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Many Countries Around The World (many + country_around_the_world)
Selected AbstractsCan Nutritional Label Use Influence Body Weight Outcomes?KYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 4 2009Andreas C. Drichoutis SUMMARY Many countries around the world have already mandated, or plan to mandate, the presence of nutrition related information on most pre-packaged food products. Health advocates and lobbyists would like to see similar laws mandating nutrition information in the restaurant and fast-food market as well. In fact, New York City has already taken a step forward and now requires all chain restaurants with 15 or more establishments anywhere in US to show calorie information on their menus and menu board. The benefits were estimated to be as much as 150,000 fewer obese New Yorkers over the next five years. The implied benefits of the presence of nutrition information are that consumers will be able to observe such information and then make informed (and hopefully healthier) food choices. In this study, we use the latest available dataset from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005,2006) to explore whether reading such nutrition information really has an effect on body weight outcomes. In order to deal with the inherent problem of cross-sectional datasets, namely self-selection, and the possible occurrence of reverse causality we use a propensity score matching approach to estimate causal treatment effects. We conducted a series of tests related to variable choice of the propensity score specification, quality of matching indicators, robustness checks, and sensitivity to unobserved heterogeneity, using Rosenbaum bounds to validate our propensity score exercise. Our results generally suggest that reading nutrition information does not affect body mass index. The implications of our findings are also discussed. [source] Decentralisation in Africa: goals, dimensions, myths and challengesPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2003Paul Smoke Decentralisation is a complex and often somewhat elusive phenomenon. Many countries around the world have been attempting,for several reasons and with varying degrees of intention and success,to create or strengthen sub-national governments in recent years. Africa is no exception to either the decentralisation trend or the reality of its complexity and diversity. Drawing selectively on the large academic and practitioner literature on decentralisation and the articles in this volume, this article briefly outlines a number of typical prominent goals of decentralisation. It then reviews some key dimensions of decentralisation,fiscal, institutional and political. These are too frequently treated separately by policy analysts and policy makers although they are inherently linked. Next, a few popular myths and misconceptions about decentralisation are explored. Finally, a number of common outstanding challenges for improving decentralisation and local government reform efforts in Africa are considered. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The medical emergency team: does it really make a difference?INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2003M. Cretikos Abstract Hospital systems are failing the critically ill. This has been well documented in many countries around the world, with detailed reports of suboptimal care prior to intensive care and high rates of serious adverse events, including death. These events are potentially preventable, but insufficient attention has been directed towards developing solutions to these important problems to date. The medical emergency team (MET) is a system approach that promotes early and appropriate intervention in the care of critically ill hospital patients. The benefits of the MET in terms of absolute in-patient mortality and cardiac arrest rates are not yet well-defined, although preliminary studies are promising. The MET does provide a potentially beneficial impact on many other aspects of patient care. These benefits include: (i) facilitating an integrated and coordinated approach to patient care across the hospital, (ii) increasing awareness of at-risk patients, (iii) encouraging early referral of seriously ill patients to clinicians with expertise in critical care and (iv) providing a foundation for quality initiatives for hospital-wide care of the seriously ill. The MET also empowers nursing staff and junior medical staff to call for immediate assistance in cases where they are seriously concerned about a patient, but may not have the experience, knowledge, confidence or skills necessary to manage them appropriately. (Intern Med J 2003; 33: 511,514) [source] The Arabic ICIQ-UI SF: An alternative language version of the English ICIQ-UI SFNEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 3 2006H. Hashim Abstract Aims Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common and distressing condition. A variety of questionnaires are currently available to assess UI and its impact on patients' lives. However, most have not been adapted for international use. Following a systematic review of the literature and existing questionnaires the International Consultation on Incontinence short form questionnaire (ICIQ-UI SF) was developed, and has since been translated into many languages for local use. This paper reports the development and validation of the first UI questionnaire in the Arabic language. The development of this questionnaire will facilitate the assessment of UI in both clinical practice and research in the Middle-East. Methods Translation and validation of the Arabic version of the ICIQ-UI is described. Standard methods of translation by native Arabic and English speakers (including translation and back translation) are followed. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire, including its validity, reliability and sensitivity to change, are examined. The validation of the questionnaire involved patients attending urology outpatient clinics in two Middle-Eastern countries. Results The Arabic ICIQ-UI SF was found to be valid, reliable and responsive, indicating that the psychometric properties of the questionnaire have remained constant throughout the adaptation process. Furthermore, the findings of the psychometric testing confirm those found for the UK-English ICIQ-UI SF. Conclusions The development of this questionnaire will allow the study of Arabic speaking groups with UI in many countries around the world. This may act as an example to initiate the translation and validation of other patient reported outcomes into the Arabic language, thereby enabling more multinational and cross-cultural research into diseases in given areas. Neurourol. Urodynam. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The 75th anniversary of the World Council of Optometry: Seventy-five years of advancing eye care by optometrists worldwideCLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPTOMETRY, Issue 4 2002Damien P Smith PhD AM SUMMARY Over 75 years, the World Council of Optometry has developed as an organisation with the mission and appropriate strategies to improve the quality of eye and vision care around the world, especially by advancing the delivery of that care by educated, regulated, primary care optometrists. However, WCO is unknown to most optometrists and ,international optometry' is not part of the optometric curriculum in our schools, just as it is rarely on the agenda of our professional associations. As a consequence, many optometrists do not understand the difficulties faced by their colleagues in other countries, in both clinical and political challenges. Australian optometrists are regulated by law, educated at state universities, eligible for service coverage by universal health insurance, able to detect disease in the eye using diagnostic agents and, in increasing numbers, able to treat disease in the eye with therapeutic drugs. However, this community standing and professional privilege, taken for granted by most Australian optometrists, cannot be exported. In fact, an Australian optometrist would be jailed in many countries around the world just for doing the ordinary clinical procedures that he or she does on every patient, by routine, day in and day out. All optometrists should feel ownership of WCO and all should have a commitment to its mission to facilitate the enhancement and development of eye and vision care by optometrists worldwide. Australian optometrists are already linked to WCO through their membership of Optometrists Association Australia, which is itself a longstanding and valued member of WCO. To prosper for a further 75 years, WCO needs continued global volunteerism and from those unable to directly participate, financial support through donations and sponsorship. [source] | ||||||||||