Journal of public health policy
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One manifestation of globalization is medical tourism. As its implications remain largely unknown, we reviewed claimed benefits and risks. ⋯ Although individual patient risks may be offset by credentialing and sophistication in (some) destination country facilities, lack of benefits to poorer citizens in developing countries offering medical tourism remains a generic equity issue. Data collection, measures, and studies of medical tourism all need to be greatly improved if countries are to assess better both the magnitude and potential health implications of this trade.
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J Public Health Policy · Apr 2010
Commentary: Understanding the origins of anger, contempt, and disgust in public health policy disputes: applying moral psychology to harm reduction debates.
Scientific disputes about public health issues can become emotional battlefields marked by strong emotions like anger, contempt, and disgust. Contemporary work in moral psychology demonstrates that each of these emotions is a reaction to a specific type of moral violation. ⋯ Public health ethics tend to emphasize social justice concerns to the exclusion of other moral perspectives that value scientific authority, professional loyalty, and bodily purity. An awareness of their different emotional reactions and underlying moral motivations might help public health professionals better understand each others' viewpoints, ultimately leading to more productive dialogue.
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J Public Health Policy · Dec 2009
How China responded to the May 2008 earthquake during the emergency and rescue period.
This article describes the overall damage caused by the May 2008 earthquake in Beichuan County of Sichuan Province in China and the response over the initial three-month 'Emergency Response and Rescue Period' as defined by the Chinese government. We hope to inform people by sharing observations and that lessons from the earthquake can be learned in order to make response to similar disasters more effective in future. We used questionnaires to collect data from the County government authorities, including the health bureau, civil affairs bureau, county hospital, and authorities in four townships, four township hospitals, and four village health posts. ⋯ The inputs from the central government and other provincial and municipal government authorities, external medical teams, voluntary associations, other countries, and international organizations played important roles in minimizing the risk to survivors and maintaining social order. By formulating emergency plans, departments could more effectively fulfill their functions. Additional strategies are required to enhance cooperation and coordination between different sectors, and to help social organizations and the general public actively contribute so that similar disasters can be more effectively dealt with in the future.
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J Public Health Policy · Sep 2009
The impact of traumatic stressors in civilian occupational settings.
We use the literature reporting prevalence and aetiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in first responders as a catalyst to discuss for organisations the policy implications for prevention and intervention of psychiatric morbidity. We searched PubMed and Google to identify studies and reports of mental health and behavioural problems in occupations including police, fire, and emergency service workers. The prevalence of PTSD ranged from 6 per cent to 32 per cent. ⋯ Prevalence of PTSD was generally less than that found among victims themselves, but higher than general community prevalence. Theoretically, if prevention and intervention strategies were working effectively, there should be a minimal rate of psychiatric morbidity attributable to these individuals' workplaces. Against this background, there is a case for routine screening on an annual basis for those at risk.
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Over the past four decades, motorcycle helmet laws within the United States have been in a state of flux and have been shaped by the conflicting influences of the federal government's initiatives to shape state policies and motorcycle advocates' persistent lobbying efforts. Examination of individual state experiences with motorcycle helmet legislation demonstrates that universal motorcycle helmet laws effectively promote helmet use compliance, reduce morbidity and mortality in motorcycle crashes, and lower the health care costs and associated societal burdens of these crash victims. Motorcycle advocates have challenged the implementation of these laws and directly influenced the weakening or frank repeal of these laws to negative consequence. We offer this review as an educational resource to encourage and facilitate health care worker participation in legislative efforts to support implementation and maintenance of universal motorcycle helmet laws.