Healthy Aging Update, April 1, 2013, Vol. 8, no. 2

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

Healthy Aging Update, February, 2015, Vol. 10, no. 1

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

Healthy Aging Update, October, 2014, Vol. 9, no. 4

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

Healthy Aging Update, December, 2014, Vol. 9, no. 5

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

Healthy Aging Update, February, 2013, Vol. 8, no. 1

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

Healthy Aging Update, April, 2015, Vol. 10, no. 2

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

Healthy Aging Update, June, 2015, Vol. 10, no. 2

This bimonthly electronic newsletter will provide information and resources on nutrition and health promotion and disease prevention. The Healthy Aging Update is produced for informal and educational purposes only. The newsletter will be distributed electronically and posted on the Department’s website at www.state.ia.us/elderaffairs.

3. Formation continue: promotion du mouvement et de l'activité physique chez les 0-6 ans

Sedentary lifestyle in children is increasing at an alarming rate. Now, promotion of physical activity by health professionals is a promising way. To support childhood specialists in this role, a transdisciplinary training is being developped.

Bonnes pratiques de promotion de la santé des personnes âgées : développement des théories d'action des interventions = Best Practice Gesundheitsförderung im Alter (BPGF) : Entwicklung von Wirkungsmodellen.

Le projet "Bonnes pratiques de promotion de la santé des personnes âgées" vise à définir des recommandations pour promouvoir la santé des personnes âgées dans les différents cantons suisses adhérents au projet. Cinq instituts suisses ont ainsi été mandatés à produire un rapport faisant état de la situation relative à cinq domaines :- mesures visant à stimuler l'activité physique;- prévention des chutes;- participation du corps médical (médecins de famille);- conseils en matière de santé, manifestations, cours;- accès aux groupes-cibles et outils de recrutement.Dans le but de définir les bases pour une évaluation future des interventions recommandées, le présent rapport, sollicité par Promotion Santé Suisse, détaille le travail effectué avec les équipes responsables de chaque domaine pour élaborer une série de trois synthèses de leur travail, à savoir :- une analyse de la situation en question (problèmes constatés);- une théorie d'action définissant les objectifs intermédiaires et finaux à atteindre à partir des recommandations faites dans leur domaine;- une liste des indicateurs associés aux objectifs prioritaires.Ces synthèses ont été réalisées à l'aide du modèle de catégorisation des résultats de promotion de la santé et de la prévention (SMOC) un outil développé conjointement par les Instituts universitaires de médecine sociale et préventive de Berne et de Lausanne, en collaboration avec Promotion Santé Suisse. Les théories d'action ainsi élaborées ont ensuite été intégrées dans une théorie d'action globale correspondant à l'ensemble du projet " Bonnes pratiques de promotion de la santé des personnes âgées ". [P. 5]

Précarité et déterminants sociaux de la santé: quel(s) rôle(s) pour le médecin de premier recours [Deprivation and social determinants of health: any role for the general practitioner?]

Social deprivation also exists in an industrialised country like Switzerland where there are many different social economic levels; social inequalities have increased in the past years having a major impact on social economic determinants of health. Being aware of these determinants and systematically identifying them in patients has become crucial for the general practitioner in order to improve the way s/he delivers care and interacts with more vulnerable populations. Because the general practitioner is often in contact with people of different socioeconomic levels, s/he is a key witness of social inequalities in health. S/he therefore has a responsibility to document them, to promote health, to prevent disease and be an advocate for the disadvantages in order to influence these social determinants of health.

Promotion of physical activity in the primary care setting : the situation in Switzerland

Although many harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle on health are well known, we still need to better understand how regular physical activity in the general population can be promoted effectively. Among the currently explored strategies, screening for sedentary lifestyle and promoting physical activity in the primary care setting seem promising. Despite recommendations from governmental agencies and professional associations in favor of physical activity counseling, this approach has not been widely adopted so far. This article summarizes the steps taken in Switzerland with the aim of developing physical activity counseling in the primary care setting. It describes how the early implication of primary care physicians influenced in a concrete way the development of the project.

Developing a theoretical framework using a nursing perspective to investigate perceived health in the "Sandwich Generation" group

Coexisting workloads from professional, household and family, and caregiving activities for frail parents expose middle-aged individuals, the so-called "Sandwich Generation", to potential health risks. Current trends suggest that this situation will continue or increase. Thus SG health promotion has become a nursing concern. Most existing research considers coexisting workloads a priori pathogenic. Most studies have examined the association of one, versus two, of these three activities with health. Few studies have used a nursing perspective. This article presents the development of a framework based on a nursing model. We integrated Siegrist's Effort-Reward Imbalance middle-range theory into "Neuman Systems Model". The latter was chosen for its salutogenic orientation, its attention to preventive nursing interventions and the opportunity it provides to simultaneously consider positive and negative perceptions of SG health and SG coexisting workloads. Finally, it facilitated a theoretical identification of health protective factors.

Health care workers' influenza vaccination: motivations and mandatory mask policy

BACKGROUND: Vaccination of health care workers (HCW) against seasonal influenza (SI) is recommended but vaccination rate rarely reach >30%. Vaccination coverage against 2009 pandemic influenza (PI) was 52% in our hospital, whilst a new policy requiring unvaccinated HCW to wear a mask during patient care duties was enforced. AIMS: To investigate the determinants of this higher vaccination acceptance for PI and to look for an association with the new mask-wearing policy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study, involving HCW of three critical departments of a 1023-bed, tertiary-care university hospital in Switzerland. Self-reported 2009-10 SI and 2009 PI vaccination statuses, reasons and demographic data were collected through a literature-based questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, uni- and multivariate analyses were then performed. RESULTS: There were 472 respondents with a response rate of 54%. Self-reported vaccination acceptance was 64% for PI and 53% for SI. PI vaccination acceptance was associated with being vaccinated against SI (OR 9.5; 95% CI 5.5-16.4), being a physician (OR 7.7; 95% CI 3.1-19.1) and feeling uncomfortable wearing a mask (OR 1.7; 95% CI 1.0-2.8). Main motives for refusing vaccination were: preference for wearing a surgical mask (80% for PI, not applicable for SI) and concerns about vaccine safety (64%, 50%) and efficacy (44%, 35%). CONCLUSIONS: The new mask-wearing policy was a motivation for vaccination but also offered an alternative to non-compliant HCW. Concerns about vaccine safety and efficiency and self-interest of health care workers are still main determinants for influenza vaccination acceptance. Better incentives are needed to encourage vaccination amongst non-physician HCW.

The health of adolescents around a world in transition.

Since several years, the health of adolescents is on the agenda of ministers, decision makers and health professionals. Around the world, while there has been a steady decrease of the death rates among young children, this is not the case for young people. This is mainly linked with the fact that mortality and morbidity during this period of life is largely linked with non communicable diseases and conditions, including deaths from injuries, suicide, homicides and drug abuse. Unplanned pregnancies, illegal abortions, newly acquired HIV infections are also situations that have short and long term consequences. This paper reviews the epidemiological data pertaining to adolescent health and disease. It proposes evidence-informed avenues as how to address these issues in the field of health care (e.g. adolescent friendly services) and of prevention and health promotion. It also stresses the importance of creating safe environments for the development and well-being of young people and thus, of an interdisciplinary and inter sectorial approach to their complex health problems and challenges.