Dermatology In Public Health Environments

This book provides a reference guide in the field of dermatology, presenting and discussing its interface with public health. Dermatological diseases are extremely common in populations around the globe, and the systematization of knowledge about these dermatoses and their relationships with different epidemiological factors may help us to understand the challenges that governments and private institutions face and must try to overcome in order to improve global health. Undergraduate and graduate students, dermatologists and general practitioners who study and / or work in the area will find scientific support in this book, which is intended as a reference work for dermatological practice and public health. The book has ten sections addressing carefully selected topics, including: 1. concepts in dermatoepidemiology and the international strategies in programs of Public Health; 2-6. the most significant skin diseases (including dermatology in tropical medicine) ; 7. diseases that are not primarily dermatological, but have a high impact on public health and may have skin and mucosal manifestations; 8. a number of emerging issues in dermatology in public health; 9. clinical approaches (diagnosis and management) to common dermatological symptoms and 10. multidisciplinary approaches in dermatology. The editors have brought together authors with extensive experience in their respective fields in order to provide a reference book for those involved in or with an interest in the relationship between dermatology and public health.

Due to the increasing exposure of the skin to damaging environmental influences such as ultraviolet radiation, climatic determinants, chemicals or infections, research in this field is rapidly progressing. The interaction between the skin and the environment presents a fascinating and challenging research subject. For instance, skin aging and skin carcinogenesis are caused by both genetic and environmental factors. And also in diseases like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and collagen diseases, genetic, immunologic and environmental factors interact. In recent years, new technologies to investigate skin response have allowed researchers to explore the interplay of environmental and genomic elements in skin cell biology, decipher the biochemical steps undertaken in the process, and study the genetics underlying variations in skin response to the environment. In this volume the state-of-the-art findings, ranging from molecular biology to epidemiology, are discussed thoroughly. The publication thus provides new insights for dermatologists, allergologists and immunologists who seek a better understanding of disease processes and new therapeutic strategies.

This publication presents currently available evidence about the extent to which dermatological diseases may, through their own nature as well as a multitude of comorbidities and their important interactions with social life, impair the life course of patients. Divided into four parts, the book starts with a brilliant introduction that highlights the importance of a life course approach in medicine from a medical as well as from a psychosocial point of view. The second part provides a basic presentation of the theoretical aspects of life course research and, more specifically, to the concepts of allostatic load and cumulative life course impairment (CLCI). The third part examines concepts related to CLCI, such as the 'quality of life in dermatology' or the 'major life changing decisions' influenced by dermatological diseases. The book concludes with an in-depth investigation of specific diseases where the concept of CLCI strikes as particularly relevant. The new and innovative evidence presented in this publication makes it essential reading to anyone who has to take social implications of skin diseases into account in their decision making: dermatologists, allergologists, pediatricians and general practitioners as well as researchers in medical sociology or opinion leaders in public health.

This book provides cutting-edge information on the epidemiology, etiology and pathophysiology of several prevalent occupational and environmental skin diseases (OSD/ESD), with a particular focus on skin health safety issues, risk factors, preventive measures and recent advances in the management of these diseases. It also highlights recent discoveries and developments concerning novel therapeutic agents for inflammatory OSD, especially findings that are supported by clinical data and have the potential to transform conventional prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. For example, despite their increasing prevalence, the management of allergic skin diseases is sometimes challenging, mainly due to limited treatment choices. In several countries, steroids are the only treatment used. However, in cases of contraindications, adverse effects or unsatisfactory steroidal therapies, alternative treatments are indispensable. As such, an understanding of promising anti-allergic agents enhances allergy research and could eventually lead to novel alternative therapeutic and adjuvant remedies, which are of the utmost importance. This book offers a valuable resource for researchers, graduate students and practitioners in the field of public health in general, especially those working in environmental and occupational medicine, as well as physicians.

This book addresses the maldistribution of health care between people in dense cities and more rural areas. This proactive resource provides solutions that will motivate dermatologists to make a difference, including free rural clinics and incentives to attract dermatologists to the aforementioned areas. Comprehensive yet concise, the book encompasses not only the logistics of the healthcare issues, including location, incentive, and set up of facility but includes insight into the effectiveness of teledermatology, a practice more commonly utilized due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Additionally, chapters examine the relationship between economic viability and quality of care, as well as government incentives and political action to mitigate this issue. Unique and timely, Dermatology in Rural Settings is an invaluable resource for dermatologists, resident dermatologists, and academic physicians interested in rural and urban health.​

In 1996, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its report Telemedicine: A Guide to Assessing Telecommunications for Health Care. In that report, the IOM Committee on Evaluating Clinical Applications of Telemedicine found telemedicine is similar in most respects to other technologies for which better evidence of effectiveness is also being demanded. Telemedicine, however, has some special characteristics-shared with information technologies generally-that warrant particular notice from evaluators and decision makers. Since that time, attention to telehealth has continued to grow in both the public and private sectors. Peer-reviewed journals and professional societies are devoted to telehealth, the federal government provides grant funding to promote the use of telehealth, and the private technology industry continues to develop new applications for telehealth. However, barriers remain to the use of telehealth modalities, including issues related to reimbursement, licensure, workforce, and costs. Also, some areas of telehealth have developed a stronger evidence base than others. The Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) sponsored the IOM in holding a workshop in Washington, DC, on August 8-9 2012, to examine how the use of telehealth technology can fit into the U.S. health care system. HRSA asked the IOM to focus on the potential for telehealth to serve geographically isolated individuals and extend the reach of scarce resources while also emphasizing the quality and value in the delivery of health care services. This workshop summary discusses the evolution of telehealth since 1996, including the increasing role of the private sector, policies that have promoted or delayed the use of telehealth, and consumer acceptance of telehealth. The Role of Telehealth in an Evolving Health Care Environment: Workshop Summary discusses the current evidence base for telehealth, including available data and gaps in data; discuss how technological developments, including mobile telehealth, electronic intensive care units, remote monitoring, social networking, and wearable devices, in conjunction with the push for electronic health records, is changing the delivery of health care in rural and urban environments. This report also summarizes actions that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can undertake to further the use of telehealth to improve health care outcomes while controlling costs in the current health care environment.

Environmental public health is an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the direct and indirect impact of exposure to environmental hazards on the public's health and wellbeing. Assessing and addressing the risks of chemical, ionising and non-ionising radiation, and noise hazards requires a sound knowledge of toxicology, environmental epidemiology, environmental science, health risk assessment, and public health principles. Essentials of Environmental Science for Public Health provides practical guidance on the technical aspects of environmental and public health investigations. Written by leaders in the field, the authors provide practical, expert advice on a range of topics from key concepts and framework for investigation to contaminated land and waste management. Case studies are used to aid learning and understand of the topics discussed. Produced by Health Protection England, Essentials of Environmental Science for Public Health offers a comprehensive and structured approach to understanding environmental public health issues and will be essential reading for all students and professionals in environmental public health.

​​This book is a rich source of information on skin disorders due to toxicants in the environment. State of the art knowledge is summarized concerning the molecular basis of skin damage caused by well-appreciated environmental noxae. The book also provides a uniquely comprehensive overview of the detrimental dermatological effects of exposure to air pollution and global climate change. A special focus is contact allergy, which, beyond representing a major problem in dermatotoxicology, serves as a prime example for the development of toxicological approaches to risk assessment. A further chapter is devoted to contact urticaria, a condition that can progress to life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. The novel information offered in this book will enable the reader to go beyond the traditional thinking of dermatotoxicology and achieve a modern appreciation of the highly complex interplay between skin and environment.