This book provides a foundation for understanding the fundamentals of biomedical informatics, which deals with the storage, retrieval, and use of biomedical data for biological problem solving and medical decision making. It covers the application of these principles to the three main biomedical domains of basic biology, clinical medicine, and public health. The author offers a coherent summary, focusing on the three core concept areas of biomedical data and knowledge representation, biomedical information access, biomedical decision making, and information and technology use in biomedical contexts.
* Develops principles and methods for representing biomedical data, using information in context and in decision making, and accessing information to assist the medical community in using data to its full potential
* Provides a series of principles for expressing biomedical data and ideas in a computable form to integrate biological, clinical, and public health applications
* Includes a discussion of user interfaces, interactive graphics, and knowledge resources and reference material on programming languages to provide medical informatics programmers with the technical tools to develop systems

Learn biostatistics the easy way. This outstanding resource presents the key concepts you need to understand biostatistics and how to apply them in clinical medicine. Easy-to-understand examples and analogies explain complex concepts, and practical applications provide you with real tools for use in daily practice. The book's organization is intuitive, so that concepts build upon one another, maximizing understanding. This book will give you the confidence to appraise the existing literature - and the vocabulary you need to discuss it. Uses an easy-to-understand presentation and writing style to make the material easily accessible. Places its emphasis on concepts, not formulas, for more clinical-based guidance. Focuses on practical applications of biostatistics to medical practice to give you a better understanding of how and why research is conducted. Presents concise but comprehensive coverage to create easily accessible yet complete information. Provides examples, analogies, and memorization tips to make the material easier to absorb.

Ernest Starling (1866-1927) was pre-eminent in the golden age of British Physiology. His name is usually associated with his ???Law of the Heart, ??? but his discovery of secretin (the first hormone whose mode of action was explained) and his work on capillaries were more important contributions. He coined the word 'hormone' one hundred years ago. His analysis of capillary function demonstrated that equal and opposite forces move across the capillary wall--an outward (hydrostatic) force and an inward (osmotic) force derived from plasma proteins.
Starling??'s contributions include:
*Developing the "Frank-Starling Law of the Heart," presented in 1915 and modified in 1919.
*The Starling equation, describing fluid shifts in the body (1896)
*The discovery of secretin, the first hormone, with Bayliss (1902) and the introduction of the concept of hormones (1905).

Globalization is breaking down economic, political, cultural, demographic, and social barriers across the world at an astonishing pace. The topic of globalization can arouse passionate debate in many circles including academic journals, the popular media, and even on the streets. This new world order is marked by new actors, new rules of governance, new forms of communication, and the global movement of populations. Health is an exquisitely sensitive mirror of social conditions, and the authors of this book argue that the assessment of health is an important criterion for evaluating and monitoring the progress of globalization.
This book provides an analysis of the most serious global threats to health, the tools that can be used to evaluate them, and the international agencies established to respond to them. Medical threats such as infectious diseases, obesity, tobacco use, and global climate change are discussed, but the authors also expand their scope to include socio-political health impacts such as economic inequality. The complex role of organizations such as the World Health Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank is also analyzed, as is the increasing interconnectedness of health and non-health actors. Is this blurring of boundaries really beneficial to the public's health, or have these actors abandoned health issues for power politics? By drawing together an international group of health experts, Globalization and Health provides a comprehensive account of the successes and failures, as well as the challenges and opportunities of globalization for public health.

The Global History of Paleopathology is the first comprehensive global compendium on the history of paleopathology, an interdisciplinary scientific discipline that focuses on the study of ancient disease. Offering perspectives from regions that have traditionally had long histories of paleopathology, such as the United States and parts of Europe, this volume also presents important work by an international roster of scholars who are writing their own regional and cultural histories in the field. The book identifies major thinkers and figures who have contributed to paleopathology, as well as significant organizations and courses that have sponsored scientific research and communication, most notably the Paleopathology Association. The volume concludes with an eye towards the future of the discipline, discussing methods and research at the leading edge of paleopathology, particularly those that employ the analysis of ancient DNA and isotopes.

A first in Midwifery publishing! No other book advises midwives on the special needs of mothers with disabilities. Although an increasing number of women with disabilities are having children, the needs of this minority group are not always being effectively met. Disability in Pregnancy and Childbirth provides essential practical information to healthcare professionals working with this group. The first book on maternity care for women with additional or alternative needs A practical resource for all working with pregnant women and mothers Reflects the lived experiences of women with disabilities Written by experts in the field Holistic content Looks at professional attitudes as well as the woman's needs

Drawing on clinical experience dating from the birth of the NHS in 1948, Julian Tudor Hart, a politically active GP in a Welsh coal mining community, charts the progress of the NHS from its 19th century origins in workers' mutual aid societies, to its current forced return to the market. His starting point is a detailed analysis of how clinical decisions are made. He explores the changing social relationships in the NHS as a gift economy, how these may be affected by reducing care to commodity status, and the new directions they might take if the NHS resumed progress independently from the market. This new edition of this bestselling book has been entirely rewritten with two new chapters, and includes new material on resistance to that world-wide process. The essential principle in the book is that patients need to develop as active citizens and co-producers of health gain in a humanising society and the author's aim is to promote it wherever people recognise that pursuit of profit may be a brake on rational progress.

This book encourages health professionals to reconceptualise their practice in the light of the fact that their patients are deteriorating and dying, supporting them in their dichotomous role which involves affirming that person's life whilst acknowledging that that life is ending. Professionals are encouraged to think laterally, to be creative in their use of their core skills, and to use their life skills and experience to change the focus of their interventions. By making these changes, those involved with caring for the dying will be able to address issues related to burnout and feeling de-skilled. The authors share their considerable experience with the reader - what works for both patient and carer/professional when working in this field. By providing workable solutions, they empower those in disempowering situations, such as when working with terminally ill children and adults. The book is truly holistic and client-centred in its approach, upholding the philosophy of palliative care. Aimed at all who interact with children and adults who have a life-limiting condition or who are dying Offers practical examples of approaches to dilemmas and emotional issues commonly face by those working in palliative care Encourages professionals to think laterally, to be creative in their use of core skills, and to use their life skills and experience to change the focus of their interventions Moves the emphasis away from the medical model to the emotional and spiritual influences on quality of life Offers clear, workable guidelines and demonstrates practical solutions, based on proven theory and experience, to problems encountered on a day-to-day basis by patients and those coming into contact with them

A first in patient safety! Fatal accidents occur with medical devices every year. This is the first book for people who use medical equipment, rather than for engineers or technicians. It will help personnel within healthcare to avoid accidents by bridging the gap between the design principles and the user. The book encourages safe use of a wide range of equipment, from simple thermometers and blood-pressure cuffs to complex equipment such as pacemakers, ventilators and patient monitors. Simple explanations of basic medical devices Case histories of real-life accidents to highlight risk areas Clear, attractive illustrations "Tips" boxes identify particular problems "Basic Facts" boxes supply fundamental information needed by all readers "Technology" boxes provide more-advanced explanations for interested or experienced readers

An invaluable desk reference for busy public health practitioners,
The Dictionary of Public Health is an alphabetical listing of almost 5,000 words and phrases used in public health science and practice. It offers definitions, discussion, and an occasional brief commentary on the relevance of each term to people and their health. This volume is a trusted resource for answers to questions that arise in the course of public health practice, whether in the office or in the field, in interactions with the public or with the media.
The book contains cross-referenced definitions and discussions of related terms and concepts. For easy reference, users will find similarly worked definitions and discussions of important related concepts listed under each of the commonly used keywords. A variety of website links make it easy to find further information at the users fingertips. Covering all aspects of public health, this book serves as both a quick and handy reference tool and a vehicle for more leisurely browsing.

Key Topics is a short, easy-to-read text that provides basic information about twelve key topics in public health, such as diabetes, cancer, smoking and teenage pregnancy, and how prevention and health promotion should be tackled at community and one-to-one levels. The twelve topics are the 'must-dos' of public health action. They have been selected because they are those addressed in current national public health strategies such as Saving Lives: our healthier nation, and comparable strategies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Many are the subject of National Service Frameworks and other national policies and plans; they are often accompanied by targets which health workers are expected to meet. Topics often relate to each other (e.g. smoking and cancer) so cross-references will be provided. Accessible and useful, in clear plain English. Provides a foundation for further study, planning a work programme, or planning a strategy to meet targets. Practical focus: on health inequalities and how to tackle them, and on help for practitioners who work at a community and one-to-one level. Explicit links to national current public health policy and targets. Reflects recommendations based on best practice and evidence of effectiveness. Focuses on a topic framework (except for the last two chapters) in contrast to other frameworks for health promotion and public health. Attractive layout making full use of bullet points and boxes. Simple line diagrams or tables to illustrate each chapter.

The authors of this book argue that there is a great divide between species that makes extrapolation of biochemical research from one group to another utterly invalid. In their previous book, "Sacred Cows and Golden Geese: The Human Cost of Experiments on Animals", the Greeks showed how an amorphous but insidious network of drug manufacturers, researchers dependent on government grants to earn their living, even cage-manufacurers - among others benefiting from "white-coat welfare" - have perpetuated animal research in spite of its total unpredictability when applied to humans. (Cancer in mice, for example, has long been cured. Chimps live long and relatively healthy lives with AIDS. There is no animal form of Alzheimer's disease.) In doing so, the Greeks aimed to blow the lid off the "specious science" we have been culturally conditioned to accept. Taking these revelations one step further, this book uses accessible language to provide the scientific underpinning for the Greeks' philosophy of "do no harm to any animal, human or not," by examining paediatrics, diseases of the brain, new surgical techniques, in vitro research, the Human Genome and Proteome Projects, an array of scien

This book focuses specifically on the importance of managing and supporting people in health care services. Human resources are the most significant aspect of health care budgets and the attraction and retention of quality staff remains a pressing concern. This book addresses this issue directly and provides both a theoretical framework and extensive practical guidance in this vital aspect of health care management.Up-to date information on the context of health services today and the business agenda Relevant - Specifically aimed at nurses and nursing Practical - readers reflect on real life examples to see how they can use their skills in practice

This is a text which provides a contemporary approach to the use of lifestyle, herbal and nutritional interventions in health care. While conventional health care has long classified many nutritional and herbal remedies as folklore, there is increasing scientific evidence to support a number of 'old wives tales'. This book demonstrates the biological plausibility of using supplements in clinical care and supports the scientific validity of such interventions by referring to clinical trials. It provides the health professional with therapeutic protocols that can be used to manage or support other treatment regimes in promoting health, preventing and treating disease. The book is divided in to 3 parts. Part 1 considers the principles of nutritional intervention. Part 2 list prevalent diseases and provides a therapeutic protocol for their management. Part 3 lists nutrients (and some frequently used herbs) and seeks to catalogue the indications, doses, interactions and side effects that require consideration when providing safe and effective clinical care. The text will provide readers with:A grasp of how natural measures can be incorporated into scientifically acceptable clinical practice An understanding of the biological plausibility underlying the use of certain natural interventions in disease An appreciation of the level of scientific validation supporting various natural interventions Enhanced understanding of guidelines for the safe use of nutrients Therapeutic protocols using lifestyle, nutritional and herbal intervention for the prevention and management of various conditions. Increased awareness of natural options that deserve trialing in particular clinical situations

A combination of population growth, public health failures, environmental degradation and rapid global transportation has resulted in a world that is at increasing risk to vectorborne and other infectious diseases. A large percentage of emerging diseases are vectorborne and over one-third of the agents on the list of greatest concern from bioterrorism are vectorborne. Many of these diseases are viral that have no effective drug or vaccine treatments. Drug and insecticide resistance is now common and has greatly compromised our ability to provide effective and affordable control. Parasitic diseases, including malaria, leishmmaniasis and African trypanosomiasis are likewise increasing in many parts of the world. Control programs for onchocerciasis and to some extent filariasis are reducing the impact of these diseases, largely due to the availability of filaricides such as ivermectin. Chagas disease has also declined significantly through home improvements and indoor insecticide application against the domicilary kissing bug vectors.
Despite these gains, this tend has not been sustainable. Instead, infectious disease is now responsible for greater than 25% of all deaths and nearly 50% of premature deaths among those under 45 years of age, and 63% for children less than 4 years of age. A significant proportion of these deaths is attributed to vectorborne diseases, particularly from malaria ( 11%). Indeed, more that 1 million people are killed annually by malaria, about 3000 per day. It is estimated that 700,000 children under the age of 5 die of malaria and at least 300 million are ill due to malaria each year. In response, the American Institute of Medicine (2003) has called for a renewed effort to rebuild public health infrastructures needed to conduct disease surveillance and vector control programs and to increase research to provide improved pesticides and their use, new repellents, new biopestcides and biocontrol agents to augment pesticidal control, as well as novel strategies to interrupt pathogen transmission.
With these goals in mind, we convened the first vector control symposium as part of the scientific program of the 3rd Pan-Pacific Conference of Pesticide Science in 2003. Five years after (2008), we re-convened this expanded topic at the 4th Pan-Pacific Conference on Pesticide Science and the scientific presentations made over two days comprise this current volume, Advances in Human Vector Control. The book covers two major areas: 1) Current Status and Control Practices, covering malaria, dengue, Chagas, human lice, cockroach and house dust mite issues; and 2) Novel Approaches and Resistance Management of these diseases. Chapters are provided by internationally-recognized experts who are actively involved in vector control and management, providing an up to date summary of this critically important area of public health. The effective use of novel control strategies is stressed and the status of recently acquired genomic approaches is critically reviewed.

The primary aim of Writing Research is to create a frame of reference for writing research from a number of approaches to inquiry; and for a number of purposes. The content is directed to identifying principles for writing from within commonly used methodologies and methods in health research, which will guide writers to transform research data into written forms. The emphasis will be on the writing task, not on how to conduct the research, which follows after research data has been collected. The explanatory aspects of the content of the book will assist researchers in the development of research proposals and those who critique or review research for any purpose. The theory and practice of research writing are comprehensively covered. Information on how to arrange material for specific purposes is provided. A range of commonly used research approaches is encompassed, and the writing task is discussed from within each. The writing process is linked to a philosophical basis of the research approach.

This unique book provides one of the first and certainly the most practical approach to considering the needs of this population. It addresses important issues such as choice, partnership and community development in order that health promoters can work with and alongside older people to ensure that their health needs are addressed. The text contains numerous examples of good practice and is intentionally interactive, encouraging practitioners to reflect upon and question the assumptions that they make about the health and life-quality expectations for which older people have the potential. Its pragmatic and practical approach encourages the reader to then address these issues in their own practice.The content appeals to a global market as the elderly population increases worldwide Explores attitudes of professionals and older people to their health and to each other Provides practical strategies and approaches Identifies how existing models and theories can be adapted to reflect the changing needs of older people Addresses issues of special relevance including physiological changes, sexual health and mental health

This is a clinical reference data pocket book. It contains the data most frequently used by dietitians and others in practice and is invaluable for dietetic students during their clinical placements. It is both practical and comprehensive. Data is readily accessible from clearly set out tables, clear diagrams and tabbed sections. As well as the core reference data there are useful appendices on various subjects including the nutritional compositions of foods, a weaning guide, a guide to religious influences on diet, useful addresses for relevant organisations and web sites.User-friendly, accessible layout enables quick assimilation of relevant data Tabbed sections help to locate information quickly Clear diagrams help to illustrate important concepts Useful addresses, websites, references and further reading A section on clinical placements (structure, duration, hospital procedures) acts as a "survival' guide for student dietitians. All data revised/updated Section on clinical training structure to be revised as recently changed New standards/protocols have been included New more durable cover.

This book contains a wealth of practical guidance about what doing research actually involves for the often hard-pressed and isolated researcher. It bridges the gap and provides 'real-life' insight into undertaking research in nursing. It focuses on the practicality of research and identifies the pitfalls that can so easily undermine even the most carefully planned project.Practical check lists Case studies Latest information on searching on the Web Include good clinical practice for ethical research - to educate nurses on research - so that they will speak up for patients. Latest information on R & D strategy in the NHS The chapter on a career in research will be expanded and given priority.

Joseph W. Williams examines the changing healing practices of pentecostals in the United States over the past 100 years, from the early believers, who rejected mainstream medicine and overtly spiritualized disease, to the later generations of pentecostals and their charismatic successors, who dramatically altered the healing paradigms they inherited. Williams shows that over the course of the twentieth century, pentecostal denunciations of the medical profession often gave way to ''natural'' healing methods associated with scientific medicine, natural substances, and even psychology. By 2000, figures such as the pentecostal preacher T. D. Jakes appeared on the Dr. Phil Show, other healers marketed their books at mainstream retailers such as Wal-Mart, and some developed lucrative nutritional products that sold online and in health food stores across the nation. Exploring the interconnections, resonances, and continued points of tension between adherents and some of their fiercest rivals, Spirit Cure chronicling adherents' embrace of competitors' healing practices and illuminates pentecostals' dramatic transition from a despised minority to major players in the world of American evangelicalism and mainstream American culture.

This text follows the continuum of care for patients who suffer from mental disorders. From initial assessment, through patient stay to discharge into the community, the contributors focus on best practice and continuity of care. The work should be a suitable companion for qualified mental health nurses and for students on clinical placements. It is designed to be practical and relevant to everyday realities at the sharp end when nursing disturbed patients.

The placebo elicits more passionate debate, scepticism and personal belief than almostany other aspect of medicine. As yet there are no concrete answers - but many challenging observations and powerful effects occur daily in healthcare which need to be examined. This book will stimulate and inform every reader from the experienced practitioner to the new student who has ever asked, What is the placebo really, and why should it matter to me?Written in an accessible and engaging style with contributions from leading figures in healthcare, it tackles issues of the placebo effect in complementary medicine.A clear and engaging exploration of a highly topical subject A clinicians route map through the visible territory and the known research in this areaA fair and even analysis of the possibilities and implications of the topic in clinical practice

It provides the reader with a contemporary review examining the notion of practice knowledge gained from professional experience and its relationship to professional practice expertise. It is divided into four sections: the first broadly examines the nature and forms of knowledge and the relationships between knowledge and practice; the second considers the nature of professional expertise; the third explores these principles in action and the fourth looks at future developments. An essential purchase for all students, educators, researchers and practitioners of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing and indeed all those in the health sciences field. An essential purchase for all students, educators, researchers and practitioners of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, nursing and indeed all those in the health sciences field. * Brings the modern practitioner completely up to date with trends and developments in the field * Relates theoretical examples to professional practice * Explores how professional knowledge and expertise can be developed

WHO and UK government initiatives have been pushing primary care practitioners to closely consider the wider health needs of populations. This book directly addresses issues of everyday importance to practitioners, and covers core elements of specialist courses for post-graduate students. The book has 14 chapters, split into three sections : Core elements of Public Health Nursing Elements of Public Health Policy Issues in Public Health Each chapter has a coherent structure of theory, application and role in practice. Practical or case examples are used and further reading offered. Subject specialists have written specific chapters such as health economics and informatics.Links to specialist courses therefore will have a sound post-registration market. This is the first comprehensive text on public health at the level of post-registrationGrace Lindsay has an increasingly prominent profile in the field of public health.

This book examines the principles and realities of ethics in midwifery practice today. It explains basic ethical theory, looking at how dilemmas occur and the ethical bases on which conflicts can be resolved. Through a series of case studies, options and issues for consideration are reviewed, particularly in areas of increasing concern and debate such as confidentiality, autonomy, screening, abortion, assisted conception and withholding treatment. This book will be of value to all students and practicing midwives who need to understand the principles and practice of ethics, especially how to apply ethical thought and action in their own day-to-day work.Explains clearly ethical theory, especially how dilemmas occur, the bases for ethical decisions and how conflicts may be resolved Outlines specifically how ethical principles can be applied in real-life practice, and in situations which may involve midwives in team decisionsOutlines detailed case studies which illustrate key ethical dilemmas and ways to consider resolutions within these Explores and clearly delineates the ethical dimensions of the midwifes role (new chapter in the second edition)Includes a new chapter on conscientious objection to participation in abortion Has greater focus on assisted conception and issues surrounding this, as this becomes a topic of more widespread interestAdds a new chapter on withholding and withdrawing treatment, mainly in relation to neonates, again to reflect an area of growing concern and controversy All of Part One the general foundations are updated and revised New chapter on ethical dimensions of the midwifes role, with an emphasis on the midwife as the researcherNew case in the confidentiality chapter New case in the accountability chapter on client abuse, with a focus on the accountability of the midwife who knew about this but did nothingNew case in the autonomy and consent chapter looking at enforced caesarian section, with a focus on ethics rather than the law (where the focus usually lies in reviewing this area) New chapter on assisted conception, replacing resource allocation which looked only briefly at thisNew chapter on withholding and withdrawing treatment relating mainly to neonates