Search results

Annotation

This article is the second in a new series in this regular feature. The intention of the series is to look at important global developments in health science libraries. These articles will serve as a road map, describing the key changes in the field and exploring factors driving these changes. The present article by two Canadian librarians identifies important national developments which are shaping the profession such as the centralisation of health care services, the challenge of providing consumer health information in the absence of a national strategy, government recognition of the need to recognise and respond to the health needs of indigenous peoples and the growing emphasis on managing research data. Although their profession is strong, health science librarians must find ways of providing enhanced services with fewer staff and demonstrate value to organisations. ; No

This book combines an overview of validity theory, trends in validation practices, and a review of standards and guidelines in several international jurisdictions with research synthesis of the validity evidence in different research areas. An overview of theory is both useful and timely, in view of the increased use of tests and measures for decision-making, ranking, and policy purposes in large-scale testing, assessment, and social indicators and quality of life research. Research synthesis is needed to help us assemble, critically appraise, and integrate the overwhelming volume of research on validity in different contexts. Rather than examining whether any given measure is "valid", the focus is on a critical appraisal of the kinds of validity evidence reported in the published research literature. The five sources of validity evidence discussed are: content-related, response processes, internal structure, associations with other variables, and consequences. The 15 syntheses included here, represent a broad sampling of psychosocial, health, medical, and educational research settings, giving us an extensive evidential basis to build upon earlier studies. The book concludes with a meta-synthesis of the 15 syntheses, and a discussion of the current thinking of validation practices by leading experts in the field.

At the heart of most food, nutrition, and health decisions and concerns is an economic issue. Consequently, understanding some basic economics is imperative to evaluate the likely effectiveness of food and nutrition policies or interventions, especially those designed to operate through economic channels. Section I of the book provides the fundamentals of nutrition. Section II provides the fundamentals of consumer economics, from both the neo-classical and behavioral economics perspectives. Section III gives an overview of the US food system and the fundamentals of food production economics. Section IV gives the fundamentals of market analysis, including horizontally and vertically related markets. Section V gives an overview of cost effectiveness and cost benefit analysis of nutrition interventions.

Health Science Explorations is a Maryland 4-H Program for youth ages ten and older. Hospital-based multi-day summer sessions and clubs that meet regularly, enable youth to interact with health care professionals in authentic medical settings. The program introduces youth to local health career opportunities, fosters science literacy and interest in science careers, and teaches healthy lifestyle practices. The authors share strategies to guide other educators through the process of developing their own science career exploration programs.

The salient role of knowledge translation process, by which knowledge is put into practice, is increasingly recognized by various research stakeholders. However, medical schools are slow in providing medical students and health professionals engaged in research with the sufficient opportunities to examine more closely the facilitators and barriers to utilization of research evidence in policymaking and implementation, or the effectiveness of their research communication strategies. Memorial University of Newfoundland now offers a knowledge translation course that equips students of community health and applied health research with the knowledge and skills necessary for conducting research, that responds more closely to the needs of their communities, and for improving the utilization of their research by a variety of research consumers. This case study illustrates how the positive research outcomes resulted from implementing the knowledge translation strategies learned in the course. Knowledge translation can be useful also in attracting more funding and support from research agencies, industry, government agencies and the public. These reasons offer a compelling rationale for the standard inclusion of knowledge translation courses in health sciences education. Keywords: health sciences curriculum, knowledge translation, research utilization

Report of the Texas State Auditor's Office related to the accreditation review for the Texas A&M University System Health Science Center in fiscal year 2002.

The salient role of knowledge translation process, by which knowledge is put into practice, is increasingly recognized by various research stakeholders. However, medical schools are slow in providing medical students and health professionals engaged in research with the sufficient opportunities to examine more closely the facilitators and barriers to utilization of research evidence in policymaking and implementation, or the effectiveness of their research communication strategies. Memorial University of Newfoundland now offers a knowledge translation course that equips students of community health and applied health research with the knowledge and skills necessary for conducting research, that responds more closely to the needs of their communities, and for improving the utilization of their research by a variety of research consumers. This case study illustrates how the positive research outcomes resulted from implementing the knowledge translation strategies learned in the course. Knowledge translation can be useful also in attracting more funding and support from research agencies, industry, government agencies and the public. These reasons offer a compelling rationale for the standard inclusion of knowledge translation courses in health sciences education.