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Health Policy and Planning Mar 2023Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is a neglected area in global health financing. Despite repeated calls for greater investment, it seems that there has been... (Review)
Review
Health policy and systems research (HPSR) is a neglected area in global health financing. Despite repeated calls for greater investment, it seems that there has been little growth. We analysed trends in reported funding and activity between 2015 and 2021 using a novel real-time source of global health data, the Devex.com database, the world's largest source of funding opportunities related to international development. We performed a systematic search of the Devex.com database for HPSR-related terms with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. We included 'programs', 'tenders & grants' and 'contract awards', covering all call statuses (open, closed or forecast). Such funding opportunities were included if they were related specifically to HPSR funding or had an HPSR component; pure biomedical funding was excluded. Our findings reveal a relative neglect of HPSR, as only ∼2% of all global health funding calls included a discernible HPSR component. Despite increases in funding calls until 2019, this situation reversed in 2020, likely reflecting the redirection of resources to rapid assessments of the impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Most identified projects represented small-scale opportunities-commonly for consultancies or technical assistance. To the extent that new data were generated, these projects were either tied to a specific large intervention or were narrow in scope to meet a specific challenge-with many examples informing policy responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. Nearly half of advertised funding opportunities were multi-country projects, usually addressing global policy priorities like health systems strengthening or development of coordinated public health policies at a regional level. The Covid-19 pandemic has shown why investing in HPSR is more important than ever to enable the delivery of effective health interventions and avoid costly implementation failures. The evidence presented here highlights the need to scale up efforts to convince global health funders to institutionalize the inclusion of HPSR components in all funding calls.
Topics: Humans; Pandemics; Health Services Research; COVID-19; Health Policy; Financing, Organized; Global Health
PubMed: 36546732
DOI: 10.1093/heapol/czac109 -
RoFo : Fortschritte Auf Dem Gebiete Der... Nov 2023Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in radiology. Besides climate protection - economic, ecological, and social aspects are integral elements of...
BACKGROUND
Sustainability is becoming increasingly important in radiology. Besides climate protection - economic, ecological, and social aspects are integral elements of sustainability. An overview of the scientific background of the sustainability and environmental impact of radiology as well as possibilities for future concepts for more sustainable diagnostic and interventional radiology are presented below.The three elements of sustainability:1. EcologyWith an annually increasing number of tomographic images, Germany is in one of the leading positions worldwide in a per capita comparison. The energy consumption of an MRI system is comparable to 26 four-person households annually. CT and MRI together make a significant contribution to the overall energy consumption of a hospital. In particular, the energy consumption in the idle or inactive state is responsible for a relevant proportion.2. EconomyA critical assessment of the indications for radiological imaging is important not only because of radiation protection, but also in terms of sustainability and "value-based radiology". As part of the "Choosing Wisely" initiative, a total of 600 recommendations for avoiding unnecessary examinations were compiled from various medical societies, including specific indications in radiological diagnostics.3. Social SustainabilityThe alignment of radiology to the needs of patients and referring physicians is a core aspect of the social component of sustainability. Likewise, ensuring employee loyalty by supporting and maintaining motivation, well-being, and job satisfaction is an essential aspect of social sustainability. In addition, sustainable concepts are of relevance in teaching and research, such as the educational curriculum for residents in radiology, RADUCATION or the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.
KEY POINTS
· Sustainability comprises three pillars: economy, ecology and the social component.. · Radiologies have a high optimization potential due to a significant demand of these resources.. · A dialogue between medicine, politics and industry is necessary for a sustainable radiology.. · The discourse, knowledge transfer and public communication of recommendations are part of the sustainability network of the German Roentgen Society (DRG)..
CITATION FORMAT
· Palm V, Heye T, Molwitz I et al. Sustainability and Climate Protection in Radiology - An Overview. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2023; 195: 981 - 988.
Topics: Humans; Radiography; Radiology, Interventional; Curriculum; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Job Satisfaction
PubMed: 37348529
DOI: 10.1055/a-2093-4177 -
BMC Medical Education Jan 2023There is increasing recognition of including social determinants of health (SDOH) in teaching for future doctors. However, the educational methods and the extent of... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
There is increasing recognition of including social determinants of health (SDOH) in teaching for future doctors. However, the educational methods and the extent of integration into the curriculum vary considerably-this scoping review is aimed at how SDOH has been introduced into medical schools' curricula.
METHODS
A systematic search was performed of six electronic databases, including PubMed, Education Source, Scopus, OVID (Medline), APA Psych Info, and ERIC. Articles were excluded if they did not cover the SDOH curriculum for medical students; were based on service-learning rather than didactic content; were pilot courses, or were not in English, leaving eight articles in the final study.
RESULTS
The initial search yielded 654 articles after removing duplicates. In the first screening step, 588 articles were excluded after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria and quality assessment; we examined 66 articles, a total of eight included in the study. There was considerable heterogeneity in the content, structure and duration of SDOH curricula. Of the eight included studies, six were in the United States(U.S.), one in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and one in Israel. Four main conceptual frameworks were invoked: the U.S. Healthy People 2020, two World Health Organisation frameworks (The Life Course and the Michael Marmot's Social Determinants of Health), and the National Academic of Science, Engineering, and Medicine's (Framework For educating Health Professionals to Address the Social Determinants of Health). In general, programs that lasted longer appeared to perform better than shorter-duration programmes. Students favoured interactive, experiential-learning teaching methods over the traditional classroom-based teaching methods.
CONCLUSION
The incorporation of well-structured SDOH curricula capturing both local specification and a global framework, combined with a combination of traditional and interactive teaching methods over extended periods, may be helpful in steps for creating lifelong learners and socially accountable medical school education.
Topics: Humans; Social Determinants of Health; Curriculum; Education, Medical; Problem-Based Learning; Students, Medical
PubMed: 36631816
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03899-2 -
Medecine Sciences : M/S Jan 2021The immune system and the sensory nervous system are responsible for perceiving danger under distinct yet complementary forms. In the last few years, neuroimmune... (Review)
Review
The immune system and the sensory nervous system are responsible for perceiving danger under distinct yet complementary forms. In the last few years, neuroimmune interactions have become an important topic of dermatological research for conditions including wound healing, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. We present here a selection of tridimensional in vitro models that reproduce skin structure and integrate an immune or a sensory function. Future evolutions of such models are expected to greatly contribute in a better understanding of reciprocal influences between sensory nervous system and immune system.
Topics: Animals; Cells, Cultured; Humans; Models, Biological; Neuroimmunomodulation; Organ Culture Techniques; Skin; Tissue Culture Techniques; Tissue Engineering; Tissue Scaffolds; Wound Healing
PubMed: 33492221
DOI: 10.1051/medsci/2020260 -
European Journal of Obstetrics,... Aug 2021Increasing incidence of endometrial cancer and late motherhood enhance conservative management in clinical practice. Although different approaches to fertility-sparing...
The results of different fertility-sparing treatment modalities and obstetric outcomes in patients with early endometrial cancer and atypical endometrial hyperplasia: Case series of 30 patients and systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
Increasing incidence of endometrial cancer and late motherhood enhance conservative management in clinical practice. Although different approaches to fertility-sparing treatment are possible, it is still unknown which patients will benefit more from systemic or local treatment. Aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of different methods of conservative management and obstetric outcomes in patients with early endometrial cancer and atypical endometrial hyperplasia.
STUDY DESIGN
30 patients (10 with atypical endometrial hyperplasia, 20 with endometrial cancer) treated conservatively were included to retrospective analysis. 24 patients receiving progestins were divided into 2 groups according to the dose (low and high dose); 6 patients were treated with levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine device. Effectiveness of therapy (complete, partial or absent) and obstetric outcomes (number of pregnancies and live births) were assessed. Electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase) were searched for articles according to criteria: 1) fertility-sparing treatment of endometrial cancer/atypical endometrial hyperplasia in patients of reproductive age, 2) assessment of pregnancy/obstetric results. The risk of bias was assessed with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Series.
RESULTS
Complete and partial remission were achieved in 21 and 3 patients, respectively. 6 patients did not respond to treatment. Relapse was diagnosed in 6 patients. Probability of complete remission according to low-, high-dose regimen and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device were 55.6% (46.5%-64.7%), 73.3% (65.2%-81.4%) and 83.3% (76.5%-90.1%) respectively. 4 patients get pregnant and 3 of them born children. 25 studies (21 retrospective, 4 prospective) with 812 participants were included in the systematic review. The most studied was progestin based treatment. Complete and partial response to fertility-sparing management was diagnosed in 634 and 38 patients, respectively. Relapse was diagnosed in 170 patients. Median times of follow-up range from 17 (1-45) to 98 (35-176) months. The total number of pregnancies and live births were 352 and 246, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Fertility-sparing treatment is a safe method of management in young women with endometrial cancer/atypical endometrial hyperplasia. While the main goal of conservative management is preserving the possibility of having children, only a small number of women will become pregnant and give birth.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Endometrial Hyperplasia; Endometrial Neoplasms; Female; Fertility Preservation; Humans; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Pregnancy; Progestins; Prospective Studies; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34214800
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2021.06.007 -
Health Physics Nov 2021An evaluation of cancer risk based on organ-absorbed dose is underway for the Japanese Epidemiological Study on Low-Dose Radiation Effects (J-EPISODE), which has...
An evaluation of cancer risk based on organ-absorbed dose is underway for the Japanese Epidemiological Study on Low-Dose Radiation Effects (J-EPISODE), which has analyzed health effects in association with radiation exposure evaluated with the personal dose equivalent Hp(10). Although the concept of effective dose and its operational definition of Hp(10) are widely used for radiological protection purposes, effective dose is not recommended for epidemiological evaluation. Organ-absorbed dose was instead adopted for the IARC 15-Country Collaborative study (15-Country study), the International Nuclear Workers Study (INWORKS), the Mayak worker study, and the Life Span Study (LSS) of atomic bomb survivors. The reconstruction method in J-EPISODE followed in principle the approach adopted in the 15-Country Study. As part of the approach of J-EPISODE, a conversion factor from photon dosimeter reading to air kerma was developed using dosimeter response data, which were measured by the experiment using an anthropomorphic phantom, and it was confirmed that the 15-Country study's assumption of photon energy and geometry distribution in a work environment applied to Japanese nuclear workers. This article focuses on a method for reconstructing the conversion factor from photon dosimeter reading to organ-absorbed photon dose for a Japanese nuclear worker cohort. The model for estimating the conversion factor was defined under the assumption of a lognormal distribution from three concerned bias factors: (1) a dosimeter reading per air kerma, i.e., dosimeter response; (2) an organ-absorbed dose per air kerma; and (3) a factor relating to the differences in dose concepts and calibration practices between the roentgen dosimeter era and the present. Dosimeter response data were cited from the companion paper. Data on organ-absorbed photon dose per air kerma were estimated using a voxel phantom with the average Japanese adult male height and weight. The bias factor for the recorded dose in the roentgen era was defined, considering the backscatter radiation from the human body. The estimated values of organ-absorbed photon dose per air kerma were almost the same as those in ICRP Publication 116, revealing that the effect of differences in body size was almost negligible. The conversion factors from dosimeter reading to organ-absorbed dose were estimated by period (the roentgen era or from then), nuclear facility type (nuclear power plant or other), dosimeter type, and tissue or organ. The estimated conversion factors ranged from 0.7 to 0.9 (Gy Sv-1). The estimated cumulative organ-absorbed photon dose for the participants of J-EPISODE demonstrated that organ-absorbed dose values were approximately 0.8 times the recorded doses if neglecting dose-unit differences. J-EPISODE reconstructed an organ-absorbed dose conversion factor and will evaluate the risk of cancer mortality and morbidity using the organ-absorbed dose in the future.
Topics: Adult; Calibration; Humans; Japan; Male; Nuclear Power Plants; Photons; Radiation Dosage; Radiation Protection; Radiometry
PubMed: 34591819
DOI: 10.1097/HP.0000000000001454 -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Feb 2018The incidence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is rising in all developed countries. This study aimed at assessing the short-term economic burden of GDM from the...
BACKGROUND
The incidence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is rising in all developed countries. This study aimed at assessing the short-term economic burden of GDM from the Italian healthcare system perspective.
METHODS
A model was built over the last pregnancy trimester (i.e., from the 28th gestational week until childbirth included). The National Hospital Discharge Database (2014) was accessed to estimate delivery outcome probabilities and inpatient costs in GDM and normal pregnancies (i.e., euglycemia). International Classification of Disease-9th Revision-Clinical Modification (ICD9-CM) diagnostic codes and Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) codes were used to identify GDM cases and different types of delivery (i.e., vaginal or cesarean) within the database. Neonatal outcomes probabilities were estimated from the literature and included macrosomia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, shoulder dystocia, respiratory distress, and brachial plexus injury. Additional data sources such as regional documents, official price and tariff lists, national statistics and expert opinion were used to populate the model. The average cost per case was calculated at national level to estimate the annual economic burden of GDM. One-way sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations were performed to quantify the uncertainty around base case results.
RESULTS
The amount of pregnancies complicated by GDM in Italy was assessed at 54,783 in 2014 using a prevalence rate of 10.9%. The antenatal outpatient cost per case was estimated at €43.7 in normal pregnancies compared to €370.6 in GDM patients, which is equivalent to a weighted sum of insulin- (14%; €1034.6) and diet- (86%; €262.5) treated women's costs. Inpatient delivery costs were assessed at €1601.6 and €1150.3 for euglycemic women and their infants, and at €1835.0 and €1407.7 for GDM women and their infants, respectively. Thus, the overall cost per case difference between GDM and normal pregnancies was equal to €817.8 (+ 29.2%), resulting in an economic burden of about €44.8 million in 2014 at national level. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis yielded a cost per case difference ranging between €464.9 and €1164.8 in 80% of simulations.
CONCLUSIONS
The economic burden of GDM in Italy is substantial even accounting for short-term medical costs only. Future research also addressing long-term consequences from a broader societal perspective is recommended.
Topics: Adult; Cost of Illness; Delivery, Obstetric; Diabetes, Gestational; Female; Health Care Costs; Humans; Infant Health; Italy; Patient Discharge; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy Trimester, Third
PubMed: 29471802
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-018-1689-1 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2022False negative (FN) results in cervical cancer (CC) screening pose serious risks to women. We present a comprehensive literature review on the risks and reasons of... (Review)
Review
False negative (FN) results in cervical cancer (CC) screening pose serious risks to women. We present a comprehensive literature review on the risks and reasons of obtaining the FN results of primary CC screening tests and triage methods and discuss their clinical and public health impact and implications. Misinterpretation or true lack of abnormalities on a slide are the reasons of FN results in cytology and p16/Ki-67 dual-staining. For high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) molecular tests, those include: truly non-HPV-associated tumors, lesions driven by low-risk HPV types, and clearance of HPV genetic material before sampling. Imprecise disease threshold definition lead to FN results in visual inspection with acetic acid. Lesions with a discrete colposcopic appearance are a source of FN in colposcopic procedures. For FAM19A4 and hsa-miR124-2 genes methylation, those may originate from borderline methylation levels. Histological misinterpretation, sampling, and laboratory errors also play a role in all types of CC screening, as well as reproducibility issue, especially in methods based on human-eye evaluation. Primary HPV-based screening combined with high quality-assured immunocytochemical and molecular triage methods seem to be an optimal approach. Colposcopy with histological evaluation remains the gold standard for diagnosis but requires quality protocols and assurance measures.
PubMed: 35741319
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12061508 -
Radiology May 2023
Topics: Humans; Artificial Intelligence
PubMed: 36943081
DOI: 10.1148/radiol.230580 -
Journal of Banking & Finance Feb 2022A growing literature is devoted to understand how companies react to major external shocks. Contributing to this research, we study how the presence of families in...
A growing literature is devoted to understand how companies react to major external shocks. Contributing to this research, we study how the presence of families in corporate ownership and leadership affected the reaction of firms to the Covid-19 pandemic. Using data from Italy, we find that family firms exhibited higher market performance and operating profitability than other firms during the pandemic period. This result is stronger for companies without relevant minority investors and with multiple family shareholders. Delving into the mechanisms, we show that the outperformance of family firms is driven by a more efficient use of labor and a lower drop in revenues. Collectively, our results expand existing research by showing how family ties shape the response to adverse events.
PubMed: 34924685
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2021.106385