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Feb 2022 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-22-4085
Jay Johnson RalphCorresponding author
Research PA-C/Research Coordinator University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
A daunting challenge for health providers and medical practitioners is communicating the vital importance of health promotion and medical treatment adherence and compliance. This article is an evidence-based, best-practices commentary advocating the use of touch-accompanied verbal suggestions during the touching portions of routine, near-universal Health & Physical examinations. Notional case examples are presented; based on the professional literature, underlying Behavioral Mechanics are discussed. Touch-accompanied verbal health promotion messages skillfully deployed in routine Health & Physical examinations offer a non-harmful and efficient technique to synergistically and substantially enhance the probability of patient compliance with health improvement and medical treatment regimens. Though it is not a magic panacea, the public health applications, extensions and benefits are incalculable in terms of healthy behavior adoption. Additionally, if deftly conducted in accordance with best practices, it has the potential to greatly improve practitioner-patient relations and increase patient satisfaction. Further avenues of research inquiry are considered.
Aug 2017 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-3585.jpmc-17-1591
Scott JanCorresponding author
Professor, Academic Psychiatry, Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Background: There are relatively few research publications of mental health promotion initiatives for primary school aged children that are based in community rather than educational settings. Aims: To describe developmental frameworks and models of mentoring, coaching and mental health promotion and to summarize any evidence for the efficacy of community initiatives. Methods: An umbrella review was undertaken of publications on theories and models, and a synthesis of findings from reviews of outcomes of mentoring, mental health promotion initiatives undertaken outside of school time for children aged 5-11 years. Results: Developmental mentoring on its own or in combination with outside school activities is potentially more flexible in terms of delivery and targets than school-based programs. Pooled effect sizes (range about 0.2-0.4) suggest modest but significant gains across several key domains (cognition, emotion, physical health, and social connectedness) that equate to about 10 percentile point on the developmental evaluations employed. Mediators of benefits include the level environmental or individual risk of the child and parental involvement. It is noteworthy that poor quality, atheoretical programs can have detrimental effects. Conclusions: Children aged 5-11 years may be more accepting of, and could make significant gains from, community-based mental health promotion interventions such as developmental mentoring. However, there are some significant gaps in the knowledge-base that need to be addressed through more systematic research.
Jul 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-3585.jpmc-16-1112
V. Seeman MaryCorresponding author
Professor Emerita, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 260 Heath St. W., Suite 605, Toronto, Ontario, M5P 3L6, Canada.
Background: Mental health promotion depends to a large extent on the gathering of accurate baseline opinion data from a targeted population. Aim: The aim of this paper is to explore the potential applications of a new method of measuring true attitudes toward mental illness, and of monitoring and evaluating subsequent public health interventions. Method: This paper reviews the strengths and limitations of a novel survey method, RIWI, its early findings, and its potential applications in the field of mental health promotion. Comparisons are made to other commonly used survey methods through entering pertinent search terms into the Google Scholar™ database. Findings: The RIWI online survey method has several advantages over earlier survey methods: it is random, quick, anonymous, and reaches very large samples. Questionnaires are easily translatable and can be repeated, with excellent test-retest reliability. Anonymity reduces social desirability bias. The limitations are: a) variable completion rate, which carries the upside of allowing regional comparisons, and b) the reality that the respondent pool reflects regional Internet usage, often biased toward young literate males. Conclusions: A survey method that is able to quickly and repeatedly sample large numbers of random individuals is an important advance for health promotion in that interventions can be timely and their efficacy can be rapidly evaluated.
Jul 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-21-3897
Pamela NanaCorresponding author
Interstate center in public health in Central Africa (CIESPAC)
Background Water-related diseases are water-related disorders of the body. They are a public health problem as they are responsible for 60% of infant mortality in our developing countries. There are few studies in South Cameroon on the subject. Overall Objective of this work was to study the explanatory behavioral factors of waterborne diseases in children aged 0 to 5 years in the health area of the urban dispensary in Ebolowa in Cameroon in 2020. Methodology This was an analytical cross-sectional study comparing two groups of children (group 1: children affected by waterborne diseases group 2: children unaffected by waterborne diseases) within the health area of the Ebolowa urban area. It lasted 21 months and the study period was from 28 December 2020 to 22 January 2021. We included children aged 0 to 5 years present in households where parents/guardians gave their informed consent. Sampling was probabilistic and cluster sampling. Using the Kelsey formula, we obtained a sample of 420 households and 566 children. Data was collected using a questionnaire and stored in the Excel spreadsheet and analyzed with CDC USA's epi info software 7.2.2.6. The calculation p value was done with Stat Calc at the significance threshold of 0.05. Bold The proportion of waterborne diseases was 97% (549/566) among the children aged 0 to 5 years surveyed. The most common reasons for using the health service for children aged 0-5 years were diarrhea 78.62% (IC75.06-81.80), and malaria 78.09% (74.09-81.30). The median age of children suffering from these pathologies was 36 months (24; 60). The gender ratio (Boys/Girls) was 2.06/1. Conclusion We propose to increase the awareness of mothers/guardians on good practices; also, to increase health promotion in the fight against waterborne diseases.
Jun 2021 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-21-3758
Hewageegana NS RajapaksaCorresponding author
National Consultant Health System Enhancement Project Sri Lanka
“Health Promoting Village” concept named as “Happy Villages” started in 2007 in Badulla District in Uva Province was a community mobilization process through which village communities have been empowered to look after their community health. The areas included were Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD), Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) prevention , Alcohol and drug abuse. Gender Based Violence. The programmed used many interactive tools as “Mood Chart” or “Happiness Calendar” which was giving a visualizing effect. Continuous assessments done from 2009 to 2013 showed that the Health promotion strategies used in the Happy Village concept in the Uva Province can effectively and efficiently be utilized for improvement of nutrition and achievement of milestones in children. From 2017 a National program is launched named “Happy Villages”. During the Covid 19 outbreak health promotion approaches were initiated to change in lay communities successfully. Villagers had actively engaged, collectively acted in responsible manner, and identified measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission in their households, neighbourhood and community. The use of village empowerment had become a fruitful source to face the Covid pandemic in Sri Lanka. Almost 300 “Happy Villages” around the country have made facing the Covid epidemic their chief task. Many innovative ideas and practices in facing Covid 19 pandemic at village level including a visualizing calendar to identify the risk behaviours of the family members as well as the Happiness calendar to identify the family stress levels are among them. Health promotion concept is getting rooted around the country with active participation of the villages with a multisectoral support. Continuous monitoring and evaluation and sharing best practices will show the world the effectiveness of Health Promotion and the ability of empowered people in facing pandemic situations
May 2020 DOI 10.14302/issn.2692-5257.ijgp-20-3335
Luis Turabian JoseCorresponding author
Specialist in Family and Community Medicine, Health Center Santa Maria de Benquerencia, Regional Health Service of Castilla la Mancha (SESCAM), Toledo, Spain
The consultation is the activity of meeting and communication between an individual and the doctor for the knowledge and solution of a health problem. In today's busy world of general medicine, constant demands for the general practitioner (GP) arise: she or he should not only make a diagnosis not only should make a differential diagnosis during consultation, but must also establish a good relationship, explore patient ideas, concerns and expectations and negotiate a management plan, taking into account limited resources, the quality framework and results, having Information technology skills, plus, the need to promote health during any consultation. Normally the GP has only 10 minutes to achieve all that, as well as to manage your own emotions, agendas and uncertainty. In this way, novice doctors may find it difficult to move in this situation of complexity, and they can also observe a gap in the literature that really guides them in practice. Rigorous preparation is the key to success for many endeavours. Some tips to perform an efficient and safe consultation work in general medicine are suggested: 1) Focus on the next patient; 2) Preparing the consultation before entering the patient, memorizing the patient's previous history; 3) Establishing a connection with the patient; 4) Remembering the elements that must be in each consultation (the current reason, update other previous processes, chronic diseases and continued attention, "case finding", health promotion); 5) Striking a balance between empathy and assertiveness; 6) Putting in writing and contextualized the clinical record; and 7) Making reflection-safety questions, learning questions, and preparation questions for the next visit. Rigorous preparation is the key to success for the general practitioner in every consultation. Think about these topics of the consultation before doing it, and after it, prepare the next consultation of that patient. All these things are force multipliers.
Feb 2019 DOI 10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-19-2615
Butnariu MonicaCorresponding author
Banat’s University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine “King Michael I of Romania” from Timisoara, Timis, Romania
The notion that foods have health promotion effects beyond their nutritional value has been increasingly accepted in recent years, and the specific effects of nutrition prevention on disease have led to the discovery of functional foods. Functional foods are products that contain various biologically active compounds and which, consumed in a current diet, contribute to maintaining the optimal state of physical, mental and mental health of the population. Functional foods are consumed in the normal diet and contain biologically active compounds with potential to improve health or to reduce the risk of disease. The objectives of this review are to highlight the strengths of functional foods.
Oct 2018 DOI 10.14302/issn.2641-4538.jphi-18-2426
P ChastonayCorresponding author
Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
Over the past century, the proportion of Swiss residents aged 65 or older rose from 5.8% to 17.8%; during the same period, the proportion aged over 80 rose from 0.5% to 5.0%. Although the majority of older people in Switzerland enjoy good health, disease prevalence rises with age. Almost half (49%) of people over 65 living at home report at least one chronic illness. Among the 65- to 79-year-olds living at home, 25.2% suffer from several chronic diseases; among people in the 80s, this figure reaches 41.3%. People aged over 80 are also particularly at risk for falls (30%). In addition, between 15% and 25% of the elderly suffer from at least one mental illness. Close to 30% of healthcare costs are attributable to people over the age of 75, who make up only 8% of the total population. Given the public health importance of the issue a health promotion project targeting the elderly – the VIA Project -, based on successful local programs, is being implemented throughout the country. The overall goal of the VIA project is to promote the health of older people and to strengthen their self-determination and independence.
Sep 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2474-3585.jpmc-16-1106
Roy MathieuCorresponding author
Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, (Québec, Canada)
Health and social services organizations discriminate too much between core public health functions. Health protection actions, services, and programs are often separate from those concerned with disease prevention and health promotion. In this comment, we advocate for more partnerships between all public health functions within health and social services organizations. Stronger bridges between such teams, services, and programs are needed to move forward with a more encompassing and integrated perspective aiming for social justice and equity. In this comment, we support this position with some examples. We also use smoking-related issues from a regional representative population-based sample (Eastern Townships, Quebec, Canada) to demonstrate how we can better struggle against social inequalities with a perspective that simultaneously considers all functions of public health within actions, services, and programs of health and social services organizations. We conclude with avenues to foster such partnerships.
May 2016 DOI 10.14302/issn.2574-450X.jom-16-1039
V. Seeman MaryCorresponding author
Professor Emerita, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, 260 Heath St. W., Suite 605, Toronto, Ontario, M5P 3L6, Canada.
Over the last three decades, an epidemic of obesity has markedly affected patients suffering from mental illnesses such as schizophrenia. Antipsychotic medications used to treat schizophrenia are considered as major culprits. The aim of this review is to first consider risk factors, to then outline negative sequelae of obesity for this population, and finally to address timing and content of recommended clinical interventions. Medical databases were searched with the terms “”weight,” “obesity,” and “schizophrenia.” Selection of articles was guided by date of publication; recent papers are preferentially cited. The main findings were that, in addition to antipsychotic medications, socio-economics, lifestyle, immune factors, and circadian rhythms also contribute to obesity risk. A barrier to effective health promotion within psychiatry has been the concern that fears about gaining weight might stop individuals with schizophrenia from taking needed antipsychotic medication. Recommendations, therefore, are to keep the dose of antipsychotic medication as low as possible, avoid polypharmacy, encourage healthy eating and physical activity, address sleep problems and substance use, monitor weight, blood pressure, and metabolic parameters regularly, utilize motivational interviewing techniques and peer support, pay special attention to special needs such as those of women during pregnancy, and include bariatric surgery as a potential intervention. Conclusion: Besides careful attention to medication regimens, the literature supports the active encouragement and support of patient self-management strategies to both prevent and manage obesity in schizophrenia.