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Summary: Background: We estimated the health gains and health inequality impacts for the Australian population alive in 2021 (n = 25.0 million) in the next 20 years and over their remaining lifespan, from shifting everyone above a BMI of 25 kg/m2 to 25 kg/m2 compared to the BMI distribution in 2021 persisting into the future. Methods: National Health Survey 2017–2018 was used to estimate BMI distributions by sex, age and, socio-economic status (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas; SEIFA). A proportional multistate life table linking BMI to 19 associated diseases and allowing for time lags and competing morbidity and mortality, was used to estimate the future stream of health adjusted life years (HALYs) gained from eradicating high BMI. Findings: Undiscounted health gains in the first 20 years and lifetime of the population were, respectively, 2.00 million (95% uncertainty interval 1.70–2.32) and 20.4 million (17.0–24.2) (at a 3% annual discount rate, HALY gains were 1.37 and 5.77 million, respectively). Reductions in the incidence of cardio metabolic diseases contributed 61% (95% UI: 54%–68%) of the undiscounted health gains in the first 20 years, musculoskeletal diseases contributed 26% (20%–32%) and cancer 5% (3%–8%). HALY gains in the first 20 years and lifetime, per person alive in 2021, were 2.5 (2.4–2.5) and 1.9 (1.9–2.0) times higher for the most compared to the least deprived SEIFA quintile. Interpretation: The total theoretical envelope of health gains, and health inequality reductions, through eradication of BMI is substantial. Our modeling infrastructure can be used to estimate the health impacts and cost effectiveness of many actual interventions. Funding: No funding was received for the study.

Abstract Background Health literacy (HL) among higher education students is low, making them vulnerable about their health. To reverse this trend, higher education institutions promote HL interventions with various topics and methods. A comprehensive understanding of HL interventions is essential to determine whether these interventions meet the health information needs to improve health outcomes (health gains). The aim of this review was to identify and synthesise evidence on the efficacy of HL interventions implemented in academic settings to improve health outcomes. Methods A systematic review was performed followed the PRISMA guidelines, protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022369869). A search strategy was performed in the EBSCO Host Web platform, the time limit placed was: 01/01/2017 to 30/09/2022. Eligible studies were those published in peer-reviewed journals and involved higher education students over the age of 18 as the subject of the intervention. Eligible interventions included any interventions evaluated in a study with comparison group that included a pre-post measure of health outcomes, were conducted in an academic setting. To methodology quality of included studies, it was used the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. To synthesise results narrative and thematic synthesis was conducted. Results A total of 9 articles were included in this review, identified health literacy interventions with an impact on health outcomes. The total studies involved 2902 higher education students. All 9 studies were randomised controlled trials. The synthesised evidence supports the efficacy of interventions that contributed to positive changes in mental health, attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy of condom use, emotional, social, and psychological well being, subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and habitual sleep efficiency, physical activity, and self-reported servings fried foods. HL interventions were educational or motivational and related to health promotion, disease prevention or healthcare. Conclusions HL interventions in higher education students can significantly improve health outcomes protecting them from the negative effects of threats for their health. The interventions designed with different strategies are more effective. HL interventions are associated with health benefits on health promotion, disease prevention and healthcare. For the attendance of higher education to be a successful experience, continuity of HL interventions developed in academic settings is necessary.

Background: Health literacy (HL) among higher education students is low, making them vulnerable about their health. To reverse this trend, higher education institutions promote HL interventions with various topics and methods. A comprehensive understanding of HL interventions is essential to determine whether these interventions meet the health information needs to improve health outcomes (health gains). The aim of this review was to identify and synthesise evidence on the efficacy of HL interventions implemented in academic settings to improve health outcomes. Methods: A systematic review was performed followed the PRISMA guidelines, protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022369869). A search strategy was performed in the EBSCO Host Web platform, the time limit placed was: 01/01/2017 to 30/09/2022. Eligible studies were those published in peer-reviewed journals and involved higher education students over the age of 18 as the subject of the intervention. Eligible interventions included any interventions evaluated in a study with comparison group that included a pre-post measure of health outcomes, were conducted in an academic setting. To methodology quality of included studies, it was used the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool. To synthesise results narrative and thematic synthesis was conducted. Results: A total of 9 articles were included in this review, identified health literacy interventions with an impact on health outcomes. The total studies involved 2902 higher education students. All 9 studies were randomised controlled trials. The synthesised evidence supports the efficacy of interventions that contributed to positive changes in mental health, attitudes, norms, and self-efficacy of condom use, emotional, social, and psychological well being, subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and habitual sleep efficiency, physical activity, and self-reported servings fried foods. HL interventions were educational or motivational and related to health promotion, disease prevention or healthcare. Conclusions: HL interventions in higher education students can significantly improve health outcomes protecting them from the negative effects of threats for their health. The interventions designed with different strategies are more effective. HL interventions are associated with health benefits on health promotion, disease prevention and healthcare. For the attendance of higher education to be a successful experience, continuity of HL interventions developed in academic settings is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to estimate the incremental health benefits of pharmaceutical innovations approved between 2011 and 2021 and the share that would surpass the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) "size of benefit" decision weight thresholds. We identified all US-approved drugs between 2011 and 2021. Health benefits, in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for each treatment, were extracted from published cost-effectiveness analyses. Summary statistics by therapeutic area and cell/gene therapy status identified the treatments with the largest QALY gains. The Food and Drug Administration approved 483 new therapies between 2011 and 2021 and of these 252 had a published cost-effectiveness analysis meeting our inclusion criteria. The average incremental health benefits produced by these treatments were 1.04 QALYs (SD = 2.00) relative to standard of care, with wide variation by therapeutic area. Pulmonary and ophthalmologic therapies produced the highest health benefits with 1.47 (SD = 2.17, n = 13) and 1.41 QALYs gained (SD = 3.53, n = 7), respectively; anesthesiology and urology had the lowest gains (< 0.1 QALYs). Cell and gene therapies produced an average health benefit that was 4 times greater than noncell and gene therapies (4.13 vs 0.96). Among the top treatments in terms of incremental QALYs gained, half (10 of 20) were oncology therapies. Three of 252 treatments (1.2%) met NICE's threshold for a "size of benefit" multiplier. Treatments for rare disease, oncology, and cell and gene therapies produced some of the highest level of health innovation relative to previous standard of care, but few therapies would have qualified for NICE's "size of benefit" multiplier as currently constructed. • Some health technology assessment bodies have considered increasing the willingness to pay per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) threshold for therapies that provide "significant" QALY gains relative to standard of care. This article identifies which treatments would meet the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's "size of benefit" multiplier. • Our study found that, on average, treatments approved between 2011 and 2021 produced incremental health gains of 1.04 incremental QALYs over the standard of care. Cell and gene therapies produced >4 times greater health benefits than noncell and gene therapy treatments. • A total of 1.2% of therapies approved in the last decade would qualify for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's "size of benefit" multiplier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study compares the health gains, costs, and cost-effectiveness of hundreds of Australian and New Zealand (NZ) health interventions conducted with comparable methods in an online interactive league table designed to inform policy. Methods A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed evaluations (2010 to 2018) arising from the Australia Cost-Effectiveness research and NZ Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity and Cost-Effectiveness Programmes, or using similar methodology, with: health gains quantified as health-adjusted life years (HALYs); net health system costs and/or incremental cost-effectiveness ratio; time horizon of at least 10 years; and 3% to 5% discount rates. Results We identified 384 evaluations that met the inclusion criteria, covering 14 intervention domains: alcohol; cancer; cannabis; communicable disease; cardiovascular disease; diabetes; diet; injury; mental illness; other non-communicable diseases; overweight and obesity; physical inactivity; salt; and tobacco. There were large variations in health gain across evaluations: 33.9% gained less than 0.1 HALYs per 1000 people in the total population over the remainder of their lifespan, through to 13.0% gaining > 10 HALYs per 1000 people. Over a third (38.8%) of evaluations were cost-saving. Conclusions League tables of comparably conducted evaluations illustrate the large health gain (and cost) variations per capita between interventions, in addition to cost-effectiveness. Further work can test the utility of this league table with policy-makers and researchers.

Background: This study compares the health gains, costs, and cost-effectiveness of hundreds of Australian and New Zealand (NZ) health interventions conducted with comparable methods in an online interactive league table designed to inform policy. Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed evaluations (2010 to 2018) arising from the Australia Cost-Effectiveness research and NZ Burden of Disease Epidemiology, Equity and Cost-Effectiveness Programmes, or using similar methodology, with: health gains quantified as health-adjusted life years (HALYs); net health system costs and/or incremental cost-effectiveness ratio; time horizon of at least 10 years; and 3% to 5% discount rates. Results: We identified 384 evaluations that met the inclusion criteria, covering 14 intervention domains: alcohol; cancer; cannabis; communicable disease; cardiovascular disease; diabetes; diet; injury; mental illness; other non-communicable diseases; overweight and obesity; physical inactivity; salt; and tobacco. There were large variations in health gain across evaluations: 33.9% gained less than 0.1 HALYs per 1000 people in the total population over the remainder of their lifespan, through to 13.0% gaining > 10 HALYs per 1000 people. Over a third (38.8%) of evaluations were cost-saving. Conclusions: League tables of comparably conducted evaluations illustrate the large health gain (and cost) variations per capita between interventions, in addition to cost-effectiveness. Further work can test the utility of this league table with policy-makers and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: According to data from the Portuguese Society of Nephrology, in Portugal on December 31 of 2018, 12,227 patients underwent hemodialysis treatment (HD). Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis present physical and psychological limitations that induce to a sedentary life stile. They have a higher risk of mortality due to reduced functional capacity and loss of muscle strength when compared to individuals of the same age. Scientific evidence points to the implementation of regular exercise programs as supporting treatment for these individuals. Objectives: Gather and characterize the existing scientific evidence of the benefits of intradialitic physical exercise (IFE), which supports the future implementation of an IFE program in a hemodialysis center. Method: The research was carried out in the EBSCOhost databases, in April and May 2020, having initially obtained a total of 2,602 scientific productions. Were selected for final analysis 19 studies, 2 quasi-experimental studies and 17 randomized controlled studies, which met the inclusion criteria. Results: The analysis of the scientific evidence guides to 3 intradialitic intervention categories: aerobic physical exercise, resistance physical exercise and combined physical exercise (aerobic and resistance). All exercise programs have benefits in one or more parameters: hemodialysis effectiveness; functional physical capacity; depression; quality of life; muscle strength; cardiovascular changes; daily physical activity; sleep; balance and restless legs syndrome. Conclusion: The literature founded, allows us to conclude that IFE programs are simple and inexpensive to implement, have several benefits for hemodialysis patients without prejudice to the dialysis efficacy.

Introduction: Cerebrovascular diseases are one of the main causes of death and morbidity in Portugal, causing disability and invalidity. Objective: To analyze the health gains of a stroke patient after implementing a Rehabilitation Program. Method: Case study of a patient who suffered a stroke, of a descriptive nature, in an inpatient service of a North Coast Hospital in the country, for 30 days. Results: After the implementation of the Rehabilitation Program, there was an improvement in body balance, muscle strength, capacity for self-care and swallowing and decreased risk of falling. Conclusion: The intervention of the Rehabilitation Nurse brings gains in the functional recovery of stroke patients, contributing to their autonomy in activities of daily living.

Population aging will be one of the major social transformations in the coming decades, with a very significant impact in all countries. The consequences of this will cause an overload of social and health services. It will be necessary to prepare for an aging population. The promotion of healthy lifestyles is necessary to increase quality of life and well-being as people age. The aim of this study was to identify and synthesize interventions in middle-aged adults that promote healthy lifestyles and translate this knowledge into health gains. We performed a systematic review of the literature with research on the EBSCO Host—Research Databases platform. The methodology followed the PRISMA guidelines, and the protocol was registered with PROSPERO. A total of 10 articles out of 44 retrieved were included in this review, which identified interventions to promote healthy lifestyles with an impact on well-being, quality of life, and adherence to healthy behaviors. The synthesized evidence supports the efficacy of interventions that contributed to positive changes at the biopsychosocial level. Health promotion interventions were educational or motivational and related to physical exercise, healthy eating, and changes in habits and lifestyles related to harmful behaviors (tobacco use, excess carbohydrates in the diet, physical inactivity, and stress). The health gains found were increased mental health knowledge (self-actualization), adherence to physical exercise, improvement in physical condition, adherence to the consumption of fruits and vegetables, increased quality of life, and well-being. Health promotion interventions in middle-aged adults can significantly improve healthy lifestyles, protecting them from the negative effect of aging. For aging to be a successful experience, continuity of healthy lifestyles practiced in middle age is necessary.

The challenges in terms of achieving inclusive, plural and multidisciplinary health are diverse, mainly due to social inequality, marginalization, discrimination and prejudice. These Challenges has direct effects on access to health, and patients' experiences in the face of discrimination would be other means by which prejudice would have an impact on inequalities and, therefore, would hinder the inclusion of individuals in access to health. Several advances have been made to make health plural and inclusive, such as the National Policy for the Humanization of Care and Management of SUS. These contributed to the inseparability between care and the management of health processes, promoting the inclusion of users and workers in the management of health services, and proposing actions to trigger processes at the level of public policies to transform the models of care and health management. The challenges related to inclusion, multidisciplinary and plurality in access to health consist in training health professionals to adapt to care in the face of social and cultural diversities and in training health teams to work in a connected way, making attention to multidisciplinary, integral health with equity and plurality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics / Jornal Brasileiro de Economia da Saúde is the property of JBES: Brazilian Journal of Health Economics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background We sought to analyse the impacts found, and the methods used, in a series of assessments of programmes and portfolios of health research consisting of multiple projects. Methods We analysed a sample of 36 impact studies of multi-project research programmes, selected from a wider sample of impact studies included in two narrative systematic reviews published in 2007 and 2016. We included impact studies in which the individual projects in a programme had been assessed for wider impact, especially on policy or practice, and where findings had been described in such a way that allowed them to be collated and compared. Results Included programmes were highly diverse in terms of location (11 different countries plus two multi-country ones), number of component projects (8 to 178), nature of the programme, research field, mode of funding, time between completion and impact assessment, methods used to assess impact, and level of impact identified. Thirty-one studies reported on policy impact, 17 on clinician behaviour or informing clinical practice, three on a combined category such as policy and clinician impact, and 12 on wider elements of impact (health gain, patient benefit, improved care or other benefits to the healthcare system). In those multi-programme projects that assessed the respective categories, the percentage of projects that reported some impact was policy 35% (range 5–100%), practice 32% (10–69%), combined category 64% (60–67%), and health gain/health services 27% (6–48%). Variations in levels of impact achieved partly reflected differences in the types of programme, levels of collaboration with users, and methods and timing of impact assessment. Most commonly, principal investigators were surveyed; some studies involved desk research and some interviews with investigators and/or stakeholders. Most studies used a conceptual framework such as the Payback Framework. One study attempted to assess the monetary value of a research programme’s health gain. Conclusion The widespread impact reported for some multi-project programmes, including needs-led and collaborative ones, could potentially be used to promote further research funding. Moves towards greater standardisation of assessment methods could address existing inconsistencies and better inform strategic decisions about research investment; however, unresolved issues about such moves remain.

Since 1987, the concept of sustainability and sustainable development has developed into a major policy framework for economic development, environmental protection, community development, and perhaps surprisingly but quite effectively, business management. Despite recognition of the importance of health as an element in sustainability, consideration of opportunities for health gains and reducing health disparities has been a secondary consideration. Health is automatically improved by commitment to sustainability. However, sustainability provides a framework within, which health gains and reduction in health disparities is possible and greatly facilitated. Some sustainability measures are obvious in their health benefits: reducing pollution, ensuring food security and quality, maintaining a healthful built environment. Others are not obvious, but have profound indirect effects, such as energy and transportation policy. This paper describes a path to integrating health and sustainability with respect to achieving health gains, building on the existing framework of “health promotion” as both a bridge and a model, and convening a dialogue between professionals in sustainability (primarily through academic environmental studies and sciences) and the health community (both patient-oriented health care and population health sciences). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold indoor temperature (<18 °C) is associated with hypertension-related and respiratory disease, depression, and anxiety. We estimate total health, health expenditure and income impacts of permanently lifting the temperature in living areas of the home to 18 °C in cold homes in South-eastern Australia (N = 17 million). A proportional multistate lifetable model was used to estimate health adjusted life years (HALYs), health expenditure and income earnings, over the remainder of the lifespan of the population alive in 2021 (3% discount rate). Multiple data were integrated including the prevalence of cold housing (5.87%; mean temperature 15 °C), the effect of temperature to hypertension-related, respiratory disease, depression and anxiety. Eradicating cold housing was predicted to lead to 89,600 (95% UI 47,700 to 177,000) lifetime HALYs gained over the population's remaining lifespan, nearly half of which occurred from 2021 to 2040. Respiratory disease (32.4%) and mental illness (60.6%) made large contributions to HALYs gained, but also had large uncertainty (95% UI 30.0%–42.9% and 45.1%–64.6%, respectively) due to uncertain estimates of their magnitude of causal association with cold housing. Health gains per capita were 6.1 times greater (95% UI 4.7 to 8.1) among the most compared to least deprived quintile. From 2021 to 2040, health expenditure decreased by AUD$0.87 billion (0.35–1.98) and income earnings increased by AUD$4.35 billion (1.89–9.81). Eliminating cold housing would lead to substantial health gains, reductions in health inequalities, savings in health expenditure, and productivity gains. Next steps require research to reduce uncertainty about the magnitude of causal associations of cold with mental and respiratory health. • Cold housing significantly impacts cardiovascular, respiratory, and mental health. • Eradicating cold housing leads to health gains across population's lifespan. • Eradicating cold housing leads to health expenditure savings and income gains. • Health gains are higher among the most compared to least deprived quintile. • Further research needed to reduce uncertainty on the magnitude of health impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We sought to analyse the impacts found, and the methods used, in a series of assessments of programmes and portfolios of health research consisting of multiple projects.Methods: We analysed a sample of 36 impact studies of multi-project research programmes, selected from a wider sample of impact studies included in two narrative systematic reviews published in 2007 and 2016. We included impact studies in which the individual projects in a programme had been assessed for wider impact, especially on policy or practice, and where findings had been described in such a way that allowed them to be collated and compared.Results: Included programmes were highly diverse in terms of location (11 different countries plus two multi-country ones), number of component projects (8 to 178), nature of the programme, research field, mode of funding, time between completion and impact assessment, methods used to assess impact, and level of impact identified. Thirty-one studies reported on policy impact, 17 on clinician behaviour or informing clinical practice, three on a combined category such as policy and clinician impact, and 12 on wider elements of impact (health gain, patient benefit, improved care or other benefits to the healthcare system). In those multi-programme projects that assessed the respective categories, the percentage of projects that reported some impact was policy 35% (range 5-100%), practice 32% (10-69%), combined category 64% (60-67%), and health gain/health services 27% (6-48%). Variations in levels of impact achieved partly reflected differences in the types of programme, levels of collaboration with users, and methods and timing of impact assessment. Most commonly, principal investigators were surveyed; some studies involved desk research and some interviews with investigators and/or stakeholders. Most studies used a conceptual framework such as the Payback Framework. One study attempted to assess the monetary value of a research programme's health gain.Conclusion: The widespread impact reported for some multi-project programmes, including needs-led and collaborative ones, could potentially be used to promote further research funding. Moves towards greater standardisation of assessment methods could address existing inconsistencies and better inform strategic decisions about research investment; however, unresolved issues about such moves remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some studies have shown the relationship between an increased and more structured involvement of patients in clinical decision making, the improvement of literacy in health and the obtainment of health gains. However, the existence of misconceptions on the part of doctors and other health professionals may contribute to their low compliance regarding shared clinical decision and discussion of treatment options, particularly with users with low levels of literacy. With this critical essay, we intend to clarify these misconceptions, by doing an in depth reflection and analysis on communication's key elements centered on the patient - health literacy and shared decision. Relevant issues about literacy in health and shared decision were presented, on which critical content was developed. This development is the most extensive part of the essay. We transmitted the point of view of several authors and a critical analysis, and we tried to illustrate these ideas with examples and research studies, thus validating the presented arguments and answering to questions raised during the analysis. Final considerations of this critical essay stress that promoting an increased user participation in clinical decision making improves the level of health literacy, through a patient-focused communication performed by qualified professionals taking into consideration social determinants, and health gains are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact occurs when research generates benefits (health, economic, cultural) in addition to building the academic knowledge base. Its mechanisms are complex and reflect the multiple ways in which knowledge is generated and utilised. Much progress has been made in measuring both the outcomes of research and the processes and activities through which these are achieved, though the measurement of impact is not without its critics. We review the strengths and limitations of six established approaches (Payback, Research Impact Framework, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, monetisation, societal impact assessment, UK Research Excellence Framework) plus recently developed and largely untested ones (including metrics and electronic databases). We conclude that (1) different approaches to impact assessment are appropriate in different circumstances; (2) the most robust and sophisticated approaches are labour-intensive and not always feasible or affordable; (3) whilst most metrics tend to capture direct and proximate impacts, more indirect and diffuse elements of the research-impact link can and should be measured; and (4) research on research impact is a rapidly developing field with new methodologies on the horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Portuguese Journal of Public Health / Revista Portuguesa de Saúde Pública is the property of Revista Portuguesa de Saúde Pública - Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: Objectives: Discounting has long been a matter of controversy in the field of health economic evaluations. How to weigh future health effects has resulted in ongoing discussions. These discussions are imminently relevant for health care interventions with current costs but future benefits. Different approaches to discount health effects have been proposed. In this study, we estimated the impact of different approaches for discounting health benefits of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. Methods: An HPV model was used to estimate the impact of different discounting approaches on the present value of health effects. For the constant discount approaches, we varied the discount rate for health effects ranging from 0% to 4%. Next, the impact of relevant alternative discounting approaches was estimated, including hyperbolic, proportional, stepwise, and time-shifted discounting. Results: The present value of health effects gained through HPV vaccination varied strongly when varying discount rates and approaches. The application of the current Dutch guidelines resulted in a present value of health effects that was eight or two times higher than that produced when using the proportional discounting approach or when using the internationally more common 4% discount rate for health effects, respectively. Obviously, such differences translate into large variations in corresponding incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Conclusion: The exact discount rate and approach chosen in an economic evaluation importantly impact the projected value of health benefits of HPV vaccination. Investigating alternative discounting approaches in health-economic analysis is important, especially for vaccination programs yielding health effects far into the future. Our study underlines the relevance of ongoing discussions on how and at what rates to discount. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To identify lessons that could be applied to nursing research, this paper draws on some reviews of the increasing, although apparently still relatively small, number of studies that attempt to assess economic impacts from health research. One review describes several important steps, including identifying the health and other outcomes from specific bodies of research and then valuing the outcomes. We describe major studies in fields such as cardiovascular research that show how the economic value of health research can be demonstrated. In addition, we examine various nursing studies, including ones showing the benefits (especially economic) from nursing itself (as opposed to from nursing research), and also studies describing economic evaluations of new devices and techniques used by nurses, which have the potential to be used when trying to value the research. Currently, such studies rarely go on and demonstrate how the nursing research has had a wider impact on nursing policies and practice, and hence led to outcomes that could be valued. There is, nevertheless, scope to build on these existing nursing studies. Conducting impact assessments could potentially result in a portfolio of examples of nursing research that have informed policies and practices and led to economic impacts in terms of cost savings, and possibly also in terms of health gains that could be valued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Portuguese Journal of Public Health / Revista Portuguesa de Saúde Pública is the property of Revista Portuguesa de Saúde Pública - Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The impact case studies submitted by UK Higher Education Institutions to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2014 provide a rich resource of text describing impact beyond academia and across all disciplines. Using text mining techniques and qualitative assessment, the 6,679 non-redacted case studies submitted were analysed and the impact described was found to be multidisciplinary, multi-impactful, and multinational. By digging deeper into the data, the health gains from health research in terms of Quality Adjusted Life Years was also estimated. Similar analyses are possible using these case studies, but will require the data to be 're-purposed' from the original intention (i.e., for assessment purposes) for robust analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on discounting of monetary and health outcomes. They mention that differential discounting involves the application of a generally lower discount rate for health outcomes. In addition, they cited that equal discounting is motivated by the argument that the use of differential discounting would lead to postponement of healthcare programs.