Information Innovation
Articles
Blog
Dalying with Disease: Trends in Disability-Adjusted Life-Years in Europe
Mortality is falling and more adults across the developed world are living to an old age. But is this reflecting an increase in health, or just expanding the number of years spent suffering from disease?
Published: 25 Aug, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»Medical Staffing Density and Life Expectancy: How much is enough?
In the face of debate in the UK about safe staffing levels in hospitals, data from the World Health Organization on international levels of physician and nursing densities suggests an upper limit beyond which there are no further gains in life expectancy for the population.
Published: 24 Aug, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»North-South Divide Persists for 2014 England and Wales Mortality
Mortality data just released for 2014 in England and Wales shows that the North-South divide shows no sighn of abating. Mortality rates were typically below 100 in the South and East, and above 100 in the North and West of the country.
Published: 12 Aug, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»Pandemics: Where are the Risks? Are we prepared?
With Ebola still killing people in West Africa and a Manchester hospital A&E department briefly closed because of two possible MERS cases, the threat of a pandemic that could decimate the population and devastate the economy remains high. A report just published by the IFoA looks at the possible impact of a pandemic on the insurance industry.
Published: 06 Aug, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»Summertime: When Living is Easy
Early August is a time when UK junior doctors traditionally change jobs and are on a steep learning curve regarding their new hospital's procedures and the management of different diseases. But fear not - data shows that, in England, there are actually fewest deaths in August and September.
Published: 29 Jul, 2015 Time to Read: 3 min(s) Read More»The Actuary Webinar: What will Climate Change Mean for Pension Funds?
Attendees at a webinar arranged by The Actuary learned about the possible impact climate change may have for pension fund and other investments. The question remains: are we sleepwalking into disaster?
Published: 28 Jul, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»M-Health Monitor: Evidence on Effects of Mobile Health Technology, July 2015
Here, we summarise the studies on the use of mobile health technology (m-Health) that were indexed in PubMed in July 2017.
Published: 28 Jul, 2015 Time to Read: 10 min(s) Read More»Prescribing Trends for Antimicrobial Agents in England 2010-14
The latest data on prescriptions dispensed in the community in England have recently been published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Here, we look at recent trends in prescribing of antimicrobial agents.
Published: 21 Jul, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»Cancer Countdown: Will shortening the time for tests to be completed reduce mortality from cancer?
The new Cancer Strategy for England has recommended that the time between a patient being referred for testing and receiving either a diagnosis of cancer, or the all-clear, should be no more than four weeks. Here, we discuss what impact achieving this laudable aim is likely to have on cancer mortality.
Published: 20 Jul, 2015 Time to Read: 5 min(s) Read More»Prescribing Trends for Cardiovascular Diseases: England 2010-14
The latest data on prescriptions dispensed in the community in England have recently been published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Here, we look at recent trends in prescribing of drugs for cardiovascular diseases, and what this might mean for mortality improvement.
Published: 15 Jul, 2015 Time to Read: 10 min(s) Read More»