BACKGROUND This paper presents the findings of a rapid needs assessment conducted at the request of the local health authority responsible for health care services, the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (Ontario, Canada), to inform health and social service planning. METHODS We utilized concept mapping methodology to facilitate engagement with diverse stakeholders-more than 300...

BACKGROUND In sub-Saharan Africa, underweight and micronutrient deficiencies account for an estimated 25% of the burden of disease. As the coverage of national health systems expands, increased opportunities exist to address the needs of children and women, the most vulnerable to these deficiencies, through high-quality nutrition services. OBJECTIVES To assess health providers' knowledge and ...

CONTEXT The IUD once accounted for about half of contraceptive use among Navajo women but is now little used in this population, which has a high rate of unintended pregnancy. Identifying barriers to use--including those stemming from providers' IUD-related knowledge, attitudes and practices--could help expand use of the method. METHODS In 2000, 107 Navajo Area Indian Health Service providers...

BACKGROUND Despite the success of developed countries in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, the disease is expanding in developing countries where an unfavorable attitude exists among people, health professionals and employees. This study aimed to assess the stigmatized attitude among health care providers toward people living with HIV (PLWHA). METHODS The study is a cross-sectional survey. T...

The study reported in this paper compared data from 20 separate focus groups, representing providers and consumers of health services in the Grampians region, Victoria, on their perceptions of the allied health service issues in that region. The results of the study indicated that providers and consumers raised many similar issues in regard to allied health services--access to allied health ser...

A Publication of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research & This policy brief highlights findings from a study that examined the availability of selected health care services for women in managed care settings in California. These services are health promotion, disease prevention, mental health, and substance abuse services—all areas of need that emerged from focus groups conducted with low-i...

BACKGROUND Poor quality of health services and socio-cultural dynamics may severely limit utilization of health services. Facility health committees were established in several states in northern Nigeria to reduce these barriers. The committees were charged with mobilizing communities, improving quality of health services, and promoting utilization of maternal and child health services. This st...

Background Despite the growing trend of integrating primary care and mental health services, little research has documented how consumers with severe mental illnesses manage comorbid conditions or view integrated services. Objectives We sought to better understand how consumers perceive and manage both mental and physical health conditions and their views of integrated services. Methods We ...

to estimate the prevalence and analyze factors associated with both public and private health services utilization in women population in a western district of iran.a cross-sectional study with 1200 individuals aged 18-49 years carried out in different districts of sanandaj city, western iran, in 2012. the main outcome variable was use of health service in the previous 12 months. the in-depende...

M AY 2 01 6 In Bangladesh, HIV prevalence has been estimated to be less than one percent in the general population, however, sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), and transgender people are disproportionately affected.1,2 Research in Bangladesh has documented high levels of discrimination by health service providers toward people living with HIV3,4 and avoidance of health services by pe...