Search

This longitudinal study was conducted between 1994 and 2004 in a cohort of Southern Taiwan community-living elderly residents. The study aims to explore the trajectories of depression and how these patterns differed between respondents who survived and those who died during data collection phases; this study also investigated how health status change and health/social service use predicted the different trajectories of depression. Eight hundred and ten participants had completed all six waves of the survey or were followed-up at each wave until death in the prospective study in Kaohsiung City. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES). Changes in levels of depression during the ageing process were identified. Different trajectories clearly reflected heterogeneity within depression and the association with mortality. The study highlighted that diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease and disability, whether at baseline or as new occurrences, were predictors of health decline. High uses of health/social services were also predictive of increased depression. These findings identified depression as a highly dynamic process, characterized by different trajectories of depression between states of no, mild and severe depression. Greater awareness of these various trajectories should potentially improve the prevention and/or management strategies of depression.

This longitudinal study was conducted between 1994 and 2004 in a cohort of Southern Taiwan community-living elderly residents. The study aims to explore the trajectories of depression and how these patterns differed between respondents who survived and those who died during data collection phases; this study also investigated how health status change and health/social service use predicted the different trajectories of depression. Eight hundred and ten participants had completed all six waves of the survey or were followed-up at each wave until death in the prospective study in Kaohsiung City. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES). Changes in levels of depression during the ageing process were identified. Different trajectories clearly reflected heterogeneity within depression and the association with mortality. The study highlighted that diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease and disability, whether at baseline or as new occurrences, were predictors of health decline. High uses of health/social services were also predictive of increased depression. These findings identified depression as a highly dynamic process, characterized by different trajectories of depression between states of no, mild and severe depression. Greater awareness of these various trajectories should potentially improve the prevention and/or management strategies of depression.

This longitudinal study was conducted between 1994 and 2004 in a cohort of Southern Taiwan community-living elderly residents. The study aims to explore the trajectories of depression and how these patterns differed between respondents who survived and those who died during data collection phases; this study also investigated how health status change and health/social service use predicted the different trajectories of depression. Eight hundred and ten participants had completed all six waves of the survey or were followed-up at each wave until death in the prospective study in Kaohsiung City. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES). Changes in levels of depression during the ageing process were identified. Different trajectories clearly reflected heterogeneity within depression and the association with mortality. The study highlighted that diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease and disability, whether at baseline or as new occurrences, were predictors of health decline. High uses of health/social services were also predictive of increased depression. These findings identified depression as a highly dynamic process, characterized by different trajectories of depression between states of no, mild and severe depression. Greater awareness of these various trajectories should potentially improve the prevention and/or management strategies of depression.

This longitudinal study was conducted between 1994 and 2004 in a cohort of Southern Taiwan community-living elderly residents. The study aims to explore the trajectories of depression and how these patterns differed between respondents who survived and those who died during data collection phases; this study also investigated how health status change and health/social service use predicted the different trajectories of depression. Eight hundred and ten participants had completed all six waves of the survey or were followed-up at each wave until death in the prospective study in Kaohsiung City. Depressive symptoms were evaluated by the Short Psychiatric Evaluation Schedule (SPES). Changes in levels of depression during the ageing process were identified. Different trajectories clearly reflected heterogeneity within depression and the association with mortality. The study highlighted that diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, heart disease and disability, whether at baseline or as new occurrences, were predictors of health decline. High uses of health/social services were also predictive of increased depression. These findings identified depression as a highly dynamic process, characterized by different trajectories of depression between states of no, mild and severe depression. Greater awareness of these various trajectories should potentially improve the prevention and/or management strategies of depression.

The development of advanced teaching tools using simulation is costly and often of limited value to the institution developing it. The investment can only be regained if the teaching tool can be used in other places and/or a wide range of applications. Thus the objective is to assess the usefulness of an advanced teaching tool in a range of settings and cultures. Zinc Violet is a simulation of a problem using real data and data analysis software, characters, reports, literature, role-play and financial or time limitations. The students are placed in a problem that they have to solve where their choices have consequences and the simulations aims to engage them. The programme has a long history of development in two countries and is based on real investigations. All uses of the teaching tool have been formally evaluated in the context of use. Zinc Violet has been used to teach applied epidemiology in three different Masters degrees at three different universities in two different countries. It has also been used in a professional development course in another country. Applications used are applied epidemiology, environmental epidemiology, risk assessment and risk communication. Participants have come from Australia, China, France, India, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Taiwan, UK and other countries. Professional backgrounds have included physicians, nurses, environmental scientists, toxicologists and dieticians. The evaluations have been that the simulations facilitated very good engagement. All research applications were highly successful succeeding in engaging people from all disciplines and cultures. The risk communication application showed only the first half of the simulation to be useful but for that part they were engaged. Continuous technical updating is essential as bugs were found to be irritating. Substantial investments in highly developed teaching tools can pay off in a wide variety of settings. The tool does need to be very rich and

The development of advanced teaching tools using simulation is costly and often of limited value to the institution developing it. The investment can only be regained if the teaching tool can be used in other places and/or a wide range of applications. Thus the objective is to assess the usefulness of an advanced teaching tool in a range of settings and cultures. Zinc Violet is a simulation of a problem using real data and data analysis software, characters, reports, literature, role-play and financial or time limitations. The students are placed in a problem that they have to solve where their choices have consequences and the simulations aims to engage them. The programme has a long history of development in two countries and is based on real investigations. All uses of the teaching tool have been formally evaluated in the context of use. Zinc Violet has been used to teach applied epidemiology in three different Masters degrees at three different universities in two different countries. It has also been used in a professional development course in another country. Applications used are applied epidemiology, environmental epidemiology, risk assessment and risk communication. Participants have come from Australia, China, France, India, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Taiwan, UK and other countries. Professional backgrounds have included physicians, nurses, environmental scientists, toxicologists and dieticians. The evaluations have been that the simulations facilitated very good engagement. All research applications were highly successful succeeding in engaging people from all disciplines and cultures. The risk communication application showed only the first half of the simulation to be useful but for that part they were engaged. Continuous technical updating is essential as bugs were found to be irritating. Substantial investments in highly developed teaching tools can pay off in a wide variety of settings. The tool does need to be very rich and

The development of advanced teaching tools using simulation is costly and often of limited value to the institution developing it. The investment can only be regained if the teaching tool can be used in other places and/or a wide range of applications. Thus the objective is to assess the usefulness of an advanced teaching tool in a range of settings and cultures. Zinc Violet is a simulation of a problem using real data and data analysis software, characters, reports, literature, role-play and financial or time limitations. The students are placed in a problem that they have to solve where their choices have consequences and the simulations aims to engage them. The programme has a long history of development in two countries and is based on real investigations. All uses of the teaching tool have been formally evaluated in the context of use. Zinc Violet has been used to teach applied epidemiology in three different Masters degrees at three different universities in two different countries. It has also been used in a professional development course in another country. Applications used are applied epidemiology, environmental epidemiology, risk assessment and risk communication. Participants have come from Australia, China, France, India, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Taiwan, UK and other countries. Professional backgrounds have included physicians, nurses, environmental scientists, toxicologists and dieticians. The evaluations have been that the simulations facilitated very good engagement. All research applications were highly successful succeeding in engaging people from all disciplines and cultures. The risk communication application showed only the first half of the simulation to be useful but for that part they were engaged. Continuous technical updating is essential as bugs were found to be irritating. Substantial investments in highly developed teaching tools can pay off in a wide variety of settings. The tool does need to be very rich and

A major difficulty of teaching public health to students in a Masters Program is conveying the need for taking a strategic approach to situations. Tackling real-life public health issues is rather complex. There will generally be a number of avenues of investigation and it is necessary to be wary of the short and long-term consequences of actions. Also time and money need to be managed effectively. As one approach to the education of students about these issues, a computer-based package has been developed which simulates the investigation of a real public health problem. This simulation enables students to encounter such issues in a risk-free environment, and to carry out their own investigations and propose their own solutions to the problems presented. Specifically, students have to clarify the impact of pollution on the health of residents in an affected area. They will collect and analyse data (from in-built real-life data sets), design and analyse their own epidemiological study and present their findings as reports, press-releases and presentations. The task takes students an entire subject (14-weeks) to complete and is largely self-directed. The package contains both quantitative data, such as mortality and morbidity statistics, and qualitative data, such as the outcome of interviews with key stakeholders. The package also exploits the multimedia capabilities of a PC by incorporating maps and photographs of the polluted area. This enables students to undertake a virtual trip, and thus pick up vital clues about potential sources of contamination. The package provides links to standard statistical software, thereby giving students an opportunity to become more familiar with programs they are likely to use in real-life. The data provide sufficient breadth and detail for students to use various strategies. But, to simulate real-life, students have to conduct their investigations within virtual time and budgetary constraints, continuously monitored by the computer

A major difficulty of teaching public health to students in a Masters Program is conveying the need for taking a strategic approach to situations. Tackling real-life public health issues is rather complex. There will generally be a number of avenues of investigation and it is necessary to be wary of the short and long-term consequences of actions. Also time and money need to be managed effectively. As one approach to the education of students about these issues, a computer-based package has been developed which simulates the investigation of a real public health problem. This simulation enables students to encounter such issues in a risk-free environment, and to carry out their own investigations and propose their own solutions to the problems presented. Specifically, students have to clarify the impact of pollution on the health of residents in an affected area. They will collect and analyse data (from in-built real-life data sets), design and analyse their own epidemiological study and present their findings as reports, press-releases and presentations. The task takes students an entire subject (14-weeks) to complete and is largely self-directed. The package contains both quantitative data, such as mortality and morbidity statistics, and qualitative data, such as the outcome of interviews with key stakeholders. The package also exploits the multimedia capabilities of a PC by incorporating maps and photographs of the polluted area. This enables students to undertake a virtual trip, and thus pick up vital clues about potential sources of contamination. The package provides links to standard statistical software, thereby giving students an opportunity to become more familiar with programs they are likely to use in real-life. The data provide sufficient breadth and detail for students to use various strategies. But, to simulate real-life, students have to conduct their investigations within virtual time and budgetary constraints, continuously monitored by the computer

A major difficulty of teaching public health to students in a Masters Program is conveying the need for taking a strategic approach to situations. Tackling real-life public health issues is rather complex. There will generally be a number of avenues of investigation and it is necessary to be wary of the short and long-term consequences of actions. Also time and money need to be managed effectively. As one approach to the education of students about these issues, a computer-based package has been developed which simulates the investigation of a real public health problem. This simulation enables students to encounter such issues in a risk-free environment, and to carry out their own investigations and propose their own solutions to the problems presented. Specifically, students have to clarify the impact of pollution on the health of residents in an affected area. They will collect and analyse data (from in-built real-life data sets), design and analyse their own epidemiological study and present their findings as reports, press-releases and presentations. The task takes students an entire subject (14-weeks) to complete and is largely self-directed. The package contains both quantitative data, such as mortality and morbidity statistics, and qualitative data, such as the outcome of interviews with key stakeholders. The package also exploits the multimedia capabilities of a PC by incorporating maps and photographs of the polluted area. This enables students to undertake a virtual trip, and thus pick up vital clues about potential sources of contamination. The package provides links to standard statistical software, thereby giving students an opportunity to become more familiar with programs they are likely to use in real-life. The data provide sufficient breadth and detail for students to use various strategies. But, to simulate real-life, students have to conduct their investigations within virtual time and budgetary constraints, continuously monitored by the computer