Health-care services often fail to address violence sufficiently and to provide adequate forensic medical examination and documentation, especially in cases of intimate partner violence and violence against people in need of care. The "Schutzambulanz Fulda", hosted by the public health department of Fulda county, aims to close this gap in the east Hessian region. We have evaluated the first year of service. Between November 26(th) 2010 and November 26(th) 2011 a total of 154 persons called for support. Data concerning personal characteristics of the victims and the suspected perpetrators, the time and place of the incidents, and their impacts were analysed. 76.6% of th subjects were female, 23.4% male and 18.8% were less than 18 years old. In 60 cases a documentation of the injuries suitable for use in court was made. The majority of clients were women who reported having been assaulted by their partner or ex-partner. Community violence was less frequently stated. Contact to people in need of care suffering from violence was very rare. Currently, the "Schutzambulanz" as part of a public health department meets the goals to some degree. A comparative evaluation could help to identify the benefits and disadvantages of various trusteeships within the health-care system.
Prognosticated heat waves in the context of climate change require appropriate strategies to prevent harmful health effects in the population. In a model project within the public health department of the Kassel region, elderly living in areas at risk of over-heating will be identified and advised. The localization of high-risk residential areas was part of the planning process. Through mapping of demographic and microclimate data and the characteristics of the material of the residential buildings, high-risk areas that require preventive measures as a top priority were identified. The prevention of heat-related mortality and morbidity by communal health authorities requires close cooperation with other administrative bodies, especially with town planning departments. Mapping demographic and microclimate data and the characteristics of the material of the residential buildings can facilitate the planning of preventive measures.
Strategien zur Bekämpfung gesundheitlicher Folgen von ExtremwetterereignissenSchwerpunkt Bis zum Sommer 2003 wurde sommerliche Hitze in Europa als Gesundheitsrisiko kaum wahrgenommen. Das Hoch "Michaela" zwischen dem 1. und 14. August 2003, ein Extremwetterereignis im ohnehin bereits sehr warmen Sommer, veränderte die Wahrnehmung. Die studienbasierten Schätzungen zur Anzahl der mit der Hitzewelle verbundenen Toten in Europa liegen bei über 35.000 Menschen in 12 Ländern. In der Folge entstanden in einigen europäischen Staaten Aktionspläne zur Prävention von Morbidität und Mortalität in Hitzeperioden.
In the face of inadequate data, the current cooperation between science and practice seems to be an appropriate base for the development of verifiable empirical methods and instruments as well as evidence-based prevention strategies at the communal level.
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