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Fiscal impacts of immigration to the United States.

"The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the demographic literature by reviewing previous fiscal studies of immigration in the United States. Each study is introduced by describing the data it uses, the methodologies employed in calculating costs and revenues, and the resulting estimates of fiscal consequences. Evaluative comments are also stressed. Seventeen studies are included in this review, divided into those that emphasize national fiscal impacts (these studies aggregate the effects of immigrants across all levels of government), state fiscal impacts, and fiscal effects on local governments."

Americas↗

After 9/11: priority focus areas for bioterrorism preparedness in hospitals.

Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, bioterrorism preparedness was a priority in hospitals, but it did not remain a priority. As a result, hospitals are still unprepared to deal with the effects of a bioterrorist attack. The government has provided initial funding to state and local governments for bioterrorism preparedness; however, much of this money has yet to reach hospitals. With the inadequate funding available to hospitals, four initial measures must be focused on. These focus areas are community involvement, hospital staff education, information technology and disease surveillance improvement, and additional equipment and staff acquisition. Hospitals should also make bioterrorism-preparedness planning a regional effort.

Bioterrorism↗

[The health and welfare system for elderly in France].

Dichotomy is the main characteristic of the Health and Welfare system in France. This system lies on two distinct fields, the medical field which is managed by the National Government, and the social field managed by the Local Government. The French home care policy for the elderly has developed a large number of services to assist in activities of daily living, to provide nursing and medical care at home, to improve living conditions, to maintain social relationships, and to postpone institutionalization and hospitalization, respectively. The main home care service is represented by "home helpers" who provide maid Notiniralics services. The second widely used service is the "home care service" performed by a team of nurses, assistant-nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists. This team provides nursing care and assistance in activities of daily living. As for institutions for the elderly, they are divided into welfare and medical institutions. The welfare institutions include social establishments like shelter homes and nursing homes. The medical institutions are mostly represented by long-term care hospitals. One of the main goals of the aging policy is to create medical wards in welfare institutions in response to the increased dependency of the institutionalized elderly. Recent experimental and innovative concepts have been established, such as "shelter homes for dependent elderly" for physically or cognitively impaired elderly.

Activities of Daily Living↗

The present role of the local health department in environmental toxicology.

Environmental health concerns are focusing sharply on health risks associated with exposure to toxic substances. The local health department role in responding to these concerns is becoming more crucial as well as more difficult. Commercial production of toxic chemicals is increasing rapidly. Individuals are being exposed to these substances in their residential communities as well as in their workplaces. Over two dozen major federal laws exercise some control over toxic substances, but much responsibility for implementation rests at the local level. Local health department responsibility is primarily in the areas of education, services, and regulation. Education must be provided for local government officials and for those who render and receive local environmental services. Services must include surveillance to identify environmental causes of disease, documentation of disease and dysfunctions possibly related to toxic substances, and coordination of environmental toxicology services with related community activities. Regulatory activities call for careful risk assessment and risk management, accomplished in cooperation with other government agencies, universities, and industry.

Environmental Exposure↗

The use of antidiphterial serotherapy in Bologna in 1895. A pilot experience.

It was the year 1894 and the international scientific community was experiencing a historic moment. It was around this time that Pasteur, Kock, L efler, Yersin and Behring discovered the microbiological causes of commonly occurring infectious diseases. In Bologna it was decided to eradicate the diphtheria epidemic which had claimed 152 victims, mainly children, the previous year by experimentally adopting specific serotherapy successfully applied in France shortly before. Supported by local government funding and with the aid of some enterprising local doctors, an efficacious serum was soon produced in Bologna. Good clinical results were obtained and production and sale costs were able to be considerably reduced. Little more than a century later, this is an example of applicative research where there is much still to be revealed.

Journal Article↗

Governing the health sector: power and policy making in the English and Swedish health services.

Although both are publicly owned and financed, the health care systems of England and Sweden are widely different in levels of funding, patterns of resource allocation, and types of planning and management. In England, control is more closely tied to national government; in Sweden, it is shared between national and local governments. A comparative analysis of decision making in the two systems reveals critical differences in determinations of how resources are allocated among competing interests, and how resources are used. Interestingly, as the English move toward more decentralization, the Swedes are considering greater central controls, but, in any event, convergence is unlikely.

Decision Making, Organizational↗

[The progress of National Leprosarium].

Leprosy Prevention Law was proclaimed in 1907 in Japan. According to the regulation, Leprosy Control Policy has got under way by the Government. In 1909, five leprosaria were established in the leprosy endemic areas by local government to admit vagrant leprosy patients who were estimated as one thousand and two hundred. The vagabonds had many troubles, especially, they often escaped from leprosaria. Dr. Kensuke Mitsuda who was one of the directors of leprosaria suggested the Government to establish the National Leprosarium in small island to admit them. In 1930, the Government had Ten-year Program to eradicate leprosy and decided to set up ten thousand beds in existing leprosaria and newly-established National Leprosarium. The plan has been almost completed by the construction of five National Leprosaria by 1940. The number of in-patients was 9,125, including 4,389 in five national institutions. In 1941, five local leprosaria were transferred their superintendence to the Central Government, after then, in 1943 and 1944, two National Leprosaria were established. The total number of National Leprosarium in Japan came to thirteen in 1945.

History, 20th Century↗

Injection drug use and HIV/AIDS in China: review of current situation, prevention and policy implications.

Illicit drug abuse and HIV/AIDS have increased rapidly in the past 10 to 20 years in China. This paper reviews drug abuse in China, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its association with injection drug use (IDU), and Chinese policies on illicit drug abuse and prevention of HIV/AIDS based on published literature and unpublished official data. As a major drug trans-shipment country with source drugs from the "Golden Triangle" and "Gold Crescent" areas in Asia, China has also become an increasingly important drug consuming market. About half of China's 1.14 million documented drug users inject, and many share needles. IDU has contributed to 42% of cumulatively reported HIV/AIDS cases thus far. Drug trafficking is illegal in China and can lead to the death penalty. The public security departments adopt "zero tolerance" approach to drug use, which conflict with harm reduction policies of the public health departments. Past experience in China suggests that cracking down on drug smuggling and prohibiting drug use alone can not prevent or solve all illicit drug related problems in the era of globalization. In recent years, the central government has outlined a series of pragmatic policies to encourage harm reduction programs; meanwhile, some local governments have not fully mobilized to deal with drug abuse and HIV/AIDS problems seriously. Strengthening government leadership at both central and local levels; scaling up methadone substitution and needle exchange programs; making HIV voluntary counseling and testing available and affordable to both urban and rural drug users; and increasing utilization of outreach and nongovernmental organizations are offered as additional strategies to help cope with China's HIV and drug abuse problem.

Journal Article↗

Community innovation in hazardous materials management: progress in implementing SARA Title III in the United States. Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act.

Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA Title III) established a new federal approach to managing toxic chemical hazards. This legislation required industry to disclose the type and quantity of such chemicals and also required the establishment of state and local government organizations to receive those data, evaluate community vulnerability, develop local emergency response plans, and communicate with the public. This paper reviews the law's historical context and empirical studies of its implementation. The available evidence suggests that significant progress has been made in reducing chemical hazards but there is considerable variation across jurisdictions in the effectiveness of the law's implementation. The research results reviewed here suggest a variety of ways in which SARA Title III implementation can be improved.

Communication↗

A network approach for researching partnerships in health.

BACKGROUND: The last decade has witnessed a significant move towards new modes of governing that are based on coordination and collaboration. In particular, local level partnerships have been widely introduced around the world. There are few comprehensive approaches for researching the effects of these partnerships. The aim of this paper is to outline a network approach that combines structure and agency based explanations to research partnerships in health. Network research based on two Primary Care Partnerships (PCPs) in Victoria is used to demonstrate the utility of this approach. The paper examines multiple types of ties between people (structure), and the use and value of relationships to partners (agency), using interviews with the people involved in two PCPs--one in metropolitan Melbourne and one in a rural area. RESULTS: Network maps of ties based on work, strategic information and policy advice, show that there are many strong connections in both PCPs. Not surprisingly, PCP staff are central and highly connected. Of more interest are the ties that are dependent on these dedicated partnership staff, as they reveal which actors become weakly linked or disconnected without them. Network measures indicate that work ties are the most dispersed and strategic information ties are the most concentrated around fewer people. Divisions of general practice are weakly linked, while local government officials and Department of Human Services (DHS) regional staff appear to play important bridging roles. Finally, the relationships between partners have changed and improved, and most of those interviewed value their new or improved links with partners. CONCLUSION: Improving service coordination and health promotion planning requires engaging people and building strong relationships. Mapping ties is a useful means for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of partnerships, and network analysis indicates concentration and dispersion, the importance of particular individuals, and the points at which they will fragment. A narrative approach adds an assessment of whether the partnerships are being used and valued. The approach outlined here, which examines structure and agency as separate but related explanations, has much to offer in examining partnerships.

Journal Article↗

Directly observed treatment, short-course strategy and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: are any modifications required?

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDRTB) should be defined as tuberculosis with resistance to at least isoniazid and rifampicin because these drugs are the cornerstone of short-course chemotherapy, and combined isoniazid and rifampicin resistance requires prolonged treatment with second-line agents. Short-course chemotherapy is a key ingredient in the tuberculosis control strategy known as directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS). For populations in which multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is endemic, the outcome of the standard short-course chemotherapy regimen remains uncertain. Unacceptable failure rates have been reported and resistance to additional agents may be induced. As a consequence there have been calls for well-functioning DOTS programmes to provide additional services in areas with high rates of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. These "DOTS-plus for MDRTB programmes" may need to modify all five elements of the DOTS strategy: the treatment may need to be individualized rather than standardized; laboratory services may need to provide facilities for on-site culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing; reliable supplies of a wide range of expensive second-line agents would have to be supplied; operational studies would be required to determine the indications for and format of the expanded programmes; financial and technical support from international organizations and Western governments would be needed in addition to that obtained from local governments.

Antitubercular Agents↗

[Diffusion/spreading of malaria in the Apuo-Lunensis region (northwest of Tuscany)].

Evidence of malaria fevers in the antiquity may be found in the writings of Herodotus (regarding the Nilo Valley) or in Latin authors (regarding the south land of Rome); successive reclaiming of lands by the Roman Empire diminished the incidence of malaria, but in the medieval time the absence of care regarding drainage of swampi plains caused the outbreak of the disease. In the XIX century lands were claimed, but very slowly for example in the Apuo-Lunensis region, so that experts of public health were often consulted by local governments. District physicians affirmed the origin of malaria from the local environment, and the local Governor De Volo drained the land about the Magliano river by filling of marshes, malaria was strongly reduced, coming at the end of the century for few years due to breaking of banks of the Frigido river.

Drainage, Sanitary↗

Childhood psychiatric disorders. Focus on conduct disorders.

The high prevalence of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders in general and of aggressive behaviors in particular presents a serious problem. Recent social, economic and demographic trends suggest that the problem is likely to grow in degree of seriousness. It is recommended that the broad social and economic policies that impact on risk factors be evaluated and that greater emphasis be placed upon prevention efforts. These efforts need to particularly strengthen the social, emotional, and economic supports that provide an important protective factor for children and families. Practices in education, employment, health, and human services need to be examined to insure that they provide support. Perhaps the most encouraging development is the growth of children's services councils. There needs to be support for their continuing growth and for the development of more effective partnerships between state and local government. A particular focus should be upon strengthening neighborhoods and local communities, involving schools and school-based services as a source of support for families, and the increasing involvement of local civic and religious groups.

Adolescent↗

Who will pay for health reform? Consequences of redistribution of funding for mental health care.

Current health care reform proposals will expand coverage and alter the delivery of mental health services. Much of the debate has focused on the cost of coverage rather than on the question "Who will pay?" This paper analyzes the consequences of redistribution of the financial burden of care. The analysis reveals two concerns. First, current employer-based proposals are somewhat regressive because premium costs fall disproportionately on lower-income workers. Second, the increase in federal government subsidies may lead to a significant decline in state and local government financing for mental health services. Both of these concerns have been partly addressed in reform proposals, but there are political barriers to more progressive, non-employer-based approaches and to strategies to retain state and local dollars for mental health services. These distributional issues are critical for a mental health system serving the poor and depending so heavily on state and local resources.

Health Care Reform↗

Verification of eligibility for public benefits--INS. Proposed rule.

This rule amends the Immigration and Naturalization Service ("Service") regulations by establishing a new part requiring certain entities that provide Federal public benefits (with certain exceptions) to verify, by examining alien applicants' evidence of alien registration and by using a Service automated verification system that the applicants are eligible for the benefits under welfare reform legislation. The rule also sets forth procedures by which a State or local government can verify whether an alien applying for a State or local public benefit is a qualified alien, a nonimmigrant, or an alien paroled into the United States for less than 1 year, for purposes of determining whether the alien is eligible for the benefit. In addition, the rule establishes procedures for verifying the U.S. nationality of individuals applying for benefits in a fair and nondiscriminatory manner.

Eligibility Determination↗

Federalism, entitlements, and discretionary grants: the fiscal context of national support for immunization programs.

This paper defines the appropriation and resource allocation structure of federal government programs that deliver vaccines to the public through state and local governments, with a special focus on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Section 317 program. The paper places these programs in the context of the overall intergovernmental finance system of the United States, and the manner in which that system has responded to societal changes in other areas, such as unemployment insurance and environmental protection. The paper concludes that a changing environment for vaccine financing, and uncertain appropriations for state government immunization infrastructure, may have made the current CDC Section 317 program inadequate. Increased entitlement resources for federally funded vaccines have not been matched with increased and stable resources for the balance of program costs. To the contrary, funding provided to the Section 317 program has proven unstable, and its discretionary appropriations have proven vulnerable to both executive and legislative branch earmarking for such activities as overseas disease eradication or home state earmarking by congressional appropriations subcommittee members. In addition, the rigidity of some CDC program requirements makes it difficult for states to effectively use program funds. Consideration should be given to strengthening the Section 317 program and its relationships to other federal aid programs to ensure that adequate immunization protections are provided in all states to adequately protect all citizens.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.↗

Preparedness for emergency response: guidelines for the emergency planning process.

Especially since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, governments worldwide have invested considerable resources in the writing of terrorism emergency response plans. Particularly in the United States, the federal government has created new homeland security organisations and urged state and local governments to draw up plans. This emphasis on the written plan tends to draw attention away from the process of planning itself and the original objective of achieving community emergency preparedness. This paper reviews the concepts of community preparedness and emergency planning, and their relationships with training, exercises and the written plan. A series of 10 planning process guidelines are presented that draw upon the preparedness literature for natural and technological disasters, and can be applied to any environmental threat.

Disaster Planning↗

The three networks framework to deal with public health emergencies in Guangxi, China.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the detection and control of infectious diseases in Guangxi, China. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Guangxi province in southwest China has almost 50 million people, of whom approximately 30% reside in urban and 70% in rural areas. There are 12 minority nationality groups living in the region. INTERVENTION: A village doctor reports any infectious disease outbreak to the Reporting Network, which notifies the Service Network to organize the clinical response. This is supported by the Government Network that coordinates the response among the multiple layers of local governments. OUTCOMES: Since 2002 when the Three Networks system was first started, the time from incidence to report has been shortened on average from 30.6 to 7.6 days and the number of cases has increased from slightly less than 5000 cases/year (4965) to almost 10,000 cases/year (9873). Average mortality has decreased from 3.23% to 0.74%. The Three Networks system has been successful in controlling measles outbreaks; and during SARS, when 11 cases came to Guangxi from the neighbouring Guangdong province, there were only 11 additional new cases with no community spread and no spread to medical staff. CONCLUSION: The Three Networks system has played an important role in infectious disease prevention and control in Guangxi province, and may be applicable to other areas with a similar situation.

China↗