Philanthropic endowments in general internal medicine. (1/55)

We performed two surveys to uncover the status of philanthropic endowments in general internal medicine divisions. The initial survey of U.S. medical school departments of medicine found that only 14.1% of general internal medicine divisions hold endowments versus 21.9% of all other divisions, and that endowment sources for general medicine are atypical. The second survey of successfully endowed divisions found that sympathetic administrators and active pursuit of endowments were associated with endowment success. Aggressive pursuit of endowments, publicizing successes of general medicine, and consideration of endowment sources noted in this study are recommended to improve philanthropic contributions to general internal medicine.  (+info)

Research in action: the training approach of the Joint Health Systems Research Project for the Southern African Region. (2/55)

Over the last two decades, capacity-building in health research has been recognized as a priority by the international research community. Since 1987 the Joint Health Systems Research (HSR) Project for the Southern African Region has been making efforts to increase the national expertise for operational health research, starting in ten Southern African countries, in order to strengthen decision-making in health care at all levels. Initially, its targets were health managers and public health staff. Step-by-step, staff of different levels and disciplines have, in small groups, developed and implemented research protocols on problems experienced in their own working environment. The recommendations resulting from over 200 studies could, to a large extent, be implemented by the teams themselves. The Project was characterized by a flexible approach, allowing countries to participate at their own speed and to determine their own activities and the support they needed. As Ministries of Health as well as research institutions, in an increasing number of Southern and Eastern African countries, choose to actively participate in HSR, this has contributed to bridge the gap between the academic world and the health field. Still, sustainability of HSR activities remains a challenge. This paper describes the approach of the Joint HSR Project over the first 10 years of its operation, and its major strengths and limitations.  (+info)

Health research philanthropy in a time of plenty: a strategic agenda. (3/55)

Generous public investment in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides research foundations with a unique opportunity to more closely connect investments in basic research to a payoff in improved health. Foundations can support efforts to integrate what is known from the biological, behavioral, and social sciences to solve the nation's most pressing health problems. In doing so, they will help to build the scientific capacity to conduct high-quality integrative research in anticipation of a more robust public investment in translating what is known about health into what is done to improve and maintain it.  (+info)

Are foundations overlooking mental health? (4/55)

Over the past decade philanthropic giving for health has increased dramatically, but giving for mental health has not kept pace. Historically, foundations have been key partners in efforts to improve care for people with mental disorders, and foundation funding has influenced the evolution of U.S. mental health services and systems. Although mental health giving grew in the 1990s, the rate of growth was far below that for total foundation giving or giving for health. The authors suggest possible reasons why mental health funding lost ground and describe promising funding approaches and models for increasing both the amount and the impact of philanthropic giving for mental health.  (+info)

Funding public health: The public's willingness to pay for domestic violence prevention programming. (5/55)

OBJECTIVES: The author investigated the willingness of the general public to pay for domestic violence prevention programs. METHODS: An experimental design was used in a telephone survey of 522 California adults. One of 11 funding methods and one of 4 dollar amounts were randomly assigned to each respondent. RESULTS: Most respondents (79.4%) reported support for domestic violence prevention programming. They were most willing to pay 5 US dollars or less via "user fees" (e.g., increased fines for batterers) and humanitarian "donations" (e.g., sales of special postage stamps). CONCLUSIONS: Health departments that want to increase their domestic violence prevention programming need to identify widely accepted methods by which funds can be raised. The methods used here can be applied to numerous public health activities and issues.  (+info)

Stamping out cancer. (6/55)

It is universally acknowledged that if cancer is to be controlled, prevention and down staging are essential. In the year 2000 about 10 million new cases were registered, while 6.3 million people died from cancer worldwide. Stamps are regarded as a very useful and educative tool in fighting cancer by creating awareness and raising money for treatment and research. This year (2003) is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the issue of the first anticancer stamps in 1928, so an up-to-date review of the field of oncophilately is timely.  (+info)

A tale of two cities: financing two voucher programs for substance abusers through community donations. (7/55)

Voucher-based reinforcement therapy (VBRT) is an effective drug abuse treatment, but the cost of VBRT rewards has limited its dissemination. Obtaining VBRT incentives through donations may be one way to overcome this barrier. Two direct mail campaigns solicited donations for use in VBRT for pregnant, postpartum, and parenting drug users in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and in Los Angeles, California. In Toronto, 19% of those contacted over 2 months donated 8,000 dollars (4,000 dollars/month) of goods and services. In Los Angeles, nearly 26% of those contacted over 34 months donated 161,000 dollars (4,472dollars/month) of goods and services. Maintaining voucher programs by soliciting donations is feasible and sustainable. The methods in this article can serve as a guide for successful donation solicitation campaigns. Donations offer an alternative for obtaining VBRT rewards for substance abuse treatment and may increase its dissemination.  (+info)

Improving the health of Californians: effective public-private strategies for challenging times. (8/55)

This paper summarizes the discussion that occurred at a November 2003 roundtable on philanthropy and health policy making. The roundtable was intended to stimulate a conversation about the strategic interplay of health policy and philanthropy in a challenging economy; to gain a richer understanding of the needs and expectations of funders and policymakers so that resources can be leveraged far more effectively; and to identify practical, collaborative approaches for advancing policy development and implementation. The gathering included more than fifty key leaders from state and national foundations; state policymakers; representatives from the California governor's office and key state health agencies and commissions; private-sector leaders; and academics.  (+info)