Web of knowledge
JUNE 2010

The socioeconomic value of nursing and midwifery - a rapid systematic review of reviews

The socioeconomic value of nursing and midwifery: a rapid systematic review of reviews' was published by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) in 2010. This report presents the updated findings of a rapid systematic review of reviews which provide evidence of the benefits and costs of nursing and midwifery, both within the healthcare system and wider society. The scope of the review was targeted to three areas: mental health nursing, long-term conditions and role substitution. A summary is available and the full-text report can be viewed online or downloaded. Studies included in the review are listed.

Available at: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=0CPd3eRkg2Q%3d&tabid=2469&mid=4625&language=en-US

Online Version of Nurses Continuing Education Program on SIDS Risk Reduction

An online version of NIH's continuing education program for nurses about SIDS risk reduction is now available. The Continuing Education Program on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Risk Reduction was developed by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in collaboration with national nursing and health organizations.

Now Available http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2010/nichd-26.htm

Redesigning Continuing Education in the Health Professions

Available at: http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12704&utm_source=feeds&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new_from_nap_rss&utm_content=12704

A workforce of knowledgeable health professionals is critical to the discovery and application of health care practices to prevent disease and promote well-being. Today in the United States, the professional health workforce is not consistently prepared to provide high quality health care and assure patient safety, even as the nation spends more per capita on health care than any other country. The absence of a comprehensive and well-integrated system of continuing education (CE) in the health professions is an important contributing factor to knowledge and performance deficiencies at the individual and system levels.

To be most effective, health professionals at every stage of their careers must continue learning about advances in research and treatment in their fields (and related fields) in order to obtain and maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in caring for their patients. Many health professionals regularly undertake a variety of efforts to stay up to date, but on a larger scale, the nation’s approach to CE for health professionals fails to support the professions in their efforts to achieve and maintain proficiency.

Table of Contents

1 Continuing Professional Development: Building and Sustaining a Quality Workforce (15-28)<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=15>

2 Scientific Foundations of Continuing Education (29-54)

<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=29>

3 Regulation and Financing (55-78)

<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=55>

4 Moving Toward a Continuing Professional Development System (79-92)

<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=79>

5 Envisioning a Better System of Continuing Professional Development (93-114)

<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=93>

6 Function and Structure of a Continuing Professional Development Institute (115-130)

<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=115>

7 Implementation, Research, and Evaluation (131-146)

<http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12704&page=131>

Australian Bureau of Statistics

The Health and Welfare of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 2010

This release provides a comprehensive statistical overview, largely at the national level, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and welfare. Focussing on topics considered important for the health of Australia's Indigenous population this release presents the latest analysis and results from key national statistical collections including: the 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey; the 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey; and the 2006 Census of Population and Housing.

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4704.0?OpenDocument

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports

Health system expenditure on disease and injury in Australia, 2004-05

Health system expenditure on disease and injury in Australia, 2004-05 provides a systematic analysis of health system expenditures associated with specific disease and injury groups in Australia in 2004-05. Expenditure on cardiovascular disease is compared with expenditure on cancer, injuries, nervous system disorders and other diseases. Health expenditure for each age group ranges from $2,223 per year for girls/boys aged 5 to 14 years to $8,030 per year for women/men aged 75 to 84 years. This report also discusses the changes in expenditure by disease between 2000-01 and 2004-05.

Click on the link to view www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10632

Women and heart disease Cardiovascular profile of women in Australia

Cardiovascular disease is Australia's biggest killer. This report focuses on its impact on the health of Australian women - a group who may not be aware of how significant a threat this disease is to them. The report presents the latest data on prevalence, deaths, disability, hospitalisations, services, treatments, risk factors and expenditure, as well as comparisons to other important diseases among women.  This report is a useful resource for policy makers, researchers, health professionals and anyone interested in cardiovascular disease in Australian women.

Click on the link to view www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10748

Child protection Australia 2008-09

During 2008-09 across Australia, over 200,000 children were the subject of one or more child protection notifications; almost 33,000 children were the subject of one or more substantiations; over 35,000 children were on care and protection orders; and around 34,000 children were living in out-of-home care. This report contains comprehensive information relating to state and territory child protection and support services, and the characteristics of Australian children within the child protection system

Click on the link to view the www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10859

Ovarian cancer in Australia an overview, 2010

Ovarian cancer was the most common cause of gynaecological cancer death and the sixth most common cause of cancer-related death among women in 2006. Although the prognosis for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer was relatively poor compared with a number of other cancers, the prognosis has improved over time. These and other data in this report provide a comprehensive picture of ovarian cancer in Australia including how ovarian cancer rates differ by age, Indigenous status, country of birth, socioeconomic status and geographical area.

Click on the link to view the www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/11158

Spinal cord injury, Australia 2007-08

In 2007-08 there were 362 new spinal cord injuries [SCI], the majority of which [79%] were due to traumatic causes. SCI were most frequent in the 15-24 year age group [30%], although trends show a significant increase in the average age at injury from 38 years in 1995-96 to 42 years in 2007-08. Males accounted for

Click on the link to view www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10812

A snapshot of men's health

Men in rural regions of Australia may face distinct health issues because of their location, work and lifestyle. This report provides a snapshot of some of these issues and compares the illness and mortality of men in rural and urban areas. Overall, men in rural areas are more likely than their urban counterparts to experience chronic health conditions and risk factors. For example, they:

1. *are more likely to report daily smoking and risky drinking behaviour
   

2. *are less likely to possess an adequate level of health literacy
   

3. *have higher mortality rates from injury, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
   

This report is a useful resource for policymakers, researchers and others interested in emerging men's health policies in Australia.

Click on the link to view the www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10742

The health of Australia's prisoners 2009

This is the culmination of several years’ development of national indicators in relation to prisoner health in Australia. This first national report shows that prisoners in Australia have poor health compared to the general community. A week-long snapshot of prison entrants in Australia during 2009 showed:

1. •25% had a chronic condition (such as asthma, cardiovascular disease or diabetes)
   

2. •81% were current smokers; 52% consumed alcohol at risky levels; and 71% had used illicit drugs during the previous 12 months
   

3. •37% of prison entrants reported having received a mental health diagnosis at some time; 43% had received a head injury resulting in a loss of consciousness; and 31% had been referred to prison mental health services.
   

The report also contains data relating to communicable diseases, educational attainment, deaths in custody, the use of health services and the types of medications used by prisoners.

Click on the link to view www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/11012

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