Public Health Aspects of Mental Health Among Migrants and Refugees


Book Description

The increasing number of refugees, asylum seekers, and irregular migrants poses a challenge for mental health services in Europe. This review found that these groups are exposed to risk factors for mental disorders before, during, and after migration. The prevalence of psychotic, mood, and substance-use disorders in these groups varies but overall resembles that in the host populations. Refugees and asylum seekers, however, have higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder. Poor socioeconomic conditions are associated with increased rates of depression five years after resettlement. Refugees, asylum seekers, and irregular migrants encounter barriers to accessing mental health care. Good practice for mental health care includes promoting social integration, developing outreach services, coordinating health care, providing information on entitlements and available services, and training professionals to work with these groups. These actions require resources and organizational flexibility.




Communities in Action


Book Description

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.




Improving Health in the Community


Book Description

How do communities protect and improve the health of their populations? Health care is part of the answer but so are environmental protections, social and educational services, adequate nutrition, and a host of other activities. With concern over funding constraints, making sure such activities are efficient and effective is becoming a high priority. Improving Health in the Community explains how population-based performance monitoring programs can help communities point their efforts in the right direction. Within a broad definition of community health, the committee addresses factors surrounding the implementation of performance monitoring and explores the "why" and "how to" of establishing mechanisms to monitor the performance of those who can influence community health. The book offers a policy framework, applies a multidimensional model of the determinants of health, and provides sets of prototype performance indicators for specific health issues. Improving Health in the Community presents an attainable vision of a process that can achieve community-wide health benefits.




U.S. Health in International Perspective


Book Description

The United States is among the wealthiest nations in the world, but it is far from the healthiest. Although life expectancy and survival rates in the United States have improved dramatically over the past century, Americans live shorter lives and experience more injuries and illnesses than people in other high-income countries. The U.S. health disadvantage cannot be attributed solely to the adverse health status of racial or ethnic minorities or poor people: even highly advantaged Americans are in worse health than their counterparts in other, "peer" countries. In light of the new and growing evidence about the U.S. health disadvantage, the National Institutes of Health asked the National Research Council (NRC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to convene a panel of experts to study the issue. The Panel on Understanding Cross-National Health Differences Among High-Income Countries examined whether the U.S. health disadvantage exists across the life span, considered potential explanations, and assessed the larger implications of the findings. U.S. Health in International Perspective presents detailed evidence on the issue, explores the possible explanations for the shorter and less healthy lives of Americans than those of people in comparable countries, and recommends actions by both government and nongovernment agencies and organizations to address the U.S. health disadvantage.




Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans


Book Description

Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans s introduces and analyzes traditional foods from the Balkans. Beginning with the eating habits in Balkans, this book unfolds the history of use, origin, compositions and preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and the effects on health for various foods and food products of the region. Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans also addresses local and international regulations and provides suggestions on how to harmonize these regulations to promote global availability of these foods. A volume in a series co-produced with Global Harmonization Initiative, Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in the Balkans is sure to be a welcomed reference for nutrition researchers and professionals, including nutritionists, dieticians, food scientists, food technologists, toxicologists, regulators, and product developers as well as educators, and students. - Analyzes nutritional and health claims in the Balkan region - Includes traditional foods from the Balkans - Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims - Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements and how to remedy noncompliance - Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today's diets




Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in Western Europe


Book Description

People were once restricted to food native to their region and produced locally. Today, however, food from any place in the world is available, or can be made available, anywhere else. Often there is no or very little information about the nutritional and health aspects of these foods. Nutrition and Health of Western European Foods: Traditional and Ethnic Diets is part of series that will cover the entire globe and is aimed at filling the knowledge gap from traditional and scientific points of view. This volume provides an analysis of traditional and ethnic foods from Western Europe, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany. It also addresses the history of use, composition, preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and health effects of various foods and food products in each of these countries. Nutrition and Health of Western European Foods: Traditional and Ethnic Diets ultimately presents both local and international regulations, providing suggestions to harmonize these regulations and promote global availability of these foods. - Analyzes nutritional and health claims related to western European foods - Includes traditional and ethnic foods from Ireland, the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany - Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims - Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements, and how to remedy noncompliance - Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today's diets




Organizational Aspects of Health Informatics


Book Description

It has become obvious in recent years that successfully introducing major new systems into complex medical organizations requires an effective blend of good technical and organizational skills. The technically best system may be woefully inadequate if its implementation is resisted by people who have low psychological ownership in that system. On the other hand, people with high ownership can make a technically mediocre system function fairly well. ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF HEALTH INFORMATICS focuses on both the successful strategies for implementation of information systems with medical organizations and also on effective management strategies for the altered organization once the new systems are in place.




Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in Eastern Europe


Book Description

Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in Eastern Europe provides an analysis of traditional and ethnic foods from Eastern Europe, including selections from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The book addresses history of use, origin, composition and preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and the effects on health for various foods and food products in each of these countries. In addition, it presents both local and international regulations, while also providing suggestions on how to harmonize these regulations to promote global availability of these foods. Analyzes nutritional and health claims relating to Eastern European foods Includes traditional and ethnic foods from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements and how to remedy non-compliance Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today’s diets




Green Healthcare Institutions


Book Description

Green Healthcare Institutions : Health, Environment, and Economics, Workshop Summary is based on the ninth workshop in a series of workshops sponsored by the Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine since the roundtable began meeting in 1998. When choosing workshops and activities, the roundtable looks for areas of mutual concern and also areas that need further research to develop a strong environmental science background. This workshop focused on the environmental and health impacts related to the design, construction, and operations of healthcare facilities, which are part of one of the largest service industries in the United States. Healthcare institutions are major employers with a considerable role in the community, and it is important to analyze this significant industry. The environment of healthcare facilities is unique; it has multiple stakeholders on both sides, as the givers and the receivers of care. In order to provide optimal care, more research is needed to determine the impacts of the built environment on human health. The scientific evidence for embarking on a green building agenda is not complete, and at present, scientists have limited information. Green Healthcare Institutions : Health, Environment, and Economics, Workshop Summary captures the discussions and presentations by the speakers and participants; they identified the areas in which additional research is needed, the processes by which change can occur, and the gaps in knowledge.




Fitness for Work


Book Description

'Fitness for Work' provides information and guidance on the effects of medical conditions on employment and working capability. Every significant medical problem is covered, including the employment potential and assessment of anyone with a disability. Legal and ethical aspects are also addressed.