Some of the recent changes in the schools of public health include: an increasing number of schools and of graduates; a decrease in both the awarding of the MPH degree as compared with other masters degrees, and the DrPH degree as compared with the PhD; a trend toward lengthening the time for achieving the MPH degree; an increase in part-time study for graduate degrees; institution of undergraduate programs and external masters degree programs; a thrust toward greater continuing education activities; and a broadened base for the student population in terms of the heterogeneity of professional backgrounds and prior experience, a wider age range with more younger students, more women students, fewer foreign students, and an increase in minority representation. (+info)
Mental health and foster carer training.
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AIMS: To evaluate the impact of training foster carers on children's emotional and behavioural functioning. METHODS: In a randomised controlled trial in 17 Scottish local council areas, with immediate and nine month follow up, 182 children and their foster families were randomly allocated to either standard services alone or standard services plus extra training for foster carers on communication and attachment. Main outcome measures were child psychopathology, attachment disorder, self esteem, and cost of foster care. RESULTS: Over 60% of children had measurable psychopathology at baseline. The training was perceived as beneficial by participants. Scores for parent reported psychopathology and attachment disorders decreased by around 5%, self esteem increased by 2%, and costs by 22% in the intervention group. Results were non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: Despite being well received by foster carers, the training was not sufficient to make a useful impact on the high level of psychopathology. This group may warrant more intensive interventions. (+info)
Report of the world association of medical editors: agenda for the future.
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During a 3-day meeting at Bellagio in January 2001, a group of 20 editors from 12 countries in 5 continents met to map out a strategy for the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)'s continued development in the service of medical editors over the next several years. The group: 1) Developed a statement of principles on the standards of professionalism and responsibilities of editors (this statement will be posted on the Web site after electronic consultation with and comment by WAME editors); 2) Agreed to assess the extent to which these principles are reflected in practice and to explore barriers to their adoption, using data from a survey and focus groups; 3) Developed and outlined an on-line program for distance learning, targeted at new editors; 4) Planned for formal evaluation of the educational outreach program; and 5) Agreed to support regional initiatives to strengthen local editorial capacity. Underpinning all past and proposed future activities is the WAME Web site. The ambitious plans outlined above will require extensive development of the site, plans for which were made at the Bellagio meeting. (+info)
Using thiazolidinediones: rosiglitazone and pioglitazone in clinical practice.
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Type 2 diabetes is a disorder that has numerous components, including insulin resistance, an insulin secretory defect, and an increase in hepatic glucose production. Until recently, only the insulin secretory defect could be treated. Within recent years, the thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of drugs, which targets primarily insulin resistance, was released. Originally developed in Japan as triglyceride-lowering agents, TZDs were found to be more effective in lowering blood glucose levels instead. The actions of 2 TZDs--rosiglitazone and pioglitazone--are discussed, and their glucose- and nonglucose-lowering effects are explained. Four case histories are presented to illustrate various patients' responses to TZDs in clinical practice. Although TZDs have been demonstrated to be effective in dealing with many different aspects of type 2 diabetes, further study, involving multiple clinical trials, is needed. (+info)
Teaching old dogs new tricks--a personal perspective on a decade of efforts by a clinical ethics committee to promote awareness of medical ethics.
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To incorporate medical ethics into clinical practice, it must first be understood and valued by health care professionals. The recognition of this principle led to an expanding and continuing educational effort by the ethics committee of the Vancouver General Hospital. This paper reviews this venture, including some pitfalls and failures, as well as successes. Although we began with consultants, it quickly became apparent that education in medical ethics must reach all health care professionals--and medical students as well. Our greatest successes came in the formative years of a medical career (i.e., in medical school and residency training programmes), but other efforts were not wasted, particularly among nurses and other health care professionals. Although this is a personal review of the experience in one institution, the lessons learnt in Vancouver are applicable to the further development of medical ethics in the UK. (+info)
Reliability of information obtained by illiterate health workers regarding risk pregnancy.
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The present study aims at testing the reliability of information obtained by illiterate workers (IHW) on risk pregnancy. Eight maternal risk factors known to be related to low birth weight were utilised for the purpose. The reliability of information obtained by the IHWs were compared with that of the trainer. The reliability proportions (RP) for various parameters ranged from 0.78 to 0.96 with an average of 0.86. For the overall risk assessment, the RP was 0.73. The results of the present study suggest that the IHWs can recorded the risk indicators with fair degree of reliability and accuracy, which may be applied to the training of traditional birth attendants in field settings. (+info)
MLA continuing education activities, 1964-1974: a decade of growth and development.
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The medical Library Association's present program of continuing education began with the presentation of courses at the annual meeting in San Francisco in 1964. Since that time the range and scope of the Association's continuing education activities have grown rapidly. This paper examines the growth of those activities, assesses the present role of the Committee on Continuing Education, and considers some of the implications of the proposed certification code on the work of the Committee on Continuing Education. (+info)
Activities for a Regional Medical Library: a view of priorities by users and librarians.
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Priorities are given for five major categories of regional medical library activities, with further ordering of some fifty specific activities, as determined through discussion with, and a questionnaire survey of, the advisory committee of the Midcontinental Regional Medical Library. These activity priorities are considered a working tool for formulation of objectives and development of plans, and do not include a consideration of methodologies for implementation. User and librarian responses are noted and some interpretive comments are made. (+info)