Health Information Center

2009 is a critical year. Promised economic recovery and healthcare reform legislation are opportunities for meaningful financial commitments to mental health and addictions services and mental healthcare organizations are offering a practical actionable agenda:

- The integration of primary care services in behavioral health settings: The Healthcare Collaborative Project brings together behavioral health and primary care organizations offering a bi-directional approach for care. The need for behavioral health services in primary care is widely accepted. But the integration of primary care services in behavioral health settings remains controversial despite the fact that individuals with serious mental illness appear to have the worst mortality rates in the public health system. Therefore, mental healthcare organizations are actively pursuing single points of accountability to enhance continuity of care for this underserved population.

- Cost-based-plus financing that supports service excellence: People want and deserve quality services but quality services depend on skilled staff. Low salaries have created – and are perpetuating – a recruitment, retention, and quality crisis for behavioral healthcare. We need a workforce of skilled staff delivering nationally recognized practices within organizations that live by the rule “If you don?t measure it, you can?t improve it.”For mental healthcare organizations, healthcare reform is an opportunity to bring “parity” to public mental health services by ending the second class status of community mental health and addiction providers in America?s safety net.

Continue reading ‘Economic Recovery and Healthcare Reform – Opportunities for Mental Health and Addictions’ »

History – A history of gum disease should be taken very seriously by both the patient and his or her dentist or physician. The history is rock solid proof that the person has a tendency to develop a chronic problem with severe pain, discomfort or underlying causes.

Gum disease is also known as Periodontal disease and refers to sever gum and bone infection caused by plaque build-up which produces toxins including bacteria. The bacteria has an extremely irritating effect on the affected areas causing the gums or bone to become inflamed. Gingivitis is the least severe form of gum disease. However should Gingivitis be left untreated it will lead to more severe Periodontitis. Continue reading ‘Gum Disease – Do You Have a History of Gum Disease?’ »

Ever wondered why you were having recurring pains in the tummy for days together? Or why your visits to the bathroom were becoming infrequent these days? This of many things could also mean that you are suffering from constipation.  Constipation is both painful as well as frustrating and largely remains unrecognized for a majority of the population.

Although it is a common symptom, it largely remains unrecognized in a majority of the population. Medical definition of constipation is “fewer than three bowel movements a week.” Normal bowel movement pattern is one bowel movement per day. But the symptoms of constipation are simple and can be observed easily. Continue reading ‘Constipation no more with Ayurveda’ »

Yes, monitoring your blood sugar level with glucose testing strips isn’t anyone’s idea of “fun.” But it’s something that must be done regularly, and having the right tools, like the OneTouch UltraSmart meter, at least makes it a little bit easier.

A blood sugar meter, in it’s simplest form, will tell you what your blood glucose levels are at any moment in time. However, as you’ve probably discussed with your doctor, there’s a lot more to it – how recently have you eaten? What did you eat? Have you been exercising? What are the trends showing with regard to your blood sugar going up or down at different times of day. Frankly, with the old fashioned glucose logs, this type of things was really hard to keep track of… there was just too much data to be able to compile it. Continue reading ‘Have You Considered The LifeScan One Touch UltraSmart Glucose Meter?’ »

The peritonium is a membrane that lines the abdominal area of our body. When mesothelioma affects the peritonium, it is known as peritoneal mesothelioma. Even within the area of mesothelioma, peritoneal cases are considered unusual with only about thirty percent of all cases being peritoneal mesothelioma. Even so, it is the second most common case of this rare type of cancer. It is thought that patients suffering from this variety of mesothelioma have been exposed to asbestos at some point in the past..

How long an exposure to asbestos to get mesothelioma is not known. Symptoms of this cancer mostly deal with the abdominal area such as lumps, swelling and pain. Almost all patients suffering from peritoneal mesothelioma will lose their lives to it in the end. Continue reading ‘Peritoneal Mesothelioma Overview’ »

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of stroke survivors of the rehabilitation services received by them in the Jordanian community. A secondary aim was to explore the impact of culture on providing appropriate services for stroke survivors.

Eighteen stroke survivors were recruited from an outpatient stroke rehabilitation programme. All 18 participants had been discharged from hospital for between one and six months. Semi-structured interviews were performed either in the physiotherapy outpatient clinic where the stroke patient was attending a clinic or in their homes. Transcription of interviews carried out in Arabic and thematic analysis was also carried out in that language by transcribers who were fluent in Arabic and English, using a back-translation method. Necessary measures were taken to ensure the accuracy, reliability and validity of the data collection and analysis. Continue reading ‘Impact of culture on rehabilitation services for stroke patients in developing countries: Jordanian perspective’ »

Bad breaths are unpleasant. Anyone carrying such is prone to being disgraced at any time of the day. This is why bad breaths should not be covered up. Bad breaths are caused by bacteria that work on the food particles hanging there in the mouth creating bad smells from volatile sulphur compounds. The good news is it can even be eliminated with little stress.

Studies have shown that all bad breath has to do with these Volatile Sulphur compounds which are formed by the decomposition of bacteria and dead human cells. Bad breath can also be caused by seepage from gums that are infected. Continue reading ‘Closys Mouthwash’ »

You should be on the lookout of warning signs of drug abuse in your teen. If you do see six or more warning signs, you should not ignore them. Instead talk to your teen about his drug addiction and then ensure that you seek professional help to assist your teen in overcoming his addiction.

Here are the warning signs of teenage drug abuse that you should be looking out for.

Signs in the Home:
• Losing interest in family activities
• Showing disregard for family rules
• Withdrawing from his responsibilities
• Becoming verbally or physically abusive
• Sudden decrease or increase in appetite
• Not coming home on time
• Not telling you where he is going
• You suddenly find valuables and money missing from home
• Making excuses for his behavior
• Prefers spending time alone in his bedroom
• Lies about where he was and what he was doing
• You find cigarette rolling paper, pipes, small glass vials, plastic baggies or roach clips in his room or his pant pockets

Continue reading ‘Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse’ »

1, esophageal benign tumor: esophageal benign leiomyoma with the commonnest, can happen any part of the esophagus, more common in the lower esophagus, middle, and the least. Because it is the slow development of tumor, mucous membrane, longer duration of symptoms, lighter, can sometimes no self-conscious symptom. The X-ray shows a smooth semilobar filling defects, mucous membrane, barium, through the esophagus cancer without expansion. Endoscopy visible esophageal canaliculi uplift of mass, color change is mucosal surfaces, but the mucosa ulcer, and is sometimes slip through action. Endoscopic Endoscopic ultrasonography is clear and smooth appearance, the realm of small sound like regular outline, and can identify what belongs to. Continue reading ‘Esophageal cancer is one of the symptoms of leiomyoma’ »

I just love apricots and if you read this whole article, you will as well. Instead of just calling them apricots, they should be called “apricot health“, because this sweet sour fruit, which seems more like a plum was highly regarded Central Asia.

Imagine if there was a real fountain of youth!  Apricots are one of the few super foods, that just may turn back the hands of time.  I know this may sound incredible, but the miraculous results of using this particular food as a beauty agent is unparalleled. Continue reading ‘Apricot Health For Beauty And Youth’ »