The effectiveness of occupational therapy for persons with moderate and severe dementia.

An occupational therapy tailored for persons concerned with moderate to severe dementia is effective. Occupational therapy applies in a targeted manner activities as therapeutic measure. Aim is a high quality of life in everyday life - also without drugs.

Music therapy in palliative setting.

The expectations on the care of humans with an incurable disease are to console, to relieve pain and to take away somebody's fears. Therefore, palliative care tries to support terminally ill persons during the last stage of life and to ameliorate the living conditions. The question is how far music therapy can increase the quality of life.

Overweight and obesity: The efficacy of diets for weight maintenance after weight loss.

The report examines which diets are successful as therapy for overweight and obese persons. In general all considered diets are effective. Besides the food the patients have to change the kinesic behaviour and the lifestyle to achieve sustained success.

Acute pain treatment on postoperative and medical non-surgical wards.

The effectiveness of acute pain treatment in hospitals is examined. An efficient therapy of acute pain is efficient and cost-effective. Although every patient is entitled for the relief of pain, many hospitals do not treat acute pain in an optimal manner.

Efficacy and efficiency of psychological, psychiatric, sociomedical and complementary medical interventions for excessive crying in primary care services ("Schreiambulanzen").

There are different approaches to reduce excessive crying of babies. Studies prove positive effects of single measures, e. g.

Therapy of the burnout syndrome.

Background: The prevalence, diagnostics and therapy of the burnout syndrome are increasingly discussed in the public. The unclear definition and diagnostics of the burnout syndrome are scientifically criticized. There are several therapies with unclear evidence for the treatment of burnout in existence.

Burnout: a fashionable diagnosis.

Background: "Burnout syndrome" is now a common reason for medical excuses from work, and thus an important topic in health-related economics. Much research is still needed, however, to establish the scientific basis for this entity, the criteria by which it might be diagnosed and classified, and how it should be treated.

Methods: A systematic review of this topic, previously published as an HTA report, is presented here together with a selective overview of pertinent literature.

Prevention of alcohol misuse among children, youths and young adults.

Background: Despite many activities to prevent risky alcohol consumption among adolescents and young adults there is an increase of alcohol intoxications in the group of ten to twenty year old juveniles.

Objectives: This report gives an overview about the recent literature as well as the German federal prevention system regarding activities concerning behavioral and policy prevention of risky alcohol consumption among children, adolescents and young adults. Furthermore, effective components of prevention activities are identified and the efficiency and efficacy of ongoing prevention programs is evaluated.

Over-, under- and misuse of pain treatment in Germany.

Background: The HTA-report (Health Technology Assessment) deals with over- and undertreatment of pain therapy. Especially in Germany chronic pain is a common reason for the loss of working hours and early retirement. In addition to a reduction in quality of life for the affected persons, chronic pain is therefore also an enormous economic burden for society.

Effectiveness of programmes as part of primary prevention demonstrated on the example of cardiovascular diseases and the metabolic syndrome.

Background: The HTA-report (HTA = Health Technology Assessment) deals with the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. In 2009 approximately 356,000 people died in Germany due to cardiovascular diseases. According to estimations about 6.

Outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation - rehabilitation models and shortcomings in outpatient aftercare.

Background: The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the bronchial asthma are widespread diseases. They need long-lasting and sustainable rehabilitation.

Objectives: The goal of this HTA is to describe the present supply and the economic relevance of out-patient pulmonary rehabilitation in conjunction with its social aspects.

Differential diagnostic of the burnout syndrome.

Introduction: There is no consistent definition of burnout. It is neither a defined diagnosis in ICD-10 nor in DSM-IV. Yet it is diagnosed by office-based doctors and clinicians.

Medical and health economic evaluation of prevention- and control measures related to MRSA infections or -colonisations at hospitals.

Introduction: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are dangerous agents of nosocomial infections. In 2007 the prevalence of MRSA is 20.3% in Germany (Oxacilline-resistance according to EUCAST-criteria [EUCAST = European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing]).