scholarly journals The importance of striving for greater efficiency

Sexual Health ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher K. Fairley ◽  
Lenka A. Vodstrcil ◽  
Tim Read
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Health Care Costs ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Sexual Health Care ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Care Costs

Health care costs are rising faster than inflation in almost all developed countries. Improving the efficiency of health care will go some way to address this issue. There has been a significant improvement in the delivery of sexual health care with a particular focus on innovation. In this issue, Baraitser et al. evaluate their services, that uses computer-assisted interviewing combined with self-collected samples in London. This editorial discusses this service in the context of the control of sexually transmissible infections and other recent health care innovations.

scholarly journals Growth of Health Costs: Myths and Reality

2019 ◽  
pp. 24-34
Author(s):  
Yulia Vladimirovna Kuftova ◽  
Olga Valerevna Obukhova ◽  
Irina Nikolaevna Bazarova
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Costs ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Health Care Expenditures ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Positive Trend ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Care Costs

Government spending are the basic of the health economics of any developed countries. We are overwhelmingly confident that an increase in the financing of the health care system makes it possible to improve the population’s access to medical care, which, accordingly, it is reflected on an increasing quality of life and its duration. Undoubtedly, investments in the healthcare industry should lead to the creation of new jobs, the development and introduction of advanced medical technologies and innovative drugs into clinical practice. In recent years, in the Russian Federation, there has been a positive trend in the volume of funds allocated by the state to protect public health. The article is devoted to the study of possible factors causing this growth. The authors made an attempt to answer the questions whether the increase in health care costs is due only to the political will of decision makers at the federal level, whether unhealthy lifestyles of the country’s citizens affect health care costs, which primarily depend on the costs of health care resources and others. To answer these questions, the authors analyzed the behavior of individual indicators reflecting health care expenditures and population health indicators for the Russian Federation in comparison with the countries of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) – Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA.

Community-based sexual health care works: a review of the ACT outreach program

Sexual Health ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine J. Sturrock ◽  
Marian J. Currie ◽  
Hassan Vally ◽  
Elissa J. O'Keefe ◽  
Ruth Primrose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
Outreach Program ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Sexual Health Care ◽  
Outreach Services ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Sexually Transmissible Infections ◽  
Sex With Men

Background: Men who have sex with men, sex workers, youth and university students are at increased risk for sexually transmissible infections (STI) and blood-borne viruses (BBV) and are therefore targets for sexual health services. In recognition of this, a collaborative project offering sexual health care in various outreach settings frequented by these groups was developed. Methods: Data collected by clinicians during consultations in five outreach venues (a sex-on-premises venue, a community AIDS organisation, a university campus, brothels and a youth centre) between 2002 and 2005 were analysed. Results: During 119 clinics (~547 clinician hours), 313 individuals (205 males and 108 females) received education and/or testing. Of those screened, 6.0% (15/249) were positive for chlamydia and 12.7% (9/71) tested positive for hepatitis C (HCV) antibodies. No new cases of hepatitis B (HBV) or HIV were identified and 37.2% (71/191) of patients reported never having been previously tested for HIV. Seroprevalence of hepatitis A and HBV antibodies were 53.8% (91/169) and 52.1% (135/259), respectively. More than half of all four groups reported inconsistent use of condoms and 8.6% reported intravenous drug use. Conclusions: Collaborations between agencies to provide outreach services facilitate community-based sexual health education and screening for groups at higher risk of STI and BBV. The database audit showed that through these outreach services cases of chlamydia and HCV that may have remained undetected were identified. The results also highlight the need for continuing hepatitis vaccination, testing, health promotion and education in these populations.

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