Comment on: ‘Screening’ for Breast Cancer: Misguided Research Misinforming Public Policies, by O. S. Miettinen

Our commentary of the article “‘Screening’ for Breast Cancer: Misguided Research Misinforming Public Policies” has two main parts. First we address some of the methodological points raised by Professor Miettinen. Then we review more specific aspects of the Swiss Medical Board statement on mammography screening for early detection of breast cancer.

Access to oral care --- A systematic review of a continuing public health issue among older adults

Oral health is essential for the general well being of the individual and collectively for the health of the population. Oral health can be maintained by routine dental care and visits to dental professionals, but accessing professional dental care may be a continuing difficulty in vulnerable older adult population. Many older adults are not frequent users of dental care, though oral health is crucial to their well-being and overall health. Access to care is the timely use of personal health services to achieve the best possible health outcomes. ^ Objectives: The aims of this review are to (i) to analyze and elucidate the relationship between socio-economic disparities in gender, ethnicity, poverty status, education and the continuing public issue of access to oral care, (ii) to identify the underlying causes through which these factors can affect access to oral care. This review will provide a knowledgeable basis for development of interventions to provide adequate access to oral care in older adults and implementing policies to ensure access to oral care; through highlighting the various socio economic factors that affect access to oral care among older adults. ^ Methods: This paper used a purposeful review of literature on socioeconomic disparities in access to oral care among older adults. The references considered in this review included all the relevant articles, surveys and reports published in English language, since the year 1985 to 2010, in the United States. The articles selected were scrutinized for relevancy to the topic of access to oral care and which included discussions of the effects of gender, ethnicity, poverty status, educational status in accessing oral care. ^ Results: Evidence confirmed the continuing disparity in access to oral care among older adults. The possible links identified were gender inequality, ethnic differences, income levels and educational differences affecting access to oral care. The underlying causes linking these factors with access to oral care were established. ^ Conclusion: The analysis of the literature review findings supported the prevalence of disparities in gender, ethnicity, income and education with its possible links affecting access to oral care. The underlying causes helped to understand the reasons behind this growing issue of inaccessible oral care. Further research is needed to develop policies and target dental public health efforts towards specific problem areas ensuring equitable access to oral services and consequently, improve the health of older adults.^

Public policies and multilingualism in HCI

Language is an essential aspect of human communication and interaction, not only between humans but also between humans and interactive systems. Indeed, the use of the language is a keystone for the design of interactive systems.Inappropriate use of language might limit the access of users to information and induce users to make mistakes or to lose control of interactive systems. Despite the existence of public policies, the diversity of languages poses serious problems when considering full-fledged/seamless support for all existing languages. And yet standardization processes have successfully defined mechanisms for ensuring cross-platform compatibility between languages, at least at the level of format and the set of characters that can be used.

Play the game or get played? Researchers’ strategies around R&D policies

This chapter focuses on possible effects of current R&D policies in the scientific work, exploring some of the dilemmas they cause to researchers. In a transnational scale, R&D policies embrace performance-based research funding systems, calling for a growing accountability and a more useful and published research. Often justified by the importance of knowledge in public policies or as part of the new managerialism regime, these trends emphasize performativity on research. In this scenario, how researchers receive and interpret R&D policies is influenced according to their values and interests? Do they play the game or do they get played by it? These questions rely on a conceptual framework that conceives the research as a political scene, where researchers and R&D policies meet. Moreover, researchers’ strategies are perceived as political, considering that it is in the context of the practices that policy is interpreted and reinvented. The chapter presents an empirical study conducted in Portugal, which will be taken as an example of what Waitere et al (2011) already named as “choosing whether to resist or reinforce” R&D policies. In fact, the study revealed a strategic calculation made by researchers and the coexistence of convergent and divergent strategies concerning R&D policies. I will argue that the tensions in this strategic game are both a reflex and generator of the dilemmas of scientific work today and a sign of the complexity of public policies.

Fees and charges for public recreation; a study of policies and practices.

Mode of access: Internet.

Recommended standards for water works : adopted ... May 25, 1962. A report of Committee of the Great Lakes-Upper Mississippi River Board of State Sanitary Engineers on policies for the review and approval of plans and specifications for public water supplies. States represented: New York [and others] January, 1953.

Mode of access: Internet.

A state equalizing fund for public education, showing how Louisiana can more adequately meet its educational responsibility.

At head of title: State department of education of Louisiana.

A State program for visiting teachers : a statement of policies and interpretation of Act 38 of the Public Acts of 1944, Extra Session.

"A plan for helping with problems of community, home, school, law, health, church, family, welfare, recre..."-- Cover

Bill proposed for the government of the Detroit public schools by the Citizens' educational committee.

Mode of access: Internet.

When the school board has to borrow money. Policies and procedures for short-term and long-term borrowing for public schools, with particular reference to the State of Illinois

Mimeographed.

Summary of public sector labor relations policies : statutes, attorney generals' opinions, and selected court decisions /

"Prepared by Tali Rider"--P. v.

An introductory planning guide for local school districts : a product of the Section for Educational Planning, Division for Management and Planning Services, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

WI docs. no.: Ed.3/2:5060.