The infant health effects of starting universal child benefits in pregnancy: Evidence from England and Wales

Child benefits are typically paid from birth. This paper asks whether starting universal child benefits in pregnancy leads to improvements in infant health. Leveraging administrative birth registry and hospital microdata from England and Wales, I study the effects of the Health in Pregnancy Grant, a universal conditional cash transfer equivalent to three months of child benefit (190 GBP) as a lump sum to pregnant mothers from 2009 to 2011. I exploit quasi-experimental variation in eligibility with a regression discontinuity design in the date of birth of the baby. I find that the policy increased birth weight by 8–12 grams on average, reduced low birth weight ($<$2500 g) by 3-6 percent and decreased prematurity by 9–11 percent. Younger mothers, particularly those living in deprived areas, benefit the most. I present evidence that the mechanisms are unlikely to be antenatal care, nutrition or smoking, with reductions in stress remaining a possible explanation.     

The impact of the housing status on clinical outcomes and health care utilization among individuals living with HIV

ABSTRACT

The lack of stable housing can impair access and continuity of care for patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study investigated the relationship between housing status assessed at multiple time points and several core HIV-related outcomes within the same group of HIV patients experiencing homelessness. Patients with consistently stable housing (CSH) during the year were compared to patients who lacked CSH (non-CSH group). The study outcomes included HIV viral load (VL), CD4 counts, and health care utilization. Multivariable and propensity weighted analyses were used to assess outcomes adjusting for potential group differences. Of 208 patients, 88 (42%) had CSH and 120 (58%) were non-CSH. Patients with CSH had significantly higher proportion of VL suppression and higher mean CD4 counts. The frequency of nurse visits in the CSH group was less than a half of that in the non-CSH group. Patients with CSH were less likely to be admitted to the medical respite facility, and if admitted, their length of stay was about a half of that for the non-CSH group. Our study findings show that patients with CSH had significantly better HIV virologic control and immune status as well as improved health care utilization.     

Deconstructing myths,building alliances: a networking model to enhance tobacco control in hospital mental health settings

Life expectancy for people with severe mental disorders is up to 25 years less in comparison to the general population, mainly due to diseases caused or worsened by smoking. However, smoking is usually a neglected issue in mental healthcare settings. The aim of this article is to describe a strategy to improve tobacco control in the hospital mental healthcare services of Catalonia (Spain). To bridge this gap, the Catalan Network of Smoke-free Hospitals launched a nationwide bottom-up strategy in Catalonia in 2007. The strategy relied on the creation of a working group of key professionals from various hospitals —the early adopters— based on Rogers’ theory of the Diffusion of Innovations. In 2016, the working group is composed of professionals from 17 hospitals (70.8% of all hospitals in the region with mental health inpatient units). Since 2007, tobacco control has improved in different areas such as increasing mental health professionals’ awareness of smoking, training professionals on smoking cessation interventions and achieving good compliance with the national smoking ban. The working group has produced and disseminated various materials, including clinical practice and best practice guidelines, implemented smoking cessation programmes and organised seminars and training sessions on smoking cessation measures in patients with mental illnesses. The next challenge is to ensure effective follow-up for smoking cessation after discharge. While some areas of tobacco control within these services still require significant improvement, the aforementioned initiative promotes successful tobacco control in these settings.     

论当前疾病预防控制体系面临的主要问题

对当前的疾病预防控制体系和机构面临的体系不健全、政府投入不充分、事业发展不平衡、人才缺失和能力不足、缺乏系统的理论指导、体系的碎片化严重、与社会经济发展的战略衔接不力、机构内部内生动力和活力不足以及体系治理能力不足等问题做了讨论分析,以期进一步分析在健康中国战略和事业单位机构改革等宏观环境变化所带来的机遇以及疾控体系的发展策略和具体措施,促进疾病预防控制事业在改革中谋发展。     

基于中医古籍文献的升降散应用溯源及探析

通过对中医古籍中有关升降散论述的文献梳理,全面探讨其内涵。本方是在大黄、僵蚕为雏形的基础上增加蝉蜕、姜黄而成方,几经易名,终在杨璿《伤寒瘟疫条辨》中为后人所熟知。本方广泛用于治疗瘟疫,以丸剂、散剂为主,方便携带,便于服用;重用大黄旨在祛邪、逐秽;应用时视人之体质强弱和量其毒之轻重而判断用药多寡,并辅以米酒、生蜜等以顾护正气。杨璿将其由治疗“热疫”的专方扩展为治疗“表里三焦大热”的通用方剂,扩大了本方治疗疾病范围。     

基于雨课堂的临床流行病学教学改革与实践

目的探讨雨课堂在临床流行病学教学中的作用和效果。方法采用随机对照法在本科阶段无流行病学学习经历的临床专业硕士研究生中,使用雨课堂线上课前预习及课后随堂练习的功能,用于评价雨课堂线上功能的辅助教学效果。结果应用雨课堂线上功能干预组与对照组在基线、阶段小测和末考卷面成绩均无统计学差异;但对于主动学习,雨课堂参与度较高的学生成绩提高明显。结论雨课堂有利于理论性较强课程的学习,但是仍不能忽略课堂教学师生互动过程。     

益气养精法对老年肺癌患者肿瘤标志物、生存期影响研究

目的探究益气养精法对老年肺癌患者肿瘤标志物、生存期影响。方法研究纳入60例老年肺癌患者,均由本院2016年1月-2017年1月收治,采取随机数字表法将患者分为两组,对照组患者(30例)常规化疗治疗,观察组患者(30例)在化疗基础上联合益气养精法治疗,比较两组患者治疗效果、治疗前后癌胚抗原(carcino-embryonic antigen,CEA)及血清癌抗原125(serum oncoantigen 125,CA 125)肿瘤标志物水平、不良反应情况及患者2年生存率。结果观察组患治疗有效率高于对照组,P<0.05;治疗前,两组患者CEA及CA 125水平相当,P>0.05,治疗后均改善,观察组优于对照组,P<0.05;观察组患者不良反应与对照组相当,均较低,P>0.05;观察组患者2年生存率高于对照组,P<0.05。结论益气养精法治疗老年肺癌患者效果患者,患者症状改善,不良反应少,安全可靠,且患者2年生存率较高。