This PhD dissertation shows that young people in Bolgatanga (northern Ghana) do not all remain virgins until marriage, as prescribed by their culture and religion. Among the reasons they cite are ‘having an interest in sex’, ‘being cool’ or, for girls, ‘getting money’. There is a relatively high risk …

From the publisher's website: Large groups in society, in particular people with low literacy, lack the necessary proactivity and problem-solving skills to be self-reliant. One omnipresent problem area where these skills are relevant regards filling in forms and questionnaires. These problems could be …

Background Ethnic differences in colon cancer (CC) care were shown in the United States, but results are not directly applicable to European countries due to fundamental healthcare system differences. This is the first study addressing ethnic differences in treatment and survival for CC in the Netherlands. Methods Data …

Background: Despite high prevalence of mental problems among elderly migrants in The Netherlands, the use of psychosocial care services by this group is low. Scientific evidence points at the crucial role of social support for mental health and the use of psychosocial services. We therefore explored …

Background The major challenges in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) care are guiding a patient in daily living with the consequences of the disease, reducing the impact of symptoms and improving Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL). The new nurse-led COPD-Guidance, Research on an Illness …

Knowledge children need to know when one of their parents has a mental illness.In the research of Children Of Parents With a Mental Illness, the information given to children is evaluated. What children want to know is not searched for systematically. So professionals and people in the network of these …

Background: Courses for migrants in Europe are mostly aimed at literacy in western languages as a means for participation in society. These curricula are not suitable for migrants without previous basic education, which leaves groups of migrants vulnerable to alienation and without support for social …

This report uses experience gained during the EU Interreg IVB project ITRACT and shares transnational learning on how to deploy IT-based solutions as part of Smart Specialisation Strategies, for example, while creating answers to societal challenges. ITRACT concentrates on rural areas, where the availability …

Comment on Briggs et al., Health literacy and beliefs among a community cohort with and without chronic low back pain [Pain 2010;150:275–283]