DHS Working Papers No. 69
This paper uses data from the three Indian National Family Health Surveys (1992-93, 1998-99, 2005-06) to examine how the relationship between household wealth and child mortality evolved during a time of significant economic change in India. The main predictor is a new... measure of household wealth that captures changes in wealth over time. Outcomes include neonatal mortality, postneonatal mortality, child mortality, and under-five mortality. Multivariate analysis is conducted at the national, urban, rural, and regional levels.
Results indicate that the overall relationship between household wealth and mortality weakened over time, as evidenced by the coefficients for under-five mortality at the national level.
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Strict storage recommendations for insulin are difficult to follow in hot tropical regions and even more challenging in conflict and humanitarian emergency settings, adding an extra burden to the management of people with diabetes. According to pharmacopeia unopened insulin vials must be stored in a... refrigerator (2–8°C), while storage at ambient temperature (25–30°C) is usually permitted for the 4-week usage period during treatment. In the present work we address a critical question towards improving diabetes care in resource poor settings, namely whether insulin is stable and retains biological activity in tropical temperatures during a 4-week treatment period. To answer this question, temperature fluctuations were measured in Dagahaley refugee camp (Northern Kenya) using log tag recorders. Oscillating temperatures between 25 and 37°C were observed. Insulin heat stability was assessed under these specific temperatures which were precisely reproduced in the laboratory. Different commercialized formulations of insulin were quantified weekly by high performance liquid chromatography and the results showed perfect conformity to pharmacopeia guidelines, thus confirming stability over the assessment period (four weeks). Monitoring the 3D-structure of the tested insulin by circular dichroism confirmed that insulin monomer conformation did not undergo significant modifications. The measure of insulin efficiency on insulin receptor (IR) and Akt phosphorylation in hepatic cells indicated that insulin bioactivity of the samples stored at oscillating temperature during the usage period is identical to that of the samples maintained at 2–8°C. Taken together, these results indicate that insulin can be stored at such oscillating ambient temperatures for the usual four–week period of use. This enables the barrier of cold storage during use to be removed, thereby opening up the perspective for easier management of diabetes in humanitarian contexts and resource poor settings.
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We investigate whether and to what extent Chinese development finance affects infant mortality, combining 92 demographic and health surveys (DHS) for a maximum of 53 countries and almost 55,000 sub-national locations over the 2002-2014 period. We address causality by instrumenting aid with a set of ...interacted variables. Variation over
time results from indicators that measure the availability of funding in a given year. Cross-sectional variation results from a sub-national region’s “probability to receive aid.” Controlled for this probability in tandem with fixed effects for country-years and provinces, the interactions of these variables form powerful and excludable instruments. Our results show that Chinese aid increases infant mortality at sub-national scales, but decreases mortality at the countrylevel. In several tests, we show that this stark contrast likely results from aid being fungible within recipient countries.
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The article from the European Respiratory Journal discusses the natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphasizing its increasing global impact on morbidity and mortality. It highlights that while cigarette smoking is a primary risk factor, other influences such as environm...ental exposures and genetics also play significant roles. The article notes that lung function, measured by FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second), is a critical indicator of both diagnosis and prognosis. It further explores the impact of exacerbations, comorbidities, and systemic inflammation on disease progression and outcomes. The need for comprehensive patient management, which considers various comorbid conditions and inflammatory factors, is emphasized to improve clinical outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
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In the face of rapid increases in the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean, coupled with shortages of human and material resources, including medical equipment and gases, there is a need to redesign models of care in the Region to optimize available resources... and ensure that more patients receive the quantity and quality of oxygen they need. Oxygen is included in the World Health Organization’s list of essential medicines and is used to care for patients at all levels of integrated health services networks. The efficacy of oxygen use in the treatment of patients with respiratory conditions caused by COVID-19 has been demonstrated, but there is great opportunity to improve the effectiveness of its use if it is used in a rational, sustainable, and safe way. Bearing in mind that the efficacy of a health technology is measured by its benefit under actual conditions of use, practical actions can be taken to improve the use of medical oxygen and avoid oxygen shortages. A drug is considered to be used rationally when patients receive it according to their clinical needs, in doses appropriate to their individual needs, for an appropriate period, and at a low cost to them and their community. By providing instruction on the rational use of oxygen and promoting it, negative repercussions can be avoided, such as loss of efficacy as a result of activities related to oxygen storage, distribution, and administration. Rational use of oxygen also involves controlling waste due to leaks in storage and distribution systems, use of gas at incorrect pressures, use of incorrectly adjusted flowmeters, and disconnections, among other problems. Another aspect to consider is the provision of adequate technical support for all oxygen production systems, in terms of maintenance and calibration, availability of electrical energy, and specific knowledge about these systems. For these reasons, a set of guidelines has been put together for the development of an efficient management system to deal with situations of oxygen scarcity, both now and in the future.
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ince the introduction of multidrug therapy (MDT), there has been significant progress in reducing the prevalence of leprosy and the occurrence of new cases. Global strategies have evolved with progress in reducing the disease burden. Encouraged by the decrease in the number of cases on treatment, th...e World Health Assembly passed a resolution calling on Member States to accelerate efforts towards global elimination of leprosy as a public health problem by 2000.
Most countries reached the milestone by 2010. The global strategies for 2006–2015 focused on sustaining high-quality leprosy services and early diagnosis. Reduction in the disease burden was measured in terms of grade-2 disability (G2D) or visible deformities in new cases. Since 2016, the strategies have included reduction of stigmatization of people with leprosy.
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25 August 2021. The earthquake on August 14, 2021 was almost as strong as the severe quake in 2010, which killed about 300,000 people. The current number of victims is more than 2,200 people, and more than 12,000 people have been injured. More than 52,000 houses were destroyed and more than 77,000 ...damaged. Thousands of families were affected! The magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck southwest Haiti at 8:30 a.m. local time at a depth of about 10 km. The epicentre was measured about 12 km northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud, about 125 km west of the capital Port-auPrince. The situation on the ground remains chaotic and the extent of the disaster cannot yet be predicted. In addition, heavy rainfall and the unstable security situation are complicating relief efforts. What is needed most now is food and drinking water, tents and primary health care. MEDBOX has already created the Natural Hazard Toolbox after the severe earthquake in 2010 and has collected many essential materials on health care, shelter & reconstruction after an earthquake in English, French and Kreyol there. In this issue brief, we provide a quick
overview of the most important information.
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Congenital transmission of Chagas disease has not been extensively studied in Colombia, and there are no standardized processes in the health system regarding
the specific diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of this disease. To generate recommendations on congenital Chagas disease and Chagas in wom...en of childbearing
age in Colombia, a consensus of experts was developed. An extensive literature search through the Medline database was carried out using the MeSH terms:
«Chagas disease/congenital», «prevention and control», «diagnosis», «therapeutics» and «pregnancy». Appropriate abstracts were selected and the full texts were
analyzed. The relevant information was synthesized, classified, and organized into tables and figures and was presented to a panel of experts, which was composed
of 30 professionals from various fields. Based on the Delphi methodology, three rounds of consultation were conducted. The first and second rounds were based
on electronic questionnaires that measured the level of consensus of each question among the participants. The third round was based on a face-to-face discussion focusing on those questions without consensus in the previous consultations. The evidence was adapted to national circumstances on a case-by-case basis,
and the content the final document was approved. These recommendations are proposed for use in routine medical practice by health professionals in Colombia.
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The updated guidelines present a standard minimum dataset, priority indicators and recommendations to strengthen data use across HIV prevention, testing and treatment, and linkages to services for sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and cervical cancer. The guidelines also... cover the use of routinely collected data for HIV surveillance (including measurement of HIV prevalence and incidence) and emphasize the use of data from different sources to gain a better picture of epidemiologic trends. The whole collection you can download from here https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240055315
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Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety are both prevalent in trauma-related populations. However, comorbidity of these 2 psychiatric disorders has not been investigated in flood survivors. This study aimed to estimate the extent to which PTSD and anxiety co-occur in flood survivors, and i...dentify shared risk factors for PTSD only and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety. Individuals who experienced Dongting Lake flood in 1998 were enrolled in this study using stratified and systematic random sampling method. Information on social support, personality traits, PTSD, and anxiety was collected using self-report questionnaires. The intensity of exposure to the flood was measured by some questions. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with PTSD only and comorbidity of PTSD and anxiety
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While virtually unheard of in developed countries, NTDs are a group of medically diverse parasitic and bacterial infectious diseases common in tropical and subtropical areas. NTDs affect more than 1.5 billion people annually, causing death, blindness, disfigurement, chronic pain, cognitive impairmen...t and other long-term disabilities that create obstacles to education, employment, economic growth and overall
development. When measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), the NTD burden is greater than malaria or tuberculosis.
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EID Journal , Volume 27, no.12 , Dec. 2021. Early Release
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections may be underestimated because of limited access to testing. We measured SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in South Africa every 2 months during July 2020–March 2021 in randoml...y selected household cohorts in 2 communities. We compared seroprevalence to reported laboratory-confirmed infections, hospitalizations, and deaths to calculate infection–case, infection–hospitalization, and infection–fatality ratios in 2 waves of infection. Post–second wave seroprevalence ranged from 18% in the rural community children <5 years of age, to 59% in urban community adults 35–59 years of age. The second wave saw a shift in age distribution of case-patients in the urban community (from persons 35–59 years of age to persons at the extremes of age), higher attack rates in the rural community, and a higher infection–fatality ratio in the urban community. Approximately 95% of SARS-CoV-2 infections were not reported to national surveillance.
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Oxfam Water Supply Scheme for Emergencies. This manual is part of a series of guides devised by the Oxfam Public Health Engineering Team to help provide a reliable water supply for populations affected by conflict or natural disaster. Wherever possible, water supplies in emergency conditions should ...be obtained from underground sources by exploitation of springs, tubewells, or dug wells. No filtration will then be needed. However, if sources are not available or cannot be developed, the use of surface water from streams, rivers, lakes or ponds becomes necessary. Usually these surface sources are polluted. The level of faecal contamination can be measured by use of the Oxfam/Delagua Water Test Kit (see Section C). Where a serious level of faecal pollution exists, it is essential firstly to try to reduce the cause of contamination, and secondly to treat the water to make it suitable for human consumption. The Filtration equipment provides a simple, long-term physical and biological treatment system that requires no chemicals (except small amounts of chlorine required during filter cleaning) and needs only simple regular maintenance
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The environment in which young people live, learn and play significantly affects their decisions about whether to consume alcohol. Environmental factors are the main risk factors driving alcohol consumption and related harm among young people. Environments that normalize alcohol consumption – term...ed alcogenic environments – include contexts with unregulated advertising and marketing of alcoholic beverages, higher alcohol outlet density, products designed to facilitate affordability and low prices of alcoholic beverages. A recent body of research evidence has emerged related to the measurement, functional significance and consequences of living in alcogenic environments. This includes findings on the complex and bidirectional interactions among alcohol acceptability, availability and affordability and how they create and perpetuate alcogenic environments. Comprehensive and enforced alcohol control policies are effective at delaying the age of onset and lowering alcohol prevalence and frequency among young people. Evidence consistently confirms the effectiveness of designing and implementing alcohol control policies that regulate upstream the drivers of alcogenic environment, including alcohol availability, acceptability and affordability. These policies need to be multipronged and address the complex interactions between these drivers and the local alcohol culture
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The updated guidelines present a standard minimum dataset, priority indicators and recommendations to strengthen data use across HIV prevention, testing and treatment, and linkages to services for sexually transmitted infections, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and cervical cancer. The guidelines also... cover the use of routinely collected data for HIV surveillance (including measurement of HIV prevalence and incidence) and emphasize the use of data from different sources to gain a better picture of epidemiologic trends.
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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. It is critical that no one is left behind. In 2015, all the countries in the United... Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It sets out 17 Goals, which include 169 targets. These wide-ranging and ambitious Goals interconnect. SDG 3 is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. It has 13 targets measured through 26 indicators. However, a person’s health and well-being are affected not only by disease and treatment, but also by social and economic factors such as housing, poverty and education. Health targets can therefore also be found across the other SDGs. This fact sheet shows how alcohol consumption undermines commitments to achieve 13 of the 17 SDGs, impacting on a range of health-related indicators, such as child health, infectious diseases and road injuries as well as much broader range of indicators related to economic and social development, environment and equality. The inclusion of a specific target on harmful use of alcohol (SDG 3.5: strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol) into the SDGs demonstrates the key role of alcohol within the global development agenda. The factsheet highlights positive examples of Member States’ experiences. It provides a short overview of the most cost-effective and feasible policy recommendations to reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable burden in the WHO European Region, in line with the European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. It also suggests some important resources for Member States. This factsheet was launched as part of the European Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm 2020.
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This data set represents the best estimates of WHO using methodologies for specific indicators that aim for comparability across countries and time; they are updated as more recent or revised data become available, or when there are changes to the methodology being used. Therefore, they are not alwa...ys the same as official national estimates, although WHO whenever possible will provide Member States the opportunity to review and comment on data and estimates as part of country consultations. Note that these numbers are subject to change due to ongoing reclassification, retrospective investigation and availability of laboratory results. Please check the Indicator and Measurement Registry for indicator specific information.
In this section you will find data and statisticss:
Countries with intense transmission
Other affected countries
Download most recent available data
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In this book, the authors present a dozen state of the art developments for ultrasound imaging, for example, hardware implementation, transducer, beamforming, signal prcessing, measurement of elasticity and diagnosis. Read/download chapter by chapter
Considerable energy has been expended over the last two decades in developing methods for identifying the presence of asthma among participants in population studies. The objective of this endeavour has commonly been to enable epidemiological research on risk factors for asthma, with the ultimate ai...m of preventing the disease. However, there are other reasons for measuring the prevalence of asthma in populations, including the desire to assess the burden of disease attributable to asthma, to track changes over time, and to compare the prevalence among population groups defined by geographical, demographic or social factors. Two major international collaborative studies arising from this work have made major contributions to our knowledge about asthma
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This strategy was developed to further support countries in their efforts to strengthen their capacity to implement key interventions to optimize their RHIS, enabling the monitoring and delivery of Health Care Services, especially Primary Health Care (PHC). The strategy proposes principles for integ...rated, interoperable, evidence-informed, aligned and partnership-based RHIS through five strategic goals with measurable interventions.
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