International Society of Global Health

From the Journal of Global Health (IF=7.66):

"To this day, third-hand smoking (THS) has not been quantified or categorized and there is lack of data to explain the possible relationships between THS and lung cancer using disease progression models. In the field of public health, definitive trials are needed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various levels of prevention and health promotion to reduce the risk associated with THS, which has thus far received less attention. It is time to raise awareness about the potential negative effects of THS exposure and advocate for smoke-free homes for the sake of future generations."

The silent assassin: Third hand smoking — JOGH Never-smokers are being diagnosed with lung cancer at an alarmingly increasing rate in Asian countries [1]. This trend is a major cause for concern. Lung cancer has been attributed to genetic susceptibility, occupational hazards, poor air quality due to pollution, second-hand smoking, however the lo...

From Journal of Global Health (IF: 7.7):

“Cadmium pollution is a persistent and widespread threat to children’s health with few identified solutions. Long-lasting damage to children’s health starting in the earliest years should motivate investment in higher-quality interventions, innovations, and further research.”

Interventions to reduce cadmium exposure in low- and middle-income countries during pregnancy and childhood: A systematic review — JOGH Children encounter the toxic metal cadmium frequently in early life. It is present in to***co smoke, a variety of foods, air pollution, and consumer products like cheap jewellery, and some plastics. Cadmium is a human carcinogen (Group 1) [1] and is toxic to kidneys, skeletal and respiratory systems...

Journal of Global Health (IF 7.7):

“Official records of traffic injuries and fatalities have to be cross-validated. In large countries, the policy-implementation gap between central and local authorities is notable. While political leadership is vital to effective road safety measures, holistic road safety strategies are urgently needed in the Second Decade of Road Safety.”

Road safety strategies necessary in the second Decade of Road Safety — JOGH While transport is integral to mobility and the economy, the hidden social costs of rapid motorisation are tremendous. As of 2019, there were around 1.3 million traffic fatalities, accounting for 2.3% of the total deaths and ranked 12th of the causes of mortality worldwide [1]. Road injuries also le...

This paper from Journal of Global Health is from May, but it is still actual and very informative regarding Pneumococcus infection:

“The ENT/Audiology Department of Samoa welcomes the introduction of the 13-valent PCV into our national immunisation program. It is an important strategy for reducing middle ear infections and avoidable hearing loss among infants and young children, and we encourage our Pacific Island neighbours to similarly embrace the PCV where possible.”

ENT/Audiology Department of Samoa welcomes the introduction of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) into the national childhood immunisation program. — JOGH In October 2021, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) was introduced into the national immunisation program of Samoa, a Polynesian nation of the Pacific Islands [1]. The immunisation schedule is three doses of PCV for infants (6, 10, and 14 weeks of age), or two catch-up doses with an eight-week...

From our Journal of Global Health Reports:

“The continuum describes the status of various domains and corresponding subdomains and enables the identification of future goals for each subdomain. The future capabilities are meant to guide the development of an improvement path toward the desired level of advancement and monitor progress toward the desired goals. By integrating an iterative and user-centered process and using mixed methods, the D2AC Toolkit enables policymakers, program managers, and service providers to gauge current capabilities, identify future priorities, and develop an implementation plan to improve the organizational ability to transform data to action for achieving tuberculosis program goals.”

Development and expert validation of a ‘Data-to-Action Continuum’ to measure and advance the data-use capabilities of national tuberculosis programs | Published in Journal of Global Health Reports By Manish Kumar, Jeanne Chauffour & 3 more. This paper describes the development process of the D2AC Toolkit, whose aim is to enable NTPs and stakeholders—especially the policymakers, program managers, and laboratory and facility managers—to precisely gauge the...

A paper from our Journal of Global Health Reporta:

“The university should consider increasing campus role-play sessions and providing prompt updates and mental health resources to help students cope better psychologically during the pandemic.”

Psychological well-being amongst students in a Malaysian medical college one year into the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study | Published in Journal of Global Health Reports By Sylvia W. Kong, Sabrina Pei Y. Cheong & 2 more. The frequent disruption to the delivery of education and the switch to online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic affected students' mental health. The objectives of the study were to explore...

Research article from our Journal of Global Health:

“Pakistan’s population remains vastly vulnerable to contracting malaria and dengue. The country’s current circumstances (ie, floods and the economic crisis) have further impaired the government’s ability to appropriately and timely respond to the needs of those affected. It is imperative to allocate global support through finance, trained staff, and resources to aid the victims and improve control and surveillance measures, without which further losses of lives are inescapable.”

Malaria and dengue outbreaks during a national disaster in Pakistan: A rising concern for public health — JOGH Mosquitoes have been widely responsible for the spread of two major diseases in the underdeveloped world – malaria and dengue. Around 240 million instances of malaria were estimated globally as of 2020, of which 627 000 resulted in fatalities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) [1].....

Ongoing research themes from Journal of Global Health:

“This exercise identified and prioritised 99 research questions that could inform future research and funding decisions over the next five years. The results of this research could improve treatment and support for people affected by difficult to treat depression. It also serves as an example of ways in which the CHNRI method can be adapted in a collaborative manner to provide a more active role for patients, carers, and health care professionals”

Setting national research priorities for difficult-to-treat depression in the UK between 2021-2026 — JOGH Despite the range of treatments currently available for depressive disorders, many individuals do not adequately respond to multiple treatment attempts [1]. Depression is a major cause of disability worldwide, affecting between 4%-10% of the population across their lifetime [2–4]. Evidence has sho...

Viewpoint from the Journal of Global Health:

“Fundamental differences were observed regarding farming, diet consumption, and ecologic conditions between the main island and the outlying islands of Tuvalu. This suggests that public education and policies should be tailored to these differences and consider the varying demographics and environments in the main island and other smaller islands in the SIDS, such as Tuvalu.”

Does one size fit all? Differences between islands in Tuvalu and ecological perspectives — JOGH UNIQUE CHALLENGES FOR TUVALUANS REGARDING NUTRITION AND FOOD Tuvalu is a South Pacific Ocean nation consisting of nine atolls (Funafuti, Nanumea, Nanumaga, Niutao, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Nui, Nukulaelae and Niulakita) and is one of the countries impacted the most by climate change [1]. Due to scarcitie...

In 2021, following approval from the University of Nottingham (reference: R2021116), working with long COVID patient support groups the British Journal of GPs asked for submission of creative expressions to explore experiences of long COVID. Any creative form was welcomed, but primarily focusing on pieces of creative writing and poetry, which could be submitted anonymously, if preferred, via an online portal.
Four poems that provide excellent insights into the lived experience of long COVID are reported here.

https://bjgplife.com/creative-long-covid-poems-of-lived-experience/?fbclid=IwAR1PeUjjjmtzE9VQESh7RCFuaUbFow_Aczr5T45m_bjs68Xp4ksNDlITx4g

Creative long COVID: poems of lived experience – BJGP Life Arts/Coronavirus Creative long COVID: poems of lived experience by BJGP Life 19 October 2022 Mark Pearson (ORCID: 0000-0001-6749-3565) is an Assistant Professor at the School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham. Prerna Singh is a Research Officer at the Royal College of General Practitioner...

https://youtu.be/0Y94AcgoYnI

The Fight to Eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases 1 billion people around the world are suffering from diseases that can be prevented and treated. Watch to learn more about neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)...

International Society of Global Health (ISoGH) “Jobs and Funding opportunities in Global Health” NOW available to NON-MEMBERS!

You do not have to be an ISoGH member anymore to receive our selections of Jobs and Funding opportunities in Global Health.

https://isogh.org/jobs-and-funding/

Featured paper from our Journal of Global Health:

“Healthcare inequities existed during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the availability of in-home telehealth. Patient-level solutions targeted at improving digital literacy, interpretive services, as well as increasing access to stable high-speed internet are needed to promote equitable health care access.”

Telemedicine and health access inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic — JOGH The United States (US) declared a public health emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic on January 13, 2020. Subsequently, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), followed by other insurance payers, expanded access to and increased reimbursement for telehealth services. Specifically, the...

An ongoing question regarding human health and climate change. Some definitions and clarifications:

Understanding the Connections Between Climate Change and Human Health | US EPA Human Health

Our Journal of Global Health:

Data of this paper show that even during a pandemic that highly affected mobility and economic activities and decreased air pollution around the world, complying with the new WHO Guidelines will demand a global strategical effort in the way we generate energy, move in and around the cities, and manufacture products.

Changes in air pollution due to COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020: Limited effect on NO2, PM2.5, and PM10 annual means compared to the new WHO Air Quality Guidelines — JOGH Covid-19 has imposed serious challenges on health authorities and governments [1]. To minimize disease transmission, countries closed borders, imposed quarantines, and used lockdowns, closing schools, stores, restaurants, and offices. With traffic reduction and many industrial activities halted due....

A bit of correspondence on the yellow fever re-emergence in Africa:

“Another neglected tropical disease yellow fever re-emerges in African countries: Potential threat in the COVID-19 era which needs comprehensive investigations – Correspondence”

Another neglected tropical disease yellow fever re-emerges in African countries: Potential threat in the COVID-19 era which needs comprehensive investigations – Correspondence International Journal of SurgeryVolume 108, December 2022, 106988CorrespondenceAnother neglected tropical disease yellow fever re-emerges in African countries: Potential threat in the COVID-19 era which needs comprehensive investigations – CorrespondenceAuthor links open overlay panelRanjan K.Moha...

Yet another interesting paper from our Journal of Globalh Health Reports.

“Studies on the prevalence of COPD in Nigeria are still mainly from the southern parts of the country, and many of these are not based on spirometry. This presents huge uncertainties on the current level of evidence. Furthermore, it presents concerns on the level of response available across different parts of the country, and indeed across many countries in Africa, for a disease currently rated the third leading cause of death globally. This study has provided some insights on the burden of COPD in Nigeria, relevant for policies, programming, and future research in the country and Africa.”

Estimating the prevalence of COPD in an African country: evidence from southern Nigeria | Published in Journal of Global Health Reports By Boni M. Ale, Obianuju B. Ozoh & 5 more. Though several environmental and demographic factors would suggest a high burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in most African countries, there is insufficient country-level synthesis to guide public health policy...

“Mitigation of climate change (as well as adaptation to its existing effects) is not possible without human behaviour change, be it on the individual, collective or policy level. The contents of this Focus shed light on the complexities that human behaviour bears, but also point towards future directions. It is the duty of us all to turn this knowledge into action.”

Climate change and human behaviour - Nature Human Behaviour Climate change is an immense challenge. Human behaviour is crucial in climate change mitigation, and in tackling the arising consequences. In this joint Focus issue between Nature Climate Change and Nature Human Behaviour, we take a closer look at the role of human behaviour in the climate crisis.

An article from our JoGH Reports talks about the influence of smartphone applications on maternal health and health in general in India. It can certainly be generalised to other similar LMIC (as well as HIC) settings:

“Effects of a smartphone application on maternal health knowledge and dietary diversity among pregnant women in India: a randomized single center pilot study”

Effects of a smartphone application on maternal health knowledge and dietary diversity among pregnant women in India: a randomized single center pilot study | Published in Journal of Global Health Reports By Charlotte Dieteren, Subhanwita Sarkar & 2 more. Healthy lifestyles during pregnancy combined with good quality health care can help to avoid many maternal and neonatal deaths. An important condition to develop or maintain a healthy lifestyle is...

Digital Health Inequalities seminar held by The National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (NIHR) from the Greater Manchester area:

Digital Health Inequalities Seminar: November 2022 Digital Public Good Platforms for Development: The challenge of scaling. Brian Nicholson Johan Saebo

Little something from the field of Tropical medicine. It is a review of the clinical presentation, epidemiology, viral evolution, vaccines, and therapeutics against human Monkeypox virus.

“Monkeypox: An international epidemic”

Monkeypox: An international epidemic Human monkeypox (MPX) is a viral zoonosis caused by the Monkeypox virus. For decades outbreaks exclusively occurred in the tropical rainforests of Africa, with a few imported cases and very limited h...

A featured paper from our Journal of Global Health:

“Continued disruptions in salud care services and mental health among health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic in five sub-Saharan African countries”

Continued disruptions in health care services and mental health among health care providers during the COVID-19 pandemic in five sub-Saharan African countries — JOGH Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory syndrome that was first reported in December 2019 [1,2] and has become a global public health emergency of international concern and a pandemic [3]. This highly infectious illness has claimed more than six million lives globally, incl...

New paper from our JoGH Economics and Policy:

“The economic evidence complements the human rights case for increased domestic investment into health-related systems to bridge the gaps in coverage of health development-related services.”

The present value of human life losses associated with COVID-19 in South Africa | Published in Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy By Joses Muthuri Kirigia, Germano Mwabu & 1 more. The average discounted value per human life lost to COVID-19 is five-fold the GDP per capita for South Africa

Another paper from our JoGH Neurology and Psychiatry. A validation of dynamic career scale (DCS) in Serbian language:

“Adaptation and Validation of Dynamic Career Scale (DCS) in Serbian context”

Adaptation and Validation of Dynamic Career Scale (DCS) in Serbian context | Published in Journal of Global Health Neurology and Psychiatry By Smiljana Cvjetković, Viviana Langher. Four-factor structure of the Dynamic Career Scale (DCS) previously established in the Italian sample is also evident in the Serbian population, confirming the cross-cultural replicability.

Should we worry? I believe we do…

Uganda confirms Ebola case in country's east as outbreak expands An Ebola case has been confirmed in Jinja in eastern Uganda, the country's health minister said on Sunday, the first time the outbreak has spread to a new region of the country from central Uganda where cases have been confined so far.

What is syndemic and are there any additional challenges when synergistic effect of two different problems occur in the same time.

“Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge”

Environmental health, COVID-19, and the syndemic: internal medicine facing the challenge - Internal and Emergency Medicine Internists are experts in complexity, and the COVID-19 pandemic is disclosing complex and unexpected interactions between communicable and non-communicable diseases, environmental factors, and socio-economic disparities. The medicine of complexity cannot be limited to facing comorbidities and to the...

A paper from 2020 (nor as new as the others we link here) which Is up-to-date even today:

“The present meta-analysis provides evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increases the risk of anxiety among women during pregnancy and perinatal period. Support measures should be considered for women during pregnancy or perinatal period to guarantee mental health for this susceptible population.”

“COVID-19 pandemic and maternal mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

COVID-19 pandemic and maternal mental health: a systematic review and meta-analysis To evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety and depression of women during pregnancy and perinatal period. We systematically searched online databases to identify any report on mate...