West Health

About: West Health is a healthcare organization based out in San Diego, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Health care & Population. The organization has 302 authors who have published 291 publications receiving 7021 citations.

Analysis of factors related to development, regulatory level and change in municipal no-smoking by-laws in Ontario.

Abstract: Objectifs : nous voulions etudier et mesurer l'existence, la teneur et l'evolution des reglements municipaux contre le tabagisme et examiner les facteurs pouvant expliquer les ecarts dans la portee et l'integralite de ces reglements. Methode : nous avons consulte les reglements de chaque municipalite ontarienne en leur attribuant un score, a l'aide de l'indice Asbridge-O'Grady, pour en etablir la portee et les restrictions. Par analyse de variance Kruskal-Wallis, nous avons compare la repartition des caracteristiques des municipalites selon le niveau de restriction de la reglementation anti-tabac. Resultats : 23 % des municipalites ontariennes (215/951) avaient des reglements anti-tabac a la fin de 1998, contre 18 % (169/951) en 1994. Les grandes municipalites ont eu tendance a adopter des reglements beaucoup plus restrictifs que les petites. Conclusion : la portee et la severite des reglements anti-tabac ont augmente en Ontario depuis la promulgation, en 1994, de la Loi reglementant les produits du tabac. Nous avons constate peu d'ecarts sur le plan de la reglementation entre les regions comportant des municipalites productrices de tabac et les regions qui n'en comportent pas.

A new hand enhances life for quadruple amputee: A single case study:

Abstract: This single case study discusses the various challenges and rehabilitation of Australia’s first hand transplant from the hand therapy perspective. The recipient was a 65-year-old quadrimembral ampu...

A survey of carers in the North West Health District of New South Wales

Abstract: A questionnaire survey was posted to twenty six carers of palliative care patients in the home in the North West Health District of New South Wales with the help of community nurses. Results confirmed that carers were most commonly older wives giving help to family members, especially husbands, with support from community nurses and general practitioners. Differences between this survey and others were found in those co-residing with the patient, the employment status of the carers, night help, help from the family and hospital admissions. This study reports for the first time the prior formal nursing training of carers, the carers use of medication and the cost of home care.

Potentially Prescriptions Inappropriate (PPIs) in elderly patients in polytherapy: structured discussion on the effect of medication therapy review using evaluation criteria listed in literature on the administrative health care database

Abstract: In the last few years numerous evidences have shown an increased prevalence of “Potential Inappropriate Prescriptions (PPIs)” in the elderly (>/=65 years) and have estimated that more than 10% of all hospitalizations in this population are hospitalized for problems consequent to drugs given. The predictive factors more strongly related to the inappropriate use of drugs are polytherapy (>/= 5 drugs contemporary), uncritical application of guidelines in many cases inadequate and built with data from young subjects-adults affected by a single pathology, recommend drug regimens that do not consider the changes in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics parameters, exposing to significant risks. Considering that polytherapy is any case necessary (due to the effect of comorbidity and longer life expectancy), is unavoidable not acknowledge the impossibility, as much for clinicians as for any guideline all interactions: in this perspective the application of evaluation scientifically based criteria and information technology tools could represent a resource for to tend to prescriptive appropriateness, still a challenge for researchers, clinicians, manager, third-payers. The application of explicit criteria (ex. Beers and STOPP & START) to the administrative data base of pharmaceutical prescriptions could represent a screening too, not only to qualitatively and quantitatively asses PPIs, given immediate availability of information, but above all to create practical support for the clinician’s work by crating “adaptive database” for interactive research for specific conditions. However, regardless of more or less functional software applications, more multidimensional and multidisciplinary efforts (ex. geriatric counseling) are needed to take on problems related to polypharmacy in elderly patients: the most appropriate therapeutic regimen should combine guidelines, geriatric assessment, social and economic considerations, the patient’s will and should be periodically reviewed, especially as the presence of multiple comorbidities increases the risk of adverse reactions.