Highlights of this issue

Age, distance and survival among patients receiving dialysis

In a retrospective cohort study of data from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register, Jassal and colleagues found that survival among 14 512 elderly patients who began dialysis between 1990 and 1999 improved over time, despite increasing comorbidity. In a separate retrospective cohort study of data from the same registry for 18 722 patients who were receiving hemodialysis, Tonelli and colleagues found that death from all causes and from infectious causes increased proportionally with increasing distance between a patient's residence location and their attending nephrologist. In a related commentary, Foley discusses factors that should be considered when interpreting the results of these 2 studies.

See pages 1033, 1039 and 1055

Poverty and human development

Our special issue on poverty and human development is part of a global initiative, coordinated by the Council of Science Editors (www.councilscienceeditors.org/). More than 200 science journals will simultaneously publish papers on this topic of worldwide interest, in order to raise awareness and stimulate research into poverty and human development.

In this issue's Editorial, Attaran and colleagues criticize the approach taken by developed countries toward combating global poverty. They also outline an agenda for change and urge physicians to dedicate their time to the fight against global poverty.

A commentary by Jha and Chen discusses practicable interventions to address 4 sources of chronic disease in Asian countries. Butler-Jones describes activities of the Public Health Agency of Canada that address the health, well-being and success of communities outside Canada's borders. Turnbull and colleagues describe the problems faced by homeless people in accessing the health care system.

The entire News department is devoted to articles about poverty and human development, including an article about the dire circumstances of Aboriginal people in northern Canada, an expanded Dispatches section with 3 contributions from the front line and an article highlighting myriad international organizations that are looking for physician volunteers.

See pages 999, 1013, 1059, 1063 and 1065

Parliamentarians' knowledge of and attitudes toward health research

In this special report, Clark and colleagues surveyed 101 of 308 Canadian Members of Parliament or their senior aides and found that most were poorly informed about health research activities, benefits and costs in Canada. In a related commentary, Paige draws a parallel between the knowledge gaps of political decision-makers and inadequate support of research hospitals.

See pages 1045 and 1057

Practice

In this Public Health column, Langley highlights the 2 major changes in the immunization recommendations for the 2007/08 influenza season. Also in this section, a patient information sheet about influenza and the influenza vaccine is provided (pages 1025 and 1028).

In this issue's Clinical Vistas Briefs, readers are asked to examine computed tomography scans to identify the reason for acute and chronic chest pain in a 60-year-old woman; spot the cause of fever, dysuria and left-flank pain in an 87-year-old woman; and determine the cause of nausea, vomiting, lower back pain and acute renal failure in a 47-year-old woman (page 1027).