Legal measures in support of prevention in Switzerland.

The Swiss health system results from a balance between federal and cantonal (state) legislation. Federal laws were instituted to combat infectious disease, certain other severe or widespread diseases, and alcohol and drug abuse; for the protection against harmful agents or substances; and on health and accident insurance. Cantonal implementation permits adaptation to local situations.

Effect of short-wave (6-22 MHz) magnetic fields on sleep quality and melatonin cycle in humans: the Schwarzenburg shut-down study.

This paper describes the results of a unique "natural experiment" of the operation and cessation of a broadcast transmitter with its short-wave electromagnetic fields (6-22 MHz) on sleep quality and melatonin cycle in a general human population sample. In 1998, 54 volunteers (21 men, 33 women) were followed for 1 week each before and after shut-down of the short-wave radio transmitter at Schwarzenburg (Switzerland). Salivary melatonin was sampled five times a day and total daily excretion and acrophase were estimated using complex cosinor analysis.

[The role of local health departments in reducing inequalities in health in Switzerland].

Examples from Switzerland: In Switzerland, as in other countries, several studies have demonstrated social inequality in health. The aim of this study is to demonstrate practical approaches to reducing these differences, as they offer themselves on the local level, and to analyse the implications for the functioning of local departments of Public Health. Case studies, mainly from the health department of the city of Bern, are used to demonstrate measures taken 1.