This new edition of Ann Bowling's well-known and highly respected text has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect key methodological developments in health research. It is a comprehensive, easy to read, guide to the range of methods used to study and evaluate health and health services. It describes the concepts and methods used by the main disciplines involved in health research, including: demography, epidemiology, health economics, psychology and sociology.The research methods described cover the assessment of health needs, morbidity and mortality trends and rates, costing health services, sampling for survey research, cross-sectional and longitudinal survey design, experimental methods and techniques of group assignment, questionnaire design, interviewing techniques, coding and analysis of quantitative data, methods and analysis of qualitative observational studies, and types of unstructured interviewing. With new material on topics such as cluster randomization, utility analyses, patients' preferences, and perception of risk, the text is aimed at students and researchers of health and health services. It has also been designed for health professionals and policy makers who have responsibility for applying research findings in practice, and who need to know how to judge the value of that research.

Research Methods in Health. Investigating health and health services

노인 통증사정을 위한 한국어 판 Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire [SF-MPQ]의 신뢰도와 타당도

Motivational Interviewing in Health Care: Helping Patients Change Behavior

Jeffrey Sachs in this volume has unravelled the myths and realities surrounding sustainable development. In September 2016, the UN General Assembly proposes to adopt some sustainable development go...

The age of sustainable development

Recent estimates suggest that although a majority of funds in organizational training budgets tend to be allocated to leadership training (Ho, 2016; O'Leonard, 2014), only a small minority of organizations believe their leadership training programs are highly effective (Schwartz, Bersin, & Pelster, 2014), calling into question the effectiveness of current leadership development initiatives. To help address this issue, this meta-analysis estimates the extent to which leadership training is effective and identifies the conditions under which these programs are most effective. In doing so, we estimate the effectiveness of leadership training across four criteria (reactions, learning, transfer, and results; Kirkpatrick, 1959) using only employee data and we examine 15 moderators of training design and delivery to determine which elements are associated with the most effective leadership training interventions. Data from 335 independent samples suggest that leadership training is substantially more effective than previously thought, leading to improvements in reactions (δ = .63), learning (δ = .73), transfer (δ = .82), and results (δ = .72), the strength of these effects differs based on various design, delivery, and implementation characteristics. Moderator analyses support the use of needs analysis, feedback, multiple delivery methods (especially practice), spaced training sessions, a location that is on-site, and face-to-face delivery that is not self-administered. Results also suggest that the content of training, attendance policy, and duration influence the effectiveness of the training program. Practical implications for training development and theoretical implications for leadership and training literatures are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Leadership training design, delivery, and implementation: A meta-analysis.

Background Over the last decade, health literacy has become a vibrant area of research. Our objective was to evaluate health literacy and its association with socio-demographic variables, self-perception of health and the presence of chronic conditions in primary health-care patients. Methods A cross-sectional study among 120 patients was conducted in two primary health-care centers. The test of functional health literacy in adults, a 50-item reading comprehension and 17-item numerical ability test (score, 0–100) were administered. Chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were applied. Results Inadequate and marginal health literacy existed in 43 participants (41.0%), and adequate health literacy was present in 62 participants (59.0%). Functional health literacy was significantly different by location, gender, age, marital status, employment, education, material status, selfperception of health and presence of chronic conditions. Based on the multivariate analysis, health literacy was significantly associated with the participant’s age (odds ratio [OR], 4.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.41–9.80; P ¼ 0.000), level of education (OR, 4.48; 95% CI, 1.73–11.57; P ¼ 0.002) and chronic conditions (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.16–3.11; P ¼ 0.010). Conclusion These results provide evidence that limitations in functional health literacy are widespread among primary health-care patients and encourage efforts for further monitoring. Low health literacy may impair a patient’s understanding of health messages and limit their ability to attend to their medical problems.

Functional health literacy among primary health-care patients: data from the Belgrade pilot study

Background: Competency-based education is increasingly popular, especially in the area of continuing professional development. Many competency frameworks have been developed; however, few address leadership competencies for European public health professionals. The aim of this study was to develop a public health leadership competency framework to inform a leadership curriculum for public health professionals. The framework was developed as part of the Leaders for European Public Health project—supported by the EU Lifelong Learning Programme. Methods: The study was carried out in three phases: a literature review, consensus development panel and Delphi survey. The public health leadership competency framework was initially developed from a literature review. A preliminary list of competencies was submitted to a panel of experts. Two consensus development panels were held to evaluate and make changes to the initial draft competency framework. Then two rounds of a Delphi survey were carried out in an effort to reach consensus. Both surveys were presented through Survey Monkey to members of the Association of the Schools of Public Health in the European Region Working Group on Innovation in Public Health Teaching and Education. Results: The framework was developed consisting of 52 competencies organized into eight domains: Systems Thinking; Political Leadership; Collaborative Leadership: Building and Leading Interdisciplinary Teams; Leadership and Communication; Leading Change; Emotional Intelligence and Leadership in Team-based Organizations; Leadership, Organizational Learning and Development and Ethics and Professionalism. Conclusion: The framework can serve as a useful tool in identifying gaps in knowledge and skills, and shaping competency-based continuing professional development leadership curricula for public health professionals in Europe.

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In search for a public health leadership competency framework to support leadership curriculum-a consensus study

Background: Health workforce competencies are considered crucial for attaining high-quality health care in the current market principles approach to the provision of health services. This study explored the competencies and the perceived competence gap of management personnel in public primary healthcare. Methods: During 2007 and 2008, 14 management teams of Belgrade primary health-care centres were questioned before and after management training in six competency categories. Competency mean differences (95% confidence interval) by gender, educational level, experience and position were analysed by Leven, Snedecor or Welch statistics, and Student’s t -test for comparison of two independent samples. Mixed Model Analysis clarified possible interactions of the managers’ baseline characteristics and competency task ratings. Differences between team ratings were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal–Wallis test. The General Linear Model Repeated Measures Analysis determined interactions and competency gap changes. Differences were statistically significant at P ≤ 0.05. Results: Female managers developed higher competency levels after training in communication skills and problem solving. Top managers rated assessing performance of higher importance, while chief nurses emphasized the importance of leading. Before training, the estimated competency gap was generally the highest in assessing performance (6.29), followed by team building (5.81) and planning and priority setting (5.70). Five months after training, the highest gap remained in assessing performance, although it was reduced considerably to 3.18 ( P < 0.0005). Conclusions: Managers rated core competencies as highly important. The reduction in competency gaps can be significant through training. However, assessing performance remained a relatively high weakness among managers.

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Competencies gap of management teams in primary health care.

Objectives
To assess the exit competences of public health graduates across a diverse European landscape.

Education and training of public health professionals in the European Region: variation and convergence

Objective
Our objective was to evaluate the health literacy and its association with sociodemographic variables, the self-perception of health and the presence of chronic conditions in primary health-care patients.

Vesna Bjegovic-Mikanovic

Papers

Functional health literacy among primary health-care patients: data from the Belgrade pilot study

In search for a public health leadership competency framework to support leadership curriculum-a consensus study

Competencies gap of management teams in primary health care.

Education and training of public health professionals in the European Region: variation and convergence

Health literacy in a population of primary health-care patients in Belgrade, Serbia.