Collection Development Policy: Federal Government Publications at Eastern Washington University Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roselle, Ann; Chan, Karen

This collection development policy serves as a guide for the selection and retention of depository government documents by the Government Publications Unit of the Kennedy Memorial Library of Eastern Washington University (EWU) in Cheney, Washington. The library selects approximately 65 percent of the depository items distributed by the U.S.…

76 FR 66317 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Energy Efficient Mortgages

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-26

... and Community Development Act of 1992 (Section 106 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992). DATES: Comments... the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (Section 106 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992... Proposed Information Collection to OMB Energy Efficient Mortgages AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information...

77 FR 4336 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment on the Study of: Housing for Youth...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-27

...: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD. ACTION: Notice of proposed information collection... and should be sent to: Reports Liaison Officer, Office of Policy Development and Research, Department... research on the role of Family Unification Program vouchers in providing housing for youth aging out of...

76 FR 31943 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-02

..., Evaluation and Policy Development Type of Review: New. Title of Collection: Analysis of State Bullying Laws... bullying laws and policies. The field data collection portion of the study will involve case studies conducted in 24 school sites nationwide to document state and local implementation of anti-bullying laws and...

75 FR 2557 - Interim Policy for the Sharing of Information Collected by the Coast Guard Nationwide Automatic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-15

... (real-time) information collected by the NAIS that is less than 12 hours from transmission. Level B... specific questions on the development of the NAIS final policy: 1. How might providing real-time, near real... collected by the NAIS considered sensitive? a. Is real-time or near real-time information collected by the...

Collection Development for the School Library Media Program: A Beginner's Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerby, Mona

2006-01-01

A valuable resource for new or experienced school librarians, "Collection Development for the School Library Media Program: A Beginner's Guide" is an easy-to-use guide to collection development. It provides practical and relevant information about collection development issues such as: the school users, policies, selection criteria and sources,…

Networked Resources, Assessment and Collection Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samson, Sue; Derry, Sebastian; Eggleston, Holly

2004-01-01

This project provides a critical evaluation of networked resources as they relate to the library's collection development policy, identifies areas of the curriculum not well represented, establishes a reliable method of assessing usage across all resources, and develops a framework of quantitative data for collection development decision making.

75 FR 12496 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; DOC National Environmental Policy Act...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Office of the Secretary Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; DOC National Environmental Policy Act Environmental Questionnaire and Checklist AGENCY: Office of the...) Environmental Questionnaire and Checklist (EQC) was developed to assist DOC in complying with NEPA by...

The Effect of Collective Bargaining on Policy Development at Institutions of Higher Education: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herring-Ellis, Christopher G.

2014-01-01

For over three decades, collective bargaining in higher education has given faculty a voice in which to be heard in decision making involving tenure, faculty appointments, salaries, and education policies. However, as recent as 2011, the voice once afforded to faculty through its collective bargaining rights has been threatened with attempts to…

Tradition and Expertise in Academic Library Collection Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Lawrence

1987-01-01

Examines the question of whether faculty or librarians should have primary responsibility for collection development in academic libraries. The findings of recent collection evaluations are presented, and the need for cost effective collection policies that combine the expertise of faculty and librarians is discussed. (16 references) (CLB)

77 FR 39490 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-03

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development; Evaluation of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program SUMMARY: The Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) supports a variety of projects that encourage fitness...

76 FR 54746 - Notice of Submission for OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-02

... Development Type of Review: New. Title of Collection: Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies. OMB... conducting an analysis of bullying laws and policies. Evaluation, Management and Training Associates, Inc. is... anti- bullying laws and policies. The purpose of the study is to describe bullying policy...

Development of GPS survey data management protocols/policy.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

This project developed a statewide policy and criteria for collecting, analyzing, and managing global position system (GPS) survey data. The research project determined the needs of the Department in adopting the GPS real time kinetic (GPS RTK) stake...

Data sets on pensions and health: Data collection and sharing for policy design

PubMed Central

Lee, Jinkook

2015-01-01

A growing number of countries are developing or reforming pension and health policies in response to population ageing and to enhance the welfare of their citizens. The adoption of different policies by different countries has resulted in several natural experiments. These offer unusual opportunities to examine the effects of varying policies on health and retirement, individual and family behaviour, and well-being. Realizing these opportunities requires harmonized data-collection efforts. An increasing number of countries have agreed to provide data harmonized with the Health and Retirement Study in the United States. This article discusses these data sets, including their key parameters of pension and health status, research designs, samples, and response rates. It also discusses the opportunities they offer for cross-national studies and their implications for policy evaluation and development. PMID:26229178

75 FR 62411 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Policies and Procedures for the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-08

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5380-N-42] Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Policies and Procedures for the Conversion of Efficiencies Units to One Bedroom Units AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Housing, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY...

77 FR 37923 - Comment Request for Information Collection for the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Adult and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-25

... collection request consists of follow-up surveys for a sample of WIA customers participating in the WIA... Development and Research, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution... Policy Research and its subcontractors--Social Policy Research Associates, MDRC, and the Corporation for...

School Sun Protection Policies: Measure Development and Assessments in Two Regions of the United States

PubMed Central

Buller, David B.; French, Simone A.; Buller, Mary K.; Ashley, Jeff L.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND In 2002, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that schools adopt policies that reduce exposure of children to ultraviolet radiation to prevent skin cancer. We report here the development of a school sun safety policy measure and baseline descriptive statistics from the assessment of written policies collected in 2005-2007 from public school districts that enrolled in a randomized trial evaluating a policy promotion program. METHODS Written policies were collected from 103 of 112 school districts in Colorado and Southern California prior to randomization. We developed methods for selecting policy headings/sections topics likely to contain sun safety policies for students and for assessing the presence, strength, and intent of policies. Trained coders assessed the content of each policy document. RESULTS Overall, 31% of districts had a policy addressing sun safety, most commonly, protective clothing, hats, sunscreen, and education at baseline. More California districts (51.9%) had these policies than Colorado districts (7.8%, p<.001). Policy scores were highest in districts with fewer Caucasian students (b=-0.02, p=.022) in Colorado (b=-0.02, p=.007) but not California (b=0.01, p=.299). CONCLUSION The protocol for assessing sun safety policy in board-approved written policy documents had several advantages over surveys of school officials. Sun protection policies were uncommon and limited in scope in 2005-2007. California has been more active at legislating school policy than Colorado. School district policies remain a largely untapped method for promoting the sun protection of children. PMID:23061553

The City House and the Country House: Land-Use Policies and Rural Poverty in the Northeast. Coal, Poverty, and Development Policy in Eastern Kentucky. Development and Management of Forest Resources for Rural Development in the Pacific Northwest. Natural and Human Resources: Major Public Policy and Minority Rural Land Ownership, Management, and Use. Rural Development, Poverty, and Natural Resources Workshop Paper Series, Part V.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Popper, Frank J.; And Others

This workshop collection contains four case studies regarding particular relationships between specific resources and clientele or user groups, and three discussions based on those four papers and/or conference discussions. The first paper discusses urban land use origins and compares urban policies with rural policies suggesting that future rural…

Procedures and Policies Manual

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Jane M.

2006-01-01

This document was developed by the Middle Tennessee State University James E. Walker Library Collection Management Department to provide policies and procedural guidelines for the cataloging and processing of bibliographic materials. This document includes policies for cataloging monographs, serials, government documents, machine-readable data…

Vocational Assessment. Policy Paper Series: Document 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stodden, Robert A., Ed.

This collection of four policy papers on vocational assessment for the handicapped deals with personnel development, interagency coordination, current research and development, and providing individualized assessment services. Discussed in the initial paper on program improvement in vocational assessment for the handicapped are federal legislation…

International issues in energy policy, development, and economics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dorian, J.P.; Fesharaki, F.

1994-01-01

Events in the international oil market have shaped energy policies in both developed and developing countries for the last two decades. This collection of 19 articles explores this situation. The articles are grouped under three headings: Global Markets and Policy, Energy Issues and Trends, and Economic development. The focus of the articles is on specific topics such as reformulated gasoline, neoclassical growth theory and energy conservation with a limited focus on the broady picture of the world's energy problems and prospects.

76 FR 64368 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Homelessness Prevention Study

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-18

... Proposed Information Collection to OMB Homelessness Prevention Study AGENCY: Office of Policy Development... automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology that will reduce burden (e.g... INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth Rudd, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Room...

Ergonomics in the development and implementation of organisational strategy for sustainability.

PubMed

Ryan, Brendan; Wilson, John R

2013-01-01

This is the first phase of an ergonomics study of sustainability in a rail organisation, particularly environmental sustainability. The main emphasis has been on the use of a qualitative approach to carry out in-depth consultation with those in influential and policy setting roles in the organisation, collecting and analysing perceptions on sustainability policy and related business processes. The study identified factors affecting implementation of policy on sustainability and these have been developed to produce a list of requirements for implementing the policy. The findings are valuable in understanding the range of attitudes, aspirations and perceived constraints, from the perspective of those in senior roles in the company, and development of a sustainability strategy for a rail infrastructure owner. There is need for wider consultation, both within the organisation and externally, to validate and refine the understanding of barriers to the implementation of the policy. The role of ergonomics in supporting the work on sustainability is discussed. The study collects in-depth views from senior managers on the challenges of implementing a policy on sustainability in a rail organisation. Outputs include a list of factors affecting implementation of policy and requirements for better implementation of policy in this area. Potential contributions of ergonomics to sustainability in organisational contexts are discussed.

A selected, annotated list of materials that support the development of policies designed to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities

PubMed Central

Donatiello, Joann E.; Droese, Peter W.; Kim, Soo H.

2004-01-01

Research documents the existence of racial and ethnic health disparities. As a result, policy makers are seeking to address these disparities. This list is a starting point for building or updating a collection that supports this policy development process. It is written for health policy librarians and researchers and includes annotated recommendations for books, periodicals, government publications, and Websites. Entries for print publications are primarily from 1998 to 2003. PMID:15098056

A selected, annotated list of materials that support the development of policies designed to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.

PubMed

Donatiello, Joann E; Droese, Peter W; Kim, Soo H

2004-04-01

Research documents the existence of racial and ethnic health disparities. As a result, policy makers are seeking to address these disparities. This list is a starting point for building or updating a collection that supports this policy development process. It is written for health policy librarians and researchers and includes annotated recommendations for books, periodicals, government publications, and Websites. Entries for print publications are primarily from 1998 to 2003.

The Role of Higher Education Associations in Shaping Policy that Connects Immigration to Educational Opportunity: A Social Capital Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortega, Noe

2011-01-01

This study utilizes social capital theory to examine the collective agency available to national higher education associations and better understand the power of the collectivity to influence policy. The analysis draws on a specific issue, the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, and investigates letters and statements…

An Examination and Review of the Collection Development Policies and Procedures of the Mesa College Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connaway, Lynn Silipigni

This report on a study of the acquisition policies and procedures of the Mesa College Library (Grand Junction, Colorado) begins by discussing the techniques used for data collection, including: (1) measurement of shelflist cards; (2) calculation of average imprint date, accession date, number of circulations, price, and year of latest circulation;…

Conceptualizing a Human Right to Prevention in Global HIV/AIDS Policy

PubMed Central

Meier, Benjamin Mason; Brugh, Kristen Nichole; Halima, Yasmin

2012-01-01

Given current constraints on universal treatment campaigns, recent advances in public health prevention initiatives have revitalized efforts to stem the tide of HIV transmission. Yet, despite a growing imperative for prevention—supported by the promise of behavioral, structural and biomedical approaches to lower the incidence of HIV—human rights frameworks remain limited in addressing collective prevention policy through global health governance. Assessing the evolution of rights-based approaches to global HIV/AIDS policy, this review finds that human rights have shifted from collective public health to individual treatment access. While the advent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic gave meaning to rights in framing global health policy, the application of rights in treatment access litigation came at the expense of public health prevention efforts. Where the human rights framework remains limited to individual rights enforced against a state duty bearer, such rights have faced constrained application in framing population-level policy to realize the public good of HIV prevention. Concluding that human rights frameworks must be developed to reflect the complementarity of individual treatment and collective prevention, this article conceptualizes collective rights to public health, structuring collective combination prevention to alleviate limitations on individual rights frameworks and frame rights-based global HIV/AIDS policy to assure research expansion, prevention access and health system integration. PMID:23226723

National policy on physical activity: the development of a policy audit tool.

PubMed

Bull, Fiona C; Milton, Karen; Kahlmeier, Sonja

2014-02-01

Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for noncommunicable disease worldwide. Increasing physical activity requires large scale actions and relevant, supportive national policy across multiple sectors. The policy audit tool (PAT) was developed to provide a standardized instrument to assess national policy approaches to physical activity. A draft tool, based on earlier work, was developed and pilot-tested in 7 countries. After several rounds of revisions, the final PAT comprises 27 items and collects information on 1) government structure, 2) development and content of identified key policies across multiple sectors, 3) the experience of policy implementation at both the national and local level, and 4) a summary of the PAT completion process. PAT provides a standardized instrument for assessing progress of national policy on physical activity. Engaging a diverse international group of countries in the development helped ensure PAT has applicability across a wide range of countries and contexts. Experiences from the development of the PAT suggests that undertaking an audit of health enhancing physical activity (HEPA) policy can stimulate greater awareness of current policy opportunities and gaps, promote critical debate across sectors, and provide a catalyst for collaboration on policy level actions. The final tool is available online.

State responses to biotechnology.

PubMed

Harris, Rebecca C

2015-01-01

This article reviews biotechnology legislation in the 50 states for 11 policy areas spanning 1990-2010, an era of immense growth in biotechnology, genetic knowledge, and significant policy development. Policies regarding health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, DNA data bank collection, biotech research protection, biotech promotion and support, employment discrimination, genetic counselor licensing, human cloning, and genetic privacy each represent major policy responses arising from biotechnology and coinciding with key areas of state regulation (insurance, criminal justice, economic development, labor law, health and safety, privacy, and property rights). This analysis seeks to answer three questions regarding biotechnology legislation at the state level: who is acting (policy adoption), when is policy adopted (policy timing), and what is policy doing (policy content). Theoretical concerns examine state ideology (conservative or liberal), policy type (economic or moral), and the role of external events (federal law, news events, etc.) on state policy adoption. Findings suggest ideological patterns in adoption, timing, and content of biotech policy. Findings also suggest economic policies tend to be more uniform in content than moral policies, and findings also document a clear link between federal policy development, external events, and state policy response.

Teacher Learning: New Policies, New Practices. The Series on School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Milbrey W., Ed.; Oberman, Ida, Ed.

This collection of articles focuses on the practice and policy of staff development in terms of recent developments in teacher learning. Following an introduction by the editors, the book is divided into five parts. Part 1: New Perspectives on Practice contains three chapters: (1) "Reconceptualizing Teaching: Moving toward the Creation of…

Professional Development for Adult Education Instructors. State Policy Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tolbert, Michelle

This State Policy Update provides background on professional development (PD) in adult education. Section 2 describes survey methods used to document how states funded and designed their PD systems. Section 3 reviews data collected by the survey of state PD systems, highlighting PD activities in Kentucky, New York, Oregon, and Tennessee. It…

Functional Behavioral Assessment State Policies and Procedures. Quick Turn Around (QTA).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Directors of Special Education, Alexandria, VA.

This brief report provides an analysis of survey data collected from 45 states and territories about policies, procedures, and guidelines related to Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA), plans to develop or revise policy in this area, and technical assistance needs related to FBA, especially for students who exhibit behavior that interferes with…

Selection Skills and Collection Development in School Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graef, Robert; And Others

1990-01-01

Presents 11 articles that deal with selection skills and collection development in junior and senior high school libraries. Highlights include censorship concerns, selecting corporate-sponsored materials, written selection policies, budget considerations, sample selection and evaluation forms for print and nonprint materials, reference books, and…

Benchmarking Usage Statistics in Collection Management Decisions for Serials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Cory

2009-01-01

Usage statistics are an important metric for making decisions on serials. Although the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Libraries have been collecting usage statistics, the statistics had not frequently been used to make decisions and had not been included in collection development policy. After undergoing a collection assessment, the…

"The Toughest of Chores": Policy and Practice in Children Collecting Water in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemson, David

2007-01-01

The child has an elevated position within national policy in South Africa. This concern for children has been translated in varying degrees into policy, particularly in relation to child labour. Internationally there is concern that forms of child work should not impede the development of the child, particularly in health and education. Research…

Clean Energy-Related Economic Development Policy across the States: Establishing a 2016 Baseline

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, Jeffrey J.

States implement clean energy-related economic development policy to spur innovation, manufacturing, and to address other priorities. This report focuses on those policies most directly related to expanding new and existing manufacturing. The extent to which states invest in this policymaking depends on political drivers and jurisdictional economic development priorities. To date, no one source has collected all of the clean energy-related economic development policies available across the 50 states. Thus, it is unclear how many policies exist within each state and how these policies, when implemented, can drive economic development. Establishing the baseline of existing policy is a critical firstmore » step in determining the potential holistic impact of these policies on driving economic growth in a state. The goal of this report is to document the clean energy-related economic development policy landscape across the 50 states with a focus on policy that seeks to expand new or existing manufacturing within a state. States interested in promoting clean energy manufacturing in their jurisdictions may be interested in reviewing this landscape to determine how they compare to peers and to adjust their policies as necessary. This report documents over 900 existing clean energy-related economic development laws, financial incentives (technology-agnostic and clean energy focused), and other policies such as agency-directed programs and initiatives across the states.« less

Optimising reverse logistics network to support policy-making in the case of Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

PubMed

Achillas, Ch; Vlachokostas, Ch; Aidonis, D; Moussiopoulos, N; Iakovou, E; Banias, G

2010-12-01

Due to the rapid growth of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) volumes, as well as the hazardousness of obsolete electr(on)ic goods, this type of waste is now recognised as a priority stream in the developed countries. Policy-making related to the development of the necessary infrastructure and the coordination of all relevant stakeholders is crucial for the efficient management and viability of individually collected waste. This paper presents a decision support tool for policy-makers and regulators to optimise electr(on)ic products' reverse logistics network. To that effect, a Mixed Integer Linear Programming mathematical model is formulated taking into account existing infrastructure of collection points and recycling facilities. The applicability of the developed model is demonstrated employing a real-world case study for the Region of Central Macedonia, Greece. The paper concludes with presenting relevant obtained managerial insights. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 73994 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-12

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [Docket No. ED-2012-ICCD-0063] Agency Information Collection Activities... Collection of Elementary and Secondary Education Data for EDFacts AGENCY: Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Department of Education (ED). [[Page 73995

Rural Development, Poverty, and Natural Resources: Workshop Paper Series. Part I. Sociodemographic and Economic Changes in Rural America; Rural Policy: An Independent View.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deavers, Kenneth L.; And Others

A paper examining recent changes in the social and economic development of rural America--with comments by a different author--and a paper discussing rural policy comprise this workshop collection. Placing the changes of the 1970s in a broader historical perspective and developing a general framework within which to consider the influence of…

MyVoice National Text Message Survey of Youth Aged 14 to 24 Years: Study Protocol

PubMed Central

Nichols, Lauren P; Moniz, Michelle H; Sonneville, Kendrin R; Vydiswaran, VG Vinod; Zhao, Xinyan; Guetterman, Timothy C; Chang, Tammy

2017-01-01

Background There has been little progress in adolescent health outcomes in recent decades. Researchers and youth-serving organizations struggle to accurately elicit youth voice and translate youth perspectives into health care policy. Objective Our aim is to describe the protocol of the MyVoice Project, a longitudinal mixed methods study designed to engage youth, particularly those not typically included in research. Text messaging surveys are collected, analyzed, and disseminated in real time to leverage youth perspectives to impact policy. Methods Youth aged 14 to 24 years are recruited to receive weekly text message surveys on a variety of policy and health topics. The research team, including academic researchers, methodologists, and youth, develop questions through an iterative writing and piloting process. Question topics are elicited from community organizations, researchers, and policy makers to inform salient policies. A youth-centered interactive platform has been developed that automatically sends confidential weekly surveys and incentives to participants. Parental consent is not required because the survey is of minimal risk to participants. Recruitment occurs online (eg, Facebook, Instagram, university health research website) and in person at community events. Weekly surveys collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data are analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data are quickly analyzed using natural language processing and traditional qualitative methods. Mixed methods integration and analysis supports a more in-depth understanding of the research questions. Results We are currently recruiting and enrolling participants through in-person and online strategies. Question development, weekly data collection, data analysis, and dissemination are in progress. Conclusions MyVoice quickly ascertains the thoughts and opinions of youth in real time using a widespread, readily available technology—text messaging. Results are disseminated to researchers, policy makers, and youth-serving organizations through a variety of methods. Policy makers and organizations also share their priority areas with the research team to develop additional question sets to inform important policy decisions. Youth-serving organizations can use results to make decisions to promote youth well-being. PMID:29229587

Framework for assessing the capacity of a health ministry to conduct health policy processes--a case study from Tajikistan.

PubMed

Mirzoev, Tolib N; Green, Andrew; Van Kalliecharan, Ricky

2015-01-01

An adequate capacity of ministries of health (MOH) to develop and implement policies is essential. However, no frameworks were found assessing MOH capacity to conduct health policy processes within developing countries. This paper presents a conceptual framework for assessing MOH capacity to conduct policy processes based on a study from Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic where independence highlighted capacity challenges. The data collection for this qualitative study included in-depth interviews, document reviews and observations of policy events. Framework approach for analysis was used. The conceptual framework was informed by existing literature, guided the data collection and analysis, and was subsequently refined following insights from the study. The Tajik MOH capacity, while gradually improving, remains weak. There is poor recognition of wider contextual influences, ineffective leadership and governance as reflected in centralised decision-making, limited use of evidence, inadequate actors' participation and ineffective use of resources to conduct policy processes. However, the question is whether this is a reflection of lack of MOH ability or evidence of constraining environment or both. The conceptual framework identifies five determinants of robust policy processes, each with specific capacity needs: policy context, MOH leadership and governance, involvement of policy actors, the role of evidence and effective resource use for policy processes. Three underlying considerations are important for applying the capacity to policy processes: the need for clear focus, recognition of capacity levels and elements, and both ability and enabling environment. The proposed framework can be used in assessing and strengthening of the capacity of different policy actors. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Options, Sustainability Policy and the Spontaneous Order

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, John

2005-01-01

This paper examines the implications for sustainability policy of environmental uncertainty and indeterminacy, and relates the associated problems with a conventional understanding of sustainable development to Hayek's critique of collective planning. It suggests that the appropriate recourse is not, however, a Hayekian endorsement of the free…

IFLA General Conference, 1990. IFLA Presession Seminar on Public Library Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Federation of Library Associations, The Hague (Netherlands).

Five of the six papers in this collection focus on public library services, collection development problems, and involvement in literacy campaigns in developing countries; the sixth paper is concerned with public library services in Norway. (1) In "Big Cities, Its Inhabitants and Public Libraries Systems," May Brooking Negrao examines…

Country watch. India.

PubMed

Grover, A

1995-01-01

To provide legal support to people living with HIV/AIDS (PHIV), protect their rights, and promote policy changes, the Bombay Lawyers Collective is networking with governmental organizations, local and national nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and organizations in the Asia/Pacific region. The Collective is also collaborating with the National AIDS Committee (NACO), the government of Maharashtra, the UN Development Program, and the World Health Organization. Their HIV/AIDS-related activities include: developing and training a nation-wide network of lawyers to take up individual cases (25 have been trained so far, with training of at least 100 more planned for the next 2-3 years); litigating individual case through the courts; organizing workshops to develop critiques of Indian social, legal, and ethical frameworks and to formulate policies that will protect the rights of those affected by HIV/AIDS; campaigning for legislative changes such as decriminalization of homosexual activities and commercial sex work by organizing workshops, writing articles in newspapers and participating in television programs; campaigning for the enactment of a law covering such issues as non-mandatory HIV-testing, maintaining confidentiality regarding the serostatus of persons tested, and non-discrimination of seropositive persons in public and private life. The Collective's lobbying at the national level helped persuade the government to drop its policies of mandatory testing and isolation of PHIV and to adopt a policy of integration. This promotes testing only with informed consent and enables seropositive persons to live with their families in their own communities without discrimination. The main obstacle experienced by the Collective in working together with other organizations is finding sufficient funding for travel, communication, and workshops.

Progress in the blood supply of Afghanistan.

PubMed

Riley, William J; McCullough, Terri Konstenius; Rhamani, Ahmad Masoud; McCullough, Jeffrey

2017-07-01

The blood supply system in Afghanistan was badly damaged by years of conflict. In 2009, the Afghanistan National Blood Safety and Transfusion Service (ANBSTS) was established. For 6 years, we collaborated to assist with policy and infrastructure development; blood bank operations; blood collection, testing, and component production; transfusion practices; and training of technicians, nurses, midwives, and physicians. Policies were established, infrastructure was strengthened, and capable staff was acquired and trained. Standard operating procedures were developed, testing was improved, and quality systems were established. Thirty trainings were held for blood center staff. Four additional formal trainings were held for 39 physicians, 36 nurses and/or midwives, and 38 laboratory technicians. During 5 years of this project, blood collection increased by 40%. The ANBSTS has made impressive progress developing infrastructure, personnel, procedures, quality systems, and training programs and increasing blood collection. Knowledge of transfusion medicine was improved through structured training. © 2017 AABB.

Commercial Activities in Schools: Use of Student Data is Limited and Additional Dissemination of Guidance Could Help Districts Develop Policies. GAO-04-810

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Government Accountability Office, 2004

2004-01-01

The No Child Left Behind Amendment (NCLBA ) established new safeguards about the use of student data for marketing or selling purposes. Specifically, NCLBA amended the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) of 1994 addressing pupil privacy by requiring school districts to develop a policy on the collection, disclosure, and use of personal…

The Fostering Hope Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rider, Steven; Winters, Katie; Dean, Joyce; Seymour, Jim

2014-01-01

The Fostering Hope Initiative is a neighborhood-based Collective Impact initiative that promotes optimum child and youth development by supporting vulnerable families, encouraging connections between neighbors, strengthening systems to ensure collective impact, and advocating for family-friendly public policy. This article describes the…

Implementing nationally determined contributions: building energy policies in India’s mitigation strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Sha; Evans, Meredydd; Kyle, Page; Vu, Linh; Tan, Qing; Gupta, Ashu; Patel, Pralit

2018-03-01

The Nationally Determined Contributions are allowing countries to examine options for reducing emissions through a range of domestic policies. India, like many developing countries, has committed to reducing emissions through specific policies, including building energy codes. Here we assess the potential of these sectoral policies to help in achieving mitigation targets. Collectively, it is critically important to see the potential impact of such policies across developing countries in meeting national and global emission goals. Buildings accounted for around one third of global final energy use in 2010, and building energy consumption is expected to increase as income grows in developing countries. Using the Global Change Assessment Model, this study finds that implementing a range of energy efficiency policies robustly can reduce total Indian building energy use by 22% and lower total Indian carbon dioxide emissions by 9% in 2050 compared to the business-as-usual scenario. Among various policies, energy codes for new buildings can result in the most significant savings. For all building energy policies, well-coordinated, consistent implementation is critical, which requires coordination across different departments and agencies, improving capacity of stakeholders, and developing appropriate institutions to facilitate policy implementation.

Circulation as Assessment: Collection Development Policies Evaluated in Terms of Circulation at a Small Academic Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinkins, Debbi

2003-01-01

Discusses the use of academic library circulation statistics to assess whether user needs are being met and describes a study at Stetson University that investigated collection development practices by comparing circulation statistics for books selected by faculty in support of departmental curricula with those of librarian selections. (Author/LRW)

78 FR 48434 - Information Collection Request Submitted to OMB for Review and Approval; Comment Request...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-08

[email protected] . Address comments to OMB Desk Officer for EPA. EPA's policy is that all comments received..., unless the comment includes profanity, threats, information claimed to be Confidential Business... CONTACT: William Nichols, Office of Emergency Management, Regulation and Policy Development Division...

Benefits and Burdens of Rural Development. Some Public Policy Viewpoints.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iowa State Univ. of Science and Technology, Ames. Center for Agricultural and Rural Development.

A book of collected papers (by 23 educators, government officials, and industrial leaders who attended a recent national symposium at Iowa State University) presents information on general economic and social characteristics of rural communities, effects of technological growth on rural communities, economic and social policies for improvement of…

School Dropouts: Patterns and Policies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natriello, Gary, Ed.

This book collects articles that examine the patterns of dropping out evident among American youth, and the policies developed and implemented to reduce the incidence of dropping out. The following chapters (and their authors) are included: (1) Introduction (G. Natriello); (2) Can We Help Dropouts? Thinking about the Undoable (D. Mann); (3) Large…

77 FR 65882 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-31

... regulations providing guidance regarding reasonable policies and procedures that a user of consumer reports... of consumer reports to develop and implement reasonable policies and procedures designed to enable the user to form a reasonable belief that a consumer report relates to the consumer about whom it...

76 FR 40932 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comments Requested: New Collection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-12

... perceive the priorities for elder justice. Concept mapping is a well-documented method of applied research..., and research priorities in the field of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and to help develop a... interrelationships between policy, practice, and research elements in the field of elder justice. Thus, the...

Promoting evidence informed policy making in Nigeria: a review of the maternal, newborn and child health policy development process

PubMed Central

Uneke, Chigozie Jesse; Sombie, Issiaka; Keita, Namoudou; Lokossou, Virgil; Johnson, Ermel; Ongolo-Zogo, Pierre; Uro-Chukwu, Henry Chukwuemeka

2017-01-01

Background: There is increasing recognition worldwide that health policymaking process should be informed by best available evidence. The purpose of this study was to review the policy documents on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) in Nigeria to assess the extent evidence informed policymaking mechanism was employed in the policy formulation process. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of websites of the Federal Ministry of Health(FMOH) Nigeria and other related ministries and agencies for relevant health policy documents related to MNCH from year 2000 to 2015 was undertaken. The following terms were used interchangeably for the literature search: maternal, child, newborn, health, policy, strategy,framework, guidelines, Nigeria. Results: Of the 108 policy documents found, 19 (17.6%) of them fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. The policy documents focused on the major aspects of maternal health improvements in Nigeria such as reproductive health, anti-malaria treatment, development of adolescent and young people health, mid wives service scheme, prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV and family planning. All the policy documents indicated that a consultative process of collection of input involving multiple stakeholders was employed, but there was no rigorous scientific process of assessing, adapting, synthesizing and application of scientific evidence reported in the policy development process. Conclusion: It is recommended that future health policy development process on MNCH should follow evidence informed policy making process and clearly document the process of incorporating evidence in the policy development. PMID:29085794

Development of a time-dependent hurricane evacuation model for the New Orleans area.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

Revealed preference is the traditional method to collect hurricane evacuation behavior data. However, revealed preference surveys, as they are currently administered, have the disadvantage that they are unable to collect time-sensitive and policy-sen...

Current State and Development Trends of Education Policy Research in China in the Last Decade (2004-2013): A Statistical Analysis of Papers from Eight Core Chinese Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ling, Guo

2017-01-01

The author conducted sampling and statistical analysis of papers on education policy research collected by the China National Knowledge Infrastructure in the period from the years 2004--2013. Under the current state of education policy research in China, the number of papers correlates positively with the year; the papers are concentrated in…

Banking biological collections: data warehousing, data mining, and data dilemmas in genomics and global health policy.

PubMed

Blatt, R J R

2000-01-01

While DNA databases may offer the opportunity to (1) assess population-based prevalence of specific genes and variants, (2) simplify the search for molecular markers, (3) improve targeted drug discovery and development for disease management, (4) refine strategies for disease prevention, and (5) provide the data necessary for evidence-based decision-making, serious scientific and social questions remain. Whether samples are identified, coded, or anonymous, biological banking raises profound ethical and legal issues pertaining to access, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality of genomic information, civil liberties, patenting, and proprietary rights. This paper provides an overview of key policy issues and questions pertaining to biological banking, with a focus on developments in specimen collection, transnational distribution, and public health and academic-industry research alliances. It highlights the challenges posed by the commercialization of genomics, and proposes the need for harmonization of biological banking policies.

Integrating evidence into policy and sustainable disability services delivery in western New South Wales, Australia: the 'wobbly hub and double spokes' project.

PubMed

Veitch, Craig; Lincoln, Michelle; Bundy, Anita; Gallego, Gisselle; Dew, Angela; Bulkeley, Kim; Brentnall, Jennie; Griffiths, Scott

2012-03-21

Policy that supports rural allied health service delivery is important given the shortage of services outside of Australian metropolitan centres. The shortage of allied health professionals means that rural clinicians work long hours and have little peer or service support. Service delivery to rural and remote communities is further complicated because relatively small numbers of clients are dispersed over large geographic areas. The aim of this five-year multi-stage project is to generate evidence to confirm and develop evidence-based policies and to evaluate their implementation in procedures that allow a regional allied health workforce to more expeditiously respond to disability service need in regional New South Wales, Australia. The project consists of four inter-related stages that together constitute a full policy cycle. It uses mixed quantitative and qualitative methods, guided by key policy concerns such as: access, complexity, cost, distribution of benefits, timeliness, effectiveness, equity, policy consistency, and community and political acceptability. Stage 1 adopts a policy analysis approach in which existing relevant policies and related documentation will be collected and reviewed. Policy-makers and senior managers within the region and in central offices will be interviewed about issues that influence policy development and implementation. Stage 2 uses a mixed methods approach to collecting information from allied health professionals, clients, and carers. Focus groups and interviews will explore issues related to providing and receiving allied health services. Discrete Choice Experiments will elicit staff and client/carer preferences. Stage 3 synthesises Stage 1 and 2 findings with reference to the key policy issues to develop and implement policies and procedures to establish several innovative regional workforce and service provision projects. Stage 4 uses mixed methods to monitor and evaluate the implementation and impact of new or adapted policies that arise from the preceding stages. The project will provide policy makers with research evidence to support consideration of the complex balance between: (i) the equitable allocation of scarce resources; (ii) the intent of current eligibility and prioritisation policies; (iii) workforce constraints (and strengths); and (iv) the most effective, evidence-based clinical practice.

Beyond health aid: would an international equalization scheme for universal health coverage serve the international collective interest?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

It has been argued that the international community is moving ‘beyond aid’. International co-financing in the international collective interest is expected to replace altruistically motivated foreign aid. The World Health Organization promotes ‘universal health coverage’ as the overarching health goal for the next phase of the Millennium Development Goals. In order to provide a basic level of health care coverage, at least some countries will need foreign aid for decades to come. If international co-financing of global public goods is replacing foreign aid, is universal health coverage a hopeless endeavor? Or would universal health coverage somehow serve the international collective interest? Using the Sustainable Development Solutions Network proposal to finance universal health coverage as a test case, we examined the hypothesis that national social policies face the threat of a ‘race to the bottom’ due to global economic integration and that this threat could be mitigated through international social protection policies that include international cross-subsidies – a kind of ‘equalization’ at the international level. The evidence for the race to the bottom theory is inconclusive. We seem to be witnessing a ‘convergence to the middle’. However, the ‘middle’ where ‘convergence’ of national social policies is likely to occur may not be high enough to keep income inequality in check. The implementation of the international equalization scheme proposed by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network would allow to ensure universal health coverage at a cost of US$55 in low income countries-the minimum cost estimated by the World Health Organization. The domestic efforts expected from low and middle countries are far more substantial than the international co-financing efforts expected from high income countries. This would contribute to ‘convergence’ of national social policies at a higher level. We therefore submit that the proposed international equalization scheme should not be considered as foreign aid, but rather as an international collective effort to protect and promote national social policy in times of global economic integration: thus serving the international collective interest. PMID:24886583

The effect of dynamic scheduling and routing in a solid waste management system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johansson, Ola M.

2006-07-01

Solid waste collection and hauling account for the greater part of the total cost in modern solid waste management systems. In a recent initiative, 3300 Swedish recycling containers have been fitted with level sensors and wireless communication equipment, thereby giving waste collection operators access to real-time information on the status of each container. In this study, analytical modeling and discrete-event simulation have been used to evaluate different scheduling and routing policies utilizing the real-time data. In addition to the general models developed, an empirical simulation study has been performed on the downtown recycling station system in Malmoe, Sweden. From themore » study, it can be concluded that dynamic scheduling and routing policies exist that have lower operating costs, shorter collection and hauling distances, and reduced labor hours compared to the static policy with fixed routes and pre-determined pick-up frequencies employed by many waste collection operators today. The results of the analytical model and the simulation models are coherent, and consistent with experiences of the waste collection operators.« less

Policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention: data sources in two states.

PubMed

Pluto, Delores M; Phillips, Martha M; Matson-Koffman, Dyann; Shepard, Dennis M; Raczynski, James M; Brownstein, J Nell

2004-04-01

Investigators in South Carolina and Alabama assessed the availability of data for measuring 31 policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention. The indicators were intended to determine policy and environmental support for adopting heart disease and stroke prevention guidelines and selected risk factors in 4 settings: community, school, work site, and health care. Research teams used literature searches and key informant interviews to explore the availability of data sources for each indicator. Investigators documented the following 5 qualities for each data source identified: 1) the degree to which the data fit the indicator; 2) the frequency and regularity with which data were collected; 3) the consistency of data collected across time; 4) the costs (time, money, personnel) associated with data collection or access; and 5) the accessibility of data. Among the 31 indicators, 11 (35%) have readily available data sources and 4 (13%) have sources that could provide partial measurement. Data sources are available for most indicators in the school setting and for tobacco control policies in all settings. Data sources for measuring policy and environmental indicators for heart disease and stroke prevention are limited in availability. Effort and resources are required to develop and implement mechanisms for collecting state and local data on policy and environmental indicators in different settings. The level of work needed to expand data sources is comparable to the extensive work already completed in the school setting and for tobacco control.

Water supply development and tariffs in Tanzania: From free water policy towards cost recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashauri, Damas A.; Katko, Tapio S.

1993-01-01

The article describes the historical development of water tariff policy in Tanzania from the colonial times to present. After gaining independence, the country introduced “free” water policy in its rural areas. Criticism against this policy was expressed already in the 1970s, but it was not until the late 1980s that change became unavoidable. All the while urban water tariffs continued to decline in real terms. In rural and periurban areas of Tanzania consumers often have to pay substantial amounts of money for water to resellers and vendors since the public utilities are unable to provide operative service. Besides, only a part of the water bills are actually collected. Now that the free water supply policy has been officially abandoned, the development of water tariffs and the institutions in general are a great challenge for the country.

Educational Research in Relation to the Rights of the Child (Les Sciences De L'Education en Relation Aux Droits De L'Enfant).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Herreweghe, M. L., Ed.

This collection of 24 articles explores how educational research, programs and policies in several countries are related to the issue of children's rights. Several of the collected articles focus on aspects of children's experience and development. Group membership, children's right to happiness, the development of an optimistic outlook among…

Reference Collection Development Policy. Penfield Library, State University of New York College at Oswego.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Judd, Blanche; And Others

Intended for use by the head of reference and subject-area bibliographers at Penfield Library, this document provides guidelines for the selection and evaluation of titles for the 25,000 volume reference collection at this primarily undergraduate institution. The reference collection also supports the general information needs of both the college…

Reviews of National Policies for Education: Yugoslavia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France).

The educational policies of Yugoslavia are presented in this report by examiners from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A comprehensive report on all aspects of education in Yugoslavia was used as their frame of reference; data were collected by them from a two-week tour of the country. The volume is divided into…

Getting State Education Data Right: What We Can Learn from Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Joseph; Southern, Kyle

2011-01-01

Federal education policy in recent years has encouraged state and local education agencies to embrace data use and analysis in decision-making, ranging from policy development and implementation to performance evaluation. The capacity of these agencies to make effective and methodologically sound use of collected data for these purposes remains an…

The Effect of "Franklin v. Gwinnett County" on Sexual Harassment Policy in Secondary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wishnietsky, Dan H.; Felder, Dennis

1994-01-01

In 1992 the Supreme Court ruled that school victims of sexual harassment may collect damages. In response to a brief survey, many state superintendents indicated they had strengthened school sexual harassment policies; however, many others indicated they had neither made nor planned any changes. Includes recommendations for developing or…

Government Documents Departmental Operations Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, John S.; And Others

This manual for the operation and maintenance of the Government Documents Department at Baylor University's Moody Memorial Library is divided into 13 topical sections. The guide opens with the collection development policy statement, which covers the general collection, the maps division, and weeding government documents. Technical processing…

Routinely collected data as a strategic resource for research: priorities for methods and workforce.

PubMed

Jorm, Louisa

2015-09-30

In the era of 'big data', research using routinely collected data offers greater potential than ever before to drive health system effectiveness and efficiency, and population health improvement. In Australia, the policy environment, and emerging frameworks and processes for data governance and access, increasingly support the use of routinely collected data for research. Capitalising on this strategic resource requires investment in both research methods and research workforce. Priorities for methods development include validation studies, techniques for analysing complex longitudinal data, exploration of bias introduced through linkage error, and a robust toolkit to evaluate policies and programs using 'natural experiments'. Priorities for workforce development include broadening the skills base of the existing research workforce, and the formation of new, larger, interdisciplinary research teams to incorporate capabilities in computer science, partnership research, research translation and the 'business' aspects of research. Large-scale, long-term partnership approaches involving government, industry and researchers offer the most promising way to maximise returns on investment in research using routinely collected data.

Developing a framework for assessment of the environmental determinants of walking and cycling.

PubMed

Pikora, Terri; Giles-Corti, Billie; Bull, Fiona; Jamrozik, Konrad; Donovan, Rob

2003-04-01

The focus for interventions and research on physical activity has moved away from vigorous activity to moderate-intensity activities, such as walking. In addition, a social ecological approach to physical activity research and practice is recommended. This approach considers the influence of the environment and policies on physical activity. Although there is limited empirical published evidence related to the features of the physical environment that influence physical activity, urban planning and transport agencies have developed policies and strategies that have the potential to influence whether people walk or cycle in their neighbourhood. This paper presents the development of a framework of the potential environmental influences on walking and cycling based on published evidence and policy literature, interviews with experts and a Delphi study. The framework includes four features: functional, safety, aesthetic and destination; as well as the hypothesised factors that contribute to each of these features of the environment. In addition, the Delphi experts determined the perceived relative importance of these factors. Based on these factors, a data collection tool will be developed and the frameworks will be tested through the collection of environmental information on neighbourhoods, where data on the walking and cycling patterns have been collected previously. Identifying the environmental factors that influence walking and cycling will allow the inclusion of a public health perspective as well as those of urban planning and transport in the design of built environments.

Analysing key influences over actors' use of evidence in developing policies and strategies in Nigeria: a retrospective study of the Integrated Maternal Newborn and Child Health strategy.

PubMed

Mbachu, Chinyere O; Onwujekwe, Obinna; Chikezie, Ifeanyi; Ezumah, Nkoli; Das, Mahua; Uzochukwu, Benjamin S C

2016-04-12

Evidence-informed policymaking has been promoted as a means of ensuring better outcomes. However, what counts as evidence in policymaking lies within a spectrum of expert knowledge and scientifically generated information. Since not all forms of evidence share an equal validity or weighting for policymakers, it is important to understand the key factors that influence their preferences for different types of evidence in policy and strategy development. A retrospective study was carried out at the national level in Nigeria using a case-study approach to examine the Nigerian Integrated Maternal Newborn and Child Health (IMNCH) strategy. Two frameworks were used for conceptualization and data analysis, namely (1) to analyse the role of evidence in policymaking and (2) the policy triangle. They were used to explore the key contextual and participatory influences on choice of evidence in developing the IMNCH strategy. Data was collected through review of relevant national documents and in-depth interviews of purposively selected key policy and strategic decision makers. Thematic analysis was applied to generate information from collected data. The breadth of evidence used was wide, ranging from expert opinions to systematic reviews. The choice of different types of evidence was found to overlap across actor categories. Key influences over actors' choice of evidence were: (1) perceived robustness of evidence - comprehensive, representative, recent, scientifically sound; (2) roles in evidence process, i.e. their degree and level of participation in evidence generation and dissemination, with regards to their role in the policy process; and (3) contextual factors such as global agenda and influence, timeline for strategy development, availability of resources for evidence generation, and lessons learnt from previous unsuccessful policies/plans. Actors' preferences for different types of evidence for policy are influenced not only by the characteristics of evidence itself, but on actors' roles in the evidence process, their power to influence the policy, and the context in which evidence is used.

Interventions to Promote an Integrated Approach to Public Health Problems: An Application to Childhood Obesity

PubMed Central

Hendriks, Anna-Marie; Gubbels, Jessica S.; De Vries, Nanne K.; Seidell, Jaap C.; Kremers, Stef P. J.; Jansen, Maria W. J.

2012-01-01

Experts stress the need to bring the childhood obesity epidemic under control by means of an integrated approach. The implementation of such an approach requires the development of integrated enabling policies on public health by local governments. A prerequisite for developing such integrated public health policies is intersectoral collaboration. Since the development of integrated policies is still in its early stages, this study aimed to answer the following research question: “What interventions can promote intersectoral collaboration and the development of integrated health policies for the prevention of childhood obesity?” Data were collected through a literature search and observations of and interviews with stakeholders. Based on a theoretical framework, we categorized potential interventions that could optimize an integrated approach regarding children's physical activity and diet. The intervention categories included education, persuasion, incentivization, coercion, training, restriction, environmental restructuring, modeling, and enablement. PMID:22792120

The Promise (and Pitfalls) of Public Health Policy Surveillance.

PubMed

Hodge, James G

2016-12-01

Though public health policy surveillance is an integral tool in correlating the law to scientifically based public health law studies, drawing accurate legal conclusions from collected data can be challenging. Data may be of poor quality, inaccessible to law and policy makers, or inapplicable to other jurisdictions over time and place. As Burris et al. (2016) advocate, modern, sophisticated, and interactive data collection systems would render more precise legal analysis tied to public health improvements. Although policy surveillance is promising, public health officials, health care providers, attorneys, and researchers must be skilled and prepared to successfully navigate and resolve potential pitfalls for its benefits to be fully realized. Among the significant challenges related to policy surveillance are: (1) timing; (2) agenda setting; (3) predictable misuse; and (4) politics inherent in a federalist public health legal infrastructure. As public health data infrastructure is developed, better legal approaches must be simultaneously crafted to achieve optimal public health outcomes. Copyright © 2016 by Duke University Press.

Chaos Breeds Life: Finding Opportunities for Library Advancement during a Period of Collection Schizophrenia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neal, James G.

1999-01-01

Examines the changes that are affecting academic library collection development. Highlights include computer technology; digital information; networking; virtual reality; hypertext; fair use and copyrights; technological infrastructure; digital libraries; information policy; academic and scholarly publishing; and experiences at the Johns Hopkins…

School site visits for community-based participatory research on healthy eating.

PubMed

Patel, Anisha I; Bogart, Laura M; Uyeda, Kimberly E; Martinez, Homero; Knizewski, Ritamarie; Ryan, Gery W; Schuster, Mark A

2009-12-01

School nutrition policies are gaining support as a means of addressing childhood obesity. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) offers an approach for academic and community partners to collaborate to translate obesity-related school policies into practice. Site visits, in which trained observers visit settings to collect multilevel data (e.g., observation, qualitative interviews), may complement other methods that inform health promotion efforts. This paper demonstrates the utility of site visits in the development of an intervention to implement obesity-related policies in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) middle schools. In 2006, trained observers visited four LAUSD middle schools. Observers mapped cafeteria layout; observed food/beverage offerings, student consumption, waste patterns, and duration of cafeteria lines; spoke with school staff and students; and collected relevant documents. Data were examined for common themes and patterns. Food and beverages sold in study schools met LAUSD nutritional guidelines, and nearly all observed students had time to eat most or all of their meal. Some LAUSD policies were not implemented, including posting nutritional information for cafeteria food, marketing school meals to improve student participation in the National School Lunch Program, and serving a variety of fruits and vegetables. Cafeteria understaffing and costs were obstacles to policy implementation. Site visits were a valuable methodology for evaluating the implementation of school district obesity-related policies and contributed to the development of a CBPR intervention to translate school food policies into practice. Future CBPR studies may consider site visits in their toolbox of formative research methods.

Tourism and Environmental Policy Strategies: Promoting Local Destination in Riau Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prihati; Dailiati, Surya; Hernimawati; Yandra, Alexsander

2018-05-01

This study is based on the principal issues concerning the policy implementation of Pekanbaru tourism promotion which has not been optimally being able to develop the tourism potential in Riau Province. It was estimated to be caused the Pekanbaru City Government strategy c.q Pekanbaru City Tourism Office has not been able to develop the tourism potential in Pekanbaru City. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative, which aims to formulate strategies that can be applied to tourism promotion policy implementation of Pekanbaru City can support the development of the tourism potential of Riau Province. The collected data were analyzed with an interactive model of Miles and Huberman. The research result indicated that strategy can be applied so that the Pekanbaru City tourism promotion policy implementation be able to support the development of tourism potential of Riau Province create based on reality that tourism development policy of Pekanbaru City which has failed and benchmarking or comparison both with Batam City and Padang City, then the strategy which can be applied is strategy for making the Pekanbaru City as a MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference, Exhibition) City.

Integrated community case management for childhood illnesses: explaining policy resistance in Kenya.

PubMed

Juma, Pamela A; Owuor, Karen; Bennett, Sara

2015-12-01

There has been a re-emphasis recently on community health workers to provide child health care services including integrated community case management for childhood illness (iCCM). This research analysed iCCM policy development in Kenya and in particular the types of decision-making criteria used by Kenyan policy-makers in considering whether to advance iCCM policy. Data were collected through document reviews (n = 41) and semi-structured interviews (n = 19) with key stakeholders in iCCM policy including government officials, development partners, bilateral donors, and civil society organizations. Initial analysis was guided by the policy triangle with further analysis of factors affecting policy decision-making drawing upon a simple framework developed by Grindle and Thomas (Policy makers, policy choices and policy outcomes: the political economy of reform in developing countries. 1989; Policy Sci 22: :213-48.). Policy development for iCCM has been slow in Kenya, compared with other Sub-Saharan African countries. At the time of the study, the Government had just completed the Community Health Training Manual which incorporated iCCM as a module, but this was the only formal expression of iCCM in Kenya. We found technical considerations, notably concerns about community health workers dispensing antibiotics to be a key factor slowing iCCM policy development, but this also overlapped with bureaucratic considerations, such as how the development of community health worker cadres may affect clinicians, as well as initial concerns about how an integrated approach might affect vertically oriented programs. International actors through agreements such as the Millennium Development Goals helped to get child survival onto the national policy agenda and such actors were active promoters of iCCM policy change. However international funders had not committed funding to scale-up iCCM policy, and this probably constrained their influence over iCCM policy debate. Kenyan actors' concerns about iCCM underline the importance of adapting global policies to local conditions, and also generating local evidence to inform decision-making. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Graded Assessment in Vocational Education and Training: An Analysis of National Practice, Drivers and Areas for Policy Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Melanie; Bateman, Andrea

Practices and policies regarding graded assessment in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia were examined. Data were collected through a literature review; focus groups involving approximately 120 stakeholders in 5 states; interviews with 49 representatives of registered training organizations (RTOs); and surveys of RTOs, students,…

Framing ICT, Teachers and Learners in Australian School Education ICT Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Kathy

2011-01-01

It is well over 20 years since information and communication technologies (ICT) was first included as part of a future vision for Australia's schools. Since this time numerous national policies have been developed, which collectively articulate an official discourse in support of a vision for ICT to be embedded in our schools, and routinely used…

Role and use of evidence in policymaking: an analysis of case studies from the health sector in Nigeria.

PubMed

Onwujekwe, Obinna; Uguru, Nkoli; Russo, Giuliano; Etiaba, Enyi; Mbachu, Chinyere; Mirzoev, Tolib; Uzochukwu, Benjamin

2015-10-24

Health policymaking is a complex process and analysing the role of evidence is still an evolving area in many low- and middle-income countries. Where evidence is used, it is greatly affected by cognitive and institutional features of the policy process. This paper examines the role of different types of evidence in health policy development in Nigeria. The role of evidence was compared between three case studies representing different health policies, namely the (1) integrated maternal neonatal and child health strategy (IMNCH); (2) oral health (OH) policy; and (3) human resource for health (HRH) policy. The data was collected using document reviews and 31 in-depth interviews with key policy actors. Framework Approach was used to analyse the data, aided by NVivo 10 software. Most respondents perceived evidence to be factual and concrete to support a decision. Evidence was used more if it was perceived to be context-specific, accessible and timely. Low-cost high-impact evidence, such as the Lancet series, was reported to have been used in drafting the IMNCH policy. In the OH and HRH policies, informal evidence such as experts' experiences and opinions, were reported to have been useful in the policy drafting stage. Both formal and informal evidence were mentioned in the HRH and OH policies, while the development of the IMNCH was revealed to have been informed mainly by more formal evidence. Overall, respondents suggested that formal evidence, such as survey reports and research publications, were most useful in the agenda-setting stage to identify the need for the policy and thus initiating the policy development process. International and local evidence were used to establish the need for a policy and develop policy, and less to develop policy implementation options. Recognition of the value of different evidence types, combined with structures for generating and using evidence, are likely to enhance evidence-informed health policy development in Nigeria and other similar contexts.

77 FR 33000 - Solicitation for a Cooperative Agreement: Resources for NIC's Web Site on Data Collection and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-04

... examples of policy and procedure governing information management; information on effective practices in developing or acquiring automated information management systems; and an overview of current information... agencies do not have staff dedicated to data collection and analysis, information system management, or...

78 FR 41074 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Innovation in Affordable Housing Design Student...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-09

... Information Collection: Innovation in Affordable Housing Design Student Competition AGENCY: Office of Policy Development and Research, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: HUD is seeking approval from the Office of Management... be sent to: Colette Pollard, Reports Management Officer, QDAM, Department of Housing and Urban...

76 FR 73649 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-29

... policy questions regarding this collection contact Leslie Jones at (410) 786-6599. For all other issues... reporting requirements for hospices, as set forth in the proposed Hospice Wage Index for Fiscal Year 2012.... Martique Jones, Director, Regulations Development Group, Division B, Office of Strategic Operations and...

Collection of Private School Finance Data: Development of a Questionnaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaacs, Julia B.; Garet, Michael S.; Sherman, Joel D.

Data on private school finance are not available to inform educational policy discussions about private education. Because of interest in private school finances, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) contracted with the Pelavin Research Center of the American Institutes for Research to explore the feasibility of collecting data…

Santa Fe Community College Staff Development Programs, Policies and Procedures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santa Fe Community Coll., NM.

This collection of materials describes various aspects of Santa Fe Community College's (SFCC's) faculty and staff development program. Part 1 explains the philosophy that underpins staff development at SFCC; the planning, programming, information dissemination, and evaluation phases of staff development; and the use of professional development…

Organizational Policies and Programs to Reduce Job Stress and Risk of Workplace Violence Among K-12 Education Staff.

PubMed

Landsbergis, Paul; Zoeckler, Jeanette; Kashem, Zerin; Rivera, Bianca; Alexander, Darryl; Bahruth, Amy

2018-02-01

We examine strategies, programs, and policies that educators have developed to reduce work stressors and thus health risks. First, we review twenty-seven empirical studies and review papers on organizational programs and policies in K-12 education published from 1990 to 2015 and find some evidence that mentoring, induction, and Peer Assistance and Review programs can increase support, skill development, decision-making authority, and perhaps job security, for teachers-and thus have the potential to reduce job stressors. Second, we describe efforts to reduce workplace violence in Oregon, especially in special education, including legislation, collective bargaining, research, and public awareness. We conclude that to reduce workplace violence, adequate resources are needed for staffing, training, equipment, injury/assault reporting, and investigation. Third, we discuss collective bargaining initiatives that led to mentoring and Peer Assistance and Review and state legislation on prevention of bullying and harassment of school staff. Finally, we present a research agenda on these issues.

77 FR 22691 - Fees on Health Insurance Policies and Self-Insured Plans for the Patient-Centered Outcomes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-17

... statute provides that the Institute will not develop a dollars-per-quality-life-year estimate as a... have practical utility; How the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected may be... plan sponsors of calculating the average number of lives covered for the applicable policy year or plan...

Quantitative Research on the Outcomes of China's Inland Tibetan Classes and Schools Policy: A Survey of Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiaorong, Wu

2015-01-01

Under the Inland Tibetan Classes and Schools Policy, China has trained a large number of personnel to facilitate the social, economic, and cultural development of Tibet. This study used a multistage, random sample survey to collect data on the comprehensive qualities of two sample groups of personnel in Tibet: graduates and nongraduates of inland…

Implementing health reform: improved data collection and the monitoring of health disparities.

PubMed

Dorsey, Rashida; Graham, Garth; Glied, Sherry; Meyers, David; Clancy, Carolyn; Koh, Howard

2014-01-01

The relative lack of standards for collecting data on population subgroups has not only limited our understanding of health disparities, but also impaired our ability to develop policies to eliminate them. This article provides background about past challenges to collecting data by race/ethnicity, primary language, sex, and disability status. It then discusses how passage of the Affordable Care Act has provided new opportunities to improve data-collection standards for the demographic variables of interest and, as such, a better understanding of the characteristics of populations served by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The new standards have been formally adopted by the Secretary of HHS for application in all HHS-sponsored population health surveys involving self-reporting. The new data-collection standards will not only promote the uniform collection and utilization of demographic data, but also help the country shape future programs and policies to advance public health and to reduce disparities.

Implications of social class and race for urban public health policy making: a case study of HIV/AIDS and TB policy in Washington, DC.

PubMed

Dievler, A; Pappas, G

1999-04-01

This paper explores how social class and race affect the public health policy-making process in an urban area. Ethnographic methods were used to collect and analyze information about HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis policy-making by the Washington, DC Commission of Public Health, Kingdon's conceptual model of policy making was used to analyze and understand the process. The problems of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in the district have important social class dimensions that were not always made explicit, but were instead defined in terms of 'race' and 'place'. Social class considerations and racial politics shaped what policies were developed or not developed and implemented successfully or failed. This study, which has national and international implications, concludes that there is a need to improve our understanding of the complex social dimensions of public health problems; there needs to be more consideration of the politics of strategy formulation and how issues of social class and race affect this process; and public health needs to strengthen its constituency in order to build support for the successful development and implementation of policy.

Haven't We Been Here Before? Some Comments on Steve Coffman's Proposal for "Earth's Largest Library".

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGervey, Teresa

2000-01-01

Discusses the concept of Earth's Largest Library (ELL), a mega-virtual library based on the Amazon.com model. Topics include who will be included; privacy; censorship; scope of the collection; costs; legal aspects; collection development; personnel management; access; the concept of community; public service; lending policies; technical…

AAU and ARL: The Role of Partnerships and Collective Advocacy in Policy Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaughn, John C.

2009-01-01

This paper briefly describes the structure of the national higher education association community, discusses the role of coalitions in collective advocacy, and reviews collaborations between the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) carried out during the tenure of ARL Executive Director Duane…

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Collection policy management for the Kuopio University and Kuopio University Hospital, Finland: detecting the needs of users and developing high-quality collections.

PubMed

Kananen, Jukka; Ovaska, Tuulevi; Saarti, Jarmo

2006-09-01

This article discusses the collection policies of a university library in a modern digital environment. A brief description of national collection policy decisions in Finland is provided. The rapid evolution and growth of scientific publication places new demands on building a collection in a health and bioscience orientated university, and it requires an evidence-based approach to support effective service processes. The aim of the study was to identify the needs of the university's students and staff. Usage statistics were surveyed and analysed. Both usage statistics and user surveys indicate that the library use is divided half-and-half between the traditional use of printed material and library premises and the modern use of digital materials via the Web. The former is mainly the way that the students and hospital staff use the library, and the latter can be viewed as the researchers' way of using the library. Librarians and information specialists act in this as service providers and/or guides and tutors to the end-users. These results, however, must be validated with a longer timescale data collation and analysis, both of which are an ongoing process within the library. It is important that requirements and needs of the library's users are monitored regularly and acquisition policies are updated frequently. It also seems that the needs have changed quite dramatically in response to modern ways of disseminating publications, but this supposition will require further study.

University Real Estate Development Database: A Database-Driven Internet Research Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiewel, Wim; Kunst, Kara

2008-01-01

The University Real Estate Development Database is an Internet resource developed by the University of Baltimore for the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, containing over six hundred cases of university expansion outside of traditional campus boundaries. The University Real Estate Development database is a searchable collection of real estate…

School Site Visits for Community-Based Participatory Research on Healthy Eating

PubMed Central

Patel, Anisha I.; Bogart, Laura M.; Uyeda, Kimberly E.; Martinez, Homero; Knizewski, Ritamarie; Ryan, Gery W.; Schuster, Mark A.

2010-01-01

Background School nutrition policies are gaining support as a means of addressing childhood obesity. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) offers an approach for academic and community partners to collaborate to translate obesity-related school policies into practice. Site visits, in which trained observers visit settings to collect multilevel data (e.g., observation, qualitative interviews), may complement other methods that inform health promotion efforts. This paper demonstrates the utility of site visits in the development of an intervention to implement obesity-related policies in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) middle schools. Methods In 2006, trained observers visited four LAUSD middle schools. Observers mapped cafeteria layout; observed food/beverage offerings, student consumption, waste patterns, and duration of cafeteria lines; spoke with school staff and students; and collected relevant documents. Data were examined for common themes and patterns. Results Food and beverages sold in study schools met LAUSD nutritional guidelines, and nearly all observed students had time to eat most or all of their meal. Some LAUSD policies were not implemented, including posting nutritional information for cafeteria food, marketing school meals to improve student participation in the National School Lunch Program, and serving a variety of fruits and vegetables. Cafeteria understaffing and cost were obstacles to policy implementation. Conclusions Site visits were a valuable methodology for evaluating the implementation of school district obesity-related policies and contributed to the development of a CBPR intervention to translate school food policies into practice. Future CBPR studies may consider site visits in their toolbox of formative research methods. PMID:19896033

Perceptions of policy and political leadership in nursing in New Zealand.

PubMed

Donovan, Donna J; Diers, Donna; Carryer, Jenny

2012-07-01

This qualitative study was focused on the landscape of nursing policy and political leadership in New Zealand. A volunteer sample (N = 18) of nurse leaders (Fellows of the College of Nurses Aotearoa (NZ) Inc) drawn from across the country was interviewed with respect to issues that affect their interest in participating in political action and policy work. The framework of stages of nursing's political development published by Cohen and colleagues (1996) was used as an interview guide. Respondents were asked to describe their own stage of political development, their perception of the political development of New Zealand nurses and nursing organisations at large, and also their thoughts on what could be done to better position nursing in healthcare policy development. In general, respondents agreed that the major nursing organisations in New Zealand (the College of Nurses-- Aotearoa and New Zealand Nurses Organisation [NZNO]) were moving toward increasing policy sophistication. Qualitative content analysis suggested five themes which, taken together, describe nursing's policy/political development in New Zealand: languaging; succession/legacy planning; Tall Poppies and Queen Bees; "it's a small country"; and speaking with one voice. Although limited by sample size, the information collected provides a beginning focus for discussion that can steer New Zealand nursing activities toward the wider involvement of nurse leaders in healthcare policy work on behalf of the discipline.

Assessing barriers to health insurance and threats to equity in comparative perspective: The Health Insurance Access Database

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Typologies traditionally used for international comparisons of health systems often conflate many system characteristics. To capture policy changes over time and by service in health systems regulation of public and private insurance, we propose a database containing explicit, standardized indicators of policy instruments. Methods The Health Insurance Access Database (HIAD) will collect policy information for ten OECD countries, over a range of eight health services, from 1990–2010. Policy indicators were selected through a comprehensive literature review which identified policy instruments most likely to constitute barriers to health insurance, thus potentially posing a threat to equity. As data collection is still underway, we present here the theoretical bases and methodology adopted, with a focus on the rationale underpinning the study instruments. Results These harmonized data will allow the capture of policy changes in health systems regulation of public and private insurance over time and by service. The standardization process will permit international comparisons of systems’ performance with regards to health insurance access and equity. Conclusion This research will inform and feed the current debate on the future of health care in developed countries and on the role of the private sector in these changes. PMID:22551599

An evaluation framework for obesity prevention policy interventions.

PubMed

Leeman, Jennifer; Sommers, Janice; Vu, Maihan; Jernigan, Jan; Payne, Gayle; Thompson, Diane; Heiser, Claire; Farris, Rosanne; Ammerman, Alice

2012-01-01

As the emphasis on preventing obesity has grown, so have calls for interventions that extend beyond individual behaviors and address changes in environments and policies. Despite the need for policy action, little is known about policy approaches that are most effective at preventing obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others are funding the implementation and evaluation of new obesity prevention policies, presenting a distinct opportunity to learn from these practice-based initiatives and build the body of evidence-based approaches. However, contributions from this policy activity are limited by the incomplete and inconsistent evaluation data collected on policy processes and outcomes. We present a framework developed by the CDC-funded Center of Excellence for Training and Research Translation that public health practitioners can use to evaluate policy interventions and identify the practice-based evidence needed to fill the gaps in effective policy approaches to obesity prevention.

An Evaluation Framework for Obesity Prevention Policy Interventions

PubMed Central

Sommers, Janice; Vu, Maihan; Jernigan, Jan; Payne, Gayle; Thompson, Diane; Heiser, Claire; Farris, Rosanne; Ammerman, Alice

2012-01-01

As the emphasis on preventing obesity has grown, so have calls for interventions that extend beyond individual behaviors and address changes in environments and policies. Despite the need for policy action, little is known about policy approaches that are most effective at preventing obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others are funding the implementation and evaluation of new obesity prevention policies, presenting a distinct opportunity to learn from these practice-based initiatives and build the body of evidence-based approaches. However, contributions from this policy activity are limited by the incomplete and inconsistent evaluation data collected on policy processes and outcomes. We present a framework developed by the CDC-funded Center of Excellence for Training and Research Translation that public health practitioners can use to evaluate policy interventions and identify the practice-based evidence needed to fill the gaps in effective policy approaches to obesity prevention. PMID:22742594

Citation analysis of Minnesota Department of Health official publications and journal articles: a needs assessment for the RN Barr Library.

PubMed

Rethlefsen, Melissa L

2007-07-01

The paper describes the information needs of a state public health agency, compares needs to its library's collection, and evaluates collection development policy accordingly. A citation analysis of journal articles authored by Minnesota Department of Health staff as well as official publications from 2002 to 2004 was conducted. Fifty-six publications fitting the criteria for inclusion in the study were identified using PubMed and library records. Information on each cited reference was recorded, including reference type, relative age of citation, and journal name, if applicable. The library's collection and collection development policies were analyzed in regard to the results. As expected, journals were the most heavily cited format: 63% (n = 897) of all citations were to journal articles. Most cited materials were between 2 and 5 years old. The 897 journal citations represented 265 different journals. The top 10 cited journals (4% of all titles) accounted for 36% (n = 320) of all citations; 62% (n = 320) of journals were cited only once. Of the total journals cited, the library subscribed to 70% (n = 627). Overall, no large gaps appeared in the RN Barr Library's journal collection. The analysis confirms that the library's collections budget for serials and books reflects the cited use of these materials.

The International Alcohol Control (IAC) study-evaluating the impact of alcohol policies.

PubMed

Casswell, Sally; Meier, Petra; MacKintosh, Anne M; Brown, Abraham; Hastings, Gerard; Thamarangsi, Thaksaphon; Chaiyasong, Surasak; Chun, Sungsoo; Huckle, Taisia; Wall, Martin; You, Ru Q

2012-08-01

This paper describes a new multicountry collaborative project to assess the impact of alcohol control policy. Longitudinal surveys of drinkers in a number of participating countries and analysis of the policy context allow for the assessment of change over time within countries and comparison between countries. The design of the study is modeled on the International Tobacco Control study and aims to assess the impact of alcohol policies in different cultural contexts on policy-related behaviors and alcohol consumption. A survey instrument and protocol for policy analysis have been developed by the initial participating countries: England, Scotland, Thailand, South Korea, and New Zealand. The first round of data collection is scheduled for 2011-2012. The survey instrument (International Alcohol Control [IAC] survey) measures key policy relevant behaviors: place and time of purchase, amounts purchased and price paid; ease of access to alcohol purchase; alcohol marketing measures; social supply; perceptions of alcohol affordability and availability and salience of price; perceptions of enforcement; people's experiences with specific alcohol restrictions; support for policy and consumption (typical quantity, frequency using beverage and location-specific measures). The Policy Analysis Protocol (PoLAP) assesses relevant aspects of the policy environment including regulation and implementation. It has proved feasible to design instruments to collect detailed data on behaviors relevant to alcohol policy change and to assess the policy environment in different cultural settings. In a policy arena in which the interest groups and stakeholders have different perceptions of appropriate policy responses to alcohol-related harm, a robust methodology to assess the impact of policy will contribute to the debate. Copyright © 2012 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Adapting public policy theory for public health research: A framework to understand the development of national policies on global health.

PubMed

Jones, Catherine M; Clavier, Carole; Potvin, Louise

2017-03-01

National policies on global health appear as one way that actors from health, development and foreign affairs sectors in a country coordinate state action on global health. Next to a burgeoning literature in which international relations and global governance theories are employed to understand global health policy and global health diplomacy at the international level, little is known about policy processes for global health at the national scale. We propose a framework of the policy process to understand how such policies are developed, and we identify challenges for public health researchers integrating conceptual tools from political science. We developed the framework using a two-step process: 1) reviewing literature to establish criteria for selecting a theoretical framework fit for this purpose, and 2) adapting Real-Dato's synthesis framework to integrate a cognitive approach to public policy within a constructivist perspective. Our framework identifies multiple contexts as part of the policy process, focuses on situations where actors work together to make national policy on global health, considers these interactive situations as spaces for observing external influences on policy change and proposes policy design as the output of the process. We suggest that this framework makes three contributions to the conceptualisation of national policy on global health as a research object. First, it emphasizes collective action over decisions of individual policy actors. Second, it conceptualises the policy process as organised interactive spaces for collaboration rather than as stages of a policy cycle. Third, national decision-making spaces are opportunities for transferring ideas and knowledge from different sectors and settings, and represent opportunities to identify international influences on a country's global health policy. We discuss two sets of challenges for public health researchers using interdisciplinary approaches in policy research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engaging policy makers in road safety research in Malaysia: a theoretical and contextual analysis.

PubMed

Tran, Nhan T; Hyder, Adnan A; Kulanthayan, Subramaniam; Singh, Suret; Umar, R S Radin

2009-04-01

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a growing public health problem that must be addressed through evidence-based interventions including policy-level changes such as the enactment of legislation to mandate specific behaviors and practices. Policy makers need to be engaged in road safety research to ensure that road safety policies are grounded in scientific evidence. This paper examines the strategies used to engage policy makers and other stakeholder groups and discusses the challenges that result from a multi-disciplinary, inter-sectoral collaboration. A framework for engaging policy makers in research was developed and applied to describe an example of collective road safety research in Malaysia. Key components of this framework include readiness, assessment, planning, implementation/evaluation, and policy development/sustainability. The case study of a collaborative intervention trial for the prevention of motorcycle crashes and deaths in Malaysia serves as a model for policy engagement by road safety and injury researchers. The analytic description of this research process in Malaysia demonstrates that the framework, through its five stages, can be used as a tool to guide the integration of needed research evidence into policy for road safety and injury prevention.

Guidelines and policies on collection of biological specimens in the Philippines. Philippine Congress, International Convention on Biodiversity.

PubMed

Madulid, D A

1996-04-01

In October, 1993, 16 months after the United Nations approved the International Convention on Biodiversity held in Rio de Janeiro, June, 1992, the Philippine Congress ratified and adopted the Convention. This is a manifestation of the full support of the Philippines for the principles and policies adopted by the UN body on the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable development of biological resources and equitable sharing of benefits between users and owners of biodiversity resources. The Philippine scientific community has long recognized the need for and importance of a national guideline and policy with regard to the collection of plants and animals in the Philippines for scientific or commercial purposes. A series of consultative meetings were held by representatives of government agencies, non-government organizations, private organizations, academic and private persons concerned with biodiversity conservation to formulate national guidelines that regulate the collection of plant and animal specimens in the country. Guidelines were unanimously adopted by various government agencies and academia and a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed on September 28, 1990. Very recently a new document was drafted, specifically to serve as a guideline for those who desire to undertake sample collecting in the Philippines for biodiversity prospecting. The document is now being reviewed by government departments and agencies and will be presented to the President of the Philippines for signing as an Executive Order (EO). Once signed, this EO will serve as a national policy for bioprospecting in the country. The Philippines is one of the countries in Southeast Asia that has endorsed the adoption of regional guidelines on the collection of plant and animal organisms for drug development. The ASEAN Agreement on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1985). The Manila Declaration (1992) and lately, the Melaka Accord (1994), all of which were signed by various countries in Asia, are manifestations of this interest.

Smoke-free or not: a pilot evaluation in selected Beijing Hospitals

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background China enacted a policy to ban smoking in hospitals. The Chinese Association for Tobacco Control (CATC) developed a program to help hospitals implement this policy. They conducted a program and an assessment in 3 Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong). A more in-depth evaluation was implemented with a sub-sample of hospitals in Beijing (N = 7) to provide an independent assessment. This independent assessment focused on evaluating policy development and an assessment of secondhand smoke (SHS) to determine compliance with the smoke-free policy initiative. Methods Pre- and post-survey data were collected at each of the selected hospitals with a total sample of 2835 physicians at pre-intervention and 2812 at post-intervention. Smoking rates pre- and post-policy implementation, change in knowledge, attitudes and practices among physicians, and compliance with policy were assessed. Measurements of airborne nicotine concentrations in selected locations in each hospital were taken: main hospital lobby; main outpatient center; emergency waiting room; and stairwell adjacent to a large inpatient ward. Hospital policies were collected, translated and rated for incorporated components necessary to implement a smoke-free policy. Results Physicians’ smoking rates decreased and attitudes towards tobacco control improved significantly from pre-to post-intervention. Smoking was still reported in certain areas of the hospital with 96% of passive nicotine monitors as well as self-report indicating continued smoking. Nicotine levels ranged from <0.0056 to 3.94 μg/m3), with an overall mean of .667 μg/m3. Hospitals that established stronger policies seemed to have lower levels of nicotine, suggesting a relationship between policy development and compliance. This finding is interesting but just suggestive and requires further investigation to truly demonstrate if stronger policies improve compliance and produce better outcomes. Conclusion As implementation strategies for smoke-free environments are improved and more resources are focused on hospitals, China is making progress toward achieving smoke-free hospitals. Using a model program could increase the prevalence of SHS policies across China. However, relying only on survey data may not provide an accurate assessment of this progress, and more extensive evaluation efforts are useful to understand how change can and does occur. PMID:24134057

Research and Policy: Can Online Learning Communities Foster Professional Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beach, Richard

2012-01-01

This column posits enhancing professional development through uses of digital tools to create professional learning communities (PLCs) designed to support collective inquiry and action research leading to schoolwide improvement. These digital tools include a social networking/discussion forum for teacher collaboration; teachers' individual…

The Feasibility of Developing a California Education Longitudinal Study. Policy Report 2002-1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, Phillip

2002-01-01

This paper explores the feasibility of collecting longitudinal survey data on students within California schools as a way of supplementing the information California currently collects on its students. Hopefully, this paper will be the start of a process that will lead to the institution of what we in this paper tentatively call the California…

75 FR 16160 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Public Comment: Notice of Funding Availability for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-31

... Higher Education that meet the statutory definition established in Title III, Part A, Section 317 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-244... for Policy Development and Research, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The proposed information collection...

Developing a preservation policy and procedure statement for a health sciences library.

PubMed Central

Paulson, B A

1989-01-01

The preconditions for creating a preservation policy document in a health sciences library are an existing preservation policy for the institution of which it is a part and administrative support for preservation. The assumption underlying preservation activity, from the formulation of general guidelines to the detail of operating procedure, is that collection development and preservation are complementary functions. Documentation of operational procedures in some detail should be a part of the statement. Since preservation activity cuts across functional library structures, all management staff should be involved in the planning process and be made aware of their responsibilities. The creation of a preservation policy statement will highlight unaddressed issues, procedural inadequacies, and differences in staff perceptions of priorities, but a written statement provides a framework for setting priorities and making decisions. PMID:2758183

Reading Education Policy: A Collection of Articles from the International Reading Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shannon, Patrick, Ed.; Edmondson, Jacqueline, Ed.

2005-01-01

This collection of articles delivers the knowledge and insights one needs to understand policymaking at many levels, by reviewing viewpoints in categories: (1) Policy-driven research; (2) Policy communications research; and (3) Critical policy research. Educators can use this book to learn how to analyze policy issues, engage in policymaking with…

The Development and Piloting of a Mobile Data Collection Protocol to Assess Compliance With a National Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Product Display Ban at Retail Venues in the Russian Federation

PubMed Central

Grant, Ashley S; Spires, Mark H; Cohen, Joanna E

2016-01-01

Background Tobacco control policies that lead to a significant reduction in tobacco industry marketing can improve public health by reducing consumption of tobacco and preventing initiation of tobacco use. Laws that ban or restrict advertising and promotion in point-of-sale (POS) environments, in the moment when consumers decide whether or not to purchase a tobacco product, must be correctly implemented to achieve the desired public health benefits. POS policy compliance assessments can support implementation; however, there are challenges to conducting evaluations that are rigorous, cost-effective, and timely. Data collection must be discreet, accurate, and systematic, and ideally collected both before and after policies take effect. The use of mobile phones and other mobile technology provide opportunities to efficiently collect data and support effective tobacco control policies. The Russian Federation (Russia) passed a comprehensive national tobacco control law that included a ban on most forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, effective November 15, 2013. The legislation further prohibited the display of tobacco products at retail trade sites and eliminated kiosks as a legal trade site, effective June 1, 2014. Objective The objective of the study was to develop and test a mobile data collection protocol including: (1) retailer sampling, (2) adaptation of survey instruments for mobile phones, and (3) data management protocols. Methods Two waves of observations were conducted; wave 1 took place during April-May 2014, after the advertising and promotion bans were effective, and again in August-September 2014, after the product display ban and elimination of tobacco sales in kiosks came into effect. Sampling took place in 5 Russian cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Kazan. Lack of access to a comprehensive list of licensed tobacco retailers necessitated a sampling approach that included the development of a walking protocol to identify tobacco retailers to observe. Observation instruments were optimized for use on mobile devices and included the collection of images/photos and the geographic location of retailers. Data were uploaded in real-time to a remote (“cloud-based”) server accessible via Internet and verified with the use of a data management protocol that included submission of daily field notes from the research team for review by project managers. Results The walking protocol was a practical means of identifying 780 relevant retail venues in Russia, in the absence of reliable sampling resources. Mobile phones were convenient tools for completing observation checklists discretely and accurately. Daily field notes and meticulous oversight of collected data were critical to ensuring data quality. Conclusions Mobile technology can support timely and accurate data collection and also help monitor data quality through the use of real-time uploads. These protocols can be adapted to assess compliance with other types of public health policies. PMID:27580800

The Development and Piloting of a Mobile Data Collection Protocol to Assess Compliance With a National Tobacco Advertising, Promotion, and Product Display Ban at Retail Venues in the Russian Federation.

PubMed

Grant, Ashley S; Kennedy, Ryan D; Spires, Mark H; Cohen, Joanna E

2016-08-31

Tobacco control policies that lead to a significant reduction in tobacco industry marketing can improve public health by reducing consumption of tobacco and preventing initiation of tobacco use. Laws that ban or restrict advertising and promotion in point-of-sale (POS) environments, in the moment when consumers decide whether or not to purchase a tobacco product, must be correctly implemented to achieve the desired public health benefits. POS policy compliance assessments can support implementation; however, there are challenges to conducting evaluations that are rigorous, cost-effective, and timely. Data collection must be discreet, accurate, and systematic, and ideally collected both before and after policies take effect. The use of mobile phones and other mobile technology provide opportunities to efficiently collect data and support effective tobacco control policies. The Russian Federation (Russia) passed a comprehensive national tobacco control law that included a ban on most forms of tobacco advertising and promotion, effective November 15, 2013. The legislation further prohibited the display of tobacco products at retail trade sites and eliminated kiosks as a legal trade site, effective June 1, 2014. The objective of the study was to develop and test a mobile data collection protocol including: (1) retailer sampling, (2) adaptation of survey instruments for mobile phones, and (3) data management protocols. Two waves of observations were conducted; wave 1 took place during April-May 2014, after the advertising and promotion bans were effective, and again in August-September 2014, after the product display ban and elimination of tobacco sales in kiosks came into effect. Sampling took place in 5 Russian cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, and Kazan. Lack of access to a comprehensive list of licensed tobacco retailers necessitated a sampling approach that included the development of a walking protocol to identify tobacco retailers to observe. Observation instruments were optimized for use on mobile devices and included the collection of images/photos and the geographic location of retailers. Data were uploaded in real-time to a remote ("cloud-based") server accessible via Internet and verified with the use of a data management protocol that included submission of daily field notes from the research team for review by project managers. The walking protocol was a practical means of identifying 780 relevant retail venues in Russia, in the absence of reliable sampling resources. Mobile phones were convenient tools for completing observation checklists discretely and accurately. Daily field notes and meticulous oversight of collected data were critical to ensuring data quality. Mobile technology can support timely and accurate data collection and also help monitor data quality through the use of real-time uploads. These protocols can be adapted to assess compliance with other types of public health policies.

PISA for Development System-Level Data. PISA for Development Brief 18

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

The PISA for Development brief series is a set of concise monthly education policy-oriented notes published by the OECD which are designed to describe a specific PISA for Development topic. In this brief, the role of PISA-D to assesses students' skills and knowledge in three cognitive domains--reading, mathematics and science--and collection of…

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Preparing the sexual health workforce to deliver integrated services: is education the answer? A qualitative study exploring the impact of sexual health education on developing integrated policy and practice.

PubMed

Brook, Judy; Salmon, Debra; Knight, Rachael-Anne

2017-05-01

Aim This study aimed to explore the ability of sexual health nurses working in the South West of England, to implement new learning within existing sexual health service delivery models. Drawing on Lipsky's account of street-level bureaucracy to conceptualise policy implementation, the impact of workforce learning on the development of integrated services across this region of the United Kingdom was assessed. In order to achieve the United Nations' goal of universal access to sexual health, it is essential for reproductive and sexual health, including HIV provision, to integrate into a single service. This integration requires a commitment to collaboration by service commissioners and an alignment of principles and values across sexual health and contraceptive services. UK health policy has embraced this holistic agenda but moves towards integrating historically separate clinical services, has presented significant workforce development challenges and influenced policy success. Employing a qualitative approach, the study included data from semi-structured telephone interviews and focus groups, and longitudinal data from pre- and post-intervention surveys, collected between September 2013 and September 2015. Data were collected from 88 nurses undertaking a workforce development programme and six of their service managers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify consistent themes. Findings Nurses confirmed the role of new learning in enabling them to negotiate the political landscape but expressed frustration at their lack of agency in the integration agenda, exposing a clear dichotomy between the intentions of policy and the reality of practice. Nevertheless, using high levels of professional judgement and discretion practitioners managed the incongruence between policy and practice in order to deliver integrated services in the interests of patients. Workforce education, while essential for the transition to the delivery of integrated services, was insufficient to fulfil the sexual health agenda without a strengthening of public health.

Health-care data collecting, sharing, and using in Thailand, China mainland, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia.

PubMed

Aljunid, Syed Mohamed; Srithamrongsawat, Samrit; Chen, Wen; Bae, Seung Jin; Pwu, Raoh-Fang; Ikeda, Shunya; Xu, Ling

2012-01-01

This article sought to describe the health-care data situation in six selected economies in the Asia-Pacific region. Authors from Thailand, China mainland, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia present their analyses in three parts. The first part of the article describes the data-collection process and the sources of data. The second part of the article presents issues around policies of data sharing with the stakeholders. The third and final part of the article focuses on the extent of health-care data use for policy reform in these different economies. Even though these economies differ in their economic structure and population size, they share some similarities on issues related to health-care data. There are two main institutions that collect and manage the health-care data in these economies. In Thailand, China mainland, Taiwan, and Malaysia, the Ministry of Health is responsible through its various agencies for collecting and managing the health-care data. On the other hand, health insurance is the main institution that collects and stores health-care data in South Korea and Japan. In all economies, sharing of and access to data is an issue. The reasons for limited access to some data are privacy protection, fragmented health-care system, poor quality of routinely collected data, unclear policies and procedures to access the data, and control on the freedom on publication. The primary objective of collecting health-care data in these economies is to aid the policymakers and researchers in policy decision making as well as create an awareness on health-care issues for the general public. The usage of data in monitoring the performance of the heath system is still in the process of development. In conclusion, for the region under discussion, health-care data collection is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health and health insurance agencies. Data are collected from health-care providers mainly from the public sector. Routinely collected data are supplemented by national surveys. Accessibility to the data is a major issue in most of the economies under discussion. Accurate health-care data are required mainly to support policy making and evidence-based decisions. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Converging on child mental health - toward shared global action for child development.

PubMed

Belkin, G; Wissow, L; Lund, C; Aber, L; Bhutta, Z; Black, M; Kieling, C; McGregor, S; Rahman, A; Servili, C; Walker, S; Yoshikawa, H

2017-01-01

We are a group of researchers and clinicians with collective experience in child survival, nutrition, cognitive and social development, and treatment of common mental conditions. We join together to welcome an expanded definition of child development to guide global approaches to child health and overall social development. We call for resolve to integrate maternal and child mental health with child health, nutrition, and development services and policies, and see this as fundamental to the health and sustainable development of societies. We suggest specific steps toward achieving this objective, with associated global organizational and resource commitments. In particular, we call for a Global Planning Summit to establish a much needed Global Alliance for Child Development and Mental Health in all Policies.

Developing Indicators of Student Coursework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonnell, Lorraine M.; Ormseth, Tor

The School Reform Assessment (SRA) project began in 1987 with the objective of developing indicators of student coursework that reliably and validly measure this central feature of schooling, while remaining sensitive to major policy changes and the information needs of policymakers, and efficiently collecting and reporting data. This paper…

Library Service to Pregnant Teens: How Can We Help?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Melissa

1997-01-01

Discusses teenage pregnancy and sexuality and suggests ways in which librarians can help provide access to appropriate and needed information. Highlights include developing policies and procedures for dealing with sexual issues, collection development, organizing information and making it accessible, and a brief teen pregnancy bibliography. (LRW)

Measuring Competitive Foods in Schools: An Inventory Approach. Nutrition Assistance Program Report Series. Report No. CN-04-CFABT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crepinsek, Mary Kay; Cole, Nancy; Golding, Joanna

2004-01-01

This Feasibility Study to Develop a Methodology to Monitor the Impact of Changes in Competitive Food Policies had two main goals: (1) Design and test a plan for collecting and analyzing data about competitive food policies and all foods offered and served to students at school; and (2) Provide a methodology for assessing the impact of changes in…

Stabilized Approach Criteria: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Petrus M.

2018-01-01

Approach and landing is the most common phase of flight for aviation accidents, accounting annually for approximately 65 percent of all accidents. A Flight Safety Foundation study of 16 years of runway excursions determined that 83 percent could have been avoided with a decision to go around. In other words, 54 percent of all accidents could potentially be prevented by going around. A critical industry policy designed to help prevent such accidents is the go-around policy. However, the collective industry performance of complying with go-around policies is extremely poor and only about three percent of unstable approaches result in a go-around. Improving the go-around compliance rate holds tremendous potential in reducing approach and landing accidents. There are many reasons for flight crews ignoring go-around policies related to pilot judgement and company policies. Examples are the collective industry norm to accept the noncompliance of go-around policies, management being disengaged from go-around noncompliance, and pilot fatigue and lack of situational awareness. One of the biggest factors is that pilots see current stabilized-approach criteria as too complex and restrictive for the operational environment. Following the American Airlines 1420 accident (Little Rock, 1999), where the aircraft overran the runway upon landing and crashed, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) define detailed parameters for a stabilized approach, and develop detailed criteria indicating when a go-around should be performed. The experiment discussed in this presentation is the first step towards developing these go-around criteria for commercial transport aircraft.

22 CFR 1101.3 - General policy: Collection and use of personal information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true General policy: Collection and use of personal information. 1101.3 Section 1101.3 Foreign Relations INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, UNITED STATES SECTION PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 § 1101.3 General policy: Collection and use...

22 CFR 1101.3 - General policy: Collection and use of personal information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2012-04-01 2009-04-01 true General policy: Collection and use of personal information. 1101.3 Section 1101.3 Foreign Relations INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, UNITED STATES SECTION PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 § 1101.3 General policy: Collection and use...

22 CFR 1101.3 - General policy: Collection and use of personal information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2011-04-01 2009-04-01 true General policy: Collection and use of personal information. 1101.3 Section 1101.3 Foreign Relations INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, UNITED STATES SECTION PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 § 1101.3 General policy: Collection and use...

22 CFR 1101.3 - General policy: Collection and use of personal information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false General policy: Collection and use of personal information. 1101.3 Section 1101.3 Foreign Relations INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY AND WATER COMMISSION, UNITED STATES AND MEXICO, UNITED STATES SECTION PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 § 1101.3 General policy: Collection and use...

International perspectives on air quality: risk management principles for policy development--conference statement.

PubMed

Craig, Lorraine; Krewski, Dan; Samet, Jonathan; Shortreed, John; van Bree, Leendert; Krupnick, Alan J

2008-01-01

This statement is the result of discussions held at the 2005 NERAM IV Colloquium "International Perspectives on Air Quality: Risk Management Principles for Policy Development" and represents the collective views of 35 delegates, including international air quality policy analysts, academics, nongovernmental organizations, industry representatives, and decision makers from Mexico, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Hong Kong, and The Netherlands on principles for global air quality management. The objective of the colloquium was to "establish principles for air quality management based on the identification of international best practice in air quality policy development and implementation." This statement represents the main findings of a breakout group discussion session, presentations of an international panel of speakers from Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Hong Kong and views of the delegates expressed in plenary discussions. NERAM undertook a transparent process to try to ensure that the statement would accurately reflect the conference discussions, including documenting the proceedings and inviting delegates' comments on draft versions of the statement.

[Social participation in mental health: space of construction of citizenship, policy formulation and decision making].

PubMed

Guimarães, José Maria Ximenes; Jorge, Maria Salete Bessa; Maia, Regina Claudia Furtado; de Oliveira, Lucia Conde; Morais, Ana Patrícia Pereira; Lima, Marcos Paulo de Oliveira; Assis, Marluce Maria Araújo; dos Santos, Adriano Maia

2010-07-01

The article approaches the comprehension of professionals that act in the mental health area about the movement of construction of social participation in the health system of Fortaleza, Ceará State. The methodology adopted is based upon qualitative approach. The study was developed with semi-structured interviews with 17 mental health professionals of the city above mentioned. The empirical data was analyzed through the technique of thematic content analysis, where it was identified three cores of analysis: social participation as space of citizenship and policy formulation; oriented to attention of collective needs; and decision taking. The study reveals that social participation represents a possibility of amplifying X the relations between the Civil Society and the State, which makes possible the social intervention in proposals of the health policies. It is highlighted the right to health linked to the consolidation of democracy in the attention to the needs and collective edification.

Commentary: Special Issue on Adolescents in the Majority World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ignatowski, Clare A.

2013-01-01

This collection of nuanced, insightful papers is a welcome contribution to research and policy dialogue around international youth development. At the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the lead government agency for foreign assistance, a growing understanding of the profound links between the well-being of youth and…

Acquisition of Scientific Literature in Developing Countries. 4: Zambia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundu, Maurice C.; Lungu, Charles B. M.

1989-01-01

Description of selected science and technical libraries and information services in Zambia focuses on collection development and acquisition policies. The problems of transferring technology through the transfer of information are discussed, the future of information transfer in Zambia is explored, and proposals for future action are presented.…

The use of a policy dialogue to facilitate evidence-informed policy development for improved access to care: the case of the Winnipeg Central Intake Service (WCIS).

PubMed

Damani, Zaheed; MacKean, Gail; Bohm, Eric; DeMone, Brie; Wright, Brock; Noseworthy, Tom; Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; Marshall, Deborah A

2016-10-18

Policy dialogues are critical for developing responsive, effective, sustainable, evidence-informed policy. Our multidisciplinary team, including researchers, physicians and senior decision-makers, comprehensively evaluated The Winnipeg Central Intake Service, a single-entry model in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to improve patient access to hip/knee replacement surgery. We used the evaluation findings to develop five evidence-informed policy directions to help improve access to scheduled clinical services across Manitoba. Using guiding principles of public participation processes, we hosted a policy roundtable meeting to engage stakeholders and use their input to refine the policy directions. Here, we report on the use and input of a policy roundtable meeting and its role in contributing to the development of evidence-informed policy. Our evidence-informed policy directions focused on formal measurement/monitoring of quality, central intake as a preferred model for service delivery, provincial scope, transparent processes/performance indicators, and patient choice of provider. We held a policy roundtable meeting and used outcomes of facilitated discussions to refine these directions. Individuals from our team and six stakeholder groups across Manitoba participated (n = 44), including patients, family physicians, orthopaedic surgeons, surgical office assistants, Winnipeg Central Intake team, and administrators/managers. We developed evaluation forms to assess the meeting process, and collected decision-maker partners' perspectives on the value of the policy roundtable meeting and use of policy directions to improve access to scheduled clinical services after the meeting, and again 15 months later. We analyzed roundtable and evaluation data using thematic analysis to identify key themes. Four key findings emerged. First, participants supported all policy directions, with revisions and key implementation considerations identified. Second, participants felt the policy roundtable meeting achieved its purpose (to engage stakeholders, elicit feedback, refine policy directions). Third, our decision-maker partners' expectations of the policy roundtable meeting were exceeded; they re-affirmed its value and described the refined policy directions as foundational to establishing the vocabulary, vision and framework for improving access to scheduled clinical services in Manitoba. Finally, our adaptation of key design elements was conducive to discussion of issues surrounding access to care. Our policy roundtable process was an effective tool for acquiring broad input from stakeholders, refining policy directions and forming the necessary consensus starting points to move towards evidence-informed policy.

The Role of School Context in Implementing a Statewide Anti-Bullying Policy and Protecting Students

PubMed Central

Hall, William J.; Chapman, Mimi V.

2016-01-01

Bullying is a significant problem in U.S. schools. Policies have been developed to reduce bullying, yet policy implementation by educators is an essential yet difficult and complex process. Few studies have investigated factors that act as barriers to or facilitators of bullying policy implementation and teacher protection of students. This study examined the influence of school context on educators’ capacity to implement a statewide bullying law and protect students from bullying following the enactment of the policy. Data were collected from 505 educators in 324 schools. School administrators tended to rate fidelity of policy implementation and teacher protection of students higher than teachers, education support professionals, and student service professionals. Policy implementation fidelity scores were higher in high schools than elementary schools. School size and the prevalence of student suspensions were inversely related to implementation fidelity. Higher levels of teacher protection were reported in elementary schools.

The Role of School Context in Implementing a Statewide Anti-Bullying Policy and Protecting Students.

PubMed

Hall, William J; Chapman, Mimi V

2018-06-01

Bullying is a significant problem in U.S. schools. Policies have been developed to reduce bullying, yet policy implementation by educators is an essential yet difficult and complex process. Few studies have investigated factors that act as barriers to or facilitators of bullying policy implementation and teacher protection of students. This study examined the influence of school context on educators' capacity to implement a statewide bullying law and protect students from bullying following the enactment of the policy. Data were collected from 505 educators in 324 schools. School administrators tended to rate fidelity of policy implementation and teacher protection of students higher than teachers, education support professionals, and student service professionals. Policy implementation fidelity scores were higher in high schools than elementary schools. School size and the prevalence of student suspensions were inversely related to implementation fidelity. Higher levels of teacher protection were reported in elementary schools.

Traditional vs. Contemporary Management Control Practices for Developing Public Health Policies

PubMed Central

Naranjo-Gil, David; Sánchez-Expósito, María Jesús; Gómez-Ruiz, Laura

2016-01-01

Public health policies must address multiple goals and complex community health needs. Recently, management control practices have emerged to provide a broader type of information for evaluating the effectiveness of healthcare policies, and relate activities and processes to multiple strategic outcomes. This study compares the effect of traditional and contemporary management control practices on the achievement of public health policies. It is also analyzed how two different uses of such practices (enabling vs. coercive) facilitate the achievement of public health policies. Relationships are explored using data collected from managers from public health agencies and public hospitals in Spain. The findings show that contemporary management control practices are more suitable than traditional practices to achieve public health policies. Furthermore, results show that public health policies are better achieved when managers use management control practices in an enabling way rather than in a coercive way. PMID:27428985

75 FR 51272 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; STAR METRICS-Science and Technology in America's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

... data collection projects, the Office of Science Policy Analysis (OSPA), the National Institutes of..., Health Science Policy Analyst, Office of Science and Technology Policy, OSP, OD; NIH, Building 1, Room... this publication. Dated: August 12, 2010. Lynn D. Hudson, Director, Office of Science Policy Analysis...

[The development of public policies for elderly care in Brazil].

PubMed

Fernandes, Maria Teresinha de Oliveira; Soares, Sônia Maria

2012-12-01

The objective of this documental analysis is to discuss the legal aspects involved in the development of elderly care policies in Brazil, considering the socio-historical-political context, and in view of the aspects that outline the wellbeing of an aged individual. Data collection was performed between June and September of 2010 via governmental websites. Documents were included if they complied with the proposed objective; were connected with elderly care policies, and lay within the legal accomplishments regarding elderly care policies in 2006 and the Elói Chaves Law of 1923. This analysis indicated that elderly wellbeing depends significantly on resource allocation in sectors other than the healthcare area, with emphasis on the elderly in the labor market and the feminization of old age. It is expected that the community and administrators will discuss the needs of the elderly population and the integration of care networks that remain necessary for the heterogeneity of this population.

Sexual harassment policies in Florida school districts.

PubMed

Moore, M J; Rienzo, B A

1998-08-01

Until recently, little attention has focused on the sexual harassment that occurs in primary and secondary schools. Several school-related lawsuits and study results heightened awareness of the issue. This study investigated the extent to which Florida's school districts complied with the Florida Department of Education's (FDOE) recommendation and guidelines for addressing sexual harassment in schools. District equity coordinators were surveyed regarding policy development, implementation, promotion, education, and effects. Policies were collected for analysis. Most districts responded to the strong encouragement of the FDOE and approved a sexual harassment policy incorporating many of the suggested components. However, policies included only basic information when compared with suggestions from the literature. Results suggest problems with sexual harassment will continue due to lack of efforts in promoting awareness of the policy and education about the issue, which scholars insist are necessary for effectiveness.

A review of the use of health examination data from the Health Survey for England in government policy development and implementation.

PubMed

Oyebode, Oyinlola; Mindell, Jennifer S

2014-01-01

Information is needed at all stages of the policy making process. The Health Survey for England (HSE) is an annual cross-sectional health examination survey of the non-institutionalised general population in England. It was originally set up to inform national policy making and monitoring by the Department of Health. This paper examines how the nurse collected physical and biological measurement data from the HSE have been essential or useful for identification of a health issue amenable to policy intervention; initiation, development or implementation of a strategy; choice and monitoring of targets; or assessment and evaluation of policies. Specific examples of use of HSE data were identified through interviews with senior members of staff at the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Policy documents mentioned by interviewees were retrieved for review, and reference lists of associated policy documents checked. Systematic searches of Chief Medical Officer Reports, Government 'Command Papers', and clinical guidance documents were also undertaken. HSE examination data have been used at all stages of the policy making process. Data have been used to identify an issue amenable to policy-intervention (e.g. quantifying prevalence of undiagnosed chronic kidney disease), in strategy development (in models to inform chronic respiratory disease policy), for target setting and monitoring (the 1992 blood pressure target) and in evaluation of health policy (the effect of the smoking ban on second hand smoke exposure). A health examination survey is a useful part of a national health information system.

A review of the use of health examination data from the Health Survey for England in government policy development and implementation

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Information is needed at all stages of the policy making process. The Health Survey for England (HSE) is an annual cross-sectional health examination survey of the non-institutionalised general population in England. It was originally set up to inform national policy making and monitoring by the Department of Health. This paper examines how the nurse collected physical and biological measurement data from the HSE have been essential or useful for identification of a health issue amenable to policy intervention; initiation, development or implementation of a strategy; choice and monitoring of targets; or assessment and evaluation of policies. Methods Specific examples of use of HSE data were identified through interviews with senior members of staff at the Department of Health and the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Policy documents mentioned by interviewees were retrieved for review, and reference lists of associated policy documents checked. Systematic searches of Chief Medical Officer Reports, Government ‘Command Papers’, and clinical guidance documents were also undertaken. Results HSE examination data have been used at all stages of the policy making process. Data have been used to identify an issue amenable to policy-intervention (e.g. quantifying prevalence of undiagnosed chronic kidney disease), in strategy development (in models to inform chronic respiratory disease policy), for target setting and monitoring (the 1992 blood pressure target) and in evaluation of health policy (the effect of the smoking ban on second hand smoke exposure). Conclusions A health examination survey is a useful part of a national health information system. PMID:25114791

HASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 62. The Influence of Knowledge Diffusion on Aeronautics Innovation: The Research, Development, and Production of Large Commercial Aircraft in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom,

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-04-01

This paper focuses on how European public policies-individually and collectively-influence the diffusion of knowledge and technology. It begins with...some tentative lessons learned, and a discussion of the consequences of national strategies and policies for the diffusion of knowledge and technology in an era of globalization.

Advancing LGBT Elder Policy and Support Services: The Massachusetts Model.

PubMed

Krinsky, Lisa; Cahill, Sean R

2017-12-01

The Massachusetts-based LGBT Aging Project has trained elder service providers in affirming and culturally competent care for LGBT older adults, supported development of LGBT-friendly meal programs, and advanced LGBT equality under aging policy. Working across sectors, this innovative model launched the country's first statewide Legislative Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Aging. Advocates are working with policymakers to implement key recommendations, including cultural competency training and data collection in statewide networks of elder services. The LGBT Aging Project's success provides a template for improving services and policy for LGBT older adults throughout the country.

Evaluation of Energy Policy Instruments for the Adoption of Renewable Energy: Case of Wind Energy in the Pacific Northwest U.S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abotah, Remal

The wide use of renewable energy technologies for generating electricity can be seen as one way of meeting environmental and climate change challenges along with a progression to a low-carbon economy. A large number of policy instruments have been formed and employed to support the adoption of renewable energy technologies in the power generation sector. However, the success of these policies in achieving their goals relies on how effective they are in satisfying their targets and thus increasing renewable energy adoption. One measurement for effectiveness of policy instruments can be their contribution to the input of the process of renewable energy adoption and their effect on satisfying regional goal. The objective of this research is evaluate the effectiveness of energy policy instruments on increasing the adoption of renewable energy by developing a comprehensive evaluation model. Criteria used in this assessment depend on five perspectives that are perceived by decision makers as important for adoption process. The decision model linked the perspectives to policy targets and various energy policy instruments. These perspectives are: economic, social, political, environmental and technical. The research implemented the hierarchical decision model (HDM) to construct a generalized policy assessment framework. Data for wind energy adoption in the Pacific Northwest region were collected as a case study and application for the model. Experts' qualitative judgments were collected and quantified using the pair-wise comparison method and the final rankings and effectiveness of policy alternatives with respect to the mission were identified. Results of this research identified economic feasibility improvement of renewable energy projects as the most influential perspective and that renewable portfolio standards and tax credits are the two most effective criteria to accomplish that. The research also applied sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis to identify the effect of regional perspectives future priority changes on determining the most effective policy for this perspective. Results showed that renewable portfolio standards and tax credits were found to be the two most effective policies among the alternatives assessed. The research model and outcome can serve as policy check tool in policy making for renewable energy development in any region. Based on the overall research findings, policymakers can apply specific policy instruments to support adoption efforts for any given scenario and regional emphasis.

Policies on Protecting Vulnerable People During Disasters in Iran: A Document Analysis

PubMed Central

Abbasi Dolatabadi, Zahra; Seyedin, Hesam; Aryankhesal, Aidin

2016-01-01

Context Developing official protection policies for disasters is a main strategy in protecting vulnerable people. The aim of this study was to analyze official documents concerning policies on protecting vulnerable people during disasters. Evidence Acquisition This study was conducted by the qualitative document analysis method. Documents were gathered by searching websites and referring to the organizations involved in disaster management. The documents were assessed by a researcher-made data collection form. A directed content analysis approach was used to analyze the retrieved documents regarding the protection policies and legislation for vulnerable people. Results A total of 22 documents were included in the final analysis. Most of the documents referred to women, children, elderly people, poor, and villagers as vulnerable people. Moreover, the documents did not provide information regarding official measures for protecting vulnerable people during different phases of disaster management. Conclusions A clear and comprehensive definition of “vulnerable people” and formulation of official policies to protect them is needs to be formulated. Given the high prevalence of disasters in Iran, policy makers need to develop effective context-based policies to protect vulnerable people during disasters. PMID:27921019

Using economic instruments to develop effective management of invasive species: insights from a bioeconomic model.

PubMed

McDermott, Shana M; Irwin, Rebecca E; Taylor, Brad W

2013-07-01

Economic growth is recognized as an important factor associated with species invasions. Consequently, there is increasing need to develop solutions that combine economics and ecology to inform invasive species management. We developed a model combining economic, ecological, and sociological factors to assess the degree to which economic policies can be used to control invasive plants. Because invasive plants often spread across numerous properties, we explored whether property owners should manage invaders cooperatively as a group by incorporating the negative effects of invader spread in management decisions (collective management) or independently, whereby the negative effects of invasive plant spread are ignored (independent management). Our modeling approach used a dynamic optimization framework, and we applied the model to invader spread using Linaria vulgaris. Model simulations allowed us to determine the optimal management strategy based on net benefits for a range of invader densities. We found that optimal management strategies varied as a function of initial plant densities. At low densities, net benefits were high for both collective and independent management to eradicate the invader, suggesting the importance of early detection and eradication. At moderate densities, collective management led to faster and more frequent invader eradication compared to independent management. When we used a financial penalty to ensure that independent properties were managed collectively, we found that the penalty would be most feasible when levied on a property's perimeter boundary to control spread among properties. At the highest densities, the optimal management strategy was "do nothing" because the economic costs of removal were too high relative to the benefits of removal. Spatial variation in L. vulgaris densities resulted in different optimal management strategies for neighboring properties, making a formal economic policy to encourage invasive species removal critical. To accomplish the management and enforcement of these economic policies, we discuss modification of existing agencies and infrastructure. Finally, a sensitivity analysis revealed that lowering the economic cost of invader removal would strongly increase the probability of invader eradication. Taken together, our results provide quantitative insight into management decisions and economic policy instruments that can encourage invasive species removal across a social landscape.

[Reflective portfolio: a proposal for teaching and learning geared on competencies].

PubMed

Cotta, Rosângela Minardi Mitre; da Costa, Glauce Dias; Mendonça, Erica Toledo

2013-06-01

This article seeks to analyze the experience of collective construction of portfolios as a teaching-learning method in the discipline of Health Policy, identifying the competencies developed by students. Qualitative research, whose collection and data processing were conducted by means of documental and thematic analysis of 34 portfolios. The "Learning to be" and "Learning to live and work together" competencies were considered according to the proposals of the UNESCO report for Education. The training of critical-reflexive individuals, provided by the portfolio, was particularly observed when students reported the transformation of the negative views that they had about the health care system - an inefficient and precarious policy - to a positive vision - policy which deals with the principles of equity, integrity and universality. This process of critical transformation is the result of the practice and use of communication skills, information management (search, selection, analysis and evaluation of information), leadership, cooperation and human relationships (teamwork, ethics and recognition of diversity), and personal competencies (time management, responsibility and planning), namely important skills in the training of professionals committed to the national health policy.

Balancing between two goods: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and ethical compliancy considerations for privacy-sensitive materials in health sciences archival and historical special collections.

PubMed

Wiener, Judith A; Gilliland, Anne T

2011-01-01

The investigation provides recommendations for establishing institutional collection guidelines and policies that protect the integrity of the historical record, while upholding the privacy and confidentiality of those who are protected by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) or professional ethical standards. The authors completed a systematic historical investigation of the concepts of collection integrity, privacy, and confidentiality in the formal and informal legal and professional ethics literature and applied these standards to create best practices for institutional policies in these areas. Through an in-depth examination of the historical concepts of privacy and confidentiality in the legal and professional ethics literature, the authors were able to create recommendations that would allow institutions to provide access to important, yet sensitive, materials, while complying with the standards set by HIPAA regulations and professional ethical expectations. With thoughtful planning, it is possible to balance the integrity of and access to the historical record of sensitive documents, while supporting the privacy protections of HIPAA and professional ethical standards. Although it is theorized that collection development policies of institutions have changed due to HIPAA legislation, additional research is suggested to see how various legal interpretations have affected the integrity of the historical record in actuality.

National medicines policies – a review of the evolution and development processes

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objectives Continuous provision of appropriate medicines of assured quality, in adequate quantities, and at reasonable prices is a concern for all national governments. A national medicines policy (NMP) developed in a collaborative fashion identifies strategies needed to meet these objectives and provides a comprehensive framework to develop all components of a national pharmaceutical sector. To meet the health needs of the population, there is a general need for medicine policies based on universal principles, but nevertheless adapted to the national situation. This review aims to provide a quantitative and qualitative (describing the historical development) study of the development process and evolution of NMPs. Methods The number of NMPs and their current status has been obtained from the results of the assessment of WHO Level I indicators. The policy formulation process is examined in more detail with case studies from four countries: Sri Lanka, Australia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and South Africa. Results The number of NMPs worldwide has increased in the last 25 years with the highest proportional increase in the last 5–10 years in high-income countries. Higher income countries seem to have more NMP implementation plans available and have updated their NMP more recently. The four case studies show that the development of a NMP is a complex process that is country specific. In addition, it demonstrates that an appropriate political window is needed for the policy to be passed (for South Africa and the FYR Macedonia, a major political event acted as a trigger for initiating the policy development). Policy-making does not stop with the official adoption of a policy but should create mechanisms for implementation and monitoring. The NMPs of the FYR Macedonia and Australia provide indicators for monitoring. Conclusions To date, not all countries have a NMP since political pressure by national experts or non-governmental organizations is generally needed to establish a NMP. Case studies in four countries showed that the policy process is just as important as the policy document since the process must create a mechanism by which all stakeholders are brought together and a sense of collective ownership of the final policy may be achieved. PMID:24764540

76 FR 35915 - Proposed Information Collection Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-20

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Office of Disability Employment Policy Proposed Information Collection Request... Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) of the Department of Labor (DOL) is soliciting comments concerning the... of Disability Employment Policy Disability Employment Initiative (DEI). A copy of the proposed...

International Handbook on the Continuing Professional Development of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Christopher; Sachs, Judyth

2005-01-01

This Handbook brings together theoretical and empirical research on purposes, policies and practices of teachers' continuing professional development (CPD) over the last twenty years. It provides a unique collection of regional writing from key professionals in different regions of the world, featuring: (1) A review of current CPD literature; (2)…

Hawaii School Library Media Centers: A Manual for Organization and Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izumo, Patsy M.; And Others

This guide for developing and implementing effective media programs in the schools of Hawaii outlines the development of school library media services in the state and presents guidelines for media services. Topics covered are: (1) philosophy of service; (2) programs and services; (3) library instruction; (4) collections; and (5) policies and…

76 FR 9870 - Financial Management Policies-Interest Rate Risk

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-22

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Thrift Supervision Financial Management Policies--Interest... concerning the following information collection. Title of Proposal: Financial Management Policies--Interest... collection requirement described below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review, as required...

Develop an asset management tool for collecting and tracking commitments on selected environmental mitigation features.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

Wisconsin has constructed many environmental mitigation projects in conjunction with transportation projects that have been implemented according : to the National Environmental Policy Act. Other mitigation projects have been constructed pursuant to ...

A retrospective health policy analysis of the development and implementation of the voluntary health insurance system in Lebanon: learning from failure.

PubMed

El-Jardali, Fadi; Bou-Karroum, Lama; Ataya, Nour; El-Ghali, Hana Addam; Hammoud, Rawan

2014-12-01

Public policymaking is complex and suffers from limited uptake of research evidence, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). In-depth case studies examining health policymaking in the EMR are lacking. This retrospective policy analysis aims at generating insights about how policies are being made, identifying factors influencing policymaking and assessing to what extent evidence is used in this process by using the Lebanese Voluntary Health Insurance policy as a case study. The study examined the policymaking process through a policy tracing technique that covered a period of 12 years. The study employed a qualitative research design using a case study approach and was conducted in two phases over the course of two years. Data was collected using multiple sources including: 1) a comprehensive and chronological media review; 2) twenty-two key informant interviews with policymakers, stakeholders, and journalists; and 3) a document review of legislations, minutes of meetings, actuarial studies, and official documents. Data was analyzed and validated using thematic analysis. Findings showed that the voluntary health insurance policy was a political decision taken by the government to tackle an urgent political problem. Evidence was not used to guide policy development and implementation and policy implementers and other stakeholders were not involved in policy development. Factors influencing policymaking were political interests, sectarianism, urgency, and values of policymakers. Barriers to the use of evidence were lack of policy-relevant research evidence, political context, personal interests, and resource constraints. Findings suggest that policymakers should be made more aware of the important role of evidence in informing public policymaking and the need for building capacity to develop, implement and evaluate policies. Study findings are likely to matter in light of the changes that are unfolding in some Arab countries and the looming opportunities for policy reforms. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Coordination of the health policy dialogue process in Guinea: pre- and post-Ebola.

PubMed

Ade, Nadege; Réne, Adzodo; Khalifa, Mara; Babila, Kevin Ousman; Monono, Martin Ekeke; Tarcisse, Elongo; Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet

2016-07-18

Policy dialogue can be defined as an iterative process that involves a broad range of stakeholders discussing a particular issue with a concrete purpose in mind. Policy dialogue in health is increasingly being recognised by health stakeholders in developing countries, as an important process or mechanism for improving collaboration and harmonization in health and for developing comprehensive and evidence-based health sector strategies and plans. It is with this perspective in mind that Guinea, in 2013, started a policy dialogue process, engaging a plethora of actors to revise the country's national health policy and develop a new national health development plan (2015-2024). This study examines the coordination of the policy dialogue process in developing these key strategic governance documents of the Guinean health sector from the actors' perspective. A qualitative case study approach was undertaken, comprising of interviews with key stakeholders who participated in the policy dialogue process. A review of the literature informed the development of a conceptual framework and the data collection survey questionnaire. The results were analysed both inductively and deductively. A total of 22 out of 32 individuals were interviewed. The results suggest both areas of strengths and weaknesses in the coordination of the policy dialogue process in Guinea. The aspects of good coordination observed were the iterative nature of the dialogue and the availability of neutral and well-experienced facilitators. Weak coordination was perceived through the unavailability of supporting documentation, time and financial constraints experienced during the dialogue process. The onset of the Ebola epidemic in Guinea impacted on coordination dynamics by causing a slowdown of its activities and then its virtual halt. The findings herein highlight the need for policy dialogue coordination structures to have the necessary administrative and institutional support to facilitate their effective functioning. The findings also point to the need for further research on the practical and operational aspects of national dialogue coordination structures to determine how to best strengthen their capacities.

Quality-assurance plan for groundwater activities, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kozar, Mark D.; Kahle, Sue C.

2013-01-01

This report documents the standard procedures, policies, and field methods used by the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Washington Water Science Center staff for activities related to the collection, processing, analysis, storage, and publication of groundwater data. This groundwater quality-assurance plan changes through time to accommodate new methods and requirements developed by the Washington Water Science Center and the USGS Office of Groundwater. The plan is based largely on requirements and guidelines provided by the USGS Office of Groundwater, or the USGS Water Mission Area. Regular updates to this plan represent an integral part of the quality-assurance process. Because numerous policy memoranda have been issued by the Office of Groundwater since the previous groundwater quality assurance plan was written, this report is a substantial revision of the previous report, supplants it, and contains significant additional policies not covered in the previous report. This updated plan includes information related to the organization and responsibilities of USGS Washington Water Science Center staff, training, safety, project proposal development, project review procedures, data collection activities, data processing activities, report review procedures, and archiving of field data and interpretative information pertaining to groundwater flow models, borehole aquifer tests, and aquifer tests. Important updates from the previous groundwater quality assurance plan include: (1) procedures for documenting and archiving of groundwater flow models; (2) revisions to procedures and policies for the creation of sites in the Groundwater Site Inventory database; (3) adoption of new water-level forms to be used within the USGS Washington Water Science Center; (4) procedures for future creation of borehole geophysics, surface geophysics, and aquifer-test archives; and (5) use of the USGS Multi Optional Network Key Entry System software for entry of routine water-level data collected as part of long-term water-level monitoring networks.

The policy work of piloting: Mobilising and managing conflict and ambiguity in the English NHS.

PubMed

Bailey, Simon; Checkland, Kath; Hodgson, Damian; McBride, Anne; Elvey, Rebecca; Parkin, Stephen; Rothwell, Katy; Pierides, Dean

2017-04-01

In spite of their widespread use in policy making in the UK and elsewhere, there is a relatively sparse literature specifically devoted to policy pilots. Recent research on policy piloting has focused on the role of pilots in making policy work in accordance with national agendas. Taking this as a point of departure, the present paper develops the notion of pilots doing policy work. It does this by situating piloting within established theories of policy formulation and implementation, and illustrating using an empirical case. Our case is drawn from a qualitative policy ethnography of a local government pilot programme aiming to extend access to healthcare services. Our case explores the collective entrepreneurship of regional policy makers together with local pilot volunteers. We argue that pilots work to mobilise and manage the ambiguity and conflict associated with particular policy goals, and in their structure and design, shape action towards particular outcomes. We conclude with a discussion of the generative but managed role which piloting affords to local implementers. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Local government alcohol policy development: case studies in three New Zealand communities

PubMed Central

Maclennan, Brett; Kypri, Kypros; Room, Robin; Langley, John

2013-01-01

Aims Local alcohol policies can be effective in reducing alcohol-related harm. The aim of this study was to examine local government responses to alcohol-related problems and identify factors influencing their development and adoption of alcohol policy. Designsettings and participants Case studies were used to examine local government responses to alcohol problems in three New Zealand communities: a rural town, a provincial city and a metropolitan city. Newspaper reports, local government documents and key informant interviews were used to collect data which were analysed using two conceptual frameworks: Kingdon's Streams model and the Stakeholder model of policy development. Measurements Key informant narratives were categorized according to the concepts of the Streams and Stakeholder models. Findings Kingdon's theoretical concepts associated with increased likelihood of policy change seemed to apply in the rural and metropolitan communities. The political environment in the provincial city, however, was not favourable to the adoption of alcohol restrictions. The Stakeholder model highlighted differences between the communities in terms of power over agenda-setting and conflict between politicians and bureaucrats over policy solutions to alcohol-related harm. These differences were reflected in the ratio of policies considered versus adopted in each location. Decisions on local alcohol policies lie ultimately with local politicians, although the policies that can be adopted by local government are restricted by central government legislation. Conclusions The adoption of policies and strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm may be better facilitated by an agenda-setting process where no ‘gate-keepers’ determine what is included into the agenda, and community mobilization efforts to create competitive local government elections around alcohol issues. Policy adoption would also be facilitated by more enabling central government legislation. PMID:23130762

A Qualitative Assessment of the Evidence Utilization for Health Policy-Making on the Basis of SUPPORT Tools in a Developing Country

PubMed Central

Hasan Imani-Nasab, Mohammad; Seyedin, Hesam; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Majdzadeh, Reza

2017-01-01

Background: SUPPORT tools consist of 18 articles addressing the health policy-makers so that they can learn how to make evidence-informed health policies. These tools have been particularly recommended for developing countries. The present study tries to explain the process of evidence utilization for developing policy documents in the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and to compare the findings with those of SUPPORT tools. Methods: A qualitative research was conducted, using the framework analysis approach. Participants consisted of senior managers and technicians in MoHME. Purposeful sampling was done, with a maximum variety, for the selection of research participants: individuals having at least 5 years of experience in preparing evidence-based policy documents. Face-to-face interviews were conducted for data collection. As a guideline for the interviews, ‘the Utilization of Evidence in Policy-Making Organizations’ procedure was used. The data were analyzed through the analysis of the framework method using MAXQDA 10 software. Results: The participants acquired the research evidence in a topic-based form, and they were less likely to search on the basis of the evidence pyramid. To assess the quality of evidence, they did not use standard critical tools; to adapt the evidence and interventions with the local setting, they did not use the ideas and experiences of all stakeholders, and in preparing the evidence-based policy documents, they did not take into consideration the window of opportunity, did not refrain from using highly technical terms, did not write user-friendly summaries, and did not present alternative policy options. In order to develop health policies, however, they used the following innovations: attention to the financial burden of policy issues on the agenda, sensitivity analysis of the preferred policy option on the basis of technical, sociopolitical, and economic feasibility, advocacy from other scholars, using the multi-criteria decision-making models for the prioritization of policy options, implementation of policy based on the degree of readiness of policy-implementing units, and the classification of policy documents on the basis of different conditions of policy-making (urgent, short-term, and long-term). Conclusion: Findings showed that the process of evidence utilization in IR-MoH enjoys some innovations for the support of health policy development. The present study provides IR-MoH with considerable opportunities for the improvement of evidence-informed health policy-making. Moreover, the SUPPORT process and tools are recommended to be used in developing countries. PMID:28812845

77 FR 58558 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-21

... policy questions regarding this collection contact Claudette Sikora at 410-786-5618. For all other issues... Hours: 21,418,336. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Claudette Sikora at 410- 786...

Assessing the sensitivity of images in research collections: A new approach at the Wellcome Library.

PubMed

Wakely, Helen; Dakin, Carly

2015-06-01

In 2014 The Wellcome Library, part of the Wellcome Trust, introduced a new policy in order to address research access to personal data within its collections. The policy has now been used by library staff for almost a year. The policy was devised using a multi-stage approach which consisted of internal surveys and 1:1 interviews. Library staff can use the policy to guide decisions based on what level of access to award material donated or contributed to the Wellcome collections. The policy has been applied to 1 - a series of victorian medical photographs supplied by University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, and 2 - an album of family photographs from the collection of the psychiatrist Dr Ann Dally. Following almost a year in circulation the advantages and disadvantages can now be summarised.

What criteria do consumer health librarians use to develop library collections? a phenomenological study.

PubMed

Papadakos, Janet; Trang, Aileen; Wiljer, David; Cipolat Mis, Chiara; Cyr, Alaina; Friedman, Audrey Jusko; Mazzocut, Mauro; Snow, Michelle; Raivich, Valeria; Catton, Pamela

2014-04-01

The criteria for determining whether resources are included in consumer health library collections are summarized in institutional collection development policies (CDPs). Evidence suggests that CDPs do not adequately capture all of these criteria. The aim of this study was to describe the resource review experience of librarians and compare it to what is described in CDPs. A phenomenological approach was used to explore and describe the process. Four consumer health librarians independently evaluated cancer-related consumer health resources and described their review process during a semi-structured telephone interview. Afterward, these librarians completed online questionnaires about their approaches to collection development. CDPs from participating libraries, interview transcripts, and questionnaire data were analyzed. Researchers summarized the findings, and participating librarians reviewed results for validation. Librarians all utilized similar criteria, as documented in their CDPs; however, of thirteen criteria described in the study, only four were documented in CDPs. CDPs for consumer health libraries may be missing important criteria that are considered integral parts of the collection development process. A better understanding of the criteria and contextual factors involved in the collection development process can assist with establishing high-quality consumer health library collections.

What criteria do consumer health librarians use to develop library collections? a phenomenological study*

PubMed Central

Papadakos, Janet; Trang, Aileen; Wiljer, David; Mis, Chiara Cipolat; Cyr, Alaina; Friedman, Audrey Jusko; Mazzocut, Mauro; Snow, Michelle; Raivich, Valeria; Catton, Pamela

2014-01-01

Objectives: The criteria for determining whether resources are included in consumer health library collections are summarized in institutional collection development policies (CDPs). Evidence suggests that CDPs do not adequately capture all of these criteria. The aim of this study was to describe the resource review experience of librarians and compare it to what is described in CDPs. Methods: A phenomenological approach was used to explore and describe the process. Four consumer health librarians independently evaluated cancer-related consumer health resources and described their review process during a semi-structured telephone interview. Afterward, these librarians completed online questionnaires about their approaches to collection development. CDPs from participating libraries, interview transcripts, and questionnaire data were analyzed. Researchers summarized the findings, and participating librarians reviewed results for validation. Results: Librarians all utilized similar criteria, as documented in their CDPs; however, of thirteen criteria described in the study, only four were documented in CDPs. Conclusions: CDPs for consumer health libraries may be missing important criteria that are considered integral parts of the collection development process. Implications: A better understanding of the criteria and contextual factors involved in the collection development process can assist with establishing high-quality consumer health library collections. PMID:24860261

Responding to non-communicable diseases in Zambia: a policy analysis.

PubMed

Mukanu, Mulenga M; Zulu, Joseph Mumba; Mweemba, Chrispin; Mutale, Wilbroad

2017-04-24

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are an emerging global health concern. Reports have shown that, in Zambia, NCDs are also an emerging problem and the government has begun initiating a policy response. The present study explores the policy response to NCDs by the Ministry of Health in Zambia using the policy triangle framework of Walt and Gilson. A qualitative approach was used for the study. Data collected through key informant interviews with stakeholders who were involved in the NCD health policy development process as well as review of key planning and policy documents were analysed using thematic analysis. The government's policy response was as a result of international strategies from WHO, evidence of increasing disease burden from NCDs and pressure from interest groups. The government developed the NCD strategic plan based on the WHO Global Action Plan for NCDs 2013-2030. Development of the NCD strategic plan was driven by the government through the Ministry of Health, who set the agenda and adopted the final document. Stakeholders participated in the fine tuning of the draft document from the Ministry of Health. The policy development process was lengthy and this affected consistency in composition of the stakeholders and policy development momentum. Lack of representative research evidence for some prioritised NCDs and use of generic targets and indicators resulted in the NCD strategic plan being inadequate for the Zambian context. The interventions in the strategic plan also underutilised the potential of preventing NCDs through health education. Recent government pronouncements were also seen to be conflicting the risk factor reduction strategies outlined in the NCD strategic plan. The content of the NCD strategic plan inadequately covered all the major NCDs in Zambia. Although contextual factors like international strategies and commitments are crucial catalysts to policy development, there is need for domestication of international guidelines and frameworks to match the disease burden, resources and capacities in the local context if policy measures are to be comprehensive, relevant and measurable. Such domestication should be guided by representative local research evidence.

Factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders’ participation in health policy development

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Health policies impact on nursing profession and health care. Nurses' involvement in health policy development ensures that health care is safe, of a high quality, accessible and affordable. Numerous factors influence nurse leaders' ability to be politically active in influencing health policy development. These factors can be facilitators or barriers to their participation. There is scant research evidence from Eastern African region that draws attention to this topic. This paper reports part of the larger study. The objectives reported in this paper were those aimed to: build consensus on factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders' participation in health policy development in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Methods A Delphi survey was applied which included: expert panelists, iterative rounds, statistical analysis, and consensus building. The expert panelists were purposively selected and included national nurse leaders in leadership positions in East Africa. Data collection was done, in three iterative rounds, and utilized a questionnaire with open and closed ended questions. 78 expert panelists were invited to participate in the study; the response rate was 47% of these 64.8% participated in the second round and of those 100% participated in the third round. Data analysis was done by examining the data for the most commonly occurring categories for the open ended questions and descriptive statistics for structured questions. Results The findings of the study indicate that both facilitators and barriers exist. The former include: being involved in health policy development, having knowledge and skills, enhancing the image of nursing and enabling structures and processes. The latter include: lack of involvement, negative image of nursing and structures and processes which exclude them. Conclusion There is a window of opportunity to enhance national nurse leaders' participation in health policy development. Nurse leaders have a key role in mentoring, supporting and developing future nurse policy makers. PMID:25053921

Conflict of Interest Policies for Organizations Producing a Large Number of Clinical Practice Guidelines

PubMed Central

Norris, Susan L.; Holmer, Haley K.; Burda, Brittany U.; Ogden, Lauren A.; Fu, Rongwei

2012-01-01

Background Conflict of interest (COI) of clinical practice guideline (CPG) sponsors and authors is an important potential source of bias in CPG development. The objectives of this study were to describe the COI policies for organizations currently producing a significant number of CPGs, and to determine if these policies meet 2011 Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards. Methodology/Principal Findings We identified organizations with five or more guidelines listed in the National Guideline Clearinghouse between January 1, 2009 and November 5, 2010. We obtained the COI policy for each organization from publicly accessible sources, most often the organization's website, and compared those polices to IOM standards related to COI. 37 organizations fulfilled our inclusion criteria, of which 17 (46%) had a COI policy directly related to CPGs. These COI policies varied widely with respect to types of COI addressed, from whom disclosures were collected, monetary thresholds for disclosure, approaches to management, and updating requirements. Not one organization's policy adhered to all seven of the IOM standards that were examined, and nine organizations did not meet a single one of the standards. Conclusions/Significance COI policies among organizations producing a large number of CPGs currently do not measure up to IOM standards related to COI disclosure and management. CPG developers need to make significant improvements in these policies and their implementation in order to optimize the quality and credibility of their guidelines. PMID:22629391

Social class and policy preferences: implications for economic inequality and interclass relations.

PubMed

Bullock, Heather E

2017-12-01

Record-setting levels of income and wealth inequality are deepening social class divisions. The adoption of strong progressive redistributive policies is crucial to reducing class inequities, yet many barriers to doing so exist. This review examines class-based policy preferences, focusing on the effects of economic self-interest, system justification, and classist, racist, and sexist stereotypes on policy support. The impact of broader economic conditions is also considered. Collectively, this body of research makes clear that building stronger cross-class support for redistributive policies and programs will prove difficult without addressing both class-based power differences and beliefs that justify inequality. Reducing stereotypes and developing a shared sense of societal responsibility that cuts across class lines can help advance these goals. Social psychological research is vital to informing these efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

RISKIND : an enhanced computer code for National Environmental Policy Act transportation consequence analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

The RISKIND computer program was developed for the analysis of radiological consequences and health risks to individuals and the collective population from exposures associated with the transportation of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) or other radioactive ...

Selling written-off A/R.

PubMed

Czerwinski, Robert; Friend, Peter M

2008-09-01

There are several things to consider in selling written-off A/R to a third party: Know how the purchase is being financed. Ensure the hospital has the ability to review collection policies that will be used. Arrive at a price via a sophisticated analysis of the debt, not by an arbitrary number. Insist on receiving detailed reports on collection success on an ongoing basis. Develop some type of profit-sharing arrangement.

Translating research into maternal health care policy: a qualitative case study of the use of evidence in policies for the treatment of eclampsia and pre-eclampsia in South Africa

PubMed Central

Daniels, Karen; Lewin, Simon

2008-01-01

Background Few empirical studies of research utilisation have been conducted in low and middle income countries. This paper explores how research information, in particular findings from randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews, informed policy making and clinical guideline development for the use of magnesium sulphate in the treatment of eclampsia and pre-eclampsia in South Africa. Methods A qualitative case-study approach was used to examine the policy process. This included a literature review, a policy document review, a timeline of key events and the collection and analysis of 15 interviews with policy makers and academic clinicians involved in these policy processes and sampled using a purposive approach. The data was analysed thematically and explored theoretically through the literature on agenda setting and the policy making process. Results Prior to 1994 there was no national maternal care policy in South Africa. Consequently each tertiary level institution developed its own care guidelines and these recommended a range of approaches to the management of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. The subsequent emergence of new national policies for maternal care, including for the treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, was informed by evidence from randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews. This outcome was influenced by a number of factors. The change to a democratic government in the mid 1990s, and the health reforms that followed, created opportunities for maternal health care policy development. The new government was open to academic involvement in policy making and recruited academics from local networks into key policy making positions in the National Department of Health. The local academic obstetric network, which placed high value on evidence-based practice, brought these values into the policy process and was also linked strongly to international evidence based medicine networks. Within this context of openness to policy development, local researchers acted as policy entrepreneurs, bringing attention to priority health issues, and to the use of research evidence in addressing these. This resulted in the new national maternity care guidelines being informed by evidence from randomised controlled trials and recommending explicitly the use of magnesium sulphate for the management of eclampsia. Conclusion Networks of researchers were important not only in using research information to shape policy but also in placing issues on the policy agenda. A policy context which created a window of opportunity for new research-informed policy development was also crucial. PMID:19091083

Adapted intervention mapping: a strategic planning process for increasing physical activity and healthy eating opportunities in schools via environment and policy change.

PubMed

Belansky, Elaine S; Cutforth, Nick; Chavez, Robert; Crane, Lori A; Waters, Emily; Marshall, Julie A

2013-03-01

School environment and policy changes have increased healthy eating and physical activity; however, there has been modest success in translating research findings to practice. The School Environment Project tested whether an adapted version of Intervention Mapping (AIM) resulted in school change. Using a pair randomized design, 10 rural elementary schools were assigned to AIM or the School Health Index (SHI). Baseline measures were collected fall 2005, AIM was conducted 2005-2006, and follow-up measures were collected fall 2006 and 2007. Outcome measures included number and type of effective environment and policy changes implemented; process measures included the extent to which 11 implementation steps were used. AIM schools made an average of 4.4 effective changes per school with 90% still in place a year later. SHI schools made an average of 0.6 effective changes with 66% in place a year later. Implementation steps distinguishing AIM from SHI included use of external, trained facilitators; principal involvement; explicitly stating the student behavior goals; identifying effective environment and policy changes; prioritizing potential changes based on importance and feasibility; and developing an action plan. The AIM process led to environment and policy changes known to increase healthy eating and physical activity. © 2013, American School Health Association.

Leadership lessons in global nursing and health from the Nightingale Letter Collection at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

PubMed

Harper, Doreen C; Davey, Kimberly S; Fordham, Pamela N

2014-03-01

This article analyzes the components of Florence Nightingale's visionary leadership for global health and nursing within the historical context of Great Britain's colonization of India. The descriptive study used the qualitative approach of narrative analysis to analyze selected letters in the Nightingale Letter Collection at the University of Alabama at Birmingham that Nightingale wrote to or about Dr. Thomas Gillham Hewlett, a physician and health officer in Bombay, India. The authors sought to increase understanding of Nightingale's visionary leadership for global nursing and health through a study of the form and content of the letters analyzed as temporally contextualized data, focusing on how the narratives are composed and what is conveyed. Several recurring themes central to Nightingale's leadership on global nursing and health emerge throughout these letters, including health and sanitation reform, collaborative partnerships, data-driven policy development, and advocacy for public health. These themes are illustrated through her letters to and testimony about Dr. Thomas Gillham Hewlett in her vivid descriptions of health education and promotion, data-driven policy documents, public health and sanitation advice, and collaboration with citizens, medicine, policy makers, and governments to improve the health and welfare of the people of India. The focus on leadership in nursing as a global construct highlights the lessons learned from University of Alabama at Birmingham's Nightingale Letter Collection that has relevance for the future of nursing and health care, particularly Nightingale's collaboration with policy leaders, her analysis of data to set policy agendas, and public health reform centered on improving the health and well-being of underserved populations.

Public humanization policies: integrative literature review.

PubMed

Moreira, Márcia Adriana Dias Meirelles; Lustosa, Abdon Moreira; Dutra, Fernando; Barros, Eveline de Oliveira; Batista, Jaqueline Brito Vidal; Duarte, Marcella Costa Souto

2015-10-01

The study aimed to investigate the scientific literature on Public Humanization Policies, available in online periodicals, from 2009 to 2012, in the health field. This is an integrative literature review conducted in the Virtual Health Library databases: Latin-America and Caribbean Health Sciences (Lilacs) and the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and Portal Capes. Data were collected in July 2013. To this end, the following Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) were used: "Humanization of Care," "Public Policies," "National Humanization Policy". The sample consisted of 27 articles about the investigated theme. From the publications selected for the research, three categories emerged according to their respective approaches: National Human-ization Policy: history and processes involved in its implementation; National Humanization Policy: health professionals contribution; Humanization and in the care process. The study showed that the National Humanization Policy is an important benchmark in the development of health practices. For this reason, there is a pressing multiplication of related reflections on ways to promote human-ization in health services.

32 CFR 268.3 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Department of Defense (Continued) OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTING AND REPORTING OF FOREIGN INDEBTEDNESS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE § 268.3 Policy. It is the policy of the Department of Defense that timely and aggressive collection efforts will be conducted to assure that foreign...

New Directions in U.S. Foreign Assistance and New Roles for Anthropologists. Studies in Third World Societies, Publication Number Forty-Four.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, John P., Ed.; Clark, Mari H., Ed.

Given recent developments throughout the world, the status of U.S. foreign assistance policies is uncertain. This document is a collection of papers whose authors, all anthropologists concerned with developing nations, critically examine new directions in development assistance in the 1990s. The papers include an introduction (M. Clark; J. Mason);…

41 CFR 105-64.103 - What is GSA's policy on collecting and using information in a system of records?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ADMINISTRATION Regional Offices-General Services Administration 64-GSA PRIVACY ACT RULES 64.1-Policies and Responsibilities § 105-64.103 What is GSA's policy on collecting and using information in a system of records... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What is GSA's policy on...

41 CFR 105-64.103 - What is GSA's policy on collecting and using information in a system of records?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION Regional Offices-General Services Administration 64-GSA PRIVACY ACT RULES 64.1-Policies and Responsibilities § 105-64.103 What is GSA's policy on collecting and using information in a system of records... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What is GSA's policy on...

The International Criminal Court’s First Years: Stumbling Toward Justice

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-20

person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control... current U.S. policy of engagement with the ICC and Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the RS provides the best opportunity for continued development...credibility and relevance of the court was sorely tested. The current U.S. policy of engagement with the ICC and Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to

Information systems for mental health in six low and middle income countries: cross country situation analysis.

PubMed

Upadhaya, Nawaraj; Jordans, Mark J D; Abdulmalik, Jibril; Ahuja, Shalini; Alem, Atalay; Hanlon, Charlotte; Kigozi, Fred; Kizza, Dorothy; Lund, Crick; Semrau, Maya; Shidhaye, Rahul; Thornicroft, Graham; Komproe, Ivan H; Gureje, Oye

2016-01-01

Research on information systems for mental health in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce. As a result, there is a lack of reliable information on mental health service needs, treatment coverage and the quality of services provided. With the aim of informing the development and implementation of a mental health information sub-system that includes reliable and measurable indicators on mental health within the Health Management Information Systems (HMIS), a cross-country situation analysis of HMIS was conducted in six LMICs (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda), participating in the 'Emerging mental health systems in low and middle income countries' (Emerald) research programme. A situation analysis tool was developed to obtain and chart information from documents in the public domain. In circumstances when information was inadequate, key government officials were contacted to verify the data collected. In this paper we compare the baseline policy context, human resources situation as well as the processes and mechanisms of collecting, verifying, reporting and disseminating mental health related HMIS data. The findings suggest that countries face substantial policy, human resource and health governance challenges for mental health HMIS, many of which are common across sites. In particular, the specific policies and plans for the governance and implementation of mental health data collection, reporting and dissemination are absent. Across sites there is inadequate infrastructure, few HMIS experts, and inadequate technical support and supervision to junior staff, particularly in the area of mental health. Nonetheless there are also strengths in existing HMIS where a few mental health morbidity, mortality, and system level indicators are collected and reported. Our study indicates the need for greater technical and resources input to strengthen routine HMIS and develop standardized HMIS indicators for mental health, focusing in particular on indicators of coverage and quality to facilitate the implementation of the WHO mental health action plan 2013-2020.

75 FR 43974 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Procedures for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions (Renewal); EPA ICR No. 2243.06... National Environmental Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental Effects Abroad of EPA Actions (Renewal... ``Procedures for Implementing the National Environmental Policy Act and Assessing the Environmental Effects...

The Impact of Collective Bargaining on School Management and Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Douglas E.; And Others

1981-01-01

One-year study of policy effects of collective bargaining in eight Illinois and California school districts found both sides' emotional commitment to bargaining positions, conflict over security and autonomy, and bargaining styles generated policy changes. Available from American Journal of Education, University of Chicago Press, 5801 South Ellis…

78 FR 32276 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Notice of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

... information collection request (ICR) revision titled, ``Notice of Issuance of Insurance Policy,'' Form CM-921...)(D). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Notice of Issuance of Insurance Policy, Form CM-921, provides... for OMB Review; Comment Request; Notice of Issuance of Insurance Policy ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The...

The Quality Improvement Demonstration Study: An example of evidence-based policy-making in practice

PubMed Central

Shimkhada, Riti; Peabody, John W; Quimbo, Stella A; Solon, Orville

2008-01-01

Background Randomized trials have long been the gold-standard for evaluating clinical practice. There is growing recognition that rigorous studies are similarly needed to assess the effects of policy. However, these studies are rarely conducted. We report on the Quality Improvement Demonstration Study (QIDS), an example of a large randomized policy experiment, introduced and conducted in a scientific manner to evaluate the impact of large-scale governmental policy interventions. Methods In 1999 the Philippine government proposed sweeping reforms in the National Health Sector Reform Agenda. We recognized the unique opportunity to conduct a social experiment. Our ongoing goal has been to generate results that inform health policy. Early on we concentrated on developing a multi-institutional collaborative effort. The QIDS team then developed hypotheses that specifically evaluated the impact of two policy reforms on both the delivery of care and long-term health status in children. We formed an experimental design by randomizing matched blocks of three communities into one of the two policy interventions plus a control group. Based on the reform agenda, one arm of the experiment provided expanded insurance coverage for children; the other introduced performance-based payments to hospitals and physicians. Data were collected in household, hospital-based patient exit, and facility surveys, as well as clinical vignettes, which were used to assess physician practice. Delivery of services and health status were evaluated at baseline and after the interventions were put in place using difference-in-difference estimation. Results We found and addressed numerous challenges conducting this study, namely: formalizing the experimental design using the existing health infrastructure; securing funding to do research coincident with the policy reforms; recognizing biases and designing the study to account for these; putting in place a broad data collection effort to account for unanticipated findings; introducing sustainable policy interventions based on the reform agenda; and providing results in real-time to policy makers through a combination of venues. Conclusion QIDS demonstrates that a large, prospective, randomized controlled policy experiment can be successfully implemented at a national level as part of sectoral reform. While we believe policy experiments should be used to generate evidence-based health policy, to do this requires opportunity and trust, strong collaborative relationships, and timing. This study nurtures the growing attitude that translation of scientific findings from the bedside to the community can be done successfully and that we should raise the bar on project evaluation and the policy-making process. PMID:18364050

A review of obesity-themed policy briefs.

PubMed

Dodson, Elizabeth A; Eyler, Amy A; Chalifour, Stephanie; Wintrode, Christopher G

2012-09-01

Policy approaches are one of the most promising population-based means of addressing the epidemic of obesity in the U.S., especially as they create supportive environments for healthy living. Policy briefs can be an effective means of disseminating research information to inform obesity prevention efforts; however, they are often ineffective because of length, density, and inaccessibility. The purposes of this project were to identify a collection of obesity-related policy briefs, analyze the content, and make recommendations for model policy briefs. In 2010, online searching strategies were developed with criteria that included a primary topical focus on obesity, written between 2000 and 2010, targeting any population age group, including a policy-change message, and being readily available online. The research team developed a coding tool and used it to analyze briefs. A subsample of the briefs was used for further analysis on dissemination. Analyses were conducted on 100 briefs. Most (72%) were developed between 2005 and 2010; the average length was five pages. The majority had no tables, few figures, and only 36% included photos. The average reading level was high. A lack of monitoring or evaluating dissemination efforts prevailed. Policy briefs represent an effective, often-preferred, potent tool for public health practitioners and researchers to communicate information to policymakers. Recommendations include presenting information clearly, using a concise format, including design elements, noting reference and contact information, employing active and targeted dissemination efforts, and conducting evaluation. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Systems Science for Caribbean Health: the development and piloting of a model for guiding policy on diabetes in the Caribbean.

PubMed

Guariguata, L; Guell, C; Samuels, T A; Rouwette, E A J A; Woodcock, J; Hambleton, I R; Unwin, N

2016-10-26

Diabetes is highly prevalent in the Caribbean, associated with a high morbidity and mortality and is a recognised threat to economic and social development. Heads of Government in the Caribbean Community came together in 2007 and declared their commitment to reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes, by calling for a multi-sectoral, systemic response. To facilitate the development of effective policies, policymakers are being engaged in the development and use of a system dynamics (SD) model of diabetes for Caribbean countries. Previous work on a diabetes SD model from the United States of America (USA) is being adapted to a local context for three countries in the region using input from stakeholders, a review of existing qualitative and quantitative data, and collection of new qualitative data. Three country models will be developed using one-on-one stakeholder engagement and iterative revision. An inter-country model will also be developed following a model-building workshop. Models will be compared to each other and to the USA model. The inter-country model will be used to simulate policies identified as priorities by stakeholders and to develop targets for prevention and control. The model and model-building process will be evaluated by stakeholders and a manual developed for use in other high-burden developing regions. SD has been applied with success for health policy development in high-income country settings. The utility of SD in developing countries as an aid to policy decision-making related to NCDs has not been tested. This study represents the first of its kind.

Knowledge exchange systems for youth health and chronic disease prevention: a tri-provincial case study.

PubMed

Murnaghan, D; Morrison, W; Griffith, E J; Bell, B L; Duffley, L A; McGarry, K; Manske, S

2013-09-01

The research teams undertook a case study design using a common analytical framework to investigate three provincial (Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Manitoba) knowledge exchange systems. These three knowledge exchange systems seek to generate and enhance the use of evidence in policy development, program planning and evaluation to improve youth health and chronic disease prevention. We applied a case study design to explore the lessons learned, that is, key conditions or processes contributing to the development of knowledge exchange capacity, using a multi-data collection method to gain an in-depth understanding. Data management, synthesis and analysis activities were concurrent, iterative and ongoing. The lessons learned were organized into seven "clusters." Key findings demonstrated that knowledge exchange is a complex process requiring champions, collaborative partnerships, regional readiness and the adaptation of knowledge exchange to diverse stakeholders. Overall, knowledge exchange systems can increase the capacity to exchange and use evidence by moving beyond collecting and reporting data. Areas of influence included development of new partnerships, expanded knowledge-sharing activities, and refinement of policy and practice approaches related to youth health and chronic disease prevention.

Incidence and severity of phlebitis in patients receiving peripherally infused amiodarone.

PubMed

Boyce, Brenda A Brady; Yee, Barbara Homer

2012-08-01

Nurses noted that the rate of phlebitis was high when intravenous amiodarone was infused via a peripheral site. Hospital policy recommends a central vascular catheter, but this method is often not feasible because the drug is administered in emergent situations for short periods. To determine the rate and severity of phlebitis in patients given peripherally infused amiodarone. The literature, policy, and procedures for administration of amiodarone were reviewed; the pharmacy was consulted; and a data collection tool was developed. The tool was pilot tested and revised, and face validation was established. Data were collected during a 6-month period. A convenience sample was used. The study included a total of 12 patients. Each new infusion of intravenous amiodarone was considered a separate occurrence, for a total of 24 infusions. Various grades of phlebitis developed in 8 patients (67%). Phlebitis developed at 12 of the 24 infusion sites (50%). Patients receiving peripherally infused amiodarone are at high risk for phlebitis. This complication may lead to infection, additional medical intervention, delay in treatment, and prolonged hospitalization.

Perspectives on global nursing leadership: international experiences from the field.

PubMed

Buckner, E B; Anderson, D J; Garzon, N; Hafsteinsdóttir, T B; Lai, C K Y; Roshan, R

2014-12-01

Nursing leaders from six countries engaged in a year-long discussion on global leadership development. The purpose of these dialogues was to strengthen individual and collective capacity as nursing leaders in a global society. Field experiences in practice and education were shared. Perspectives on global leadership can strengthen nurses' contributions to practice, workplace and policy issues worldwide. Transformational leadership empowers nurses' increasing confidence. Mentoring is needed to stimulate leadership development but this is lacking in many settings where nurses practice, teach and influence policy. Organizations with global mission provide opportunity for nurses' professional growth in leadership through international dialogues. Dialogues among participants were held monthly by conference calls or videoconferences. Example stories from each participant illustrated nursing leadership in action. From these exemplars, concepts were chosen to create a framework. Emerging perspectives and leadership themes represented all contexts of practice, education, research and policy. The cultural context of each country was reflected in the examples. Themes emerged that crossed global regions and countries. Themes were creativity, change, collaboration, community, context and courage. Relationships initially formed in professional organizations can be extended to intentionally facilitate global nursing leadership development. Exemplars from the dialogues demonstrated nursing leadership in health policy development within each cultural context. Recommendations are given for infrastructure development in organizations to enhance future collaborations. © 2014 International Council of Nurses.

Development of the National Health Information Systems in Botswana: Pitfalls, prospects and lessons.

PubMed

Seitio-Kgokgwe, Onalenna; Gauld, Robin D C; Hill, Philip C; Barnett, Pauline

2015-01-01

Studies evaluating development of health information systems in developing countries are limited. Most of the available studies are based on pilot projects or cross-sectional studies. We took a longitudinal approach to analysing the development of Botswana's health information systems. We aimed to: (i) trace the development of the national health information systems in Botswana (ii) identify pitfalls during development and prospects that could be maximized to strengthen the system; and (iii) draw lessons for Botswana and other countries working on establishing or improving their health information systems. This article is based on data collected through document analysis and key informant interviews with policy makers, senior managers and staff of the Ministry of Health and senior officers from various stakeholder organizations. Lack of central coordination, weak leadership, weak policy and regulatory frameworks, and inadequate resources limited development of the national health information systems in Botswana. Lack of attention to issues of organizational structure is one of the major pitfalls. The ongoing reorganization of the Ministry of Health provides opportunity to reposition the health information system function. The current efforts including development of the health information management policy and plan could enhance the health information management system.

Alexandra Masaitis, UNR NV, USA. PhD Grad St. Principles of Adoption of the Successful Environmental Policies and Practices Used in Developed Countries into the Russian Mining Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masaitis, A.

2012-12-01

The successful implementation of the environmental policies in the mining industry is of a paramount importance, as it not only prevents both local and trans-border pollution but also guarantees a clean and healthy environment for the people regardless of their place of habitation. It is especially important to encourage the progress of the environmental policy implementation in less regulated countries such as the Russia because such countries have resource-oriented economy based on development of nonrenewable resources. Poor environmental practices in such countries will lead to local environmental crises that could eventually spill into surrounding countries including the most economically advanced. This abstract is a summary of a two-year research project attempted (1) to determine deficiencies of the Russian mining sector ecological policies and (2) to suggest substitute policies from developed countries that could be adapted to the Russian reality. The following research methods were used: 1. The method of the system analysis, where the system is an interaction of the sets of environmental policies; 2. The comparative method of inquiry, 3. Quantitative data analysis, where data was collected from "The collection of statistic data", the US EPA open reports, and the USGS Reports; 4. Review of the Norilsk Nickel Company annual reports. The following results were obtained: Identified the systemic crisis of the ecological environmental policies in the Russian mining sector based on the development of nonrenewable resources, in the absence of the ecological interest by the mining companies that lack mechanisms of environmental and public health protection, the lack of insurance policy, the lack of risk assessment, and in the presence of the audit and monitoring that do not address the local conditions. Based on the above, the following concepts were thought of to improve the environmental conditions in the Russian mining sector: 1. Was developed the Regional Environmental Management principle based on the local conditions; 2. Devised were criteria for the risk assessment for mining operations in Russia. Where the fundamental principals were public health, environmental and biodiversity impact, long- and short- term rehabilitation plans, compliance with international standards and norms. Every criterion has grade level of probability that directly affects quarterly fees. 3. Developed was the mechanism of the economic motivation to make mining operations "environmentally friendly" that includes defrayal of expenses from both direct and indirect damages. 4. Identified were spheres of possible cooperation between mining companies, government organizations, and the NGOs. These include development of standards for Good Neighbor Agreement, exchange of environmental information, international exchange of successful environmental, health, and safety practices. The study showed the necessity for the Russian Federation mining industry to adopt the more successful environmental policies and practices used in developed countries. To achieve this goal the Regional Environmental Management principle, the risk assessment criteria, the mechanism of the economic motivation, and the principles for international cooperation can play an extremely important role.

APPLYING INSIGHTS FROM BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS TO POLICY DESIGN

PubMed Central

Madrian, Brigitte C.

2014-01-01

The premise of this article is that an understanding of psychology and other social science disciplines can inform the effectiveness of the economic tools traditionally deployed in carrying out the functions of government, which include remedying market failures, redistributing income, and collecting tax revenue. An understanding of psychology can also lead to the development of different policy tools that better motivate desired behavior change or that are more cost-effective than traditional policy tools. The article outlines a framework for thinking about the psychology of behavior change in the context of market failures. It then describes the research on the effects of a variety of interventions rooted in an understanding of psychology that have policy-relevant applications. The article concludes by discussing how an understanding of psychology can also inform the use and design of traditional policy tools for behavior change, such as financial incentives. PMID:25520759

76 FR 70748 - Proposed Information Collection; Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-15

...-FXES11170900000-B3] Proposed Information Collection; Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making... under the ESA. The Policy for Evaluation of Conservation Efforts When Making Listing Decisions (PECE... contributes to forming a basis for making a decision about the listing of a species. PECE applies to...

77 FR 74481 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Final Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-14

... comments request. Form Title: EIB 99-17 Enhanced Assignment of Policy Proceeds. SUMMARY: The Export-Import... the policy proceeds. The form is typically part of the documentation required by financial institution... require Ex-Im Bank insurance policies to support lender financing. The form can be viewed at www.exim.gov...

75 FR 39055 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-07

... Section 274(b) of the Atomic Energy Act, are utilized in part by the NRC in preparing responses to... policy development. A copy of the final supporting statement may be viewed free of charge at the NRC...

Languages in Schools: From Complacency to Conviction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, David, Ed.

This collection of essays gives an overview of recent trends and developments in second language instruction, particularly in the context of British education. Contents include: "From Complacency to Conviction: Thirty Years of Language Teaching Theory, Practice, and Policy" (David Phillips); "Lessons from the Graded Objectives…

Sharing Practice through Socratic Seminars

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangrum, Jennifer R.

2010-01-01

Developing systems and opportunities for effective dialogue is critical if schools wish to help teachers work collectively. One school used Socratic seminars, structured conversations about selected texts. These seminars helped teachers to build relationships, share practice, and change curriculum and policy. The seminars also were critical to…

Untying the Gordian knot: policies, practices, and ethical issues related to banking of umbilical cord blood

PubMed Central

Kurtzberg, Joanne; Lyerly, Anne Drapkin; Sugarman, Jeremy

2005-01-01

Since the first successful transplantation of umbilical cord blood in 1988, cord blood has become an important source of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells for the treatment of blood and genetic disorders. Significant progress has been accompanied by challenges for scientists, ethicists, and health policy makers. With the recent recognition of the need for a national system for the collection, banking, distribution, and use of cord blood and the increasing focus on cord blood as an alternative to embryos as a source of tissue for regenerative medicine, cord blood has garnered significant attention. We review the development of cord blood banking and transplantation and then discuss the scientific and ethical issues influencing both established and investigational practices surrounding cord blood collection, banking, and use. PMID:16200191

Advancing Apprentices: Developing Progression Routes into Higher Education through the Development of a Pilot Higher Level Apprenticeship Scheme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Angela; McAndrew, Jackie

2008-01-01

This paper outlines research undertaken at a Northern UK university in partnership with a local further education college. The research was underpinned by reference to national policies, government strategies and the findings of others in the field, and involved the collection and analysis of interview and questionnaire data from apprentices and…

Protecting health care workers from tuberculosis in China: a review of policy and practice in China and the United States.

PubMed

Chai, Shua J; Mattingly, Daniel C; Varma, Jay K

2013-01-01

Tuberculosis causes >1.7 million deaths worldwide each year and is frequently transmitted in hospitals. Outbreaks of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis have led to illness and death among health care workers (HCWs) in many countries. Some countries, such as the United States, implemented occupational health policies that substantially reduced tuberculosis rates among HCWs. Inadequate tuberculosis infection control in China may contribute to its high burden of tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, which are both the second highest worldwide. Occupational health policies in China for tuberculosis control can be strengthened. We reviewed the development and content of tuberculosis infection control policies in the United States and China. Sources included published academic literature, Chinese Ministry of Health policies, US government agency reports, legal databases, personal observations of hospitals, review of internet discussion sites, and discussions with HCWs and health care and law experts. In the United States, slow acceptance of the tuberculosis problem in HCWs resulted in decades of inaction. Tuberculosis infection control policies, based mostly on expert opinion, were implemented only after tuberculosis resurged in the 1980s. Effective evidence-based policies were developed only after multiple cycles of policy implementation, evaluation and revision. These policies have now substantially reduced occupational tuberculosis. In China, tuberculosis has not been formally recognized as an occupational disease, and data regarding the burden in HCWs are sparse. Vagueness of current labour laws and suboptimal alignment of infection control authority and expertise result in varied and sometimes absent protection of HCWs against tuberculosis. Formal evaluations of occupational tuberculosis policies have not been reported. By collecting data on its current HCW tuberculosis burden and infection control practices, refining policies, continually evaluating its policies based on accumulated evidence and rapidly identifying unsuspected tuberculosis cases, China can develop a more comprehensive strategy to ensure the health of HCWs and reduce transmission of tuberculosis and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Work-life policies for faculty at the top ten medical schools.

PubMed

Bristol, Mirar N; Abbuhl, Stephanie; Cappola, Anne R; Sonnad, Seema S

2008-10-01

There exists a growing consensus that career flexibility is critical to recruiting and retaining talented faculty, especially women faculty. This study was designed to determine both accessibility and content of work-life policies for faculty at leading medical schools in the United States. The sample includes the top ten medical schools in the United States published by U.S. News and World Report in August 2006. We followed a standardized protocol to collect seven work-life policies at each school: maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, extension of the probationary period for family responsibilities, part-time faculty appointments, job sharing, and child care. A review of information provided on school websites was followed by e-mail or phone contact if needed. A rating system of 0-3 (low to high flexibility) developed by the authors was applied to these policies. Rating reflected flexibility and existing opinions in published literature. Policies were often difficult to access. Individual scores ranged from 7 to 15 out of a possible 21 points. Extension of the probationary period received the highest cumulative score across schools, and job sharing received the lowest cumulative score. For each policy, there were important differences among schools. Work-life policies showed considerable variation across schools. Policy information is difficult to access, often requiring multiple sources. Institutions that develop flexible work-life policies that are widely promoted, implemented, monitored, and reassessed are likely at an advantage in attracting and retaining faculty while advancing institutional excellence.

Health policy in the concertación era (1990-2010): Reforms the chilean way.

PubMed

Martinez-Gutierrez, María Soledad; Cuadrado, Cristóbal

2017-06-01

The Chilean health system has experienced important transformations in the last decades with a neoliberal turn to privatization of the health insurance and healthcare market since the Pinochet reforms of the 1980s. During 20 years of center-left political coalition governments several reforms were attempted to regulate and reform such markets. This paper analyzes regulatory policies for the private health insurance and health care delivery market, adopted during the 1990-2010 period. A framework of variation in market types developed by Gingrich is adopted as analytical perspective. The set of policies advanced in this period could be expected to shift the responsibility of access to care from individuals to the collective and give control to the State or the consumers vis a vis producers. Nevertheless, the effect of the implemented reforms has been mixed. Regulations on private health insurers were ineffective in terms of shifting power to the consumer or the state. In contrast, the healthcare delivery market showed a trend of increasing payers' and consumers' control and the set of implemented reforms partially steered the market toward collective responsibility of access by creating a submarket of guaranteed services (AUGE) with lower copayments and fully funded services. Emerging unintended consequences of the adopted policies and potential explanations are discussed. In sum, attempts to use regulation to improve the collective dimension of the Chilean health system has enabled some progress, but several challenges had persisted. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A National Framework for Energy Audit Ordinances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, Cody; Costa, Marc; Long, Nicholas

A handful of U.S. cities have begun to incorporate energy audits into their building energy performance policies. Cities are beginning to recognize an opportunity to use several information tools to bring to real estate markets both motivation to improve efficiency and actionable pointers on how to improve. Care is necessary to combine such tools as operational ratings, energy audits, asset ratings, and building retro-commissioning in an effective policy regime that maximizes market impact. In this paper, the authors focus on energy audits and consider both the needs of the policies' implementers in local governments and the emerging standards and federalmore » tools to improve data collection and practitioner engagement. Over the past two years, we have compared several related data formats such as New York City's existing audit reporting spreadsheet, ASHRAE guidance on building energy auditing, and the DOE Building Energy Asset Score, to identify a possible set of required and optional fields for energy audit reporting programs. Doing so revealed tensions between the ease of data collection and the value of more detailed information, which had implications for the effort and qualifications needed to complete the energy audit. The resulting list of data fields is now feeding back into the regulatory process in several cities currently working on implementing or developing audit policies. Using complementary policies and standardized tools for data transmission, the next generation of policies and programs will be tailored to local building stock and can more effectively target improvement opportunities through each building's life.« less

Knowledge integration in One Health policy formulation, implementation and evaluation

PubMed Central

Esposito, Roberto; Canali, Massimo; Aragrande, Maurizio; Häsler, Barbara; Rüegg, Simon R

2018-01-01

Abstract The One Health concept covers the interrelationship between human, animal and environmental health and requires multistakeholder collaboration across many cultural, disciplinary, institutional and sectoral boundaries. Yet, the implementation of the One Health approach appears hampered by shortcomings in the global framework for health governance. Knowledge integration approaches, at all stages of policy development, could help to address these shortcomings. The identification of key objectives, the resolving of trade-offs and the creation of a common vision and a common direction can be supported by multicriteria analyses. Evidence-based decision-making and transformation of observations into narratives detailing how situations emerge and might unfold in the future can be achieved by systems thinking. Finally, transdisciplinary approaches can be used both to improve the effectiveness of existing systems and to develop novel networks for collective action. To strengthen One Health governance, we propose that knowledge integration becomes a key feature of all stages in the development of related policies. We suggest several ways in which such integration could be promoted. PMID:29531420

Post-disaster resettlement, development and change: a case study of the 1990 Manjil earthquake in Iran.

PubMed

Badri, S Ali; Asgary, Ali; Eftekhari, A R; Levy, Jason

2006-12-01

Planned and involuntary resettlement after natural disasters has been a major policy in post-disaster reconstruction in developing countries over the past few decades. Studies show that resettlement can result in significant adverse impacts on the resettled population. Conversely, a well-planned and managed resettlement process can produce positive long-term development outcomes. This article presents the results of a case study undertaken 11 years after the 1990 Manjil earthquake in Iran. During the reconstruction period, a policy of involuntary planned resettlement was pursued extensively. The socioeconomic changes that occurred as a consequence of this policy of involuntary resettlement are analysed. Data were collected via a questionnaire survey that involved a sample of 194 relocated households (grouped into a settlement that later became a town). The paper shows that relocated families face difficult socioeconomic challenges after relocation and regrouping. This is especially true with respect to employment, income, the empowerment of women and lifestyle issues.

Knowledge integration in One Health policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.

PubMed

Hitziger, Martin; Esposito, Roberto; Canali, Massimo; Aragrande, Maurizio; Häsler, Barbara; Rüegg, Simon R

2018-03-01

The One Health concept covers the interrelationship between human, animal and environmental health and requires multistakeholder collaboration across many cultural, disciplinary, institutional and sectoral boundaries. Yet, the implementation of the One Health approach appears hampered by shortcomings in the global framework for health governance. Knowledge integration approaches, at all stages of policy development, could help to address these shortcomings. The identification of key objectives, the resolving of trade-offs and the creation of a common vision and a common direction can be supported by multicriteria analyses. Evidence-based decision-making and transformation of observations into narratives detailing how situations emerge and might unfold in the future can be achieved by systems thinking. Finally, transdisciplinary approaches can be used both to improve the effectiveness of existing systems and to develop novel networks for collective action. To strengthen One Health governance, we propose that knowledge integration becomes a key feature of all stages in the development of related policies. We suggest several ways in which such integration could be promoted.

Developing a typology for local cattle breed farmers in Europe.

PubMed

Soini, K; Diaz, C; Gandini, G; de Haas, Y; Lilja, T; Martin-Collado, D; Pizzi, F; Hiemstra, S J

2012-12-01

Recognizing cultural diversity among local breed farmers is crucial for the successful development and implementation of farm animal genetic resources FAnGr conservation policies and programmes. In this study based on survey data collected in the EUropean REgional CAttle breeds project from six European countries, a typology of local breed farmers was designed and profiles for each of the farmer types were developed to assist these policy needs. Three main farmer types were constructed: production-oriented, product and service-oriented and hobby-oriented farmers. In addition, seven subtypes were characterized under the main types: sustainable producers, opportunists, multi-users, brand makers, traditionalists, pragmatists and newcomers. These types have many similarities to the 'productivist', 'multifunctional' and 'post-productivist' farmer types. The typology not only reveals the high level of diversity among local cattle breed farmers in Europe, which presents an opportunity for the in situ conservation of animal genetic resources, but also a challenge for policy to meet the differing requirements of the farmer types. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Determination of water environment standards based on water quality criteria in China: Limitations and feasibilities.

PubMed

Wang, Tieyu; Zhou, Yunqiao; Bi, Cencen; Lu, Yonglong; He, Guizhen; Giesy, John P

2017-07-01

There is a need to formulate water environment standards (WESs) from the current water quality criteria (WQC) in China. To this end, we briefly summarize typical mechanisms applied in several countries with longer histories of developing WESs, and three limitations to formulating WESs in China were identified. After analyzing the feasibility factors including economic development, scientific support capability and environmental policies, we realized that China is still not ready for a complete change from its current nation-wide unified WES system to a local-standard-based system. Thus, we proposed a framework for transformation from WQC to WESs in China. The framework consists of three parts, including responsibilities, processes and policies. The responsibilities include research authorization, development of guidelines, and collection of information, at both national and local levels; the processes include four steps and an impact factor system to establish water quality standards; and the policies include seven specific proposals. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Framing obesity in UK policy from the Blair years, 1997-2015: the persistence of individualistic approaches despite overwhelming evidence of societal and economic factors, and the need for collective responsibility.

PubMed

Ulijaszek, Stanley J; McLennan, Amy K

2016-05-01

Since 1997, and despite several political changes, obesity policy in the UK has overwhelmingly framed obesity as a problem of individual responsibility. Reports, policies and interventions have emphasized that it is the responsibility of individual consumers to make personal changes to reduce obesity. The Foresight Report 'Tackling Obesities: Future Choices' (2007) attempted to reframe obesity as a complex problem that required multiple sites of intervention well beyond the range of personal responsibility. This framing formed the basis for policy and coincided with increasing acknowledgement of the complex nature of obesity in obesity research. Yet policy and interventions developed following Foresight, such as the Change4Life social marketing campaign, targeted individual consumer behaviour. With the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government of 2011, intervention shifted to corporate and individual responsibility, making corporations voluntarily responsible for motivating individual consumers to change. This article examines shifts in the framing of obesity from a problem of individual responsibility, towards collective responsibility, and back to the individual in UK government reports, policies and interventions between 1997 and 2015. We show that UK obesity policies reflect the landscape of policymakers, advisors, political pressures and values, as much as, if not more than, the landscape of evidence. The view that the individual should be the central site for obesity prevention and intervention has remained central to the political framing of population-level obesity, despite strong evidence contrary to this. Power dynamics in obesity governance processes have remained unchallenged by the UK government, and individualistic framing of obesity policy continues to offer the path of least resistance. © 2016 World Obesity.

76 FR 12823 - Enhanced Collection of Relevant Data and Statistics Relating to Women

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

... greater understanding of policies and programs. Preparation of this report revealed the vast data... Collection of Relevant Data and Statistics Relating to Women Memorandum for the Heads of Executive... accompanying website collection of relevant data, will assist Government officials in crafting policies in...

78 FR 73546 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-06

... made to the ``Key Informant Interview Questions'' for clarification purposes. Form Number: CMS-10487... Annual Responses: 56; Total Annual Hours: 1,568. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact...: 15,613,299. (For policy questions regarding this collection contact Raelene Perfetto at 410- 786-6876...

Human biomonitoring in Israel: Recent results and lessons learned.

PubMed

Berman, Tamar; Goldsmith, Rebecca; Levine, Hagai; Grotto, Itamar

2017-03-01

The use of human biomonitoring (HBM) as a tool for environmental health policy and research is developing rapidly in Israel. Despite challenges in securing political and financial support for HBM, the Ministry of Health has initiated national HBM studies and has utilized HBM data in environmental health policy decision making. Currently, the Ministry of Health is collecting urine samples from children and adults in the framework of the National Health and Nutrition Study (MABAT), with the goal of ongoing surveillance of population exposure to pesticides and environmental tobacco smoke, and of combining HBM data with data on diet and health behavior. In academic research studies in Israel, biomarkers are used increasingly in environmental epidemiology, including in three active birth cohort studies on adverse health effects of phthalates, brominated flame retardants, and organophosphate pesticides. Future Ministry of Health goals include establishing HBM analytical capabilities, developing a long term national HBM plan for Israel and participating in the proposed HBM4EU project in order to improve data harmonization. One of the lessons learned in Israel is that even in the absence of a formal HBM program, it is possible to collect meaningful HBM data and use it in an ad hoc fashion to support environmental health policy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Identifying mechanisms for facilitating knowledge to action strategies targeting the built environment.

PubMed

Fazli, Ghazal S; Creatore, Maria I; Matheson, Flora I; Guilcher, Sara; Kaufman-Shriqui, Vered; Manson, Heather; Johns, Ashley; Booth, Gillian L

2017-01-03

In recent years, obesity-related diseases have been on the rise globally resulting in major challenges for health systems and society as a whole. Emerging research in population health suggests that interventions targeting the built environment may help reduce the burden of obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, translation of the evidence on the built environment into effective policy and planning changes requires engagement and collaboration between multiple sectors and government agencies for designing neighborhoods that are more conducive to healthy and active living. In this study, we identified knowledge gaps and other barriers to evidence-based decision-making and policy development related to the built environment; as well as the infrastructure, processes, and mechanisms needed to drive policy changes in this area. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis of data collected through consultations with a broad group of stakeholders (N = 42) from Southern Ontario, Canada, within various sectors (public health, urban planning, and transportation) and levels of government (federal, provincial, and municipalities). Relevant themes were classified based on the specific phase of the knowledge-to-action cycle (research, translation, and implementation) in which they were most closely aligned. We identified 5 themes including: 1) the need for policy-informed and actionable research (e.g. health economic analyses and policy evaluations); 2) impactful messaging that targets all relevant sectors to create the political will necessary to drive policy change; 3) common measures and tools to increase capacity for monitoring and surveillance of built environment changes; (4) intersectoral collaboration and alignment within and between levels of government to enable collective actions and provide mechanisms for sharing of resources and expertise, (5) aligning public and private sector priorities to generate public demand and support for community action; and, (6) solution-focused implementation of research that will be tailored to meet the needs of policymakers and planners. Additional research priorities and key policy and planning actions were also noted. Our research highlights the necessity of involving stakeholders in identifying inter-sectoral solutions to develop and translate actionable research on the built environment into effective policy and planning initiatives.

The process of changing national malaria treatment policy: lessons from country-level studies.

PubMed

Williams, Holly Ann; Durrheim, David; Shretta, Rima

2004-11-01

Widespread resistance of Plasmodium falciparum parasites to commonly used antimalarials, such as chloroquine, has resulted in many endemic countries considering changing their malaria treatment policy. Identifying and understanding the key influences that affect decision-making, and factors that facilitate or undermine policy implementation, is critical for improving the policy process and guiding resource allocation during this process. A historical review of archival documents from Malaŵi and data obtained from in-depth policy studies in four countries (Tanzania, South Africa, Kenya and Peru) that have changed malaria treatment policy provides important lessons about decision-making, the policy cycle and complex policy environment, while specifically identifying strategies successfully employed to facilitate policy-making and implementation. Findings from these country-level studies indicate that the process of malaria drug policy review should be institutionalized in endemic countries and based on systematically collected data. Key stakeholders need to be identified early and engaged in the process, while improved communication is needed on all levels. Although malaria drug policy change is often perceived to be a daunting task, using these and other proven strategies should assist endemic countries to tackle this challenge in a systematic fashion that ensures the development and implementation of the rational malaria drug policy.

Protocol: A grounded theory of ‘recovery’—perspectives of adolescent users of mental health services

PubMed Central

Palmquist, Lucianne; Patterson, Sue; O'Donovan, Analise; Bradley, Graham

2017-01-01

Introduction Policies internationally endorse the recovery paradigm as the appropriate foundation for youth mental health services. However, given that this paradigm is grounded in the views of adults with severe mental illness, applicability to youth services and relevance to young people is uncertain, particularly as little is known about young people’s views. A comprehensive understanding of the experiences and expectations of young people is critical to developing youth mental health services that are acceptable, accessible, effective and relevant. Aim To inform development of policy and youth services, the study described in this protocol aims to develop a comprehensive account of the experiences and expectations of 12–17 year olds as they encounter mental disorders and transition through specialist mental health services. Data will be analysed to model recovery from the adolescents’ perspective. Method and analysis This grounded theory study will use quantitative and qualitative data collected in interviews with 12–17 year olds engaged with specialist Child/Youth Mental Health Service in Queensland, Australia. Interviews will explore adolescents’ expectations and experiences of mental disorder, and of services, as they transition through specialist mental health services, including the meaning of their experiences and ideas of ‘recovery’ and how their experiences and expectations are shaped. Data collection and analysis will use grounded theory methods. Ethics and dissemination Adolescents’ experiences will be presented as a mid-range theory. The research will provide tangible recommendations for youth-focused mental health policy and practice. Findings will be disseminated within academic literature and beyond to participants, health professionals, mental health advocacy groups and policy and decision makers via publications, research summaries, conferences and workshops targeting different audiences. Ethical and research governance approvals have been obtained from relevant Human Research Ethics committees and all sites involved. PMID:28729312

Cultural competency assessment tool for hospitals: evaluating hospitals' adherence to the culturally and linguistically appropriate services standards.

PubMed

Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Dreachslin, Janice L; Brown, Julie; Pradhan, Rohit; Rubin, Kelly L; Schiller, Cameron; Hays, Ron D

2012-01-01

The U.S. national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in health care provide guidelines on policies and practices aimed at developing culturally competent systems of care. The Cultural Competency Assessment Tool for Hospitals (CCATH) was developed as an organizational tool to assess adherence to the CLAS standards. First, we describe the development of the CCATH and estimate the reliability and validity of the CCATH measures. Second, we discuss the managerial implications of the CCATH as an organizational tool to assess cultural competency. We pilot tested an initial draft of the CCATH, revised it based on a focus group and cognitive interviews, and then administered it in a field test with a sample of California hospitals. The reliability and validity of the CCATH were evaluated using factor analysis, analysis of variance, and Cronbach's alphas. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified 12 CCATH composites: leadership and strategic planning, data collection on inpatient population, data collection on service area, performance management systems and quality improvement, human resources practices, diversity training, community representation, availability of interpreter services, interpreter services policies, quality of interpreter services, translation of written materials, and clinical cultural competency practices. All the CCATH scales had internal consistency reliability of .65 or above, and the reliability was .70 or above for 9 of the 12 scales. Analysis of variance results showed that not-for-profit hospitals have higher CCATH scores than for-profit hospitals in five CCATH scales and higher CCATH scores than government hospitals in two CCATH scales. The CCATH showed adequate psychometric properties. Managers and policy makers can use the CCATH as a tool to evaluate hospital performance in cultural competency and identify and target improvements in hospital policies and practices that undergird the provision of CLAS.

Sex work and modes of self-employment in the informal economy: diverse business practices and constraints to effective working.

PubMed

Pitcher, Jane

2015-01-01

This article draws on research with adult sex workers in indoor settings in Great Britain to explore diverse forms of self-employment, employment relationships and small business development, set within the context of changes to the wider economy. It considers how external constraints such as the legal context, social stigma and dominant policy discourses can impact on sex workers' autonomy and actively work against their safety and wellbeing. The article argues that broad policy and legal approaches which fail to recognise the complexity of sex work constrain sex workers' opportunities for business development and improvement of their working circumstances. It suggests the need for recognition of sex work as legitimate labour, as a prerequisite for policy changes to support sex workers and pave the way for improved working conditions, not only in managed settings but also facilitating collective arrangements and independent lone working.

4 CFR 83.7 - GAO policy and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... management objectives as required by statute, GAO internal directive, or formal agreements between GAO and... may develop in the future. Both Government-wide and internal agency personnel records shall contain... another party; (3) There is virtually no risk that information collected from other parties, if inaccurate...

Introduction to the Educational Sciences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mialaret, G.; And Others

This volume looks at the comparative study of educational policies, issues, and problems covering developments in education worldwide. Some educators define education as an applied art that attempts to use scientific approaches. This collection of articles presents the European viewpoint, in which scholars consider key elements in the study of…

Factors Influencing Successful Student Outcomes between Transfer and Native Populations in a Postsecondary Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinney, Tina Molero

2012-01-01

Institutions of higher education have experienced increased scrutiny. Legislative and policy developments rapidly impact institutional accountability and student access. While various accountability measures are available to assess institutional quality and student success, information currently collected is not sufficient for a broader…

Universal Child Immunization by 1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandl, P. E., Ed.

1985-01-01

The present volume endeavors to highlight the deeper significance and broader implications for development theory, policy and practice of the realization of the movement toward universal child immunization by 1990 (UCI-1990). Simultaneously, the volume collects and analyzes the most significant findings and experiences of the movement since 1984.…

The Role of Research-Oriented Universities in School Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nur, Mary Morison

1986-01-01

The interdisciplinary school-university partnership based at Stanford University is establishing a database for developing educational policy. The following features are discussed: (1) historical perspective; (2) data collection/feedback process and its contribution to the linking of researcher and practitioner on a national basis; (3) lessons…

4 CFR 83.7 - GAO policy and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) In addition to following the above security requirements, managers of automated personnel records... may develop in the future. Both Government-wide and internal agency personnel records shall contain... whether to collect the data from the individual concerned or a third party are: (1) The nature of the...

4 CFR 83.7 - GAO policy and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...) In addition to following the above security requirements, managers of automated personnel records... may develop in the future. Both Government-wide and internal agency personnel records shall contain... whether to collect the data from the individual concerned or a third party are: (1) The nature of the...

4 CFR 83.7 - GAO policy and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) In addition to following the above security requirements, managers of automated personnel records... may develop in the future. Both Government-wide and internal agency personnel records shall contain... whether to collect the data from the individual concerned or a third party are: (1) The nature of the...

4 CFR 83.7 - GAO policy and requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) In addition to following the above security requirements, managers of automated personnel records... may develop in the future. Both Government-wide and internal agency personnel records shall contain... whether to collect the data from the individual concerned or a third party are: (1) The nature of the...

Some Common and Unique Features of Special Education in the Nordic Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juul, Kristen D.

1989-01-01

Similarities in special education services in the five Scandinavian countries include their normalization philosophy and cooperative policy development. Among unique Scandinavian innovations are camp schools, folk high schools, toy libraries (lekoteks), therapeutic communities or collectives for young substance abuses, and measures to combat…

Media Advocacy. Technical Assistance Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Join Together, Boston, MA.

Media advocacy is an environmental strategy that can be used to support alcohol and other drug prevention and policy development efforts. It helps shift the focus from understanding public health issues as individual problems to understanding them as social conditions that require collective behavior changes. Successful media advocacy uses the…

Professional Practice Schools: Building a Model. Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levine, Marsha, Ed.

This collection of papers addresses three important aspects of professional practice schools: student learning, teacher development, and implementation issues related to collaboration among institutions and state policy environment. The first paper, "The Child as Meaning Maker: The Organizing Theme of Professional Practice Schools" (Ellen M.…

76 FR 32217 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-03

... for an indepth understanding of individuals' attitudes, beliefs, motivations, and feelings. The... develop messages and other communications but will generally conduct further research before making important decisions, such as adopting new policies and allocating or redirecting significant resources to...

20/20 Vision: The Development of a National Information Infrastructure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (DOC), Washington, DC.

After the publication of the Clinton Administration's "The National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action," a group of telecommunication specialists were asked to evaluate the proposals in order to broaden the policy discussion concerning the National Information Infrastructure (NII). This collection contains their visions of the…

Distributed Saturation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Ming-Ying; Ciardo, Gianfranco; Siminiceanu, Radu I.

2007-01-01

The Saturation algorithm for symbolic state-space generation, has been a recent break-through in the exhaustive veri cation of complex systems, in particular globally-asyn- chronous/locally-synchronous systems. The algorithm uses a very compact Multiway Decision Diagram (MDD) encoding for states and the fastest symbolic exploration algo- rithm to date. The distributed version of Saturation uses the overall memory available on a network of workstations (NOW) to efficiently spread the memory load during the highly irregular exploration. A crucial factor in limiting the memory consumption during the symbolic state-space generation is the ability to perform garbage collection to free up the memory occupied by dead nodes. However, garbage collection over a NOW requires a nontrivial communication overhead. In addition, operation cache policies become critical while analyzing large-scale systems using the symbolic approach. In this technical report, we develop a garbage collection scheme and several operation cache policies to help on solving extremely complex systems. Experiments show that our schemes improve the performance of the original distributed implementation, SmArTNow, in terms of time and memory efficiency.

Turning the tide: national policy approaches to increasing physical activity in seven European countries.

PubMed

Bull, Fiona; Milton, Karen; Kahlmeier, Sonja; Arlotti, Alberto; Juričan, Andrea Backović; Belander, Olov; Martin, Brian; Martin-Diener, Eva; Marques, Ana; Mota, Jorge; Vasankari, Tommi; Vlasveld, Anita

2015-06-01

Physical inactivity is one of the four leading behavioural risk factors for non-communicable disease (NCD). Like tobacco control, increasing levels of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) will require a national policy framework providing direction and a clear set of actions. Despite frequent calls, there has been insufficient progress on policy development in the majority of countries around the world. This study sought and summarised national HEPA policy in seven European countries (Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Switzerland). Data collection used a policy audit tool (PAT), a 27-item instrument structured into four sections. All countries reported some legislation or policy across the sectors of education, sport and health. Only some countries reported supportive policy in the transport and environment sectors. Five countries reported a stand-alone HEPA policy and six countries reported national recommendations. HEPA prevalence targets varied in magnitude and specificity and the presence of other relevant goals from different sectors highlighted the opportunity for joint action. Evaluation and the use of scientific evidence were endorsed but described as weak in practice. Only two countries reported a national multisector coordinating committee and most countries reported challenges with partnerships on different levels of policy implementation. Bringing together the key components for success within a national HEPA policy framework is not simple. This in-depth policy audit and country comparison highlighted similarities and differences and revealed new opportunities for consideration by other countries. These examples can inform countries within and beyond Europe and guide the development of national HEPA policy within the NCD prevention agenda. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Policy analysis and advocacy in nursing education: the Nursing Education Council of British Columbia framework.

PubMed

Duncan, Susan M; Thorne, Sally; Van Neste-Kenny, Jocelyne; Tate, Betty

2012-05-01

Academic nursing leaders play a crucial role in the policy context for nursing education. Effectiveness in this role requires that they work together in presenting nursing education issues from a position of strength, informed by a critical analysis of policy pertaining to the delivery of quality nursing education and scholarship. We describe a collective process of dialog and critical analysis whereby nurse leaders in one Canadian province addressed pressing policy issues facing governments, nursing programs, faculty, and students. Consensus among academic nurse leaders, formalized through the development of a policy action framework, has enabled us to take a stand, at times highly contested, in the politicized arena of the nursing shortage. We present the components of a policy action framework for nursing education and share examples of how we have used a critical approach to analyze and frame policy issues in nursing education for inclusion on policy agendas. We believe our work has influenced provincial and national thinking about policy in nursing education is the foundation of our conclusion that political presence and shared strategy among academic nursing leaders is undeniably critical in the global context of nursing today. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Information for mental health systems: an instrument for policy-making and system service quality.

PubMed

Lora, A; Lesage, A; Pathare, S; Levav, I

2017-08-01

Information is crucial in mental healthcare, yet it remains undervalued by stakeholders. Its absence undermines rationality in planning, makes it difficult to monitor service quality improvement, impedes accountability and human rights monitoring. For international organizations (e.g., WHO, OECD), information is indispensable for achieving better outcomes in mental health policies, services and programs. This article reviews the importance of developing system level information with reference to inputs, processes and outputs, analyzes available tools for collecting and summarizing information, highlights the various goals of information gathering, discusses implementation issues and charts the way forward. Relevant publications and research were consulted, including WHO studies that purport to promote the use of information systems to upgrade mental health care in high- and low-middle income countries. Studies have shown that once information has been collected by relevant systems and analyzed through indicator schemes, it can be put to many uses. Monitoring mental health services, represents a first step in using information. In addition, studies have noted that information is a prime resource in many other areas such as evaluation of quality of care against evidence based standards of care. Services data may support health services research where it is possible to link mental health data with other health and non-health databases. Information systems are required to carefully monitor involuntary admissions, restrain and seclusion, to reduce human rights violations in care facilities. Information has been also found useful for policy makers, to monitor the implementation of policies, to evaluate their impact, to rationally allocate funding and to create new financing models. Despite its manifold applications, Information systems currently face many problems such as incomplete recording, poor data quality, lack of timely reporting and feedback, and limited application of information. Corrective action is needed to upgrade data collection in outpatient facilities, to improve data quality, to establish clear rules and norms, to access adequate information technology equipment and to train health care personnel in data collection. Moreover, it is necessary to shift from mere administrative data collection to analysis, dissemination and use by relevant stakeholders and to develop a "culture of information" to dismantle the culture of intuition and mere tradition. Clinical directors, mental health managers, patient and family representatives, as well as politicians should be educated to operate with information and not just intuition.

Role of local government in responding to environmental health challenges: a case study of Chungnam.

PubMed

Myung, Hyung-Nam; Lee, Hoo-Young

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to introduce the establishment process, policy target, and projects for "Chungnam's master plan on environmental health policy (2017-2020)" as the local government's role in addressing local environmental health challenges. We first analyzed existing studies and social issues on the media related to "Chungnam's master plan" to understand Chungnam's environmental health status and discussed domestic and international policy trends and related plans. An environmental health perception questionnaire survey and a Delphi expert questionnaire survey were conducted among provincial residents to collect various actors' opinions on Chungnam's environmental health issues and policy. An expert advisory panel was launched, and a residents' voice workshop and cities-and-guns-policy-suggestion workshop were held. The vision of Chungnam's environmental health policy is minimizing environmental hazards. We finally selected "Pleasant environment, healthy people, happy Chungnam" to represent the will to shape a pleasant environment and prevent and manage health damages for a happy Chungnam. We selected five strategies based on status analysis and a review of domestic and international policy trends and related plans and identified 2 targets (policy objectives) to accomplish the strategies. The strategies to achieve the first target, "Leader in environmental health policy: Chungnam," include 'Empowering active provincial capabilities,' 'Setting up province-specific systems for environmental health surveys and research,' and 'Preventing and managing newly emerging pollutants.' The strategies for the second target, "Everyone is healthy: Chungnam," include 'Relieving health inequalities among vulnerable regions and residents' and 'Enlarging the resident-friendly environmental health policy.' We developed 29 projects in total, according to these strategies. The establishment of "Chungnam's master plan" is highly valuable; we developed it through discussion involving diverse actors to address environmental health challenges together. It is necessary to continue to strengthen participation, communication, and cooperation among actors to develop an environmental health policy model for the future.

Electronic reserves: copyright and permissions

PubMed Central

Graves, Karen J.

2000-01-01

Electronic reserves present a new service option for libraries to provide needed materials during hours that the library is not open and to user groups located some distance from library collections. Possible changes to current copyright law and publishers permissions policies have delayed the development of electronic reserves in many libraries. This paper reviews the current state of electronic reserves materials in the publishing and library communities and presents the results of a survey of publishers to determine permissions policies for electronic materials. Issues of concern to both libraries and publishers are discussed. PMID:10658960

Overcoming obstacles to implementation: addressing political, institutional and behavioral problems in earthquake hazard mitigation policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alesch, Daniel J.; Petak, William J.

2002-06-01

This project is aimed at bridging the three planes, from basic research, through enabling processes, to engineered systems. At the basic research plane, we have been working to improve our collective understanding about obstacles to implementing mitigation practices, owner decision processes (in connection with other MCEER projects), and public policy processes. At the level of enabling processes, we have been seeking to develop an understanding of how obstacles to greater mitigation can be overcome by improved policy design and processes. At the engineered systems plane, our work is intended to result in practical guidelines for devising policies and programs with appropriate motivation and incentives for implementing policies and programs once adopted. This phase of the research has been aimed, first, at a thorough, multidisciplinary review of the literature concerning obstacles to implementation. Second, the research has focused on advancing the state of the art by developing means for integrating the insights offered by diverse perspectives on the implementation process from the several social, behavioral, and decision sciences. The research establishes a basis for testing our understanding of these processes in the case of hospital retrofit decisions.

Understanding bicycling in cities using system dynamics modelling.

PubMed

Macmillan, Alexandra; Woodcock, James

2017-12-01

Increasing urban bicycling has established net benefits for human and environmental health. Questions remain about which policies are needed and in what order, to achieve an increase in cycling while avoiding negative consequences. Novel ways of considering cycling policy are needed, bringing together expertise across policy, community and research to develop a shared understanding of the dynamically complex cycling system. In this paper we use a collaborative learning process to develop a dynamic causal model of urban cycling to develop consensus about the nature and order of policies needed in different cycling contexts to optimise outcomes. We used participatory system dynamics modelling to develop causal loop diagrams (CLDs) of cycling in three contrasting contexts: Auckland, London and Nijmegen. We combined qualitative interviews and workshops to develop the CLDs. We used the three CLDs to compare and contrast influences on cycling at different points on a "cycling trajectory" and drew out policy insights. The three CLDs consisted of feedback loops dynamically influencing cycling, with significant overlap between the three diagrams. Common reinforcing patterns emerged: growing numbers of people cycling lifts political will to improve the environment; cycling safety in numbers drives further growth; and more cycling can lead to normalisation across the population. By contrast, limits to growth varied as cycling increases. In Auckland and London, real and perceived danger was considered the main limit, with added barriers to normalisation in London. Cycling congestion and "market saturation" were important in the Netherlands. A generalisable, dynamic causal theory for urban cycling enables a more ordered set of policy recommendations for different cities on a cycling trajectory. Participation meant the collective knowledge of cycling stakeholders was represented and triangulated with research evidence. Extending this research to further cities, especially in low-middle income countries, would enhance generalizability of the CLDs.

75 FR 56540 - Office of Governmentwide Policy: Submission for OMB Review; Information Collection, Real Property...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-16

... of Governmentwide Policy: Submission for OMB Review; Information Collection, Real Property Status... (GSA). ACTION: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request and Final Notice of the Real Property Status... will be able to utilize a new standard form to collect information on the status of real property under...

Verbal autopsy in health policy and systems: a literature review

PubMed Central

Balabanova, Dina

2018-01-01

Introduction Estimates suggest that one in two deaths go unrecorded globally every year in terms of medical causes, with the majority occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This can be related to low investment in civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems. Verbal autopsy (VA) is a method that enables identification of cause of death where no other routine systems are in place and where many people die at home. Considering the utility of VA as a pragmatic, interim solution to the lack of functional CRVS, this review aimed to examine the use of VA to inform health policy and systems improvements. Methods A literature review was conducted including papers published between 2010 and 2017 according to a systematic search strategy. Inclusion of papers and data extraction were assessed by three reviewers. Thereafter, thematic analysis and narrative synthesis were conducted in which evidence was critically examined and key themes were identified. Results Twenty-six papers applying VA to inform health policy and systems developments were selected, including studies in 15 LMICs in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. The majority of studies applied VA in surveillance sites or programmes actively engaging with decision makers and governments in different ways and to different degrees. In the papers reviewed, the value of continuous collection of cause of death data, supplemented by social and community-based investigations and underpinned by electronic data innovations, to establish a robust and reliable evidence base for health policies and programmes was clearly recognised. Conclusion VA has considerable potential to inform policy, planning and measurement of progress towards goals and targets. Working collaboratively at sub-national, national and international levels facilitates data collection, aggregation and dissemination linked to routine information systems. When used in partnerships between researchers and authorities, VA can help to close critical information gaps and guide policy development, implementation, evaluation and investment in health systems. PMID:29736271

Verbal autopsy in health policy and systems: a literature review.

PubMed

Thomas, Lisa-Marie; D'Ambruoso, Lucia; Balabanova, Dina

2018-01-01

Estimates suggest that one in two deaths go unrecorded globally every year in terms of medical causes, with the majority occurring in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This can be related to low investment in civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems. Verbal autopsy (VA) is a method that enables identification of cause of death where no other routine systems are in place and where many people die at home. Considering the utility of VA as a pragmatic, interim solution to the lack of functional CRVS, this review aimed to examine the use of VA to inform health policy and systems improvements. A literature review was conducted including papers published between 2010 and 2017 according to a systematic search strategy. Inclusion of papers and data extraction were assessed by three reviewers. Thereafter, thematic analysis and narrative synthesis were conducted in which evidence was critically examined and key themes were identified. Twenty-six papers applying VA to inform health policy and systems developments were selected, including studies in 15 LMICs in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America. The majority of studies applied VA in surveillance sites or programmes actively engaging with decision makers and governments in different ways and to different degrees. In the papers reviewed, the value of continuous collection of cause of death data, supplemented by social and community-based investigations and underpinned by electronic data innovations, to establish a robust and reliable evidence base for health policies and programmes was clearly recognised. VA has considerable potential to inform policy, planning and measurement of progress towards goals and targets. Working collaboratively at sub-national, national and international levels facilitates data collection, aggregation and dissemination linked to routine information systems. When used in partnerships between researchers and authorities, VA can help to close critical information gaps and guide policy development, implementation, evaluation and investment in health systems.

Observations of the role of science in the United States medical cannabis state policies: Lessons learnt.

PubMed

Grbic, Jelica; Goddard, Perilou; Ryder, David

2017-04-01

Clinical trials have shown cannabis to be effective in the treatment of some medical conditions and there is mounting public and political pressure to enact laws enabling the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. To date, 28 United States (U.S.) states and the District of Columbia have enacted medical cannabis laws. This study sought to identify the main issues pertaining to the development of medical cannabis laws in the U.S, including the role of scientific evidence. Data were collected from three groups of participants: government officials, lobbyists and medical professionals involved in the medical cannabis debate in five selected states in the U.S.; researchers from the same five states conducting funded research in the alcohol and other drugs field; and members of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Six major themes emerged in relation to the factors influencing policy: scientific evidence plays a limited role in the development of policy; the available research is limited and mixed; there is a need for clearer communication and active dissemination of evidence to policy makers; researchers need to consider what research is likely to impact on policy; scientific evidence is not a major factor in policy development; and there is a need to consider evidence within a political context. Researchers need to be aware of the political context in which medical cannabis laws are or are not enacted and consider ways in which research findings can achieve a higher profile within this context. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Establishing a Commercial Buildings Energy Data Framework for India: A Comprehensive Look at Data Collection Approaches, Use Cases and Institutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Iyer, Maithili; Kumar, Satish; Mathew, Sangeeta

Enhancing energy efficiency of the commercial building stock is an important aspect of any national energy policy. Understanding how buildings use energy is critical to formulating any new policy that may impact energy use, underscoring the importance of credible data. Data enables informed decision making and good quality data is essential for policy makers to prioritize energy saving strategies and track implementation. Given the uniqueness of the buildings sector and challenges to collecting relevant energy data, this study characterizes various elements involved in pertinent data collection and management, with the specific focus on well-defined data requirements, appropriate methodologies and processes,more » feasible data collection mechanisms, and approaches to institutionalizing the collection process. This report starts with a comprehensive review of available examples of energy data collection frameworks for buildings across different countries. The review covers the U.S. experience in the commercial buildings sector, the European experience in the buildings sector and other data collection initiatives in Singapore and China to capture the more systematic efforts in Asia in the commercial sector. To provide context, the review includes a summary and status of disparate efforts in India to collect and use commercial building energy data. Using this review as a key input, the study developed a data collection framework for India with specific consideration to relevant use cases. Continuing with the framework for data collection, this study outlines the key performance indicators applicable to the use cases and their collection feasibility, as well as immediate priorities of the participating stakeholders. It also discusses potential considerations for data collection and the possible approaches for survey design. With the specific purpose of laying out the possible ways to structure and organize data collection institutionally, the study collates existing mechanisms to analyze building energy performance in India and opportunities for standardizing data collection. This report describes the existing capacities and resources for establishing an institutional framework for data collection, the legislation and mandates that support such activity, and identifies roles and responsibilities of the relevant ministries and organizations. Finally, the study presents conclusions and identifies two major data collection strategies within the existing legal framework.« less

77 FR 10756 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Opinions and Perspectives About the Current Blood Donation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-23

... Request; Opinions and Perspectives About the Current Blood Donation Policy for Men Who Have Sex With Men... Collection: Title: Opinions and Perspectives about the Current Blood Donation Policy for Men Who Have Sex... current policy for blood donation in the U.S. with respect to men who have sex with men (MSM) is that any...

School Smoking Policy Characteristics and Individual Perceptions of the School Tobacco Context: Are They Linked to Students' Smoking Status?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabiston, Catherine M.; Lovato, Chris Y.; Ahmed, Rashid; Pullman, Allison W.; Hadd, Valerie; Campbell, H. Sharon; Nykiforuk, Candace; Brown, K. Stephen

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore individual- and school-level policy characteristics on student smoking behavior using an ecological perspective. Participants were 24,213 (51% female) Grade 10-11 students from 81 schools in five Canadian provinces. Data were collected using student self-report surveys, written policies collected from…

National laboratory policies and plans in sub-Saharan African countries: gaps and opportunities

PubMed Central

van der Broek, Ankie; Jansen, Christel; de Bruijn, Hilde; Schultsz, Constance

2017-01-01

Background The 2008 Maputo Declaration calls for the development of dedicated national laboratory policies and strategic plans supporting the enhancement of laboratory services in response to the long-lasting relegation of medical laboratory systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Objectives This study describes the extent to which laboratories are addressed in the national health policies and plans created directly following the 2008 momentum for laboratory strengthening. Method National health policies and plans from 39 sub-Saharan African countries, valid throughout and beyond 31 December 2010 were collected in March 2012 and analysed during 2013. Results Laboratories were addressed by all countries. Human resources were the most addressed topic (38/39) and finances and budget were the least addressed (< 5/39). Countries lagging behind in national laboratory strategic planning at the end of 2013 (17/39) were more likely to be francophone countries located in West-Central Africa (13/17) and have historically low HIV prevalence. The most common gaps anticipated to compromise the implementation of the policies and plans were the disconnect between policies and plans, under-developed finance sections and monitoring and evaluating frameworks, absence of points of reference to define gaps and shortages, and inappropriate governance structure. Conclusion The availability of laboratory policy and plan implementation can be improved by strictly applying a more standardised methodology for policy development, using harmonised norms to set targets for improvement and intensifying the establishment of directorates of laboratory services directly under the authority of Ministries of Health. Horizontal programmes such as the Global Health Security Agenda could provide the necessary impulse to take the least advanced countries on board. PMID:28879152

Policy entrepreneurs and structural influence in integrated community case management policymaking in Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Policy entrepreneurs are individuals who attempt to influence the policy process and its outcomes through their opportunistic or incremental actions. Their success in the policy-making process has been associated with the convergence of four factors: behavioural traits; institutional factors; network position and political capital. Policy entrepreneurs have received little study in low- and middle-income country policy research despite observations of individualized decision-making, informal institutions and the unequal distribution and exercise of power in policymaking. This article aims to identify whether policy entrepreneurs were present in the policy process around integrated community case management (iCCM) in Burkina Faso, whether they were successful in achieving policy change, and whether success or failure can be explained using existing policy entrepreneur frameworks from high-income polities. This mixed methods policy study collected data from in-depth qualitative interviews and social network surveys of actors involved in iCCM policymaking [known locally as C-integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI)]; data were analysed based on the framework categories. Interview data pointed to one key individual who played a significant role in the inclusion of pneumonia treatment into the country’s iCCM policy, an issue that had been a point of contention between government policy elites and development partners. Social network data confirmed that this actor was strategically located in the policy network to be able to reach the most other actors and to be able to control the flow of information. Although some development partner actors were as strategically located, none had the same level of authority or trust as was imbued by being a member of the government civil service. The entrepreneur’s mid-level rank in the health ministry may have encouraged him/her to invest political capital and take risks that would not have been feasible or attractive to a more senior actor. This study highlights the convergence of factors needed to be an entrepreneur, as well as the role of development partner actors in creating a facilitating environment. PMID:26516150

Policy entrepreneurs and structural influence in integrated community case management policymaking in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Shearer, Jessica C

2015-12-01

Policy entrepreneurs are individuals who attempt to influence the policy process and its outcomes through their opportunistic or incremental actions. Their success in the policy-making process has been associated with the convergence of four factors: behavioural traits; institutional factors; network position and political capital. Policy entrepreneurs have received little study in low- and middle-income country policy research despite observations of individualized decision-making, informal institutions and the unequal distribution and exercise of power in policymaking. This article aims to identify whether policy entrepreneurs were present in the policy process around integrated community case management (iCCM) in Burkina Faso, whether they were successful in achieving policy change, and whether success or failure can be explained using existing policy entrepreneur frameworks from high-income polities. This mixed methods policy study collected data from in-depth qualitative interviews and social network surveys of actors involved in iCCM policymaking [known locally as C-integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI)]; data were analysed based on the framework categories. Interview data pointed to one key individual who played a significant role in the inclusion of pneumonia treatment into the country's iCCM policy, an issue that had been a point of contention between government policy elites and development partners. Social network data confirmed that this actor was strategically located in the policy network to be able to reach the most other actors and to be able to control the flow of information. Although some development partner actors were as strategically located, none had the same level of authority or trust as was imbued by being a member of the government civil service. The entrepreneur's mid-level rank in the health ministry may have encouraged him/her to invest political capital and take risks that would not have been feasible or attractive to a more senior actor. This study highlights the convergence of factors needed to be an entrepreneur, as well as the role of development partner actors in creating a facilitating environment. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

An Analysis of the Extent of Social Inclusion and Equity Consideration in Malawi’s National HIV and AIDS Policy Review Process

PubMed Central

Chinyama, Mathews Junior; MacLachlan, Malcolm; McVeigh, Joanne; Huss, Tessy; Gawamadzi, Sylvester

2018-01-01

Background: Equity and social inclusion for vulnerable groups in policy development processes and resulting documents remain a challenge globally. Most often, the marginalization of vulnerable groups is overlooked in both the planning and practice of health service delivery. Such marginalization may occur because authorities deem the targeting of those who already have better access to healthcare a cheaper and easier way to achieve short-term health gains. The Government of Malawi wishes to achieve an equitable and inclusive HIV and AIDS Policy. The aim of this study is to assess the extent to which the Malawi Policy review process addressed regional and international health priorities of equity and social inclusion for vulnerable groups in the policy content and policy revision process. Methods: This research design comprised two phases. First, the content of the Malawi HIV and AIDS Policy was assessed using EquiFrame regarding its coverage of 21 Core Concepts of human rights and inclusion of 12 Vulnerable Groups. Second, the engagement of vulnerable groups in the policy process was assessed using the EquIPP matrix. For the latter, 10 interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of representatives of public sector, civil society organizations and development partners who participated in the policy revision process. Data was also collected from documented information of the policy processes. Results: Our analyses indicated that the Malawi HIV and AIDS Policy had a relatively high coverage of Core Concepts of human rights and Vulnerable Groups; although with some notable omissions. The analyses also found that reasonable steps were taken to engage and promote participation of vulnerable groups in the planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes of the HIV and AIDS Policy, although again, with some notable exceptions. This is the first study to use both EquiFrame and EquIPP as complimentary tools to assess the content and process of policy. Conclusion: While the findings indicate inclusive processes, commitment to Core Concepts of human rights and inclusion of Vulnerable Groups in relation to the Malawi HIV and AIDS Policy, the results also point to areas in which social inclusion and equity could be further strengthened. PMID:29626397

The Career Pathways Landscape: Policy, Partnership, and Association Impact in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schulte, Marthann; Custard, Holly; Cunningham, Mark; Major, Debbie; Murray, Ashley P.; Stone, Alexandria

2017-01-01

"Career pathways" is the collective term for a workforce development strategy to support workers as they transition from education into jobs. Adopted at the federal, state, and local levels, the strategy increases education, training, and learning opportunities for America's current and emerging workforce. As workers mature, career…

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A PROTOTYPE SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING SUB-HOURLY AMBIENT AEROSOL FOR CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. (R825269)

EPA Science Inventory

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

76 FR 65494 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-21

... research. To develop policies designed to promote and enhance science and technology, past trends and the... for international comparative statistics on business R&D spending. The 2011 BRDIS will continue to... been designed to augment the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) data collected by BEA. The initial attempt...

Energy Education As We Leave It. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

Since 1978, the Education Commission of the States has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Energy to: collect/disseminate information regarding federal, state, and local energy education/conservation activities; assist states in developing/implementing both energy education and school energy management policies and programs; and better…

Integrity of Practice in Lecturers' Accounts of Teaching Decisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Pat; Irving, Zoe

2005-01-01

This article draws on data collected during a funded research project on undergraduate teaching within a single discipline, social policy. Starting from observations drawn from analysis of the interview transcripts, the article develops the concept of "integrity of practice" from the literature on reflective practice and the scholarship of…

Crossing the Chasm--Introducing Flexible Learning into the Botswana Technical Education Programme: From Policy to Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Alison Mead

2009-01-01

This paper reports on a longitudinal, ethnomethodological case study of the development towards flexible delivery of the Botswana Technical Education Programme (BTEP), offered by Francistown College of Technical & Vocational Education (FCTVE). Data collection methods included documentary analysis, naturalistic participant observation, and…

77 FR 8846 - Notice of Submission for OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-15

..., Evaluation and Policy Development Type of Review: New. Title of Collection: 21st Century Community Learning Centers: Lessons Learned Guides. OMB Control Number: Pending. Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses... guides for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program that will assist the U.S...

75 FR 22357 - Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion; Agency Information Collection Activities; Current...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-28

... is to develop new and innovative technology to reach children, either directly or through their... achieving the President's Open Government Initiative and increase access to socially relevant technologies that seek to improve eating and physical activity behaviors among children. In accordance with the...

Data-Driven Decision Making in Practice: The NCAA Injury Surveillance System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klossner, David; Corlette, Jill; Agel, Julie; Marshall, Stephen W.

2009-01-01

Putting data-driven decision making into practice requires the use of consistent and reliable data that are easily accessible. The systematic collection and maintenance of accurate information is an important component in developing policy and evaluating outcomes. Since 1982, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been collecting…

Overview of Constitutional Challenges to NSA Collection Activities and Recent Developments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

acquisition of foreign intelligence information went “well beyond garden -variety law enforcement” purposes.106 Furthermore, the court found a high degree of...the affected person may challenge the lawfulness of the acquisition.”). 127 See Charlie Savage , Federal Prosecutors, in a Policy Shift, Cite

76 FR 59672 - Notice of Change In IC Docket Numbering Policy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

... comment after receipt of the Commission's submission and prior to making a decision. On December 30, 1997... incorporate public participation in the development of information collection requirements imposed on the public. To achieve this public participation, the Commission must ``provide 60-day notice in the Federal...

75 FR 65060 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-21

... documented using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Information collected in SPSS... information will be used for statistical reports for the purpose of evaluating the need for development of... . All comments received will be available for public inspection in the Office of Regulation Policy and...

78 FR 13350 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request Healthy Communities Study: How Communities Shape Children's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

... community programs and policies and their relationship to childhood obesity. The HCS is an observational... reduce childhood obesity. Furthermore, HCS results will be published in scientific journals and will be used for the development of future research initiatives targeting childhood obesity. Frequency of...

78 FR 3447 - Information Collection: Southern Alaska Sharing Network and Subsistence Study; Submitted for OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-16

... address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arlene Bajusz, Office of Policy, Regulations, and Analysis at... meeting of DOI/BOEM information needs on subsistence food harvest and sharing activities in various... gas development on subsistence food harvest and sharing activities. It investigates the resilience of...

Diversity to Inclusion: Expanding Workplace Capability Thinking around Aboriginal Career Progression

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Kaye

2015-01-01

Optimally all individuals should contribute fully to the collective spirit and human capital within the workplace, supporting and enabling the development of a mature workforce. Human resource policies endeavour to address diversity and inclusion in the workplace through a variety of methodologies including training and professional development…

E-Global Library: The Academic Campus Library Meets the Internet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heilig, Jean M.

2001-01-01

Describes e-global library, the first Internet-based virtual library designed for online students at Jones International University and that has grown into a separately licensable product. Highlights include marketing to other academic libraries, both online and traditional; fees; the e-global library model; collection development policies;…

Researching Western History: Denver Public Library Is the Place to Go.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bond, Robert

1989-01-01

Reviews the development of the Western History Department of the Denver Public Library and describes the current collection, which includes military records, manuscripts and personal papers, newspapers, photographs, and paintings. The discussion covers library policies that balance public access and preservation, financial support for the…

Education with ICT in South Korea and Chile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanchez, Jaime; Salinas, Alvaro; Harris, Jordan

2011-01-01

This article presents a linear-analytical case study on the development of ICT within the educational systems of Chile and South Korea. Through a comprehensive meta-data analysis and bibliographic review, we collected information on both educational systems and their ICT adoption policies. Key differences necessary to understand how both countries…

Results of a National Survey of Theological School Board Characteristics, Policies, and Practices. AGB Occasional Paper No. 23.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Merrill P.

1994-01-01

This survey of theological schools collected information on institutional type, board membership, board organization, governing board-president relationships, pressing issues, board development activities, and relationships with other theological schools. The survey population included 161 member institutions of the Association of Theological…

Fisheries Information Network in Indonesia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balachandran, Sarojini

During the early 1980s the Indonesian government made a policy decision to develop fisheries as an important sector of the national economy. In doing so, it recognized the need for the collection and dissemination of fisheries research information not only for the scientists themselves, but also for the ultimate transfer of technology through…

Tips and Tricks of Incorporating Industry Standards into a Library Collection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abbott, Jennifer; Sandberg, Tami

Professional literature on the incorporation of industry standards into a library collection is somewhat limited. The objective of this presentation is to discuss the intricate details of acquiring, managing, and delivering electronic industry standards to library patrons in a seamless manner. Lessons learned regarding vendor selection and license agreements will also be discussed. Results from a survey administer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will be used to analyze how collection policies can properly be developed to incorporate industry standards into a library setting. The key points of acquisition decisions, avoidance of liability issues, and cost will be addressed.

The relationship between qualified personnel and self-reported implementation of recommended physical education practices and programs in U.S. schools.

PubMed

Davis, Kristen S; Burgeson, Charlene R; Brener, Nancy D; McManus, Tim; Wechsler, Howell

2005-06-01

The authors analyzed data from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000 to assess the associations between the presence of a district physical education coordinator and district-level physical education policies and practices recommended by federal government agencies and national organizations. The authors also examined the relationship between teacher qualifications and staff development related to physical education and self-reported implementation of recommended teachingpractices. District-level data were collected by self-administered mail questionnaires from a nationally representative sample of school districts. Classroom-level data were collected by computer-assisted personal interviews with teachers of randomly selected classes in elementary schools and randomly selected required physical education courses in middle/junior high and senior high schools. Nearly two thirds (62.2%) of districts had a physical education coordinator, and those were generally more likely than other districts to report having policies and practices that corresponded with national recommendations for high-quality physical education programs. More than two thirds of teachers (66.9%) met the criteria for teacher qualifications based on their education and certification. These teachers were more likely than others to report use of certain recommended physical education teaching practices. Teachers who participated in staff development also were more likely to use recommended teaching practices in their classrooms. Using a district physical education coordinator and teachers with appropriate qualifications as well as offering staff development opportunities on physical education may enhance school physical education programs.

Understanding Collective Discontents: A Psychological Approach to Measuring Zeitgeist

PubMed Central

van der Bles, Anne Marthe; Postmes, Tom; Meijer, Rob R.

2015-01-01

Over the last decade, several countries around the world developed a collective sense of doom and gloom: Their Zeitgeist could be characterized as one of decline. Paradoxically, in some countries, such as the Netherlands, this collective discontent with society seems to exist despite high levels of individual well-being. Current psychological research informs us about why individuals would feel unduly optimistic, but does not account for a collective sense of decline. The present research develops a novel operationalization of Zeitgeist, referred to as a general factor Z. We conceptualize Zeitgeist as a collective global-level evaluation of the state (and future) of society. Three studies confirm that perceptions of the same societal problems at the personal and collective level differed strongly. Across these studies we found support for a hypothesized latent factor Z, underlying collective-level perceptions of society. This Z-factor predicted people’s interpretation of new information about society that was presented through news stories. These results provide a first step in operationalizing and (ultimately) understanding the concept of Zeitgeist: collectively shared ideas about society. Implications for policy are discussed. PMID:26114943

Using interviews to understand the assignment mechanism in a nonexperimental study: the case of eighth grade algebra.

PubMed

Rickles, Jordan H

2011-10-01

Many inquiries regarding the causal effects of policies or programs are based on research designs where the treatment assignment process is unknown, and thus valid inferences depend on tenuous assumptions about the assignment mechanism. This article draws attention to the importance of understanding the assignment mechanism in policy and program evaluation studies, and illustrates how information collected through interviews can develop a richer understanding of the assignment mechanism. Focusing on the issue of student assignment to algebra in 8th grade, I show how a preliminary data collection effort aimed at understanding the assignment mechanism is particularly beneficial in multisite observational studies in education. The findings, based on ten interviews and administrative data from a large school district, draw attention to the often ignored heterogeneity in the assignment mechanism across schools. These findings likely extend beyond the current research project in question to related educational policy issues such as ability grouping, tracking, differential course taking, and curricular intensity, as well as other social programs in which the assignment mechanism can differ across sites.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U. S. Geological Survey in Montana--1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1991-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana--1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1995-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

15 CFR 270.301 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS Collection and Preservation of Evidence; Information Created Pursuant to an Investigation; and Protection of Information § 270.301 Policy. Evidence collected and information created by Team...

15 CFR 270.301 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS Collection and Preservation of Evidence; Information Created Pursuant to an Investigation; and Protection of Information § 270.301 Policy. Evidence collected and information created by Team...

15 CFR 270.301 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS Collection and Preservation of Evidence; Information Created Pursuant to an Investigation; and Protection of Information § 270.301 Policy. Evidence collected and information created by Team...

15 CFR 270.301 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS Collection and Preservation of Evidence; Information Created Pursuant to an Investigation; and Protection of Information § 270.301 Policy. Evidence collected and information created by Team...

15 CFR 270.301 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TEAMS Collection and Preservation of Evidence; Information Created Pursuant to an Investigation; and Protection of Information § 270.301 Policy. Evidence collected and information created by Team...

A Qualitative Assessment of the Evidence Utilization for Health Policy-Making on the Basis of SUPPORT Tools in a Developing Country.

PubMed

Hasan Imani-Nasab, Mohammad; Seyedin, Hesam; Yazdizadeh, Bahareh; Majdzadeh, Reza

2017-01-08

SUPPORT tools consist of 18 articles addressing the health policy-makers so that they can learn how to make evidence-informed health policies. These tools have been particularly recommended for developing countries. The present study tries to explain the process of evidence utilization for developing policy documents in the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and to compare the findings with those of SUPPORT tools. A qualitative research was conducted, using the framework analysis approach. Participants consisted of senior managers and technicians in MoHME. Purposeful sampling was done, with a maximum variety, for the selection of research participants: individuals having at least 5 years of experience in preparing evidence-based policy documents. Face-to-face interviews were conducted for data collection. As a guideline for the interviews, 'the Utilization of Evidence in Policy-Making Organizations' procedure was used. The data were analyzed through the analysis of the framework method using MAXQDA 10 software. The participants acquired the research evidence in a topic-based form, and they were less likely to search on the basis of the evidence pyramid. To assess the quality of evidence, they did not use standard critical tools; to adapt the evidence and interventions with the local setting, they did not use the ideas and experiences of all stakeholders, and in preparing the evidence-based policy documents, they did not take into consideration the window of opportunity, did not refrain from using highly technical terms, did not write user-friendly summaries, and did not present alternative policy options. In order to develop health policies, however, they used the following innovations: attention to the financial burden of policy issues on the agenda, sensitivity analysis of the preferred policy option on the basis of technical, sociopolitical, and economic feasibility, advocacy from other scholars, using the multi-criteria decision-making models for the prioritization of policy options, implementation of policy based on the degree of readiness of policy-implementing units, and the classification of policy documents on the basis of different conditions of policy-making (urgent, short-term, and long-term). Findings showed that the process of evidence utilization in IR-MoH enjoys some innovations for the support of health policy development. The present study provides IR-MoH with considerable opportunities for the improvement of evidence-informed health policy-making. Moreover, the SUPPORT process and tools are recommended to be used in developing countries. © 2017 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

77 FR 74512 - Interim Policy Leasing for Renewable Energy Data Collection Facility on the Outer Continental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-14

... Policy Leasing for Renewable Energy Data Collection Facility on the Outer Continental Shelf off the Coast..., tribes, local governments, and the public in the preparation of an EA. The EA will consider the environmental consequences associated with issuing a lease for an offshore data collection facility located on...

Peer, professional, and public: an analysis of the drugs policy advocacy community in Europe.

PubMed

O'Gorman, Aileen; Quigley, Eoghan; Zobel, Frank; Moore, Kerri

2014-09-01

In recent decades a range of advocacy organisations have emerged on the drugs policy landscape seeking to shape the development of policy at national and international levels. This development has been facilitated by the expansion of 'democratic spaces' for civil society participation in governance fora at national and supranational level. However, little is known about these policy actors - their aims, scope, organisational structure, or the purpose of their engagement. Drug policy advocacy organisations were defined as organisations with a clearly stated aim to influence policy and which were based in Europe. Data on these organisations was collected through a systematic tri-lingual (English, French and Spanish) Internet search, supplemented by information provided by national agencies in the 28 EU member states, Norway and Turkey. In order to differentiate between the diverse range of activities, strategies and standpoints of these groups, information from the websites was used to categorise the organisations by their scope of operation, advocacy tools and policy constituencies; and by three key typologies - the type of advocacy they engaged in, their organisational type, and their advocacy objectives and orientation. The study identified over two hundred EU-based advocacy organisations (N=218) which included civil society associations, NGOs, and large-scale alliances and coalitions, operating at local, national and European levels. Three forms of advocacy emerged from the data analysis - peer, professional and public policy. These groups focused their campaigns on practice development (harm reduction or abstinence) and legislative reform (reducing or strengthening drug controls). The findings from this study provide a nuanced profile of civil society advocacy as a policy community in the drugs field; their legitimacy to represent cases, causes, social values and ideals; and their focus on both insider and outsider strategies to achieve their goals. The level of convergence and divergence in Europe in relation to policy positions on service provision ethos and drug control regulation is indicated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fostering better policy adoption and inter-disciplinary communication in healthcare: A qualitative analysis of practicing physicians’ common interests

PubMed Central

Crowley-Matoka, Megan; Collins, Jeremy D.; Chrisman, Howard B.; Milad, Magdy P.; Vogelzang, Robert L.

2017-01-01

Purpose In response to limited physician adoption of various healthcare initiatives, we sought to propose and assess a novel approach to policy development where one first characterizes diverse physician groups’ common interests, using a medical student and constructivist grounded theory. Methods In 6 months, a medical student completed 36 semi-structured interviews with interventional radiologists, gynecologists, and vascular surgeons that were systematically analyzed according to constructivist grounded theory to identifying common themes. Common drivers of clinical decision making and professional values across 3 distinct specialty groups were derived from physicians’ descriptions of their clinical decision making, stories, and concerns. Results Common drivers of clinical decision making included patient preference/benefit, experience, reimbursement, busyness/volume, and referral networks. Common values included honesty, trustworthiness, loyalty, humble service, compassion and perseverance, and practical wisdom. Although personal gains were perceived as important interests, such values were easily sacrificed for the good of patients or other non-financial interests. This balance was largely dependent on the incentives and security provided by physicians’ environments. Conclusions Using a medical student interviewer and constructivist grounded theory is a feasible means of collecting rich qualitative data to guide policy development. Healthcare administrators and medical educators should consider incorporating this methodology early in policy development to anticipate how value differences between physician groups will influence their acceptance of policies and other broad healthcare initiatives. PMID:28235088

A quality improvement programme to increase compliance with an anti-infective prescribing policy

PubMed Central

Thakkar, Kandarp; Gilchrist, Mark; Dickinson, Edward; Benn, Jonathan; Franklin, Bryony Dean; Jacklin, Ann; Adeniran, Shola; Ali, Alisha; Brannigan, Eimear; Bamford, Kathy; Lam-Chong, Kelly; Dickinson, Edward; Gilchrist, Mark; Jacklin, Ann; Lawson, Wendy; Mehta, Roopal; Newsholme, William; Rana, Ambreen; Reynolds, Sarah; Sanderson, Frances; Wei Tan, Xin; Thakkar, Kandarp; Bracey, Gemma

2011-01-01

Objectives The UK Department of Health has made recommendations on safe and appropriate prescribing of anti-infectives. In response, we reviewed our anti-infective policies to ensure they were in line with best practice. As a result, a new adult anti-infective policy was launched. To help facilitate its implementation, a quality improvement programme was established, with the aim of achieving >90% compliance with the new policy. Methods Patients under the care of the medical admissions teams who had been prescribed one or more systemic anti-infectives between January and November 2008 were included in the study. Study pharmacists collected data daily on all patients, including the anti-infective(s) prescribed and indication(s) documented on either the patient's drug prescription chart or health records. A definition of compliance was developed, which required documented indication(s) and associated anti-infectives to match the anti-infective policy. A baseline compliance level was established; we then implemented a series of interventions using the plan-do-study-act (‘PDSA’) approach to monitor and improve compliance. Three overlapping intervention phases were retrospectively identified: raising awareness; education; and weekly feedback of results in the form of run charts distributed to medical teams. Results Over the 11 month study period, compliance with the policy increased from 30% to 71%. Since 2008, we have seen the average compliance increase year-on-year to over 90% in 2010 using a sustainable once weekly data collection model. Conclusions This study shows that it is possible to use quality improvement methodology to support antimicrobial stewardship within existing resources and suggests that an improvement in policy compliance can be both achieved and sustained. PMID:21642650

WHO policy development processes for a new vaccine: case study of malaria vaccines.

PubMed

Milstien, Julie; Cárdenas, Vicky; Cheyne, James; Brooks, Alan

2010-06-24

Recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) are crucial to inform developing country decisions to use, or not, a new intervention. This article analysed the WHO policy development process to predict its course for a malaria vaccine. The decision-making processes for one malaria intervention and four vaccines were classified through (1) consultations with staff and expert advisors to WHO's Global Malaria Programme (GMP) and Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals Department (IVB); (2) analysis of the procedures and recommendations of the major policy-making bodies of these groups; (3) interviews with staff of partnerships working toward new vaccine availability; and (4) review and analyses of evidence informing key policy decisions. WHO policy formulation related to use of intermittent preventive treatment in infancy (IPTi) and the following vaccine interventions: Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (Hib), pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), rotavirus vaccine (RV), and human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV), five interventions which had relatively recently been through systematic WHO policy development processes as currently constituted, was analysed. Required information was categorized in three areas defined by a recent WHO publication on development of guidelines: safety and efficacy in relevant populations, implications for costs and population health, and localization of data to specific epidemiological situations. Data needs for a malaria vaccine include safety; the demonstration of efficacy in a range of epidemiological settings in the context of other malaria prevention interventions; and information on potential rebound in which disease increases subsequent to the intervention. In addition, a malaria vaccine would require attention to additional factors, such as costs and cost-effectiveness, supply and demand, impact of use on other interventions, and distribution issues. Although policy issues may be more complex for future vaccines, the lead-time between the date of product regulatory approval and a recommendation for its use in developing countries is decreasing. This study presents approaches to define in advance core data needs to support evidence-based decisions, to further decrease this lead-time, accelerating the availability of a malaria vaccine. Specific policy areas for which information should be collected are defined, including studying its use within the context of other malaria interventions.

RF-CLASS: A Remote-sensing-based Interoperable Web service system for Flood Crop Loss Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di, L.; Yu, G.; Kang, L.

2014-12-01

Flood is one of the worst natural disasters in the world. Flooding often causes significant crop loss over large agricultural areas in the United States. Two USDA agencies, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) and Risk Management Agency (RMA), make decisions on flood statistics, crop insurance policy, and recovery management by collecting, analyzing, reporting, and utilizing flooded crop acreage and crop loss information. NASS has the mandate to report crop loss after all flood events. RMA manages crop insurance policy and uses crop loss information to guide the creation of the crop insurance policy and the aftermath compensation. Many studies have been conducted in the recent years on monitoring floods and assessing the crop loss due to floods with remote sensing and geographic information technologies. The Remote-sensing-based Flood Crop Loss Assessment Service System (RF-CLASS), being developed with NASA and USDA support, aims to significantly improve the post-flood agricultural decision-making supports in USDA by integrating and advancing the recently developed technologies. RF-CLASS will operationally provide information to support USDA decision making activities on collecting and archiving flood acreage and duration, recording annual crop loss due to flood, assessing the crop insurance rating areas, investigating crop policy compliance, and spot checking of crop loss claims. This presentation will discuss the remote sensing and GIS based methods for deriving the needed information to support the decision making, the RF-CLASS cybersystem architecture, the standards and interoperability arrangements in the system, and the current and planned capabilities of the system.

Health policy in Asia and the Pacific: Navigating local needs and global challenges

PubMed Central

Lee, Kelley

2014-01-01

Asia and the Pacific are undergoing a remarkable economic transformation which is occurring at an exceptional pace. There is clear evidence of an equally rapid epidemiological transition in the region. This paper sets out the policy challenges of building healthy societies in the context of rapid economic change. The region’s location at the crossroads of contemporary globalization, resulting in intensified population mobility, large-scale trade and investment, and pressures to take collective action on shared problems, adds to the complexity of this task. The paper argues that health is integral to building stable and sustainable societies, and that there are opportunities to develop more holistic approaches that bring together hitherto separate policy spheres. PMID:24592312

Energy Policy Act transportation rate study: Availability of data and studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-10-13

Pursuant to Section 1340(c) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT), this report presents the Secretary of Energy`s review of data collected by the Federal Government on rates for rail and pipeline transportation of domestic coal, oil, and gas for the years 1988 through 1997, and proposals to develop an adequate data base for each of the fuels, based on the data availability review. This report also presents the Energy Information Administration`s findings regarding the extent to which any Federal agency is studying the impacts of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA90) and other Federal policies onmore » the transportation rates and distribution patterns of domestic coal, oil, and gas.« less

Human resource for health reform in peri-urban areas: a cross-sectional study of the impact of policy interventions on healthcare workers in Epworth, Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Taderera, Bernard Hope; Hendricks, Stephen James Heinrich; Pillay, Yogan

2017-12-16

The need to understand how healthcare worker reform policy interventions impact health personnel in peri-urban areas is important as it also contributes towards setting of priorities in pursuing the universal health coverage goal of health sector reform. This study explored the impact of post 2008 human resource for health reform policy interventions on healthcare workers in Epworth, a peri-urban community in Harare, Zimbabwe, and the implications towards health sector reform policy in peri-urban areas. The study design was exploratory and cross-sectional and involved the use of qualitative and quantitative methods in data collection, presentation, and analysis. A qualitative study in which data were collected through a documentary search, five key informant interviews, seven in-depth interviews, and five focus group discussions was carried out first. This was followed by a quantitative study in which data were collected through a documentary search and 87 semi-structured sample interviews with healthcare workers. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically whilst descriptive statistics were used to examine quantitative data. All data were integrated during analysis to ensure comprehensive, reliable, and valid analysis of the dataset. Three main factors were identified to help interpret findings. The first main factor consisted policy result areas that impacted most successfully on healthcare workers. These included the deployment of community health workers with the highest correlation of 0.83. Policy result areas in the second main factor included financial incentives with a correlation of 0.79, training and development (0.77), deployment (0.77), and non-financial incentives (0.75). The third factor consisted policy result areas that had the lowest satisfaction amongst healthcare workers in Epworth. These included safety (0.72), equipment and tools of trade (0.72), health welfare (0.65), and salaries (0.55). The deployment of community health volunteers impacted healthcare workers most successfully. This was followed by salary top-up allowances, training, deployment, and non-financial incentives. However, health personnel were least satisfied with their salaries. This had negative implications towards health sector reform interventions in Epworth peri-urban community between 2009 and 2014.

Tracing the policy implementation of commitments made by national governments and other entities at the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health

PubMed Central

van de Pas, Remco; Veenstra, Anika; Gulati, Daniel; Van Damme, Wim; Cometto, Giorgio

2017-01-01

We conducted a follow-up analysis of the implementation of the Human Resources for Health (HRH) commitments made by country governments and other actors at the Third Global Forum on HRH in 2013. Since then member states of the WHO endorsed Universal Health Coverage as the main policy objective whereby health systems strengthening, including reinforcement of the health workforce, can contribute to several Sustainable Development Goals. Now is the right time to trace the implementation of these commitments and to assess their contribution to broader global health objectives. The baseline data for this policy tracing study consist of the categorisation and analysis of the HRH commitments conducted in 2014. This analysis was complemented in application of the health policy triangle as its main analytical framework. An online survey and a guideline for semistructured interviews were developed to collect data. Information on the implementation of the commitments is available in 49 countries (86%). The need for multi-actor approaches for HRH policy development is universally recognised. A suitable political window and socioeconomic situation emerge as crucial factors for sustainable HRH development. However, complex crises in different parts of the world have diverted attention from investment in HRH development. The analysis indicates that investment in the health workforce and corresponding policy development relies on political leadership, coherent government strategies, institutional capacity and intersectoral governance mechanisms. The institutional capacity to shoulder such complex tasks varies widely across countries. For several countries, the commitment process provided an opportunity to invest in, develop and reform the health workforce. Nevertheless, the quality of HRH monitoring mechanisms requires more attention. In conclusion, HRH challenges, their different pathways and the intersectorality of the required responses are a concern for all the countries analysed. There is hence a need for national governments and stakeholders across the globe to share responsibilities and invest in this vital issue in a co-ordinated manner. PMID:29104768

Approaches to developing the capacity of health policy analysis institutes: a comparative case study.

PubMed

Bennett, Sara; Corluka, Adrijana; Doherty, Jane; Tangcharoensathien, Viroj

2012-03-05

To review and assess (i) the factors that facilitate the development of sustainable health policy analysis institutes in low and middle income countries and (ii) the nature of external support for capacity development provided to such institutes. Comparative case studies of six health policy analysis institutes (3 from Asia and 3 from Africa) were conducted. In each region an NGO institute, an institute linked to government and a university based institute were included. Data collection comprised document review, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and discussion of preliminary findings with institute staff. The findings are organized around four key themes: (i) Financial resources: three of the institutes had received substantial external grants at start-up, however two of these institutes subsequently collapsed. At all but one institute, reliance upon short term, donor funding, created high administrative costs and unpredictability. (ii) Human resources: the retention of skilled human resources was perceived to be key to institute success but was problematic at all but one institute. In particular staff often moved to better paid positions elsewhere once having acquired necessary skills and experience, leaving remaining senior staff with heavy workloads. (iii) Governance and management: board structures and roles varied according to the nature of institute ownership. Boards made important contributions to organizational capacity through promoting continuity, independence and fund raising. Routine management systems were typically perceived to be strong. (iv) Networks: linkages to policy makers helped promote policy influences. External networks with other research organizations, particularly where these were longer term institutional collaborations helped promote capacity. The development of strong in-country analytical and research capacity to guide health policy development is critical, yet many health policy analysis institutes remain very fragile. A combination of more strategic planning, active recruitment and retention strategies, and longer term, flexible funding, for example through endowments, needs to be promoted. Specific recommendations to funders and institutes are provided.

Antitrust law and collective physician negotiations with third parties: the relative value guide object lesson.

PubMed

Pfizenmayer, R F

1982-01-01

This article examines the role of collective physician participation in the third-party reimbursement system. It critiques the Havighurst-Kissam analysis of the antitrust implications of professionally-developed relative value guides and, using lessons derived from the only litigated case on relative value guides, argues that collective physician input into third-party reimbursement plans can be made in a manner which is consistent with the antitrust law as and cost-containment policy objectives. In particular, collective "negotiations" by organized physicians with third parties, unaccompanied by fee agreements among physicians or by actual or threatened physician boycotts, are found to be procompetitive and hence permissible under the rule of reason.

76 FR 29242 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Final Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-20

... exported goods covered under its short and medium-term export credit insurance policies. It also alerts Ex... insurance policies. It also alerts Ex-Im Bank staff of defaults, so they can manage the portfolio in an...

76 FR 14009 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Final Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-15

... exported goods covered under its short and medium-term export credit insurance policies. It also alerts Ex... policies. It also alerts Ex-Im Bank staff of defaults, so they can manage the portfolio in an informed...

77 FR 56634 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests; Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-13

... data at the center of ED's policy, management, and budget decision-making processes for all K-12... collection and OMB Control Number when making your request. Individuals who use a telecommunications device...

Moving the Agenda on Noncommunicable Diseases: Policy Implications of Mobile Phone Surveys in Low and Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

Pariyo, George W; Wosu, Adaeze C; Gibson, Dustin G; Labrique, Alain B; Ali, Joseph; Hyder, Adnan A

2017-05-05

The growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), for example, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presents special challenges for policy makers, due to resource constraints and lack of timely data for decision-making. Concurrently, the increasing ubiquity of mobile phones in LMICs presents possibilities for rapid collection of population-based data to inform the policy process. The objective of this paper is to highlight potential benefits of mobile phone surveys (MPS) for developing, implementing, and evaluating NCD prevention and control policies. To achieve this aim, we first provide a brief overview of major global commitments to NCD prevention and control, and subsequently explore how countries can translate these commitments into policy action at the national level. Using the policy cycle as our frame of reference, we highlight potential benefits of MPS which include (1) potential cost-effectiveness of using MPS to inform NCD policy actions compared with using traditional household surveys; (2) timeliness of assessments to feed into policy and planning cycles; (3) tracking progress of interventions, hence assessment of reach, coverage, and distribution; (4) better targeting of interventions, for example, to high-risk groups; (5) timely course correction for suboptimal or non-effective interventions; (6) assessing fairness in financial contribution and financial risk protection for those affected by NCDs in the spirit of universal health coverage (UHC); and (7) monitoring progress in reducing catastrophic medical expenditure due to chronic health conditions in general, and NCDs in particular. We conclude that MPS have potential to become a powerful data collection tool to inform policies that address public health challenges such as NCDs. Additional forthcoming assessments of MPS in LMICs will inform opportunities to maximize this technology. ©George W Pariyo, Adaeze C Wosu, Dustin G Gibson, Alain B Labrique, Joseph Ali, Adnan A Hyder. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 05.05.2017.

A conceptual framework and principles for trusted pervasive health.

PubMed

Ruotsalainen, Pekka Sakari; Blobel, Bernd Gerhard; Seppälä, Antto Veikko; Sorvari, Hannu Olavi; Nykänen, Pirkko Anneli

2012-04-06

Ubiquitous computing technology, sensor networks, wireless communication and the latest developments of the Internet have enabled the rise of a new concept-pervasive health-which takes place in an open, unsecure, and highly dynamic environment (ie, in the information space). To be successful, pervasive health requires implementable principles for privacy and trustworthiness. This research has two interconnected objectives. The first is to define pervasive health as a system and to understand its trust and privacy challenges. The second goal is to build a conceptual model for pervasive health and use it to develop principles and policies which can make pervasive health trustworthy. In this study, a five-step system analysis method is used. Pervasive health is defined using a metaphor of digital bubbles. A conceptual framework model focused on trustworthiness and privacy is then developed for pervasive health. On that model, principles and rules for trusted information management in pervasive health are defined. In the first phase of this study, a new definition of pervasive health was created. Using this model, differences between pervasive health and health care are stated. Reviewed publications demonstrate that the widely used principles of predefined and static trust cannot guarantee trustworthiness and privacy in pervasive health. Instead, such an environment requires personal dynamic and context-aware policies, awareness, and transparency. A conceptual framework model focused on information processing in pervasive health is developed. Using features of pervasive health and relations from the framework model, new principles for trusted pervasive health have been developed. The principles propose that personal health data should be under control of the data subject. The person shall have the right to verify the level of trust of any system which collects or processes his or her health information. Principles require that any stakeholder or system collecting or processing health data must support transparency and shall publish its trust and privacy attributes and even its domain specific policies. The developed principles enable trustworthiness and guarantee privacy in pervasive health. The implementation of principles requires new infrastructural services such as trust verification and policy conflict resolution. After implementation, the accuracy and usability of principles should be analyzed.

Policy modeling for industrial energy use

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Worrell, Ernst; Park, Hi-Chun; Lee, Sang-Gon

2003-03-01

The international workshop on Policy Modeling for Industrial Energy Use was jointly organized by EETA (Professional Network for Engineering Economic Technology Analysis) and INEDIS (International Network for Energy Demand Analysis in the Industrial Sector). The workshop has helped to layout the needs and challenges to include policy more explicitly in energy-efficiency modeling. The current state-of-the-art models have a proven track record in forecasting future trends under conditions similar to those faced in the recent past. However, the future of energy policy in a climate-restrained world is likely to demand different and additional services to be provided by energy modelers. Inmore » this workshop some of the international models used to make energy consumption forecasts have been discussed as well as innovations to enable the modeling of policy scenarios. This was followed by the discussion of future challenges, new insights in the data needed to determine the inputs into energy model s, and methods to incorporate decision making and policy in the models. Based on the discussion the workshop participants came to the following conclusions and recommendations: Current energy models are already complex, and it is already difficult to collect the model inputs. Hence, new approaches should be transparent and not lead to extremely complex models that try to ''do everything''. The model structure will be determined by the questions that need to be answered. A good understanding of the decision making framework of policy makers and clear communication on the needs are essential to make any future energy modeling effort successful. There is a need to better understand the effects of policy on future energy use, emissions and the economy. To allow the inclusion of policy instruments in models, evaluation of programs and instruments is essential, and need to be included in the policy instrument design. Increased efforts are needed to better understand the effects of innovative (no n-monetary) policy instruments through evaluation and to develop approaches to model both conventional and innovative policies. The explicit modeling of barriers and decision making in the models seems a promising way to enable modeling of conventional and innovative policies. A modular modeling approach is essential to not only provide transparency, but also to use the available resources most effectively and efficiently. Many large models have been developed in the past, but have been abandoned after only brief periods of use. A development path based on modular building blocks needs the establishment of a flexible but uniform modeling framework. The leadership of international agencies and organizations is essential in the establishment of such a framework. A preference is given for ''softlinks'' between different modules and models, to increase transparency and reduce complexity. There is a strong need to improve the efficiency of data collection and interpretation efforts to produce reliable model inputs. The workshop participants support the need for the establishment of an (in-)formal exchanges of information, as well as modeling approaches. The development of an informal network of research institutes and universities to help build a common dataset and exchange ideas on specific areas is proposed. Starting with an exchange of students would be a relative low-cost way to start such collaboration. It would be essential to focus on specific topics. It is also essential to maintain means of regular exchange of ideas between researchers in the different focus points.« less

Contaminated Sites in Europe: Review of the Current Situation Based on Data Collected through a European Network

PubMed Central

Van Liedekerke, Marc; Yigini, Yusuf; Montanarella, Luca

2013-01-01

Under the European Union (EU) Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection, the European Commission has identified soil contamination as a priority for the collection of policy-relevant soil data at European scale. In order to support EU soil management policies, soil-related indicators need to be developed which requires appropriate data collection and establishment of harmonized datasets for the EU Member States. In 2011-12, the European Soil Data Centre of the European Commission conducted a project to collect data on contaminated sites from national institutions in Europe using the European Environment Information and Observation Network for soil (EIONET-SOIL). This paper presents the results obtained from analysing the soil contaminated sites data submitted by participating countries. According to the received data, the number of estimated potential contaminated sites is more than 2.5 million and the identified contaminated sites around 342 thousand. Municipal and industrial wastes contribute most to soil contamination (38%), followed by the industrial/commercial sector (34%). Mineral oil and heavy metals are the main contaminants contributing around 60% to soil contamination. In terms of budget, the management of contaminated sites is estimated to cost around 6 billion Euros (€) annually. PMID:23843802

A future task for health-promotion research: Integration of health promotion and sustainable development.

PubMed

Jelsøe, Erling; Thualagant, Nicole; Holm, Jesper; Kjærgård, Bente; Andersen, Heidi Myglegård; From, Ditte-Marie; Land, Birgit; Pedersen, Kirsten Bransholm

2018-02-01

Based on previous studies and reflections collected from participants in a workshop at the 8th Nordic Health Promotion Research Network conference, we reveal current tendencies and discuss future challenges for health-promotion research regarding integration of sustainable development principles. Despite obvious interfaces and interactions between the two, our contention is that strategies for health promotion are not sufficiently integrated with strategies for sustainable development and that policies aimed at solving health or sustainability problems may therefore cause new, undesired and unforeseen environmental and health problems. As illustrated in previous research and as deliberated in the above-mentioned workshop, a number of barriers are identified. These are believed to be related to historical segregation, the conceptual understandings of health promotion and sustainable development, as well as the politics and implementation of policy goals in both areas. Three focal points are proposed as important challenges to address in future research: (a) the duality of health promotion and sustainability and how it can be handled in order to enhance mutually supportive processes between them; (b) the social dimension of sustainability and how it can be strengthened in the development of strategies for health promotion and sustainable development; and (c) exploring and identifying policy approaches and strategies for integrating health promotion and sustainable development.

Perspectives from the Top--A Collection of Thoughts on Employee Learning and Development from Five CEOs. CAEL Forum & News

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoeppel, Kate

2007-01-01

As part of its mission to remove the barriers to lifelong learning, CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) launched WorkforceChicago2.0 in 2001 to help influence the culture and policies of the private sector regarding employee learning and development. One of the key goals of this initiative is creating a "voice" for the private…

Adapting the Army’s Training and Leader Development Programs for Future Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

development information from the insti- tutional domain. • Collective training support products are proposed improvements in the primary prod- ucts...not to argue for a totally centralized approach. Decentralized initiatives are ben- eficial , and training program managers and executors should continue...institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. This electronic document was made available from www.rand.org as a

Anticipating issues related to increasing preimplantation genetic diagnosis use: a research agenda.

PubMed

Klitzman, Robert; Appelbaum, Paul S; Chung, Wendy; Sauer, Mark

2008-01-01

Increasing use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) poses numerous clinical, social, psychological, ethical, legal and policy dilemmas, many of which have received little attention. Patients and providers are now considering and using PGD for a widening array of genetic disorders, and patients may increasingly seek 'designer babies.' In the USA, although governmental oversight policies have been discussed, few specific guidelines exist. Hence, increasingly, patients and providers will face challenging ethical and policy questions of when and for whom to use PGD, and how it should be financed. These issues should be better clarified and addressed through collection of data concerning the current use of PGD in the USA, including factors involved in decision making about PGD use, as well as the education of the various communities that are, and should be, involved in its implementation. Improved understanding of these issues will ultimately enhance the development and implementation of future clinical guidelines and policies.

Public science policy and administration. [cooperation of government industry, foundations, and educational institutions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenthal, A. H. (Editor)

1973-01-01

Science, the overwhelming concern of our time, is no longer a matter of private research and development but one of public policy and administration, in which government, industry, foundations, and educational institutions must all work together as never before. Few other single tasks are of such decisive importance to the collective and individual welfare of American citizens as the formulation of public science policy and the administration of scientific programs. Eleven national authorities of varied background in science, education, and government administration contribute their experience and their judgment in an effort to deal with the major aspects of the subject. Their focus is on the meeting of actual problems; they consider the decision making process in both public and public-private organizations. Topics are grouped in three general categories: personnel needs and resources, organizational problems and techniques, and the administrative role in policy leadership.

Building research capacity for evidence-informed tobacco control in Canada: a case description

PubMed Central

McDonald, Paul W; Viehbeck, Sarah; Robinson, Sarah J; Leatherdale, Scott T; Nykiforuk, Candace IJ; Jolin, Mari Alice

2009-01-01

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of death and disability in Canada. Insufficient research capacity can inhibit evidence-informed decision making for tobacco control. This paper outlines a Canadian project to build research capacity, defined as a community's ability to produce research that adequately informs practice, policy, and future research in a timely, practical manner. A key component is that individuals and teams within the community must mutually engage around common, collectively negotiated goals to address specific practices, policies or programs of research. An organizing framework, a set of activities to build strategic recruitment, productivity tools, and procedures for enhancing social capital are described. Actions are intended to facilitate better alignment between research and the priorities of policy developers and service providers, enhance the external validity of the work performed, and reduce the time required to inform policy and practice. PMID:19664224

Policy and procedures for the management and archival storage of data collected for hydrologic investigations, U.S. Geological Survey, Indiana District

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Jeffrey D.; Cohen, David A.

1993-01-01

This report describes the policy and procedures used by the Indiana District of the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, to manage and store data collected during hydrologic investigations. It is the policy of the Indiana District that data collected to meet the objectives of projects for hydrologic investigations be documented, organized, and archieved in a manner that (1) facilitates retrieval, evaluation, and use by other District personnel, and (2) enables verifi- cation of data contained in all reports and computer data bases.

Dynamics of social health insurance development: examining the determinants of Chinese basic health insurance coverage with panel data.

PubMed

Liu, Jun-Qiang

2011-08-01

Social health insurance (SHI) is gaining popularity in many developing countries, but there are few systematic empirical studies on the dynamics of SHI development. This study investigates the determinants of coverage of the Basic Healthcare Insurance for Urban Employees (BHI) in China. Using a panel database ranging from 1999 to 2007, the study finds that: (1) economic development plays a valuable role in BHI development; (2) strong financial capacity and administrative capacity in the government contributes to BHI progress; (3) higher trade union density is closely related to more rapid BHI expansion; and (4) taxation agencies are better at collecting SHI premiums. These findings provide evidence-based lessons for new and ongoing SHI programs. In addition, this article aims to make a more general contribution to the study of social policy development by expanding the scope of current theories on social policy development. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public–private partnerships in solid waste management: sustainable development strategies for Brazil.

PubMed

Kruljac, Shani

2012-01-01

An often overlooked issue in the discussion of sustainable development is that of municipal solid waste management. Yet solid waste management is pervasive in all sustainable development objectives: its management, or lack thereof, can have major implications for the health of the environment, economy and society. This article argues the need for a governance dimension in the sustainability model, taking into account implementation strategies, monitoring and institutional controls. This focus heavily relies on integrated public–private partnerships and deliberative democracy approaches in order to achieve sustainability within the solid waste management sector. In this article, national and local policies in Brazil are analysed, primarily focusing on the inclusion of informal waste collection into municipal solid waste management schemes. The city of Curitiba, in the state of Paraná, which is world-renowned for its innovative sustainable development policies, is used to frame and illustrate the case.

Managing Network Security Policies in Tactical Manet’s Using Drama

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-04

Cheng, M. Raykova, A. Poylisher, S. Alexander, M. Eiger, S. M. Bellovin, “ The Zodiac Policy Subsystem: A Policy-Based Management System for a High...hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and...reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information

Measuring Instructional Practice in Science Using Classroom Artifacts: Lessons Learned from Two Validation Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Jose Felipe; Borko, Hilda; Stecher, Brian M.

2012-01-01

With growing interest in the role of teachers as the key mediators between educational policies and outcomes, the importance of developing good measures of classroom processes has become increasingly apparent. Yet, collecting reliable and valid information about a construct as complex as instruction poses important conceptual and technical…

Economic Wellbeing: Critical Reflections upon Policy and Practice in English Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Howard

2012-01-01

Economic wellbeing has become a collective term used by British governments to signal their concern for levels of materiality where there is childhood poverty; for the need to prepare pupils for employment by teaching them relevant competences and appropriate attitudes; and for the necessity to develop skills for "personal financial…

A Census of Prison-Based Drug Treatment Programs: Implications for Programming, Policy, and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welsh, Wayne N.; Zajac, Gary

2004-01-01

Despite a growing realization that unmeasured programmatic differences influence prison-based drug treatment effectiveness, few attempts to systematically measure such differences have been made. To improve program planning and evaluation in this area, we developed a census instrument to collect descriptive information about 118 prison-based drug…

Education and Cultural Pluralism. Contemporary Analysis in Education Series, No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craft, Maurice, Ed.

This collection of papers focusing on multicultural education in Great Britain is addressed to administrators, teachers, teacher educators, students, and policymakers. Most of the papers review such themes as the development of educational policy, the school curriculum, the educational performance of West Indian and other ethnic minority children,…

41 CFR 102-33.40 - What are GSA's responsibilities for Federal aviation management?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... developing policy for managing Government aircraft; and (c) A management information system to collect... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are GSA's responsibilities for Federal aviation management? 102-33.40 Section 102-33.40 Public Contracts and Property...

Multiple Race Reporting. AIR 2001 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahra, Amita; Howard, Kyland

For more than 20 years the standards set in Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have provided a common language to define and group the social constructs of "race" and "ethnicity." The definitions were developed to provide consistency in the collection of data by various federal…

Literacy Development of Students in Urban Schools: Research and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flood, James, Ed.; Anders, Patricia L., Ed.

2005-01-01

Educators can use this collection of diverse, thought-provoking perspectives from the best minds in the field to help make the best decisions possible for urban schools. The book's 26 chapters concisely synthesize research on a number of topics and link it to literacy instruction issues-including implications for local, state, and national…

Early Childhood Special Education. Yearbook in Early Childhood Education. Volume 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Safford, Philip L., Ed.; And Others

This collection of papers recognizes ways in which the context of educational policy and its implications for practice have, in combination with other influences, defined early childhood special education and influenced its development. An introduction by Philip L. Safford is presented. Subsequent papers have the following titles and authors:…

Exploring Urban America: An Introductory Reader.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caves, Roger W.

This introductory text presents a collection of articles from urban-studies journals to introduce undergraduate students to the interdisciplinary field of urban studies. The book is divided into 9 parts as follows: Part 1: Cities and Urbanism; part 2: Urban History; part 3: Urban Policy; part 4: Economic Development; part 5: Community Services and…

Renewing the American Community College. The Jossey-Bass Higher Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deegan, William L.; And Others

A framework for examining the future development of the community college and specific policy and program proposals is provided by the 13 essays in this collection. Part one, "The Community College in Perspective," includes "The Evolution of Two-Year Colleges Through Four Generations," by Dale Tillery and William L. Deegan; and "Determining…

76 FR 4089 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Automated Export System (AES) Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-24

.... Government policies that affect the economy. These data also enable U.S. businesses to develop practical... origin. Also, the equipment number field will be revised to require the container number for all... require a license. For shipments where the origin of the commodity is foreign, the country of origin will...

75 FR 15669 - Notice of Intent To Request an Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-30

... contained in the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended (7 U... one of NIFA's primary functions, as stated in the agency strategic plan, of providing program... abreast of the latest developments in agricultural, food science, human nutrition and forestry research...

PDA Serials: Practical and Policy Issues for Librarians

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Stephen

2007-01-01

Personal Digital Assistant serials are not just a subset of electronic serials from an acquisitions/collection development point of view because of their total dependence on patron-owned technology. Even if viewed as a "free" resource there are issues of expense and effort involved in gathering, classifying, and providing access and awareness of…

Caribbean and Central American Women's Feminist Inquiry through Theater-Based Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sánchez Ares, Rocío

2015-01-01

Feminist action research interrogates gendered dynamics in the development of a collective consciousness. A group of immigrant Latina women (Latinas) from the Caribbean and Central America employed community-based theater as an instrument to mobilize diverse audiences against discriminatory practices and policies. Based on their theater work, I…

Energy/Environment Fact Book. Decision Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Research and Development.

This collection of data and graphics were prepared in response to a request from the White House Energy Policy and Planning Staff. The focus of this document is on those environmental issues which will, in the near and midterm future, prove important to the rapid development of domestic energy resources. This report emphasizes coal because of its…

An Analysis of the Quality Assurance Policies in a Ghanian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seniwoliba, Joseph Attiah; Yakubu, Richard Nalarb

2015-01-01

The study examined the implementation challenges of quality assurance in public universities in Ghana with a focus on University for Development Studies (UDS). The study adopted a qualitative case study design. The data for the study was collected through in-depth interviews, document analysis and participants observation. The study revealed that…

Curriculum Policy Implementation: How Schools Respond to Government's "Soft" Policy in the Curriculum Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Jacqueline K. S.

2012-01-01

"Soft" policy has newly emerged as a policy implementation concept in relation to governance. Non-binding in character, "soft" policy is designed for multi-level systems of governance in which there is relative autonomy at different levels of collective decision-making. "Soft" policy has gained attention since the…

Public Policy and Higher Education. ASHE Reader Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodchild, Lester F., Ed.; Lovell, Cheryl D., Ed.; Hines, Edward R., Ed.; Gill, Judith I., Ed.

The essays in this collection explore issues related to public policy and higher education. They are intended to provide foundational readings in public policy and to explore contemporary public policy issues facing higher education. The chapters are: (1) "The Nature of the Policy Process" (Randall B. Ripley); (2) "Promoting Policy Theory:…

Applying the WHO recommendations on health-sector response to violence against women to assess the Spanish health system. A mixed methods approach.

PubMed

Goicolea, Isabel; Vives-Cases, Carmen; Minvielle, Fauhn; Briones-Vozmediano, Erica; Ohman, Ann

2014-01-01

This methodological note describes the development and application of a mixed-methods protocol to assess the responsiveness of Spanish health systems to violence against women in Spain, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Five areas for exploration were identified based on the WHO recommendations: policy environment, protocols, training, accountability/monitoring, and prevention/promotion. Two data collection instruments were developed to assess the situation of 17 Spanish regional health systems (RHS) with respect to these areas: 1) a set of indicators to guide a systematic review of secondary sources, and 2) an interview guide to be used with 26 key informants at the regional and national levels. We found differences between RHSs in the five areas assessed. The progress of RHSs on the WHO recommendations was notable at the level of policies, moderate in terms of health service delivery, and very limited in terms of preventive actions. Using a mixed-methods approach was useful for triangulation and complementarity during instrument design, data collection and interpretation. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Using scientific evidence to improve information practice.

PubMed

Bradley, J; Marshall, J G

1995-09-01

The recent policy statement of the Medical Library Association (MLA) takes the position that scientific evidence is the basis for improving the quality of library and information sciences now and in the future. Research activity is seen as the foundation of an evolving knowledge base for the profession--a knowledge base that will set health sciences librarians apart from others in an increasingly competitive world of information service providers. The statement represents the culmination of many years of activity by association members, during which the role of research in health information practice has been debated. Over a similar time period, the quality movement, with its increasing demand for the collection and use of data, has been growing. Developments such as total quality management (TQM) and continuous quality improvement (CQI) reinforce the centrality of research with its increasing demand for the collection and use of data, has been growing. Developments such as total quality management (TQM) and continuous quality improvement (CQI) reinforce the centrality of research and its relationship to efficient and effective information practice as envisioned in the MLA policy statement.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Smoke-free Policy in Philadelphia Public Housing.

PubMed

Klassen, Ann C; Lee, Nora L; Pankiewicz, Aaron; Ward, Rikki; Shuster, Michelle; Ogbenna, Bethany Townsend; Wade, Anita; Boamah, Maxwell; Osayameh, Olufunlayo; Rule, Ana M; Szymkowiak, Dorota; Coffman, Ryan; Bragg, Virginius; Mallya, Giridhar

2017-04-01

Multi-unit housing environments remain significant sources of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, especially for vulnerable populations in subsidized housing. In Philadelphia, the largest US housing authority to implement smoke-free policies, we measured baseline resident smoking-related behaviors and attitudes, and longitudinal exposures to airborne nicotine, during policy development and implementation. In 4 communities, we collected data in 2013, 2014, and 2016, before and after introduction of comprehensive smoke-free policies, interviewing persons in 172 households, and monitoring air-borne nicotine in non-smoking homes and public areas. Average nicotine level differences across years were estimated with multi-level models. Fifty-six percent of respondents smoked. Only 37% of households were smoke-free, with another 41% restricting smoking by area or time of day. The number of locations with detectable nicotine did not differ before and after policy implementation, with approximately 20% of non-smoking homes and 70%-80% of public areas having detectable nicotine. However, public area nicotine levels were lower in 2016, after policy implementation, than in 2013 and 2014 (-0.19 μg/m 3 , p = .03). Findings suggest that initial policy implementation was associated with reduced SHS exposure in Philadelphia. As HUD strengthens smoke-free policies, SHS monitoring can be useful to educate stakeholders and build support for policy enforcement.

Blueprint for a deliberative public forum on biobanking policy: were theoretical principles achievable in practice?

PubMed

Molster, Caron; Maxwell, Susannah; Youngs, Leanne; Kyne, Gaenor; Hope, Fiona; Dawkins, Hugh; O'Leary, Peter

2013-06-01

Public deliberation is recommended for obtaining citizen input to policy development when policies involve contested ethical dimensions, diverse perspectives on how to trade-off competing public interests and low public awareness of these perspectives. Several norms have been proposed for the design of deliberative methods. Evidence is scarce regarding whether such norms are achievable in practice. This paper refers to principles of deliberative democracy theory to describe a deliberative public forum on biobanking. Practical challenges and contextual facilitators of achieving deliberative ideals are discussed, along with factors that influenced use of the forum output in policy development. The forum ran for 4 days over two weekends in Perth, Western Australia. Key methodological features were socio-demographic stratification to randomly recruit a mini-public of citizens for discursive representation, provision of information inclusive of diverse perspectives and framed for difference, provision of a fair way for reasoning and collective decision making and adoption of processes to achieve publicity, accountability and independence from undue institutional influence. Most design principles were achieved in practice, with the fundamental exception of representativeness. Factors influencing these outcomes, and the use of deliberated outputs to develop policy, included institutional characteristics, the design involvement of deliberative experts and quality of the outputs when compared to other consultation methods. Public deliberations can achieve design ideals and influence (ethics-based) public health policy. The representation of 'hard to reach' citizens and their views needs further consideration, particularly as this relates to the procedural legitimacy of ethical analyses and the just inclusion of deliberative citizen advice within the broader policy-making process. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Community-based assessment and planning of energy futures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnes, S. A.

1981-04-01

The decentralized solar energy technology assessment program is discussed. Four communities were involved in an assessment of the compatibility of diverse conservation and renewable energy supply technologies and community values and goals and in community planning for the implementation of compatible energy demand and supply alternatives. The community approach has several basic components: (1) recruiting and organizing for the assessment planning process; (2) collection and analysis of data related to community energy use and indigenous renewable energy resources; (3) creation and maintenance of a community education and information program; (4) development of policies favorable to the development of preferred community futures; and (5) development of implementation or action strategies. The role of public participation, group decision making techniques, the role of technical information in citizen and group decision making, and linkage between assessment planning and the relevant policy process are emphasized.

Insights to develop privacy policy for organization in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosmaini, E.; Kusumasari, T. F.; Lubis, M.; Lubis, A. R.

2018-03-01

Nowadays, the increased utilization of shared application in the network needs not only dictate to have enhanced security but also emphasize the need to balance its privacy protection and ease of use. Meanwhile, its accessibility and availability as the demand from organization service put privacy obligations become more complex process to be handled and controlled. Nonetheless, the underlying principles for privacy policy exist in Indonesian current laws, even though they spread across various article regulations. Religions, constitutions, statutes, regulations, custom and culture requirements still become the reference model to control the activity process for data collection and information sharing accordingly. Moreover, as the customer and organization often misinterpret their responsibilities and rights in the business function, process and level, the essential thing to be considered for professionals on how to articulate clearly the rules that manage their information gathering and distribution in a manner that translates into information system specification and requirements for developers and managers. This study focus on providing suggestion and recommendation to develop privacy policy based on descriptive analysis of 791 respondents on personal data protection in accordance with political and economic factor in Indonesia.

Knowledge and power in policy-making for child survival in Niger.

PubMed

Dalglish, Sarah L; Rodríguez, Daniela C; Harouna, Abdoutan; Surkan, Pamela J

2017-03-01

Calls to enhance the use of scientific evidence in international health and development policy have increased in recent years; however, analytic frameworks for understanding evidence use focus narrowly on scientific research and were created using data and observations nearly exclusively from Western countries. We examine processes of health policy development in a case study of Niger, a low-income West African country that adopted integrated community case management of childhood illness (iCCM) beginning in 2007, resulting in measurable declines in child mortality. Data collection included in-depth interviews with policy actors in Niger (N = 32), document review (N = 103) and direct observation of policy forums (N = 3). Data analysis used process tracing methodology and applied an Aristotelian definition of "knowledge" as 1) episteme (facts), 2) techne (skills) and 3) phronesis (practical wisdom), while also using a critical perspective to understand issues of power. We found sharp differentials in policy-makers' possession and use of codified forms of knowledge (episteme), with Nigerien policy officers' access highly mediated by actors at international agencies. Government policy-makers possessed skills and capacities (techne) to negotiate with donors and deliberate and weigh conflicting considerations; however they lacked capacity and resources to formally evaluate and document programs and thus reliably draw lessons from them. Practical wisdom (phronesis) emerged as key to the iCCM policy enterprise, particularly among Nigerien government actors, who used logical and ethical arguments to make decisions later found to be critical to iCCM's success. While codified knowledge confers power on members of policy discussions who can access it, this represents only one form of knowledge used in the policy process and perhaps not the most important. Future research on evidence-based policy should use broader definitions of evidence or knowledge, examine on how power conditions the use of knowledge, and examine challenges specific to low-resource policy environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Policy-based Distributed Data Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, R. W.

2009-12-01

The analysis and understanding of climate variability and change builds upon access to massive collections of observational and simulation data. The analyses involve distributed computing, both at the storage systems (which support data subsetting) and at compute engines (for assimilation of observational data into simulations). The integrated Rule Oriented Data System (iRODS) organizes the distributed data into collections to facilitate enforcement of management policies, support remote data processing, and enable development of reference collections. Currently at RENCI, the iRODS data grid is being used to manage ortho-photos and lidar data for the State of North Carolina, provide a unifying storage environment for engagement centers across the state, support distributed access to visualizations of weather data, and is being explored to manage and disseminate collections of ensembles of meteorological and hydrological model results. In collaboration with the National Climatic Data Center, an iRODS data grid is being established to support data transmission from NCDC to ORNL, and to integrate NCDC archives with ORNL compute services. To manage the massive data transfers, parallel I/O streams are used between High Performance Storage System tape archives and the supercomputers at ORNL. Further, we are exploring the movement and management of large RADAR and in situ datasets to be used for data mining between RENCI and NCDC, and for the distributed creation of decision support and climate analysis tools. The iRODS data grid supports all phases of the scientific data life cycle, from management of data products for a project, to sharing of data between research institutions, to publication of data in a digital library, to preservation of data for use in future research projects. Each phase is characterized by a broader user community, with higher expectations for more detailed descriptions and analysis mechanisms for manipulating the data. The higher usage requirements are enforced by management policies that define the required metadata, the required data formats, and the required analysis tools. The iRODS policy based data management system automates the creation of the community chosen data products, validates integrity and authenticity assessment criteria, and enforces management policies across all accesses of the system.

[Analysis on violence injury incidence and prevention in China].

PubMed

Er, Yuliang; Gao, Xin; Duan, Leilei; Wang, Yuan; Deng, Xiao; Ji, Cuirong; Ye, Pengpeng; Jin, Ye; Wang, Linhong

2016-01-01

To understand the incidence of violence injury and its prevention in China, and provide reference for the prevention and control of violence injury. The violence injury data in China were collected from national death surveillance data set (2006-2013) and national injury surveillance system (2013) for the descriptive epidemiological analysis on the incidence of violence injury and related death. The laws and policies about violence injury prevention, related data collection capacity and violence injury prevention programs in China were described. The violence injury mortality declined by 46.3% during 2006-2013 from 1.21/100000 to 0.65/100000. The incidence of violence injury death in males peaked in age group 30-34 years (1.42/100000), and it was low in age group<15 years. Three peaks of violence injury death were found in females, i.e. 0.84/100000 in infants, 0.72/100000 in age group 30-34 years and 1.18/100000 in age group≥85 years. The laws and policies about violence injury prevention were imperfect, and the data about violence injury were limited. Most prevention programs were limited in scale and duration. The crude and standardized violence injury mortality declined in China during 2006-2013. It is necessary to conduct gender specific prevention strategies and improve the related law and policy development, data collection and prevention service.

Determinants of evidence use in public health policy making: Results from a study across six EU countries.

PubMed

van de Goor, Ien; Hämäläinen, Riitta-Maija; Syed, Ahmed; Juel Lau, Cathrine; Sandu, Petru; Spitters, Hilde; Eklund Karlsson, Leena; Dulf, Diana; Valente, Adriana; Castellani, Tommaso; Aro, Arja R

2017-03-01

The knowledge-practice gap in public health is widely known. The importance of using different types of evidence for the development of effective health promotion has also been emphasized. Nevertheless, in practice, intervention decisions are often based on perceived short-term opportunities, lacking the most effective approaches, thus limiting the impact of health promotion strategies. This article focuses on facilitators and barriers in the use of evidence in developing health enhancing physical activity policies. Data was collected in 2012 by interviewing 86 key stakeholders from six EU countries (FI, DK, UK, NL, IT, RO) using a common topic guide. Content analysis and concept mapping was used to construct a map of facilitators and barriers. Barriers and facilitators experienced by most stakeholders and policy context in each country are analysed. A lack of locally useful and concrete evidence, evidence on costs, and a lack of joint understanding were specific hindrances. Also users' characteristics and the role media play were identified as factors of influence. Attention for individual and social factors within the policy context might provide the key to enhance more sustainable evidence use. Developing and evaluating tailored approaches impacting on networking, personal relationships, collaboration and evidence coproduction is recommended. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Policy 2.0 Platform for Mobile Sensing and Incentivized Targeted Shifts in Mobility Behavior

PubMed Central

Semanjski, Ivana; Lopez Aguirre, Angel Javier; De Mol, Johan; Gautama, Sidharta

2016-01-01

Sustainable mobility and smart mobility management play important roles in achieving smart cities’ goals. In this context we investigate the role of smartphones as mobility behavior sensors and evaluate the responsivity of different attitudinal profiles towards personalized route suggestion incentives delivered via mobile phones. The empirical results are based on mobile sensed data collected from more than 3400 people’s real life over a period of six months. The findings show which user profiles are most likely to accept such incentives and how likely they are to result in more sustainable mode choices. In addition we provide insights into tendencies towards accepting more sustainable route options for different trip purposes and illustrate smart city platform potential (for collection of mobility behavior data and delivery of incentives) as a tool for development of personalized mobility management campaigns and policies. PMID:27399700

Integrating Public Health Policy, Practice, Evaluation, Surveillance, and Research: The School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System

PubMed Central

Cameron, Roy; Manske, Stephen; Brown, K. Stephen; Jolin, Mari Alice; Murnaghan, Donna; Lovato, Chris

2007-01-01

The Canadian Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute of Canada have charged their Centre for Behavioral Research and Program Evaluation with contributing to the development of the country’s systemic capacity to link research, policy, and practice related to population-level interventions. Local data collection and feedback systems are integral to this capacity. Canada’s School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES) allows data to be collected from all of a school’s students, and these data are used to produce computer-generated school “health profiles.” SHAPES is being used for intervention planning, evaluation, surveillance, and research across Canada. Strong demand and multipartner investment suggest that SHAPES is adding value in all of these domains. Such systems can contribute substantially to evidence-informed public health practice, public engagement, participatory action research, and relevant, timely population intervention research. PMID:17329662

Landscape Analysis of Nutrition-sensitive Agriculture Policy Development in Senegal.

PubMed

Lachat, Carl; Nago, Eunice; Ka, Abdoulaye; Vermeylen, Harm; Fanzo, Jessica; Mahy, Lina; Wüstefeld, Marzella; Kolsteren, Patrick

2015-06-01

Unlocking the agricultural potential of Africa offers a genuine opportunity to address malnutrition and drive development of the continent. Using Senegal as a case study, to identify gaps and opportunities to strengthen agricultural policies with nutrition-sensitive approaches. We carried out a systematic analysis of 13 policy documents that related to food production, agriculture, food security, or nutrition. Next, we collected data during a participatory analysis with 32 national stakeholders and in-depth interviews with 15 national experts of technical directorates of the different ministries that deal with agriculture and food production. The current agricultural context has various elements that are considered to enhance its nutrition sensitivity. On average, 8.3 of the 17 Food and Agriculture Organization guiding principles for agriculture programming for nutrition were included in the policies reviewed. Ensuring food security and increasing dietary diversity were considered to be the principal objectives of agricultural policies. Although there was considerable agreement that agriculture can contribute to nutrition, current agricultural programs generally do not target communities on the basis of their nutritional vulnerability. Agricultural programs were reported to have specific components to target female beneficiaries but were generally not used as delivery platforms for nutritional interventions. The findings of this study indicate the need for a coherent policy environment across the food system that aligns recommendations at the national level with local action on the ground. In addition, specific activities are needed to develop a shared understanding of nutrition and public health nutrition within the agricultural community in Senegal. © The Author(s) 2015.

Housing, health and master planning: rules of engagement.

PubMed

Harris, P; Haigh, F; Thornell, M; Molloy, L; Sainsbury, P

2014-04-01

Knowledge about health focussed policy collaboration to date has been either tactical or technical. This article focusses on both technical and tactical issues to describe the experience of cross-sectoral collaboration between health and housing stakeholders across the life of a housing master plan, including but not limited to a health impact assessment (HIA). A single explanatory case study of collaboration on a master plan to regenerate a deprived housing estate in Western Sydney was developed to explain why and how the collaboration worked or did not work. Data collection included stakeholder interviews, document review, and reflections by the health team. Following a realist approach, data was analysed against established public policy theory dimensions. Tactically we did not know what we were doing. Despite our technical knowledge and skills with health focussed processes, particularly HIA, we failed to appreciate complexities inherent in master planning. This limited our ability to provide information at the right points. Eventually however the HIA did provide substantive connections between the master plan and health. We use our analysis to develop technical and tactical rules of engagement for future cross-sectoral collaboration. This case study from the field provides insight for future health focussed policy collaboration. We demonstrate the technical and tactical requirements for future intersectoral policy and planning collaborations, including HIAs, with the housing sector on master planning. The experience also suggested how HIAs can be conducted flexibly alongside policy development rather than at a specific point after a policy is drafted. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. All rights reserved.

Biopharmaceutical Innovation System in China: System Evolution and Policy Transitions (Pre-1990s-2010s)

PubMed Central

Hu, Hao; Chung, Chao-Chen

2015-01-01

Background: This article sets up the initial discussion of the evolution of biopharmaceutical innovation in China through the perspective of sectoral innovation system (SIS). Methods: Two data sources including archival documentary data and field interviews were used in this study. Archival documentary data was collected from China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). In addition, industrial practitioners and leading researchers in academia were interviewed. Results: Biopharmaceutical in China was established through international knowledge transfer. The firms played more active role in commercializing biopharmaceutical in China though universities and research institutes were starting to interact with local firms and make contribution to biopharmaceutical industrialization. The transition of the Chinese government’s policies continuously shapes the evolution of biopharmaceutical sector. Policies have been dramatic changes before and after 1980s to encourage developing biopharmaceutical as a competitive industry for China. Conclusion: A SIS for biopharmaceutical has been shaped in China. However, currently biopharmaceutical is still a small sector in China, and for the further growth of the industry more synthetic policies should be implemented. Not only the policy supports towards the research and innovation of biopharmaceuticals in the early stage of development should be attended, but also commercialization of biopharmaceutical products in the later stage of sales. PMID:26673466

Biopharmaceutical Innovation System in China: System Evolution and Policy Transitions (Pre-1990s-2010s).

PubMed

Hu, Hao; Chung, Chao-Chen

2015-09-03

This article sets up the initial discussion of the evolution of biopharmaceutical innovation in China through the perspective of sectoral innovation system (SIS). Two data sources including archival documentary data and field interviews were used in this study. Archival documentary data was collected from China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). In addition, industrial practitioners and leading researchers in academia were interviewed. Biopharmaceutical in China was established through international knowledge transfer. The firms played more active role in commercializing biopharmaceutical in China though universities and research institutes were starting to interact with local firms and make contribution to biopharmaceutical industrialization. The transition of the Chinese government's policies continuously shapes the evolution of biopharmaceutical sector. Policies have been dramatic changes before and after 1980s to encourage developing biopharmaceutical as a competitive industry for China. A SIS for biopharmaceutical has been shaped in China. However, currently biopharmaceutical is still a small sector in China, and for the further growth of the industry more synthetic policies should be implemented. Not only the policy supports towards the research and innovation of biopharmaceuticals in the early stage of development should be attended, but also commercialization of biopharmaceutical products in the later stage of sales. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

Players and processes behind the national health insurance scheme: a case study of Uganda

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Uganda is the last East African country to adopt a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). To lessen the inequitable burden of healthcare spending, health financing reform has focused on the establishment of national health insurance. The objective of this research is to depict how stakeholders and their power and interests have shaped the process of agenda setting and policy formulation for Uganda’s proposed NHIS. The study provides a contextual analysis of the development of NHIS policy within the context of national policies and processes. Methods The methodology is a single case study of agenda setting and policy formulation related to the proposed NHIS in Uganda. It involves an analysis of the real-life context, the content of proposals, the process, and a retrospective stakeholder analysis in terms of policy development. Data collection comprised a literature review of published documents, technical reports, policy briefs, and memos obtained from Uganda’s Ministry of Health and other unpublished sources. Formal discussions were held with ministry staff involved in the design of the scheme and some members of the task force to obtain clarification, verify events, and gain additional information. Results The process of developing the NHIS has been an incremental one, characterised by small-scale, gradual changes and repeated adjustments through various stakeholder engagements during the three phases of development: from 1995 to 1999; 2000 to 2005; and 2006 to 2011. Despite political will in the government, progress with the NHIS has been slow, and it has yet to be implemented. Stakeholders, notably the private sector, played an important role in influencing the pace of the development process and the currently proposed design of the scheme. Conclusions This study underscores the importance of stakeholder analysis in major health reforms. Early use of stakeholder analysis combined with an ongoing review and revision of NHIS policy proposals during stakeholder discussions would be an effective strategy for avoiding potential pitfalls and obstacles in policy implementation. Given the private sector’s influence on negotiations over health insurance design in Uganda, this paper also reviews the experience of two countries with similar stakeholder dynamics. PMID:24053551

Players and processes behind the national health insurance scheme: a case study of Uganda.

PubMed

Basaza, Robert K; O'Connell, Thomas S; Chapčáková, Ivana

2013-09-22

Uganda is the last East African country to adopt a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). To lessen the inequitable burden of healthcare spending, health financing reform has focused on the establishment of national health insurance. The objective of this research is to depict how stakeholders and their power and interests have shaped the process of agenda setting and policy formulation for Uganda's proposed NHIS. The study provides a contextual analysis of the development of NHIS policy within the context of national policies and processes. The methodology is a single case study of agenda setting and policy formulation related to the proposed NHIS in Uganda. It involves an analysis of the real-life context, the content of proposals, the process, and a retrospective stakeholder analysis in terms of policy development. Data collection comprised a literature review of published documents, technical reports, policy briefs, and memos obtained from Uganda's Ministry of Health and other unpublished sources. Formal discussions were held with ministry staff involved in the design of the scheme and some members of the task force to obtain clarification, verify events, and gain additional information. The process of developing the NHIS has been an incremental one, characterised by small-scale, gradual changes and repeated adjustments through various stakeholder engagements during the three phases of development: from 1995 to 1999; 2000 to 2005; and 2006 to 2011. Despite political will in the government, progress with the NHIS has been slow, and it has yet to be implemented. Stakeholders, notably the private sector, played an important role in influencing the pace of the development process and the currently proposed design of the scheme. This study underscores the importance of stakeholder analysis in major health reforms. Early use of stakeholder analysis combined with an ongoing review and revision of NHIS policy proposals during stakeholder discussions would be an effective strategy for avoiding potential pitfalls and obstacles in policy implementation. Given the private sector's influence on negotiations over health insurance design in Uganda, this paper also reviews the experience of two countries with similar stakeholder dynamics.

Collecting standardized urban health indicator data at an individual level for school-aged children living in urban areas: methods from EURO-URHIS 2.

PubMed

Pope, D; Katreniak, Z; Guha, J; Puzzolo, E; Higgerson, J; Steels, S; Woode-Owusu, M; Bruce, N; Birt, Christopher A; Ameijden, E van; Verma, A

2017-05-01

Measuring health and its determinants in urban populations is essential to effectively develop public health policies maximizing health gain within this context. Adolescents are important in this regard given the origins of leading causes of morbidity and mortality develop pre-adulthood. Comprehensive, accurate and comparable information on adolescent urban health indicators from heterogeneous urban contexts is an important challenge. EURO-URHIS 2 aimed to develop standardized tools and methodologies collecting data from adolescents across heterogenous European urban contexts. Questionnaires were developed including (i) comprehensive assessment of urban health indicators from 7 pre-defined domains, (ii) use of previously validated questions from a literature review and other European surveys, (iii) translation/back-translation into European languages and (iv) piloting. Urban area-specific data collection methodologies were established through literature review, consultation and piloting. School-based surveys of 14-16-year olds (400-800 per urban area) were conducted in 13 European countries (33 urban areas). Participation rates were high (80-100%) for students from schools taking part in the surveys from all urban areas, and data quality was generally good (low rates of missing/spoiled data). Overall, 13 850 questionnaires were collected, coded and entered for EURO-URHIS 2. Dissemination included production of urban area health profiles (allowing benchmarking for a number of important public health indicators in young people) and use of visualization tools as part of the EURO-URHIS 2 project. EURO-URHIS 2 has developed standardized survey tools and methodologies for assessing key measures of health and its determinants in adolescents from heterogenous urban contexts and demonstrated the utility of this data to public health practitioners and policy makers. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Developing an interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral community of practice in the domain of forests and livelihoods.

PubMed

Watkins, Cristy; Zavaleta, Jennifer; Wilson, Sarah; Francisco, Scott

2018-02-01

Although significant resources are being spent researching and fostering the relationship between forests and livelihoods to promote mutually beneficial outcomes, critical gaps in understanding persist. A core reason for such gaps is that researchers, practitioners, and policy makers lack the structured space to interact and collaborate, which is essential for effective, interdisciplinary research, practice, and evaluation. Thus, scientific findings, policy recommendations, and measured outcomes have not always been synthesized into deep, systemic understanding; learning from practice and implementation does not easily find its way into scientific analyses, and science often fails to influence policy. Communities of practice (CofPs) are dynamic sociocultural systems that bring people together to share and create knowledge around a common topic of interest. They offer participants a space and structure within which to develop new, systemic approaches to multidimensional problems on a common theme. Uniquely informed by a systems-thinking perspective and drawing from the scientific and gray literatures and in-depth interviews with representatives of established CofPs in the natural resource management and development domain, we argue that a well-designed and adequately funded CofP can facilitate interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral relationships and knowledge exchange. Well-designed CofPs integrate a set of core features and processes to enhance individual, collective, and domain outcomes; they set out an initial but evolving purpose, encourage diverse leadership, and promote collective-identity development. Funding facilitates effective communication strategies (e.g., in person meetings). We urge our colleagues across sectors and disciplines to take advantage of CofPs to advance the domain of forests and livelihoods. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Protecting the confidentiality and security of personal health information in low- and middle-income countries in the era of SDGs and Big Data.

PubMed

Beck, Eduard J; Gill, Wayne; De Lay, Paul R

2016-01-01

As increasing amounts of personal information are being collected through a plethora of electronic modalities by statutory and non-statutory organizations, ensuring the confidentiality and security of such information has become a major issue globally. While the use of many of these media can be beneficial to individuals or populations, they can also be open to abuse by individuals or statutory and non-statutory organizations. Recent examples include collection of personal information by national security systems and the development of national programs like the Chinese Social Credit System. In many low- and middle-income countries, an increasing amount of personal health information is being collected. The collection of personal health information is necessary, in order to develop longitudinal medical records and to monitor and evaluate the use, cost, outcome, and impact of health services at facility, sub-national, and national levels. However, if personal health information is not held confidentially and securely, individuals with communicable or non-communicable diseases (NCDs) may be reluctant to use preventive or therapeutic health services, due to fear of being stigmatized or discriminated against. While policymakers and other stakeholders in these countries recognize the need to develop and implement policies for protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of personal health information, to date few of these countries have developed, let alone implemented, coherent policies. The global HIV response continues to emphasize the importance of collecting HIV-health information, recently re-iterated by the Fast Track to End AIDS by 2030 program and the recent changes in the Guidelines on When to Start Antiretroviral Therapy and on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for HIV . The success of developing HIV treatment cascades in low- and middle-income countries will require the development of National Health Identification Systems. The success of programs like Universal Health Coverage, under the recently ratified Sustainable Development Goals is also contingent on the availability of personal health information for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Guidance for countries to develop and implement their own guidelines for protecting HIV-information formed the basis of identifying a number of fundamental principles, governing the areas of privacy, confidentiality and security. The use of individual-level data must balance maximizing the benefits from their most effective and fullest use, and minimizing harm resulting from their malicious or inadvertent release. These general principles are described in this paper, as along with a bibliography referring to more detailed technical information. A country assessment tool and user's manual, based on these principles, have been developed to support countries to assess the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal health information at facility, data warehouse/repository, and national levels. The successful development and implementation of national guidance will require strong collaboration at local, regional, and national levels, and this is a pre-condition for the successful implementation of a range of national and global programs. This paper is a call for action for stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries to develop and implement such coherent policies and provides fundamental principles governing the areas of privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal health information being collected in low- and middle-income countries.

7 CFR 1951.2 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 14 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Policy. 1951.2 Section 1951.2 Agriculture Regulations... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) SERVICING AND COLLECTIONS Account Servicing Policies § 1951.2 Policy. Borrowers are... actions will be consistent with the best interests of the borrower and the Government. It is the policy of...

Challenging Political Spectacle through Grassroots Policy Dialogues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winton, Sue; Evans, Michael P.

2014-01-01

Can simply talking about policy strengthen democracy? Drawing on data collected for case studies of one Canadian and two U.S. grassroots organizations, we demonstrate that taking part in policy dialogues hosted by grassroots organizations enables participants to gain greater clarity regarding policy issues, policy processes, and citizens'…

Increasing Understanding of Public Problems and Policies--1990.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farm Foundation, Chicago, IL.

This collection of papers aims to improve the policy education efforts of extension workers responsible for public affairs programs. The first section, "An Evolving Public Policy Education" examines the history of public education; address current issues such as leadership models, ethics in policy formation and policy education; and…

Increasing community capacity for participatory evaluation of healthy eating and active living strategies through direct observations and environmental audits.

PubMed

Kemner, Allison L; Stachecki, Jessica R; Bildner, Michele E; Brennan, Laura K

2015-01-01

Local partnerships from the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities initiative elected to participate in enhanced evaluation trainings to collect data through environmental audits and direct observations as well as to build their evaluation capacity. Environmental audit and direct observation tools and protocols were adapted for the relevant healthy eating and active living policy and environmental change approaches being conducted by the Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities partnerships. Customized trainings were conducted by the evaluation team to increase capacity and understanding for evaluation activities. A total of 87 trainings were conducted by the evaluation team in 31 Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities community partnerships. Data were collected for a total of 41 environmental audits and 17 direct observations. Community case examples illustrate how these trainings developed evaluation capacity. For instance, youth from one community presented environmental audit findings to local elected officials. The 31 partnerships participating in the community-based evaluation efforts resulted in 164 individuals trained in collecting context-specific data to assess the impact of healthy eating and active living policy and environmental strategies designed to create community change.

Capacity development in health systems and policy research: a survey of the Canadian context.

PubMed

Grudniewicz, Agnes; Hedden, Lindsay; Kromm, Seija; Lavergne, Ruth; Menear, Matthew; Sivananthan, Saskia

2014-02-07

Over the past decade, substantial global investment has been made to support health systems and policy research (HSPR), with considerable resources allocated to training. In Canada, signs point to a larger and more highly skilled HSPR workforce, but little is known about whether growth in HSPR human resource capacity is aligned with investments in other research infrastructure, or what happens to HSPR graduates following training. We collected data from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada's national health research funding agency, and the Canadian Association for Health Services and Policy Research on recent graduates in the HSPR workforce. We also surveyed 45 Canadian HSPR training programs to determine what information they collect on the career experiences of graduates. No university programs are currently engaged in systematic follow-up. Collaborative training programs funded by the national health research funding agency report performing short-term mandated tracking activities, but whether and how data are used is unclear. No programs collected information about whether graduates were using skills obtained in training, though information collected by the national funding agency suggests a minority (<30%) of doctoral-level trainees moving on to academic careers. Significant investments have been made to increase HSPR capacity in Canada and around the world but no systematic attempts to evaluate the impact of these investments have been made. As a research community, we have the expertise and responsibility to evaluate our health research human resources and should strive to build a stronger knowledge base to inform future investment in HSPR research capacity.

[The dialogues between anthropology and health: contributions to public policies].

PubMed

Langdon, Esther Jean

2014-04-01

In order to examine the development of anthropological paradigms and their dialogue with medicine, I divide the discussion into two general, but non-exclusive, approaches: one that focuses on health and disease as social and cultural experience and construction, and another that examines health from an interactional and political perspective. For the first approach, I focus on North American and French theories that find resonance in the anthropological dialogue in Brazil. For the second political approach, the discussion originates in the dialogue among anthropologists in Latin America who have been developing models to contribute to an interdisciplinary approach necessary for health policies and intervention in health. The concepts of practices in self-care and intermedicality, among others, are explored due to their contribution in anthropology to public policies in health. These anthropologists have argued that health practices should be understood through the notions of autonomy, collectivity, agency and praxis, as opposed to the notions of the biomedical perspective characterized as being universalist, biological, individualist and a-historical.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 62: The Influence of Knowledge Diffusion on Aeronautics Innovation: The Research, Development, and Production of Large Commercial Aircraft in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golich, Vicki L.; Pinelli, Thomas E.

1997-01-01

This paper focuses on how European public policies-individually and collectively - influence the diffusion of knowledge and technology. It begins with an overview of the roles played historically and currently by European governments in the Research, Development and Production (RD&P) of Large Commercial Aircraft (LCA). The analytical framework brings together literature from global political economy, comparative politics, business management, and science and technology policy studies. It distinguishes between the production of knowledge, on the one hand, and the dissemination of knowledge, on the other. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom serve as the analytical cases. The paper concludes with a call for additional research in this area, some tentative lessons learned, and a discussion of the consequences of national strategies and policies for the diffusion of knowledge and technology in an era of globalizaton.

NASA/DOD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project. Paper 62: The Influence of Knowledge Diffusion on Aeronautics Innovation: The Research, Development, and Production of Large Commercial Aircraft in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Golich, Vicki L.

1997-01-01

This paper focuses on how European public policies-individually and collectively - influence the diffusion of knowledge and technology. It begins with an overview of the roles played historically and currently by European governments in the research, development and production (RD&P) of large commercial aircraft (LCA). The analytical framework brings together literature from global political economy, comparative politics, business management, and science and technology policy studies. It distinguishes between the production of knowledge, on the one hand, and the dissemination of knowledge, on the other. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom serve as the analytical cases. The paper concludes with a call for additional research in this area, some tentative lessons learned, and a discussion of the consequences of national strategies and policies for the diffusion of knowledge and technology in an era of globalization.

Informing best practice with community practice: the community change chronicle method for program documentation and evaluation.

PubMed

Scott, Sheryl A; Proescholdbell, Scott

2009-01-01

Health promotion professionals are increasingly encouraged to implement evidence-based programs in health departments, communities, and schools. Yet translating evidence-based research into practice is challenging, especially for complex initiatives that emphasize environmental strategies to create community change. The purpose of this article is to provide health promotion practitioners with a method to evaluate the community change process and document successful applications of environmental strategies. The community change chronicle method uses a five-step process: first, develop a logic model; second, select outcomes of interest; third, review programmatic data for these outcomes; fourth, collect and analyze relevant materials; and, fifth, disseminate stories. From 2001 to 2003, the authors validated the use of a youth empowerment model and developed eight community change chronicles that documented the creation of tobacco-free schools policies (n = 2), voluntary policies to reduce secondhand smoke in youth hangouts (n = 3), and policy and program changes in diverse communities (n = 3).

Second Amman Declaration on Population and Development in the Arab World.

PubMed

1992-01-01

Many demographic changes have occurred in the Arab region. Population increased from 132 million in 1974 to 237 million in 1992. In preparation for the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994, the Arab Population Conference was held in April 1993. This document summarizes the Arab conference proceedings: preamble, general principles, objectives, and recommendations for human development, the environment, population distribution and urbanization, international migration, women in development, maternal and child health and family planning, IEC, nongovernmental development programs, special topics, structural adjustment and population policies, research, and international cooperation. Arab countries were convinced that clear, comprehensive population policies were needed and should be integrated into development programs. Population policies must be based on the achievement of a satisfactory quality of life and integrity for the family as the basic unit of society. Women should be enabled to perform their full role as citizens. Children have a right to a happy, healthy, and secure life. Population is interconnected with development and should not be treated in isolation. The population problems of those in Israeli occupied territory should be addressed with consideration for the demographic pressure from occupational authorities. Arab states should provide family planning services as a basic human right of couples. Environmental concerns must be considered within development strategies. Reforms need to be made to correct imbalances between economic and social conditions and population problems. Arab countries must be involved in restructuring the world economy with the aim of balancing North and South trade. Rescheduling of debt servicing must be achieved. The industrialized countries must "curb excessive consumerism and reduce huge expenditures on armaments." Individual country population policy should be constructed within a pan-Arab framework and an integrated development policy. There should be respect for individual human dignity and rights and the promotion of democracy, collective activity, and individual initiative.

Hospital practices in the collection of patient race, ethnicity, and language data: a statewide survey, California, 2011.

PubMed

Gomez, Scarlett Lin; Lichtensztajn, Daphne Y; Parikh, Punam; Hasnain-Wynia, Romana; Ponce, Ninez; Zingmond, David

2014-08-01

California mandates hospitals to collect and report patient race, ethnicity, and primary spoken language (REL). A lack of specific guidelines and standardized practices on how data should be collected has contributed to inconsistent and incomplete data.General acute care hospitals in California completed a survey to elucidate practices regarding collection and auditing of patient REL. Nearly all hospitals reported collecting race and/or ethnicity (97%). The majority of hospitals used standardized forms for collection, and 75% audited patient information for completeness. Popular accepted strategies to improve the quality and completeness of REL included collecting data at the first encounter, routine staff training, incorporating REL questions into existing admissions forms, and developing and enforcing hospital policies regarding data collection.California hospitals are collecting information on patient REL as mandated, but variation in data collection exists. Hospitals endorse many reasonable approaches for standardization, and may benefit from standardized data collection and auditing practices.

Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial (SPIRIT)—protocol for a stepped wedge trial

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Governments in different countries have committed to better use of evidence from research in policy. Although many programmes are directed at assisting agencies to better use research, there have been few tests of the effectiveness of such programmes. This paper describes the protocol for SPIRIT (Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial), a trial designed to test the effectiveness of a multifaceted programme to build organisational capacity for the use of research evidence in policy and programme development. The primary aim is to determine whether SPIRIT results in an increase in the extent to which research and research expertise is sought, appraised, generated and used in the development of specific policy products produced by health policy agencies. Methods and analysis A stepped wedge cluster randomised trial involving six health policy agencies located in Sydney, Australia. Policy agencies are the unit of randomisation and intervention. Agencies were randomly allocated to one of three start dates (steps) to receive the 1-year intervention programme, underpinned by an action framework. The SPIRIT intervention is tailored to suit the interests and needs of each agency and includes audit, feedback and goal setting; a leadership programme; staff training; the opportunity to test systems to assist in the use of research in policies; and exchange with researchers. Outcome measures will be collected at each agency every 6 months for 30 months (starting at the beginning of step 1). Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval was granted by the University of Western Sydney Human Research and Ethics Committee HREC Approval H8855. The findings of this study will be disseminated broadly through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at conferences and used to inform future strategies. PMID:24989620

Wisdom within: unlocking the potential of big data for nursing regulators.

PubMed

Blumer, L; Giblin, C; Lemermeyer, G; Kwan, J A

2017-03-01

This paper explores the potential for incorporating big data in nursing regulators' decision-making and policy development. Big data, commonly described as the extensive volume of information that individuals and agencies generate daily, is a concept familiar to the business community but is only beginning to be explored by the public sector. Using insights gained from a recent research project, the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta, in Canada is creating an organizational culture of data-driven decision-making throughout its regulatory and professional functions. The goal is to enable the organization to respond quickly and profoundly to nursing issues in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. The evidence includes a review of the Learning from Experience: Improving the Process of Internationally Educated Nurses' Applications for Registration (LFE) research project (2011-2016), combined with a literature review on data-driven decision-making within nursing and healthcare settings, and the incorporation of big data in the private and public sectors, primarily in North America. This paper discusses experience and, more broadly, how data can enhance the rigour and integrity of nursing and health policy. Nursing regulatory bodies have access to extensive data, and the opportunity to use these data to inform decision-making and policy development by investing in how it is captured, analysed and incorporated into decision-making processes. Understanding and using big data is a critical part of developing relevant, sound and credible policy. Rigorous collection and analysis of big data supports the integrity of the evidence used by nurse regulators in developing nursing and health policy. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Curricular Policy as a Collective Effects Problem: A Distributional Approach

PubMed Central

Penner, Andrew M.; Domina, Thurston; Penner, Emily K.; Conley, AnneMarie

2015-01-01

Current educational policies in the United States attempt to boost student achievement and promote equality by intensifying the curriculum and exposing students to more advanced coursework. This paper investigates the relationship between one such effort -- California's push to enroll all 8th grade students in Algebra -- and the distribution of student achievement. We suggest that this effort is an instance of a “collective effects” problem, where the population-level effects of a policy are different from its effects at the individual level. In such contexts, we argue that it is important to consider broader population effects as well as the difference between “treated” and “untreated” individuals. To do so, we present differences in inverse propensity score weighted distributions to investigate how this curricular policy changed the distribution of student achievement more broadly. We find that California's attempt to intensify the curriculum did not raise test scores at the bottom of the distribution, but did lower scores at the top of the distribution. These results highlight the efficacy of inverse propensity score weighting approaches for estimating collective effects, and provide a cautionary tale for curricular intensification efforts and other policies with collective effects. PMID:26004485

Role of local government in responding to environmental health challenges: a case study of Chungnam

PubMed Central

Lee, Hoo-Young

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to introduce the establishment process, policy target, and projects for “Chungnam’s master plan on environmental health policy (2017-2020)” as the local government’s role in addressing local environmental health challenges. We first analyzed existing studies and social issues on the media related to “Chungnam’s master plan” to understand Chungnam’s environmental health status and discussed domestic and international policy trends and related plans. An environmental health perception questionnaire survey and a Delphi expert questionnaire survey were conducted among provincial residents to collect various actors’ opinions on Chungnam’s environmental health issues and policy. An expert advisory panel was launched, and a residents’ voice workshop and cities-and-guns-policy-suggestion workshop were held. The vision of Chungnam’s environmental health policy is minimizing environmental hazards. We finally selected “Pleasant environment, healthy people, happy Chungnam” to represent the will to shape a pleasant environment and prevent and manage health damages for a happy Chungnam. We selected five strategies based on status analysis and a review of domestic and international policy trends and related plans and identified 2 targets (policy objectives) to accomplish the strategies. The strategies to achieve the first target, “Leader in environmental health policy: Chungnam,” include ‘Empowering active provincial capabilities,’ ‘Setting up province-specific systems for environmental health surveys and research,’ and ‘Preventing and managing newly emerging pollutants.’ The strategies for the second target, “Everyone is healthy: Chungnam,” include ‘Relieving health inequalities among vulnerable regions and residents’ and ‘Enlarging the resident-friendly environmental health policy.’ We developed 29 projects in total, according to these strategies. The establishment of “Chungnam’s master plan” is highly valuable; we developed it through discussion involving diverse actors to address environmental health challenges together. It is necessary to continue to strengthen participation, communication, and cooperation among actors to develop an environmental health policy model for the future. PMID:29198098

The role of government in the development and diffusion of renewable energy technologies: Wind power in the United States, California, Denmark and Germany, 1970--2000

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawin, Janet Laughlin

2001-07-01

This dissertation seeks to determine the role of government policy in advancing the development and diffusion of renewable energy technologies, and to determine if specific policies or policy types are more effective than others in achieving these ends. This study analyzes legislation, regulations, research and development (R&D) programs and their impacts on wind energy in California, the rest of the United States, Denmark and Germany, from 1970 through 2000. These countries (and state) were chosen because each has followed a very different path and has adopted wind energy at different rates. Demand for energy, particularly electricity, is rising rapidly worldwide. Renewable energy technologies could meet much of the world's future demand for electricity without the national security, environmental and social costs of conventional technologies. But renewables now play only a minor role in the electric generation systems of most countries. According to conventional economic theory, renewable energy will achieve greater market penetration once it is cost-competitive with conventional generation. This dissertation concludes, however, that government policy is the most significant causal variable in determining the development and diffusion of wind energy technology. Policy is more important for bringing wind energy to maturity than a nation's wind resource potential, wealth, relative differences in electricity prices, or existing infrastructure. Further, policy is essential for enabling a technology to succeed in the marketplace once it is cost-competitive. Policies can affect a technology's perceived, or real, costs; they can reduce risks or increase the availability and affordability of capital; appropriate and consistent policies can eliminate barriers to wind technology. To be adopted on a large scale, renewables require effective, appropriate and, above all, consistent policies that are legislated with a long-term view toward advancing a technology and an industry. Inconsistent policy is economically costly and creates cycles of boom and bust, making it impossible to build a strong domestic industry. To be effective, policy must place priority on demand creation rather than government R&D; it must create a market, establish turbine standards and siting criteria, require data collection and dissemination, facilitate grid access, establish price guarantees, and enable stakeholder participation.

Pricing and sales tax collection policies for e-cigarette starter kits and disposable products sold online.

PubMed

Cuomo, Raphael E; Miner, Angela; Mackey, Tim K

2015-10-23

Previous studies have examined marketing characteristics of e-cigarettes sold online and others have examined e-cigarettes pricing in retail (non-Internet) settings. This study expands on these findings by examining pricing and marketing characteristics of interest among e-cigarette online vendors. Structured web searches were conducted from August-September 2014 to identify popular e-cigarette Internet vendors. We then collected pricing data (e-cigarette starter kits and disposables), sales tax collection policies and other vendor marketing characteristics. Average price for each product category was then compared with marketing characteristics using linear regression for continuous variables and independent t-tests for binary variables. Our searches yielded 44 e-cigarette Internet vendors of which 77% (n = 34) sold a total of 238 starter kit offerings (Mprice = $55.89). Half (n = 22) sold disposable types of e-cigarettes (Mprice = $7.17 p/e-cigarette) at a price lower than reported elsewhere in retail settings. Average disposable e-cigarette prices were also significantly higher for vendors displaying more health warning notices (P = 0.001). Only 46% disclosed sales tax collection policies and only 39% collected sales tax in their state of business. This study expands on current understanding of e-cigarette pricing and availability online and finds variation in e-cigarette pricing may be influenced by type of product, use of online health warnings and vendor sales tax collection policies. It also finds that e-cigarette online access and availability may be impacted by a combination of pricing and marketing strategies uniquely different from e-cigarette retail settings that requires further study and targeted policy-making. [Cuomo RE, Miner A, Mackey TK. Pricing and sales tax collection policies for e-cigarette starter kits and disposable products sold online. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015]. © 2015 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

The U.S. experience in promoting sustainable chemistry.

PubMed

Tickner, Joel A; Geiser, Ken; Coffin, Melissa

2005-01-01

Recent developments in European chemicals policy, including the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) proposal, provide a unique opportunity to examine the U.S. experience in promoting sustainable chemistry as well as the strengths and weaknesses of existing policies. Indeed, the problems of industrial chemicals and limitations in current regulatory approaches to address chemical risks are strikingly similar on both sides of the Atlantic. We provide an overview of the U.S. regulatory system for chemicals management and its relationship to efforts promoting sustainable chemistry. We examine federal and state initiatives and examine lessons learned from this system that can be applied to developing more integrated, sustainable approaches to chemicals management. There is truly no one U.S. chemicals policy, but rather a series of different un-integrated policies at the federal, regional, state and local levels. While centerpiece U.S. Chemicals Policy, the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, has resulted in the development of a comprehensive, efficient rapid screening process for new chemicals, agency action to manage existing chemicals has been very limited. The agency, however, has engaged in a number of successful, though highly underfunded, voluntary data collection, pollution prevention, and sustainable design programs that have been important motivators for sustainable chemistry. Policy innovation in the establishment of numerous state level initiatives on persistent and bioaccumulative toxics, chemical restrictions and toxics use reduction have resulted in pressure on the federal government to augment its efforts. It is clear that data collection on chemical risks and phase-outs of the most egregious chemicals alone will not achieve the goals of sustainable chemistry. These alone will also not internalize the cultural and institutional changes needed to ensure that design and implementation of safer chemicals, processes, and products are the focus of the future. Thus, a more holistic approach of 'carrots and sticks'--that involves not just chemical producers but those who use and purchase chemicals is necessary. Some important lessons of the US experience in chemicals management include: (1) the need for good information on chemicals flows, toxic risks, and safer substances.; (2) the need for comprehensive planning processes for chemical substitution and reduction to avoid risk trade-offs and ensure product quality; (3) the need for technical and research support to firms for innovation in safer chemistry; and (4) the need for rapid screening processes and tools for comparison of alternative chemicals, materials, and products.

Municipal policies and plans of action aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in Stockholm, Sweden: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Guldbrandsson, Karin; Wennerstad, Karin Modig; Rasmussen, Finn

2009-08-03

Promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits by structural measures that reach most children in a society is presumably the most sustainable way of preventing development of overweight and obesity in childhood. The main purpose of the present study was to analyse whether policies and plans of action at the central level in municipalities increased the number of measures that aim to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren aged six to 16. Another purpose was to analyse whether demographic and socio-economic characteristics were associated with the level of such measures. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 25 municipalities and 18 town districts in Stockholm County, Sweden. The questions were developed to capture municipal structural work and factors facilitating physical activity and the development of healthy eating habits for children. Local policy documents and plans of action were gathered. Information regarding municipal demographic and socio-economic characteristics was collected from public statistics. Policy documents and plans of action in municipalities and town districts did not seem to influence the number of measures aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in Stockholm County. Municipal demographic and socio-economic characteristics were, however, shown to influence the number of measures. In town districts with a high total population size, and in municipalities and town districts with a high proportion of adults with more than 12 years of education, a higher level of health-promoting measures was found. In municipalities with a high annual population growth, the number of measures was lower than in municipalities with a lower annual population growth. Another key finding was the lack of agreement between what was reported in the questionnaires regarding existence and contents of local policies and plans of action and what was actually found when these documents were scrutinized. Policy documents and plans of action aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren aged six to 16 in municipalities and town districts in Stockholm County did not seem to have an impact on the local level of measures. Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the municipalities and town districts were on the other hand associated with local health-promoting measures.

77 FR 74625 - Policy To Encourage Trial Disclosure Programs; Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-17

... BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION 12 CFR Chapter X [Docket No. CFPB-2012-0046] Policy To Encourage Trial Disclosure Programs; Information Collection AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection... Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to...

77 FR 74687 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Application for Employment Authorization, Form I-765...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-17

... Policy and Strategy, Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC... money incurred by applicants for the following aspects of this information collection: The time burden... contacted at: USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, Regulatory Coordination Division, 20 Massachusetts...

A summary analysis of the 3rd inquiry.

PubMed

1977-01-01

20 ESCAP member countries responded to the "Third Population Inquiry among Governments: Population policies in the context of development in 1976." The questionnaire sent to the member countries covered economic and social development and population growth, mortality, fertility and family formation, population distribution and internal migration, international migration, population data collection and research, training, and institutional arrangements for the formulation of population policies within development. Most of the governments in the ESCAP region that responded indicate that the present rate of population growth constrains their social and economic development. Among the governments that consider the present rate of population growth to constrain economic and social development, 13 countries regarded the most appropriate response to the constraint would include an adjustment of both socioeconomic and demographic factors. 11 of the governments regarded their present levels of average life expectancy at birth "acceptable" and 7 identified their levels as "unacceptable." Most of the governments who responded consider that, in general, their present level of fertility is too high and constrains family well-being. Internal migration and population distribution are coming to be seen as concerns for government population policy. The most popular approaches to distributing economic and social activities are rural development, urban and regional development and industrial dispersion. There was much less concern among the governments returning the questionnaire about the effect of international migration than internal migration on social and economic development.

School practices to promote social distancing in K-12 schools: review of influenza pandemic policies and practices.

PubMed

Uscher-Pines, Lori; Schwartz, Heather L; Ahmed, Faruque; Zheteyeva, Yenlik; Meza, Erika; Baker, Garrett; Uzicanin, Amra

2018-03-27

During an evolving influenza pandemic, community mitigation strategies, such as social distancing, can slow down virus transmission in schools and surrounding communities. To date, research on school practices to promote social distancing in primary and secondary schools has focused on prolonged school closure, with little attention paid to the identification and feasibility of other more sustainable interventions. To develop a list and typology of school practices that have been proposed and/or implemented in an influenza pandemic and to uncover any barriers identified, lessons learned from their use, and documented impacts. We conducted a review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature on social distancing interventions in schools other than school closure. We also collected state government guidance documents directed to local education agencies or schools to assess state policies regarding social distancing. We collected standardized information from each document using an abstraction form and generated descriptive statistics on common plan elements. The document review revealed limited literature on school practices to promote social distancing, as well as limited incorporation of school practices to promote social distancing into state government guidance documents. Among the 38 states that had guidance documents that met inclusion criteria, fewer than half (42%) mentioned a single school practice to promote social distancing, and none provided any substantive detail about the policies or practices needed to enact them. The most frequently identified school practices were cancelling or postponing after-school activities, canceling classes or activities with a high rate of mixing/contact that occur within the school day, and reducing mixing during transport. Little information is available to schools to develop policies and procedures on social distancing. Additional research and guidance are needed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of school practices to promote social distancing.

Suicide Prevention Guideline Implementation in Specialist Mental Healthcare Institutions in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Mokkenstorm, Jan; Franx, Gerdien; Gilissen, Renske; Kerkhof, Ad; Smit, Johannes Hendrikus

2018-05-03

In The Netherlands, on average 40% of all suicides concern patients treated by mental healthcare institutions (MHIs). Recent evidence indicates that implemented guideline recommendations significantly reduce the odds for patients to die by suicide. Implementation of the multidisciplinary guideline for diagnosis and treatment of suicidal behaviors is a main objective of the Dutch National Suicide Prevention Strategy. To this end, 24 MHIs that collectively reported 73% of patient suicides in 2015 received an educational outreach intervention offered by the national center of expertise. To investigate changes in levels of implementation of guideline recommendations; and to assess the degree of variation on suicide prevention policies and practices between MHIs. Implementation study with a prospective cohort design studying change over time on all domains of a Suicide Prevention Monitor, a guideline-based instrument assessing suicide prevention policies and practices within MHIs. Data were collected in six-month intervals between 2015 and 2017. MHIs improved significantly on four out of ten domains: the development of an organizational suicide prevention policy; monitoring and trend-analysis of suicides numbers; evaluations after suicide; and clinician training. No improvement was measured on the domains pertaining to multi-annual training policies; collaborative care with external partners; recording and evaluation of suicide attempts; routine assessment of suicidality in all patients; safety planning and involving next of kin and carers. Furthermore, marked practice variation between MHIs was found which did not decrease over time. This study shows significant improvement in the implementation of four out of ten guideline-based suicide prevention policies in 24 specialist mental healthcare institutions in The Netherlands. The implementation level of suicide prevention policies and practices still appears to vary significantly between MHIs in The Netherlands.

Suicide Prevention Guideline Implementation in Specialist Mental Healthcare Institutions in The Netherlands

PubMed Central

Franx, Gerdien; Gilissen, Renske; Kerkhof, Ad; Smit, Johannes Hendrikus

2018-01-01

In The Netherlands, on average 40% of all suicides concern patients treated by mental healthcare institutions (MHIs). Recent evidence indicates that implemented guideline recommendations significantly reduce the odds for patients to die by suicide. Implementation of the multidisciplinary guideline for diagnosis and treatment of suicidal behaviors is a main objective of the Dutch National Suicide Prevention Strategy. To this end, 24 MHIs that collectively reported 73% of patient suicides in 2015 received an educational outreach intervention offered by the national center of expertise. Aim: To investigate changes in levels of implementation of guideline recommendations; and to assess the degree of variation on suicide prevention policies and practices between MHIs. Methods: Implementation study with a prospective cohort design studying change over time on all domains of a Suicide Prevention Monitor, a guideline-based instrument assessing suicide prevention policies and practices within MHIs. Data were collected in six-month intervals between 2015 and 2017. Results: MHIs improved significantly on four out of ten domains: the development of an organizational suicide prevention policy; monitoring and trend-analysis of suicides numbers; evaluations after suicide; and clinician training. No improvement was measured on the domains pertaining to multi-annual training policies; collaborative care with external partners; recording and evaluation of suicide attempts; routine assessment of suicidality in all patients; safety planning and involving next of kin and carers. Furthermore, marked practice variation between MHIs was found which did not decrease over time. Conclusion: This study shows significant improvement in the implementation of four out of ten guideline-based suicide prevention policies in 24 specialist mental healthcare institutions in The Netherlands. The implementation level of suicide prevention policies and practices still appears to vary significantly between MHIs in The Netherlands. PMID:29751572

Building an archives in a medical library.

PubMed Central

Sammis, S K

1984-01-01

In 1979 the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey established an archives to collect, preserve, and retrieve important documentation related to its history. This paper examines various steps in building an archives and the development of a coherent collection policy, including potential sources for archival material. Problems and possible solutions concerning what to preserve from the vast quantities of material generated by an institution are considered. The relationship between the archives and the medical library and the requirements of the physical plant are discussed, including the storage and preservation of materials. PMID:6743876

Family Policy: Government and Families in Fourteen Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamerman, Sheila B., Ed.; Kahn, Alfred J., Ed.

This collection of articles by scholars and policy makers from 14 countries presents multidisciplinary perspectives on the formation of national policy on families. Central topics common to many of the articles include: (1) the differences between policies aimed at affecting the family and policies which have other aims but which do influence the…

32 CFR 311.4 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Policy. 311.4 Section 311.4 National Defense... THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE AND JOINT STAFF PRIVACY PROGRAM § 311.4 Policy. It is DoD policy, in... manner that complies with the law and DoD policy. Any information collected by WHS-Serviced Components...

Internationalisation of Higher Education and Global Mobility. Oxford Studies in Comparative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Streitwieser, Bernhard, Ed.

2014-01-01

Continuous and rapid developments in global higher education today more than ever before present new questions, greater challenges, and vast new opportunities for institutions, policy makers, scholars and students alike. This book is a collection of studies and essays by many of the leading experts in international higher education who share their…

An Assessment and Projection of Needed High Technology Training Programs in Colorado. Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Mary; Wolff, Warren

A study determined labor market needs of high technology firms in Colorado. It assessed such needs in relation to present and projected output of vocational education and training programs and developed recommendations for policies and programs to meet industry training needs at the vocational training level. Data were collected through on-site…

SoTL Evidence on Promotion and Tenure Vitas at a Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcketti, Sara B.; Freeman, Steven

2016-01-01

The development and adoption of promotion and tenure (P&T) policies supporting scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) activities began in earnest at our large, Midwestern, land-grant university, over fifteen years ago. The purpose of this research was to present the results of a five year project collecting and analyzing the evidence of…

Recent Developments in Career Education in the Netherlands: Learning by Experience and Value Stimulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofmeister, Jane; Veugelers, Wiel

Career education in the Netherlands is a regular part of the curriculum and provides students the opportunity to collect information about different professions and studies. The policy of the Dutch administration is to stimulate the creation of secondary schools with both vocational and academic tracks. Career education is designed to balance…

Satellite-Distributed Educational Television For Developing Countries; Working Papers. Volume 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schramm, Wilbur; And Others

This volume contains a collection of working papers designed to accompany the case studies of India and Latin America in providing a framework for the planning of educational broadcasting systems. The first two papers offer useful orientation to policy-makers who are considering educational television. Working Paper No. 3 compares the two media of…

Energy: What Can We Do Right Now? Easy Energy Reader, Book III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Information Planning Associates, Inc., Rockville, MD.

Highlighted in this collection of five articles on the nation's energy problems are the viewpoints of black people, environmentalists, consumers, and utility executives. Also included is a group of statements to help the reader develop a personal energy policy. Intended for junior high school language arts classes, this is the third in a series of…

What Makes Racial Diversity Work in Higher Education: Academic Leaders Present Successful Policies and Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, Frank W., Jr., Ed.

The essays in this collection establish the case for racial diversity , outline the challenges diversity offers the academic community, presents examples of how some institutions have developed successful models of diversity, and discusses how the history of racial diversity has influenced aspects of diversity today. Following a foreword,…

Love's Labour's Lost: The Failure of Traditional Selection Practice in the Acquisition of Humanities Electronic Texts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Case, Beau David

2000-01-01

Library literature from the late 19th century to the present offers numerous guides to materials selection. Yet, collection development policies and lists of selection criteria are inadequate for humanities electronic texts. Libraries, humanities disciplines, and electronic texts are too complex for any rigid approach to acquisition. To meet goals…

Protocol: A grounded theory of 'recovery'-perspectives of adolescent users of mental health services.

PubMed

Palmquist, Lucianne; Patterson, Sue; O'Donovan, Analise; Bradley, Graham

2017-07-20

Policies internationally endorse the recovery paradigm as the appropriate foundation for youth mental health services. However, given that this paradigm is grounded in the views of adults with severe mental illness, applicability to youth services and relevance to young people is uncertain, particularly as little is known about young people's views. A comprehensive understanding of the experiences and expectations of young people is critical to developing youth mental health services that are acceptable, accessible, effective and relevant. To inform development of policy and youth services, the study described in this protocol aims to develop a comprehensive account of the experiences and expectations of 12-17 year olds as they encounter mental disorders and transition through specialist mental health services. Data will be analysed to model recovery from the adolescents' perspective. This grounded theory study will use quantitative and qualitative data collected in interviews with 12-17 year olds engaged with specialist Child/Youth Mental Health Service in Queensland, Australia. Interviews will explore adolescents' expectations and experiences of mental disorder, and of services, as they transition through specialist mental health services, including the meaning of their experiences and ideas of 'recovery' and how their experiences and expectations are shaped. Data collection and analysis will use grounded theory methods. Adolescents' experiences will be presented as a mid-range theory. The research will provide tangible recommendations for youth-focused mental health policy and practice. Findings will be disseminated within academic literature and beyond to participants, health professionals, mental health advocacy groups and policy and decision makers via publications, research summaries, conferences and workshops targeting different audiences. Ethical and research governance approvals have been obtained from relevant Human Research Ethics committees and all sites involved. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Cultural competency assessment tool for hospitals: Evaluating hospitals’ adherence to the culturally and linguistically appropriate services standards

PubMed Central

Weech-Maldonado, Robert; Dreachslin, Janice L.; Brown, Julie; Pradhan, Rohit; Rubin, Kelly L.; Schiller, Cameron; Hays, Ron D.

2016-01-01

Background The U.S. national standards for culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) in health care provide guidelines on policies and practices aimed at developing culturally competent systems of care. The Cultural Competency Assessment Tool for Hospitals (CCATH) was developed as an organizational tool to assess adherence to the CLAS standards. Purposes First, we describe the development of the CCATH and estimate the reliability and validity of the CCATH measures. Second, we discuss the managerial implications of the CCATH as an organizational tool to assess cultural competency. Methodology/Approach We pilot tested an initial draft of the CCATH, revised it based on a focus group and cognitive interviews, and then administered it in a field test with a sample of California hospitals. The reliability and validity of the CCATH were evaluated using factor analysis, analysis of variance, and Cronbach’s alphas. Findings Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified 12 CCATH composites: leadership and strategic planning, data collection on inpatient population, data collection on service area, performance management systems and quality improvement, human resources practices, diversity training, community representation, availability of interpreter services, interpreter services policies, quality of interpreter services, translation of written materials, and clinical cultural competency practices. All the CCATH scales had internal consistency reliability of .65 or above, and the reliability was .70 or above for 9 of the 12 scales. Analysis of variance results showed that not-for-profit hospitals have higher CCATH scores than for-profit hospitals in five CCATH scales and higher CCATH scores than government hospitals in two CCATH scales. Practice Implications The CCATH showed adequate psychometric properties. Managers and policy makers can use the CCATH as a tool to evaluate hospital performance in cultural competency and identify and target improvements in hospital policies and practices that undergird the provision of CLAS. PMID:21934511

Work related stress and European policy--a comparative exploration of contextual stressors in the rehabilitation sector in five European countries.

PubMed

Wells, John; Denny, Margaret; Cunningham, Jennifer

2011-04-01

Dealing with work related stress is a declared priority of European Union mental health policy. A particularly under-researched sector in this regard is the community vocational support sector for people with mental health and intellectual disability problems. To report on the organisational profile of the vocational support and rehabilitation sector for people with mental health and intellectual disabilities as this relates to occupational stress, in five European countries (Austria, Ireland, Italy, Romania and UK). A sector profile questionnaire was distributed to representative organisations in five countries and a short face-to-face survey was conducted with 25 local managers (five from each country) to draw up a profile and facilitate a comparative description and analysis. It was found that there is no national and European data collected at any level in this sector upon which to base effective policy interventions to combat occupational stress specific to professionals working in this sector. Results indicate that the sector in a number of the countries sampled does not have effective mechanisms in place to deal with occupational stress. Developing effective transnational occupational stress management policy that supports staff working in this sector and measuring its success is greatly impaired by a failure to effectively define the purpose of the sector and collect and collate national data to support it. © 2011 Informa UK, Ltd.

Into the deep end: incorporating a global health governance and diplomacy experience in graduate public health training.

PubMed

Wipfli, Heather; Kotlewski, Jennifer A

2014-01-01

Global health governance benefits from participants well-versed in the realities of international policy-making. Consequently, educational programmes must establish more opportunities for students to engage in global health policy development. This paper examines a unique global health governance and diplomacy practicum programme at the University of Southern California, designed for Master of Public Health candidates. Through the programme, students act as official non-governmental delegates to the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland through organisational partnerships. Students and collaborating organisations were asked to complete an online post-participation survey examining the perceived quality of the experience. Through the survey, students indicated reinforcement of classroom learning, continued or heightened interest in global health policy and enthusiasm in recommending the programme to other students. Organisations perceived students to be adequately prepared and indicated their continued desire to work with students in the programme. The data collected suggest that the programme was successful in providing students with a worthwhile experience that developed skills in global health diplomacy and promoted interest and critical thinking concerning international policy-making processes. A discussion of strengths and challenges serves as a blueprint for the creation of future practicum programmes.

The enhanced knowledge translation and exchange framework for road safety: a brief report on its development and potential impacts.

PubMed

Hinchcliff, Reece; Senserrick, Teresa; Travaglia, Joanne; Greenfield, David; Ivers, Rebecca

2017-04-01

Knowledge translation and exchange (KTE) can enable evidence-informed road safety policy and practice by reducing the gap between what is known to be effective and what actually occurs. A quality improvement project, undertaken within a government policy frame, was implemented in 2015 to produce an enhanced KTE framework for road safety (the framework). Information was collected from 35 road safety stakeholders in the UK, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Thirteen KTE facilitators were identified that covered research funding and production, the expertise of knowledge users and dissemination practices. The framework was subsequently developed, which separated facilitators seen as essential for a KTE system, from others perceived as aspirational due to their lesser influence and the considerable time and resources required for their implementation. The framework provides a heuristic device to enable policy agencies to holistically assess and improve current KTE systems for road safety, to encourage evidence-informed policy and practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Migration patterns in Central America seen in the context of economic integration and the need for sustainable development.

PubMed

Stein, E

1993-08-01

This exploratory discussion of migration policy in Central America focuses on actual procedures in a multisectoral framework that assumes economic integration and sustainable development. The article follows the following format: the author's perspective and general approach to the problems of migration policy and integrated development, an analysis and review of the inadequacies of concepts and methodologies and the need for strengthening Central America's policies, arguments for changing present development strategies, and suggestions for regional economic integration. New policies must be equitable, sustainable, and suitable for agricultural frontier areas at the present level of economic integration. The further development of practical and concrete solutions in the region is based on the current groundwork. New policies should emphasize community participation, a grassroots approach rather than a top-down one, and an alternative model. An alternative system which promotes and facilitates the vertical development of small and medium farmers needs both a Rural Communal Financing System and a System for Communal Marketing to eliminate all speculative economic practices which impede small farmers from making a profit. Buffer zones in the frontier agricultural areas are required. Small farms need to gradually improve farming practices rather than to transfer miraculous technologies. A number of forest products could be collected and commercialized for various purposes, if the knowledgeable indigenous population is informed and involved in participatory research on the technical and ethnological culture and action programs. Many sectors are involved, problems are complex, and the speed of change is very rapid in the region. An approach that seeks to relate sustainable development, economic integration, and migration policy must incorporate the perspective of integrated development and a structural analysis of poverty. The approach suggested in this article would lead to making the production of impoverished areas profitable and would open up cross-boundary employment opportunities. National institutional weakness is a major obstacle to the goals of the region. The region has become, by default, a corridor for migration through Mexico to the US.

Strategy proposed by Electricite de France in the development of automatic tools

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Castaing, C.; Cazin, B.

1995-03-01

The strategy proposed by EDF in the development of a means to limit personal and collective dosimetry is recent. It follows in the steps of a policy that consisted of developing remote operation means for those activities of inspection and maintenance on the reactor, pools bottom, steam generators (SGs), also reactor building valves; target activities because of their high dosimetric cost. One of the main duties of the UTO (Technical Support Department), within the EDF, is the maintenance of Pressurized Water Reactors in French Nuclear Power Plant Operations (consisting of 54 units) and the development and monitoring of specialized tools.more » To achieve this, the UTO has started a national think-tank on the implementation of the ALARA process in its field of activity and created an ALARA Committee responsible for running and monitoring it, as well as a policy for developing tools. This point will be illustrated in the second on reactor vessel heads.« less

Motivating green public procurement in China: an individual level perspective.

PubMed

Zhu, Qinghua; Geng, Yong; Sarkis, Joseph

2013-09-15

Green public procurement (GPP) practices have been recognized as an effective policy tool for sustainable production and consumption. However, GPP practices adoption, especially in developing countries, is still an issue. Seeking to help understand these adoption issues, we develop a conceptual model which hypothesizes moderation effects of GPP knowledge on the relationships between GPP drivers and practices. Using primary data collected from 193 Chinese government officials, we find that regulations, rewards & incentive gains, and stakeholders exert pressure to motivate adoption of GPP practices. Knowledge of GPP regulations, responsibilities and experiences in developed countries is found to be limited. The study also found that voluntary regulations may actually be demotivating GPP practices. This study contributes to further theoretical and practical understanding of GPP practices. The findings can be helpful for policy makers, especially those in developing countries, to establish promotion and diffusion mechanisms for GPP practices as an important sustainable development tool. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 16033 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs...

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76 FR 44915 - Statement of Policy Regarding Communications in Connection With the Collection of Decedents' Debts

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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.... 45, the Commission issues this final Statement of Policy Regarding Communications in Connection with... collection of decedents' debts (``proposed Statement'').\\2\\ The proposed Statement addressed three issues... collectors state or imply that the family has a moral obligation to pay the [[Page 44918

Financial and economic determinants of collective action: The case of wastewater management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brunner, Norbert, E-mail: norbert.brunner@cemds.org; Starkl, Markus, E-mail: markus.starkl@boku.ac.at

Where public environmental funds support development of wastewater infrastructure, funding institutions ensure the economic use of funds, while the beneficiaries minimize their own costs. In rural areas, there is often a choice between decentralized or centralized (multi-village) systems: if the centralized system is most economic, then only this system is eligible for public funding. However, its implementation requires a voluntary cooperation of the concerned communities, who need to organize themselves to develop and run the infrastructure. The paper analyzes the social determinants of collaboration in a generic case study, using the following variables: method of (economic) assessment, modeled by themore » social discount rate, funding policy, modeled by the funding rate, and users' self-organization, modeled by cost sharing. In a borderline situation, where the centralized system turns out to be most economic, but this assessment is contingent on the assessment method, collective action may fail: the advantages of collective action from funding are too small to outweigh organizational deficiencies. Considering in this situation sanitation as a human right, authors recommend using innovative forms of organization and, if these fail, reassessing either the amount of funding or the eligibility for funding of more acceptable alternatives. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A generic case study models collective action and funding in wastewater management. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Determinants of success: economic assessment, funding policy and self-organization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Success indicators: conflict rate, funds needed to make cost shares fair. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Method for analyzing centralized vs. decentralized disputes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer If collective action has less benefits, innovative cost sharing may ensure success.« less

Improved harmonisation from policy dialogue? Realist perspectives from Guinea and Chad.

PubMed

Kwamie, Aku; Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet

2016-07-18

Harmonisation is a key principle of the Paris Declaration. The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Partnership, an initiative of the European Union, the Government of Luxembourg and the World Health Organization, supported health policy dialogues between 2012 and 2015 in identified countries in the WHO African Region. The UHC Partnership has amongst its key objectives to strengthen national health policy development. In Guinea and Chad, policy dialogue focused on elaborating the national health plan and other key documents. This study is an analytical reflection inspired by realist evaluative approaches to understand whether policy dialogue led to improved harmonisation amongst health actors in Guinea and Chad, and if so, how and why. Interviews were conducted in Guinea and Chad with key informants at the national and sub-national government levels, civil society, and development partners. A review of relevant policy documents and reports was added to data collection to construct a full picture of the policy dialogue process. Context-mechanism-outcome configurations were used as the realist framework to guide the analysis on how participants' understanding of what policy dialogue was and the way the policy dialogue process unfolded led to improved harmonisation. Improved harmonisation as a result of policy dialogue was perceived to be stronger in Guinea than in Chad. While in both countries the participants held a shared view of what policy dialogue was and what it could achieve, and both policy dialogue processes were considered to be well implemented (i.e., well-facilitated, evidence-based, participatory, and consisted of recurring meetings and activities), certain contextual factors in Chad tempered the view of harmonisation as having improved. These were the pre-existence of dialogic policy processes that had exposed the actors to the potential that policy dialogue could have; a focus on elaborating provincial level strategies, which gave the sense that the process was more bottom-up; and the perception that there were acute resource constraints, which conditioned partners' interactions. Policy dialogue improves harmonisation in terms of fostering information exchange amongst partners; however, it does not appear to influence the operational procedures of the actors. This has implications for aid effectiveness.

75 FR 14441 - General Services Administration; Office of Governmentwide Policy; Submission for Review; Tangible...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

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...; Office of Governmentwide Policy; Submission for Review; Tangible Personal Property Report; Standard Form SF-428 AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services Administration (GSA). ACTION: Notice... the Grants Policy Committee, is issuing a new information collection requirement regarding reporting...

Studying complex interventions: reflections from the FEMHealth project on evaluating fee exemption policies in West Africa and Morocco.

PubMed

Marchal, Bruno; Van Belle, Sara; De Brouwere, Vincent; Witter, Sophie

2013-11-08

The importance of complexity in health care policy-making and interventions, as well as research and evaluation is now widely acknowledged, but conceptual confusion reigns and few applications of complexity concepts in research design have been published. Taking user fee exemption policies as an entry point, we explore the methodological consequences of 'complexity' for health policy research and evaluation. We first discuss the difference between simple, complicated and complex and introduce key concepts of complex adaptive systems theory. We then apply these to fee exemption policies. We describe how the FEMHealth research project attempts to address the challenges of complexity in its evaluation of fee exemption policies for maternal care. We present how the development of a programme theory for fee exemption policies was used to structure the overall design. This allowed for structured discussions on the hypotheses held by the researchers and helped to structure, integrate and monitor the sub-studies. We then show how the choice of data collection methods and tools for each sub-study was informed by the overall design. Applying key concepts from complexity theory proved useful in broadening our view on fee exemption policies and in developing the overall research design. However, we encountered a number of challenges, including maintaining adaptiveness of the design during the evaluation, and ensuring cohesion in the disciplinary diversity of the research teams. Whether the programme theory can fulfil its claimed potential to help making sense of the findings is yet to be tested. Experience from other studies allows for some moderate optimism. However, the biggest challenge complexity throws at health system researchers may be to deal with the unknown unknowns and the consequence that complex issues can only be understood in retrospect. From a complexity theory point of view, only plausible explanations can be developed, not predictive theories. Yet here, theory-driven approaches may help.

An analysis of household waste management policy using system dynamics modelling.

PubMed

Inghels, Dirk; Dullaert, Wout

2011-04-01

This paper analyses the Flemish household waste management policy. Based on historical data from the period 1991-2006, literature reviews and interviews, both mathematical and descriptive relationships are derived that describe Flemish waste collection, reuse, recycling and disposal behaviour. This provides insights into how gross domestic product (GDP), population and selective collection behaviour have influenced household waste production and collection over time. These relationships are used to model the dynamic relationships underlying household waste management in Flanders by using a system dynamics (SD) modelling approach. Where most SD models in literature are conceptual and descriptive, in the present study a real-life case with both correlational and descriptive relationships was modelled for Flanders, a European region with an outstanding waste management track record. This model was used to evaluate the current Flemish household waste management policy based on the principles of the waste hierarchy, also referred as the Lansink ranking. The results show that Flemish household waste targets up to 2015 can be achieved by the current waste policy measures. It also shows the sensitivity of some key policy parameters such as prevention and reuse. Given the general nature of the model and its limited data requirements, the authors believe that the approach implemented in this model can also assist waste policy makers in other regions or countries to meet their policy targets by simulating the effect of their current and potential household waste policy measures.

Strengthening post-graduate educational capacity for health policy and systems research and analysis: the strategy of the Consortium for Health Policy and Systems Analysis in Africa.

PubMed

Erasmus, Ermin; Lehmann, Uta; Agyepong, Irene Akua; Alwar, John; de Savigny, Don; Kamuzora, Peter; Mirzoev, Tolib; Nxumalo, Nonhlanhla; Tomson, Göran; Uzochukwu, Benjamin; Gilson, Lucy

2016-04-12

The last 5-10 years have seen significant international momentum build around the field of health policy and systems research and analysis (HPSR + A). Strengthening post-graduate teaching is seen as central to the further development of this field in low- and middle-income countries. However, thus far, there has been little reflection on and documentation of what is taught in this field, how teaching is carried out, educators' challenges and what future teaching might look like. Contributing to such reflection and documentation, this paper reports on a situation analysis and inventory of HPSR + A post-graduate teaching conducted among the 11 African and European partners of the Consortium for Health Policy and Systems Analysis in Africa (CHEPSAA), a capacity development collaboration. A first questionnaire completed by the partners collected information on organisational teaching contexts, while a second collected information on 104 individual courses (more in-depth information was subsequently collected on 17 of the courses). The questionnaires yielded a mix of qualitative and quantitative data, which were analysed through counts, cross-tabulations, and the inductive grouping of material into themes. In addition, this paper draws information from internal reports on CHEPSAA's activities, as well as its external evaluation. The analysis highlighted the fluid boundaries of HPSR + A and the range and variability of the courses addressing the field, the important, though not exclusive, role of schools of public health in teaching relevant material, large variations in the time investments required to complete courses, the diversity of student target audiences, the limited availability of distance and non-classroom learning activities, and the continued importance of old-fashioned teaching styles and activities. This paper argues that in order to improve post-graduate teaching and continue to build the field of HPSR + A, key questions need to be addressed around educational practice issues such as the time allocated for HPSR + A courses, teaching activities, and assessments, whether HPSR + A should be taught as a cross-cutting theme in post-graduate degrees or an area of specialisation, and the organisation of teaching given the multi-disciplinary nature of the field. It ends by describing some of CHEPSAA's key post-graduate teaching development activities and how these activities have addressed the key questions.

Nevada Infrastructure for Climate Change Science, Education, and Outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dana, G. L.; Piechota, T. C.; Lancaster, N.; Mensing, S. A.

2009-12-01

The Nevada system of Higher Education, including the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the University of Nevada, Reno, the Desert Research Institute, and Nevada State College have begun a five year research and infrastructure building program, funded by the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR) with the vision “to create a statewide interdisciplinary program and virtual climate change center that will stimulate transformative research, education, and outreach on the effects of regional climate change on ecosystem resources (especially water) and support use of this knowledge by policy makers and stakeholders.” Six major strategies are proposed: 1) Develop a capability to model climate change and its effects at a regional and sub-regional scales to evaluate different future scenarios and strategies (Climate Modeling Component) 2) Develop data collection, modeling, and visualization infrastructure to determine and analyze effects on ecosystems and disturbance regimes (Ecological Change Component) 3) Develop data collection, modeling, and visualization infrastructure to better quantify and model changes in water balance and resources under climate change (Water Resources Component) 4) Develop data collection and modeling infrastructure to assess effects on human systems, responses to institutional and societal aspects, and enhance policy making and outreach to communities and stakeholders (Policy, Decision-Making, and Outreach Component) 5) Develop a data portal and software to support interdisciplinary research via integration of data from observational networks and modeling (Cyberinfrastructure Component) and 6) Develop educational infrastructure to train students at all levels and provide public outreach in climate change issues (Education Component). As part of the new infrastructure, two observational transects will be established across Great Basin Ranges, one in southern Nevada in the Spring Mountains, and the second to be located in the Snake Range of eastern Nevada which will reach bristlecone pine stands. Climatic, hydrologic and ecological data from these transects will be downloaded into high capacity data storage units and made available to researchers through creation of the Nevada climate change portal. Our research will aim to answer two interdisciplinary science questions: 1) How will climate change affect water resources and linked ecosystem resources and human systems? And 2) How will climate change affect disturbance regimes (e.g., wildland fires, invasive species, insect outbreaks, droughts) and linked systems?

Multi-stakeholder policy modeling for collection and recycling of spent portable battery waste.

PubMed

Gupta, Vimal Kumar; Kaushal, Rajendra Kumar; Shukla, Sheo Prasad

2018-06-01

Policies have been structured for collection and recycling of spent portable battery waste within a framework of stakeholders (recycling council body, producer, recycler and consumer) especially for those battery units that are discarded worldwide because of their expensive cost of recycling. Applicability of stakeholders' policies in their coalition framework have been reviewed and critically analyzed using the Shapley value of cooperative game theory models. Coalition models for 'manufacturer and recycler' indicated the dominating role of manufacturers over the recyclers, and waste management is highly influenced by producer responsibility. But, the take-back policy enables recyclers' dominance role in the management and yields maximum benefit to both recyclers and consumers. The polluter pays principle has been implemented in formulating policies to key stakeholders, 'manufacturers' as well as 'consumers', of battery products by the introduction of penalties to encourage their willingness to join the Environment, Health and Safety program. Results indicated that the policies of the framework have the potential to be implemented within a marginal rise in battery price by 12% to 14.3% in the range of recycling cost per tonne of US$2000 to US$5000. The policy of the stakeholders' framework presented in the study could be an important aid to achieve high collection and recycling rates of spent portable batteries.

The Ohio Cross-Cultural Tobacco Control Alliance: Understanding and Eliminating Tobacco-Related Disparities Through the Integration of Science, Practice, and Policy

PubMed Central

Adhikari, Surendra B.; Clopton, Tracy M.; Oches, Barry; Jensen, Conrado

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined the development of a process designed to eliminate tobacco-related disparities in the state of Ohio and described how a cross-cultural work group used a multicomponent community planning process to develop capacity to address such disparities. Methods. The community development model was used as a guide in the planning process. We employed a case study, focus groups, and telephone interviews to assess the process and collect data on tobacco use and awareness. We also employed the appreciative inquiry framework to create the organizational design for the Ohio Cross-Cultural Tobacco Control Alliance (CCTCA), which was formed from the cross-cultural work group and charged with addressing tobacco-related disparities in the state. Results. Data on tobacco use and awareness were collected from 13 underserved populations. At the end of the planning process, the CCTCA was initiated along with structural capacity to serve as a new program incubator highlighting tobacco use and awareness levels in these populations. Conclusions. The CCTCA appeared to be an effective way to begin mobilizing agencies serving underserved populations by providing an operational structure to address tobacco-related disparities. The alliance also successfully implemented culturally competent community-based programs and policies to help eliminate disparities. PMID:20147668

Developing a policy guidance for financing dental care in Iran using the RAND Appropriateness Method.

PubMed

Jadidfard, M P; Yazdani, S; Khoshnevisan, M H

2013-12-01

This study aimed to provide recommendations on health care financing with special emphasis on dental care. The RAND Appropriateness Method was employed to obtain the collective opinion of a multidisciplinary panel of experts on a set of recommendation statements regarding Iranian dental care financing. An initial set of recommendations were identified from a literature review. Panel members, selected purposively and by peer nomination, each rated the appropriateness and necessity of the recommendations in a structured process of two rounds. Each recommendation was classified as inappropriate, uncertain, appropriate but not necessary, or appropriate and necessary according to the median rating score and the level of disagreement among the panellists. Of 28 initial recommendations, 25 were agreed on as appropriate, of which 22 were considered as necessary. Altogether, these recommendations provide a holistic picture of an oral health system's financing in three domains: revenue collection, pooling of revenues and purchasing of dental services. The policy guidance recommendations are intended to provide the Iranian oral health authorities with an evidence-base for financing dental care. The recommendations may be transferrable, at least in part, particularly to developing countries with similar hybrid health system structures. Finally, the method used to develop the recommendations can serve as a model for use elsewhere.

Prevalence of HIV-1 in blood donations following implementation of a structured blood safety policy in South Africa.

PubMed

Heyns, Anthon du P; Benjamin, Richard J; Swanevelder, J P Ronel; Laycock, Megan E; Pappalardo, Brandee L; Crookes, Robert L; Wright, David J; Busch, Michael P

2006-02-01

The South African National Blood Service collects more than 700,000 units of blood annually from a population in which 11.4% is infected with human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). The prevalence of HIV-1 in blood donations increased to 0.26% (1:385) in 1998, indicating that a significant number of window-period infective units were entering the blood supply (risk 3.4/100,000). To determine whether the implementation of a new donor selection policy and educational program introduced in 1999 was associated with reductions in the incidence and prevalence of HIV-1 in blood donations and the reduced transmission risk. We compared the prevalence of HIV-1 in 880,534 blood donations collected from 1999 through 2000 with the 791,639 blood donations collected from 2001 through 2002. We estimated the incidence of HIV-1 in 93,378 (1999-2000) and 67,231 (2001-2002) first-time donations and the residual risk for all donations in 2001-2002 using the less-sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassay and incidence-window period model. All blood donors in the Inland region of the South African National Blood Service were analyzed. Donor clinics in high HIV prevalence areas were closed. Programs targeting repeat donors and youth were initiated and HIV risk behavior education programs were developed. Structured donor interviews and an enhanced donor self-exclusion questionnaire were institutionalized. The prevalence of HIV-1 in blood donations declined from 0.17% in 1999-2000 to 0.08% in 2001-2002 after the implementation of the new donor selection and education policy. The number of high-risk donations collected decreased from 2.6% to 1.7% (P<.001), and the likelihood of these donations being infected decreased from 4.8% to 3.25%. The likelihood of first-time donors being recently infected with HIV-1 decreased from 18% to 14% (P = .07) and respective incidence of high-risk donations collected decreased from 2.6% to 1.7%. Donations from the majority black population declined from 6.6% to 4.2% (P<.001). Analysis of HIV-1 incidence in 2001-2002 suggests a residual risk of collecting a window period infectious unit of 2.6/100,000. The implementation of enhanced education and selection policies in South Africa was associated with decreased prevalence of HIV-1 in blood donations.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Smoke-free Policy in Philadelphia Public Housing

PubMed Central

Klassen, Ann C.; Lee, Nora L.; Pankiewicz, Aaron; Ward, Rikki; Shuster, Michelle; Ogbenna, Bethany Townsend; Wade, Anita; Boamah, Maxwell; Osayameh, Olufunlayo; Rule, Ana M.; Szymkowiak, Dorota; Coffman, Ryan; Bragg, Virginius; Mallya, Giridhar

2017-01-01

Objectives Multi-unit housing environments remain significant sources of secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, especially for vulnerable populations in subsidized housing. In Philadelphia, the largest US housing authority to implement smoke-free policies, we measured baseline resident smoking-related behaviors and attitudes, and longitudinal exposures to airborne nicotine, during policy development and implementation. Methods In 4 communities, we collected data in 2013, 2014, and 2016, before and after introduction of comprehensive smoke-free policies, interviewing persons in 172 households, and monitoring air-borne nicotine in non-smoking homes and public areas. Average nicotine level differences across years were estimated with multi-level models. Results Fifty-six percent of respondents smoked. Only 37% of households were smoke-free, with another 41% restricting smoking by area or time of day. The number of locations with detectable nicotine did not differ before and after policy implementation, with approximately 20% of non-smoking homes and 70%–80% of public areas having detectable nicotine. However, public area nicotine levels were lower in 2016, after policy implementation, than in 2013 and 2014 (−0.19 μg/m3, p = .03). Conclusions Findings suggest that initial policy implementation was associated with reduced SHS exposure in Philadelphia. As HUD strengthens smoke-free policies, SHS monitoring can be useful to educate stakeholders and build support for policy enforcement. PMID:28944277

New hospital-based policy for children whose parents present at the ER due to domestic violence, substance abuse and/or a suicide attempt.

PubMed

Hoytema van Konijnenburg, Eva M M; Sieswerda-Hoogendoorn, Tessa; Brilleslijper-Kater, Sonja N; van der Lee, Johanna H; Teeuw, Arianne H

2013-02-01

Child maltreatment is a major social problem with many adverse consequences, and a substantial number of maltreated children are not identified by health care professionals. In 2010, in order to improve the identification of maltreated children in hospitals, a new hospital-based policy was developed in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This policy was adapted from another policy that was developed in The Hague, the Netherlands, in 2007. In the new Amsterdam policy, all adults presenting at the emergency department due to domestic violence, substance abuse, and/or a suicide attempt are asked whether they have any children in their care. If this is the case, parents are urged to visit the outpatient pediatric department together with all of their children. During this visit, problems are evaluated and voluntary referrals can be arranged to different care organizations. If parents refuse to cooperate, their children are reported to the Dutch Child Abuse Counseling and Reporting Centre. The two aims of this study are to describe (1) characteristics of the identified families and (2) the referrals made to different voluntary and involuntary care organizations during the first 2 years after implementation of the policy. Data were collected from medical records. One hundred and six children from 60 households were included, of which 68 children because their mother was a victim of domestic violence. Referrals to care organizations were arranged for 99 children, of which 67 on a voluntary basis. The Amsterdam policy seems successful in arranging voluntary support for the majority of identified children.

Mental health policy development in the States: the piecemeal nature of transformational change.

PubMed

Garfield, Rachel L

2009-10-01

Transformation--systemic, sweeping changes to promote recovery and consumerism--is a pervasive theme in discussions of U.S. mental health policy. State systems are a fundamental component of national transformation plans. However, it is not clear how the vision of transformation will be balanced against the idiosyncratic political forces that traditionally characterize state policy making. This article examines the development of state mental health policy to assess whether and how it reflects the broader context of transformation versus political forces. Analysis used qualitative evidence collected from semistructured interviews in four states (California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New Mexico), which were chosen to capture variation in geography and population, health systems, and political environment. Interviewees included 35 key mental health officials, directors of principal mental health consumer and family advocacy groups, and executives of major mental health provider groups. Interviews were conducted between May 2007 and March 2008. Many recent state policy priorities in mental health are consistent with the overall goals of transformation, but some are particular to a state's circumstance. The case studies showed that these priorities are largely shaped by executive control, stakeholder interests, and crises. There is mixed evidence on whether these drivers of state priorities reflect an underlying transformative process. States' mental health policies are largely guided by the problems and resources of the states: sometimes these forces dovetail with nationwide transformation goals and processes, and sometimes they are idiosyncratic to a particular state. Thus, although states can play an integral role in forwarding transformation, their own mental health policy agendas are not eclipsed by this nationwide movement.

Documentary analysis of risk-assessment and safety-planning policies and tools in a mental health context.

PubMed

Higgins, Agnes; Doyle, Louise; Morrissey, Jean; Downes, Carmel; Gill, Ailish; Bailey, Sive

2016-08-01

Despite the articulated need for policies and processes to guide risk assessment and safety planning, limited guidance exists on the processes or procedures to be used to develop such policies, and there is no body of research that examines the quality or content of the risk-management policies developed. The aim of the present study was to analyse the policies of risk and safety management used to guide mental health nursing practice in Ireland. A documentary analysis was performed on 123 documents received from 22 of the 23 directors of nursing contacted. Findings from the analysis revealed a wide variation in how risk, risk assessment, and risk management were defined. Emphasis within the risk documentation submitted was on risk related to self and others, with minimal attention paid to other types of risks. In addition, there was limited evidence of recovery-focused approaches to positive risk taking that involved service users and their families within the risk-related documentation. Many of the risk-assessment tools had not been validated, and lacked consistency or guidance in relation to how they were to be used or applied. The tick-box approach and absence of space for commentary within documentation have the potential to impact severely on the quality of information collected and documented, and subsequent clinical decision-making. Managers, and those tasked with ensuring safety and quality, need to ensure that policies and processes are, where possible, informed by best evidence and are in line with national mental health policy on recovery. © 2016 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Achieving Health Equity Through Community Engagement in Translating Evidence to Policy: The San Francisco Health Improvement Partnership, 2010-2016.

PubMed

Grumbach, Kevin; Vargas, Roberto A; Fleisher, Paula; Aragón, Tomás J; Chung, Lisa; Chawla, Colleen; Yant, Abbie; Garcia, Estela R; Santiago, Amor; Lang, Perry L; Jones, Paula; Liu, Wylie; Schmidt, Laura A

2017-03-23

The San Francisco Health Improvement Partnership (SFHIP) promotes health equity by using a novel collective impact model that blends community engagement with evidence-to-policy translational science. The model involves diverse stakeholders, including ethnic-based community health equity coalitions, the local public health department, hospitals and health systems, a health sciences university, a school district, the faith community, and others sectors. We report on 3 SFHIP prevention initiatives: reducing consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs), regulating retail alcohol sales, and eliminating disparities in children's oral health. SFHIP is governed by a steering committee. Partnership working groups for each initiative collaborate to 1) develop and implement action plans emphasizing feasible, scalable, translational-science-informed interventions and 2) consider sustainability early in the planning process by including policy and structural interventions. Through SFHIP's efforts, San Francisco enacted ordinances regulating sale and advertising of SSBs and a ballot measure establishing a soda tax. Most San Francisco hospitals implemented or committed to implementing healthy-beverage policies that prohibited serving or selling SSBs. SFHIP helped prevent Starbucks and Taco Bell from receiving alcohol licenses in San Francisco and helped prevent state authorization of sale of powdered alcohol. SFHIP increased the number of primary care clinics providing fluoride varnish at routine well-child visits from 3 to 14 and acquired a state waiver to allow dental clinics to be paid for dental services delivered in schools. The SFHIP model of collective impact emphasizing community engagement and policy change accomplished many of its intermediate goals to create an environment promoting health and health equity.

Language Policies in Education: Critical Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tollefson, James W., Ed.

This collection of papers examines how language policies in education serve the interests of dominant groups within societies, how policies marginalize some students while granting privilege to others, how language policies in schools create inequalities among learners, and how schools can further the educational, social, and economic interests of…

Affect Theory and Policy Mobility: Challenges and Possibilities for Critical Policy Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Marcia

2017-01-01

This article contributes to a growing literature on policy mobilities by proposing that affect be considered in analyses of the movements and transformations of policy over time and space. In particular, collective affective conditions, the role of affect in terms of infrastructures and actors of policy apparatuses and the mediating influences of…

Analytical and policy issues in energy economics: Uses of the FRS data base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-12-01

The relevant literature concerning several major analytical and policy issues in energy economics is reviewed and criticized. The possible uses of the Financial Reporting System (FRS) data base for the analysis of energy policy issues are investigated. Certain features of FRS data suggest several ways in which the data base can be used by policy makers. FRS data are collected on the firm level, and different segments of the same firm operating in different markets can be separately identified. The methods of collection as well as FRS's elaborate data verification process guarantee a high degree of accuracy and consistency among firms.

Primary journal selection using citations from an indexing service journal: a method and example from nursing literature.

PubMed Central

Hafner, A W

1976-01-01

Although serial literature is extremely important to a library collection, it is also the source of many problems. Specialty journal selection is difficult, particularly for the librarian of a small or intermediate-size library that is not in a position to develop or maintain an exhaustive or inclusive collection in a particular field or discipline. Steadily increasing journal costs and recent economic trends necessitate establishment or reexamination of a periodical collection policy. In this investigation, the technique used analyzes citations assigned to medical subject headings (MeSH) and subheadings by indexers who prepare the MEDLARS data base. Citations have been retrieved by exploiting the on-line nature of the MEDLARS data base. A four-year time period is used to identify specialty journals in the area of nursing. Results given include a separate rank-order listing arranged by decreasing frequency of productivity for each MeSH term searched. A composite listing is given for the 16,355 unique citations retrieved. The approach illustrated and data presented may be useful in establishing library policy for questions of periodical subscription and setting of priorities for binding and microform purchases. The purpose of the approach described is to predict collection demand with efficiency and economy. PMID:974295

Evaluating waterpoint sustainability and access implications of revenue collection approaches in rural Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, T.; Hope, R.

2017-02-01

Water policies in many sub-Saharan African countries stipulate that rural communities are responsible for self-financing their waterpoint's operation and maintenance. In the absence of policy consensus or evidence on optimal payment models, rural communities adopt a diversity of approaches to revenue collection. This study empirically assesses waterpoint sustainability and access outcomes associated with different revenue collection approaches on the south coast of Kenya. The analysis draws on a unique data set comprising financial records spanning 27 years and 100 communities, operational performance indicators for 200 waterpoints, and water source choices for more than 2000 households. Results suggest communities collecting pay-as-you-fetch fees on a volumetric basis generate higher levels of revenue and experience better operational performance than communities charging flat fees. In both cases, financial flows mirror seasonal rainfall peaks and troughs. These outcomes are tempered by evidence that households are more likely to opt for an unimproved drinking water source when a pay-as-you-fetch system is in place. The findings illuminate a possible tension between financial sustainability and universal access. If the Sustainable Development Goal of "safe water for all" is to become a reality, policymakers and practitioners will need to address this issue and ensure rural water services are both sustainable and inclusive.

Advocacy, Efficacy, and Engagement in an Online Network for Latino Childhood Obesity Prevention.

PubMed

Ramirez, Amelie G; Gallion, Kipling J; Despres, Cliff; Aguilar, Rosalie P; Adeigbe, Rebecca T; Seidel, Sarah E; McAlister, Alfred L

2015-11-01

Salud America! is a national network created to engage Latino researchers, health professionals and community leaders in actions to reduce Latino childhood obesity. An online survey of 148 Salud America! network members investigated relationships between (1) their levels of engagement with the network, (2) self- and collective-efficacy, and (3) behavioral intentions to engage in advocacy for policies that can help reduce Latino childhood obesity. Analyses of these data found that higher levels of Salud America! engagement was associated with collective-advocacy efficacy-greater confidence in organized group advocacy as a way of advancing policies to reduce Latino childhood obesity. A multiple regression analysis found that this sense of collective-efficacy moderately predicted intentions to engage in advocacy behaviors. Salud America! engagement levels were less strongly associated with members' confidence in their personal ability to be an effective advocate, yet this sense of self-efficacy was a very strong predictor of a behavioral intention to advocate. Based on these findings, new online applications aimed at increasing self- and collective-efficacy through peer modeling are being developed for Salud America! in order to help individuals interested in Latino childhood obesity prevention to connect with each other and with opportunities for concerted local actions in their communities. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Comparison of groundwater flow in Southern California coastal aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Randall T.; Izbicki, John A.; Reichard, Eric G.; Edwards, Brian D.; Land, Michael; Martin, Peter

2009-01-01

Maintaining the sustainability of Southern California coastal aquifers requires joint management of surface water and groundwater (conjunctive use). This requires new data collection and analyses (including research drilling, modern geohydrologic investigations, and development of detailed computer groundwater models that simulate the supply and demand components separately), implementation of new facilities (including spreading and injection facilities for artificial recharge), and establishment of new institutions and policies that help to sustain the water resources and better manage regional development.

Evidence-based policy-making in the NHS: exploring the interface between research and the commissioning process.

PubMed

Harries, U; Elliott, H; Higgins, A

1999-03-01

The UK National Health Service (NHS) R&D strategy acknowledges the importance of developing an NHS where practice and policy is more evidence-based. This paper is based on a qualitative study which aimed to identify factors which facilitate or impede evidence-based policy-making at a local level in the NHS. The study involved a literature review and case studies of social research projects which were initiated by NHS health authority managers or general practitioner (GP) fundholders in one region of the NHS. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with lead policy-makers, GPs and researchers working on each of the case studies and analysis of project documentation. An over-arching theme from the analysis was that of the complexity of R&D in purchasing. The two worlds of research and health services management often sit uncomfortably together. For this reason it was not possible to describe a 'blueprint' for successful R&D, although several important issues emerged. These include sharing an appropriate model for research utilization, the importance of relationships in shaping R&D, the importance of influence and commitment in facilitating evidence-based change, and the resourcing of R&D in purchasing. These issues have important implications for the strategic development of R&D as well as for individual project application. Moving beyond the rhetoric of evidence-based policy-making is more likely if both policy-makers and researchers openly acknowledge this complexity and give due concern to the issues outlined.

The Stress Check Program: a new national policy for monitoring and screening psychosocial stress in the workplace in Japan.

PubMed

Kawakami, Norito; Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2016-01-01

The Japanese government launched a new occupational health policy called the Stress Check Program. This program mandates that all workplaces with 50 or more employees conduct the Stress Check Program for workers at least once a year. This article gives a brief overview and critical review of the program. We reviewed relevant laws, guidelines, and manuals, as well as the policy development process. The policy and the components of the program were compared using available scientific evidence and trends in the management of psychosocial factors at work according to the policies and guidelines of international bodies and European countries. The process of program policy development was based on a discussion among employer and employee representatives, occupational health professionals, and mental health experts. Scientific evidence shows that mandated components of the program (i.e., feedback of stress survey results and physician's interview) may be ineffective. However, additional components recommended to employers, such as stress management skill provision and work environment improvement, in conjunction with the program may be effective in improving psychosocial stress at work. The Stress Check Program is unique compared with the global trend for psychosocial risk management because it focuses on the assessment of stress among individual workers. The new program may be effective in improving worker mental health by facilitating the psychosocial risk management approach in Japan. Concerns regarding the program include mass leakage of collected information, and possible disadvantages for workers labeled as having high stress.

Program to Manage New and Expensive Drugs in Pediatrics: Profile of a New Drug Policy and a 12-Month Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Corny, Jennifer; Cotteret, Camille; Pelletier, Élaine; Ovetchkine, Philippe; Bussières, Jean-François

2017-01-01

With growing financial pressure and the range of new and expensive drugs, hospital administrators, clinicians, and pharmacy directors are facing tough decisions on how to manage drug budgets. At a Canadian mother-child hospital, a policy for new and expensive drugs was developed, with the goal of managing their use and costs. To describe the development and implementation of a policy for new and expensive drugs in a mother-child teaching hospital and to describe the profile of requests for these therapies over a 12-month period. A brainstorming session was conducted with members of the pharmacy and therapeutics committee to define the criteria for new and expensive drugs at the study hospital and a new process to evaluate requests for these drugs. Over the 12-month period following implementation of the policy, all requests for new and expensive drugs were evaluated through collection and analysis of relevant data. The new drug policy was launched on October 1, 2014. Over the following 12-month period, a total of 58 requests for new and expensive drugs were discussed, but only 47 request forms were completed and signed by a physician and a clinical pharmacist. New and expensive drugs represent a challenge for clinicians and hospital stakeholders. This study illustrates the implementation of a new policy for these drugs in a mother-child teaching hospital over a 12-month period.

Structural analysis of health-relevant policy-making information exchange networks in Canada.

PubMed

Contandriopoulos, Damien; Benoît, François; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; Carrier, Annie; Carter, Nancy; Deber, Raisa; Duhoux, Arnaud; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Larouche, Catherine; Leclerc, Bernard-Simon; Levy, Adrian; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Maximova, Katerina; McGrail, Kimberlyn; Nykiforuk, Candace; Roos, Noralou; Schwartz, Robert; Valente, Thomas W; Wong, Sabrina; Lindquist, Evert; Pullen, Carolyn; Lardeux, Anne; Perroux, Melanie

2017-09-20

Health systems worldwide struggle to identify, adopt, and implement in a timely and system-wide manner the best-evidence-informed-policy-level practices. Yet, there is still only limited evidence about individual and institutional best practices for fostering the use of scientific evidence in policy-making processes The present project is the first national-level attempt to (1) map and structurally analyze-quantitatively-health-relevant policy-making networks that connect evidence production, synthesis, interpretation, and use; (2) qualitatively investigate the interaction patterns of a subsample of actors with high centrality metrics within these networks to develop an in-depth understanding of evidence circulation processes; and (3) combine these findings in order to assess a policy network's "absorptive capacity" regarding scientific evidence and integrate them into a conceptually sound and empirically grounded framework. The project is divided into two research components. The first component is based on quantitative analysis of ties (relationships) that link nodes (participants) in a network. Network data will be collected through a multi-step snowball sampling strategy. Data will be analyzed structurally using social network mapping and analysis methods. The second component is based on qualitative interviews with a subsample of the Web survey participants having central, bridging, or atypical positions in the network. Interviews will focus on the process through which evidence circulates and enters practice. Results from both components will then be integrated through an assessment of the network's and subnetwork's effectiveness in identifying, capturing, interpreting, sharing, reframing, and recodifying scientific evidence in policy-making processes. Knowledge developed from this project has the potential both to strengthen the scientific understanding of how policy-level knowledge transfer and exchange functions and to provide significantly improved advice on how to ensure evidence plays a more prominent role in public policies.

The role of policy actors and contextual factors in policy agenda setting and formulation: maternal fee exemption policies in Ghana over four and a half decades.

PubMed

Koduah, Augustina; van Dijk, Han; Agyepong, Irene Akua

2015-05-30

Development of health policy is a complex process that does not necessarily follow a particular format and a predictable trajectory. Therefore, agenda setting and selecting of alternatives are critical processes of policy development and can give insights into how and why policies are made. Understanding why some policy issues remain and are maintained whiles others drop off the agenda is an important enquiry. This paper aims to advance understanding of health policy agenda setting and formulation in Ghana, a lower middle-income country, by exploring how and why the maternal (antenatal, delivery and postnatal) fee exemption policy agenda in the health sector has been maintained over the four and half decades since a 'free antenatal care in government facilities' policy was first introduced in October 1963. A mix of historical and contemporary qualitative case studies of nine policy agenda setting and formulation processes was used. Data collection methods involved reviews of archival materials, contemporary records, media content, in-depth interviews, and participant observation. Data was analysed drawing on a combination of policy analysis theories and frameworks. Contextual factors, acting in an interrelating manner, shaped how policy actors acted in a timely manner and closely linked policy content to the intended agenda. Contextual factors that served as bases for the policymaking process were: political ideology, economic crisis, data about health outcomes, historical events, social unrest, change in government, election year, austerity measures, and international agendas. Nkrumah's socialist ideology first set the agenda for free antenatal service in 1963. This policy trajectory taken in 1963 was not reversed by subsequent policy actors because contextual factors and policy actors created a network of influence to maintain this issue on the agenda. Politicians over the years participated in the process to direct and approve the agenda. Donors increasingly gained agenda access within the Ghanaian health sector as they used financial support as leverage. Influencers of policy agenda setting must recognise that the process is complex and intertwined with a mix of political, evidence-based, finance-based, path-dependent, and donor-driven processes. Therefore, influencers need to pay attention to context and policy actors in any strategy.

Seven Foundational Principles of Population Health Policy.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Dru; Bhatt, Jay

2017-10-01

In 2016, Keyes and Galea issued 9 foundational principles of population health science and invited further deliberations by specialists to advance the field. This article presents 7 foundational principles of population health policy whose intersection with health care, public health, preventive medicine, and now population health, presents unique challenges. These principles are in response to a number of overarching questions that have arisen in over a decade of the authors' collective practice in the public and private sectors, and having taught policy within programs of medicine, law, nursing, and public health at the graduate and executive levels. The principles address an audience of practitioners and policy makers, mindful of the pressing health care challenges of our time, including: rising health-related expenditures, an aging population, workforce shortages, health disparities, and a backdrop of inequities rooted in social determinants that have not been adequately translated into formal policies or practices among the key stakeholders in population health. These principles are meant to empower stakeholders-whether it is the planner or the practitioner, the decision maker or the dedicated caregiver-and inform the development of practical tools, research, and education.

U.S. Geological Survey quality-assurance plan for continuous water-quality monitoring in Kansas, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, Trudy J.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Foster, Guy M.; Stone, Mandy L.; Juracek, Kyle E.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Putnam, James E.

2014-01-01

A quality-assurance plan for use in conducting continuous water-quality monitoring activities has been developed for the Kansas Water Science Center in accordance with guidelines set forth by the U.S. Geological Survey. This quality-assurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey in Kansas for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and release of continuous water-quality monitoring data. The policies and procedures that are documented in this quality-assurance plan for continuous water-quality monitoring activities complement quality-assurance plans for surface-water and groundwater activities in Kansas.

How to successfully implement extended producer responsibility: considerations from an economic point of view.

PubMed

Wiesmeth, Hans; Häckl, Dennis

2011-09-01

This paper investigates the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR) from an economic point of view. Particular importance will be placed on the concept of 'economic feasibility' of an EPR policy, which should guide decision-making in this context. Moreover, the importance of the core EPR principle of 'integrating signals throughout the product chain' into the incentive structure will be demonstrated with experiences from Germany. These examples refer to sales packaging consumption, refillable drinks packages and waste electrical and electronic equipment collection. As a general conclusion, the interaction between economic principles and technological development needs to be observed carefully when designing incentive-compatible EPR policies.

Protocol for the process evaluation of a complex intervention designed to increase the use of research in health policy and program organisations (the SPIRIT study).

PubMed

Haynes, Abby; Brennan, Sue; Carter, Stacy; O'Connor, Denise; Schneider, Carmen Huckel; Turner, Tari; Gallego, Gisselle

2014-09-27

Process evaluation is vital for understanding how interventions function in different settings, including if and why they have different effects or do not work at all. This is particularly important in trials of complex interventions in 'real world' organisational settings where causality is difficult to determine. Complexity presents challenges for process evaluation, and process evaluations that tackle complexity are rarely reported. This paper presents the detailed protocol for a process evaluation embedded in a randomised trial of a complex intervention known as SPIRIT (Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial). SPIRIT aims to build capacity for using research in health policy and program agencies. We describe the flexible and pragmatic methods used for capturing, managing and analysing data across three domains: (a) the intervention as it was implemented; (b) how people participated in and responded to the intervention; and (c) the contextual characteristics that mediated this relationship and may influence outcomes. Qualitative and quantitative data collection methods include purposively sampled semi-structured interviews at two time points, direct observation and coding of intervention activities, and participant feedback forms. We provide examples of the data collection and data management tools developed. This protocol provides a worked example of how to embed process evaluation in the design and evaluation of a complex intervention trial. It tackles complexity in the intervention and its implementation settings. To our knowledge, it is the only detailed example of the methods for a process evaluation of an intervention conducted as part of a randomised trial in policy organisations. We identify strengths and weaknesses, and discuss how the methods are functioning during early implementation. Using 'insider' consultation to develop methods is enabling us to optimise data collection while minimising discomfort and burden for participants. Embedding the process evaluation within the trial design is facilitating access to data, but may impair participants' willingness to talk openly in interviews. While it is challenging to evaluate the process of conducting a randomised trial of a complex intervention, our experience so far suggests that it is feasible and can add considerably to the knowledge generated.

Understanding and benchmarking health service achievement of policy goals for chronic disease

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Key challenges in benchmarking health service achievement of policy goals in areas such as chronic disease are: 1) developing indicators and understanding how policy goals might work as indicators of service performance; 2) developing methods for economically collecting and reporting stakeholder perceptions; 3) combining and sharing data about the performance of organizations; 4) interpreting outcome measures; 5) obtaining actionable benchmarking information. This study aimed to explore how a new Boolean-based small-N method from the social sciences—Qualitative Comparative Analysis or QCA—could contribute to meeting these internationally shared challenges. Methods A ‘multi-value QCA’ (MVQCA) analysis was conducted of data from 24 senior staff at 17 randomly selected services for chronic disease, who provided perceptions of 1) whether government health services were improving their achievement of a set of statewide policy goals for chronic disease and 2) the efficacy of state health office actions in influencing this improvement. The analysis produced summaries of configurations of perceived service improvements. Results Most respondents observed improvements in most areas but uniformly good improvements across services were not perceived as happening (regardless of whether respondents identified a state health office contribution to that improvement). The sentinel policy goal of using evidence to develop service practice was not achieved at all in four services and appears to be reliant on other kinds of service improvements happening. Conclusions The QCA method suggested theoretically plausible findings and an approach that with further development could help meet the five benchmarking challenges. In particular, it suggests that achievement of one policy goal may be reliant on achievement of another goal in complex ways that the literature has not yet fully accommodated but which could help prioritize policy goals. The weaknesses of QCA can be found wherever traditional big-N statistical methods are needed and possible, and in its more complex and therefore difficult to empirically validate findings. It should be considered a potentially valuable adjunct method for benchmarking complex health policy goals such as those for chronic disease. PMID:23020943

Stakeholders' perspectives on access-to-medicines policy and research priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean: face-to-face and web-based interviews.

PubMed

Azeredo, Thiago Botelho; Luiza, Vera Lucia; Oliveira, Maria Auxiliadora; Emmerick, Isabel Cristina Martins; Bigdeli, Maryam

2014-06-25

This study aims to rank policy concerns and policy-related research issues in order to identify policy and research gaps on access to medicines (ATM) in low- and middle-income countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), as perceived by policy makers, researchers, NGO and international organization representatives, as part of a global prioritization exercise. Data collection, conducted between January and May 2011, involved face-to-face interviews in El Salvador, Colombia, Dominican Republic, and Suriname, and an e-mail survey with key-stakeholders. Respondents were asked to choose the five most relevant criteria for research prioritization and to score policy/research items according to the degree to which they represented current policies, desired policies, current research topics, and/or desired research topics. Mean scores and summary rankings were obtained. Linear regressions were performed to contrast rankings concerning current and desired policies (policy gaps), and current and desired research (research gaps). Relevance, feasibility, and research utilization were the top ranked criteria for prioritizing research. Technical capacity, research and development for new drugs, and responsiveness, were the main policy gaps. Quality assurance, staff technical capacity, price regulation, out-of-pocket payments, and cost containment policies, were the main research gaps. There was high level of coherence between current and desired policies: coefficients of determination (R2) varied from 0.46 (Health system structure; r = 0.68, P <0.01) to 0.86 (Sustainable financing; r = 0.93, P <0.01). There was also high coherence between current and desired research on Rational selection and use of medicines (r = 0.71, P <0.05, R2 = 0.51), Pricing/affordability (r = 0.82, P <0.01, R2 = 0.67), and Sustainable financing (r = 0.76, P <0.01, R2 = 0.58). Coherence was less for Health system structure (r = 0.61, P <0.01, R2 = 0.38). This study combines metrics approaches, contributing to priority setting methodology development, with country and regional level stakeholder participation. Stakeholders received feedback with the results, and we hope to have contributed to the discussion and implementation of ATM research and policy priorities in LAC.

Blueprint for a deliberative public forum on biobanking policy: were theoretical principles achievable in practice?

PubMed Central

Molster, Caron; Maxwell, Susannah; Youngs, Leanne; Kyne, Gaenor; Hope, Fiona; Dawkins, Hugh; O’Leary, Peter

2011-01-01

Abstract Background:  Public deliberation is recommended for obtaining citizen input to policy development when policies involve contested ethical dimensions, diverse perspectives on how to trade‐off competing public interests and low public awareness of these perspectives. Several norms have been proposed for the design of deliberative methods. Evidence is scarce regarding whether such norms are achievable in practice. Purpose:  This paper refers to principles of deliberative democracy theory to describe a deliberative public forum on biobanking. Practical challenges and contextual facilitators of achieving deliberative ideals are discussed, along with factors that influenced use of the forum output in policy development. Method:  The forum ran for 4 days over two weekends in Perth, Western Australia. Key methodological features were socio‐demographic stratification to randomly recruit a mini‐public of citizens for discursive representation, provision of information inclusive of diverse perspectives and framed for difference, provision of a fair way for reasoning and collective decision making and adoption of processes to achieve publicity, accountability and independence from undue institutional influence. Results:  Most design principles were achieved in practice, with the fundamental exception of representativeness. Factors influencing these outcomes, and the use of deliberated outputs to develop policy, included institutional characteristics, the design involvement of deliberative experts and quality of the outputs when compared to other consultation methods. Conclusions:  Public deliberations can achieve design ideals and influence (ethics‐based) public health policy. The representation of ‘hard to reach’ citizens and their views needs further consideration, particularly as this relates to the procedural legitimacy of ethical analyses and the just inclusion of deliberative citizen advice within the broader policy‐making process. PMID:21645188

Alignment between Chronic Disease Policy and Practice: Case Study at a Primary Care Facility

PubMed Central

Draper, Claire A.; Draper, Catherine E.; Bresick, Graham F.

2014-01-01

Background Chronic disease is by far the leading cause of death worldwide and of increasing concern in low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa, where chronic diseases disproportionately affect the poor living in urban settings. The Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) has prioritized the management of chronic diseases and has developed a policy and framework (Adult Chronic Disease Management Policy 2009) to guide and improve the prevention and management of chronic diseases at a primary care level. The aim of this study is to assess the alignment of current primary care practices with the PGWC Adult Chronic Disease Management policy. Methods One comprehensive primary care facility in a Cape Town health district was used as a case study. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n = 10), focus groups (n = 8) and document review. Participants in this study included clinical staff involved in chronic disease management at the facility and at a provincial level. Data previously collected using the Integrated Audit Tool for Chronic Disease Management (part of the PGWC Adult Chronic Disease Management policy) formed the basis of the guide questions used in focus groups and interviews. Results The results of this research indicate a significant gap between policy and its implementation to improve and support chronic disease management at this primary care facility. A major factor seems to be poor policy knowledge by clinicians, which contributes to an individual rather than a team approach in the management of chronic disease patients. Poor interaction between facility- and community-based services also emerged. A number of factors were identified that seemed to contribute to poor policy implementation, the majority of which were staff related and ultimately resulted in a decrease in the quality of patient care. Conclusions Chronic disease policy implementation needs to be improved in order to support chronic disease management at this facility. It is possible that similar findings and factors are present at other primary care facilities in Cape Town. At a philosophical level, this research highlights the tension between primary health care principles and a diseased-based approach in a primary care setting. PMID:25141191

Alignment between chronic disease policy and practice: case study at a primary care facility.

PubMed

Draper, Claire A; Draper, Catherine E; Bresick, Graham F

2014-01-01

Chronic disease is by far the leading cause of death worldwide and of increasing concern in low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa, where chronic diseases disproportionately affect the poor living in urban settings. The Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) has prioritized the management of chronic diseases and has developed a policy and framework (Adult Chronic Disease Management Policy 2009) to guide and improve the prevention and management of chronic diseases at a primary care level. The aim of this study is to assess the alignment of current primary care practices with the PGWC Adult Chronic Disease Management policy. One comprehensive primary care facility in a Cape Town health district was used as a case study. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n = 10), focus groups (n = 8) and document review. Participants in this study included clinical staff involved in chronic disease management at the facility and at a provincial level. Data previously collected using the Integrated Audit Tool for Chronic Disease Management (part of the PGWC Adult Chronic Disease Management policy) formed the basis of the guide questions used in focus groups and interviews. The results of this research indicate a significant gap between policy and its implementation to improve and support chronic disease management at this primary care facility. A major factor seems to be poor policy knowledge by clinicians, which contributes to an individual rather than a team approach in the management of chronic disease patients. Poor interaction between facility- and community-based services also emerged. A number of factors were identified that seemed to contribute to poor policy implementation, the majority of which were staff related and ultimately resulted in a decrease in the quality of patient care. Chronic disease policy implementation needs to be improved in order to support chronic disease management at this facility. It is possible that similar findings and factors are present at other primary care facilities in Cape Town. At a philosophical level, this research highlights the tension between primary health care principles and a diseased-based approach in a primary care setting.

76 FR 16031 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs...

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2011-03-22

... of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Policy and Evaluation, Evaluation Division: Sports... with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Title of Information Collection: Bureau of Educational and... Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of Policy and Evaluation, Evaluation Division (ECA/P/V) Form Number...

Selecting, Evaluating and Creating Policies for Computer-Based Resources in the Behavioral Sciences and Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Linda B., Comp.; And Others

This collection includes four handouts: (1) "Selection Critria Considerations for Computer-Based Resources" (Linda B. Richardson); (2) "Software Collection Policies in Academic Libraries" (a 24-item bibliography, Jane W. Johnson); (3) "Circulation and Security of Software" (a 19-item bibliography, Sara Elizabeth Williams); and (4) "Bibliography of…

75 FR 27556 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Final Collection; Comment Request

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... Review and Comments Request. Form Title: Short Term Multi-Buyer Export Credit Insurance Policy.... The Short Term Multi-Buyer Export Credit Insurance Policy Application will be used by entities.... Change question three (3) to read ``Do you have an SBA or Ex-Im Bank Working Capital Loan or are you...

7 CFR 1955.109 - Processing and closing (CONACT).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Earnest money. Earnest money, if any, will be used to pay purchaser's closing costs with any balance of... Collection Policies for Consumer or Commercial Debts.” The County Supervisor or District Director must review... Collection Policies for Consumer or Commercial Debts,” with the applicant, and the form must be signed by the...

Collective Bargaining in Education and Pay for Performance. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center on Performance Incentives, 2008

2008-01-01

In "Collective Bargaining in Education and Pay for Performance"--a paper presented at the National Center on Performance Incentives research to policy conference in February--Jane Hannaway and Andrew J. Rotherham examine the interplay between the emerging policy focus on teacher pay for performance and the response of teacher unions.…

78 FR 18426 - Proposed Information Collection (Application for Cash Surrender or Policy Loan) Activity: Comment...

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... obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they... (Application for Cash Surrender or Policy Loan) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Benefits... to determine a claimant's eligibility for a loan or cash surrender value on his or her Government...

77 FR 38838 - Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 230.110-Registration of Blood Banks, Other Firms Collecting...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2012-D-0558] Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 230.110--Registration of Blood Banks, Other Firms Collecting, Manufacturing, Preparing, or Processing Human Blood or Blood Products; Withdrawal AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS...

Policy Poison or Promise: Exploring the Dual Nature of California School District Collective Bargaining Agreements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strunk, Katharine O.

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study examines policies set in the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) negotiated between teachers' unions and school boards and explores what kinds of districts have contract provisions that restrict district administrators, enhance administrative flexibility, and/or improve teachers' professional work lives and that have…

Educational Administration and Queer Educators: Building Relationships of Inclusion and Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaghan, Tonya; Mizzi, Robert C.

2015-01-01

The editors of this special collection of the "Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy" open this introductory essay with the words of Margaret Mead in order to underscore an important message contained in all of the essays of this collection: education administrators and policy makers are paramount to creating learning…

77 FR 65381 - Information Collection(s) Being Submitted for Review and Approval to the Office of Management and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-26

... Terrestrial Microwave Fixed Radio Service. Form Number: N/A. Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved... increase in burden hours is due to FS operators compliance with the Rural Microwave Flexibility Policy... Microwave Flexibility Policy directing the Commission's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau to favorably...

45 CFR 708.2 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Policy. 708.2 Section 708.2 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS COLLECTION BY SALARY OFFSET FROM INDEBTED CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES § 708.2 Policy. It is the policy of the Commission to apply the...

45 CFR 708.2 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Policy. 708.2 Section 708.2 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS COLLECTION BY SALARY OFFSET FROM INDEBTED CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES § 708.2 Policy. It is the policy of the Commission to apply the...

Inquiry Learning: Is Your Selection Policy Ready?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friese, Elizabeth E. G.

2008-01-01

This article talks about selection policy and provides suggestions on how library media specialists can update their selection policies to provide an atmosphere that facilitate inquiry. The selection policy is meant to ensure that the collection meets the needs of the school community as comprehensively and effectively as possible. Instead of…

Government Accountability Reports and Public Education Policy: Studying Political Actors' Decision-Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salazar, Timothy Ross

2013-01-01

This study asks how government accountability reports are used to influence public education policy. Government accountability reports, called "audits" in Utah, prove to be useful tools for examining education policy. Using a collective case study design examining Utah's Class Size Reduction (CSR) policy, government accountability…

Health and schooling: evidence and policy implications for developing countries.

PubMed

Gomes-neto, J B; Hanushek, E A; Leite, R H; Frota-bezzera, R C

1997-01-01

Health and education are typically viewed as distinct topics from both the research and policy perspectives. Accordingly, the direct interactions between health status and education have been neglected in both research and policy making. The authors use survey data collected from students during the 1980s in Piaui, Ceara, and Pernambuco states as part of an evaluation of a major educational intervention program, EDURURAL, to investigate the complementarities of health with school attainment and cognitive achievement. A series of anthropometric measures for individual students in rural northeast Brazil are used in educational performance models. The promotion models and value-added achievement models both demonstrate the importance of students' visual acuity. Poor vision systematically leads to higher drop-out rates, more grade repetition, and lower achievement. The achievement models also point to the role of good nutrition.

Senior housing in Sweden: a new concept for aging in place.

PubMed

Henning, Cecilia; Ahnby, Ulla; Osterstrom, Stefan

2009-01-01

Demographic projections of elder care in Sweden necessitate new and creative approaches to accommodate this rapidly growing population. This article describes a unique aging-in-place care and housing policy initiative for the elderly. Using a case example in Eksjo, Sweden, the authors used a future workshop (FW) method to help seniors plan their future housing in the community. The FW is based on a collective democratic process involving full participation, open communication, organizational development, and leadership. The process steps of the three-stage FW method are described. Results indicated that empowerment, collaboration, autonomy, social education, and decision making can be achieved in a community-network-based policy model. This demonstrates the devolution of national policy and how, at the grass roots level, local participation and public accountability can take root. Devolution created an opportunity for creatively addressing local needs.

A Right to Disclose: LGBTQ Youth Representation in Data, Science, and Policy.

PubMed

Snapp, Shannon D; Russell, Stephen T; Arredondo, Mariella; Skiba, Russell

2016-01-01

There has been growing attention to sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) in child and adolescent development, public discourse, and research. A strong tension is clear: The right for participation, and thus representation in data, science, and policy, is often understood as conflicting with the right for protection, that is, safety from disclosure of a marginalized orientation or identity. Both participation and protection rights are also closely tied to young people's rights to privacy (or lack thereof). We review recent scholarship on SOGI in developmental sciences in light of this tension. We focus on schooling as a salient developmental context for all youth, a place that is historically unsafe for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, and a context where researchers have identified gaps of knowledge as well as strategies for improvement. Our review focuses on the politics and processes of SOGI inclusion in education data collection efforts in the United States, an area where SOGI data collection is scarce in comparison to other systems of care, such as health. We suggest that one solution to the dilemma would be that youth have the right to disclose their SOGI information to whom and when they choose. We offer strategies on how to hold these tensions in balance and move toward SOGI-inclusive research and data collection so that LGBTQ youth can be represented in data, science, and policy. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of the infant and young child feeding policy environment in Pakistan: Federal, Sindh and Punjab context.

PubMed

Mahmood, Hana; Suleman, Yasmeen; Hazir, Tabish; Akram, Durre Samin; Uddin, Shahadat; Dibley, Michael J; Abassi, Saleem; Shakeel, Amara; Kazmi, Narjis; Thow, Anne Marie

2017-06-13

Appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices have been identified as important for appropriate child growth and development. (Ministry of Planning and Development, Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (2012)) Children in Pakistan still experience high rates of malnutrition, indicating a likely need for stronger IYCF policy. The purpose of this study was to identify major stakeholders who shape the IYCF policy environment and analyze which policies protect, promote and support IYCF practices, either directly or indirectly. This study was conducted at the federal level, and in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab. We identified policies relevant to IYCF using a matrix developed by the South Asian Infant Feeding Research Network (SAIFRN), designed to capture policies at a range of levels (strategic policy documents through to implementation guidelines) in sectors relevant to IYCF. We analyzed the content using predetermined themes focused on support for mothers, and used narrative synthesis to present our findings. For the stakeholder analysis, we conducted four Net-Map activities with 49 interviewees using the Net-Map methodology. We analyzed the quantitative data using Organizational Risk Analyzer ORA and used the qualitative data to elucidate further information regarding relationships between stakeholders. We identified 19 policy documents for analysis. Eleven of these were nutrition and/or IYCF focused and eight were broader policies with IYCF as a component. The majority lacked detail relevant to implementation, particularly in terms of: ownership of the policies by a specific government body; sustainability of programs/strategies (most are donor funded), multi-sectoral collaboration; and effective advocacy and behavior change communication. Data collected through four Net-Map activities showed that after devolution of health ministry, provincial health departments were the key actors in the government whereas UNICEF and WHO were the key donors who were also highly influential and supportive of the objective. This analysis identified opportunities to strengthen IYCF policy in Pakistan through increased clarity on roles and responsibilities, improved multisectoral collaboration, and strong and consistent training guidelines and schedules for community health workers. The current policy environment presents opportunities, despite limitations. Our Net-Map analysis indicated several key government and international stakeholders, who differed across Federal and Provincial study sites. The detailed information regarding stakeholder influence can be used to strengthen advocacy.

Mapping support policies for informal carers across the European Union.

PubMed

Courtin, Emilie; Jemiai, Nadia; Mossialos, Elias

2014-10-01

At a time when health and social care services in European countries are under pressure to contain or cut costs, informal carers are relied upon as the main providers of long-term care. However, still little is known about the availability of direct and indirect support for informal carers across the European Union. Primary data collection in all EU member states was supplemented with an extensive review of the available literature. Various forms and levels of support have been implemented across Europe to facilitate the role of informal caregivers. Financial support is the most common type of support provided, followed by respite care and training. Most countries do not have a process in place to systematically identify informal carers and to assess their needs. Policies are often at an early stage of development and the breadth of support varies significantly across the EU. Policy developments are uneven across the member states, with some countries having mechanisms in place to assess the needs and support informal carers while others are only starting to take an interest in developing support services. Given the unprecedented challenges posed by population ageing, further research and better data are needed to capture and monitor information on informal carers, to help design adequate support policies and eventually to evaluate their impact across the EU. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Work process, performance and professional profile of a Hearing Health Network: reference for satisfaction.

PubMed

Escarce, Andrezza Gonzalez; Lemos, Stela Maris Aguiar; Carvalho, Sirley Alves da Silva

2016-01-01

To analyze the correlation between the satisfaction of professionals from the Hearing Health Care network in two micro-regions of Minas Gerais state and the sociodemographic profile, work process, and work performance in the health service. This is a cross-sectional, observational, analytic study with a non-probabilistic sample including 34 professionals from the Hearing Health Care services. Data collection occurred through individual interviews in the municipality of professional practice. Associations between the Professional Satisfaction variable and the explanatory variables Sociodemographic Data, Work Routine, and Developed Actions were conducted. Professionals with graduate studies were more satisfied with the human resources policy and the activities developed, whereas health civil servants showed more satisfaction with the wage policy and the work schedule. The correlation analysis between work process and satisfaction revealed a moderate positive correlation between items such as Health Promotion Actions, Satisfaction with Diagnostic Equipment, and Satisfaction with Maintenance Equipment. The present study revealed a higher level of satisfaction among professionals with graduate studies (human resources policy and activities developed) and civil servants (wage policy and work schedule). The relevance of this study lies on the important role that health professionals play on the Health Care Network. Additionally, the study of satisfaction level can provide a search for improvements, considering that satisfied professionals not only improve service quality, but also show greater creativity, commitment, and performance.

‘Rowing against the current’: the policy process and effects of removing user fees for caesarean sections in Benin

PubMed Central

Cresswell, Jenny A; Makoutodé, Patrick; De Brouwere, Vincent; Witter, Sophie; Filippi, Veronique; Kanhonou, Lydie G; Goufodji, Sourou B; Lange, Isabelle L; Lawin, Lionel; Affo, Fabien; Marchal, Bruno

2018-01-01

Background In 2009, the Benin government introduced a user fee exemption policy for caesarean sections. We analyse this policy with regard to how the existing ideas and institutions related to user fees influenced key steps of the policy cycle and draw lessons that could inform the policy dialogue for universal health coverage in the West African region. Methods Following the policy stages model, we analyse the agenda setting, policy formulation and legitimation phase, and assess the implementation fidelity and policy results. We adopted an embedded case study design, using quantitative and qualitative data collected with 13 tools at the national level and in seven hospitals implementing the policy. Results We found that the initial political goal of the policy was not to reduce maternal mortality but to eliminate the detention in hospitals of mothers and newborns who cannot pay the user fees by exempting a comprehensive package of maternal health services. We found that the policy development process suffered from inadequate uptake of evidence and that the policy content and process were not completely in harmony with political and public health goals. The initial policy intention clashed with the neoliberal orientation of the political system, the fee recovery principles institutionalised since the Bamako Initiative and the prevailing ideas in favour of user fees. The policymakers did not take these entrenched factors into account. The resulting tension contributed to a benefit package covering only caesarean sections and to the variable implementation and effectiveness of the policy. Conclusion The influence of organisational culture in the decision-making processes in the health sector is often ignored but must be considered in the design and implementation of any policy aimed at achieving universal health coverage in West African countries. PMID:29564156

Addiction research centres and the nurturing of creativity. National institute on alcohol and drugs policies, Brazil.

PubMed

Laranjeira, Ronaldo; Mitsuhiro, Sandro Sendin

2012-04-01

The National Institute of Public Policy for Alcohol and Other Drugs (INPAD) is based at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil, and was created to collect scientific evidence regarding epidemiology, develop new therapeutic approaches, study health economics and provide education to subsidize the proper measures to change the Brazilian scenario of alcohol and drug consumption. Policies directed towards the control of alcohol and drugs in Brazil are fragmented, poorly enforced and therefore ineffective. The unregulated market of alcohol in Brazil has contributed to the worsening health of the Brazilian population. Since 1994, INPAD has participated actively in academic debates and discussions about alcohol and drug policies and their effects on the political welfare of the country. Many scientific papers and books have been published on this subject, and the internet and other media have provided excellent opportunities for the dissemination of specialized information to the general population. © 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Implications of dual practice for universal health coverage.

PubMed

McPake, Barbara; Russo, Giuliano; Hipgrave, David; Hort, Krishna; Campbell, James

2016-02-01

Making progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) requires that health workers are adequate in numbers, prepared for their jobs and motivated to perform. In establishing the best ways to develop the health workforce, relatively little attention has been paid to the trends and implications of dual practice - concurrent employment in public and private sectors. We review recent research on dual practice for its potential to guide staffing policies in relation to UHC. Many studies describe the characteristics and correlates of dual practice and speculate about impacts, but there is very little evidence that is directly relevant to policy-makers. No studies have evaluated the impact of policies on the characteristics of dual practice or implications for UHC. We address this lack and call for case studies of policy interventions on dual practice in different contexts. Such research requires investment in better data collection and greater determination on the part of researchers, research funding bodies and national research councils to overcome the difficulties of researching sensitive topics of health systems functions.

Health in All Policies in South Australia—Did It Promote and Enact an Equity Perspective?

PubMed Central

Harris, Elizabeth; Baum, Fran; Delany-Crowe, Toni; MacDougall, Colin

2017-01-01

Mobilising cross-sectoral action is helpful in addressing the range of social determinants that contribute to health inequities. The South Australian Health in All Policies (SA HiAP) approach was implemented from 2007 to stimulate cross-sector policy activity to address the social determinants of health to improve population wellbeing and reduce health inequities. This paper presents selected findings from a five year multi-methods research study of the SA HiAP approach and draws on data collected during interviews, observation, case studies, and document analysis. The analysis shows that SA HiAP had dual goals of facilitating joined-up government for co-benefits (process focus); and addressing social determinants of health and inequities through cross-sectoral policy activity (outcomes focus). Government agencies readily understood HiAP as providing tools for improving the process of intersectoral policy development, while the more distal outcome-focused intent of improving equity was not well understood and gained less traction. While some early rhetorical support existed for progressing an equity agenda through SA HiAP, subsequent economic pressures resulted in the government narrowing its priorities to economic goals. The paper concludes that SA HiAP’s initial intentions to address equity were only partially enacted and little was done to reduce inequities. Emerging opportunities in SA, and internationally, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, may revive interest in addressing equity. PMID:29068400

Big Data for Public Health Policy-Making: Policy Empowerment.

PubMed

Mählmann, Laura; Reumann, Matthias; Evangelatos, Nikolaos; Brand, Angela

2018-04-04

Digitization is considered to radically transform healthcare. As such, with seemingly unlimited opportunities to collect data, it will play an important role in the public health policy-making process. In this context, health data cooperatives (HDC) are a key component and core element for public health policy-making and for exploiting the potential of all the existing and rapidly emerging data sources. Being able to leverage all the data requires overcoming the computational, algorithmic, and technological challenges that characterize today's highly heterogeneous data landscape, as well as a host of diverse regulatory, normative, governance, and policy constraints. The full potential of big data can only be realized if data are being made accessible and shared. Treating research data as a public good, creating HDC to empower citizens through citizen-owned health data, and allowing data access for research and the development of new diagnostics, therapies, and public health policies will yield the transformative impact of digital health. The HDC model for data governance is an arrangement, based on moral codes, that encourages citizens to participate in the improvement of their own health. This then enables public health institutions and policymakers to monitor policy changes and evaluate their impact and risk on a population level. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Paying more for faster care? Individuals' attitude toward price-based priority access in health care.

PubMed

Benning, Tim M; Dellaert, Benedict G C

2013-05-01

Increased competition in the health care sector has led hospitals and other health care institutions to experiment with new access allocation policies that move away from traditional expert based allocation of care to price-based priority access (i.e., the option to pay more for faster care). To date, little is known about individuals' attitude toward price-based priority access and the evaluation process underlying this attitude. This paper addresses the role of individuals' evaluations of collective health outcomes as an important driver of their attitude toward (price-based) allocation policies in health care. The authors investigate how individuals evaluate price-based priority access by means of scenario-based survey data collected in a representative sample from the Dutch population (N = 1464). They find that (a) offering individuals the opportunity to pay for faster care negatively affects their evaluations of both the total and distributional collective health outcome achieved, (b) however, when health care supply is not restricted (i.e., when treatment can be offered outside versus within the regular working hours of the hospital) offering price-based priority access affects total collective health outcome evaluations positively instead of negatively, but it does not change distributional collective health outcome evaluations. Furthermore, (c) the type of health care treatment (i.e., life saving liver transplantation treatment vs. life improving cosmetic ear correction treatment - priced at the same level to the individual) moderates the effect of collective health outcome evaluations on individuals' attitude toward allocation policies. For policy makers and hospital managers the results presented in this article are helpful because they provide a better understanding of what drives individuals' preferences for health care allocation policies. In particular, the results show that policies based on the "paying more for faster care" principle are more attractive to the general public when treatment takes place outside the regular working hours of a hospital. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study of the Guidance Program and Its Management in the Montgomery County Public Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebert, Mary K.; And Others

This study responds to the Board of Education's request that a plan be developed to assess and improve guidance and counseling services in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Maryland. Data collection activities included (1) a review of MCPS policies and regulations, and (2) analysis of data from counselor logs, counselor observations,…

Web Portals & Higher Education: Technologies To Make IT Personal. The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Richard N., Ed.

The chapters of this collection examine a full range of issues that any educational institution must consider before beginning to develop a Web portal, including business challenges, organizational implications, policy choices, and technology concerns. The chapters are: (1) "It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a Portal?" (Richard N. Katz);…

78 FR 53171 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission to OMB for Reinstatement, With Change, of a...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-28

... risks to FCU members or to an FCU's safety and soundness. Each FCU also must develop an Identity Theft... forms of activity that indicate the possible existence of identity theft. In addition, 12 CFR 717.90 requires each FCU to establish reasonable policies and procedures to address the risk of identity theft...

Youth's Perceptions of Employer Hiring and Disciplinary Standards. Executive Summary. Employability Factors Study. Studies in Employment and Training Policy: No. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miguel, Richard J.

A study focused on the relationships of (1) youth's perceptions of hiring and disciplinary standards, (2) their work supervisors' reports of those standards, and (3) selected antecedents and employment outcomes associated with employability development programs. Through questionnaires, data were collected at the beginning and end of the 1981-82…

Personality over Policy: A Comparative History of the Founding and Early Development of Four Significant American Manuscript Repositories of Business, Industry, and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordberg, Erik C.

2017-01-01

This dissertation compares and contrasts the founding and early manuscript collecting activities of four publicly accessible American archival repositories known for their extensive holdings in business, industrial, and technological history: the Baker Library at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts; the Hagley Library and Museum in…

How Safe? The Status of State Efforts To Protect Children in Child Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Gina

Based on the view that strong state child care licensing policies can influence the quality of child care and thereby enhance children's health and development, this report examines the status of state efforts to improve the quality of child care programs. Almost all data were collected for a 1993 Parenting Magazine survey, and were verified by…

Issues with PISA's Use of Its Data in the Context of International Education Policy Convergence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Dan

2014-01-01

In its analysis of data it collected in 2006, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) used a variety of statistical methods to arrive at the 'key findings' that school autonomy, school competition and the public posting of student achievement data were…

Teachers for the New Millennium: Aligning Teacher Development, National Goals, and High Standards for All Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Leonard, Ed.; Edelfelt, Roy A., Ed.

This collection of conference papers addresses such issues as: the changes in policy, practice, and research necessary to ensure that teachers meet the needs of all students; and the partnerships and strategies needed to acquire and use the resources that will effect these changes. The ten chapters of the book are: (1) "The Courage to…

Forest nursery history in western Canada with special emphasis on the province of British Columbia

Treesearch

Evert (Ev) Van Eerden

2002-01-01

In Canada, forest land ownership and management is largely under provincial jurisdiction, and forestry operations are mainly conducted on public land and not on private land. This public ownership has exerted a profound impact on the development of reforestation policies and nursery technology in Canada. Collectively, about 650 million seedlings are planted annually in...

An Australian casemix classification for palliative care: lessons and policy implications of a national study.

PubMed

Eagar, Kathy; Gordon, Robert; Green, Janette; Smith, Michael

2004-04-01

To provide a nontechnical discussion of the development of a palliative care casemix classification and some policy implications of its implementation. 3866 palliative care patients who, in a three month period, had 4596 episodes of care provided by 58 palliative care services in Australia and New Zealand. A detailed clinical and service utilization profile was collected on each patient with staff time and other resources measured on a daily basis. A statistical summary of the clinical variables was compiled as the first stage of the analysis. Palliative care phase was found to be a good predictor of resource use, with patients fairly evenly distributed across the five categories. Clients treated in an inpatient setting had poorer function and higher symptom severity scores than those treated in an ambulatory setting, a result that is not surprising in this Australian setting. Implementation of the resultant AN-SNAP classification has been proceeding since 1998 in some Australian jurisdictions. The development and implementation of a classification such as AN-SNAP provides the possibility of having a consistent approach to collecting palliative care data in Australia as well as a growing body of experience on how to progressively improve the classification over time.