Asia-Pacific journal of public health
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Asia Pac J Public Health · Mar 2011
ReviewClimate change and air quality: the potential impact on health.
The objectives of the study were to: consider the potential health impacts in Australia and the region arising from changes in air quality occurring as a result of climate change, identify vulnerable groups and potential adaptation measures and discuss the implications for policy. The authors provide an overview of international and national information on the potential health impacts of air pollutants that would most likely be affected by climate change and a discussion of the policy implications. ⋯ Regional health impact assessments of climate change should address the issue of air quality, consider current coping capacity, and determine the need for adaptation, particularly for vulnerable groups. Implications for policy include the need for improved modeling and forecasting of air pollutant levels, increased efforts to reduce emissions of air pollutants, continued monitoring of air pollutant levels, and monitoring of the incidence of health effects associated with air pollutants in all countries in the region.
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Asia Pac J Public Health · Jul 2010
Probable impacts of climate change on public health in Bangladesh.
The recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirmed that there is overwhelming evidence that the global climate will severely affect human health. Climate change might have severe consequences on public health in Bangladesh, especially in light of the poor state of the country's public health infrastructure. A number of possible direct and indirect impacts of climate change on public health in Bangladesh have been identified in this article. Adaptive measures that should be taken to reduce the negative consequences of climate change on public health have also been discussed.
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Asia Pac J Public Health · Jul 2010
ReviewReview paper: Organ transplants: ethical, social, and religious issues in a multicultural society.
Recent advances in the fields of organ donation and organ transplant have introduced new hope for the treatment of serious diseases. However, this promise has been accompanied by several issues. The most common issue raised is ethical implications, but in a multicultural society like Malaysia, additional concerns arise pertaining to social and religious issues. ⋯ The diverse cultural, religious, and traditional concepts pertaining to organ donation may hamper its acceptability and cause a lack of willingness to donate organs. The purpose of this article is to briefly explore the ethical issues involved in organ transplant and the various religious opinions on organ donation. It is hoped that this knowledge and understanding may benefit both health care providers and patients in a multicultural society like Malaysia.
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Asia Pac J Public Health · Jul 2010
Cancer in the global health era: opportunities for the Middle East and Asia.
The global burden of cancer is rising with almost 70% of cancer cases being in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Middle East and Asia have two thirds of the world's population and the largest regional concentration of LMICs. Because of massive demographic and epidemiologic transitions, cancer mortality is projected to increase substantially in these populations. ⋯ Enhanced tobacco control and managing obesity are the most important measures for effective control of most cancers. However, detailed research is required within each population to best identify risk factors and to develop evidence-based methods for cancer prevention. International collaborations are an essential step in facilitating this process, because it can improve cancer registries, create robust infrastructure, improve skills of personnel and lead to effective cancer control and prevention.
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The Millennium Development Goals stated an ambition to cut severe poverty and hunger in half by the year 2015. The recent rise in staple food prices and global economic crisis make it clear that these goals will not be met and that recent gains in mitigating malnutrition are being erased. ⋯ There are critical needs to increase production yet again and to protect the interests of the poor. The world's population will stabilize by mid-century but the quality of that half-century depends on political will, technological capacity, and commitment.