Articles: health.
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Cadernos de saúde pública · Apr 1995
[Studies on women in three public health journals: a bibliographical review].
The purpose of this study is determine how the First National Conference on Women's Health Rights, held in Brasilia in 1986, was reflected in three main Brazilian public health journals. The articles were published in Revista de Saúde Pública (Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo), Saúde em Debate (Centro Brasileiro de Estudos de Saúde) and Cadernos de Saúde Pública (Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), from 1986 to 1993.
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Vitamin A deficiency is a significant problem in many countries in the developing world. Reports have noted demographic and socioeconomic risk factors for vitamin A deficiency. 'Deficiency' has usually been defined by clinical signs and symptoms which represent only a small proportion of those children at increased risk for vitamin A preventable morbidity and mortality. ⋯ We found that owning land and that the highest and lowest categories of reported household income were associated with higher serum retinol levels. We also noted clustering of serum retinol levels by village and discovered that children from larger sibships and infants had significantly lower serum retinol levels. Vitamin A supplementation of lactating mothers, particularly of high parity, and/or their infants should be considered.
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A study was carried out to assess the quality of case management of malaria, malnutrition, diarrhoea and acute respiratory tract infections in children in rural primary health services in Papua New Guinea. In particular, the study focused on the knowledge and skills of different categories of rural health workers (HW) in history taking, examination, diagnosis, treatment and patient education. Quality criteria were defined and health centre (HCW) and aidpost workers' (APWs) knowledge and practices were assessed. ⋯ Treatment knowledge was often incorrect, with inappropriate or insufficient drugs prescribed, being worst at aidpost level. These findings raise serious questions about the effectiveness of providing health services through small, isolated health units. Far greater attention must now be directed to focus on the institutionalization of problem-based training, continuous supportive supervision and maintenance of clinical skills and provision of essential drugs, supplies and equipment to ensure that rural health workers (RHW) can provide sound care.