Unmet Needs Report, July 2006-June 2007

Despite the successes of the Senior Living Program and other efforts of the Iowa Aging Network, there continue to be documented unmet needs throughout the state, in part because of general fund budget reductions. These are needs identified for elderly Iowans that the community service networks are unable to meet. The sources for this data are interdisciplinary teams with the Case Management Program for the Frail Elderly (CMPFE) and service providers under contract with the Area Agencies on Aging. June 2007 Unmet Needs Report May 2007 Unmet Needs Report April 2007 Unmet Needs Report March 2007 Unmet Needs Report February 2007 Unmet Needs Report January 2007 Unmet Needs Report December 2006 Unmet Needs Report November 2006 Unmet Needs Report October 2006 Unmet Needs Report September 2006 Unmet Needs Report August 2006 Unmet Needs Report July 2006 Unmet Needs Report

Do Spanish informal caregivers come to the rescue of dependent people with formal care unmet needs?

This paper analyses the effect of unmet formal care needs on informal caregiving hours in Spain using the two wavesof the Informal Support Survey (1994, 2004). Testing for double sample selection from formal care receipt and theemergence of unmet needs provides evidence that the omission of either variable would causes underestimation of thenumber of informal caregiving hours. After controlling for these two factors the number of hours of care increaseswith both the degree of dependency and unmet needs. More importantly, in the presence of unmet needs, the numberof informal caregiving hours increases when some formal care is received. This result refutes the substitution modeland supports complementarity or task specificity between both types of care. For a given combination of formal careand unmet needs, informal caregiving hours increased between 1994 and 2004. Finally, in the model for 2004, theselection term associated with the unmet needs equation is larger than that of the formal care equation, suggestingthat using the number of formal care recipients as a quality indicator may be confounding, if we do not complete thisinformation with other quality indicators.

Special investigation of the Haverhill Volunteer Fire Department for the period January 1, 2003 through January 29, 2007

Special investigation of the Haverhill Volunteer Fire Department for the period January 1, 2003 through January 29, 2007

Impact of biocontrol strain Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 on rhizosphere bacteria isolated from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with special reference to Cytophaga-like bacteria.

AIMS: To assess the impact of the biocontrol strain Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 on a collection of barley rhizosphere bacteria using an agar plate inhibition assay and a plant microcosm, focusing on a CHA0-sensitive member of the Cytophaga-like bacteria (CLB). METHODS AND RESULTS: The effect of strain CHA0 on a collection of barley rhizosphere bacteria, in particular CLB and fluorescent pseudomonads sampled during a growth season, was assessed by a growth inhibition assay. On average, 85% of the bacteria were sensitive in the May sample, while the effect was reduced to around 68% in the July and August samples. In the May sample, around 95% of the CLB and around 45% of the fluorescent pseudomonads were sensitive to strain CHA0. The proportion of CHA0-sensitive CLB and fluorescent pseudomonad isolates decreased during the plant growth season, i.e. in the July and August samples. A particularly sensitive CLB isolate, CLB23, was selected, exposed to strain CHA0 (wild type) and its genetically modified derivatives in the rhizosphere of barley grown in gnotobiotic soil microcosms. Two dry-stress periods were imposed during the experiment. Derivatives of strain CHA0 included antibiotic or exopolysaccharide (EPS) overproducing strains and a dry-stress-sensitive mutant. Despite their inhibitory activity against CLB23 in vitro, neither wild-type strain CHA0, nor any of its derivatives, had a major effect on culturable and total cell numbers of CLB23 during the 23-day microcosm experiment. Populations of all inoculants declined during the two dry-stress periods, with soil water contents below 5% and plants reaching the wilting point, but they recovered after re-wetting the soil. Survival of the dry-stress-sensitive mutant of CHA0 was most affected by the dry periods; however, this did not result in an increased population density of CLB23. CONCLUSIONS: CLB comprise a large fraction of barley rhizosphere bacteria that are sensitive to the biocontrol pseudomonad CHA0 in vitro. However, in plant microcosm experiments with varying soil humidity conditions, CHA0 or its derivatives had no major impact on the survival of the highly sensitive CLB strain, CLB23, during two dry-stress periods and a re-wetting period; all co-existed well in the rhizosphere of barley plants. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Results indicate a lack of interaction between the biocontrol pseudomonad CHA0 and a sensitive CLB when the complexity increases from agar plate assays to plant microcosm experiments. This suggests the occurrence of low levels of antibiotic production and/or that the two bacterial genera occupy different niches in the rhizosphere.

A Delphi study on National PICU nursing research priorities in Australia and New Zealand.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of evidence to direct and support nursing practice in the specialty of paediatric intensive care (PIC). The development of national PIC nursing research priorities may facilitate the process of undertaking clinical research and translating evidence into practice. PURPOSE: To (a) identify research priorities for the care of patients and their family as well as for the professional needs of PIC nurses, (b) foster nursing research collaboration, (c) develop a research agenda for PIC nurses. METHODS: Over 13 months in 2007-2008, a three-round questionnaire, using the Delphi technique, was sent to all specialist level registered nurses working in Australian and New Zealand PICUs. This method was used to identify and prioritise nursing research topics. Content analysis was used to analyse Round I data and descriptive statistics for Round II and III data. RESULTS: In Round I, 132 research topics were identified, with 77 research priorities (mdn>6, mean MAD(median) 0.68±0.01) identified in subsequent rounds. The top nine priorities (mean>6 and median>6) included patient issues related to neurological care (n=2), pain/sedation/comfort (n=3), best practice at the end of life (n=1), and ventilation strategies (n=1), as well as two priorities related to professional issues about nurses' stress/burnout and professional development needs. CONCLUSION: The research priorities identified reflect important issues related to critically ill patients and their family as well as to the nurses caring for them. These priorities can be used for the development of a research agenda for PIC nursing in Australia and New Zealand.

Report on a special investigation of the City of Clearfield for the period August 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007

Report on a special investigation of the City of Clearfield for the period August 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007

Report on a special investigation of the Fifth and Eighth Judicial Districts Department of Correctional Services (Districts) for the period January 1, 2003 through June 30, 2006

Report on a special investigation of the Fifth and Eighth Judicial Districts Department of Correctional Services (Districts) for the period January 1, 2003 through June 30, 2006

Assessment of needs, health-related quality of life, and satisfaction with care in breast cancer patients to better target supportive care.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed whether breast cancer (BC) patients express similar levels of needs for equivalent severity of symptoms, functioning difficulties, or degrees of satisfaction with care aspects. BC patients who did (or not) report needs in spite of similar difficulties were identified among their sociodemographic or clinical characteristics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-four (73% response rate) BC patients recruited in ambulatory or surgery hospital services completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ)-C30 quality of life [health-related quality of life (HRQOL)], the EORTC IN-PATSAT32 (in-patient) or OUT-PATSAT35 (out-patient) satisfaction with care, and the supportive care needs survey short form 34-item (SCNS-SF34) measures. RESULTS: HRQOL or satisfaction with care scale scores explained 41%, 45%, 40% and 22% of variance in, respectively, psychological, physical/daily living needs, information/health system, and care/support needs (P < 0.001). BC patients' education level, having children, hospital service attendance, and anxiety/depression levels significantly predicted differences in psychological needs relative to corresponding difficulties (adjusted R(2) = 0.11). Medical history and anxiety/depression levels significantly predicted differences in information/health system needs relative to degrees of satisfaction with doctors, nurses, or radiotherapy technicians and general satisfaction (adjusted R(2) = 0.12). Unmet needs were most prevalent in the psychological domains across hospital services. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of needs, HRQOL, and satisfaction with care highlights the subgroups of BC patients requiring better supportive care targeting.

Special investigation of the Monona County Engineer’s Office for the period January 1, 2004 through April 20, 2007

Special investigation of the Monona County Engineer’s Office for the period January 1, 2004 through April 20, 2007

Iowa Lottery Action Special Edition, Dec. 3, 2007

Special edition newsletter for Iowa lottery retailers.

Special investigation of the City of Rathbun for the period July 1, 2003 through November 30, 2007

Special investigation of the City of Rathbun for the period July 1, 2003 through November 30, 2007

Special investigation of Hardin County Solid Waste Disposal Commission for the period January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2007

Special investigation of Hardin County Solid Waste Disposal Commission for the period January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2007

Special investigation of the City of Postville for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2006

Special investigation of the City of Postville for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2006

Special investigation of the Area XV Regional Planning Commission located in Ottumwa, Iowa for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2006

Special investigation of the Area XV Regional Planning Commission located in Ottumwa, Iowa for the period July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2006

Special investigation of selected accounts at Burlington High School for the period July 1, 2004 through February 16, 2006

Special investigation of selected accounts at Burlington High School for the period July 1, 2004 through February 16, 2006