This project continues a strong record of research in the Department of Bioethics that is aimed at facilitating fair and effective allocation of resources to promote health. The research involves a variety of methodologies including conceptual analysis and empirical methods including survey research, focus groups to promote democratic deliberation, secondary analysis of large datasets, and meta...

‘Standard setting’ is a process through which the items prepared for the student assessment is standardized before and/or after the student assessment process. The main objective of standard setting is to determine the cut-off score, or pass mark, of an item or a test. The tests represent Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Short Answer Questions (SAQs), Objective Structured Practical or Clinical...

Managing the complexity of medical recordkeeping in an occupational health setting has been compared to navigating a shadowy maze. Successful navigation requires knowledge-based clarity and direction. This article provides an overview of regulatory requirements related to medical recordkeeping in occupational health settings and highlights key medical record legislation and relevant practice st...

OBJECTIVE To set investment priorities in global mental health research and to propose a more rational use of funds in this under-resourced and under-investigated area. METHODS Members of the Lancet Mental Health Group systematically listed and scored research investment options on four broad classes of disorders: schizophrenia and other major psychotic disorders, major depressive disorder an...

Aangesien gesondheidsdienste, veral hospitale, van die grootste werkgewers in die land is, behoort hulle werknemers dieselfde gehalte bedryfsgesondheidsorg te ontvang as die beste wat in die nywerheid aangebied word. Daar is 'n behoefte aan so ’n diens aangesien hospitaalwerknemers aan spesifieke gesondheidsrisiko’s blootgestel is. Verder sal die diens dieselfde voordele aan werkgewers bied as ...

OBJECTIVE To describe a health priority setting exercise in Pakistan and its relevance to traditional medical care and care providers. METHODS Literature search of local and regional data was performed to identify priority health problems, those with high disease burden and with cost-effective interventions. RESULTS Major causes of ill-health were communicable (diarrhoea, respiratory infect...

This paper describes a national strategy to improve occupational health and a longitudinal view of a 15 year project undertaken in the UK, logging the key developments. The first results should become apparent in 2005. Progress will be reported.

Countries around the world are experiencing an ever-increasing need to make choices in investments in health and healthcare. This makes it incumbent upon them to have formal processes in place to optimize the legitimacy of eventual decisions. There is now growing experience among countries of the implementation of stakeholder participation, and a developing convergence of methods to support dec...

An increase in exclusive breastfeeding prevalence can substantially reduce mortality and morbidity among infants. In this paper, estimates of the costs and impacts of three breastfeeding promotion programmes, implemented through maternity services in Brazil, Honduras and Mexico, are used to develop cost-effectiveness measures and these are compared with other health interventions. The results s...