background and objects the patient’s age at the first hypospadias repair may be an important factor for determining postoperative outcomes. age at the first procedure differs between western countries and medical centers in china. this review examines the differences between the incidence of surgical complications and surgical age in boys receiving hypospadias repairs in north america, europe a...

background multiple classifications can be used to define the magnitude of aortic injury. the vancouver classification (vc) is a new and simplified computed tomography-based blunt aortic injury (bai) grading system correlating with clinical outcomes. objectives the objectives of this study are: 1) to describe the severity of aortic injury in a center with a predominantly surgical approach to ba...

The linkages between decisions about health research and policy and actual health outcomes may be extraordinarily difficult to specify. We performed a pilot application of a "road mapping" and technology assessment technique to perinatal health to illustrate how this technique can clarify the relations between available options and improved health outcomes. We used a combination of data-mining ...

BACKGROUND China is investing considerably in health care reforms to address issues in its health care system. An example is access to innovative drugs, which remains challenging because it is largely dependent on patient self-pay. Recognizing this, the government has invested considerably in its basic medical insurance. As health care expenditure increases, there are growing concerns on budget...

The quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) has become a widely used measure of health outcomes for use in informing decision making in health technology assessment. However, there is growing recognition of outcomes beyond health within the health sector and in related sectors such as social care and public health. This paper presents the advantages and disadvantages of ten possible approaches coveri...

The National Ecosystem Assessment (2011) found that observing nature and participating in physical activity in green spaces plays an important role in positively influencing human health and well-being. Exercise in green places is associated with positive health outcomes, which exceed those experienced from exercising in environments lacking nature (i.e. indoors). If 1% of the sedentary populat...

OBJECTIVE To describe current efforts and future potential for understanding long-term health of military service members by linking the Millennium Cohort Study data to exposures and health outcomes. METHODS The Millennium Cohort Study launched in 2001, before September 11 and the start of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Other substantial Department of Defense (DoD) health, personn...

The objective of the paper is to review the effects of the implementation of the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) on process measures (quality of care plans and staff satisfaction) and outcome measures (health problems and quality of life) in nursing homes. All available publications on the effects of the RAI were included in the review. The most positive effects of the RAI were found in im...

People making decisions about interventions, actions and strategies for natural disasters, humanitarian crises and other major healthcare emergencies need access to reliable evidence to help ensure that the choices they make are likely to do more good than harm. However, there are many gaps in this evidence base in a wide range of areas. This paper reports a priority setting exercise that was c...