Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

New York Times Editorial Lauds Appointment Of White House Adviser On Violence Against Women
"Domestic violence is a serious law enforcement and public health problem affecting as many as one in four women in this country," but "Washington has devoted too little attention to reducing domestic violence and sexual assaults generally," a New York Times editorial states. The editorial continues, "We welcome President Obama"s decision to create a new post, White House adviser on violence against women, and his appointment" of former National Network To End Domestic Violence Executive Director Lynn Rosenthal, "a seasoned advocate for victims to fill it." According to the editorial, Rosenthal will report to Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, "whose keen interest in the issue dates from his days in the Senate and his key role in enacting the 1994 Violence Against Women Act." The "challenge" facing Rosenthal and the Obama administration "will be to improve the carrying out of existing laws intended to protect women, starting with better coordination of the activities of all the government bureaucracies involved," including the Department of Justice, HHS and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the editorial states. It notes that a national survey of domestic violence shelters released in May found "a significant increase in the number of women seeking assistance since last fall, a rise largely attributable to the stresses of the economic crisis and rising unemployment." The editorial recommends that states create more emergency shelters, establish more transitional housing for "people fleeing violent situations" and "do more to help these victims rebuild their lives." Rosenthal "will need to tackle bureaucratic and legal hurdles and find more money to help states, localities and charitable groups address those needs," the editorial states. In addition, Rosenthal must "help end the scandal of the thousands of rape kits sitting untested in crime labs and police storage facilities across the country, allowing countless criminals to escape punishment." The editorial concludes, "All of this will require strong and creative leadership" from Rosenthal, Biden and Obama (New York Times, 7/1).

Chinese Women Join Global Breast Cancer Trial
Breast cancer patients have for the first time been recruited from China to take part in an international trial of breast radiotherapy.
News of the day
New Control System Of The Body Discovered - Important Modulator Of Immune Cell Entry Into The Brain - Perhaps New Target For The Therapy
Researchers in Berlin, Germany have ameliorated inflammation of the brain in mice caused by immune cells. A receptor they discovered on the surface of T cells in the central nervous system (CNS) plays the key role. The researchers showed that this bradykinin receptor 1 (B1) controls the infiltration of immune cells into the CNS. When they activated B1 in mice with encephalitis, they were able to slow down the crossing of the immune cells through the blood-brain-barrier into the CNS. As a result, the inflammation markedly decreased. The work by Dr. Ulf Schulze-Topphoff, Prof. Orhan Aktas, and Professor Frauke Zipp (Cecilie Vogt-Clinic, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Max DelbrÃøck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and NeuroCure Research Center) together with researchers in Canada and the USA may unveil a new target for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) (Nature Medicine, doi 10.1038/nm.1980)*.
Nutrition

Social Care Workforce Not Ready To Deliver Dementia Care - MPs

A report published revealed the social care workforce is unfit to deliver quality care for people with dementia. "Prepared to Care" a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Dementia found large variation in the dementia skills of the social care workforce. Barriers to delivering good care included low levels of training, ineffective regulation, lack of accreditation for trainers and a limited understanding of dementia by commissioners. During a four month long inquiry, families told MPs how a lack of skills led to poor care for loved ones. Experts reported less than half of staff providing home care had any dementia training and many were given just 15 minutes to deliver good care. In other evidence, high quality care reinforced that the right skills make a huge difference to people"s lives. The report recommends that workforce development plans outlined in the National Dementia Strategy for England be quickly implemented. Jeremy Wright MP, Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia says, "It is deeply disturbing that the UK is not equipped to deliver high quality dementia care. One in three people over 65 die with dementia. This report identifies significant barriers to good care but it also presents unique opportunities to put things right. Organisations who deliver good care show us that ongoing training, support and the opportunity to practice person-centred care transform people"s lives. We must improve training and support across the UK and give staff recognition for the difficult and important role they undertake." Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of Alzheimer"s Society says, "As the number of people with dementia reaches more than a million in less than 20 years, the entire social care workforce must be geared up to deliver good dementia care. Dementia care is a highly skilled profession. Social care staff must given the right support and training and the Department of Health must show leadership to deliver workforce development commitments in the National Dementia Strategy. Since the 1950"s improvements in cancer care have given millions of people a better quality of life. The same must now be done for people with dementia." Elsewhere the report recommends that the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) could be used to develop career pathways for dementia care that could attract new staff and government funding for training. MPs also advocate that the Short Observational Framework tool (SOFI) could be used to inspect services for people with dementia and that an accreditation programme for trainers must be developed. All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia (APPG) raises awareness dementia amongst parliamentarians and aims to influence legislation and policy making to improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers. Published in April 2008 the APPG on Dementia report, "Always a last resort" found that up to 105,000 people with dementia are given the drugs inappropriately. For a copy of full terms of reference of the inquiry and information about submitting evidence please click here, email appg@alzheimers.org.uk, telephone 020 7423 3585. Alzheimer"s Society is secretariat to the group and provides administrative support and expert advice. About Alzheimer"s Society 1 in 3 people over the age of 65 will die with dementia. 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer"s disease. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051. Dementia is not a natural part of ageing; it is caused by diseases of the brain and robs people of their lives. Alzheimer"s Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and those who care for them. Alzheimer"s Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Alzheimer"s Society needs to raise money to help people live well with dementia today and for research to find a cure for tomorrow. Alzheimer"s Society


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009