Service quality assessment in provision of library services

Libraries are dynamic organization providing dynamic services to their patrons. However, advances in IT and networking have created a serious competition to libraries from many information service provisioning agents. The purpose of this study is to understand the issue relevant to service quality assessment in libraries and subsequently develop a conceptual model of aligning library quality of service assessment for effective reporting of library value and performance to stakeholders. In this paper, we will focus on the provision of library services and the nature of the relationship and interactions between various components of library services.

The concept of prevention : a good idea gone astray?

Over time, the definition of prevention has expanded so that its meaning in the context of health services is now unclear. As risk factors are increasingly considered to be the equivalent of “diseases” for purposes of intervention, the concept of prevention has lost all practical meaning. This paper reviews the inconsistencies in its utility, and suggests principles that it should follow in the future: a population orientation with explicit consideration of attributable risk, the setting of priorities based on reduction in illness and avoidance of adverse effects, and the imperative to reduce inequities in health.

General practice : contribution to health and equity

The evidence that a primary health approach enhances health outcomes, increases system effectiveness and is cost effective gives a new impetus for general practice within the continuum of health services. At the same time, in Australia the establishment of the Divisions of General Practice and their continued support has led to a new found confidence in general practice.

Australia's health 1994 : the fourth biennial report of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

Australia's Health is the most comprehensive and authoritative source of national information on health in Australia. Australia's Health is published mid-year in even-numbered years and provides national statistics and related information that form a record of health status, service provision and expenditure in Australia.

The Australian burden of disease study : measuring the loss of health from diseases, injuries and risk factors

This is an overview of the first burden of disease and injury studies carried out in Australia. Methods developed for the World Bank and World Health Organization Global Burden of Disease Study were adapted and applied to Australian population health data. Depression was found to be the top- ranking cause of non-fatal disease burden in Australia, causing 8% of the total years lost due to disability in 1996. Mental disorders overall were responsible for nearly 30% of the non-fatal disease burden. The leading causes of total disease burden (disability-adjusted life years [DALYs]) were ischaemic heart disease and stroke, together causing nearly 18% of the total disease burden. Depression was the fourth leading cause of disease burden, accounting for 3.7% of the total burden. Of the 10 major risk factors to which the disease burden can be attributed, tobacco smoking causes an estimated 10% of the total disease burden in Australia, followed by physical inactivity (7%).