Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the number one cause of death and disability in the world.
The term NCDs refers to a group of conditions that are not mainly caused by an acute infection, result in long-term health consequences and often create a need for long-term treatment and care. ...These conditions include cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lung illnesses.
Many NCDs can be prevented by reducing common risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, physical inactivity and eating unhealthy diets. Many other important conditions are also considered NCDs, including injuries and mental health disorders.
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Accessed on 06.03.2022
Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. Household combustion devices, motor vehicles, industrial facilities and forest fires are common sou...rces of air pollution. Pollutants of major public health concern include particulate matter, carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Outdoor and indoor air pollution cause respiratory and other diseases and is an important source of morbidity and mortality.
Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year. WHO data shows that almost all of the global population (99%) breathe air that exceeds WHO guideline limits containing high levels of pollutants, with low- and middle-income countries suffering from the highest exposures. WHO is supporting countries to address air pollution.
From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. The combined effects of ambient (outdoor) and household air pollution cause millions of premature deaths every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
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The key areas covered are diagnosis, imaging, pathology, surgery, rehabilitation, palliative care and survivorship. It emphasizes a multi-disciplinary team approach which is paramount for quality cancer care. The specific cancers covered are breast, central nervous system, gastroint...estinal, gynecological, head and neck, hematological, Kaposi’s sarcoma, lung, prostate and pediatric cancers. They also complement the National Guidelines for Cancer Management in Kenya released in 2013.
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Opinión y análisis / Opinion and analysis
Rev Panam Salud Publica 38(3), 2015; Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2015;19(4):375–80
The GOLD website is dedicated to providing comprehensive information on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). It offers resources and guidelines for healthcare professionals and public health authorities to improve the diagnosis, management, and prevention of COPD worldwide. The site include...s the latest reports, strategies, and updates on COPD research, emphasizing evidence-based practices for better patient outcomes. GOLD also provides educational materials, workshops, and support for implementing COPD care programs, aiming to raise global awareness and promote effective treatments for COPD.
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The term NCDs refers to a group of conditions that are not mainly caused by an acute infection, result in long-term health consequences and often create a need for long-term treatment and care. These conditions include cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lung illnesses.
The Knowledge Translation Unit is a group within the University of Cape Town’s Lung Institute and Department of Medicine who has worked on primary care programmes to strengthen provision of evidence-informed care in low-resources settings in South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Brazil for two decad...es. See here for more information. We are working around the clock to help health workers in these and similar settings to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. These can be accessed below. We are also working to expand these to support primary healthcare workers, patients and households. You can also access our free online training.
For purposes of assisting communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are making our COVID-19 and related materials freely available for others to use subject to some simple conditions.
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Although air pollution is well known to be harmful to the lung and airways, it can also damage most other organ systems of the body. It is estimated that about 500,000 lung cancer deaths and 1.6 million COPD deaths can be attributed to air pollution, but air pollution may also account for 19% of all... cardiovascular deaths and 21% of all stroke deaths. Air pollution has been linked to other malignancies, such as bladder cancer and childhood leukemia. Lung development in childhood is stymied with exposure to air pollutants, and poor lung development in children predicts lung impairment in adults. Air pollution is associated with reduced cognitive function and increased risk of dementia. Particulate matter in the air (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm) is associated with delayed psychomotor development and lower child intelligence. Studies link air pollution with diabetes mellitus prevalence, morbidity, and mortality. Pollution affects the immune system and is associated with allergic rhinitis, allergic sensitization, and autoimmunity. It is also associated with osteoporosis and bone fractures, conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, blepharitis, inflammatory bowel disease, increased intravascular coagulation, and decreased glomerular filtration rate. Atopic and urticarial skin disease, acne, and skin aging are linked to air pollution. Air pollution is controllable and, therefore, many of these adverse health effects can be prevented.
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The Pan African Thoracic Society is a major professional organization representing Lung Health in Africa. Africa carries a disproportionally high burden of respiratory morbidity and mortality relative to the population size.
This study compared clinical and autopsy findings for three asbestos-related diseases (asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer) in former asbestos mineworkers, and explored factors that influenced agreement between clinical and autopsy findings using data from two compensation systems. In South Afr...ica, statutory compensation for occupational lung diseases in mineworkers makes provisions for autopsy examinations of the cardio-respiratory organs at the National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH) in Johannesburg. In addition, the Johannesburg-based Asbestos Relief Trust and Kgalagadi Relief Trust (the “Trusts”) compensate individuals with defined asbestos-related diseases who worked in or lived near qualifying asbestos mining or processing operations. The Trusts also compensate dependents of deceased qualifying mineworkers and therefore encourage statutory autopsies for the detection of previously undiagnosed asbestos-related disease or disease that may have progressed to higher compensation grades.
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There is increasing interest in understanding the role of air pollution as one of the greatest threats to human health worldwide. Nine of 10 individuals breathe air with polluted compounds that have a great impact on lung tissue. The nature of the relationship is complex, and new or updated data are... constantly being reported in the literature. The goal of our review was to summarize the most important air pollutants and their impact on the main respiratory diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, lung cancer, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, respiratory infections, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis) to reduce both short- and the long-term exposure consequences. We considered the most important air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, ozone, particulate matter and biomass smoke, and observed their impact on pulmonary pathologies. We focused on respiratory pathologies, because air pollution potentiates the increase in respiratory diseases, and the evidence that air pollutants have a detrimental effect is growing. It is imperative to constantly improve policy initiatives on air quality in both high- and low-income countries.
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This American Thoracic Society Statement was prepared by a Committee of the Scientific Assembly on Environmental and Occupational Health at the request of the American Lung Association Occupational Health Expert Advisory Group to emphasize the continuing importance of silicosis as a major lung disea...se worldwide and the need for increasing efforts in prevention. Emphasis is placed on public health issues of silicosis rather than on important current research in pathologic mechanisms.
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The article "A 20-year follow-up study on chronic respiratory effects of exposure to cotton dust" evaluates the long-term impact of cotton dust exposure on respiratory health. It followed a cohort of Chinese cotton and silk workers from 1981 to 2001, comparing lung function and symptoms. Results sho...wed that cotton workers experienced greater declines in lung function and persistent respiratory symptoms compared to silk workers. The study found that exposure to airborne endotoxins in cotton dust was strongly linked to chronic respiratory impairment. It highlighted that stopping exposure helped improve lung function, particularly in non-smoking men, while smokers continued to show negative effects.
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The2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines: A Report from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Coordinating Committee Expert Panel Working Group was coordinated and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Healt...h. It is designed to improve patient care and support informed decision making about asthma management in the clinical setting. This update addresses six priority topic areas as determined by the state of the science at the time of a needs assessment, and input from multiple stakeholders:
• Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Testing
• Indoor Allergen Mitigation
• Intermittent Inhaled Corticosteroids
• Long-Acting Muscarinic Antagonists
• Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Allergic Asthma
• Bronchial Thermoplasty
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With Asthma Day coming up, Edrine Osteen Mukalazi sat down with Dr. Rebecca Nantanda to discuss "Closing the gap on #Asthma care for children on the Health Pot show."
Leave on a comment and let us know whether this video has been educational for you.
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✽ Our guest Rebecca Nantanda ✽
⊳ Dr. Rebecca Nantanda is a member of the Institute Technical Board (ITB) of Makerere University Lung Institute.
⊳ She has been involved in research on respiratory diseases in children for the past 12 years with specific focus on pneumonia and asthma.
⊳ She has a number of publications in peer-reviewed journals and has made several presentations at International and Local Scientific conferences on the above subjects.
⊳ She is currently involved in research, clinical care and pre-service and in-service training of health care professionals.
⊳ Her qualifications contain MBChB (MUST), M.Med Paediatrics and Child Health (MUK), PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Sida- Makerere Research Program.
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The pamphlet "Marijuana" explains the effects and risks of cannabis use. It describes THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, which binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain, causing effects like relaxation, altered perception, and euphoria. Short-term effects include red eyes, hunger, and anx...iety, while long-term effects may involve memory loss, lung problems, and slowed brain development, especially with early and frequent use. It highlights the potential for negative impacts on mental and physical health while noting there are no direct deaths solely from marijuana use. The pamphlet provides links to resources for further information and recovery options.
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Over 90% of the morbidity and mortality related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma occurs in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to well documented factors including decreased access to screening, trained health professionals, and therapies for disease manageme...nt. Inhaler therapy (eg, aerosolised medications by inhalation, nebulisation, or propellant) is the mainstay of treatment for COPD and asthma. Adherence to maintenance medications for COPD and asthma results in improved lung function and quality of life, as well as decreased hospitalisation and mortality. WHO have included short-acting beta-agonists, long-acting muscarinic antagonists, and inhaled corticosteroids on the essential medications list, with a target goal of achieving 80% availability of these medications in public and private facilities. However, despite these efforts, accessibility, and affordability of medications for COPD and asthma remains scarce.
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Myth: It’s better to ‘tough it out’ without taking asthma medication. The lungs do not get stronger or become better able to deal with asthma if a person tries to work through an attack without medication. In fact, the lung inflammation that goes along with an attack (see what is asthma) ...can cause permanent damage to the lungs. Always use medication according to the Asthma Action Plan. If you have questions, talk with your health care provider.
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Tuberculosis (TB) is the deadliest infectious disease in most low- and middle-income countries, claiming more than 4,000 lives each day. The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has seriously impacted people with pre-existing health conditions. People with TB are usually more vulnerable to other infectio...ns, including the novel coronavirus, due to pre-existing lung damage. They are also at higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19.
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Demographic and epidemiological transitions are changing the age structure of the population and the most common diseases. Non-communicable respiratory diseases are an increasing problem at both ends of the age range in low-income and middle-income countries. In children, who represent a large propo...rtion of the total population, the increasing problem of asthma is a strain on health services. Improved survival of the older population is increasing the proportion of morbidity and mortality attributable to chronic lung diseases. Health services in low-resource countries are poorly adapted to treating chronic diseases. Designed to respond episodically to acute disease, almost all historical investment has focused on infectious diseases. Crucial to the successful management of chronic diseases is an infrastructure designed to support pro-active management, providing not only an accurate diagnosis, but also a secure supply of cost effective drugs at an affordable price. The absence of such an infrastructure in many countries and the market failure that makes drugs generally more expensive in low-resource regions means that many people with chronic non-communicable lung diseases are not given effective treatment. This has damaging economic consequences. The common causes of poor lung health in lowincome countries are not the same as those in richer countries, and there is a need to study why they are so common and how best to manage them.
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