- Neuroskeptic: The Case of the Phantom Phantom Finger
Neuroskeptic: The Case of the Phantom Phantom Finger:
A woman, RN, was born with an abnormally short right arm; her right hand was also malformed, with a shortened thumb, no index finger, and immobile ring and middle fingers. Only the little finger was present and correct. At the age of 18, she then had the misfortune to suffer a car crash; the injuries meant that her right hand had to be amputated. She soon found herself experiencing a phantom hand – with all five fingers. Three of them felt like they were normal length; the “thumb” and “index finger” felt shorter than normal, but remember that the original hand had no index finger at all. RN also suffered from phantom pains and was distressed by the fact that the “hand” felt like it was bent into an impossible posture. Fortunately, the mirror box technique was able to set things right; while the phantom was still there, it was no longer painful, and all the fingers were the right length.
- The Power of Good Intentions – Neil Wagner – Health – The Atlantic
The Power of Good Intentions – Neil Wagner – Health – The Atlantic:
Food tastes better, pain hurts less, and pleasure is more pleasant when they come with good intentions behind them. And it doesn’t even matter if the intentions actually exist — it’s the perception that they’re there that’s important.
- How to Measure a Project’s Health – Neighborhoods – The Atlantic Cities
How to Measure a Project’s Health – Neighborhoods – The Atlantic Cities:
“What the HIA does is focus explicitly on the question of improving health outcomes for people,” says Catherine Ross of Georgia Tech, the principal investigator of the health assessment and lead author of the A.J.P.M. paper. “It crosses everything from prevention to cure. Unlike our approach historically, which is you feel bad so you go to the doctor, we’re saying, before you get there, let’s do this.”
- The Inequality Puzzle in U.S. Cities – Jobs & Economy – The Atlantic Cities
The Inequality Puzzle in U.S. Cities – Jobs & Economy – The Atlantic Cities:
What lies behind the inequality of American cities? The conventional explanation blames the rise of the globalized, knowledge economy which has eliminated family-supporting factory jobs and cleaved the workforce into high-paying, high-skill and low-paying, low-skill jobs. But, as I wrote in my previous post, wage inequality only explains a very small part of income inequality. How to explain this apparent discrepancy? What other factors lie behind rising inequality across America’s cities? To answer that question, I reviewed several powerful theories that try to explain persistent economic and social disadvantage across cities.
- Alternative Federal Budget 2012: A budget for the rest of us
Alternative Federal Budget 2012: A budget for the rest of us:
Instead of more cuts, prisons and corporate tax breaks, the Alternative Federal Budget delivers a fully costed package with a complete macro-economic framework built for implementation. Its impacts on the economy and employment are transparent and up front. In fact, the plan creates over 300,000 jobs at its peak. It provides a real boost to the economy, reduces inequality and is the antidote for corporate hoarding by dramatically improving key services not cutting them.
- 5 good reads week from the week of March 5
5 good reads week from the week of March 5:
Several items on immigration and inclusion.
- PLoS ONE: Does Consideration and Assessment of Effects on Health Equity Affect the Conclusions of Systematic Reviews? A Methodology Study
PLoS ONE: Does Consideration and Assessment of Effects on Health Equity Affect the Conclusions of Systematic Reviews? A Methodology Study:
Results
Of the 300 systematic reviews, 224 assessed the effectiveness of interventions on health outcomes. Of these 224 reviews, 29 systematic reviews assessed effects on equity in health status using subgroup analysis or targeted analyses of vulnerable populations. Of these, seven conducted subgroup analyses related to health equity which were reported in insufficient detail to judge their credibility. Of these 29 reviews, 18 described implications for policy and practice based on assessment of effects on health equity.
Conclusion
The quality and completeness of reporting should be enhanced as a priority, because without this policymakers and practitioners will continue lack the evidence base they need to inform decision-making about health inequity. Furthermore, there is a need to develop methods to systematically consider impacts on equity in health status that is currently lacking in systematic reviews.
- New Generation of Thinkers Link Inequality, Innovation and Prosperity
New Generation of Thinkers Link Inequality, Innovation and Prosperity:
Clearly, a major shift in thinking is needed. First, “education and innovation” are socially determined. Investments in these areas won’t pay off unless underlying issues like inequality and poverty are addressed. Second, innovation comes from people, not lifeless institutions. Thus public funds are better spent helping people cope with structural economic changes. Third, and most importantly, in the knowledge-based economy, inequality and poverty are obstacles to, rather than consequences of, economic growth. As a result, growing our way out of these problems isn’t a viable solution. In the long term, Canadians must find ways of prospering together.
- Inequality: The role of unions and race | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Inequality: The role of unions and race | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:
Union density and race are the real explanatory factors. Florida writes that his findings “suggest that the full story of inequality across American cities goes beyond technology, globalization, skills and wages, and includes unions, race and poverty.”
- Federal Government – Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative
Federal Government – Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative:
Health Canada launched the Healthy Eating Awareness and Education Initiative in October 2010 with the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign. The Campaign focuses on improving consumers’ understanding of how to use the Nutrition Facts table and the % Daily Value to help them make healthier food choices.
The next phase will focus on promoting healthy eating by encouraging consumers to reduce their intake of food and drinks high in calories, fat, sugar and sodium. Healthy eating habits such as eating more fruits and vegetables will be promoted creatively through various outreach partnerships, social media engagement and web tools. Advice will be provided to Canadians on how to follow Canada’s Food Guide by choosing the right amount and types of food at home, at the grocery store and when eating out.
“Some of these steps seem like common sense, but these actions are the greatest steps that Canadians can take to stay healthy, and save healthcare costs across the country,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “By working with partners in different sectors, I believe we’ll be able to drive the message home more effectively than by working alone.”
- CCNPPS > What’s New? > The Use of Health Knowledge by Not-for-profit Organizations: Taking a Look at Their Policy-influencing Practices
CCNPPS > What’s New? > The Use of Health Knowledge by Not-for-profit Organizations: Taking a Look at Their Policy-influencing Practices:
This document is part of a project exploring issues surrounding relationships between not-for-profit organizations (NFPs) and the public health sector. More specifically, it deals with the way in which NFPs use health knowledge in their practices and the issues that this raises for public health professionals conducting or planning to engage in knowledge exchange processes with these stakeholders.
- immigrantchildren.ca » Blog Archive » The Drummond Commission recommendations on immigration (and the missed opportunities to address immigrant children/families)
immigrantchildren.ca » Blog Archive » The Drummond Commission recommendations on immigration (and the missed opportunities to address immigrant children/families):
The Commission rightfully relied on a careful examination of the literature in addition to its consultations. The literature findings, including Mr. Drummond’s own work, clearly sees the value of a system of high quality early learning and child care as an employment support and a support to integration of newcomers, but it failed to include child care as a recommendation to the people of Ontario. As such, it has failed immigrant families.
- Rise in life expectancy is marred by widening inequality gap | BMJ
- A few things that inequality causes | Inequalities
A few things that inequality causes | Inequalities:
I thought this week I’d summarise four that particularly caught my eye. They variously cover crime, the family burden of caring for children with special needs, self-perception, and intergenerational mobility – which if nothing else, tells you that people with a lot of different interests are doing this kind of research…
- ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS | Assembly of First Nations National Chief Continues Calls for Equity for First Nation Children
ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS | Assembly of First Nations National Chief Continues Calls for Equity for First Nation Children:
“Equity for our children is a first imperative and necessary to create safety, security and to ensure our children have the opportunity to succeed,” said AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo, who attended this morning’s hearing at the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa. “First Nations must have access to human rights mechanisms for basic services. We must end discrimination and support and enable success for this generation and future generations.”
- The Need to Feel Connected – Neil Wagner – Health – The Atlantic
The Need to Feel Connected – Neil Wagner – Health – The Atlantic:
But it’s not how rich or poor your social network actually is that seems to make the most difference, it’s how well-connected you think you are that seems to be the driving force. And according to this study, people need to feel connected to the strangers in their life so much that being ignored, even by a stranger, hurts.
- Toronto News: Metcalf Foundation study: working poor numbers way up in Toronto – thestar.com
Toronto News: Metcalf Foundation study: working poor numbers way up in Toronto – thestar.com:
According to the report, the region’s working poor are almost twice as likely to be employed in sales and service jobs than the rest of the working-age population, and they work just as much. Almost three out of four are immigrants, and almost half are single or lone parents. More than half have some post-secondary education, about the same as the average Canadian worker. Almost 60 per cent are renters, and more than 60 per cent are between the ages of 18 and 44. Bear in mind that this was the picture during the region’s boom times.
- The poor in Toronto: They’re working but not getting any richer – The Globe and Mail
The poor in Toronto: They’re working but not getting any richer – The Globe and Mail:
The Metcalf Foundation study, the first of its kind in Canada, documents the changing face of the Toronto area’s workforce. And it isn’t pretty: Even during times of economic prosperity, from 2000 to 2005, the number of working people unable to make ends meet grew by 42 per cent in the Toronto area. The exacerbation was especially pronounced in the city’s transit-starved east end. But rates grew fastest in the suburbs: Cities like Mississauga, Brampton, Markham and Vaughan are dealing with working poverty they’ve never faced before. A deep recession and sluggish recovery haven’t helped.
- Breastfeeding support: Toronto Public health aims for baby-friendly designation – Parentcentral.ca
Breastfeeding support: Toronto Public health aims for baby-friendly designation – Parentcentral.ca:
“The aim is to support mothers to breastfeed as long as they wish to,” said Olga Jovkovic, healthy families manager at TPH. She’s spearheading Toronto’s efforts to get the baby-friendly designation.
Digest powered by RSS Digest
