Global health action
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Global health action · Jan 2014
Hypertension: adherence to treatment in rural Bangladesh--findings from a population-based study.
Poor adherence has been identified as the main cause of failure to control hypertension. Poor adherence to antihypertensive treatment is a significant cardiovascular risk factor, which often remains unrecognized. There are no previous studies that examined adherence with antihypertensive medication or the characteristics of the non-adherent patients in Bangladesh. ⋯ Although village doctors diagnose 40% of hypertension, their treatments are associated with a higher rate of non-adherence to medication. The hypertension care practices of the village doctors should be explored by additional research. More emphasis should be placed on men, young people, and people with low education. Health programs focused on education regarding the importance of taking continuous antihypertensive medication is now of utmost importance.
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Global health action · Jan 2014
Experiences in anti-tuberculosis treatment in patients with multiple previous treatments and its impact on drug resistant tuberculosis epidemics.
Tuberculosis (TB) patients with a history of multiple anti-TB treatments are the 'neglected' group to the free anti-TB treatment policy in China. ⋯ Patients with multiple previous treatments are at extremely high risk of MDR-TB in China. The unregulated use of second-line drugs bring about the threat of XDR-TB epidemic. DST-guided treatment and strict regulations of anti-TB treatment should be assured for the high-risk TB patients for the prevention and control of M/XDR-TB.
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Global health action · Jan 2014
Applying the InterVA-4 model to determine causes of death in rural Ethiopia.
In Ethiopia, most deaths take place at home and routine certification of cause of death by physicians is lacking. As a result, reliable cause of death (CoD) data are often not available. Recently, a computerized method for interpretation of verbal autopsy (VA) data, called InterVA, has been developed and used. It calculates the probability of a set of CoD given the presence of circumstances, signs, and symptoms reported during VA interviews. We applied the InterVA model to describe CoD in a rural population of Ethiopia. ⋯ InterVA-4 can produce plausible estimates of the major public health problems that can guide public health interventions. We encourage further validation studies, in local settings, so that InterVA can be integrated into national health surveys.
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Global health action · Jan 2014
Accounting for health in climate change policies: a case study of Fiji.
Climate change is expected to affect the health of most populations in the coming decades, having the greatest impact on the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the world. The Pacific islands, including Fiji, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. ⋯ The projected health impacts of climate change should be considered as part of reviewing the Fiji National Climate Change Policy and National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, and the Public Health Act. In the interest of public health, this should include strategies for combating dengue fever, malnutrition, and water-borne disease. Related sectoral policies in water and agriculture should also be revised to consider climate change and its impact on human health. Approaches to include health aspects of climate change within sectoral and climate change specific policies should be encouraged, via a number of mechanisms, such as the Health in All Policies approach. Future research could support the Fiji health sector in developing climate change and health programmes.
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Global health action · Jan 2014
Cause of death during 2009-2012, using a probabilistic model (InterVA-4): an experience from Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System in India.
The present study aimed to estimate the age and cause-specific mortality in Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site for the years 2009 to 2012, using a probabilistic model (InterVA-4). ⋯ Overall, non-communicable diseases constituted the largest proportion of mortality, whereas trauma was the most common COD among adults at Ballabgarh HDSS. Policy-makers ought to focus on prevention of premature CODs, especially prevention of infectious diseases in children, and intentional self-harm and road traffic accidents in the adult population.