Public health and preventive medicine Books

Book SynopsisThis book represents an actual view on the current trends in the area of respiratory therapy research. The amount of new information in each field of clinical medicine is astonishing and therefore we considered it very important to catch this exciting movement in the form of monograph dedicated to the advances in therapy research of various respiratory diseases. The chapters analyse the therapeutic strategies and perspectives in the management of the most common chronic diseases, especially in childhood. Due to very rapid progress in this area, it is very important that the authors succeed in summarising the most knowledge and data about the available and possible future therapies of bronchial asthma, primary ciliary dyskinesia, chronic and acute cough, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Aside from clinical chapters, the readers can also find experimental studies analysing the possible therapeutic application of different medications and chest physiotherapy. A very important part of each chapter is the current view on the pathogenesis of particular diseases, in which understanding is crucial for better, targeted therapy and research of novel therapeutic modalities. We hope that this book will find its readers and will help physicians and other interested people to understand the most recent trends in the treatment and management of respiratory diseases.

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Book SynopsisSexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a heterogeneous group of communicable diseases, whose only common element is sharing of sexual route as a mechanism of acquisition. With nearly 450 million cases detected annually, STIs represent a priority health problem worldwide, because of the impact they have on the physical and mental health of people who suffer, as the complications and consequences that can result and their relation to increased transmissibility of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Clinical manifestations, in most cases, involve the genital area and mucous but sometimes, cause systemic affectation. Infection due to Chlamydia trachomatis is already the most frequent STI of global health significance. Its epidemiological interest has increased markedly in recent years because the majority of infections run an asymptomatic course which can lead to serious complications, especially in young women. This book discusses the prevalence, pathogenesis and the prevention of chlamydia.

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Book SynopsisThis book has primarily been aimed at epidemiologists working with empirical data for both human and veterinary diseases. The final paragraph of this preface is probably the most important paragraph of the book, and if epidemiologists or healthcare or veterinary administrators are converted to the concept outlined in the last paragraph, then the book will have served a useful purpose: twenty-five years of epidemiological research culminated in the concept described in this paragraph. This book introduces second generation epidemiological modelling. Second generation modelling uses directly measurable biomodels that do not require estimates for their quantitative values. Biomodels encompass multiple model factors that would otherwise have to be estimated, and as such biomodels are directly correlated with disease prevalence and epidemic duration. This correlation enables biomodels to accurately predict the future course of an epidemic before it unfolds, whilst concurrently directing healthcare administrators where to target manpower and financial resources for optimal disease control. Whereas first generation modelling remains a useful tool for pedagogical or teaching purposes, second generation modelling [in the form of biomodels] allows healthcare administrators to cope with the demands of immediate and rapid disease control during periods of disease epidemics. Biomodels should be developed for important infectious diseases during periods of epidemiological ''peacetime'', when manpower and resources are not held at a premium. Few non-fictional books are read cover-to-cover. To accommodate the selective reader, some of the most important concepts in this volume [such as biofactors, biomodels, subclinical disease and predictive accuracy] are repeated within relevant chapters. National and regional disease contingency planning should incorporate biomodels as useful tools when planning future disease control measures.

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Book SynopsisDue largely to the explosion of information related to molecular medicine, the introduction of new courses and concepts behind professional skill, medical ethics and mechanism of actions of new drugs, the medical curriculum has now become more crowded than ever. This is complicated by the fact that the time to study medicine has become compressed over the past two decades. Thus, if we have to bring 21st century curriculum to the medical students we must be innovative in terms of our approach to design a very compact curriculum in the presence of decreased contact hours to fulfil the need of more integration. The present book highlights the evolution of the medical curriculum and describes a state-of the-art approach that indicates the essential points behind designing a curricular map. Care has been taken to bring a concept that no particular curriculum may fit to the need of a medical school and thus it is necessary to fine tune a system that is ever rolling and dynamic in the context of medical education. The book not only addresses issues behind designing a curriculum for 21st century medical students but emphasises key issues such as integration, evaluation and assessment, students'' feedback and 21st century modalities necessary for clinical and laboratory skill. The book is the first of its kind to address "Health and Disease" through understanding of the medical curriculum and should be very valuable to all medical educationists.

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Book SynopsisThis book presents original research results on the leading edge of occupational therapy. Each article has been carefully selected in an attempt to present substantial research results across a broad spectrum. This book discusses research on culturally responsive attitude development; neurorehabilitation in dementia; new perspectives in occupational therapy; hospitalised children who play do not use sleep as a coping strategy; the interaction between sensory-motor disorders and social participation in persons with an autism spectrum disorder; the development of inquiry methods in mental health occupational therapy.

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Book SynopsisThe Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (generally referred to as the Medicare Modernization Act, or MMA) substantially expanded the federal Medicare program by creating the prescription drug benefit known as Part D. In fiscal year 2013, Medicare Part D covered 39 million people. The federal government spent $59 billion net of premiums on Part D in that year; after accounting for certain payments from states under the program, the net federal cost was $50 billion, which represented 10 percent of net federal spending for Medicare. This book discusses the cost trends and competition issues of Medicare''s Prescription Drug Program.

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Book SynopsisThis book describes biofilms in the context of hygiene in food safety and hospital facilities, starting with bacterial adhesion as an initial step of cell colonization, followed by the growth and maturation of biofilms. The main focus of this book is on biofilm prevention and control. The resistance of bacteria to several antibiotics is a global public health problem, not limited to hospital facilities, but also to other sectors, including the food industry. This raises questions about whether effective cleaning and disinfection reduce the risk of food-borne and hospital-acquired illness. Can the surface characteristics be treated to prevent bacterial adhesion and, consequently, the formation of biofilms? Biofilms are complex communities of bacteria attached the surfaces, with fully developed architecture and highly organized interactions. A better understanding of the biofilm lifecycle, with advanced strategies of physical, chemical and biological actions, would reduce the risk of infection. The question is not whether the preventive and control measures will play a significant role in public health, but rather what the implications of their use will be for hygiene in the food industry and hospital facilities.

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Book SynopsisMedicaid is a joint federal-state program that finances the delivery of primary and acute medical services, as well as LTSS, for a diverse low-income population, including children, pregnant women, adults, individuals with chronic disabling conditions, and people age 65 and older. This book describes the basic elements of Medicaid, focusing on who is eligible, what services are covered, how enrolees share in the cost of care, how the program is financed, and how providers are paid. The book also explains waivers, program integrity activities, and the dual eligible population. In addition, the book describes the following selected issues: the ACA Medicaid expansion, the impact of the ACA health insurance annual fee on Medicaid, and the ACA maintenance of effort (MOE) with respect to Medicaid eligibility.

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Book SynopsisIn 2011, federal spending for prescription drugs by DOD, Medicaid, and Medicare Part D totalled $71.2 billion -- representing about 85 percent of all federal prescription drug expenditures -- for about 114.4 million beneficiaries. Each program reimbursed retail pharmacies for outpatient prescriptions filled at these pharmacies by their beneficiaries. This book compares retail reimbursement prices paid by DOD, Medicaid, and Medicare Part D for a sample of prescription drugs and describes factors affecting these prices. It also discusses approaches to control prescription drug spending in federal programs.

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Book SynopsisCost-effective health preventive services, such as immunisations and screenings, may assist providers in helping patients avoid the onset or worsening of various health conditions. Services are determined to be cost-effective when they improve the benefit (eg: health outcomes) in a less costly way than a given alternative. Some preventive services may also result in cost savings, where the cost of implementing the service is less than the expected future costs to treat a disease or condition. However, some preventive services may not be appropriate for the entire patient population. This book discusses the cost-effective strategies in recent peer-reviewed health care literature, as well as provides available information on federal spending, cost savings, and examines the effectiveness of aligning the use of preventive services with clinical recommendations.

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Book SynopsisNon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most widely used drugs for the suppression of inflammation and pain. However, the therapeutic uses of NSAIDs are frequently limited by the significant negative side effects including ulceration, most notably in the gastrointestinal tract. This book examines alternative therapies to healing wounds such as negative pressure wound therapy; and the use of honey and biomaterials. The book also examines the implications of involvement of NSAID-activated gene 1 in ulceration and wound healing.

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Book SynopsisThe prevalence of obesity in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations has increased dramatically over the past 30 years. Although AIs are not a homogeneous group, all tribes throughout the U.S. have suffered adverse effects from the high prevalence of obesity. Overall, studies demonstrate that obesity begins early for AI/AN children and also is a significant problem for the adult population. Many chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and breathing problems are associated with the increasing prevalence of obesity in AIs. The book is organized into four major sections: a literature review that synthesizes research findings pertaining to the prevalence of obesity and examines what is known about the major determinants and consequences of obesity as well as the nature and findings of various types of clinical and community-based interventions; activities of selected federal agencies in the area of obesity and AI/ANs; summary of a site visit to the Gila River Indian Community; and directions for future research.

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Book SynopsisMost U.S. residents want a society in which all persons live long, healthy lives; however, that vision is yet to be realised fully. As two of its primary goals, CDC aims to reduce preventable morbidity and mortality and to eliminate disparities in health between segments of the U.S. population. Health disparities are differences in health outcomes and their determinants between segments of the population, as defined by social, demographic, environmental, and geographic attributes. Health inequalities, which is sometimes used interchangeably with the term health disparities, is more often used in the scientific and economic literature to refer to summary measures of population health associated with individual- or group-specific attributes (eg: income, education, or race/ethnicity). This book consolidates and discusses the most recent national data available on disparities in mortality, morbidity, behavioural risk factors, health-care access, preventive health services, and social determinants of critical health problems in the United States by using selected indicators.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding the supply, distribution, and educational pipeline of nurses is key to designing programs and policies that will ensure access to care and an effective health care system. This book analyzes data from a variety of sources to present recent trends and the current status of the registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN) workforces. This book also provides additional information on data and methodology for analysis of the nurse supply, including information on the calculation of standard errors, tests of significance for change over time, and use of the data for rural-urban analysis.

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Book SynopsisArboviruses have become significant causes of public health problems with potential for epidemics and unprecedented spread. Large epidemics have occurred and will continue to occur unless we remain extremely vigilant, respond promptly, and have more to offer than isolation and quarantine. Arboviral diseases include the West Nile virus, Yellow fever and dengue, among others. These viruses have caused wide-spread morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa as well as worldwide. The changing epidemiology of arboviruses, the changing virulence of arboviruses, increased vector population responsible for transmission of diseases, the growing population sizes and rapid urbanization cause changes in equilibrium of vectors and hosts, thus, increasing chances of outbreaks and epidemics. Therefore, a constant watch on the pattern of arboviral diseases through surveillance is inevitable. In this book, we present public health experiences from Zambia.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, we present research on health issues in diverse cultures and especially research around immigrants who came to the United States from diverse backgrounds. Hispanic and Asian Americans make up the fastest growing sector of the United States population and immigrants are often unable to access, seek, or receive health care due to several barriers. Research and also clinical experience have found that recent immigrants who migrate to the United States frequently experience a lack of access, high costs, and difficulty obtaining medical insurance along with barriers such as access to information, cultural or linguistic obstacles, and an inability to understand the healthcare system. Therefore in this book, we have tried to gain a better understanding for the readers of the experiences that immigrants undergo in the healthcare system through several research projects presented herein.

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Book SynopsisJob burnout has been well described and refers to a transformation that occurs in persons exposed to considerable occupational stress, particularly in fields that involve human interaction. It is a pathological syndrome in which overwhelming work demands lead to emotional depletion, maladaptive detachment, and feelings of personal inefficacy. This book discusses risk factors that lead to burnout as well as its impact on performance. This book also discusses the affect sleep deprivation has on academic performance and management.

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Book SynopsisPhysicians are well trained in conventional medicine and most are well acquainted with integrative medicine, which incorporates conventional and alternative medical practices in a complementary manner. However, many patients are less understanding of what integrative medicine is and when it should be used. This book is intended for the untrained person who wants to become more knowledgeable about Integrative Medicine, where the objective is to treat the whole person (mind, body and spirit) and make better informed decisions regarding his or her own medical care. It is an introduction to complimentary, alternative, integrative and even anti-aging and functional medicines tailored to aid the patient''s personal needs and goals for health and wellness. This symbiotic relationship between different disciplines is accomplished simply by putting wellness first in our thinking instead of sickness and disease. Most people only think about health when it''s lost; many times, this is too late! This book helps the reader take wellness and preventive steps to improve his or her health status.

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Book SynopsisRadix Bupleuri (Chai Hu) is one of the most commonly used herbs in the Chinese medicine clinical practice. In Chinese medicine, it is believed that Radix Bupleuri is acrid, cool and bitter and enters liver and gallbladder meridians. This book discusses the use of Chinese herbs, such as Chai Hu, and other different herbal medicines for diseases and illnesses such as atopic dermatitis, and for cutaneous wound healing. It discusses the essential components, clinical applications and health benefits of herbal medicine.

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Book SynopsisUSDA is responsible for ensuring the safety of poultry products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report the U.S. food supply is one of the safest in the world, yet estimate that Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination in food causes over 2 million human illnesses per year. Poultry products contaminated with pathogens cause more deaths than any other commodity. This book describes actions USDA has taken since 2006 to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter contamination in poultry products; evaluates USDA''s efforts to assess the effects of these actions on the incidence of human illnesses from Salmonella and Campylobacter in poultry products; and determines challenges USDA faces in reducing these pathogens in poultry products.

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Book SynopsisPublic health is a part of the health system whose researchers'' have tried to maintain its relevance over the years amidst unstable global conditions. Maintaining its tripartite objective of promoting health, preventing diseases and prolonging life is a major hurdle especially as these functions have to depend on the combined efforts of society. This book focuses on principles, perceptions and programs of public health. Some of the topics discussed in this book include school shootings; waste management and public health; and tobacco use.

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Book SynopsisIn this Public Health Yearbook 2014 we will touch upon several public health topics like Bedouin health, obesity in the Caribbean region, health in rural India, smoking in Atlanta, quality of life in persons with intellectual disability and trying to understand substance abuse. We all long for a life of purpose and fulfillment and striving for high quality of life for us and those we care for is a powerful motivator. Many busy people dream of lazing by a pool fanned by a soft summer breeze, but this does not last, because a short time of rest and replenishment is quickly replaced by boredom and a sense of purposelessness. Quality of life is much deeper than material comfort. Sadly in our world today, many people live lives lacking in meaning and value: the unemployed, the underemployed, those with disabilities who would like to contribute to society but are deprived the opportunity. Their quality of life is not what it could be. In this book you will find many chapters that discuss the many aspects of quality of life in persons with intellectual disability within a social context and we also discuss how we need to prevent drug addiction in our youth and establish prevention programs to decrease the devastating toll it has and will take on billions of human beings in this century and beyond. We must be concerned about drug addiction and its effect on our youth including their alarming use of nonmedical analgesics. It is important to study youth in their communities and thus support more community-based research protocols.

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Book SynopsisThe Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act established Electronic Health Record (EHR) programs. These programs provide incentive payments for -- and later are expected to apply penalties to -- certain providers, such as hospitals and professionals, to encourage them to demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology and meet other program requirements. Based on the number of providers awarded incentive payments, participation in the Department of Health and Human Services'' (HHS) Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record programs increased substantially from their first year in 2011 to 2012. This book assesses the extent of current and expected participation in the EHR programs; examines information reported by providers and others to measure meaningful use in the EHR programs; evaluates HHS efforts to ensure that EHR data can be reliably used to measure quality of care; and evaluates HHS efforts to assess the effect of the EHR programs on program goals related to adoption and meaningful use of EHRs and improved outcomes.

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Book SynopsisFrom 1970 to 2007, hundreds of millions of pounds of pesticides were applied annually to U.S. food crops to protect them from pests. To protect consumers, EPA sets standards -- known as tolerances -- for pesticide residues on foods. FSIS monitors meat, poultry, and processed egg products to ensure they do not violate EPA''s tolerances, and FDA monitors other foods, including fruits and vegetables. AMS gathers annual residue data for highly consumed foods, although not for enforcement purposes. This book examines what FDA data show with respect to pesticide residue violations in the foods that it regulates; what FSIS data show with respect to pesticide residue violations in the foods that it regulates; and what AMS data show with respect to pesticide residue levels in fruits and vegetables.

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Book SynopsisThe cost and quality of health care services can vary significantly, with high cost not necessarily indicating high quality. As consumers pay for a growing proportion of their care, they have an increased need for cost and quality information before they receive care, so they can plan and make informed decisions. Transparency tools can provide such information to consumers and others. This book examines information on cost and quality available to consumers from selected transparency tools; characteristics of effective transparency tools; limitations, if any, in the effectiveness of CMS transparency tools; and CMS efforts to expand cost and quality information available through transparency tools. The book also examines how various factors affect the availability of health care price information for consumers; and the information selected public and private health care price transparency initiatives make available to consumers.

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Book SynopsisAir pollution has been associated with significant adverse health effects, including increased morbidity and mortality. The global increase in the prevalence of diseases that are associated with exposure to air pollution is of great concern. In particular, severe PM2.5 pollution occurs in Asian countries due to increasing emissions of air pollutants caused by the countries'' rapid economic growth. A number of studies have been performed to clarify the association between PM2.5 and disorders such as asthma, ischemic cardiovascular diseases, arteriosclerosis, cancer, and neurological disorders. It is important to protect populations that are susceptible to such pollution. While the characterisation and monitoring of pollutant components currently dictates pollution control policies, it will be necessary to identify susceptible populations in order to adequately target prevention strategies for the health effects of air pollution. This book offers a comprehensive review of the recent advances in our understanding of the health effects of PM2.5, the role of oxidative stress in these effects, the contribution of ultrafine fractions of PM2.5 to the health effects, and discusses prevention strategies for these health effects. It also suggests further risk assessment, risk management, and novel policies for PM2.5 pollution, required to protect public health.

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Book SynopsisVaccines save lives by preventing disease in the people who receive them. In some instances, however, a vaccine can have severe side effects, including death or an injury requiring lifetime medical care. VICP provides compensation to people for injuries and deaths associated with certain vaccines for medical and other costs. This book examines how long it has taken to adjudicate claims and how claims have been adjudicated; the changes to the vaccine injury table; and how the balance of and spending from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Trust Fund have changed, among other objectives.

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Book SynopsisLead is a heavy metal used since ancient times and is still employed for several industrial purposes due to its suitable physical and chemical properties. It is non-biodegradable and is very persistent in the environment. Human exposure can lead, however, to a wide range of biological effects. Lead (Pb) exposure is known to induce a wide range of physiological and biochemical dysfunctions in humans and animals. This books reviews works collected in international literature dealing with the effects of lead; the environmental contamination of lead and its associated public health risks; the influence of lead at different doses on the structure of intestinal microbial community in vivo and its relationships to intestinal epithelium in vitro; and finally, the effects of fractions of the edible halophyte, Sarcocornia perennis on human kidney cells after Pb intoxication.

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Book SynopsisThe compounds that contain heterocyclic rings in their structures present diverse properties according to the number and nature of the different substitute to which they are united. Thus, these derivatives are broadly studied from different points of view. This book presents important studies related to the structures, vibrational spectra and descriptors of two series of heterocyclic derivatives; on one hand, some derivatives are of importance for the health and, on the other hand, others are of environmental importance. Chapters 1 to 6 are oriented towards the first series of derivatives broadly used in the pharmacological industry for human health. From Chapters 7 to 9, the studies are oriented toward the properties of the hexaclhorobenzene, 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and sulfonylureas derivatives where the sulfonylureas are herbicides of low dosage, low mammalian toxicity, high selectivity, and benign environmental activity while on the contrary, hexaclhorobenzene and 2,4 dichlorophenoxy acetic acid present high toxicities.

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Book SynopsisIn this book, the health impacts of promoting walking to school as part of a comprehensive health impact assessment (HIA) were examined. The chapter focused on a single area of analysis - physical activity and associated changes in body mass index (BMI). The second chapter of this book reviews the potential health outcomes related to redeveloping a dangerous highway; the third chapter examined noise health impact assessment, with a focus on noise levels, peak levels and reverberation times of playrooms. The authors discuss the practical measures that can be taken for effective noise prevention that could help improve actual noise conditions and minimize the risk of health effects. The last chapter reviews the persistence of microbial adhesion and its challenges to the establishment and maintenance of hygienic conditions in various environments.

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Book SynopsisSocietal research has shown that there is a direct correlation between income disparities and health disparities. In other words: the poorer the population, the less healthy the population becomes. Over the last thirty years, there has been an increasing gap between the wealthy and poor in many industrialized societies. As a result, there has also been an increasing decline in the quality of health for these social orders. The Social Work and Health Inequalities Network (SWHIN) was created to combat the causes and consequences of socially unjust health disparities on an international basis. This is accomplished through a sustaining global network of professionals: researches, educators, practitioners, policy makers and others work together to promote research and action around the world. The SWHIN aims to exchange information and resources (e.g. research evidence, policy statements, and emerging theories and practice models) to collaborate on the development and exchange of solutions for these health issues. The hope is to teach about these problems at all curricular levels and influence policy making wherever possible. This book brings together a combination of fifteen studies and policy reviews to fully understand the role that social work plays in assisting others, especially in fields where human health is concerned.

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Book SynopsisAdolescent Health Literacy and Learning offers insights to all those who care about promoting and assisting adolescent health development: health education teachers, health practitioners, and youth care workers. Adolescent health is of worldwide concern, especially as we learn that health habits and attitudes established in adolescence continue into adulthood. For example, chronic diseases such as diabetes that began in mid to late adulthood are becoming more prevalent in younger ages. Academics, clinicians and teachers are searching for ways to raise the health literacy and health outcomes of adolescents to better prepare them for the future. There is a need to raise the profile of adolescent health literacy and learning in order to address issues in adolescent and adult health. This edited volume features expert Canadian health literacy scholars writing on topics such as digital technology, software applications to health promotion, advertising, gender, suicide, nutrition, fitness, and mental health specifically for adolescents. It contains theoretical and practical ideas as well as resources for practitioners and educators to assist adolescents with interacting more critically with health information. The hope is that this book will help young people grow into adults who are more health literate. All contributing authors are experts in adolescent health literacy. Many take a uniquely Canadian perspective as well. They all acknowledge the impact of a variety of individuals and groups on adolescents, but also encourage the development of an adolescent''s sense of individual identity, critical thinking, social responsibility and even activism as part of their health literacy.

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Book SynopsisIn 2013, about 10 million adults in the United States had a serious mental illness. The U.S. mental health care system includes a range of federal programsacross multiple agencies for those with mental illness. Past efforts to develop a list of federal programs supporting individuals with serious mental illness have highlighted the difficulty of identifying such programs. This book identifies the federal programs that support individuals with serious mental illness; the extent to which federal agencies coordinate these programs; and the extent to which federal agencies evaluate such programs. Determining how many people have a mental illness can be difficult, and prevalence estimates vary. While numerous surveys include questions related to mental illness, few provide prevalence estimates of diagnosable mental illness (e.g., major depressive disorder as opposed to feeling depressed, or generalized anxiety disorder as opposed to feeling anxious), and fewer still provide national prevalence estimates of diagnosable mental illness. This book briefly describes the methodology and results of three large surveys that provide national prevalence estimates of diagnosable mental illness.

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Book SynopsisThe discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century fundamentally transformed human and veterinary medicine. Antibiotics now save millions of lives each year in the United States and around the world. The rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, however, represents a serious threat to public health and the economy. If the effectiveness of antibiotics (drugs that kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria) is lost, we will no longer be able to reliably and rapidly treat bacterial infections, including bacterial pneumonias, foodborne illnesses, and healthcare-associated infections. As more strains of bacteria become resistant to an ever-larger number of antibiotics, our drug choices have become increasingly limited and more expensive and, in some cases, nonexistent. In a world with few effective antibiotics, modern medical advances such as surgery, transplants, and chemotherapy may no longer be viable due to the threat of infection. This book examines the national strategy and plan for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

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Book SynopsisObesity is considered a serious and complex condition. All obese people have previously been overweight and its conditions represent an intriguing area of research both from a clinical and speculative point of view. This book is aimed at raising awareness on individuals who are overweight, a crucial point in order to prevent obesity progression and it is addressed to therapists who are willing to better understand the condition.

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Book SynopsisFalls are considered as one of the accidents that take more loss of functionality, mainly in older adults. This book begins with a discussion on the prevalence of falls among different populations, the most used definitions and classifications for falls and their physical, social and psychological consequences. Furthermore, this book provides easy and practical recommendations for falls and fall-related injury prevention.

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Book SynopsisThe Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) contains a provision that requires all nonprofit hospitals to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and an Implementation Plan every three years. The first chapter of this book provides a comprehensive analysis of the CHNA process, the priorities identified in the CHNA, and the implementation strategies produced by 31 small nonprofit rural hospitals in Nebraska. Chapter two discusses current capacity building mechanisms with community-based obesity programmes in the United Kingdom, revealing the importance of partnerships between multi-agencies involved in the process. Chapter three offers reflections on a Community-based participatory research (CBPR) project in partnership with the Latino migrant worker community in South Florida. Chapter four examines "KEQ" (Kapazitätsentwicklung im Quartier [Capacity Building in Residential Are-as/Neighborhoods]), which is the name of a newly developed questionnaire for measuring community capacities considered relevant to health. Chapter five discusses research on disaster recovery in several countries and the lessons learned regarding how personal, family, community and societal factors interact to facilitate adaptation to the consequences of disaster. The final chapter provides an overview of regional development planning, which is a conscious development strategy designed to bring about change and equity, and to improve the living standards of people by integrating economic, social and environmental policies and programmes in a spatial context.

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Book SynopsisSmoking cigarettes starts during adolescence. Some adolescents may stop smoking cigarettes having taken it as an experiment during adolescence, but others may continue smoking into adulthood. Most adults who smoke started smoking during the adolescence stage and may have been already addicted to nicotine before the age of eighteen, resulting in long-term health consequences. This book compiles and documents smoking epidemiology and correlates of smoking in adolescents in various regions of the world. It aims to provide critical information that relates to the magnitude of the problem and who is affected in order for strategies to be identified and implemented. The issue is a concern of public health, since smoking affects people not only at the time the smoking habit begins, but because it has an influence on them for the rest of an individual''s life.

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