Bulletin of the World Health Organization
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Bull. World Health Organ. · Feb 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyCost-effectiveness of skin-barrier-enhancing emollients among preterm infants in Bangladesh.
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of topical emollients, sunflower seed oil (SSO) and synthetic Aquaphor, versus no treatment, in preventing mortality among hospitalized preterm infants (< 33 weeks gestation) at a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. ⋯ Topical therapy with SSO or Aquaphor was highly cost-effective in reducing deaths from infection among the preterm neonates studied. The choice of emollient should be made taking into account budgetary limitations and ease of supply. Further research is warranted on additional locally available emollients, use of emollients in community-based settings and generalizability to other geographic regions.
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Bull. World Health Organ. · Feb 2010
Randomized Controlled TrialHousehold-wide ivermectin treatment for head lice in an impoverished community: randomized observer-blinded controlled trial.
To generate evidence on the effectiveness of household-wide treatment for preventing the transmission of pediculosis capitis (head lice) in resource-poor communities. ⋯ In an impoverished community, girls and the poorest of the poor are the population groups that are most vulnerable for head lice infestation. To decrease the number of head lice episodes per unit of time, control measures should include the treatment of all household contacts. Mass treatment with ivermectin may reduce the incidence of head lice infestation and associated morbidity in resource-poor communities.
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Bull. World Health Organ. · Jan 2010
Compiling mortality statistics from civil registration systems in Viet Nam: the long road ahead.
Accurate mortality statistics, needed for population health assessment, health policy and research, are best derived from data in vital registration systems. However, mortality statistics from vital registration systems are not available for several countries including Viet Nam. We used a mixed methods case study approach to assess vital registration operations in 2006 in three provinces in Viet Nam (Hòa Bình, Thùa Thiên-Hué and Bình Duong), and provide recommendations to strengthen vital registration systems in the country. ⋯ The system does not conform to international standards for reporting cause of death or for recording detailed statistics by age, sex and cause of death. Capacity-building along with an intersectoral coordination committee involving the Ministries of Justice and Health and the General Statistics Office would improve the vital registration system, especially with regard to procedures for death registration. There appears to be strong political support for sentinel surveillance systems to generate reliable mortality statistics in Viet Nam.