NEWS
HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS REACH MATURITY
team from the University of Birmingham has reported
A a significant step forward in public health research , in a study of ectopic pregnancy published in BMC Medical Research Methodology . The study analysed data from an ‘ open cohort ’. Unlike a closed cohort , which has fixed number of people in the group under study , an open cohort ( also known as a dynamic cohort ) allows individuals to enter and leave the study group at different times during the study period .
This means the number of people in the study group can vary over time , and although this complexity makes analysis time-consuming and prone to variability , it is more representative of electronic health record databases . These records hold a wealth of data that , when used to its full potential , can help understand trends , focus healthcare provision for specific groups , and so reduce inequalities in health .
The team behind the study has previously developed the Dexter software platform , which can automate the extraction and analysis of data from electronic health records .
Health researchers use incidence ( the number of newly diagnosed cases in a particular time period ) and prevalence ( the proportion of the population who have received the diagnosis , regardless of when they received the diagnosis ). These calculations are usually automated , but the computer code used to generate incidence and prevalence are not standardised and are often created on a ‘ one-off ’ basis for individual studies . These variations mean that it may be impossible to compare incidence and prevalence obtained from different studies .
Overall , the researchers found an increase in both prevalence and incidence of ectopic pregnancy during the period of study , which they believe reflects better recording over time as electronic health records mature .
They also found the prevalence of ectopic pregnancy varied by ethnicity : higher in women of black ethnicity compared to white ethnicity , lower for women of mixed and white ethnicity ( with no difference observed between the two ), and lower still amongst women of Asian or other ethnicities , or where ethnicity was not recorded .
ROCHE RESPONDS TO WHO ’ S DECLARATION OF A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY DUE TO THE ONGOING MPOX OUTBREAK
Roche has announced that it is supporting the international response to the mpox global health emergency with its diagnostic tests developed for mpox , formerly known as monkeypox . Mpox , a viral disease that can spread easily between people and from infected animals , was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) ( 14 August 2024 ).
Globally , Roche is partnering with governments , healthcare providers and organisations dedicated to combating the mpox outbreak . More specifically , Roche is actively working with its partners to enhance mpox laboratory capacity worldwide . In addition , Roche provides training for laboratories across the African continent at the Roche Scientific Campus in South Africa , as well as locally .
“ Our commitment to support the global response to mpox began in 2022 when we developed a suite of tests to enable global access to rapid and high-quality PCR testing ,” said Matt Sause , CEO of Roche Diagnostics . “ Diagnostics are essential in addressing emerging public health challenges like mpox , as they enable healthcare providers to identify infected patients , devise effective treatment strategies and take appropriate actions .”
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