TY - JOUR
T1 - The Yekaterinburg headache initiative
T2 - an interventional project, within the Global Campaign against Headache, to reduce the burden of headache in Russia
AU - Lebedeva, Elena R
AU - Olesen, Jes
AU - Osipova, Vera V
AU - Volkova, Larisa I
AU - Tabeeva, Guzyal R
AU - Steiner, Timothy J
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - As major causes of global public ill-health and disability, headache disorders are paradoxically ignored in health policy and in planning, resourcing and implementing health services. This is true worldwide. Russia, where the prevalence of headache disorders and levels of attributed disability are well in excess of the global and European averages, is no exception, while arcane diagnoses and treatment preferences are an aggravating factor. Urgent remedial action, with political support, is called for. Yekaterinburg, in Sverdlovsk Oblast, is the chosen centre for a demonstrational interventional project in Russia, undertaken within the Global Campaign against Headache. The initiative proposes three actions: 1) raise awareness of need for improvement; 2) design and implement a three-tier model (from primary care to a single highly specialized centre with academic affiliation) for efficient and equitable delivery of headache-related health care; 3) develop a range of educational initiatives aimed at primary-care physicians, non-specialist neurologists, pharmacists and the general public to support the second action. We set these proposals in a context of a health-care needs assessment, and as a model for all Russia. We present and discuss early progress of the initiative, justify the investment of resources required for implementation and call for the political support that full implementation requires. The more that the Yekaterinburg headache initiative can achieve, the more likely it is that this support will be forthcoming.
AB - As major causes of global public ill-health and disability, headache disorders are paradoxically ignored in health policy and in planning, resourcing and implementing health services. This is true worldwide. Russia, where the prevalence of headache disorders and levels of attributed disability are well in excess of the global and European averages, is no exception, while arcane diagnoses and treatment preferences are an aggravating factor. Urgent remedial action, with political support, is called for. Yekaterinburg, in Sverdlovsk Oblast, is the chosen centre for a demonstrational interventional project in Russia, undertaken within the Global Campaign against Headache. The initiative proposes three actions: 1) raise awareness of need for improvement; 2) design and implement a three-tier model (from primary care to a single highly specialized centre with academic affiliation) for efficient and equitable delivery of headache-related health care; 3) develop a range of educational initiatives aimed at primary-care physicians, non-specialist neurologists, pharmacists and the general public to support the second action. We set these proposals in a context of a health-care needs assessment, and as a model for all Russia. We present and discuss early progress of the initiative, justify the investment of resources required for implementation and call for the political support that full implementation requires. The more that the Yekaterinburg headache initiative can achieve, the more likely it is that this support will be forthcoming.
U2 - 10.1186/1129-2377-14-101
DO - 10.1186/1129-2377-14-101
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 24367919
SN - 1129-2377
VL - 14
SP - 1
EP - 6
JO - The Journal of Headache and Pain Online
JF - The Journal of Headache and Pain Online
M1 - 101
ER -
