community Medicine

Title: Chronic Disease: the real epidemic

Wednesday 26 January 2011

Time: 9:00 am – 10:30 am — Room C - WDC Time

To check local time in WDC against your time zone, see the World Clock at:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

Language: English

To participate in person:
Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO
525 23rd. St. N.W. Washington DC 20037 Room C

To participate online via Elluminate:
To login to the Elluminate session, use the link below and type your name on the sign in page:
www.paho.org/Virtual/HSD-HA


Agenda

09-00 – 09:10 Welcome Remarks.
Dr. Marcos Antonio Espinal. Manager, Health Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control, PAHO/WHO

09:10 – 09:55 Lecture by Dr. Robert Spasoff; Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology and Community Medicine; Ottawa University
Chronic Disease: the real epidemic
Main Points:
• Chronic disease is big, and will become much bigger
• Approaches to controlling chronic disease: emphasis on prevention
• We should be careful about what we prevent!
• What else should we do?

09:55 – 10:30 Discussion; Moderator
Dr. James Hospedales, Project Coordinator, Prevention & Control of Chronic Diseases, PAHO

10:30 Adjourn

Contact: email - Oscar Mujica mujicaos@paho.org



* * *