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Rastegar M, Nazar E, Nasehi M, Sharafi S, Fakoor V, Shakeri MT. Bayesian estimation of the time-varying reproduction number for pulmonary tuberculosis in Iran: A registry-based study from 2018 to 2022 using new smear-positive cases. Infect Dis Model 2024; 9:963-974. [PMID: 38873589 PMCID: PMC11169078 DOI: 10.1016/j.idm.2024.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in the world, causing major public health problems in developing countries. The rate of TB incidence in Iran was estimated to be 13 per 100,000 in 2021. This study aimed to estimate the reproduction number and serial interval for pulmonary tuberculosis in Iran. Material and methods The present national historical cohort study was conducted from March 2018 to March 2022 based on data from the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Registration Center of Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). The study included 30,762 tuberculosis cases and 16,165 new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Iran. We estimated the reproduction number of pulmonary tuberculosis in a Bayesian framework, which can incorporate uncertainty in estimating it. Statistical analyses were accomplished in R software. Results The mean age at diagnosis of patients was 52.3 ± 21.2 years, and most patients were in the 35-63 age group (37.1%). Among the data, 9121 (56.4%) cases were males, and 7044 (43.6%) were females. Among patients, 7459 (46.1%) had a delayed diagnosis between 1 and 3 months. Additionally, 3039 (18.8%) cases were non-Iranians, and 2978 (98%) were Afghans. The time-varying reproduction number for pulmonary tuberculosis disease was calculated at an average of 1.06 ± 0.05 (95% Crl 0.96-1.15). Conclusions In this study, the incidence and the time-varying reproduction number of pulmonary tuberculosis showed the same pattern. The mean of the time-varying reproduction number indicated that each infected person is causing at least one new infection over time, and the chain of transmission is not being disrupted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Rastegar
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Eisa Nazar
- Orthopedic Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahshid Nasehi
- Centre for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeed Sharafi
- Centre for Communicable Diseases Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Fakoor
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Mathematical Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Taghi Shakeri
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Ndu M, Teachman G, Martin J, Nouvet E. "It's what we perceive as different": an interpretative phenomenological analysis of Nigerian women's characterization of their health during the COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Womens Health 2024; 24:409. [PMID: 39026331 PMCID: PMC11256442 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-024-03259-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health has historically been adversely affected by social, economic, and political pandemics. In parallel with the spread of diseases, so do the risks of comorbidity and death associated with their consequences. As a result of the current pandemic, shifting resources and services in resource-poor settings without adequate preparation has intensified negative consequences, which global service interruptions have exacerbated. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable during infectious disease outbreaks, and the current pandemic has significantly impacted them. METHODS This study used an interpretive phenomenological analysis study with a feminist lens to investigate how women obtained healthcare in Ebonyi, Ogun, and Sokoto states Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic. We specifically investigated whether the epidemic influenced women's decisions to seek or avoid healthcare and whether their experiences differed from those outside of it. RESULTS We identified three superordinate themes: (1) the adoption of new personal health behaviour in response to the pandemic; (2) the pandemic as a temporal equalizer for marginalized individuals; (3) the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal health care. In Nigeria, pregnant women were affected in a variety of ways by the COVID-19 epidemic. Women, particularly those socially identified as disabled, had to cross norms of disadvantage and discrimination to seek healthcare because of the pandemic's impact on prescribed healthcare practices, the healthcare system, and the everyday landscapes defined by norms of disadvantage and discrimination. CONCLUSION It is clear from the current pandemic that stakeholders must begin to strategize and develop plans to limit the effects of future pandemics on maternal healthcare, particularly for low-income women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ndu
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada.
| | - Gail Teachman
- School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Janet Martin
- Centre for Medical Evidence, Decision Integrity, Clinical Impact (MEDICI), Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Elysee Nouvet
- Faculty of Health Science, Western University, 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
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Shibeshi KA, Lemu YK, Gebretsadik LA, Gebretsadik AM, Morankar S. Sex Disparities: Couple's Knowledge and Attitude Towards Obstetric Danger Signs and Maternal Health Care: in Rural Jimma Zone of Ethiopia. Int J Womens Health 2024; 16:987-1007. [PMID: 38831794 PMCID: PMC11146344 DOI: 10.2147/ijwh.s457357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aimed to compare knowledge and attitudes towards obstetric danger signs and care between females receiving maternal care and their male partners. Methods and Materials A community-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural setting of Jimma, Ethiopia. Female and their male partners were selected randomly. The number of participants included from each sex was 3235 totaling 6470. Face-to-face data collection was employed using open data kit (ODK) software. A pre-test was performed before the data collection. Descriptive and analytical statistical analysis was used to compare knowledge and attitudes regarding obstetric danger signs and care. Predictor variables were declared considering a 95% confidence interval, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and P-value less than 0.05. Results On average, male and female participants identified at least two obstetric danger signs. More females could mention more antenatal, childbirth, and postnatal danger signs than their male partners. Both females and their male partners who listened to the radio at least once per week had a statistically significant positive attitude towards obstetric care. Nonetheless, both had an almost similar magnitude of attitude towards obstetric care irrespective of belonging to different occupational, educational, and other social strata. Males' knowledge of danger signs during pregnancy (95% CI = (1.07-1.62), AOR = 1.32, P < 0.008) and postnatal care (95% CI = (1.16-1.89), AOR = 1.48, P < 0.002) had a statistically significant association with the females utilization antenatal care (ANC) service, though not delivery care (DC) or postnatal (PNC). Conclusion There were inequalities in obstetric danger signs knowledge between females and their male partners. Male partners' knowledge of obstetric danger signs is not only significant during pregnancy and delivery but also has a lasting impact on post-natal service utilization, which underscores the importance of their involvement in maternal healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ketema Ayele Shibeshi
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
- Department of Public Health, Dire Dawa University, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
| | | | | | | | - Sudhakar Morankar
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
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Wang HR, Liu T, Gao X, Wang HB, Xiao JH. Impact of climate change on the global circulation of West Nile virus and adaptation responses: a scoping review. Infect Dis Poverty 2024; 13:38. [PMID: 38790027 PMCID: PMC11127377 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-024-01207-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND West Nile virus (WNV), the most widely distributed flavivirus causing encephalitis globally, is a vector-borne pathogen of global importance. The changing climate is poised to reshape the landscape of various infectious diseases, particularly vector-borne ones like WNV. Understanding the anticipated geographical and range shifts in disease transmission due to climate change, alongside effective adaptation strategies, is critical for mitigating future public health impacts. This scoping review aims to consolidate evidence on the impact of climate change on WNV and to identify a spectrum of applicable adaptation strategies. MAIN BODY We systematically analyzed research articles from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCOhost. Our criteria included English-language research articles published between 2007 and 2023, focusing on the impacts of climate change on WNV and related adaptation strategies. We extracted data concerning study objectives, populations, geographical focus, and specific findings. Literature was categorized into two primary themes: 1) climate-WNV associations, and 2) climate change impacts on WNV transmission, providing a clear understanding. Out of 2168 articles reviewed, 120 met our criteria. Most evidence originated from North America (59.2%) and Europe (28.3%), with a primary focus on human cases (31.7%). Studies on climate-WNV correlations (n = 83) highlighted temperature (67.5%) as a pivotal climate factor. In the analysis of climate change impacts on WNV (n = 37), most evidence suggested that climate change may affect the transmission and distribution of WNV, with the extent of the impact depending on local and regional conditions. Although few studies directly addressed the implementation of adaptation strategies for climate-induced disease transmission, the proposed strategies (n = 49) fell into six categories: 1) surveillance and monitoring (38.8%), 2) predictive modeling (18.4%), 3) cross-disciplinary collaboration (16.3%), 4) environmental management (12.2%), 5) public education (8.2%), and 6) health system readiness (6.1%). Additionally, we developed an accessible online platform to summarize the evidence on climate change impacts on WNV transmission ( https://2xzl2o-neaop.shinyapps.io/WNVScopingReview/ ). CONCLUSIONS This review reveals that climate change may affect the transmission and distribution of WNV, but the literature reflects only a small share of the global WNV dynamics. There is an urgent need for adaptive responses to anticipate and respond to the climate-driven spread of WNV. Nevertheless, studies focusing on these adaptation responses are sparse compared to those examining the impacts of climate change. Further research on the impacts of climate change and adaptation strategies for vector-borne diseases, along with more comprehensive evidence synthesis, is needed to inform effective policy responses tailored to local contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Ran Wang
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Bin Wang
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Hua Xiao
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
- Heilongjiang Key Laboratory for Laboratory Animals and Comparative Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China.
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Razakamanana MV, Rakotonirainy M, Ramiandrisoa TO. Nutrition policy or price stabilisation policy: which policy is more effective for nutrition outcomes? BMC Nutr 2024; 10:72. [PMID: 38734680 PMCID: PMC11088095 DOI: 10.1186/s40795-024-00882-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malnutrition remains a global problem and is increasing with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Madagascar, half of the children under five years of age suffer from stunting. However, since 2006, vitamin A supplementation campaigns, deworming and free vaccinations have been implemented within the framework of the Mother and Child Health Week (MCHW) to strengthen the fight against micronutrient deficiencies and reduce mortality. On the other hand, rice, the staple food of the Malagasy population, can provide some of the micronutrients necessary for good nutrition. However, the country's rice production is still insufficient, and the price has been rising steadily in recent years. This has led the government to resort to the policy of stabilizing rice prices through imported rice in 2017 and 2018. The aim of this paper is therefore to analyse the effects of these policies on the prevalence of malnutrition among children under five years of age in Madagascar. Which policy would be more effective: the nutrition policy or the price stabilisation policy? METHODS Data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics in 2018 are used, and logistic regressions for the analysis of the effects of nutrition policies on nutrition outcomes are performed. For the effect of price stabilisation policy, panel data on 22 regions of Madagascar from 2016 to 2019 are considered, and a fixed effect model is used. RESULTS We found that the effects of the nutrition policy are not immediately visible. Only participation in the 2016 MCHW contributes to a lower probability of malnutrition occurrence. The odds ratios of the effects of this participation on stunting are 0.69 (p-value: 0.05); on underweight: 0.70 (p-value < 0.01); and on wasting: 0.57 (p-value < 0.01). However, the participation rate remains very low. Then, there is no effect of the rice price stabilization policy on nutrition outcomes (0.00; p-value = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS Price stabilisation policy is not sufficient to fight against malnutrition, due to a lack of food diversification. These results suggest the need for a policy to ensure nutritional intake and to sensitize the population to participate in the MCHW. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilys Victoire Razakamanana
- Centre de Recherche pour le Développement (CRD), Université Catholique de Madagascar Ambatoroka, Antananarivo 101, Ambatoroka, BP, 6059, Madagascar.
| | - Miora Rakotonirainy
- Centre de Recherche pour le Développement (CRD), Université Catholique de Madagascar Ambatoroka, Antananarivo 101, Ambatoroka, BP, 6059, Madagascar
| | - Tiarinisaina Olivier Ramiandrisoa
- Centre de Recherche pour le Développement (CRD), Université Catholique de Madagascar Ambatoroka, Antananarivo 101, Ambatoroka, BP, 6059, Madagascar
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Khatun A, Panchali T, Gorai S, Dutta A, Das TK, Ghosh K, Pradhan S, Mondal KC, Chakrabarti S. Impaired brain equanimity and neurogenesis in the diet-induced overweight mouse: a preventive role by syringic acid treatment. Nutr Neurosci 2024; 27:271-288. [PMID: 36947578 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2023.2187510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this study mice were fed a high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish diet-induced obesity and syringic acid (SA) was assessed for anti-obese, neuroprotective, and neurogenesis. METHOD Animals were given HFD for 12 weeks to measure metabolic characteristics and then put through the Barns-maze and T-maze tests to measure memory. Additionally, the physiology of the blood-brain barrier, oxidative stress parameters, the expression of inflammatory genes, neurogenesis, and histopathology was evaluated in the brain. RESULT DIO raised body weight, BMI, and other metabolic parameters after 12 weeks of overfeeding. A reduced spontaneous alternation in behavior (working memory, reference memory, and total time to complete a task), decreased enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, oxidative biomarkers, increased neurogenesis, and impaired blood-brain barrier were all seen in DIO mice. SA (50 mg/kg) treatment of DIO mice (4 weeks after 8 weeks of HFD feeding) reduced diet-induced changes in lipid parameters associated with obesity, hepatological parameters, memory, blood-brain barrier, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neurogenesis. SA also reduced the impact of malondialdehyde and enhanced the effects of antioxidants such as glutathione, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total thiol (MDA). Syringic acid improved neurogenesis, cognition, and the blood-brain barrier while reducing neurodegeneration in the hippocampal area. DISCUSSION According to the results of the study, syringic acid therapy prevented neurodegeneration, oxidative stress, DIO, and memory loss. Syringic acid administration may be a useful treatment for obesity, memory loss, and neurogenesis, but more research and clinical testing is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amina Khatun
- Department of Biological Sciences, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
| | - Titli Panchali
- Department of Paramedical & Allied Health Science, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
| | - Sukhamoy Gorai
- Department of Neurological Sciences, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ananya Dutta
- Department of Paramedical & Allied Health Science, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
| | - Tridip Kumar Das
- Department of Biological Sciences, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
| | - Kuntal Ghosh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
| | - Shrabani Pradhan
- Department of Paramedical & Allied Health Science, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
| | | | - Sudipta Chakrabarti
- Department of Biological Sciences, Midnapore City College, Paschim Medinipur, India
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Wang Z, Liang Z, Dong X, Gao L, Zhou S, Yin H, Jin Y, Zheng ZJ. Health policy competencies in regional organizations: a retrospective analysis for 76 regional organizations from 1945 to 2015. Global Health 2024; 20:17. [PMID: 38409001 PMCID: PMC10895825 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-024-01023-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health policy competencies of regional organizations include mandates to create regional health laws and policies, as well as authorities that allow member states to undertake collective actions in the health field. The examination of the health policy competencies of regional organizations is essential, as it constitutes an important prerequisite for regional organizations to govern regional health. This study aims to map the development trajectory of health policy competencies in regional organizations worldwide and investigate their potential correlates. This will contribute to the enhanced promotion of both existing and new regional health cooperation. METHODS This retrospective analysis utilized the health policy competencies of the 76 regional organizations worldwide from 1945 to 2015, as investigated in the Regional Organizations Competencies Database. By aggregating member state data from various sources such as the IHME Global Burden of Disease 2019, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization, we extracted the mean values and coefficients of variation for the covariates in regional organization characteristics, socioeconomic and demographic factors, health status and health-system capacity. The correlation between changes in the health policy scope of regional organizations and independent variables was analyzed using Poisson pseudo-likelihood regression with multiple levels of fixed effects. RESULTS From 1945 to 2015, the number of regional organizations with health policy competencies experienced a slow growth stage before 1991 and an explosive growth stage post-1991. By 2015, 48 out of the 71 existing regional organizations had developed their health policy competencies, yet 26 (54.2%) of these organizations possessed only 1-2 health policy competencies. An enhancement in the health policy scope of a regional organization correlated with its founding year, a greater number of policy fields, higher under-five mortality, and larger disparities in trade and healthcare access and quality indexes among member states. In contrast, larger disparities in population, under-five mortality and health worker density among member states, along with more hospital beds per capita, were negatively correlated with the expansion of a regional organization's health policy scope. CONCLUSION Since 1991, there has been a surge of interest in health among regional organizations, although health remains a secondary priority for them. The health policy competencies of regional organizations are pivotal for promoting social equity within regional communities. Its establishment is also closely linked to the level and disparities among member states in aspects such as trade, population, child mortality rates, and health system capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongbin Wang
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhisheng Liang
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejie Dong
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liqun Gao
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuduo Zhou
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Yin
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yinzi Jin
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Zheng
- Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Peking University, 38 Xue Yuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China.
- Institute for Global Health and Development, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Tadese M, Damesa WA, Solomon GS, Fitie GW, Mitiku YM, Tessema SD, Endale A. Prevalence and determinants of adverse perinatal outcomes of preeclampsia with severe features at two selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1345055. [PMID: 38390276 PMCID: PMC10881656 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1345055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Preeclampsia is a new onset of hypertension and either proteinuria or end-organ failure after 20 weeks of gestation. It is a prevalent cause of perinatal mortality, morbidity, and neonatal complications in developing nations including Ethiopia. Thus, the aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of adverse perinatal outcomes among women with preeclampsia with severity features (PEWSF) at two selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023. Method A cross-sectional study was carried out among 348 mothers between January 1, 2023, and July 1, 2023. A structured, pre-tested questionnaire was used to gather data from in-person interviews and a review of the patient's medical record. The statistical program Epi-Data version 4.6 was used to enter the data, and SPSS version 26.0 was used for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to find factors that were associated with unfavorable perinatal outcomes. A p-value of less than 0.05 was used to declare the significance level. Result The overall prevalence of unfavorable perinatal outcomes was 59.2% (95% CI: 54.0-63.8). Among the complications, low birth weight, prematurity, NICU admission, and a low fifth-minute APGAR score, encompass 48.9%, 39.4%, 20.4%, and 14.7%, respectively. No formal education [OR = 5.14, 95% CI: (1.93-13.63)], unemployment [OR = 0.42, 95% CI: (0.24-0.73)], referral cases [OR = 2.03, 95% CI: (1.08-4.06), inadequate antenatal care (ANC) contact [OR = 3.63, 95% CI: (1.22-10.71)], and family history of hypertension [OR = 1.99, 95% CI: (1.03-3.85)] have shown a statistically significant association with unfavorable perinatal outcomes. Conclusion In this study, the prevalence of unfavorable perinatal outcomes was high compared to other studies in Ethiopia. Level of education, occupation, mode of admission, ANC contact, and family history of hypertension were significant predictors of unfavorable perinatal outcomes. Socio-economic development, improving referral systems, and adequate antenatal care contact are needed to improve unfavorable outcomes. Additionally, antenatal screening and specialized care for high-risk mothers, e.g., those with a family history of hypertension are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mesfin Tadese
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Wogene Asefa Damesa
- Department of Medicine, Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Abebech Gobena Mothers and Childrens Health Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Girma Wogie Fitie
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Yohannes Moges Mitiku
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Saba Desta Tessema
- Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Asrat Woldeyes Health Science Campus, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Agizew Endale
- Department of Nursing, Debre Berhan Health Science College, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
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Robles CAP, Mialon M, Mais LA, Neri D, Silva KC, Baker P. Breastfeeding, first-food systems and corporate power: a case study on the market and political practices of the transnational baby food industry in Brazil. Global Health 2024; 20:12. [PMID: 38321536 PMCID: PMC10848415 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-024-01016-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The exploitative marketing of commercial milk formula (CMF) reduces breastfeeding, and harms child and maternal health globally. Yet forty years after the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes (The Code) was adopted by WHO member states, many countries are still to fully implement its provisions into national law. Furthermore, despite The Code, worldwide CMF markets have markedly expanded. In this paper, we adopt Brazil as a case study to understand the power of the baby food industry's marketing and corporate political activity, and how this influences the country's 'first-food system' in ways that promote and sustain CMF consumption. METHODS We used a case study design, drawing data from from documents and key informant interviews (N = 10). RESULTS Breastfeeding rates plummeted in Brazil to a historic low in the 1970s. A resurgence in breastfeeding from the mid-1980s onwards reflected strengthening political commitment for a national policy framework and breastfeeding protection law, resulting in-turn, from collective actions by breastfeeding coalitions, advocates, and mothers. Yet more recently, improvements in breastfeeding have plateaued in Brazil, while the industry grew CMF sales in Brazil by 750% between 2006 and 20. As regulations tightened, the industry has more aggressively promoted CMF for older infants and young children, as well as specialised formulas. The baby food industry is empowered through association with powerful industry groups, and employs lobbyists with good access to policymakers. The industry has captured the pediatric profession in Brazil through its long-standing association with the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics. CONCLUSION Brazil illustrates how the baby food industry uses marketing and political activity to promote and sustain CMF markets, to the detriment of breastfeeding. Our results demonstrate that this industry requires much greater scrutiny by regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Alejandra Pachón Robles
- Corporación Universitara Remington, Facultad de la salud, Grupo de Neurociencias y Envejecimiento, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Laís Amaral Mais
- Brazilian Institute for Consumer Defense (Idec), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniela Neri
- Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (Nupens), University of São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Kimielle Cristina Silva
- Institute of Social Medicine (IMS), University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Phillip Baker
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia.
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Pramono JS, Ridwan A, Maria IL, Syam A, Russeng SS, Syamsuar, Mumang AA. Active Case Finding for Tuberculosis in Migrants: a Systematic Review. Med Arch 2024; 78:60-64. [PMID: 38481594 PMCID: PMC10928684 DOI: 10.5455/medarh.2024.78.60-64] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Active case finding (ACF) is an alternative strategy to accelerate the identification of TB cases among the migrant population. Objective This study aimed to synthesize the evidence for the effectiveness of ACF TB in migrants. Methods This study uses the PRISMA model as a method of searching for journal articles in the databases of Google Scholar, ProQuest, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Elsevier, and PubMed, as well as other sources such as textbooks and reports from 2017 to 2021 with the keywords "tuberculosis" AND "active case finding" AND "migrant". The search revealed 371 articles, of which 26 met the criteria for further discussion. Results Most studies show that the TB incidence among migrants is higher than in the local population. Factors leading to increased cases include lack of knowledge about the symptoms, high mobilization, social isolation, economic problems, and medication adherence that impact an advanced stage. Furthermore, it is also influenced by the low quality of health services, including accessibility, health facilities, health workers, and information. Therefore, Active Case Finding (ACF) is more effective in identifying cases of TB in the risk groups. This was conducted on migrants with increased notifications followed up with treatment. Conclusion ACF is effective approach in screening and diagnosing TB in the migrant group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joko Sapto Pramono
- Doctoral program of Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - A Ridwan
- Department of Epidemiology, Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Ida Leida Maria
- Department of Epidemiology, Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Aminudin Syam
- Department of Nutrition, Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Syamsiar S. Russeng
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Syamsuar
- Department of Environmental Health, Public Health Faculty, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Andi Agus Mumang
- Graduate School of Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
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11
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Fryatt RJ, Blecher M. In with the good, out with the bad - Investment standards for external funding of health? HEALTH POLICY OPEN 2023; 5:100104. [PMID: 38059005 PMCID: PMC10696456 DOI: 10.1016/j.hpopen.2023.100104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, external financing of health systems in low- and middle-income countries has helped achieve remarkable improvements across the world. However, these successes have not come without problems. There are a growing number of areas where external assistance can cause harm and even undermine the development of national health systems. Recent decades have seen a surge of knowledge on investing in health systems. We propose the setting up of investment standards for external assistance that aim to incentivize a more efficient evidence-based investment in a country's health system, led by decision-makers in country. Using a more standardized process would lead to a better use of precious external assistance resources. The long-term goal would be fully functioning health systems with all the necessary essential public health functions in all countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert John Fryatt
- Position: Lead, International Health, Mott MacDonald, Address: 10 Fleet Place, London EC1M, UK
| | - Mark Blecher
- Chief Director, Health and Social Development, Address: National Treasury, Government of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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Gurara MK, Draulans V, Jacquemyn Y, Van Geertruyden JP. Evaluation of a community-based intervention package to improve knowledge of obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness, and institutional delivery care utilization in Arba Minch Zuria District, Ethiopia: a cluster-randomized trial. Reprod Health 2023; 20:169. [PMID: 37980484 PMCID: PMC10657004 DOI: 10.1186/s12978-023-01713-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Maternal healthcare utilization, particularly the institutional delivery, is disproportionately low in rural Ethiopia. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated package of community-based interventions on the improved knowledge of obstetric danger signs, birth preparedness, and institutional delivery services utilization in rural areas of Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia. METHODS We conducted cluster-randomized controlled trial (NCT05385380) from 2019 to 2021 at the Arba Minch Health and Demographic Surveillance System site. We randomly assigned the 10 kebele clusters to intervention and control arm. We used a package of interventions, which included providing information on safe motherhood via video and/or audio with a birth preparedness card for pregnant women, training for community volunteers and health extension workers, and improving maternity waiting home services. Women in the control arm received routine services only. We used generalized mixed-effects logistic regression models to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on the outcome variables. RESULTS The study enrolled 727 pregnant women across the 10 clusters, with a 617 (84.9%) successful follow-up rate. The proportion of institutional delivery in the intervention arm was increased by 16.1% from 36.4% (174/478) at the baseline to 52.5% (224/427) at the endline (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for McNemar's Test = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 2; p < 0.001). In the control arm, however, there was a 10.3% fall in the proportion of institutional delivery (from 164/249 to 105/190). Pregnant women who received the intervention were significantly more likely to give birth in a health institution than those who did not (AOR 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2, 6.4). CONCLUSION The study demonstrates that an integrated community-based intervention package that included video-based storytelling and upgrading maternity waiting homes increased institutional delivery care utilization among rural women. We recommend that audio-visual storytelling, starting during pregnancy and continuing postpartum, be incorporated into routine maternal healthcare services to address access to care inequalities in rural settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study protocol was registered in the clinicaltrials.gov with registry number NCT05385380.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mekdes Kondale Gurara
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
- Global Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Veerle Draulans
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre for Sociological Research, KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium
| | - Yves Jacquemyn
- Global Health Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Antwerp University Hospital, UZA, Edegem, Belgium
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13
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Bunkley N, McCool J, Garton K. A review of international trade and investment agreements and nutrition policy space in the Pacific. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1208542. [PMID: 37712003 PMCID: PMC10498917 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1208542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Pacific are heavily reliant on imported foods which are often nutritionally deficient, and typically high in salt, fat, and sugar. To curb nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, nutrition policies are needed to create food environments that promote healthy diets. However, international trade and investment agreements (TIAs) may interfere with the policy space for SIDS to regulate their food environments by requiring member states to meet trade obligations that could conflict with their nutrition policy goals. In this review, we identify real examples of where TIAs have been responsible for changes in Pacific SIDS' nutrition policies alongside the potential for further constraints on healthy nutrition policies from Pacific Island participation in TIAs. In addition, we note the effects of regulatory chill from TIA obligations in Pacific SIDS, whereby healthy nutrition policies are not considered, developed, or implemented due to the threat of trade disputes or the complexity of TIA procedural requirements. Existing literature indicates that TIAs have shaped nutrition policies to fit within the global trade paradigm despite SIDS' nutrition policy imperatives. More can be done locally, regionally, and internationally to increase the importance of nutrition in the trade agenda, leverage regional institutions to champion nutrition regulation and support SIDS in navigating the trade and nutrition policy environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Bunkley
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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14
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van Woerden WF, van de Pas R, Curtain J. Post-growth economics: a must for planetary health justice. Global Health 2023; 19:55. [PMID: 37553716 PMCID: PMC10410890 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-023-00957-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the global health field, progress is being made to adopt a justice and sustainability-centred approach by advancing what has been named a planetary health agenda. Meanwhile, an increasing number of global health scholars argue for the decolonisation of the field. Yet, amongst these collective efforts to 'transform' global health thinking, a thorough analysis of political economy dimensions is often missing. 'Growthism', the belief that more production is necessarily good, continues to prevail. Truly committing to a decolonial eco-just global health agenda requires addressing the continuation of colonial arrangements within the structure of the global economy, removing growth dependencies and ushering in post-growth policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winne Fleur van Woerden
- Programcoordinator Degrowth & Care Economy, Commons Network, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Remco van de Pas
- Centre for Planetary Health Policy, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
| | - Joel Curtain
- Universitat Autònoma Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Partners In Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Truppa C, Ansbro É, Willis R, Zmeter C, El Khatib A, Roberts B, Aebischer Perone S, Perel P. Developing an integrated model of care for vulnerable populations living with non-communicable diseases in Lebanon: an online theory of change workshop. Confl Health 2023; 17:35. [PMID: 37480107 PMCID: PMC10360302 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-023-00532-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Syrian crisis, followed by a financial crisis, port explosion, and COVID-19, have put enormous strain on Lebanon's health system. Syrian refugees and the vulnerable host population have a high burden of Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) morbidity and unmet mental health, psychosocial and rehabilitation needs. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently introduced integrated NCD services within its package of primary care in Lebanon, which includes NCD primary health care, rehabilitation, and mental health and psychosocial support services. We aimed to identify relevant outcomes for people living with NCDs from refugee and host communities in northern Lebanon, as well as to define the processes needed to achieve them through an integrated model of care. Given the complexity of the health system in which the interventions are delivered, and the limited practical guidance on integration, we considered systems thinking to be the most appropriate methodological approach. METHODS A Theory of Change (ToC) workshop and follow-up meetings were held online by the ICRC, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the American University of Beirut in 2021. ToC is a participatory and iterative planning process involving key stakeholders, and seeks to understand a process of change by mapping out intermediate and long-term outcomes along hypothesised causal pathways. Participants included academics, and ICRC regional, coordination, and headquarters staff. RESULTS We identified two distinct pathways to integrated NCD primary care: a multidisciplinary service pathway and a patient and family support pathway. These were interdependent and linked via an essential social worker role and a robust information system. We also defined a list of key assumptions and interventions to achieve integration, and developed a list of monitoring indicators. DISCUSSION ToC is a useful tool to deconstruct the complexity of integrating NCD services. We highlight that integrated care rests on multidisciplinary and patient-centred approaches, which depend on a well-trained and resourced team, strong leadership, and adequate information systems. This paper provides the first theory-driven road map of implementation pathways, to help support the integration of NCD care for crises-affected populations in Lebanon and globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Truppa
- International Committee of the Red Cross, Beirut, Lebanon
- CRIMEDIM - Center for Research and Training in Disaster Medicine, Humanitarian Aid and Global Health, Università del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Éimhín Ansbro
- Epidemiology of Noncommunicable Disease Department, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
- Centre for Global Chronic Conditions, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Ruth Willis
- Centre for Global Chronic Conditions, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Carla Zmeter
- International Committee of the Red Cross, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Aya El Khatib
- International Committee of the Red Cross, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Bayard Roberts
- Centre for Global Chronic Conditions, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sigiriya Aebischer Perone
- International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneva, Switzerland
- Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pablo Perel
- Epidemiology of Noncommunicable Disease Department, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Centre for Global Chronic Conditions, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Amadu I, Seidu AA, Mohammed A, Duku E, Miyittah MK, Ameyaw EK, Hagan JE, Musah MH, Ahinkorah BO. Assessing the combined effect of household cooking fuel and urbanicity on acute respiratory symptoms among under-five years in sub-Saharan Africa. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16546. [PMID: 37346351 PMCID: PMC10279788 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background This study sought to investigate the association between urbanicity (rural-urban residency), the use of solid biomass cooking fuels and the risk of Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) among children under the age of 5 in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods Cross-sectional data from the most recent surveys of the Demographic and Health Survey Program conducted in 31 sub-Saharan African countries were pooled for the analysis. The outcome variables, cough and rapid short breath were derived from questions that asked mothers if their children under the age of 5 suffered from cough and short rapid breath in the past two weeks preceding the survey. To examine the associations, multivariable negative log-log regression models were fitted for each outcome variable. Results Higher odds ratios of cough occurred among children in urban households that use unclean cooking fuel (aOR = 1.05 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08). However, lower odds ratios were observed for rural children in homes that use clean cooking fuel (aOR = 0.93 95% CI = 0.87, 0.99) relative to children in urban homes using clean cooking fuel. We also found higher odds ratios of short rapid breaths among children in rural households that use unclean cooking fuel compared with urban residents using clean cooking fuel (aOR = 1.12 95% CI = 1.08, 1.17). Conclusion Urbanicity and the use of solid biomass fuel for cooking were associated with an increased risk of symptoms of ARIs among children under five years in SSA. Thus, policymakers and stakeholders need to design and implement strategies that minimize children's exposure to pollutants from solid biomass cooking fuel. Such interventions could reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses in SSA and contribute to the realization of Sustainable Development Goal 3.9, which aims at reducing the number of diseases and deaths attributable to hazardous chemicals and pollution of air, water and soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iddrisu Amadu
- Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR)-Centre for Coastal Management, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
- Emperiks Research, NT0085, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Abdul-Aziz Seidu
- Centre for Gender and Advocacy, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Box 256, Ghana
- Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Queensland, Australia
| | - Aliu Mohammed
- Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Eric Duku
- Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR)-Centre for Coastal Management, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
- Hen Mpoano (Our Coast), Takoradi P.O. Box AX 296, Ghana
| | - Michael K. Miyittah
- Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR)-Centre for Coastal Management, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
| | - Edward Kwabena Ameyaw
- Institute of Policy Studies and School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
| | - John Elvis Hagan
- Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana
- Neurocognition and Action-Biomechanics-Research Group, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Mohammed Hafiz Musah
- Department of Health Information Management, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana
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Thorlu-Bangura Z, Poole L, Sood H, Khan N, Stevenson F, Khunti K, Gill P, Sajid M, Hanif W, Bhala N, Modha S, Patel K, Blandford A, Banerjee A, Ramasawmy M. Digital health, cardiometabolic disease and ethnicity: an analysis of United Kingdom government policies from 2010 to 2022. J Public Health Policy 2023:10.1057/s41271-023-00410-z. [PMID: 37085565 PMCID: PMC10120476 DOI: 10.1057/s41271-023-00410-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Recent health policies in the United Kingdom (UK) and internationally have focussed on digitisation of healthcare. We examined UK policies for evidence of government action addressing health inequalities and digital health, using cardiometabolic disease as an exemplar. Using a systematic search methodology, we identified 87 relevant policy documents published between 2010 and 2022. We found increasing emphasis on digital health, including for prevention, diagnosis and management of cardiometabolic disease. Several policies also focused on tackling health inequalities and improving digital access. The COVID-19 pandemic amplified inequalities. No policies addressed ethnic inequalities in digital health for cardiometabolic disease, despite high prevalence in minority ethnic communities. Our findings suggest that creating opportunities for digital inclusion and reduce longer-term health inequalities, will require future policies to focus on: the heterogeneity of ethnic groups; cross-sectoral disadvantages which contribute to disease burden and digital accessibility; and disease-specific interventions which lend themselves to culturally tailored solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lydia Poole
- Department of Psychological Interventions, School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Nushrat Khan
- Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Fiona Stevenson
- Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kamlesh Khunti
- Diabetes Research Centre, Leicester General Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Paramjit Gill
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Madiha Sajid
- Patient and Public Involvement Representative, DISC Study, London, UK
| | - Wasim Hanif
- Department of Diabetes, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Neeraj Bhala
- Institute of Applied Health Research, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHSFT, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK
| | - Shivali Modha
- Patient and Public Involvement Representative, DISC Study, London, UK
| | - Kiran Patel
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Amitava Banerjee
- Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK
| | - Mel Ramasawmy
- Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, 222 Euston Road, London, NW1 2DA, UK.
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Gobezie WA, Medhin G, Jebena MG, Demissie M, Alemayehu YK, Teklu AM, Azene G, Dadi TL, Tesfaye M. Relevance of the Health Extension Program to the current Health Needs and Evolving Demands of Rural Ethiopia: A Mixed-Method Analysis. Ethiop J Health Sci 2023; 33:75-84. [PMID: 38362472 PMCID: PMC10866289 DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v33i1.8s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Ethiopia has been implementing a health extension program (HEP) to respond to the high maternal and child mortality in rural communities. HEP has brought tremendous contributions to improved access and coverage of primary healthcare in the last 15 years. Despite its attributions, attention to HEP has declined in recent years due to several reasons. This study is designed to explore HEP's relevance to the current healthcare needs of the rural communities. Methods This study is a nested cross-sectional mixed-method to the overall HEP's evaluation between March and May 2019. Descriptive statistics were used on qualitative and quantitative assessment. A literature review supplemented the assessment. A representative quantitative sample of 11,746 women, men, and young girls; a qualitative sample of 268 key informants from Kebele administrators, HEWs, program people in the health system and focus groups from community leaders, men and women from 185 Kebeles in 62 woredas were selected. A thematic approach was used for qualitative analysis. Results Rural communities and program managers asserted that HEP's service packages with the existing service delivery modalities were relevant. Eighty-two percent of men and women and 77% of young girls confirmed this relevance. Besides the existing packages, additional curative services for adults and children were recommended with emphasis on the pastoralist community. HEP's service uptake has declined as over 86% of targeted rural communities bypassed HPs due to unavailability of services and capacity problems of HEWs. Conclusion The current HEP packages with the existing service delivery modalities are still relevant to the rural communities' health needs. However, on-going changes to address the evolving demands of the targeted rural communities are crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasihun Andualem Gobezie
- MERQ Consultancy PLC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Averting Maternal Death and Disability (AMDD), Columbia University
| | - Girmay Medhin
- MERQ Consultancy PLC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Addis Ababa University, Aklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology
| | | | - Mekdes Demissie
- Centre for Innovative Drug Development and Therapeutic Studies for Africa (CDT-Africa), College of Health Science, Addis Ababa University
- College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Ethiopia
| | - Yibeltal Kiflie Alemayehu
- MERQ Consultancy PLC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Jimma University, Ethiopia
- Department of Global Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
| | | | | | - Tegene Legese Dadi
- MERQ Consultancy PLC, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Hawassa University, College of Medicine and Health Science, School of Public Health
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Efforts to address the Sustainable Development Goals in older populations: a scoping review. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:456. [PMID: 36890447 PMCID: PMC9996959 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15308-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) seeks to create multisectoral changes that align healthy ageing with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given that the SDGs have completed their first five years, the objective of this scoping review was to summarise any efforts launched to directly address the SDGs in older adults in community settings prior to the Decade. This will contribute to providing a baseline against which to track progress and identify gaps. METHODS Following Cochrane guidelines for scoping reviews, searches were conducted in three electronic databases, five grey-literature websites, and one search engine between April to May 2021; and limited to entries from 2016 to 2020. Abstracts and full texts were double-screened; references of included papers were searched to identify additional candidate publications; and data were extracted independently by two authors, using an adaptation of existing frameworks. Quality assessment was not conducted. RESULTS In total, we identified 617 peer-review papers, of which only two were included in the review. Grey literature searches generated 31 results, from which ten were included. Overall, the literature was sparse and heterogeneous, consisting of five reports, three policy documents, two non-systematic reviews, one city plan, and one policy appraisal. Initiatives targeting older adults were mentioned under 12 different SDGs, with SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) being the most commonly discussed. Also, SDG-based efforts frequently overlapped or aligned to the eight domains of age-friendly environments outlined in the World Health Organisation framework. CONCLUSION The review has documented the extent, range, and nature of available research and provided an initial evidence backdrop for future research and policy development.
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Imagining alternative paths for WHO 75 years in. Lancet 2023; 401:1149-1151. [PMID: 37031684 PMCID: PMC10079271 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(23)00677-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
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21
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Marson M, Saccone D, Vallino E. Total trade, cereals trade and undernourishment: new empirical evidence for developing countries. REVIEW OF WORLD ECONOMICS 2023; 159:299-332. [PMCID: PMC9084271 DOI: 10.1007/s10290-022-00468-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
While trade policies are considered strategic to shape national food systems and promote food security, the ultimate impact of trade openness on hunger is still highly debated. Using a sample of 81 developing over the period 2001–2016 and principally focusing on the prevalence of undernourishment, this study provides new empirical evidence. Firstly, it estimates the impact of total trade differentiating the effects that pass through changes in real per capita income—i.e. on the economic access to food—from the residual effects that it directly has on the other dimensions of food security. Subsequently, it concentrates on cereals trade, that usually is the most affected by trade restrictions and the most correlated to undernourishment. Finally, it explores the different effects of cereals trade in terms of imports and exports. Three main conclusions emerge: (a) trade openness contributes to lower the prevalence of undernourishment in developing countries and most of this effect is not income-mediated but, rather, passes through the impacts that it directly has on the other dimensions of food security; (b) such impacts are mostly driven by the trade openness of the cereals sector where (c) its import component turns out to play the main role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Marson
- Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”, University of Turin, Lungo Dora Siena 100, 10153 Turin, Italy
- OEET-Turin Center on Emerging Economies, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Piazza V. Arbarello 8, 10122 Turin, Italy
| | - Donatella Saccone
- OEET-Turin Center on Emerging Economies, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Piazza V. Arbarello 8, 10122 Turin, Italy
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 9, 12042 Pollenzo, Bra, CN Italy
| | - Elena Vallino
- OEET-Turin Center on Emerging Economies, Collegio Carlo Alberto, Piazza V. Arbarello 8, 10122 Turin, Italy
- Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Turin, Lungo Dora Siena 100, 10153 Turin, Italy
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22
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Babyar J. Trade, intellectual property, and the public health bearing. Health Syst (Basingstoke) 2023; 12:123-132. [PMID: 36926369 PMCID: PMC10013560 DOI: 10.1080/20476965.2022.2062460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this article is to describe the current fracture between global trade and public health priorities, as well as examine opportunities for harmonisation. A literature review of public health, global trade, and intellectual property articles describes several issues with recommendations. Currently, there is mixed quality of research and a lack of health impact assessments to accompany the global trade agenda. Human rights concepts continue in debate as flexibilities to trade laws remain without organised surveillance or evaluation. There are specific, relevant recommendations to implement a trade agenda inclusive of public health leadership. Recent trade and intellctual property advances in public health collaborations should be supported and continued. Trade groups should produce impact assessments before decisions on policies are made, with quality to the research. Lastly, a global research and development treaty should be an open, accessed path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Babyar
- RN, MPH, 136 Reliant Way American Canyon. CA 94503
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23
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Forman L, Jackson C, Fajber K. Can we move beyond vaccine apartheid? Examining the determinants of the COVID-19 vaccine gap. Glob Public Health 2023; 18:2256822. [PMID: 37715686 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2023.2256822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/18/2023]
Abstract
While global health leaders call disparities in access to COVID-19 vaccines an 'apartheid,' this gap is not the first such disparity. The recurrence of these gaps in low and middle-income countries and especially in Africa, raises questions about their determinants and about the persistent failures of global health institutions to remediate them. We interrogate these determinants and questions by examining: (1) the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines; (2) primary determinants of vaccine access including availability and affordability; (3) factors affecting availability (hoarding, COVAX, and manufacturing capacity); and (4) factors affecting affordability (pricing, intellectual property rights (IPR), the TRIPS waiver and a potential pandemic treaty). We conclude that IPR constrained the affordability and availability of COVID-19 vaccines in ways inadequately addressed by COVAX and a waiver compromise thwarted by political, corporate, and philanthropic interests. While stronger limits to IPR in a pandemic treaty and a reformed International Health Regulations will not resolve structural inequities, they could meaningfully expand LMIC autonomy to protect public health. We urge equity-seeking Global South and North actors to fight for such IPR reforms as small and meaningful steps towards a more equitable global health order. Otherwise, criminally racist 'apartheids' will continue to be the norm when it comes to the distribution of essential health goods during global health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Forman
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Carly Jackson
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kaitlin Fajber
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, The University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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24
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Baum F, Anaf J. A World Beyond Transnational Corporations: Meeting Human Rather Than Corporate Need Comment on "'Part of the Solution': Food Corporation Strategies for Regulatory Capture and Legitimacy". Int J Health Policy Manag 2022; 11:2748-2751. [PMID: 36300255 PMCID: PMC9818118 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2022.7540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper provides a commentary on Lacy-Nichols and Williams' analysis of the emerging tactics of the ultraprocessed food transnational corporations (TNCs). Our paper provides an overview of the growth in power and influence of TNCs in the past three decades and considers how this change impacts on health and health equity. We examine how wealth inequities have increased dramatically and how many of the health harms are externalised to governments or individuals. We argue that human interests and corporate interests differ. The article concludes with a consideration of alternative ways of organising an economy that are more human centred and health promoting. We suggest five changes are required: improved measurement of economic outputs beyond gross domestic product (GDP); improved regulation of finance and TNCs; development of localised economic models including cooperatives; reversal of privatisations; making the reduction of economic inequalities a goal of financial policy. We consider the barriers to these changes happening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran Baum
- Stretton Health Equity, Stretton Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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25
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Son KB. Patenting and patent challenges in South Korea after introducing a patent linkage system. Global Health 2022; 18:95. [PMID: 36371241 PMCID: PMC9652859 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-022-00887-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND South Korea introduced the patent linkage system in 2015 as part of the implementation of free trade agreements with the United States. This study assessed trends in brand-name drug patenting and generic patent challenges in South Korea after the introduction of the system. METHODS From 2012-19, we constructed a novel dataset that combines information about listed patents with their corresponding brand-name drugs and patent challenges against these brand-name drugs. We analyzed brand-name drug patenting and generic patent challenges and elucidated factors in timely patent challenges using event history analysis. RESULTS During the study period, 659 brand-name drugs listed their patents in the K-Orange Book and patent challenges against 95 brand-name drugs were initiated. The number of listed patents and their nominal patent term varied by the characteristics of the brand-name drugs. Patent challenges of generic drugs were marginal in South Korea even though the surge of patent challenges of generics were noticed right after the introduction of the patent linkage system. CONCLUSIONS Patenting and patent challenges are critical factors when introducing generic drugs into the market under the patent linkage system. However, the impact of the patent linkage system on patenting and patent challenges could be varied by the specific form of the patent linkage system and the contexts of pharmaceutical markets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Bok Son
- College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, 55 Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-Si, 15588, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
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Liu Z, Chen Q, Liu G, Han X. Do Deep Regional Trade Agreements Improve Residents' Health? A Cross-Country Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14409. [PMID: 36361284 PMCID: PMC9658963 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The development trend of deepening regional trade agreements (RTAs) is becoming more prominent, traditional RTAs based on border terms continue to shift to deep RTAs based on the high level of border terms and a series of post-border terms, but the relationship between deep RTAs and residents' health has not drawn much attention. Based on Gallup World Poll data from 2009 to 2017 covering 786,040 respondents in 143 countries, this study empirically examined the impact of deep RTAs on the health of residents as well as its influence mechanisms by using the combination of fixed effects and stepwise regression. The results show that deep RTAs have a significantly positive impact on residents' health, which means that an increase in the depth of RTAs can improve residents' health. However, the impact of deep RTAs on residents' health is heterogeneous, caused by the different terms of RTAs, the different income levels of different countries, and the different types of residents. Meanwhile, deep RTAs mainly improve the health of residents through employment effects and environmental effects. This study highlights the importance of deep RTAs for improving the health of residents and provides new ideas for governments to assist in the formulation of policies that can effectively improve their residents' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhizhong Liu
- School of Finance and Trade, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
| | - Qianying Chen
- School of Finance and Trade, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
| | - Guangyue Liu
- School of Finance and Trade, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
| | - Xu Han
- School of Marxism, Liaoning University, Shenyang 110036, China
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Chapman RR, Raige H, Abdulahi A, Mohamed S, Osman M. Decolonising the global to local movement: Time for a new paradigm. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:3076-3089. [PMID: 34788558 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1986736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mama Amaan Project (MAP) delivered perinatal education and doula services to underserved refugee and immigrant communities in Seattle, Washington. MAP presented at a 'global to local (glocal)' workshop for US-based global health agencies redirecting their experience and resources to address domestic health crises. Glocal models reference Global South anti-colonial social transformations through Primary Health Care (PHC) - 'health for all as a right' and investment in strong public sectors. As Black women working in our communities, we resisted labelling MAP glocal. Western donors and NGOs appropriate PHC's community participation narratives, meanwhile implementing World Bank/IMF economic structural adjustment health system cuts - thereby shifting austerity-related resource shortfalls to communities. In US contexts of neoliberal shrinking social safety nets and workers' rights, similar strategies to address austerity-related health disparities are promoted as 'global to local'. Projects like MAP cannot substitute quality public services. They expose gaps and build community empowerment to demand quality healthcare. Drawing on MAP and 'global health' experience in Mozambique, we call for re-embracing PHC's activist values - agitating for health as a universal human right for all, rather than putting the burden and blame on underserved communities. We propose decolonising the 'glocal' paradigm by embracing 'transnationality', 'relationality' and 'mutuality'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R Chapman
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Sumaya Mohamed
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Mama Amaan, Seattle, WA, USA
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28
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Zaltz DA, Bisi LE, Ruskin G, Hoe C. How independent is the international food information council from the food and beverage industry? A content analysis of internal industry documents. Global Health 2022; 18:91. [PMID: 36309701 PMCID: PMC9618198 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-022-00884-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The International Food Information Council (IFIC) and its partner foundation (IFIC Foundation) widely disseminate nutrition information and participate in relevant policymaking processes. Prior research has established a connection between IFIC and large food and beverage companies, representing a potential conflict of interest. The authors reviewed public records documents to investigate the connection between IFIC and industry, and to describe how IFIC communicates policy-relevant information about nutrition science to the public. METHODS The research team collected communications between IFIC and members of the research and policymaking communities by using state and federal transparency laws. The team analyzed the content of these documents with a commercial determinants of health framework while allowing for new themes to emerge, guided by the broad analytic questions of how and why does IFIC communicate nutrition information to policymakers and the broader public? RESULTS IFIC employs self-designed research and media outreach to disseminate nutrition information. Communications from IFIC and its affiliates related to nutrition information fell within major themes of manufacturing doubt and preference shaping. CONCLUSIONS IFIC uses media outlets to preemptively counter information about the negative health impacts of added sugars and ultra-processed foods, and promotes a personal-responsibility narrative about dietary intake and health. IFIC and its affiliates disseminate a narrow subset of nutrition and health information consistent with corporate interests and in opposition to public health policies associated with improved population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Zaltz
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Lauren E Bisi
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gary Ruskin
- U.S. Right To Know, 4096 Piedmont Ave. #963, Oakland, CA, 94611, USA
| | - Connie Hoe
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Boujnah H. Health diplomacy in Africa-opportunities post-COVID-19. Pan Afr Med J 2022; 43:91. [PMID: 36660083 PMCID: PMC9816880 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2022.43.91.37003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
For the last seventy years, Africa has suffered a disease burden that is steadily growing in scale and complexity. Despite that, health development in the continent has continued to rely on donors´ packages since decolonization. The last decade, however, has marked some health-related achievements on the continent such as the development of the Africa Health Strategy 2016-2030, the establishment of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the launch of The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and most recently the African Medicines Agency (AMA). These developments and the response to the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the importance and the opportunities of practicing Global Health Diplomacy on the continent. Home to 27% of the world´s countries, Africa has a tremendous global voting power which makes global health diplomacy an unequivocally effective soft power tool to achieve "The Africa we want". In this paper, we will expand on the importance of Global Health Diplomacy (GHD) practice in Africa as a soft power tool, illustrate the COVID-19 response in the continent championed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) as a case study, and offer some recommendations to sustain and strengthen GHD´s role in the continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiba Boujnah
- Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,Corresponding author: Hiba Boujnah, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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30
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Olateju A, Peters MA, Osaghae I, Alonge O. How service delivery implementation strategies can contribute to attaining universal health coverage: lessons from polio eradication using an implementation science approach. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1271. [PMID: 35773671 PMCID: PMC9244363 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13681-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Improving service delivery is a key strategy for achieving service coverage, one of the two components of universal health coverage (UHC). As one of the largest global public health initiatives, individuals involved with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) have learned many important lessons about service delivery. We identified contributors and challenges to delivering health services at national and subnational levels using experiences from the GPEI. We described strategies used to strengthen service delivery and draw lessons that could be applicable to achieving UHC. Methods Online cross-sectional surveys based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains and socioecological model were conducted from 2018–2019. Data were analyzed using an embedded mixed methods approach. Frequencies of the contributors and challenges to service delivery by levels of involvement were estimated. Chi-square tests of independence were used to assess unadjusted associations among categorical outcome variables. Logistic regressions were used to examine the association between respondent characteristics and contributors to successful implementation or implementation challenges. Horizontal analysis of free text responses by CFIR domain was done to contextualize the quantitative results. Results Three thousand nine hundred fifty-five people responded to the online survey which generated 3,659 valid responses. Among these, 887 (24.2%) reported involvement in service delivery at the global, national, or subnational level with more than 90% involved at subnational levels. The main internal contributor of strengthened service delivery was the process of conducting activities (48%); working in frontline role had higher odds of identifying the process of conducting activities as the main internal contributor (AOR: 1.22, p = 0.687). The main external contributor was the social environment (42.5%); having 10–14 years of polio program implementation was significantly associated with identifying the social environment as the main external contributor to strengthened service delivery (AOR: 1.61, p = 0.038). The most frequent implementation challenge was the external environment (56%); working in Eastern Mediterranean region was almost 4 times more likely to identify the external environment as the major challenge in service delivery strengthening (AOR:3.59, p < 0.001). Conclusion Priority actions to improve service delivery include: adopt strategies to systematically reach hard-to-reach populations, expand disease-focused programs to support broader primary healthcare priorities, maximize community outreach strategies to reach broader age groups, build community trust in health workers and develop multisectoral leadership for collaboration. Achieving UHC is contingent on strengthened subnational service delivery. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13681-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adetoun Olateju
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe Street, E8140, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Michael A Peters
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe Street, E8140, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ikponmwosa Osaghae
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Olakunle Alonge
- Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe Street, E8140, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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Soft drink and non-caloric soft drink intake and their association with blood pressure: the Health Workers Cohort Study. Nutr J 2022; 21:37. [PMID: 35668525 PMCID: PMC9171938 DOI: 10.1186/s12937-022-00792-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A few prospective studies have investigated the potential association of soft drink and non-caloric soft drink intake with high blood pressure using methods that adequately consider changes in intake over time and hypertensive status at baseline. Objective To prospectively examine the association of soft drink and non-caloric soft drink intake with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in a sample of Mexican adults, overall and by hypertension status. Methods We used data from the Health Workers Cohort Study spanning from 2004 to 2018 (n = 1,324 adults). Soft drink and non-caloric soft drink intake were assessed with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. We fit multivariable-adjusted fixed-effects models to test the association of soft drink and non-caloric soft drink intake with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The models were adjusted for potential confounders and considering the potential modifying effect of hypertension status at baseline. Results A one-serving increase in soft drink intake was associated with a 2.08 mm Hg (95% CI: 0.21, 3.94) increase in systolic blood pressure and 2.09 mm Hg (95% CI: 0.81, 3.36) increase in diastolic blood pressure over ten years. A stronger association between soft drink intake and diastolic pressure was observed among participants with versus without hypertension at baseline. We found no association between non-caloric soft drink intake and blood pressure. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that soft drink intake increases blood pressure. While further studies should be conducted to confirm our findings, food policies and recommendations to limit soft drink intake are likely to help reduce blood pressure at the population level. We probably did not find an association between non-caloric soft drink intake and blood pressure because of the low consumption of this type of beverage in the cohort. More studies will be needed to understand the potential effect of non-caloric beverages on blood pressure. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12937-022-00792-y.
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Assessing innovative approaches for global health capacity building in fragile settings in the MENA region: development of the evaluation of capacity building (eCAP) program. Confl Health 2022; 16:31. [PMID: 35658917 PMCID: PMC9163880 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-022-00462-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Given the magnitude and frequency of conflicts in the MENA region along with their devastating impact on health responses and outcomes, there exists a strong need to invest in contextualized, innovative, and accessible capacity building approaches to enhance leadership and skills in global health. The MENA region suffers from limited (1) continued educational and career progression opportunities, (2) gender balance, and (3) skill-mix among its health workforce, which require significant attention. Main text The Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut incepted the Academy division to develop and implement various global health capacity building (GHCB) initiatives to address those challenges in fragile settings across low-and middle-income countries in the MENA region. These initiatives play a strategic role in this context, especially given their focus on being accessible through employing innovative learning modalities. However, there exists a dearth of evidence-based knowledge on best practices and recommendations to optimize the design, implementation, and evaluation of GHCB in fragile settings in the MENA region. The present paper describes the development of the evaluation of capacity building program (eCAP), implemented under the Academy division, to assess the effectiveness of its initiatives. eCAP is composed of 3 phases: (1) a situational assessment, followed by (2) production of multiple case studies, and finally (3) a meta-assessment leading to model development. The goal of eCAP is not only to inform the Academy’s operations, but also to synthesize produced knowledge into the formation of an evidence-based, scalable, and replicable model for GHCB in fragile settings. Conclusion eCAP is an important initiative for researchers, educators, and practitioners interested in GHCB in fragile settings. Several lessons can be learned from the outcomes it has yielded so far in its first two phases of implementation, ranging from the situational assessment to the production of evaluation case studies, which are expanded on in the manuscript along with pertinent challenges.
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Benavides J, Rowland ST, Shearston JA, Nunez Y, Jack DW, Kioumourtzoglou MA. Methods for Evaluating Environmental Health Impacts at Different Stages of the Policy Process in Cities. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:183-195. [PMID: 35389203 PMCID: PMC8986968 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00349-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Evaluating the environmental health impacts of urban policies is critical for developing and implementing policies that lead to more healthy and equitable cities. This article aims to (1) identify research questions commonly used when evaluating the health impacts of urban policies at different stages of the policy process, (2) describe commonly used methods, and (3) discuss challenges, opportunities, and future directions. RECENT FINDINGS In the diagnosis and design stages of the policy process, research questions aim to characterize environmental problems affecting human health and to estimate the potential impacts of new policies. Simulation methods using existing exposure-response information to estimate health impacts predominate at these stages of the policy process. In subsequent stages, e.g., during implementation, research questions aim to understand the actual policy impacts. Simulation methods or observational methods, which rely on experimental data gathered in the study area to assess the effectiveness of the policy, can be applied at these stages. Increasingly, novel techniques fuse both simulation and observational methods to enhance the robustness of impact evaluations assessing implemented policies. The policy process consists of interdependent stages, from inception to end, but most reviewed studies focus on single stages, neglecting the continuity of the policy life cycle. Studies assessing the health impacts of policies using a multi-stage approach are lacking. Most studies investigate intended impacts of policies; focusing also on unintended impacts may provide a more comprehensive evaluation of policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Benavides
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Sebastian T Rowland
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jenni A Shearston
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Yanelli Nunez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Darby W Jack
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
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Saleh S, Brome D, Mansour R, Daou T, Chamas A, Naal H. Evaluating an e-learning program to strengthen the capacity of humanitarian workers in the MENA region: the Humanitarian Leadership Diploma. Confl Health 2022; 16:27. [PMID: 35596195 PMCID: PMC9121609 DOI: 10.1186/s13031-022-00460-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is consistently plagued with humanitarian crises while having little response capacity. Despite their obvious growing need, there exist limited educational opportunities for humanitarian workers to develop their capacity in humanitarian topics. The present study evaluates an online training program, the Humanitarian Leadership Diploma (HLD), which targeted humanitarian workers across the MENA region. Methods A mixed-methods design was used, comprising short and long-term quantitative and qualitative data, targeting individual and organizational-level outcomes. A total of 28 humanitarian workers across the MENA region enrolled in the program starting September 2019 until October 2020, 18 of which completed the full diploma. Short-term quantitative data such as knowledge assessments, course evaluations, and reflective commentaries were collected from all learners, whereas long-term qualitative data was collected only from those who completed the full diploma and from peers at their organizations, 6 months after completion. Data was triangulated, analyzed using qualitative content analysis, and reported as themes. Results The program was overall successful given multiple factors reported by participants such as enhanced knowledge, high satisfaction, and improved practice, with some important challenges being identified. Themes under the strengths category related to (1) online learning, (2) significance of diploma, (3) course content, (4) instructors, (5) transfer of learning into practice, and (6) personal development. Themes under the challenges category related to (1) barriers to applying changes in behavior and performance, (2) engagement and interaction, and (3) pedagogical approach. Conclusion This is one of very few evaluations of locally developed and delivered online learning programs for humanitarian actors in the MENA region. The findings are especially important as they may inform researchers and humanitarian actors looking to design and deliver similar programs in the MENA region or other fragile settings. Key recommendations are discussed in the manuscript, and include to combine synchronous and asynchronous approaches, design concise course materials, limit theoretical pedagogical approaches, ensure topics are contextualized to the region, and consider continuous engagement strategies for learners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shadi Saleh
- Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.,Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Dayana Brome
- Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Rania Mansour
- St George's Hospital Medical School, St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Tracy Daou
- Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Amar Chamas
- Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Hady Naal
- Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
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Woldasemayat LA, Negawo AN, Mengesha CK, Debela TF. Early Postnatal Care Utilization among Rural Women in Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Sci 2022; 32:579-586. [PMID: 35813668 PMCID: PMC9214743 DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v32i3.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Postnatal care is a key strategy to reduce maternal mortality. An early postnatal visit is a critical time for the survival of mothers and newborns. Despite the benefits, most mothers do not receive postnatal care services. Thus, this study was aimed to assess early postnatal care utilization among rural women and identify its associated factors. Methods Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Horo Guduru Wollega zone from May 10 to 27/2019. A total of 695 randomly selected women participated in the study. A simple random sampling method was employed using the women's registration logbook. Multivariate logistic regression was used to control for possible confounders. A significance level of less than 0.05 was used in the final model to judge statistical significance. Results The magnitude of early postnatal care utilization was 21.8%. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that decision-making power, awareness about postnatal care, knowing at least one danger sign, place of delivery (AOR = 8.01), and model household (AOR = 5.65) were statistically significant. Conclusion This study showed that the utilization of early postnatal care among rural women was found to be low. Decision-making, awareness about the danger signs, place of delivery, and graduating as a model household were the factors associated with postnatal care. Therefore, recommended that health facilities should work on increasing community awareness about the danger signs that can occur after birth or during the postnatal period and increase institutional deliveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalisa Ayele Woldasemayat
- MSc in Maternity Health Nursing, School of Midwifery, Faculty of Health Science, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Abiru Neme Negawo
- Msc in Adult Health Nursing, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
| | - Chaluma Kumela Mengesha
- MSc in Health Informatics, Directorate of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Federal Ministry of Health-Ethiopia/Embedded by JSI/L10K, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Tilahun Fufa Debela
- MPH in Health Service Management, Department of Health Service, Management and Policy, Faculty of Public Health, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia
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Tariku A, Berhane Y, Worku A, Biks GA, Persson LÅ, Okwaraji YB. Health postservice readiness and use of preventive and curative services for suspected childhood pneumonia in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e058055. [PMID: 35477882 PMCID: PMC9047705 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-058055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pneumonia is the single-leading cause of infectious disease deaths in children under-5. Despite this challenge, the utilisation of preventive and curative child health services remains low in Ethiopia. We investigated the association between health post service readiness and caregivers' awareness of pneumonia services, care-seeking and utilisation of pneumonia-relevant immunisation in four Ethiopian regions. DESIGN AND SETTING This cross-sectional study was conducted in 52 districts of four regions of Ethiopia from December 2018 to February 2019. The health posts preparedness for sick child care was assessed using the WHO Health Service Availability and Readiness Assessment tool. Multilevel analyses were employed to examine the associations between health post readiness and household-level awareness and utilisation of services. PARTICIPANTS We included 165 health posts, 274 health extension workers (community health workers) and 4729 caregivers with 5787 children 2-59 months. OUTCOME MEASURES Awareness of pneumonia treatment, care-seeking behaviour and coverage of pentavalent-3 immunisation. RESULTS Only 62.8% of health posts were ready to provide sick child care services. One-quarter of caregivers were aware of pneumonia services, and 56.8% sought an appropriate care provider for suspected pneumonia. Nearly half (49.3%) of children (12-23 months) had received pentavalent-3 immunisation. General health post readiness was not associated with caregivers' awareness of pneumonia treatment (adjusted OR, AOR 0.9, 95% CI 0.7 to 1.1) and utilisation of pentavalent-3 immunisation (AOR=1.2, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.6), but negatively associated with care-seeking for childhood illnesses (AOR=0.6, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.8). CONCLUSION We found no association between facility readiness and awareness or utilisation of child health services. There were significant deficiencies in health post preparedness for services. Caregivers had low awareness and utilisation of pneumonia-related services. The results underline the importance of enhancing facility preparedness, providing high-quality care and intensifying demand generation efforts to prevent and treat pneumonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amare Tariku
- Department of Human Nutrition, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Reproductive Health and Population, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Yemane Berhane
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Reproductive Health and Population, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Alemayehu Worku
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and Department of Reproductive Health and Population, Addis Continental Institute of Public Health, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Gashaw Andargie Biks
- Department of Health System and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Lars Åke Persson
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Yemisrach Behailu Okwaraji
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
- Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Bhusal UP, Sapkota VP. Socioeconomic and demographic correlates of child nutritional status in Nepal: an investigation of heterogeneous effects using quantile regression. Global Health 2022; 18:42. [PMID: 35443701 PMCID: PMC9020427 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-022-00834-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Child undernutrition continues to be a major public health problem in many countries, including Nepal. The repercussions of undernutrition are not only limited to the affected children and families but also transcend to the national and global economy. Earlier studies from Nepal have predominantly used either ordinary least squares (OLS) regression or binary regression to analyse the socioeconomic and demographic correlates of the nutritional outcome. In this study, quantile regression was used to understand a complete and more precise estimate of the effects of the covariates on the child nutritional status. Methods This study was based on the most recent nationally representative Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019. Height-for-age z scores (HAZ) were used as an indicator for assessing the nutritional status of under-five children. Quantile regression was used to examine the heterogeneous association of covariates with conditional HAZ distribution across the different quantiles (0.10, 0.30, 0.50, 0.85). As a comparison, the effects of covariates at conditional mean of HAZ using OLS regression was also analysed. The graphs were plotted to visualize the changes in the coefficients for each regressor across the entire conditional HAZ distribution. Results Age of children, sex of children, province and wealth had a consistent and statistically significant association with HAZ in both OLS and quantile regression. Improved toilet facility was positively correlated with HAZ at the lower tails (tenth and thirtieth percentiles). Ethnicity (Janajati and Newer) was positively correlated with HAZ at the lower tail (thirtieth percentile) and mean (OLS regression). Maternal education was a significant predictor of improved height-for-age across conditional quantiles, except at the tenth percentile. Maternal age, number of under-five children in household, number of household members, and improved source of drinking water showed heterogeneous effects across different quantiles of conditional HAZ distribution. Conclusion Use of quantile regression approach showed that the effect of different factors differed across the conditional distribution of HAZ. Policymakers should consider the heterogeneous effect of different factors on HAZ so that the targeted intervention could be implemented to maximize the nutritional benefits to children. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12992-022-00834-4.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vishnu Prasad Sapkota
- Department of Economics, Nepal Commerce Campus, Tribhuvan University, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Montiel I, Park J, Husted BW, Velez-Calle A. Tracing the connections between international business and communicable diseases. JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS STUDIES 2022; 53:1785-1804. [PMID: 35345569 PMCID: PMC8942389 DOI: 10.1057/s41267-022-00512-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We posit that international business and the emergence and spread of communicable diseases are intrinsically connected. To support our arguments, we first start with a historical timeline that traces the connections between international business and communicable diseases back to the sixth century. Second, following the epidemiology of communicable diseases, we identify two crucial transitions related to international business: the emergence of epidemics within a host country and the shift from epidemics to global pandemics. Third, we highlight international business contextual factors (host country regulatory quality, urbanization, trade barriers, global migration) and multinationals' activities (foreign direct investment, corporate political activity, global supply chain management, international travel) that could accelerate each transition. Finally, building on public health insights, we suggest research implications for business scholars on how to integrate human health challenges into their studies and practical implications for global managers on how to help prevent the emergence and spread of communicable diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Montiel
- Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business, The City University of New York, 55 Lexington Ave at 24th Street, New York, NY 10010 USA
| | - Junghoon Park
- Baruch College, Zicklin School of Business, The City University of New York, 55 Lexington Ave at 24th Street, New York, NY 10010 USA
| | - Bryan W. Husted
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, EGADE Business School, Eugenio Garza Lagüera & Rufino Tamayo, Valle Oriente, 66269 San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León Mexico
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Li H, Nawsherwan, Fan C, Yin S, Haq IU, Mubarik S, Nabi G, Khan S, Hua L. Changes in adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with advanced maternal age (AMA) after the enactment of China's universal two-child policy. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5048. [PMID: 35322808 PMCID: PMC8943149 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-08396-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The universal two-child policy (TCP; 2016) in China has affected many aspects of maternal-neonatal health. A tertiary hospital-based retrospective study (2011–2019) was used to find the association of these policy changes with maternal age and pregnancy outcomes in women with AMA (≥ 35 years) in the Hubei Province, China. The proportion of neonatal births to women with AMA increased by 68.8% from 12.5% in the one-child policy (OCP) period to 21.1% in the universal TCP period [aOR 1.76 (95% CI: 1.60, 1.93)]. In the univariate analysis, the proportion of preterm births (29.4% to 24.1%), low birth weight (LBW) (20.9% to 15.9%), and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) (11.5% to 9.2%) significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in women with AMA from the OCP period to universal TCP period. However, the proportion of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (0.2% to 0.7%) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (1.7% to 15.6%) was significantly (p < 0.05) increased over the policy changes. After adjusting for confounding factors, only the risk of GDM increased [aOR 10.91 (95% CI: 6.05, 19.67)] in women with AMA from the OCP period to the universal TCP period. In conclusion, the risk of GDM increased in women with AMA from the OCP period to the universal TCP period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Department of Medicine, Taixing People Hospital, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Nawsherwan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Cuifang Fan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renmin Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shanshan Yin
- Henan Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ijaz Ul Haq
- Department of Public Health and Nutrition, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Sumaira Mubarik
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ghulam Nabi
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Suliman Khan
- Advanced Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
| | - Linlin Hua
- Advanced Medical Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
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Jensen N, Kelly AH, Avendano M. Health equity and health system strengthening - Time for a WHO re-think. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:377-390. [PMID: 33427084 PMCID: PMC8820375 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2020.1867881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The pursuit of health equity is foundational to the global health enterprise. But while moral concerns over health inequities can galvanise political commitment, how such concerns can or should translate into practice remains less clear. This paper reviews evolving ways that equity goals have featured in key World Health Organization (WHO)-related policy documents, before discussing the heuristic value and empirical traction that the concept of equity can bring to the health system strengthening (HSS) agenda. We argue that while health equity is often presented as the overarching goal of HSS, in practice this is typically circumscribed to the provision of healthcare services. Although healthcare equity is important, we suggest that this narrow focus risks losing sight of the structural political, social and economic drivers of health and health inequities, as well as the broader contexts of care and complex socio-political mechanisms through which health systems are strengthened. Drawing on new lines of empirical inquiry, we propose that broadening the equity lens for HSS -offers exciting opportunities to put health systems at the heart of a more ambitious equity agenda in global health.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Jensen
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, North East Wing, 40 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK
| | - A. H. Kelly
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, North East Wing, 40 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK
| | - M. Avendano
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, King’s College London, North East Wing, 40 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BG, UK
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Meghani Z. Regulation of genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes as a public health tool: a public health ethics analysis. Global Health 2022; 18:21. [PMID: 35189901 PMCID: PMC8862287 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-021-00760-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent years, genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes have been proposed as a public health measure against the high incidence of mosquito-borne diseases among the poor in regions of the global South. While uncertainties as well as risks for humans and ecosystems are entailed by the open-release of GE mosquitoes, a powerful global health governance non-state organization is funding the development of and advocating the use of those bio-technologies as public health tools. In August 2016, the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) approved the uncaged field trial of a GE Aedes aegypti mosquito in Key Haven, Florida. The FDA's decision was based on its assessment of the risks of the proposed experimental public health research project. The FDA is considered a global regulatory standard setter. So, its approval of the uncaged field trial could be used by proponents of GE mosquitoes to urge countries in the global South to permit the use of those bio-technologies. METHOD From a public health ethics perspective, this paper evaluates the FDA's 2016 risk assessment of the proposed uncaged field trial of the GE mosquito to determine whether it qualified as a realistic risk evaluation. RESULTS The FDA's risk assessment of the proposed uncaged field trial did not proximate the conditions under which the GE mosquitoes would be used in regions of the global South where there is a high prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases. CONCLUSION Given that health and disease have political-economic determinants, whether a risk assessment of a product is realistic or not particularly matters with respect to interventions meant for public health problems that disproportionately impact socio-economically marginalized populations. If ineffective public health interventions are adopted based on risk evaluations that do not closely mirror the conditions under which those products would actually be used, there could be public health and ethical costs for those populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Meghani
- Philosophy Department, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
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Tadesse A, Walelign Fentaye F, Mekonen AM, Yasine T. The impact of Ethiopian community-based health extension program on diarrheal diseases among under-five children and factors associated with diarrheal diseases in the rural community of Kalu district, Northeast Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:168. [PMID: 35139841 PMCID: PMC8830013 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07565-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The health extension program is a community-based health care delivery program with eighteen defined packages. The main aim of the health extension program is to help to reduce child mortality. So, the aim of this study is to assess the impact of a health extension program on diarrheal disease under-five children in the rural community of Kalu district, Northeast Ethiopia, 2021. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March to April/2021. A Multi-stage sampling technique was used to get a total sample size of 556 (182 model households and 374 non-model households) with a response rate of 92.22%. Binary logistic regression analysis was done, and P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Propensity score matching analysis was used to determine the contribution of health extension program “model households” on diarrhea diseases among under-five children. The average treatment effect on the treated was calculated to compare the means of outcomes across model and non-model households. Results Health extension program (HEP) model household contributed a 17.7% (t = -5.02) decrease in children’s diarrheal diseases among under-five children compared with HEP non-model households. Mothers from non-model households were 2.19 times more likely to develop under-five children diarrheal diseases AOR (Adjusted Odds Ratio): 2.19, 95% CI: 1.34–3.57 than mothers from model households. Households who got no frequent home visits were 3.28 times more likely to develop under-five diarrheal diseases AOR (Adjusted Odds Ratio): 3.28, 95% CI: 1.40–7.68. Conclusion When the health extension program is implemented fully (model household), the prevalence of under-five diarrheal disease in the rural community could decrease. The need to develop supportive strategies for the sustainability of model households and encouraging households to be model households is very important. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-07565-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Tadesse
- Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia
| | - Fasil Walelign Fentaye
- Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia
| | - Asnakew Molla Mekonen
- Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia.
| | - Toyeb Yasine
- Department of Health Systems Management, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wollo University, Dessie, Amhara, Ethiopia
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Silumbwe A, Sabastian MS, Michelo C, Zulu JM, Johansson K. Sociodemographic factors associated with daily tobacco smoking and binge drinking among Zambians: evidence from the 2017 STEPS survey. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:205. [PMID: 35101017 PMCID: PMC8805266 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12594-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The burden of disease attributable to tobacco smoking and harmful alcohol consumption poses a major threat to sustainable development in most low- and middle-income countries. However, evidence on tobacco use and harmful alcohol consumption to inform context-specific interventions addressing these harmful social behaviours is limited in the African context. This study aimed to determine the sociodemographic factors associated with daily tobacco smoking and binge drinking in Zambia. METHODS The study stems from nationwide population-based representative survey data collected using the World Health Organization's STEPwise approach for non-communicable disease risk factor surveillance in 2017 among 18-69-year-old Zambians. The main outcomes were daily tobacco smoking and binge drinking, and the demographic and socioeconomic variables included sex, marital status, age, residence, level of education and occupation. Prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated using log-binomial regression analysis. RESULTS Overall, 4302 individuals (weighted percentage 49.0% men and 51.0% women) participated in the survey. The prevalence of daily tobacco smoking was 9.0%, and 11.6% of participants engaged in binge drinking, both of which were higher among men than women (17.1% vs. 1.3% and 18.6% vs. 5.3%, respectively). The adjusted prevalence of daily tobacco smoking was 14.3 (95% CI: 9.74-21.01) times higher in men than women, and 1.44 (95% CI 1.03-1.99) times higher in the > 45-year-old group compared to the 18-29-year-old group. Significant positive associations with daily tobacco smoking were found among those with no education 2.70 (95% CI 1.79- 4.07) or primary education 1.86 (95% CI 1.22-2.83) compared to those with senior secondary or tertiary education. The adjusted prevalence of daily tobacco smoking was 0.37 times lower (95% CI 0.16-0.86) among students and homemakers compared to employed participants. The adjusted prevalence of binge drinking was 3.67 times higher (95% CI 2.83-4.76) in men than in women. Significantly lower adjusted prevalences of binge drinking were found in rural residents 0.59 (95% CI: 0.46-0.77) compared to urban residents and in students/homemakers 0.58 (95% CI: 0.35-0.94) compared to employed participants. CONCLUSION This study shows huge differences between men and women regarding tobacco smoking and binge drinking in Zambia. A high occurrence of tobacco smoking was observed among men, older members of society and those with lower levels of education, while binge drinking was more common in men and in those living in urban areas. There is a need to reshape and refine preventive and control interventions for tobacco smoking and binge drinking to target the most at-risk groups in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Silumbwe
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, PO Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Miguel San Sabastian
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Charles Michelo
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, PO Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Joseph Mumba Zulu
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Zambia, PO Box 50110, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Klara Johansson
- Department of Epidemiology and Global Health, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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Doran C, Crooks V, Snyder J. Qualitatively exploring the intersection of health and housing needs in Canadian crowdfunding campaigns. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:176. [PMID: 35081934 PMCID: PMC8790899 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12599-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Online crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe fundraise millions of dollars annually for campaigners. Medical crowdfunding is a very popular campaign type, with campaigners often requesting funds to cover basic health and medical care needs. Here we explore the ways that health needs intersect with housing needs in Canadian crowdfunding campaigns. In Canada, both health and housing needs may be addressed through legislative or policy intervention, are public health priorities, and are perceived as entitlements related to people’s basic human rights. We specifically develop a classification scheme of these intersections. Methods We extensively reviewed Canadian crowdfunding campaigns on GoFundMe, the largest charitable crowdfunding platform, using a series of keywords to form the basis of the classification scheme. Through this process we identified five categories of intersection. We extracted 100 campaigns, 20 for each category, to ascertain the scope of these categories. Results Five categories form the basis of the classification scheme: (1) instances of poor health creating the need to temporarily or permanently relocate to access care or treatment; (2) house modification funding requests to enhance mobility or otherwise meet some sort of health-related need; (3) campaigns posted by people with health needs who were not able to afford housing costs, which may be due to the cost of treatment or medication or the inability to work due to health status; (4) campaigns seeking funding to address dangerous or unhealthy housing that was negatively impacting health; and (5) people describing an ongoing cyclical relationship between health and housing need. Conclusions This analysis demonstrates that health and housing needs intersect within the crowdfunding space. The findings reinforce the need to consider health and housing needs together as opposed to using a siloed approach to addressing these pressing social issues, while the classification scheme assist with articulating the breadth of what such co-consideration must include.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly Doran
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - Valorie Crooks
- Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada.
| | - Jeremy Snyder
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Baum F. How can health promotion contribute to pulling humans back from the brink of disaster? Glob Health Promot 2021; 28:64-72. [PMID: 34711103 DOI: 10.1177/17579759211044074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Health promotion has evolved over the last decades from a primary focus on behaviour change to establishing an ambitious goal of creating healthy, fair and sustainable environments in a manner which realises the rights of all people to health and well-being while protecting the health of our planet and its ecosystems. This paper argues that in order to contribute to this ambitious goal, health promotion must address three key tasks. The first is the need to take planetary health more seriously and move away from reductionist thinking to an approach that sees the planet as a complex system and values more harmony with nature, protects biodiversity and prevents global warming. The second task is to advocate and support governments to govern for health. The key to doing this is putting health and equity before profit, creating healthy urban environments, encouraging participatory decision-making, advocating for healthy economic models and assessing the ways in which corporate determinants of health operate. The third task is to ensure that moves to professionalise health promotion do not come at the expense of health promotion advocacy to powerful people and organisations. Health promotion is well placed to support civil society movements arguing for social and economic change that will benefit health such as the Black Lives Matter and environment movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran Baum
- Southgate Institute for Health, Society and Equity, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Wells JCK, Marphatia AA, Amable G, Siervo M, Friis H, Miranda JJ, Haisma HH, Raubenheimer D. The future of human malnutrition: rebalancing agency for better nutritional health. Global Health 2021; 17:119. [PMID: 34627303 PMCID: PMC8500827 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-021-00767-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The major threat to human societies posed by undernutrition has been recognised for millennia. Despite substantial economic development and scientific innovation, however, progress in addressing this global challenge has been inadequate. Paradoxically, the last half-century also saw the rapid emergence of obesity, first in high-income countries but now also in low- and middle-income countries. Traditionally, these problems were approached separately, but there is increasing recognition that they have common drivers and need integrated responses. The new nutrition reality comprises a global ‘double burden’ of malnutrition, where the challenges of food insecurity, nutritional deficiencies and undernutrition coexist and interact with obesity, sedentary behaviour, unhealthy diets and environments that foster unhealthy behaviour. Beyond immediate efforts to prevent and treat malnutrition, what must change in order to reduce the future burden? Here, we present a conceptual framework that focuses on the deeper structural drivers of malnutrition embedded in society, and their interaction with biological mechanisms of appetite regulation and physiological homeostasis. Building on a review of malnutrition in past societies, our framework brings to the fore the power dynamics that characterise contemporary human food systems at many levels. We focus on the concept of agency, the ability of individuals or organisations to pursue their goals. In globalized food systems, the agency of individuals is directly confronted by the agency of several other types of actor, including corporations, governments and supranational institutions. The intakes of energy and nutrients by individuals are powerfully shaped by this ‘competition of agency’, and we therefore argue that the greatest opportunities to reduce malnutrition lie in rebalancing agency across the competing actors. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on food systems and individuals illustrates our conceptual framework. Efforts to improve agency must both drive and respond to complementary efforts to promote and maintain equitable societies and planetary health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C K Wells
- Childhood Nutrition Research Centre, Population Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Programme, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK.
| | | | - Gabriel Amable
- Department of Geography, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Mario Siervo
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK
| | - Henrik Friis
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J Jaime Miranda
- CRONICAS Centre of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru.,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Hinke H Haisma
- Population Research Centre, Department of Demography, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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Aghalari Z, Dahms HU, Sillanpää M. Investigating the effectiveness of nanotechnologies in environmental health with an emphasis on environmental health journals. LIFE SCIENCES, SOCIETY AND POLICY 2021; 17:8. [PMID: 34511108 PMCID: PMC8436489 DOI: 10.1186/s40504-021-00116-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The use of nanotechnologies is important to reduce environmental health problems in Iran, so the present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of nanotechnologies in environmental health. This is a cross-sectional descriptive study for 11-year periods (2008-2018) on all articles published in three specialized journals of environmental health with emphasis on the use of nanotechnologies in various fields of environmental health (water, air, sewage, waste, food, radiation, etc). RESULTS In this study, 774 articles related to 114 issues of 3 specialized environmental health journals were reviewed. A review of 774 articles showed that 80 articles (10.3%) were published in the field of nanotechnologies. Out of 80 articles published in the field of nanotechnology, 66 articles (82.5%) were published on the subject of water, 9 articles (11.3%) on wastewater and 5 articles (6.2%) on air pollution. Subject review of articles showed that articles using carbon nanotubes to remove natural organic pollutants, surfactants, hydroxybenzenes, phenol, dimethyl phthalates, use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles, iron-magnesium nanoparticles for wastewater treatment, Silver nanoparticles were used to remove air pollution. The results showed that published articles on nanotechnology in the field of environmental health were few.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Aghalari
- Faculty of Public Health, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran
| | - Hans-Uwe Dahms
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environment Biology, College of Life Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, KMU - Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, 80708 Taiwan
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Aarhus University, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Faculty of Science and Technology, School of Applied Physics, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor Malaysia
- School of Chemistry, Shoolini University, Solan, Himachal Pradesh 173229 India
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López Cabello A. Pandemic momentum for health systems financialisation: Under the cloaks of Universal Health Coverage. Glob Public Health 2021; 16:1334-1345. [PMID: 33905312 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1919736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Although a highly ambiguous and contested idea, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is the hegemonic concept in international debates on health system reforms. States' difficulties to provide adequate and comprehensive response to people's health needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic strengthened the impetus for UHC implementation. But while featured as the way to achieve justice in health, analyses of UHC-kind reform experiences since the 1990s show that it may be comprehended rather as a new facet of neoliberalism in the health policies' arena. Its insurance arrangements are aimed to finance packages of health goods and services for the poor, while states play mainly a role of public funds administrators, buying from public and private providers competing in the market. UHC contributes to health system fragmentation and segmentation, weakens public structures and opens new markets for corporations to capture public funds. COVID-19 pandemic subjected health systems to unforeseen stress, underscoring the crucial role that a well-funded public health system plays in people's lives. Assessing pandemic's challenges may be an opportunity to build more egalitarian health systems, based on dignity and not people's money. However, the unreflecting adoption of technocratic health paradigms and solutions may, instead, ultimately pave the way for further health financialisation and injustice.
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Adekola TA. Revisiting the public health implications of the United States–Mexico– Canada agreement. Global Health 2020; 16:50. [PMID: 32503571 PMCID: PMC7275535 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-020-00579-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
This commentary re-examines a recent article by Labonté et al on the recent changes to two relevant provisions relating to patent rights in the final version of the United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Although the USMCA’s final revised version does not add more pharmaceutical patent protection than those that already exist in the three trading partners, the agreement has done little to enhance access to generic medicines and biosimilars.
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Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has produced mass market failure in global private health, particularly in tertiary care. Low-and-middle income countries (LMICs) dependent on private providers as a consequence of neglect of national health systems or imposed conditionalities under neoliberal governance were particularly effected. When beds were most needed for the treatment of acute COVID-19 cases, private providers suffered a liquidity crisis, itself propelled by the primary effects of lockdowns, government regulations and patient deferrals, and the secondary economic impacts of the pandemic. This led to a private sector response—involving, variously, hospital closures, furloughing of staff, refusals of treatment, and attempts to profit by gouging patients. A crisis in state and government relations has multiplied across LMICs. Amid widespread national governance failures—either crisis bound or historic—with regards to poorly resourced public health services and burgeoning private health—governments have responded with increasing legal and financial interventions into national health markets. In contrast, multilateral governance has been path dependent with regard to ongoing commitments to privately provided health. Indeed, the global financial institutions appear to be using the COVID crisis as a means to recommit to the roll out of markets in global health, this involving the further scaling back of the state.
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