Productivity losses associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in New Zealand.

Aim: To estimate the productivity losses due to morbidity and premature mortality of individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in New Zealand (NZ).

Methods: A demographic approach with a counterfactual scenario in which nobody in NZ is born with FASD was used. Estimates were calculated using (Census Year) 2013 data for the NZ population, the labour force, unemployment rate and average weekly wage, all of which were obtained from Statistics NZ.

The cost of lost productivity due to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder-related premature mortality.

Background: Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) have increased mortality as compared to the general population.

Objectives: To estimate the productivity losses due to premature mortality of individuals with FASD in Canada in 2011.

Methods: A demographic approach with a counterfactual scenario in which nobody in Canada is born with FASD was used.

The New Zealand health reforms of the 1990s in context.

The New Zealand health sector reforms of the 1990s have to be seen in the context of the long term development of the New Zealand health system. The evolutionary change between 1938 and 1990 was abruptly replaced by the revolutionary policy of commercialization from 1991 to 1993. This proved unsatisfactory, with the promised benefits such as significant productivity increases not occurring.

Analgesics do not interfere with diagnosing abdominal pain.

Despite the limitations in this review, it seems appropriate to administer analgesics to patients with generalized abdominal pain, even before a surgical evaluation. Surgeons can be assured that they will not be misled as a result of analgesia.