Alors que les personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus consomment des substances psychoactives (SPA), le nombre de consultations en centre de réadaptation en dépendance (CRD) au Québec se serait accentué au cours des dernières années. Deux types de trajectoires sont principalement identifiés dans les études épidémiologiques. Certains auraient une consommation de SPA persistante sur plusieurs années. Pour d’autres, la trajectoire addictive commencerait dans une période liée au vieillissement où la consommation servirait à compenser des évènements difficiles de la vie. Jusqu’à maintenant, très peu d’études portent sur la perspective des personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus quant à leur consommation de SPA et aux motifs pouvant les amener à rechercher de l’aide. Le but de cette étude est de décrire et de comprendre les trajectoires addictives en lien avec les trajectoires de recherche d’aide et d’utilisation de services selon le point de vue de personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus. Un devis qualitatif descriptif interprétatif a été utilisé. Des entrevues semi-structurées en profondeur auprès de 11 personnes âgées en suivi thérapeutique ont été réalisées dans deux régions du Québec. Une analyse de trajectoire en tenant compte de la chronologie des évènements a été croisée à une analyse thématique. Trois types de trajectoires addictives chez les personnes âgées de l’étude émergent des données. Différents éléments influencent ces trajectoires, dont les problématiques associées de santé mentale et physique ainsi que des expériences de vie et le parcours d’utilisation de services. Les trajectoires de recherche d’aide et d’utilisation de services en dépendance sont également influencées par le réseau social qui comprend les membres de l’entourage, mais également les professionnels de la santé. Ces derniers semblent être un levier important à une référence vers un traitement en dépendance. L’étude a permis de mettre en lumière la complexité du phénomène de consommation, mais également l’hétérogénéité des expériences du vieillissement pouvant influencer la consommation de SPA. Les aspects directement liés à l’expérience du vieillissement doivent être pris en considération afin de bien saisir les raisons et les éléments contextuels influençant le parcours de consommation problématique. / Abstract : The problematic use of psychoactive substances (PS; alcohol, drugs, prescription medication) is a significant phenomenon among people aged 65 and over. Moreover, in addiction treatment services of the Québec Province, the presence of elderly persons has increased. Epidemiological studies have identified two types of addiction trajectories: some elderly has a PS use that has started long time ago and has persisted for several years and for others the addiction trajectory has begun recently, in a period associated with aging to cope with stressful life events. Diverse reasons can explain this difference, but very few studies have explored the point of view of the elderly about their use of PA and their reasons for seeking-help The aim of the study is to describe and understand the addiction trajectories in relation to help-seeking and service use trajectories from the perspectives of elderly people in addiction treatment for PA. A descriptive interpretative study design was used. It was based on in-depth interviews conducted with 11 elderly people receiving addiction treatment in two regions of the Québec Province. A trajectory analysis taking into account the chronology of the events was crossed with a thematic analysis The results suggest that there are three types of addiction trajectories in the elderly of the study. These trajectories are influenced by different factors, including the associated health, mental and physical problems and life experiences and the use of services in the past. The trajectories of seeking help and using dependency services are also influenced by their social network, which includes members of the entourage, but also health professionals. These seem to be a lever to a reference to addictive treatment. The study not only shows the complexity of the drug use phenomenon among the elderly, but also how the heterogeneity of the aging experiences could influence the consumption of elderly. Certain aspects related to the aging experience such as retirement, social participation are particularly important to understand how addictions could influence the elderly.

This study was designed to identify correlates of success in Supported Employment(SE) programs for persons with psychiatric disabilities. Indiana policy-makers are seriously considering a managed care, or "capitated," system of payment to make SE provider programs more efficient economically. However, many agencies are concerned about providing services to more severely impaired individuals because of the potentially higher costs of serving these individuals. Two studies are included in this project. The goals of the first study were to identify SE consumer (clinical) characteristics that predict (1) successful outcomes, defined as whether the consumer achieves gainful work, and (2) program costs, defined as the amounts of SE service hours utilized by consumers who obtain work. In two large samples of SE consumers with serious mental illness, no clinical characteristics (e.g., diagnosis, rated functioning, hospitalization history) were associated with vocational outcome or service costs. The goal of the second study was to describe the types and amounts of services utilized by SE consumers who obtain work. Specific service categories associated with obtaining work were travel, training, and advocacy that was unrelated to the consumer's job. The implications of these findings are discussed in the framework of the debate over clinical versus empirical prediction. The need for a theoretical model of SE services that allows the use of predictive clinical and consumer driven services is also discussed. / Department of Journalism

Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of advance care planning protocols with hospitalization, rehospitalization, and emergency department use rates in U. S. home health agencies (HHA). Background. Since 2003, CMS has required HHAs to report on quality outcomes such as hospitalization, rehospitalization, and emergency department use rates, made publicly available online. Advance care planning (ACP) is a conversation about beliefs, goals, values, future treatment choices, and designation of a surrogate decision-maker, that someone has in advance of a health crisis. Most existing studies on ACP have taken place outside of HHAs among populations with serious illnesses such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, dementia, and end stage renal disease. Meanwhile, the U.S. home health population is living longer with chronic conditions such as pulmonary and cardiovascular illnesses. Effective January 1, 2016, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation implemented the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model among home health agencies (HHAs) in nine states representing each geographic region in the United States. Agencies in these states began competing on value in the HHVBP model, and reimbursement rates began to be tied to quality performance (innovation.cms.gov). As part of HHVBP, CMS implemented an additional process-level mandate requiring them to report on ACP, though this data is not publicly available. It is currently unknown how ACP protocols in HHAs may affect agencies’ overall rates of acute care services use. Methods. Electronic surveys about ACP protocols were distributed to HHAs. Existing data about demographics, diagnoses, hospitalization, rehospitalization, and ED use were accessed online via CMS websites. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted using the electronic survey results and the existing data. Results. Associations between the variables were observed and compared to the hypotheses. Statistical significance was found in the relationship between ACP protocols and hospitalization, where one increased the other increased. Several trends were found: Agencies with increased total percentage of cardiac and pulmonary diagnoses tended to have increased hospitalization rates; agencies with increased average age of patients tended to have increased ACPP scores; and agencies with increased proportion of Black patients tended to have higher hospitalization rates.

Evaluation of library service effectiveness is important in identifying the areas where improvement is most needed, and in justifying library budgets. Traditional methods of service effectiveness evaluation have been too costly and impractical for regular use. However, most of the data required for this evaluation can be collected inexpensively and quickly with automated library systems which many libraries have already started using. This study reviews traditional methods of library service effectiveness and proposes new methods which take advantage of electronic data processing. The proposed methods are practical and inexpensive so that they can be used routinely. / Ph. D.

In this study, research was conducted on the information needs of Unisa students. Most distance students do not personally visit the library, which makes it difficult for librarians to determine whether or not they are meeting their needs. The library plays an important support role in any university, especially in the open distance learning context. It is therefore important for librarians serving distance learners to continually evaluate their services in order to see if they are still meeting their client’s needs. The aim of this study was to determine if students are aware of the library services to which they are entitled, and if the library is successfully reaching and assisting remote students, and how its services can be improved. Questionnaires were posted to students, and interviews were conducted with on-campus students and staff. Chapter 1 covers the orientation and background to the study. Chapter 2 discusses the research methods used to collect information. In Chapter 3, the library needs of distance learners were discussed, while Chapter 4 presented a discussion of the findings drawn from the questionnaires and interviews, and Chapter 5 makes recommendations based upon these findings. It was found that some of the students surveyed were not aware of their library privileges. It is recommended that the Unisa library employ better strategies to market the library services available to students. Furthermore, the library needs to find better ways to reach out to remote students who have no access to information and communications technology upon which the modern library is so reliant.

Attendance at Neonatal Follow-up (NFU) programs is crucial for parents to gain access to timely diagnostic expertise, psychosocial support, and referral to needed services for their infants. Although NFU programs are considered beneficial, up to 50% of parents do not attend these programs with their infants. Non-attending infants have poorer outcomes (e.g., higher rates of disabilities and less access to required services) as compared to attenders. The purpose was to determine factors that predicted attendance at NFU. Naturally occurring attendance was monitored and maternal-infant factors including predisposing, enabling, and needs factors were investigated, guided by the Socio-Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. A prospective two-phase multi-site descriptive cohort study was conducted in 3 Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units that refer to 2 NFU programs. In Phase 1, standardized questionnaires were completed by 357 mothers (66% response rate) prior to their infant’s (N= 400 infants) NICU discharge. In Phase 2, attendance patterns at NFU were followed for 12 months. Higher maternal stress at the time of the infant’s NICU hospitalization was predictive of attendance at NFU. Parenting alone, more worry about maternal alcohol or drug use, and greater distance to NFU were predictive of non-attendance at NFU. Attendance at NFU decreased over time from 84% at the first appointment to 74% by 12 months. Two distinct attendance patterns emerged: no or minimal attendance (18.5%) and attendance at all or the majority of scheduled appointments (81.5%). The most frequent point of withdrawal from NFU occurred between NICU discharge and the first scheduled appointment; followed by drop-out following the first NFU appointment. These results provide new insight into patterns of attendance and the maternal-infant factors that characterize attenders/non-attenders at NFU and serve as the critical first step in developing interventions targeted at improving attendance, infant outcomes, and reporting of developmental sequelae.

Attendance at Neonatal Follow-up (NFU) programs is crucial for parents to gain access to timely diagnostic expertise, psychosocial support, and referral to needed services for their infants. Although NFU programs are considered beneficial, up to 50% of parents do not attend these programs with their infants. Non-attending infants have poorer outcomes (e.g., higher rates of disabilities and less access to required services) as compared to attenders. The purpose was to determine factors that predicted attendance at NFU. Naturally occurring attendance was monitored and maternal-infant factors including predisposing, enabling, and needs factors were investigated, guided by the Socio-Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. A prospective two-phase multi-site descriptive cohort study was conducted in 3 Canadian Neonatal Intensive Care Units that refer to 2 NFU programs. In Phase 1, standardized questionnaires were completed by 357 mothers (66% response rate) prior to their infant’s (N= 400 infants) NICU discharge. In Phase 2, attendance patterns at NFU were followed for 12 months. Higher maternal stress at the time of the infant’s NICU hospitalization was predictive of attendance at NFU. Parenting alone, more worry about maternal alcohol or drug use, and greater distance to NFU were predictive of non-attendance at NFU. Attendance at NFU decreased over time from 84% at the first appointment to 74% by 12 months. Two distinct attendance patterns emerged: no or minimal attendance (18.5%) and attendance at all or the majority of scheduled appointments (81.5%). The most frequent point of withdrawal from NFU occurred between NICU discharge and the first scheduled appointment; followed by drop-out following the first NFU appointment. These results provide new insight into patterns of attendance and the maternal-infant factors that characterize attenders/non-attenders at NFU and serve as the critical first step in developing interventions targeted at improving attendance, infant outcomes, and reporting of developmental sequelae.

No Sistema Único de Saúde a regionalização é considerada uma macroestratégia para a organização dos serviços de saúde em um dado território. Sua implementação pressupõe a conformação de sistemas funcionais e hierarquizados que garantam a universalidade, a integralidade, a equidade e resolutividade aos usuários. Na assistência hospitalar, dada a complexidade dos serviços e o pequeno porte da maioria dos municípios brasileiros que não dispõem de condições para ofertar todos os níveis de complexidade em seu território, a regionalização assume relevância na organização dessa rede. O presente estudo busca analisar, sob à perspectiva da regionalização, os fluxos de serviços hospitalares em municípios da Metade Sul do Rio Grande do Sul, por meio do perfil das internações e mobilidade de usuários no período 2000 a 2006. Caracteriza-se como epidemiológico, descritivo e exploratório para o qual se utilizou o Sistema de Informações Hospitalares,associado ao Plano Diretor de Regionalização (PDR) elaborado pela Secretaria Estadual da Saúde como documento que expressa a política e o desenho da regionalização, possibilitou uma análise espacial das microrregiões e macrorregiões às quais pertencem os municípios, através do geoprocessamento das internações hospitalares. A análise da capacidade instalada, do perfil e do fluxo das internações não aponta para a ampliação do acesso às ações e serviços de saúde hospitalares entre os municípios no período estudado. A resolutividade e algumas especificidades encontradas demonstram potencial para aumentar o desempenho dos municípios, como a adoção de políticas públicas que incidam no modelo de atenção desenvolvido pelo município. Há necessidade de reavaliação e readequação permanente do processo de regionalização, a refletir os avanços conquistados e as necessidades e dificuldades persistentes. Propõe-se uma maior coordenação e integração entre os instrumentos organizativos da regionalização: PDR, PPI e PDI. A regionalização como princípio organizacional do SUS, não pode prescindir da união, da participação e do esforço coletivo de gestores, técnicos e estudiosos. Só assim, superando verticalizações, tecendo redes e acordando pactuações, se alcançará a universalidade do acesso, a equidade, a integralidade e resolutividade. / At SUS, regionalization is considered a macro strategy to the organization of health services in a given territory. Its implementation requires the conformation of functional, prioritized systems to ensure universality, comprehensiveness, fairness and resolution to users. Hospital care, given the complexity of services and the small size of most Brazilian towns, where there are no conditions to offer all levels of complexity in their area, the regionalization is relevant in this network organization. This study assesses, in light of regionalization flows of hospital services in towns in the south of Rio Grande do Sul, through the profile of admissions and mobility of users in the period 2000-2006. It is characterized as epidemiological, descriptive and exploratory, and we used for it the Hospital Information System, associated to Director Plan Regionalization – PDR, prepared by the State Department of Health as a document that expresses policy and the design of regionalization, it allowed a spatial analysis of the micro and macro regions to which the municipalities belong, through geoprocessing of hospital admissions. The analysis of capacity, profile and flow of admissions does not point to expanding access to actions and hospital health services among municipalities in the period of the study. The resolution and some specificities we found showed the potential to increase the performance of municipalities, such as adoption of public policies that address health care model developed by the municipality. There is need for reassessment and readjustment of the process of regionalization, to reflect the achievements and the needs and difficulties persisted. We proposed that greater coordination and integration among the tools of organizational regionalization: PDR, PPI and PDI. Regionalization as an organizing principle at SUS cannot do without union participation and collective efforts of managers, technicians and scholars. Only then, overcoming verticalizations, creating networks and agreeing pacts, we will be able to achieve universal access, fairness, completeness and resolution. / En el SUS, la regionalización es considerada una macro estrategia para la organización de los dos servicios de salud en un determinado territorio. Su implementación presupone la conformación de sistemas funcionales y jerarquizados que asegure la universalidad, la integralidad, la equidad y resolutividad a los usuarios. En la asistencia hospitalaria, dada la complexidad de los servicios y el pequeño porte de la mayoría de los municipios brasileños que no disponen de condiciones para ofrecer todos los niveles de complexidad en su territorio, la regionalización asume relevancia en la organización de esa red. El presente estudio busca analizar, a la luz de la regionalización, los flujos de servicios hospitalarios en las municipalidades de la Metade Sul del Rio Grande do Sul, por medio del perfil de las internaciones y movilidad de usuarios en el período 2000 hasta 2006. Se caracteriza como epidemiológico, descriptivo y exploratorio para el cual se utilizó el Sistemas de Informaciones Hospitalarios, asociado al Plano Director de Regionalización (PDR) elaborado por la Secretaría de Estado de la Salud como un documento que expresa la política y el dibujo de la regionalización posibilitó un análisis espacial de las micro y macro-regiones a las cuales pertenecen los municipios, a través de geoprocesamiento de las hospitalizaciones. El análisis de la capacidad instalada, del perfil y del flujo de las internaciones no destaca la ampliación del acceso a las acciones y servicios de salud hospitalarios entre los municipios en el período estudiado. La resolutividad y algunas especificidades encontradas, demuestran potencial para aumentar el desempeño de los municipios como la adopción de políticas públicas que incidan en el modelo de atención desarrollado por la municipalidad. Hay la necesidad de reevaluación y readecuación permanente del proceso de regionalización, a reflejar los avances conquistados y las necesidades y dificultades persistentes. Se propone una mayor coordinación e integración entre los instrumentos organizativos de la regionalización: PDR, PPI y PDI. La regionalización como principio organizacional del SUS, no puede prescindir de la unión, de la participación, y del esfuerzo colectivo de gestores, técnicos y estudiosos. Solamente así, superando verticalizaciones, tejiendo redes y acordando pactos, se alcanzara la universalidad del acceso, la equidad, la integralidad y solutividad.

In this study, research was conducted on the information needs of Unisa students. Most distance students do not personally visit the library, which makes it difficult for librarians to determine whether or not they are meeting their needs. The library plays an important support role in any university, especially in the open distance learning context. It is therefore important for librarians serving distance learners to continually evaluate their services in order to see if they are still meeting their client’s needs. The aim of this study was to determine if students are aware of the library services to which they are entitled, and if the library is successfully reaching and assisting remote students, and how its services can be improved. Questionnaires were posted to students, and interviews were conducted with on-campus students and staff. Chapter 1 covers the orientation and background to the study. Chapter 2 discusses the research methods used to collect information. In Chapter 3, the library needs of distance learners were discussed, while Chapter 4 presented a discussion of the findings drawn from the questionnaires and interviews, and Chapter 5 makes recommendations based upon these findings. It was found that some of the students surveyed were not aware of their library privileges. It is recommended that the Unisa library employ better strategies to market the library services available to students. Furthermore, the library needs to find better ways to reach out to remote students who have no access to information and communications technology upon which the modern library is so reliant.

No Sistema Único de Saúde a regionalização é considerada uma macroestratégia para a organização dos serviços de saúde em um dado território. Sua implementação pressupõe a conformação de sistemas funcionais e hierarquizados que garantam a universalidade, a integralidade, a equidade e resolutividade aos usuários. Na assistência hospitalar, dada a complexidade dos serviços e o pequeno porte da maioria dos municípios brasileiros que não dispõem de condições para ofertar todos os níveis de complexidade em seu território, a regionalização assume relevância na organização dessa rede. O presente estudo busca analisar, sob à perspectiva da regionalização, os fluxos de serviços hospitalares em municípios da Metade Sul do Rio Grande do Sul, por meio do perfil das internações e mobilidade de usuários no período 2000 a 2006. Caracteriza-se como epidemiológico, descritivo e exploratório para o qual se utilizou o Sistema de Informações Hospitalares,associado ao Plano Diretor de Regionalização (PDR) elaborado pela Secretaria Estadual da Saúde como documento que expressa a política e o desenho da regionalização, possibilitou uma análise espacial das microrregiões e macrorregiões às quais pertencem os municípios, através do geoprocessamento das internações hospitalares. A análise da capacidade instalada, do perfil e do fluxo das internações não aponta para a ampliação do acesso às ações e serviços de saúde hospitalares entre os municípios no período estudado. A resolutividade e algumas especificidades encontradas demonstram potencial para aumentar o desempenho dos municípios, como a adoção de políticas públicas que incidam no modelo de atenção desenvolvido pelo município. Há necessidade de reavaliação e readequação permanente do processo de regionalização, a refletir os avanços conquistados e as necessidades e dificuldades persistentes. Propõe-se uma maior coordenação e integração entre os instrumentos organizativos da regionalização: PDR, PPI e PDI. A regionalização como princípio organizacional do SUS, não pode prescindir da união, da participação e do esforço coletivo de gestores, técnicos e estudiosos. Só assim, superando verticalizações, tecendo redes e acordando pactuações, se alcançará a universalidade do acesso, a equidade, a integralidade e resolutividade. / At SUS, regionalization is considered a macro strategy to the organization of health services in a given territory. Its implementation requires the conformation of functional, prioritized systems to ensure universality, comprehensiveness, fairness and resolution to users. Hospital care, given the complexity of services and the small size of most Brazilian towns, where there are no conditions to offer all levels of complexity in their area, the regionalization is relevant in this network organization. This study assesses, in light of regionalization flows of hospital services in towns in the south of Rio Grande do Sul, through the profile of admissions and mobility of users in the period 2000-2006. It is characterized as epidemiological, descriptive and exploratory, and we used for it the Hospital Information System, associated to Director Plan Regionalization – PDR, prepared by the State Department of Health as a document that expresses policy and the design of regionalization, it allowed a spatial analysis of the micro and macro regions to which the municipalities belong, through geoprocessing of hospital admissions. The analysis of capacity, profile and flow of admissions does not point to expanding access to actions and hospital health services among municipalities in the period of the study. The resolution and some specificities we found showed the potential to increase the performance of municipalities, such as adoption of public policies that address health care model developed by the municipality. There is need for reassessment and readjustment of the process of regionalization, to reflect the achievements and the needs and difficulties persisted. We proposed that greater coordination and integration among the tools of organizational regionalization: PDR, PPI and PDI. Regionalization as an organizing principle at SUS cannot do without union participation and collective efforts of managers, technicians and scholars. Only then, overcoming verticalizations, creating networks and agreeing pacts, we will be able to achieve universal access, fairness, completeness and resolution. / En el SUS, la regionalización es considerada una macro estrategia para la organización de los dos servicios de salud en un determinado territorio. Su implementación presupone la conformación de sistemas funcionales y jerarquizados que asegure la universalidad, la integralidad, la equidad y resolutividad a los usuarios. En la asistencia hospitalaria, dada la complexidad de los servicios y el pequeño porte de la mayoría de los municipios brasileños que no disponen de condiciones para ofrecer todos los niveles de complexidad en su territorio, la regionalización asume relevancia en la organización de esa red. El presente estudio busca analizar, a la luz de la regionalización, los flujos de servicios hospitalarios en las municipalidades de la Metade Sul del Rio Grande do Sul, por medio del perfil de las internaciones y movilidad de usuarios en el período 2000 hasta 2006. Se caracteriza como epidemiológico, descriptivo y exploratorio para el cual se utilizó el Sistemas de Informaciones Hospitalarios, asociado al Plano Director de Regionalización (PDR) elaborado por la Secretaría de Estado de la Salud como un documento que expresa la política y el dibujo de la regionalización posibilitó un análisis espacial de las micro y macro-regiones a las cuales pertenecen los municipios, a través de geoprocesamiento de las hospitalizaciones. El análisis de la capacidad instalada, del perfil y del flujo de las internaciones no destaca la ampliación del acceso a las acciones y servicios de salud hospitalarios entre los municipios en el período estudiado. La resolutividad y algunas especificidades encontradas, demuestran potencial para aumentar el desempeño de los municipios como la adopción de políticas públicas que incidan en el modelo de atención desarrollado por la municipalidad. Hay la necesidad de reevaluación y readecuación permanente del proceso de regionalización, a reflejar los avances conquistados y las necesidades y dificultades persistentes. Se propone una mayor coordinación e integración entre los instrumentos organizativos de la regionalización: PDR, PPI y PDI. La regionalización como principio organizacional del SUS, no puede prescindir de la unión, de la participación, y del esfuerzo colectivo de gestores, técnicos y estudiosos. Solamente así, superando verticalizaciones, tejiendo redes y acordando pactos, se alcanzara la universalidad del acceso, la equidad, la integralidad y solutividad.