Health and Social Services for Older People (HeSSOP) Consulting older people on health and social services: A survey of service use, experiences and needs

The study provides an evaluation of health and social services from the perspective of older people themselves and provides an opportunity for older people to express their lifelong care preferences. The National Council on Ageing and Older People strongly endorses the principle that older people should be involved in the development, planning and evaluation of their health and social services. This is underpinned by the principle that a health service fit for older people is a quality service that benefits everyone Download the Report here

ASIST suicide prevention training - all-island evaluation report

The findings of a Public Health Agency evaluation report on a suicide prevention training programme were today presented at the North South Ministerial Council Health Sector meeting.ASIST, The Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training programme, has to date been delivered to more than 20,000 people in the Republic of Ireland and more than 11,000 people in Northern Ireland. This two day course, delivered by a wide range of organisations including those from the voluntary/community sector, for professionals and the public helps individuals provide emergency help to people at risk of suicidal behaviour. It also develops a cooperative network among participants, since often many people have to work together to prevent suicide.Talking about the findings of this work, Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive, PHA, said: "Both the PHA and the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), based in the Republic of Ireland, are concerned for any loss of life through suicide and we send our condolences to all families who have been bereaved. We know ASIST training brings a positive element to suicide prevention. Those who have been trained said that the two biggest advantages are that they know when, how and have the confidence to help people who are under pressure and that it helps to build positive links between community and voluntary organisations and the health service. I am pleased that this has been borne out in the evaluation and we hope ASIST will continue to be of enormous benefit and will contribute to a reduction in suicidal behaviour and the tragedy that this brings to our community".This evaluation found that within organisations where staff had participated in ASIST training, there were improvements in service development; staff attitudes, confidence and skills in relation to suicide and suicide intervention and in policies and procedures. At a community level, ASIST was found to have contributed to a sense of empowerment through an increased confidence in being able to deal with suicide and suicidal behaviour.The report also shows that the ASIST model offers a common language, helping communication between the community or voluntary organisations and those from a health background. In fact this training helped to cancel out any differences between those with mental health qualifications and those without, in terms of knowledge, skills, attitude and willingness to intervene. The study also confirmed that ASIST training was most relevant to those who were likely to be in contact with a person 'at risk'.In welcoming the publication of the report Geoff Day, Director of the NOSP, said: "This report is an independent evaluation of the ASIST programme, it has allowed us to demonstrate the effectiveness of the programme in increasing community participants confidence and ability to respond to individuals in suicidal crisis.He added: "The fact the evaluation was completed on an all-island basis allows the NOSP and the PHA to avoid duplication of resources, improve coordination of suicide prevention training programmes across both jurisdictions and allows us to learn from different approaches used in suicide prevention across the island of Ireland."He reiterated the Health Service Executive commitment to the continued implementation of quality assured training programmes as part of Reach out: the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention.ASIST training is being rolled out in Northern Ireland as part of the implementation of the 'Protect Life' suicide prevention strategy, which was published by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety in 2006.A copy of the evaluation report can be found below and in the publications section of this website, by clicking here

Lite4Life (Tier 2 adult weight management service)

This service Aims: To provide a multi-component weight management service that supports sustainable behaviour change and weight loss in adults 16 years and over with a BMI 28. To enable patients to develop the necessary personal attributes for their own long term weight management and to understand the impact of their weight on their health and co-morbidities. Objectives: To provide an evidence based, multi-component tier 2 weight management service that improves patients knowledge and skills for effective and sustainable weight loss helps patients identify their own facilitators for positive behaviour change and to address underlying barriers to long-term behaviour changeincreases patients self-efficacy and confidence in their ability to address their weight To be an integral part of the tiered approach to weight management services for the population of Stockton. To ensure equitable service provision across Stockton-on-Tees. To provide intensive group based service, one-to-one support and maintenance support. To support the service user to develop and review a personalised goal setting plan phase 2 and at discharge after phase 2. To ensure a smooth transition from the service (tier2) to tier 1 services to ensure continuity of care for service users.Recruit referrals using a variety of and appropriate methods. To establish a single point of contact for referrals into the service.Continually promote the service across a range of mediums and liaise and work in partnership with key interdependencies (refer to 2.4) To establish a robust database and data collection system in line with information governance. To ensure the access criteria, care pathway and referral process is clearly understood by all health care professionals and those who may refer into the service. To establish close links with, and signpost and/or enable service users to access suitable services where patient needs indicate this. This may include access to Tees Time to Talk (IAPT) for psychological therapies; Specialist Weight Management Service; physical activity programmes; Tier 1 services; and primary care. To provide the necessary venues, equipment and assets needed to deliver the programme, ensuring due regard is given to the quality and safety of all materials used. To collect and provide data in quarterly reports to the Commissioner to allow for continued monitoring and evaluation of the service in line with the Standard Evaluation Framework (available at www.noo.org.uk/core/SEF) and as specified by the Commissioner.

Evaluation of factors affecting plate waste of inpatients in different healthcare settings.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Satisfaction of inpatients with served food within a hospital care system still constitutes one of the main attempts to modernize food services. The impact of type of menu, food category, hospital centre and timetable on the meals wastage produced in different Spanish healthcare settings, was evaluated. METHODS: Meal wastage was measured through a semiquantitative 5-point scale ("nothing on plate"; "¼ on plate"; "half on plate"; "¾ on plate" and "all on plate"). The study was carried out in two periods of three months each in 2010 and 2011. A trained person took charge of measuring plate waste classified into 726 servings belonging to 11 menus. In total 31,392 plates were served to 7,868 inpatients. A Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test (p < 0.05) was applied to evaluate significant differences among the variables studied. RESULTS: The menus were satisfactorily consumed because more than 50% of the plates were classified as "nothing on plate". Regarding food categories, 26.78% of the plates corresponded to soups and purées, while pasta and rice, and prepared foods were only distributed in 4-5% of the servings. Desserts were mostly consumed, while cooked vegetables were less accepted by the inpatients evaluated. Other factors such as hospital centre influenced plate waste (p < 0.05) but timetable did not (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Visual inspections of plate waste might be useful to optimize type and quality of menus served. The type of menu served and the food category could have a great influence on food acceptability by the inpatientsstudied.

CAC controlled services sharing a link with connectionless data services in an ATM network: a performance evaluation study

In the B-ISDN there is a provision for four classes of services, all of them supported by a single transport network (the ATM network). Three of these services, the connected oriented (CO) ones, permit connection access control (CAC) but the fourth, the connectionless oriented (CLO) one, does not. Therefore, when CLO service and CO services have to share the same ATM link, a conflict may arise. This is because a bandwidth allocation to obtain maximum statistical gain can damage the contracted ATM quality of service (QOS); and vice versa, in order to guarantee the contracted QOS, the statistical gain have to be sacrificed. The paper presents a performance evaluation study of the influence of the CLO service on a CO service (a circuit emulation service or a variable bit-rate service) when sharing the same link

Developing and evaluating a pictogram-based Instant Messaging service for individuals with cognitive disabilities

Information and communication technologies pose accessibility problems to people with disabilities because its design fails to take into account their communication and usability requirements. The impossibility to access the services provided by these technologies creates a situation of exclusion that reduces the self-suficiency of disabled individuals and causes social isolation, which in turn diminishes their overall quality of life. Considering the importance of these technologies and services in our society, we have developed a pictogram-based Instant Messaging service for individuals with cognitive disabilities who have reading and writing problems. Along the paper we introduce and discuss the User Centred Design methodology that we have used to develop and evaluate the pictogram-based Instant Messaging service and client with individuals with cognitive disabilities taking into account their communication and usability requirements. From the results obtained in the evaluation process we can state that individuals with cognitive disabilities have been able to use the pictogram-based Instant Messaging service and client to communicate with their relatives and acquaintances, thus serving as a tool to help reducing their social and digital exclusion situation.

Rapport d'évaluation des prestations du service d'éducation sexuelle de Profa en milieu scolaire

Ce rapport a pour objectif général d'évaluer l'offre en matière d'éducation sexuelle dans les écoles vaudoises en vue de l'adapter à l'évolution de la société et de répondre aux exigences de la loi sur les subventions. Confiée à l'Institut universitaire de médecine sociale et préventive, l'évaluation comprend un inventaire des prestations en éducation sexuelle dispensées aux écoliers vaudois, une description de leur articulation avec le monde scolaire, une revue de la littérature et des cadres de référence existants, une comparaison avec la situation prévalant dans les cantons romands, ainsi qu'un recueil des besoins et attentes des partenaires dans le domaine de l'éducation sexuelle.

Field Evaluation of Elliptical Fiber Reinforced Polymer Dowel Performance, June 2003

Fiber composite materials (FRP) are making an entry into the construction market in both buildings and pavements. The application to pavements comes in the form of joint reinforcement (dowels and tie bars) to date. FRP resistance to salt corrosion in dowels has made it an alternative to standard epoxy coated dowels for pavements. Iowa State University has completed a large amount of laboratory research into the determination of diameter, spacing, and durability of FRP dowels. This report documents the installation of a series of FRP elliptical-shaped dowel joints (including instrumented units) in a field situation and the beginning of a two-year study to compare laboratory results to in-service pavements. Ten joints were constructed for each of three dowel spacings of 10, 12, and 15 inches ( 254, 305, and 381 mm) with one instrumented joint in each test section. The instrumented bars will be load tested with a loaded truck and FWD testing.

Evaluation des informations préopératoires et du consentement signé en chirurgie pédiatrique

1. Abstract Au XXème siècle la médecine a passablement évolué et la question de l'implication du patient dans le processus de décision thérapeutique devient petit à petit une nécessité. La théorie du consentement éclairé apparaît en Suisse à la fin des années 70 et l'information du patient devient un thème incontournable. C'est dans cette perspective que le formulaire de consentement vient progressivement s'imposer. Dans la première partie de ce travail, nous avons cherché à mettre en évidence qu'elles pouvaient être les directives éthiques et juridiques en matière de formulaire de consentement en vue d'une intervention chirurgicale. Pour que ce formulaire soit validé, il doit être accompagné d'une information claire et appropriée afin obtenir un consentement libre et éclairé du patient tant du point de vue éthique que juridique. Dans la deuxième partie, nous nous sommes intéressés à l'usage et l'utilisation du formulaire de consentement employé au sein du service de chirurgie pédiatrique au CHUV et à l'HEL. Afin d'en avoir un bon reflet, nous avons soumis un questionnaire à des chirurgiens cadres ou chefs de cliniques du service de chirurgie pédiatrique. Ce questionnaire se base sur des questions soulevées par la littérature traitant du sujet ainsi que sur l'article 21 de la loi sur la Santé publique du canton de Vaud qui dit, en résumé, que le minimum requis est le droit à l'information afin de donner valablement un consentement. Il est composé de trois parties. Dans la première partie, il en ressort qu'en règle générale les chirurgiens s'accordent sur la définition du formulaire de consentement. Ils sont dans l'ensemble satisfaits du formulaire en vigueur et n'en modifieraient pas la structure. Dans la deuxième partie, la signature du formulaire est vue comme une obligation mais la raison de cette obligation n'a pas la même signification pour chacun et les avis divergent quant il s'agit de savoir qui cela protège. Dans la troisième partie, ils s'accordent tous sur le contenu de l'information jugé nécessaire à donner aux parents des futurs opérés. En conclusion, les chirurgiens pédiatres semblent globalement satisfaits du formulaire actuel et peu le modifieraient. Nous trouvons important de mentionner que peu soulèvent le fait que le principal concerné par l'intervention est l'enfant et que son avis n'est pas toujours sollicité. A l'avenir, il sera important d'impliquer l'enfant dans cette démarche tout en tenant compte de son degré de maturité.

Evaluation of PostgreSQL replication and load balancing implementations

In this final project the high availability options for PostgreSQL database management system were explored and evaluated. The primary objective of the project was to find a reliable replication system and implement it to a production environment. The secondary objective was to explore different load balancing methods and compare their performance. The potential replication methods were thoroughly examined, and the most promising was implemented to a database system gathering weather information in Lithuania. The different load balancing methods were tested performance wise with different load scenarios and the results were analysed. As a result for this project a functioning PostgreSQL database replication system was built to the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service's headquarters, and definite guidelines for future load balancing needs were produced. This study includes the actual implementation of a replication system to a demanding production environment, but only guidelines for building a load balancing system to the same production environment.

Evaluation of oxidative stress parameters and metabolic activities of nurses working day and night shifts

The aim of this study was to evaluate the oxidative stress and metabolic activities of nurses working day and night shifts. Intensive care unit (ICU) (n=70) and ordinary service (OS) nurses (n=70) were enrolled in the study. Just before and the end of the shifts, blood samples were obtained to measure the participants' oxidative stress parameters. Metabolic activities were analyzed using the SenseWear Armband. Oxidative stress parameters were increased at the end of the shifts for all OS and ICU nurses compared to the beginning of the shifts. Compared to the OS nurses, the ICU nurses' TAS, TOS, and OSI levels were not significantly different at the end of the day and night shifts. The metabolic activities of the OS and ICU nurses were found to be similar. As a result, the OS and ICU nurses' oxidative stress parameters and metabolic activities were not different, and all of the nurses experienced similar effects from both the day and night shifts.

Evaluation of prenatal care in unit with family health strategy

We analyzed prenatal care (PN) provided at a unit of the Family Health Strategy Service in São Paulo, according to the indicators of the Program for the Humanization of Prenatal and Birth (PHPB). We compared adequacy of PN in terms of sociodemographic variables, procedures, examinations and maternal and perinatal outcomes. Cross-sectional study with data from records of 308 pregnant women enrolled in 2011. We observed early initiation of PN (82.1%), conducting of a minimum of six consultations (84.1%), puerperal consultation (89.0%); to the extent that there is a sum of the actions, there is a significant drop in the proportion of adequacy. Prenatal care was adequate for 67.9%, with a significant difference between adequacy groups in relation to gestational age and birth weight. Prenatal care deficiencies exist, especially in regards to registration of procedures, exams and immunization. The difference between adequacy groups with respect to perinatal outcomes reinforces the importance of prenatal care that adheres to the parameters of the PHPB.


Pleasure-suffering indicators of nursing work in a hemodialysis nursing service

OBJECTIVE To measure the pleasure and suffering indicators at work and relate them to the socio-demographic and employment characteristics of the nursing staff in a hemodialysis center in southern Brazil. METHOD Quantitative research, with 46 workers. We used a self-completed form with demographic and labor data and the Pleasure and Suffering Indicators at Work Scale (PSIWS). We conducted a bivariate and correlation descriptive analysis with significance levels of 5% using the Epi-Info® and PredictiveAnalytics Software programs. RESULTS Freedom of Speech was considered critical; other factors were evaluated as satisfactory. The results revealed a possible association between sociodemographic characteristics and work, and pleasure and suffering indicators. There was a correlation between the factors evaluated. CONCLUSION Despite the satisfactory evaluation, suffering is present in the studied context, expressed mainly by a lack of Freedom of Speech, with the need for interventions to prevent injury to the health of workers.

LSTA Five Year Plan Evaluation, 1998-2002, 2002

The LSTA goals for Iowa, FY98-FY02, are as follows: 1. Provide all Iowans with expanded access to information and materials through the State of Iowa Libraries Online (SILO) network. 2. Improve library service to Iowans through knowledgeable, well-trained staff and wellinformed public library trustees and library users. 3. Meet Iowans’ increasing demands for information and library services by identifying and encouraging resource sharing and partnerships. 4. Provide state level leadership and services to accomplish the LSTA Five-Year Plan. The primary objectives of this evaluation are to provide: $ An assessment of the overall impact of Iowa’s LSTA funding and success in achieving the goals identified in the state’s five-year plan. $ An in-depth analysis of two specific goals from the plan: providing Iowans with expanded access to information and materials through the State of Iowa Libraries Online (SILO) network; and improving library service to Iowans through knowledgeable, well-trained staff and well-informed public library trustees and library users. LSTA built on accomplishments made possible with the federal HEA II-B grant awarded to the State Library in 1995. This grant led the way in bringing technology to Iowa libraries by creating an electronic library network for resource sharing. SILO (State of Iowa Libraries Online) became fully functional in 1997. The State Library continued funding SILO with LSTA money when the grant ended. This funding supports the SILO infrastructure, providing equitable access to information through cutting edge technology to Iowans in both small and large, rural and urban, communities. Access to electronic material and information has encouraged public libraries to increase the number of computers and public access to the Internet. LSTA funding was used to increase training opportunities for library staff and trustees. Many programs, such as librarian certification, were strengthened by an increase in continuing education opportunities.

Audit risk and rent extraction: Evidence from a randomized evaluation in Brazil

We report results from a randomized policy experiment designed to test whether increasedaudit risk deters rent extraction in local public procurement and service delivery in Brazil. Ourestimates suggest that temporarily increasing annual audit risk by about 20 percentage pointsreduced the proportion of irregular local procurement processes by about 17 percentage points.This reduction was driven entirely by irregularities involving mismanagement or corruption. Incontrast, we find no evidence that increased audit risk affected the quality of publicly providedpreventive and primary health care services -measured based on user satisfaction surveys- orcompliance with national regulations of the conditional cash transfer program "Bolsa Família".