Author: Bruce Alberts (Science)

Science's editorial, against the use of the journal impact factor in judging the individual scientist's work.

Authors: Eileen Kaner, Martin Bland, Paul Cassidy, Simon Coulton, Veronica Dale, Paolo Deluca, Eilish Gilvarry, Christine Godfrey, Nick Heather, Judy Myles, Dorothy Newbury-Birch, Adenekan Oyefeso, Steve Parrott, Katherine Perryman, Tom Phillips, Jonathan Shepherd and Colin Drummond

International studies have shown that 20-30% of patients who routinely present in primary care are hazardous or harmful drinkers. Several meta-analyses have shown that screening using short questionnaires followed by brief intervention (comprising simple advice or psychological counselling) significantly reduces alcohol consumption in primary care populations.

This paper reports on the results of one of three trials in the UK's 'Screening and Intervention Programme for Sensible drinking' (SIPS) study. 

The objective of the trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of different brief intervention strategies at reducing hazardous or harmful drinking in primary care, with the hypothesis that more intensive intervention would result in a greater reduction in hazardous or harmful drinking.

The two other SIPS trials were based in emergency departments and probation offices.

Author: Global Thematic Consultation on Health

The ‘Health in the Post-2015 Agenda’ from the Global Thematic Consultation on Health (led by WHO and UNICEF) states that the post-2015 health agenda should:

1) Include specific health-related targets as part of other development sector goals.

2) Take a holistic, life-course approach to people’s health with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.

3) Accelerate progress where MDG targets have not been achieved and set more ambitious targets for the period to come.

4) Address the growing burden of NCDs, mental illness, and other emerging health challenges.

This is the first time mental illness has been explicitly included in the Post-MDG agenda.

Author: Jonathan Gornall (freelance journalist)

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) published an in-depth article on the GAPA-WHO Statement of Concern issued on February 2013. This BMJ piece received a very positive supporting statement in the form of a rapid response from WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan, which you can see in the following link:

http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1889?tab=responses

On October 8th 2012, thirteen of world’s largest alcohol producers issued a set of commitments to reduce the harmful use of alcohol worldwide, ostensibly in support of the World Health Organization’s 2010 Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA), as an independent coalition of public health professionals, health scientists and NGO representatives, submitted a public Statement of Concern to the WHO Secretariat in response to the activities of the global alcohol producers. Discussions on industry involvement at the AMPHORA project final conference have contributed to this document.

Author: WHO Regional Office for Europe

While the overall level of health across the WHO European Region has clearly improved, European health statistics show inequities within and between countries, according to the European health report 2012. The report is WHO/Europe’s flagship publication, issued every three years.

The report covers the Region’s 53 countries and nearly 900 million people, revealing that people are living longer and healthier lives. Life expectancy is rising across the Region, increasing by 5 years since 1980 to reach 76 years in 2010.