Health & Fitness : Health Care Issues

Effective communication through the media is an essential responsibility of public health officials, particularly during emergencies. Urgent, high-concern situations present a unique communication challenge. Recent outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and avian influenza, releases of anthrax and sarin, and the tsunami disaster in South-east Asia underline the importance of communication during public health emergencies. Poor communication can erode public support, fan emotions, undermine confidence, and amplify social and economic costs. Effective communication can rally support, calm a nervous public, provide much-needed information, encourage cooperative behaviors, and help save lives. This handbook presents an integrated, principle-based approach to media communication for those dealing with public health emergencies. Topics covered include how journalists gather and process information about public health emergencies, steps for planning and implementing an effective media communication programme, identifying and reaching target audiences, media interviews, avoiding traps and pitfalls, and preparing key messages. It is designed to improve those skills needed for preparing and delivering public health messages during an emergency. It will be useful to public health and government officials, senior managers in public and private sector organizations, hospital managers, public information officers, and experts responsible for communicating with the media. The Field Guide, produced as a separate book, summarizes the practical steps that can be taken to strengthen and enhance efforts made in this area. The target audiences for the Field Guide are WHO offices, field personnel and public health officials who are unfamiliar with media interactions or who wish to sharpen their skills in this area. more...

Price: $13.50

Longstanding evidence of the links between the environment and health have led to a recognition of the need for sustainable development. This is equally true in low, middle and high income countries. One of the great challenges for public health practitioners is to understand and try to modify the relationship between the environment and health in the face of development. This book examines the underlying concepts, the history of environmental health, and the key factors that affect public health including:. Air pollution. Water contamination. Industrial hazards. Agricultural hazards. The increasing impact of global environmental issues is explored as they affect countries throughout the world. more...

Price: $38.98

An evaluation of Community Voices Miami (CVM), a project aimed at enhancing health care access and quality for the underserved in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The report concludes that CVM affected intermediate outcomes--raising awareness of issues, getting safety-net providers to collaborate, nurturing neighborhood-based solutions, and advocating for establishment of an independent health care planning body; but measurement of ultimate outcomes--access to health care--remains for future study. more...

Price: $20.00

Provides the technical details and results of one component of a study to better understand the role and importance of Electronic Medical Record Systems in improving health and reducing healthcare costs - the national-level efficiency savings that would be brought about by using Healthcare Information Technology. more...

Price: $20.00

Fluoride is known to occur at elevated concentration in a number of parts of the world where it can be a significant cause of disease. The primary focus of this book is the prevention of adverse health effects from excessive levels of fluoride in drinking-water. The book fills the urgent need, identified for updating the WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, for information on the occurrence of fluoride, its health effects, ways of reducing excess levels and methods for analysis of fluoride in water. The draft document, produced by a working group of experts convened to consider protection from fluoride and its control, was issued for extensive review and consultation. The resultant book, which incorporates the comments received, was further peer reviewed by experts in developed and developing countries. It is aimed at a wide range of individuals, including health workers and sanitary engineers who may require a broad introduction to the subject with more detailed guidance in some specific areas. Fluoride in Drinking-water will be an invaluable reference source for all those concerned with the management of drinking-water containing fluoride and the health effects arising from its consumption, including water sector managers and practitioners as well as health sector staff at policy and implementation levels. It will also be of interest to researchers, students , and development workers and consultants. more...

Price: $63.00