This thesis addresses the question of the design, production and use of information graphics in health technology assessment (HTA). Drawing on previous research in both information design and health policy, it describes a comprehensive design process for creating new visual presentations that can inform health policy-makers. The thesis begins by introducing, and functionally defining the terms ‘information graphics’ and ‘health technology assessment’ in Chapter 1. It then offers a methodological discussion of how research can be performed at the intersection between these two diverse fields. This discussion forms Chapter 2 of the thesis. The context of use is surveyed in two studies, which are presented in Chapter 3. These assess the current use of information graphics in HTA, and the information needs of health policy decision-making bodies. This enables a needs-based approach to the design of 10 information graphics, that could be used in hta. These are shown in Chapter 4. Finally, two of these information graphics are empirically tested with two further research studies, forming Chapter 5 and Chapter 6. The thesis is aimed at giving practical advice to those wanting to produce graphical presentations of information in HTA, and to provide the foundation for further original research in information design and HTA. Chapter 7 draws together the research from the rest of the thesis, to make recommendations in light of the combined findings.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a responsividade da escala de avaliação funcional para pacientes com distrofia muscular de Duchenne (FES-DMD-D4), sentar e levantar do solo, no período de um ano. MÉTODO: Estudo observacional, longitudinal e retrospectivo. Foi estudada, utilizando o software FES-DMDDATA, uma amostra com 25 pacientes na atividade sentar no solo e 28 pacientes para a atividade levantar do solo. As avaliações ocorreram a cada três meses no período de um ano. Para análise estatística da capacidade de resposta foram utilizados índices de tamanho de efeito, como, effect size (ES) e Standardized Response Mean (SRM). RESULTADOS: A responsividade da atividade de sentar no solo foi considerada baixa a moderada em intervalos de três meses (ES de 0.28 a 0.54 e SRM de 0.38 a 0.71), moderada a alta em intervalos de seis meses (ES de 0.69 a 1.07 e SRM de 0.86 a 1.19), alta em intervalos de nove meses (ES de 1.3 a 1.17 e SRM de 1.26 a 1.55) e doze meses (ES de 1.9 e SRM de 1.72). Na atividade levantar do solo, a responsividade variou em baixa, moderada e alta em intervalos de três meses (ES de 0.21 a 0.33 e SRM de 0.45 a 0.83), baixa a alta em intervalos de seis meses (ES de 0.46 a 0.59 e SRM de 0.73 a 0.97), moderada a alta em intervalos de nove meses (ES de 0.76 a 0.88 e SRM de 1.03 a 1.22) e alta em doze meses (ES de 1.14 e SRM de 1.25). CONCLUSÃO: Para detectar alterações clinicamente significativas e consistentes nas atividades funcionais sentar e levantar do solo recomendamos a utilização da FES-DMD-D4 em intervalos a partir de seis meses, pois foi neste período de tempo que a capacidade de resposta variou de moderada a alta / OBJECTIVE: To evaluate responsiveness of functional scale for Duchenne muscular dystrophy - sitting and standing from the ground (FES-DMD - D4) in three months evaluation intervals in a one year follow up. METHODS: Observational, longitudinal and retrospective study. It was studied, using FESDMD- DATA software, films of sample of 25 patients performing sitting on the activity of soil and 28 patients performing the activity of from the ground. The evaluations were performed every three months within one year. The analysis for statistical responsiveness of the instrument we use effect size (ES) and Standardized Response Mean (SRM) tests. RESULTS: The responsiveness of the activity of sitting on the ground was considered low to moderate every three months (ES 0.28 to 0.54 and 0.38 to 0.71 SRM), moderate to high in intervals of six months (ES 0.69 the 1.07 and the 1.19 0.86 SRM), High at intervals of nine months (1,3 ES of the 1.17 and the 1.55 1.26 SRM), and twelve months (ES SRM 1.9 and 1.72). In raising from the ground activity, the responsiveness varied at low, moderate and high in intervals of three months (ES 0.21 to 0.33 and 0.45 to 0.83 SRM), low to high in intervals of six months (ES 0.46 to 0.59 and 0.73 to 0.97 SRM), moderate to high at intervals of nine months (ES 0.76 to 0.88 and 1.03 to 1.22 SRM ) and high in twelve months (ES 1.14 and SRM 1.25). CONCLUSION: To detect clinically significant changes and consistent in functional activities of sitting and standing from the ground we recommend using the FES-DMD-D4 at intervals from six months because it was at this time that the responsiveness was moderate to high

Selected aspects of occupational safety and health protection Abstract This thesis focuses on legal regulation of selected aspects of occupational safety and health (OSH) protection in the context of Czech law. This is a classical area of labour law whose importance grows together with the growing complexity of working practices. The aim of the thesis is to provide a description of the current regulation and subsequently to analyse selected aspects related to the educational sector. The thesis is, apart from introduction and conclusion, divided into six chapters. In the first chapter, the historical development of OSH is outlined in order to give context to the consecutive chapters. The following chapter provides an overview of the sources of law, since the area of OSH is heavily influenced by the European as well as the international law and the regulation on the national level is considerably fragmented. In the third chapter attention is paid to the rights and obligations of the employer, which are analogous to the fourth chapter, concerning the rights and obligations of the employees (in the field of occupational safety and health). OSH is closely linked to the risk assessment, which is key to successful implementation of OSH standards and greatly helps to reduce occupational injuries and illnesses....

Professional research project (Au.D.)--University of South Florida, 2002. / Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 45 pages. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to measure the effects of audiologic intervention on self-perceived quality of life in the elderly hearing-impaired population. The tested hypothesis was that hearing aid use would result in improved quality of life as measured by utilities. In this study, utilities were obtained using the U-Titer II, an interactive software program designed to measure an individual's health state preference or utility. This study also examined the issue of numeracy, which is described as an understanding of basic probability, and its effect with an individual's ability to accurately complete utilities. / Data from 54 individuals fit with hearing aids in this randomized, controlled, pre-test/post-test experimental design study were analyzed. The participants completed the U-Titer II, a test of numeracy and the International Outcome Inventory for hearing Aids (IOI-HA). Three utility approaches were used in this study: Time Trade-Off (TTO), Standard Gamble (SG) and Rating Scale (RS). With each of the utility approaches, disease-specific (e.g., deafness vs. perfect hearing) and generic (death vs. perfect health) anchors were incorporated. / Several research questions were posed to examine the sensitivity of utilities to hearing aid intervention. Question 1: Can the effects of hearing aid intervention be determined with a utility approach? Statistically significant differences between pre- and post-intervention utility scores were measured with disease-specific and generic anchors for only the TTO and RS approaches. These findings suggest that hearing aid intervention outcomes can be measured using either the TTO or RS utility approaches. / Question 2: Is numeracy ability a factor in the usefulness of a utility approach for assessing the effects of hearing aid intervention? Statistical analysis showed that mean utility scores changed very little as a function of numeracy ability. These findings suggest that numeracy ability does not appear to affect utility scores. Question 3: What, if any, are the relationships between hearing aid benefit as measured by a utility approach and hearing aid benefit as measured by the IOI-HA? / Spearman Rho correlations were conducted on the benefit data obtained from the two self-report measures (IOI-HA and utilities). The major findings from these analyses determined that the IOI-HA total scores were significantly correlated with utility outcomes as measured by TTO generic, TTO disease-specific, and RS disease-specific anchors. In general, correlations between the measures were higher with the disease-specific anchors than the generic anchors. Also, none of the correlations between any IOI-HA outcome domains and utility change scores with generic anchors obtained with the RS scale were significant. / For utilities measured with disease-specific anchors, significant correlations were found with two IOI-HA outcome domains (benefit and satisfaction) and utility change scores as measured by the TTO technique. When the RS technique was utilized, significant correlations were found for four of the seven outcome domains (benefit, satisfaction, participation and impact of others). Thus, if the IOI-HA is used as a measure against which to validate the utility approach as a measure of hearing aid outcomes, the measure with the most face validity is a RS method with disease-specific anchors. However, if one wished to compare hearing aid intervention to intervention in other areas of health care, these data support the use of a TTO approach. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of South Florida, 2007. / Title from PDF of title page. Document formatted into pages; contains 20 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Oct. 31, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 42-45).

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (Ph.D. in Nursing) -- University of Colorado Denver, 2007. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 176-188). Free to UCD affiliates. Online version available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations;

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Feb 11, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 73-94).