Brief review of selected topics
The following pages provide a focus on selected areas in relation to neurology. The specialists who contributed the reviews are listed in the Project Team and Partners
Neurology Atlas (2004)
Q6: Can dementia be diagnosed at first or second level care by non-specialist health care providers? What should be the assessment process for the diagnosis of dementia?
Bull World Health Organ 2013;91:773–783 | doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.13.118422
(Submitted: 15 February 2013 – Revised version received: 21 June 2013 – Accepted: 22 June 2013 – Published online: 20 August 2013)
Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 2012 May-Aug; 2(2): 82–97.
doi: 10.4103/2229-5151.97273
PMCID: PMC3401822
PMID: 22837896
Q7: What is the effectiveness, safety and role of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, within non- specialist health care for children with a diagnosis of Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
Q8. Should Anti-Epileptic Drug (AED) treatment be started after first unprovoked seizure in non-specialist health settings?
Scoping Question: For adults and children living with HIV, which antiepileptic medications (such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, carbamazepine or valproic acid) produce benefits and/or harms when compared to a placebo or controls?
[Updated 2015]
Scoping Question: In adults with acute convulsive seizures in first-level care or in the community (when no IV access is available), which antiepileptic medications produce benefits and/or harm when compared to comparator?
Q11: 11a). In women with epilepsy, should antiepileptic therapy be prescribed as monotherapy or polytherapy to decrease the risk of fetal malformations?
11b). Does the use of folic acid preconceptually decrease the risk of foetal malformations in women with epilepsy?
11c). Do phenytoin, phenobarbi...tal, valproic acid or carbamazepine enter breast milk in quantities which are clinically significant to the baby?
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A tool for measuring alcohol policy implementation
Alcohol contributes significantly to the disease and mortality burden in the WHO European Region, and primary health care systems play an important role in reducing the impact of harmful alcohol use. Screening and brief interventions (SBIs) for alcohol are an evidence-informed approach to addressing... the needs of the many patients presenting in primary care who may benefit from reducing their alcohol consumption. This manual provides information to plan training and support for primary care practitioners to confidently deliver SBI for alcohol problems to their patients. The manual outlines the background and evidence base for SBI, and gives practical advice on establishing an implementation programme as well as detailed educational materials to develop the knowledge and skills of participants in organized training sessions.
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[Updated 2015]
Scoping question: What is the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions, including caregiver skills training, for emotional disorders in children and adolescents?
Second Generation, WHO Country Cooperation Strategy, 2010–2015, Namibia
Psychoactive substance use affects the functioning of the brain and leads to impaired driving
Rapid review and case studies from Member States
(2015)
Scoping question: Are antidepressants (specifically, tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) effective and safe in adolescents with moderate-severe depressive disorder for whom psychosocial interventions have proven ineffective?
[Updated 2015]
SCOPING QUESTION: What is the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions (including caregiver skills training) for behavioural disorders in children and adolescents?