The Network: TUFH 2009 Conference in Amman, Jordan

We would like to inform you about the International Conference that The Network: TUFH will organise in Amman, Jordan from October 10 to 15, 2009. The conference theme is Achieving Quality in Health Care: Challenges for Education, Research and Service Delivery. Our conference host is Center for Educational Development, University of Jordan.The conference will be followed by a post-conference excursion to the Faculty of Medicine at Mu'tah University in Karak, Jordan on October 16, 2009.

Deadline for early registration and submission of abstracts/mini-workshop and didactic session proposals is July 1, 2009! More information is available at www.the-networktufh.org/conference. Please do not hesitate to contact us at secretariat@network.unimaas.nl in case you would like to receive more details.

Best regards,

Pauline Vluggen and Yoka Cerfontaine
The Network: TUFH Office

A New Knowledge Exchange Website on Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Diease Community Programs

Elevated blood pressure, or hypertension, is a well-established and modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure. For those who do not have hypertension by age of 55, the residual lifetime risk of developing hypertension is 90%. Hypertension is largely asymptomatic and adults with hypertension are unaware of their condition. Although awareness is an initial and vital step towards optimal control, there are many people diagnosed with hypertension who do not achieve recommended treatment targets.
Improving blood pressure control has been found to be one of the most cost-effective health interventions available. Because of the high prevalence of hypertension among the older population, small reductions in blood pressure in the population can have a major impact on reducing the incidence of cardiovascular and stroke related morbidity and mortality. Innovative population-based community programs focusing on hypertension awareness and management are needed to address this significant diagnosis and treatment gap.

The BPC KEN website (http://www.bpcommunityexchange.net/) has been recently set up to serve as an information portal for those interested in community cardiovascular disease prevention and facilitates ongoing communication and knowledge exchange.

The main feature of the Website is the database, which, in its initial form, outlines community-based cardiovascular disease prevention programs across Canada.
So far 38 program descriptions have been submitted to promote knowledge exchange on topics including experiences with implementation, evaluation and lessons learned. The program description template is also online so that new programs can be added.
Another key resource developed by BPC KEN is the toolbox. The Cardiovascular Health Awareness Program (http://www.chapprogram.ca/) has adapted its implementation guidelines as well as all the accompanying resources and made them available for use by other hypertension and cardiovascular disease programs. Other community programs have also agreed to share their resources as part of the toolbox initiative.

Network TUFH participants are invited to submit a variety of pamphlets, assessment tools, newsletters, journal articles, and other informational materials to share your expertise so that BPC KEN can explore expanding to become an international knowledge exchange vehicle. Please visit the website.

Report on Taskforce Activities

Dear Colleagues,

The report on the Taskforce activities at the 2007 Network: TUFH Conference in Kampala, Uganda is now available at: http://www.the-networktufh.org/about_us/taskforceitemdetail.asp?id=24&tt=Activities&t=Taskforces

Are you interested to join the Taskforce on Care for the Eldery, please send a mail to the Chair, Dr. Larry Chambers at: lchamber@scohs.on.ca

Best regards,

Yoka Cerfontaine
The Network: TUFH Office

Welcome to the Blog of the Network: TUFH Taskforce Care for the Elderly!

Dear Colleagues,

Welcome to the new Weblogs of the Network: TUFH Taskforces!

Weblogs (also known as "blogs") are easy-to-use websites, where anyone can quickly post thoughts and information, interact with others, and more. With these new weblogs we encourage Network: TUFH members and others to share news and interesting materials or to post comments in reaction to what others have written. A weblog can also provide links to other, relevant web pages. With this helpful new way of interacting on the internet you can learn from and reach many colleagues across the world.

The Network: TUFH Office and Taskforce members will be posting reports and messages to these weblogs on a regular basis. If you are a member of The Network: TUFH you are invited to also post messages on these blogs. To get clearance to do so, please contact The Network: TUFH office at: secretariat@network.unimaas.nl . Otherwise, everyone is free to add comments in response to these postings without having to sign up first.

We wish you a lot of fun with these new Network: TUFH taskforces’ weblogs!
Best wishes,

Pauline Vluggen and Yoka Cerfontaine
The Network: TUFH Office