If you are planning to build a backyard city pool in your home, consider the new trends in building a swimming pool.
An in-ground swimming pool will enhance the beauty of your backyard and at the same time provide a great way for the entire family to get more pleasure out of hot summer months.
By having a pool at home, one can easily teach your children how to swim at your own backyard.
It will be fun and will give you the satisfaction of knowing that your kids are safe around water.
Besides, swimming is one of the most enjoyable ways to get a good exercise ? regardless of your age.
By consulting an expert in designing your swimming pool, you will find that there are different features that your swimming pool can provide. The pool can feature aquatic exercise and therapy. It can provide fountains and other water features. It can provide hydrotherapy.
On pool play features, the Fumbling Five is the big brother of the dumping bucket family and features five buckets arranged in a star shaped pattern, each filled by its own water distribution spout. This model is designed to create a large variable splash area. This model requires 10 to 20 gpm @ 25?-45? TDH. Dimensions; 10?10? Height, 375 lbs in weight.
The Umbrella Play Fountain is an umbrella water play fountain that provides a refreshing curtain of water that is perfect for hot summer days. This model requires a flow rate of 10 to 100 gpm @ 12?-25? TDH. Dimensions; 9?2? in height, 650 lbs. in weight.
Plux Thrill and Spill. The Plux Thrill and Spill water play fountain incorporates three water effects into one. The dumping bell fill to the tipping until it spills while a geyser and angled spout spray water out in different directions. This type requires 25 to 30 pgm @ 35?-45? TDH. Its dimensions:11? in height x 5?9? in width x 6? 11? in length.
The Turtle Pay fountain has an interactive play feature and is designed for small children with several water spray nozzles on the turtle?s back and nose to play with. This model requires a flow rate of 27 to 35 @ 12?-25? TDH. Its dimensions; 24?h x 60?L x 32? w, weighing 110 lbs. This is very common in children?s swimming pools.
On hydrotherapy features, you may need to purchase spa air blowers, switches and jet fittings for its functions. Designing a built-in spa in your backyard city pool is easy and now common in household models. This feature provides water massage and therapeutic benefits to remove stress and body pains. This feature is perfect for home swimming pools.
Even the air blowers have been engineered with added features for the aggressive spa user. Enjoying your hydrotherapy sessions at home would be beneficial and pleasurable at the same time, especially for romantic evenings.
Employing these new trends and features on your own backyard city pool, ensures the most functional swimming pool in your community. All the new trends there is for a pool today, can simply be found in your backyard tomorrow. Have fun in planning your new swimming pool now.
Click here for more information about Pool Equipment Repair.
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Article by? Marlon Beasley
About the Author : Hi, I?m Marlon and I am a freelance writer. I love doing this job since I was first year high school. My favorite topic is home improvement. Because my father was a carpenter and he is my inspiration when I am writing my articles.
Bristol Community College plans to begin offering daytime classes in Taunton this fall.
The Taunton School Committee voted 7-1 Wednesday to allow Superintendent Julie Hackett?s administration to move forward with a plan to allow BCC to use space at the Cohannet School building.
?Taunton has a critical need for access to higher education in the city,? BCC President John J. Sbrega said. ?Taunton has always been an important part of our service area, and while we have provided direct services in the evening, it is clear from city officials and business leaders that there are residents who can benefit from college courses during the day. We are happy to serve those students.?
The community college plans to offer daytime general education courses in English, math, history and behavioral sciences at Cohannet in the fall. The credits from the courses will be able to be applied to any degree or certificate program, according to the college. Developmental courses will also be offered for students who need to improve their skills before doing college-level coursework.
?This is the start of bringing an institution of higher learning to downtown for all the citizens of Taunton,? School Committee member David Souza said.
The news comes just two weeks after Boston-based Bay State College got approval to relocate its Middleboro satellite to Myles Standish Industrial Park in Taunton.
BCC has a main campus in Fall River and satellites in New Bedford and Attleboro. The community college currently offers evening courses in Taunton at Friedman Middle School.
Cohannet, which was originally a middle school then served as the temporary home of Taunton District Court, currently houses Taunton?s alternative high school.
?We haven?t worked out any details,? Hackett said. ?What we would be talking about for a September start date would be a couple courses at a time. We?d have a small impact to begin with, then see how it goes.?
Josephine Almeida, who cast the lone vote opposing the plan to bring BCC to Cohannet in the fall, raised concerns about community college students and alternative high school students being in the building at the same time. She also said she thinks Cohannet School should be the future home of the superintendent?s office and central administration.
?I think BCC is a wonderful program, however, I don?t think September is the time to start it at Cohannet,? Almeida said.
Almeida complained that the School Committee hasn?t been given time to thoroughly discuss the proposal.
?There?s an old adage that you strike while the iron is hot. As far as I?m concerned the iron is hot right now,? Christine Fagan said. ?We should seize the opportunity here. It doesn?t come around very often that a high school can partner with a community college of BCC?s stature.?
Preliminary plans call for the a total of four classes to be offered, no more than two at any given time in the day. The classes, Hackett said, would end in the morning before the alternative high school?s day begins.
Sbrega credited state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton, Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr. and Hackett for working to help launch the BCC day program.
?It?s going to be a tremendous shot in the arm for Taunton?s economic development and a great opportunity for students who may not have enjoyed those opportunities,? he said.
According to BCC?s enrollment data, approximately 10 percent of its 12,000 students are from the Greater Taunton area. Sbrega expects to see that number spike once day classes are established in the city, mirroring a trend he saw when the community college established programs in New Bedford and Attleboro.
?This is a great partnership with the city and with Bristol Community College, and it?s a great opportunity for our students,? Hackett said.
June 17, 2013 ? Efficient, robust and economic catalyst materials hold the key to achieving a breakthrough in fuel cell technology. Scientists from J?lich and Berlin have developed a material for converting hydrogen and oxygen to water using a tenth of the typical amount of platinum that was previously required. With the aid of state-of-the-art electron microscopy, the researchers discovered that the function of the nanometre-scale catalyst particles is decisively determined by their geometric shape and atomic structure. This discovery opens up new paths for further improving catalysts for energy conversion and storage.
The results have been published in the current issue of the journal Nature Materials.
Hydrogen-powered fuel cells are regarded as a clean alternative to conventional combustion engines, as, aside from electric energy, the only substance produced during operation is water. At present, the implementation of hydrogen fuel cells is being hindered by the high material costs of platinum. Large quantities of the expensive noble metal are still required for the electrodes in the fuel cells at which the chemical conversion processes take place. Without the catalytic effect of the platinum, it is not currently possible to achieve the necessary conversion rates.
As catalysis takes place at the surface of the platinum only, material can be saved and, simultaneously, the efficiency of the electrodes improved by using platinum nanoparticles, thus increasing the ratio of platinum surface to material required. Although the tiny particles are around ten thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, the surface area of a kilogram of such particles is equivalent to that of several football fields.
Still more platinum can be saved by mixing it with other, less valuable metals, such as nickel or copper. Scientists from Forschungszentrum J?lich and Technische Universit?t Berlin have succeeded in developing efficient metallic catalyst particles for converting hydrogen and oxygen to water using only a tenth of the typical amount of platinum that was previously required.
The new catalyst consists not of the round nanoparticles that were previously in widespread use, but of octrahedral-shaped nanoparticles of a platinum-nickel alloy. The researchers discovered that the unique manner in which the platinum and nickel atoms arrange themselves on the surfaces of these particles serves to optimally accelerate the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water. Round or cubic particles, on the other hand, have different atomic arrangements at the surface and are therefore less effective catalysts for the chemical reaction, something which would have to be compensated by using increased amounts of noble metal.
The way in which the life-cycle of the catalysts depends on and can be optimized by their atomic composition was the subject of the research team's investigation, which made use of ultrahigh-resolution electron microscopy at the Ernst Ruska-Centre (ER-C), a facility of the J?lich Aachen Research Alliance. "A decisive factor for understanding the life-cycle of the catalysts was the observation that nickel and platinum atoms prefer not to be evenly distributed at the surface of the nano-octahedra," explains Dr. Marc Heggen from ER-C and the Peter Gr?nberg Institute at Forschungszentrum J?lich. "Although this is advantageous for reactivity, it limits lifetime."
To identify the location of each element with atomic precision, the researchers used a method in which the electron beam of one of the world's leading ultrahigh-resolution electron microscopes is finely focused, sent through the specimen and, by interactions with the specimen, loses part of its energy. Each element in the specimen can thus be identified like a fingerprint. Conventional electron microscopes are not capable of detecting such chemical signatures with atomic resolution.
"This pioneering experimental work provides direct evidence for the fact that the choice of the correct geometric shape for the catalyst particles is as important for optimizing their function as the choice of their composition and size," says Prof. Peter Strasser from Technische Universit?t Berlin. "This provides researchers with new possibilities for further improving functional materials, especially catalysts, for energy storage." The latest experiments from Strasser's research group indicate that substantial increases in efficiency may also be possible for the reaction splitting water to produce oxygen in electrolysers, for which the even more expensive noble metal iridium is used.
What a country! as the Russian comedian Yakov Smirnoff would say.
Smirnoff came to the U.S. in the days when people from the old Eastern Block would risk life and limb to try to get here. Today the only limbs at risk when we allow political sanctuary are our own.
There was a lot more freedom in the U.S. then: Freedom from fear, freedom from foreclosure, freedom to work, freedom to run a marathon, freedom to love the country without being called a tea bagger; freedom for citizens to do their part with the government staying out of the way.
It?s changed now.
Now we root for the bad guys, - bad guys, who are a protected species- and support people who hate our own country.
A liberal writer from Salon, David Sirota, led off the hate parade last week with this sparkling prayer: Let?s hope the Boston Marathon bomber is a white American.
He should have added: ?please, dear God.?
Of course it would have offended his liberal readers when he invoked God. Let me remind them, however, that even Joseph Stalin, white guy and former seminarian, invoked the Almighty from time to time.
Sirota quotes professional race baiter and other white guy, Tim Wise, with this justification of his prayer: ??White privilege is knowing that if this bomber turns out to be white, the United States government will not bomb whatever corn field or mountain town or stale suburb from which said bomber came, just to ensure that others like him or her don?t get any ideas. And if he turns out to be a member of the Irish Republican Army we won?t bomb Dublin.?
Yeah those greedy, white Catholics in Dublin were so privileged that they were never targeted by other white guys- were they? No bombs in Dublin, right?
Nor was David Koresh, white guy, assaulted by a tank down in Waco, Texas for his crimes. Tim McVeigh? The lethal injection was too good for him.?? ?????
But alas, we all have to live with disappointment, David, Tim and I do.
New Zealand lawmaker Louisa Wall, who sponsored the gay marriage bill, stands on the steps of Parliament in Wellington before voting for the same-sex marriage Tuesday, April 16, 2013. New Zealand has become the 13th country in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament today after lawmakers vote 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
New Zealand lawmaker Louisa Wall, who sponsored the gay marriage bill, stands on the steps of Parliament in Wellington before voting for the same-sex marriage Tuesday, April 16, 2013. New Zealand has become the 13th country in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament today after lawmakers vote 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
Jills Angus Burney, left, and Deborah Hambly, who are hoping to get married themselves, arrive at New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington to watch lawmakers vote on gay marriage Wednesday, April 17, 2013. New Zealand has become the 13th country in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament today after lawmakers vote 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill. (AP Photo/Nick Perry)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? Hundreds of jubilant gay-rights advocates celebrated at New Zealand's Parliament on Wednesday as the country became the 13th in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage.
Lawmakers voted 77 to 44 in favor of the gay-marriage bill on its third and final reading.
People watching from the public gallery and some lawmakers immediately broke into song after the result was announced, singing the New Zealand love song "Pokarekare Ana" in the indigenous Maori language.
"For us, we can now feel equal to everyone else," said Tania Penafiel Bermudez, a bank teller who said she already considers herself married to partner Sonja Fry but now can get a certificate to prove it. "This means we can feel safe and fair and right in calling each other wife and wife."
In one of several speeches that ended in a standing ovation, bill sponsor Louisa Wall told lawmakers the change was "our road toward healing."
"In our society, the meaning of marriage is universal ? it's a declaration of love and commitment to a special person," she said. She added that "nothing could make me more proud to be a New Zealander than passing this bill."
Lawmakers from most political parties were encouraged by their leaders to vote as their conscience dictated rather than along party lines. Although Wall is from the opposition Labour Party, the bill also was supported by center-right Prime Minister John Key.
"In my view, marriage is a very personal thing between two individuals," Key said. "And, in the end, this is part of equality in modern-day New Zealand."
Since 2005, New Zealand has allowed civil unions, which confer many legal rights to gay couples. The new law will allow gay couples to jointly adopt children for the first time and will also allow their marriages to be recognized in other countries. The law will take effect in late August.
"This is really, really huge," said Jills Angus Burney, a lawyer who drove about 90 minutes to Parliament to watch the vote with her partner, Deborah Hambly, who had flown in from farther afield. "It's really important to me. It's just unbelievable."
Burney, a Presbyterian, said she and Hambly want to celebrate with a big, traditional wedding as soon as possible.
The change in New Zealand could put pressure on some of its neighbors to consider changing their laws. In Australia, there has been little political momentum for a change at a federal level and Prime Minister Julia Gillard has expressed her opposition to same-sex marriage. Some Australian states, however, are considering gay-marriage legislation.
Rodney Croome, the national director for the lobbying group Australian Marriage Equality, said that since Friday, 1,000 people had signed an online survey saying they would travel to New Zealand to wed, though same-sex marriages would not be recognized under current Australian law.
"There's this really big, pent-up demand for this in Australia," Croome said. "New Zealand is just a three-hour plane ride away, and many couples are going to go to New Zealand to marry. They are just so sick and tired of waiting for the government to act. I think it's going to spark this big tourism boom."
Many people in New Zealand remain vehemently opposed to gay marriage. The lobbying group Family First last year presented a petition to Parliament signed by 50,000 people who opposed the bill. Another 25,000 people have since added their signatures to that petition.
"Historically and culturally, marriage is about man and a woman, and it shouldn't be touched," said Family First founder Bob McCoskrie. "It doesn't need to be."
McCoskrie said same-sex marriage should have been put to a public referendum rather than a parliamentary vote. That might not have changed the outcome, however: Surveys indicate that about two-thirds of New Zealanders favor gay marriage.
The change was given impetus last May when U.S. President Barack Obama declared his support for gay marriage. That prompted Prime Minister Key to break his silence on the issue by saying he was "not personally opposed" to the idea. Wall then put forward the bill, which she had previously drafted.
Same-sex marriage is recognized in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Argentina and Denmark. Lawmakers in Uruguay approved a law last week that President Jose Mujica is expected to sign. Nine states in the U.S. also recognize such marriages, but the federal government does not.
In his speech before Wednesday's vote, lawmaker Tau Henare extended a greeting to people of all sexual identities and concluded with a traditional greeting in his indigenous Maori.
"My message to you all is, 'Welcome to the mainstream,'" Henare said. "Do well. Kia Ora."
New scorecard shows inequalities in osteoporosis care in the Europe UnionPublic release date: 17-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: L. Misteli news@iofbonehealth.org 41-229-940-100 International Osteoporosis Foundation
Despite marked differences in fracture risk and services, all countries show a worrying treatment gap -- approximately 57 percent of high risk individuals are left untreated
Today a panel of international experts working in cooperation with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have published SCOPE or Scorecard for Osteoporosis in Europe.
Focusing on key aspects of service provision and uptake, the Scorecard compares how the 27 different countries within the European Union (EU) care for people with osteoporosis to reduce their risk of bone fractures. Fractures, which mostly affect older adults, can result in pain, long-term disability and even premature death.
The Scorecard presents, measures and compares data in a way that is simple to see and interpret, sets benchmarks, and measures critical indicators of overall performance. SCOPE covers four main indicators of osteoporosis:
Burden of osteoporosis and fractures, including forecasts for the future
Policy framework availability of public health programmes
Service provision assessment and treatments of osteoporosis
Service uptake e.g. treatment gap, the proportion of men and women at high risk who don't receive treatment
The Scorecard reveals that countries with a higher risk of fracture and incidence of osteoporosis do not always make the largest investment in fracture reduction and treatment. This indicates that services are not aligned or operating efficiently enough to reduce the risk of fractures, which cost in excess of 37 billion and cause about 43,000 deaths each year in Europe. It is hoped that the scorecard will help to inform a Europe-wide strategy for osteoporosis that aims to reduce fractures, costs and the burden in the population.
Several of the key findings of the Scorecard are:
The majority of high-risk individuals remain untreated. Less than half of women at high risk of fracture are treated despite the high cost of fractures and the availability of effective medications;
Facilities and access to testing for osteoporosis, as well as utilization of fracture risk algorithms, are inadequate in the majority of countries;
In some countries individuals with osteoporosis are restricted from accessing effective treatment options;
Access to drug treatment that can help prevent fractures varies significantly from country to country;
Fracture incidence is poorly documented in the EU; national hip fracture registries for both sexes are available in only 15 of the 27 member states and only two countries have data on the incidence of clinical vertebral fractures;
There is a nearly three-fold range of hip fractures throughout the EU ranging from 198 per 100,000 people in Romania to 574 per 100,000 in Denmark;
The SCOPE Scorecard can be accessed at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/scope-scorecard-osteoporosis-europe
"This scorecard draws attention to gaps and inequalities in the provision of primary and secondary prevention of fractures due to osteoporosis in all 27 member states of the EU," said IOF President Professor John Kanis of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School. "We call on policymakers at all levels to develop Europe-wide strategies and parallel national strategies to provide coordinated osteoporosis care and to reduce debilitating fractures and their impact on individual lives and the healthcare system."
Professor Juliet Compston, Professor of Bone Medicine at the University of Cambridge and Chair of the European Osteoporosis Consultation Panel commented, "Fractures due to osteoporosis are a major cause of disability and early death in Europe's older population. There are currently around 3.5 million new fractures per year at a direct cost of approximately 37.4 billion. These costs do not reflect the enormous human costs in terms of pain, disability, loss of quality of life or the need for long-term nursing care. Unless preventive strategies are put in place, this burden will grow significantly as projections show that by 2025 the population of women and men over the age of 50 will increase by 22% and 17% respectively."
More than 100 national osteoporosis and bone-related societies in Europe are members of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and many participated actively in the compilation of the Scorecard.
Speaking at the media launch of the report in Rome, Professor Maria Luisa Brandi, President of IOF member society F.I.R.M.O (Fondazione Raffaella Becagli), stated, " This Scorecard should be used by EU member states to identify which areas of policy and service provision require improvement in order to reduce the current and future burden of fractures. It is evident that for most countries, more data are needed and certain targeted strategies, such as Fracture Liaison Services, must be put in place to identify and treat patients at high risk."
###
References:
SCOPE: A scorecard for osteoporosis in Europe
Upcoming publication in the online journal Archives of Osteoporosis http://link.springer.com/journal/11657
Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden Arch Osteoporos 2013
Hernlund E, Svedbom A, Ivergard M, Compston J, et. al. A report prepared in collaboration with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA). Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press]
Osteoporosis in the European Union: A compendium of country-specific reports. Svedbom A, Hernlund E, Ivergard M, et al. Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press].
About SCOPE
The ScoreCard for OsteoPorosis in Europe (SCOPE) is an independent project that seeks to raise the awareness of osteoporosis care in Europe. Led by a multi-stakeholder group of experts and chaired by Professor John Kanis, President of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), this project will, for the first time, enable an in depth comparison of the quality of care of osteoporosis across the European Union's 27 member states. In creating a scorecard the group intends to set a benchmark for best practice management of osteoporosis and achieve marked improvements in the quality of care of the disease throughout the EU.
SCOPE draws on independent research from two major sources: IOF audits compiled by IOF member national osteoporosis societies in Europe, as well as the comprehensive new report 'Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden'. The detailed report behind SCOPE is soon to be published in the journal 'Archives of Osteoporosis'. From this data, a one-page scorecard was developed to provide a unique overview of the status of osteoporosis in Europe.
About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 200 patient, medical and research societies, work together to make bone, joint and muscle health a worldwide heath care priority. http://www.iofbonehealth.org
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New scorecard shows inequalities in osteoporosis care in the Europe UnionPublic release date: 17-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: L. Misteli news@iofbonehealth.org 41-229-940-100 International Osteoporosis Foundation
Despite marked differences in fracture risk and services, all countries show a worrying treatment gap -- approximately 57 percent of high risk individuals are left untreated
Today a panel of international experts working in cooperation with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) have published SCOPE or Scorecard for Osteoporosis in Europe.
Focusing on key aspects of service provision and uptake, the Scorecard compares how the 27 different countries within the European Union (EU) care for people with osteoporosis to reduce their risk of bone fractures. Fractures, which mostly affect older adults, can result in pain, long-term disability and even premature death.
The Scorecard presents, measures and compares data in a way that is simple to see and interpret, sets benchmarks, and measures critical indicators of overall performance. SCOPE covers four main indicators of osteoporosis:
Burden of osteoporosis and fractures, including forecasts for the future
Policy framework availability of public health programmes
Service provision assessment and treatments of osteoporosis
Service uptake e.g. treatment gap, the proportion of men and women at high risk who don't receive treatment
The Scorecard reveals that countries with a higher risk of fracture and incidence of osteoporosis do not always make the largest investment in fracture reduction and treatment. This indicates that services are not aligned or operating efficiently enough to reduce the risk of fractures, which cost in excess of 37 billion and cause about 43,000 deaths each year in Europe. It is hoped that the scorecard will help to inform a Europe-wide strategy for osteoporosis that aims to reduce fractures, costs and the burden in the population.
Several of the key findings of the Scorecard are:
The majority of high-risk individuals remain untreated. Less than half of women at high risk of fracture are treated despite the high cost of fractures and the availability of effective medications;
Facilities and access to testing for osteoporosis, as well as utilization of fracture risk algorithms, are inadequate in the majority of countries;
In some countries individuals with osteoporosis are restricted from accessing effective treatment options;
Access to drug treatment that can help prevent fractures varies significantly from country to country;
Fracture incidence is poorly documented in the EU; national hip fracture registries for both sexes are available in only 15 of the 27 member states and only two countries have data on the incidence of clinical vertebral fractures;
There is a nearly three-fold range of hip fractures throughout the EU ranging from 198 per 100,000 people in Romania to 574 per 100,000 in Denmark;
The SCOPE Scorecard can be accessed at http://www.iofbonehealth.org/scope-scorecard-osteoporosis-europe
"This scorecard draws attention to gaps and inequalities in the provision of primary and secondary prevention of fractures due to osteoporosis in all 27 member states of the EU," said IOF President Professor John Kanis of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield Medical School. "We call on policymakers at all levels to develop Europe-wide strategies and parallel national strategies to provide coordinated osteoporosis care and to reduce debilitating fractures and their impact on individual lives and the healthcare system."
Professor Juliet Compston, Professor of Bone Medicine at the University of Cambridge and Chair of the European Osteoporosis Consultation Panel commented, "Fractures due to osteoporosis are a major cause of disability and early death in Europe's older population. There are currently around 3.5 million new fractures per year at a direct cost of approximately 37.4 billion. These costs do not reflect the enormous human costs in terms of pain, disability, loss of quality of life or the need for long-term nursing care. Unless preventive strategies are put in place, this burden will grow significantly as projections show that by 2025 the population of women and men over the age of 50 will increase by 22% and 17% respectively."
More than 100 national osteoporosis and bone-related societies in Europe are members of the International Osteoporosis Foundation and many participated actively in the compilation of the Scorecard.
Speaking at the media launch of the report in Rome, Professor Maria Luisa Brandi, President of IOF member society F.I.R.M.O (Fondazione Raffaella Becagli), stated, " This Scorecard should be used by EU member states to identify which areas of policy and service provision require improvement in order to reduce the current and future burden of fractures. It is evident that for most countries, more data are needed and certain targeted strategies, such as Fracture Liaison Services, must be put in place to identify and treat patients at high risk."
###
References:
SCOPE: A scorecard for osteoporosis in Europe
Upcoming publication in the online journal Archives of Osteoporosis http://link.springer.com/journal/11657
Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden Arch Osteoporos 2013
Hernlund E, Svedbom A, Ivergard M, Compston J, et. al. A report prepared in collaboration with the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry Associations (EFPIA). Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press]
Osteoporosis in the European Union: A compendium of country-specific reports. Svedbom A, Hernlund E, Ivergard M, et al. Arch Osteoporos 2013 [in press].
About SCOPE
The ScoreCard for OsteoPorosis in Europe (SCOPE) is an independent project that seeks to raise the awareness of osteoporosis care in Europe. Led by a multi-stakeholder group of experts and chaired by Professor John Kanis, President of the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), this project will, for the first time, enable an in depth comparison of the quality of care of osteoporosis across the European Union's 27 member states. In creating a scorecard the group intends to set a benchmark for best practice management of osteoporosis and achieve marked improvements in the quality of care of the disease throughout the EU.
SCOPE draws on independent research from two major sources: IOF audits compiled by IOF member national osteoporosis societies in Europe, as well as the comprehensive new report 'Osteoporosis in the European Union: Medical Management, Epidemiology and Economic Burden'. The detailed report behind SCOPE is soon to be published in the journal 'Archives of Osteoporosis'. From this data, a one-page scorecard was developed to provide a unique overview of the status of osteoporosis in Europe.
About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF members, including committees of scientific researchers as well as more than 200 patient, medical and research societies, work together to make bone, joint and muscle health a worldwide heath care priority. http://www.iofbonehealth.org
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