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Guidelines for Health Risk Appraisals PDF Print E-mail
Written by Ravi triken   
Tuesday, 21 April 2009 10:50
Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) are tools that identify and quantify an individual's risk of morbidity or mortality using demographic, medical and lifestyle information. "Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) and Medicare", an evaluation report completed by RAND for CMS, reached the following conclusions.

• Effective Health Risk Assessment (HRA) plan have demonstrated beneficial effects on behavior, physiological variables and general health status
• Interventions that combine Health Risk Assessment (HRA) feedback with the provision of Health Plans are most likely to show beneficial effects
• To be effective, Health Risk Assessment (HRA) questionnaires should be accompanied by follow-up interventions (e.g., information, support and referrals)

High quality Health Risk Assessments (HRAs) offer, a computation for individual risk from the following most common diseases and risk factors.

• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseaase (COPD)
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Ischemic heart disease
• Major depression
• Stroke
• Overweight/Obesity
• Use of Tobaccos Products
• Mental health
• Immunizations

The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) collects and reviews information to predict a member's likelihood of experiencing the most common diseases.

Health Risk Assessments (HRAs): Demographic characteristics

A person's age, gender and ethnicity are indicators of elevated risk for certain diseases. At minimum, the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) should collect information, to the extent allowed by law, information on the member's age, gender and ethnicity.

The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) should include queries addressing the individual's personal and family history of diseases or risk factors for common diseases. The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) must include queries to assess health risks related to the highly personal health characteristics and behaviors listed below.

• Weight Management
• Nutrition
• Use of Tobaccos Products
• High Blood Pressure
• Cholesterol
• Exercise
• Alcohol consumption
• Traveling by motor vehicle
• Stress Management
• Mental health

Perceived Health Status

The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) should include queries that assess A person's self-perceived health status. The queries should allow an individual to rate their own health status on a relative scale.

Disclosure of use of Health Risk Assessment (HRA) information

The organization should disclose how the information obtained from the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) will be used and to whom it'll be disclosed. The organization may offer the disclosure and use information within the Health Risk Assessment (HRA) tool or reports or through written communications.

Ability to save and print Health Risk Assessment (HRA) results

Internet-based Health Risk Assessment (HRA) should give the member the ability to save and print his or her Health Risk Assessment (HRA) results. For paper-based Health Risk Assessments (HRAs), the organization should have a mechanism in place for the member to receive a written copy of the results.

Health Risk Assessment (HRA) Results

Companies should offer a printed or printer-friendly internet-based report for each individual participant. The report may emphasis on either individual risks for specified diseases or on Health.

Health Risk Assessment (HRA) computations may emphasis on either individual risks based upon personal risk factors or on overall risk or health. The report should offer an explanatory information to help them understand the outcome. Reports should clearly identify behaviors that can lower risk for each risk factor, and recommend targets for improvement. Reports should include resources (e.g., community plan, internet-based information and materials) that can help members change to a healthier lifestyle. At minimum, the organization should give computation for individual risk from the following most common diseases and risk factors.

• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseaase (COPD)
• Diabetes
• High Blood Pressure
• Ischemic heart disease
• Major depression
• Stroke
• Overweight/Obesity
• Use of Tobaccos Products
• Mental health
• Immunizations

Health Risk Assessment (HRA) report

The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) should give internet-based print-friendly results and the ability for the user to print the results. The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) report should include a profile of individual risk level for personal conditions or diseases according to age, gender, ethnicity and risk factors that were identified in the questionnaire. The report should clearly identify behaviors that can lower the risk for each risk factor and recommend targets for improvements.http://www.infinitehealthcoach.com/fitness.htm
Last Updated ( Sunday, 26 April 2009 19:49 )
 
Salvia: The Sage of Wisdom PDF Print E-mail
Written by Aunindita Bhatia   
Monday, 15 December 2008 22:06

Salvia is known as the Sage of Wisdom. It is a member of the sage family and the only one that is know to cause visions. Shamans use this in their practices and many people use it just for the use of decoration in there homes. The Salvia, the sage of wisdom is a powerful mind altering drug if used in a proper way. 

While the Shamans use Salvia for smoking but originally it was used for the purpose of a ceremony to cause mind hallucinations. This method has been used for centuries in these religious ceremonies by the Mazatec Indians. 

The Sage of Wisdom - Salvia is found in Mexico. Some people who have used this as a hallucinogenic herb have reported that they feel as though they have experienced some sort of time travel, turning into someone else or even loosing their memory for a short period of time. 

Unfortunately, you have to consume large quantities of Salvia to reach these heights and that is what makes this extremely dangerous. The Sage of Wisdom is a drug that can lead to extreme health dangers if used for a longer period and therefore should be used with great precaution. 

There are many different ways to consume the sage of wisdom. It can be smoked, chewed or vaporized. One should do a lot of research before deciding to the use Salvia. One should look into the side affects it may cause on health. One should also remember that Salvia is not legal everywhere.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 31 December 2008 04:42 )
 
Effects of Salvorin A PDF Print E-mail
Written by Aunindita Bhatia   
Monday, 15 December 2008 22:01

Salvia Divinorum is a rare herb which is found is isolated locations of Mexico. It is known to produce psychoactive effects on human body. The effects of Salvia Divinorum can be experienced either by chewing the leaves of the herb or by smoking the extracts. During the process of consumption of the herb, a highly active component of Salvia namely, Salvorin A gets absorbed which produces psychoactive effects.

Salvorin A enters the blood stream through the oral mucosa once the juice of the leaves is taken in the mouth. This process of absorption of juice leads to psychoactive effects. The herb provides better results if it remains in the moth for long time. The results provided by swallowing the herb are not very mesmerizing. If the herb is swallowed directly, without retaining it for a long period, then it reaches the intestine without much contact with the oral mucosa and doesn’t produce desired effects. This happens because Salvorin A gets deactivated before entering the blood stream.

The desired psychoactive results are not produced by the leaves even when consumed in large quantity if it is swallowed directly. But the herb produces amazing effects if it is consumed through chewing, smoking or vaporizing it. According to some researchers, if Salvorin A is consumed through injections even in small doses the results could be extremely active.

Salviorin A is the only legal herb available in the market which produces hallucinogen effects even when taken in a very small quantity. No researcher has yet been able to prove any negative side effect of the herb. And thus, integrating Salvorin A a favorite among many people.

 

 

 

Last Updated ( Monday, 29 December 2008 20:48 )
 
Salvia-traditional perspective PDF Print E-mail
Written by Aunindita Bhatia   
Monday, 15 December 2008 21:52

Salvia divinorum is a strong psychoactive drug, which can cause hallucinations to whoever consumes it.    Salvia is naïve to Mexico and is more popularly found in areas of the Sierra Mazatec in Oaxaca.  Traditionally, Salvia was prescribed at a low dosage, as a diuretic to treat minor illnesses.   Many believed that the plant could help cure headache and arthritis amongst other things.  The plant is generally found growing isolated, in a moist area in Oaxaca.  It traditionally used by Mazatec shamans, who would incorporate the use of it into healing and spiritual sessions, as it would allow the patient to hallucinate and change their state of consciousness.   

 

Traditionally, Mazatec shamans did not smoke or chew Salvia, instead they preferred to make a tea from the leaves.  The tea was formed by grinding the leaves until it forms a juice then mixing it with water to make the tea.  The tea was drunk during rituals to allow visions to be had during the ceremonies.   Salvia was traditionally used to explore a ones mind in a deep, meditative state.  It was seen as a way to explore the spiritual self, especially if they felt they needed spiritual healing.  In strong doses, Salvia can be have dramatic effect on the body and even make the user feel as if they are travelling to another time, or dimension.  The effect can also be out of body experiences, which is why Salvia was so often used during healing rituals as it was seen as spiritual to leave ones body.

Last Updated ( Monday, 29 December 2008 20:50 )
 
Is Salvia the next Marijuana PDF Print E-mail
Written by Aunindita Bhatia   
Monday, 15 December 2008 21:51

A concern has risen amongst lawmakers that the hallucinogenic herbal plant, Salvia divinorum, maybe a new replacement for Marijuana.  Native to Mexico, Salvia can be either smoked, made into tea or  chewed.  Otherwise referred to as Sally-D, Diviners Sage and Magic Mint, Salvia is a hallucinogen that has powerful effects such as out-of-body experiences.  Although the effect of Salvia lasts a shorter time than most hallucinogens, the herb is far more accessible and inexpensive.  This is why it is being considered a replacement for not only Marijuana but other hallucinogens like LSD or PCP.

 

The main concern is that due to the legal status of Salvia, and the short term effects it has when consumed, it will have a strong appeal towards teenagers.  Many officials of states are now considering criminalising Salvia and putting it into the same class as marijuana and LSD as it has the same, if not a more intense reaction to the user. 

 

Eight states have already placed restrictions on Salvia with a further 16 states considering a ban.  There are mixed opinions as to whether or not the use of Salvia needs to be banned.  Florida state Rep, Mary Brandenburg has introduced a bill which includes a five year prison sentence to anyone who is found in possession of Salvia.  This shows how seriously most states are taken the use of the substance.  However, many people see the law changes as an overreaction although the plant still impairs the users judgement and has the same effects as Marijuana.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 January 2009 13:31 )
 
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