A new study by researchers at Duke University reveals that Mexican American men and women have different experiences with the US healthcare system, with men facing greater challenges as they age. Women, particularly those more recently arrived in the US, report poorer health due to their increased interactions with healthcare providers.
A RAND Corporation study finds that home health care technology can empower patients to self-manage their conditions, improve health outcomes, and reduce costs. Despite its promise, adoption faces obstacles such as restrictive insurance coverage, limited patient readiness, and concerns about product design.
The Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center hosted a symposium on high-value health care, emphasizing the need for payment reform and collaborative approaches. Panelists stressed the importance of integrated care, ACOs, and electronic health records in achieving better health outcomes.
The Mental Health Research Network aims to make research faster, less expensive, and more relevant to real-world healthcare. By analyzing data from 10 million people in 12 states, researchers hope to find effective methods for detecting, treating, and preventing mental disorders.
The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) and the Global Health Informatics Partnership (GHIP) announce a strategic alliance to enhance global health information and communication systems, create learning modules for public health and clinical workers, and support local centers of excellence in health informatics. The pa...
Health care costs in Canada are expected to increase due to rising expenditures. Governments have options to deal with this, including increasing revenue through taxes or social insurance.
The World Health Report 2010 identifies inefficiencies in healthcare systems, wasting 20-40% of expenditure, and recommends reducing reliance on out-of-pocket payments for healthcare. The report also acknowledges the challenges in implementing healthcare reform and managing chronic diseases.
The Lancet Review highlights the need for targeted healthcare resources in prisons, where millions of marginalized individuals are often beyond community health services reach. Prisoners' health problems become public health concerns upon release, and reforming medical services could substantially improve public health.
Research into health systems aims to improve healthcare delivery, but lacks clarity due to multiple definitions. The article proposes working definitions for Operational, Implementation, and Health Systems research, which can be used to build on existing research and maximize its impact.
The ASU Public Health Law Network - Western Region has received a national grant to create a public health legal training curriculum and exercises. The curriculum will help state and local public health officials, legal counsel, and emergency managers prepare for emergencies by enhancing their understanding of the essential role of law.
A growing burden of chronic disease threatens low-income and middle-income countries; weak national health systems hinder effective interventions. Strengthening health systems can improve responses to chronic diseases, benefiting other health services as well.
A new study by Michigan State University sociologist Harry Perlstadt finds that political ideology plays a larger role in shaping public perception of health disparities than previously thought. The research highlights the importance of understanding how the public perceives health disparities to inform health care reform strategies.
A majority of Americans supports increased spending on public health in general, but there is a partisan divide and divisions within specific areas. Meanwhile, most people believe the US is not spending enough on improving and protecting public health, and many see long-term savings from measures to improve health and prevention.
New research presents findings on patient and physician understanding and use of family health history to assess disease risk. Family health history information is shown to be a useful and accurate tool for assessing an individual's risk of developing various diseases.
Inequities in health care exist across circumpolar countries, with some nations having healthy populations in the north and others facing lower health outcomes despite high expenditures. Canada can strengthen partnerships and adopt best practices to improve its northern health care system.
The Disability and Health Journal examines the Americans with Disabilities Act's impact on health care access and outcomes for people with disabilities. Despite progress in acknowledging physical barriers and staff training, ongoing challenges persist, including recurrent health care barriers and discrimination.
A four-year study funded by the AHRQ investigates Total Health, a unique benefits program offering preventive care, reduced copayments for chronic conditions, and health promotion programs to manage chronic diseases. The study aims to improve employee wellness and productivity while controlling healthcare costs.
The Arizona State University College of Law has established a regional office for the national Public Health Law Network, providing legal and policy solutions to public health practitioners, policymakers, and advocates. The Western region center will focus on issues such as food safety, health reform, and emergency preparedness in 11 s...
Researchers identified areas for improvement in healthcare facilities' navigation systems, including signage, facility maps, and oral communication. The study's findings emphasize the importance of health literacy and suggest steps for healthcare providers to take to increase patient understanding.
A legal analysis by Lawrence O. Gostin asserts the health insurance mandate is constitutional due to federal powers regulating interstate commerce and taxation. The mandate's tax penalty is seen as essential for expanding healthcare access and correcting market failures, making it a key component of health reform.
A new study finds that US government health reforms have improved insurance coverage and reduced financial barriers to care, but failed to address disparities in access to care and self-rated health. The research suggests that health reform policies should focus on broader social determinants of health to advance health equity.
The Global Health Informatics Partnership (GHIP) aims to strengthen health informatics capacity in low-resource settings through collaborative initiatives. GHIP will build grassroots networks of health informatics advocates and professionals, enabling enhanced quality, safety, and effectiveness of healthcare services.
The University of Texas at Austin's Health Information Technology program has received $2.7 million in federal funding to support its launch. The program graduated its first class of 54 students this summer, and the university will establish four programs in health information technology with the new funding.
A community-based maternal health delivery strategy known as the MOM Project increased access to maternal health care services for internally displaced women in eastern Burma. The study found a ten-fold increase in women assisted at delivery by emergency obstetric care workers, resulting in improved antenatal and postnatal care outcomes.
Indiana University School of Medicine and Regenstrief Institute collaborate to develop specialized graduate programs in health IT. The programs will provide training, distance learning opportunities, and on-the-job experience for healthcare professionals.
A new study from the Regenstrief Institute provides a framework for evaluating the costs, effort, and value of health information exchange services. The framework will help track the development and utilization of these services, crucial for understanding their impact on quality of care and patient safety.
Global health diplomacy is gaining traction in foreign policy circles, with the WHO Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative aiming to integrate health into international agendas. Experts emphasize the importance of diplomatic engagement for addressing global health challenges and advancing national security objectives.
The surveys will track trends in behavioral health services, consumer access, and cost sharing in the nation's privately insured individuals. The data collected will provide insights for policy-makers, advocacy groups, and health plan executives on how to improve delivery of behavioral health services.
A new decades-long study will investigate the health impacts of mobile phone use on at least 250,000 participants in five European countries. The COSMOS study aims to identify any possible health effects from long-term mobile phone use and will monitor participants' health for up to 30 years.
Anupam Datta leads Carnegie Mellon's contribution to SHARPS, a collaborative project tackling EHR and HIE security concerns. The team aims to develop policies and technologies for secure healthcare systems, leveraging expertise in information security and privacy.
A new study found that developing countries spend more on healthcare than they receive in foreign aid, with sub-Saharan Africa being an exception. The researchers recommend improving transparency and accountability in financial reporting to strengthen the effectiveness of health aid systems.
The four-year project will investigate and prototype approaches to achieving a standardized health information technology platform model. The SMArt architecture aims to provide core services and support extensively networked data from across the health system.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston will conduct breakthrough research to advance the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology. The NCCD will focus on patient-centered cognitive support to optimize patient outcomes.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) has been awarded $15.3 million to establish a Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (REC). RECs will provide technical assistance and guidance to healthcare providers on implementing electronic health records, helping them become meaningful users of e...
Group Health's patient-centered IT approach results in high patient satisfaction and efficient communication with providers. Evaluations show patients value secure e-mail, phone, and online services for better care.
The Rockefeller Foundation has awarded a grant to support the initial implementation of a global e-Health training program in sub-Saharan Africa, designed for primary care providers and health policy-makers. The program aims to provide low- or no-cost training to community health workers in developing countries.
The University of Missouri is launching a health literacy study emphasis program offering the first US health literacy certificate, focusing on non-physician professionals. The program aims to address low health literacy's $106 billion annual cost by providing thorough training on issues like culture and health compliance.
Dolphins' health is shedding light on human and ocean health. Researchers have discovered that diseases found in dolphins are similar to human diseases, providing clues into how human health might be affected by contaminated coastal water or seafood. High levels of PCBs in dolphins may be suppressing their immune function.
Developing local human capacity is key to implementing e-health tools in low-income countries, but a chicken-and-egg problem exists. Dr. Tierney's East African Center of Excellence in Health Informatics has built upon decades-long collaborations to train individuals and implement health information technology tools.
The Marmot Review advocates for proportionate universalism to address health inequalities, emphasizing fairness and social justice. By reducing health disparities, England could gain up to 2.5 million extra years of life, highlighting the importance of addressing socio-economic inequalities.
A special issue of Health Affairs features articles by AMIA members on e-health in developing countries, focusing on mobile health, global partnerships, and local solutions. The articles highlight the critical role of informatics in achieving overall health improvements globally.
Researchers propose national health trust to promote optimal mix of personal medical care and population health measures, reducing inefficiencies and administrative waste. The proposed system would target spending to investments with the greatest long-run returns, improving US healthcare outcomes.
Global health agencies urge stronger collection, analysis, and use of health data to evaluate the impact of health programs and policies. The eight agencies propose four actions to strengthen health data collection, including increasing investments in health information and developing a common data architecture.
The Comprehensive Center of Excellence in Disparities Research and Community Engagement (CEDREC) will engage in collaborative research and outreach programs aimed at addressing health disparities. CEDREC will focus on improving the health of medically underserved African-Americans in Central Harlem and the South Bronx, where one in thr...
A new national survey of children's health reveals significant gaps in insurance coverage, with over 6.7 million uninsured kids and nearly 1/4 insured kids lacking adequate care. Obesity rates have increased, affecting 10 million youths ages 10-17.
National health systems play a crucial role in making progress in global health, according to Julio Frenk. Strengthening these systems can improve performance by addressing leadership, institutions, systems design, and technologies.
The Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health at Columbia's Mailman School will use the grant to extend its intellectual mission and bring humanities insights to public health challenges. The grant will support a $3,000,000 endowment campaign for faculty chairs, lectures, and research.
A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that poverty and high school dropout rates have a significant impact on health, with poor individuals losing 8.2 years of perfect health. The study suggests that addressing poverty and education is crucial to improving population health.
A new supplement provides essential reference and set of tools for evidence-informed health policymaking. The series addresses four broad areas and contains 17 support tools from renowned experts.
Women in rural areas are at risk of inadequate health care coverage due to age, retirement, and lack of internet access. To address this issue, researchers are developing programs to provide critical health information and affordable healthcare.
Renowned psychopharmacology expert Stephen M. Stahl, MD, PhD, highlights low confidence in army mental health care, excessive opiate prescribing, and understaffing of services at Ft. Hood. He proposes redeploying primary-care providers and nurse case managers to centralize mental health care delivery.
The US pediatric oral health report, published in Academic Pediatrics, emphasizes the need to improve outcomes and address disparities. The report presents key findings on the state of pediatric oral health in the US, including the prevalence of dental caries and access to care.
New research highlights the importance of controlling short-lived greenhouse pollutants like sulphates, methane, and black carbon to reduce global warming and improve health. The study finds that sulphates can have negative health effects while ozone pollution has a significant impact on cardiovascular mortality.
The NIH has partnered with The Lancet to address the public health impacts of climate change through four case studies on household energy, transportation, electricity generation, and agricultural food production. These studies demonstrate that cost savings from improving health can offset the cost of addressing climate change.
A novel K-anonymity algorithm ensures patient confidentiality in health records, facilitating access to a larger number of records. This method safeguards against biases introduced by individual consent requirements in health research.
A University of Missouri study found that framing health news releases to include conflict factors like health disparities and risks increases coverage in local black newspapers. This increased coverage raises awareness and can lead to better health outcomes in populations at risk for disparities.
The Ohio Research Association for Public Health Improvement (RAPHI) aims to investigate how public health does what it does, with an initial focus on improving services using information technology. The RAPHI project will advance RWJF's efforts to enhance the evidence base for public health policy and practice.
The new center will support partnerships with community-based organizations to conduct innovative research and develop effective programs to eliminate health disparities. It will also expand training and technical assistance services, including multilingual materials and distance learning programs.
Research by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that consumer electronics can aid in improving clinical outcomes like smoking cessation. Consumer health informatics applications provide personalized information to help patients better manage their health.
Researchers argue that everyday life, not just healthcare, affects population health and public health initiatives' success. Studies find that cultural frameworks and institutional practices shape health outcomes.