BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on political leadership around the world. Differences in how leaders address the pandemic through public messages have practical implications for ...building trust and an effective response within a country.MethodsWe analysed the speeches made by 20 heads of government around the world (Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Scotland, Sint Maarten, United Kingdom, United States and Taiwan) to highlight the differences between men and women leaders in discussing COVID-19. We used an inductive analytical approach, coding speeches for specific themes based on language and content.FindingsFive primary themes emerged across a total of 122 speeches on COVID-19, made by heads of government: economics and financial relief, social welfare and vulnerable populations, nationalism, responsibility and paternalism, and emotional appeals. While all leaders described the economic impact of the pandemic, women spoke more frequently about the impact on the individual scale. Women leaders were also more often found describing a wider range of social welfare services, including: mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence. Both men and women from lower-resource settings described detailed financial relief and social welfare support that would impact the majority of their populations. While 17 of the 20 leaders used war metaphors to describe COVID-19 and the response, men largely used these with greater volume and frequency.ConclusionWhile this analysis does not attempt to answer whether men or women are more effective leaders in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, it does provide insight into the rhetorical tools and types of language used by different leaders during a national and international crisis. This analysis provides additional evidence on the differences in political leaders’ messages and priorities to inspire citizens’ adhesion to the social contract in the adoption of response and recovery measures. However, it does not consider the influence of contexts, such as the public audience, on leaders’ strategic communication approaches.
With large swathes of the world's population-majority clustered in low- and middle-income countries-still yet to receive the minimum of two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine; The need to address the ...failures of international solidarity to equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines is now more urgent than ever to help curb the pandemic and prevent future variants. However, many high-income countries have adopted a "me first" approach, proceeding to offer COVID-19 booster doses to their entire populations, including those at least risk of severe illness, whilst the rest of the world is left unvaccinated or partially vaccinated with one dose for even their most vulnerable communities.
COVID-19 vaccine inequity places the health of the global population at risk and exacerbates socio-economic repercussions, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Initiatives launched to combat vaccine inequity such as the Fair Allocation Framework for the COVID-19 Vaccines (COVAX) have been unsuccessful as several governments, primarily from high-income countries, have scaled down their contributions to the initiative. Furthermore, COVAX has not seriously engaged with the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Health Systems Connector, as was originally intended, leading to crucial health systems components critical to vaccine delivery to be overlooked. Several strategies can be employed to help achieve the desired global immunization goals, such as Intellectual Property waivers, increased donations, and activation of new COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing hubs. In addition, continued advocacy for vaccine equity by all involved and affected stakeholders, as well as critical amendments to existing or upcoming legislation and funding mechanisms will help address the shortcomings of current inequitable vaccine distribution.
Global solidarity and collective action through pandemic governance mechanisms are urgently needed to ensure vaccine equity. These interventions are vital to rapidly mitigate ongoing health and humanitarian crises and ultimately curb the pandemic, sooner rather than later.
ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to assess the impact of electronic health records (EHRs) on health outcomes and care of displaced people with chronic health conditions and determine ...barriers and facilitators to EHR implementation in displaced populations.DesignA systematic review protocol was developed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Systematic Reviews.Data sourcesMEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Health Technology Assessment, Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched from inception to 12 April 2021.Eligibility criteria for selected studiesInclusion criteria were original research articles, case reports and descriptions of EHR implementation in populations of displaced people, refugees or asylum seekers with related chronic diseases. Grey literature, reviews and research articles unrelated to chronic diseases or the care of refugees or asylum populations were excluded. Studies were assessed for risk of bias using a modified Cochrane, Newcastle-Ottawa and Joanna Briggs Institute tools.Data extraction and synthesisTwo reviewers independently extracted data from each study using Covidence. Due to heterogeneity across study design and specific outcomes, a meta-analysis was not possible. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo V.12 (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia). An inductive analysis was used in order to uncover patterns and themes in the experiences, general outcomes and perceptions of EHR implementation.ResultsA total of 32 studies across nine countries were included: 14 in refugee camps/settlements and 18 in asylum countries. Our analysis suggested that EHRs improve health outcomes for chronic diseases by increasing provider adherence to guidelines or treatment algorithms, monitoring of disease indicators, patient counselling and patient adherence. In asylum countries, EHRs resource allocation to direct clinical care and public health services, as well as screening efforts. EHR implementation was facilitated by their adaptability and ability to integrate into management systems. However, barriers to EHR development, deployment and data analysis were identified in refugee settings.ConclusionOur results suggest that well-designed and integrated EHRs can be a powerful tool to improve healthcare systems and chronic disease outcomes in refugee settings. However, attention should be paid to the common barriers and facilitating actions that we have identified such as utilising a user-centred design. By implementing adaptable EHR solutions, health systems can be strengthened, providers better supported and the health of refugees improved.
Respiratory illnesses are a leading cause of death for children worldwide, with the majority of these cases occurring from preterm birth complications or acute respiratory infections. Appropriate ...respiratory intervention must be provided quickly to lower the chances of death or permanent harm. As a result, respiratory support given in prehospital and interfacility transport can substantially improve health outcomes for these patients, particularly in areas where transportation time to appropriate facilities is lengthy. Existing literature supports the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV), such as nasal or bilevel continuous positive airway pressure, as a safe form of respiratory support for children under 18 years old in certain transportation settings. This mini review summarizes the literature on pediatric NIV in transport and highlights significant gaps that future researchers should address. In particular, we identify the need to: solidify clinical guidelines for the selection of eligible pediatric patients for transport on NIV; explore the range of factors influencing successful NIV implementation during transportation; and apply appropriate best practices in low and middle income countries.
BackgroundCash transfers, payments provided by formal or informal institutions to recipients, are increasingly used in emergencies. While increasing autonomy and being supportive of local economies, ...cash transfers are a cost-effective method in some settings to cover basic needs and extend benefits of limited humanitarian aid budgets. Yet, the extent to which cash transfers impact health in humanitarian settings remains largely unexplored. This systematic review evaluates the evidence on the effect of cash transfers on health outcomes and health service utilisation in humanitarian contexts.MethodsStudies eligible for inclusion were peer reviewed (quantitative,qualitative and mixed-methods). Nine databases (PubMed, EMBAS, Medline, CINAHL, Global Health, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, SciELO and LiLACS) were searched without language and without a lower bound time restriction through 24 February 2021. The search was updated to include articles published through 8 December 2021. Data were extracted using a piloted extraction tool and quality was assessed using The Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Tool. Due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcomes, results were synthesised narratively and no meta-analysis was performed.Results30 673 records were identified. After removing duplicates, 17 715 were double screened by abstract and title, and 201 in full text. Twenty-three articles from 16 countries were included reporting on nutrition outcomes, psychosocial and mental health, general/subjective health and well-being, acute illness (eg, diarrhoea, respiratory infection), diabetes control (eg, blood glucose self-monitoring, haemoglobin A1C levels) and gender-based violence. Nineteen studies reported some positive impacts on various health outcomes and use of health services, 11 reported no statistically significant impact on outcomes assessed and 4 reported potential negative impacts on health outcomes.DiscussionAlthough there is evidence to suggest a positive relationship between cash transfers and health outcomes in humanitarian settings, high-quality empirical evidence, that is methodologically robust, investigates a range of humanitarian settings and is conducted over longer time periods is needed. This should consider factors influencing programme implementation and the differential impact of cash transfers designed to improve health versus multipurpose cash transfers.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021237275.
BackgroundWhile an estimated 70%–75% of the health workforce are women, this is not reflected in the leadership roles of most health organisations—including global decision-making bodies such as the ...World Health Assembly (WHA).MethodsWe analysed gender representation in WHA delegations of Member States, Associate Members and Observers (country/territory), using data from 10 944 WHA delegations and 75 815 delegation members over 1948–2021. Delegates’ information was extracted from WHO documentation. Likely gender was inferred based on prefixes, pronouns and other gendered language. A gender-to-name algorithm was used as a last resort (4.6%). Time series of 5-year rolling averages of the percentage of women across WHO region, income group and delegate roles are presented. We estimated (%) change ±SE of inferred women delegation members at the WHA per year, and estimated years±SE until gender parity from 2010 to 2019 across regions, income groups, delegate roles and countries. Correlations with these measures were assessed with countries’ gender inequality index and two Worldwide Governance indicators.ResultsWhile upwards trends could be observed in the percentage of women delegates over the past 74 years, men remained over-represented in most WHA delegations. Over 1948–2021, 82.9% of delegations were composed of a majority of men, and no WHA had more than 30% of women Chief Delegates (ranging from 0% to 30%). Wide variation in trends over time could be observed across different geographical regions, income groups and countries. Some countries may take over 100 years to reach gender parity in their WHA delegations, if current estimated trends continue.ConclusionDespite commitments to gender equality in leadership, women remain gravely under-represented in global health governance. An intersectional approach to representation in global health governance, which prioritises equity in participation beyond gender, can enable transformative policymaking that fosters transparent, accountable and just health systems.
Unraveling the Jeopardy: Child health in Afghanistan Essar, Mohammad Yasir; Ashworth, Henry Charles; Hunain, Reem ...
The International journal of health planning and management,
November 2022, 2022-11-00, 20221101, Letnik:
37, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
A humanitarian crisis started in Afghanistan after the United States and international Allies withdrew in August 2021, causing numerous challenges and have especially impacted children. Children in ...Afghanistan have been affected by a long history of suffering from violence, war, and poverty. The US withdraw and COVID‐19 pandemic have caused an economic crisis causing high rates of child malnutrition and prevented them from receiving healthcare and education. In the long run, the impacts of the current situation will significantly affect the child growth, education, and psychological health. There is a need for international organizations to intervene now to ensure children do not further suffer and have the option for a bright future. In turn, ensuring a brighter future for Afghanistan.
Background While an estimated 70%–75% of the
health workforce are women, this is not reflected in
the leadership roles of most health organisations—
including global decision-making
bodies such as ...the
World Health Assembly (WHA).
Methods We analysed gender representation in WHA
delegations of Member States, Associate Members and
Observers (country/territory), using data from 10 944
WHA delegations and 75 815 delegation members over
1948–2021. Delegates’ information was extracted from
WHO documentation. Likely gender was inferred based
on prefixes, pronouns and other gendered language.
A gender-to-
name
algorithm was used as a last resort
(4.6%). Time series of 5-year
rolling averages of the
percentage of women across WHO region, income group
and delegate roles are presented. We estimated (%)
change ±SE of inferred women delegation members at
the WHA per year, and estimated years±SE until gender
parity from 2010 to 2019 across regions, income
groups, delegate roles and countries. Correlations
with these measures were assessed with countries’
gender inequality index and two Worldwide Governance
indicators.
Results While upwards trends could be observed in
the percentage of women delegates over the past 74
years, men remained over-represented
in most WHA
delegations. Over 1948–2021, 82.9% of delegations
were composed of a majority of men, and no WHA had
more than 30% of women Chief Delegates (ranging
from 0% to 30%). Wide variation in trends over time
could be observed across different geographical
regions, income groups and countries. Some countries
may take over 100 years to reach gender parity in their
WHA delegations, if current estimated trends continue.
Conclusion Despite commitments to gender equality in
leadership, women remain gravely under-represented
in global health governance. An intersectional approach
to representation in global health governance, which
prioritises equity in participation beyond gender,
can enable transformative policymaking that fosters
transparent, accountable and just health systems.
The synthesis of a novel series of 1,4-dihydroindeno1,2-cpyrazoles with acetylene-type side chains is described. Optimization of those compounds as KDR kinase inhibitors identified 8, which displayed ...an oral activity in an estradiol-induced murine uterine edema model (ED50 = 3 mg/kg) superior to Sutent (ED50 = 9 mg/kg) and showed potent antitumor efficacy in an MX-1 human breast carcinoma xenograft tumor growth model (tumor growth inhibition = 90% at 25 mg/kg·day po). The compound was docked into a homology model of the homo-tetrameric pore domain of the hERG potassium channel to identify strategies to improve its cardiac safety profile. Systematic interruption of key binding interactions between 8 and Phe656, Tyr652, and Ser624 yielded 90, which only showed an IC50 of 11.6 μM in the hERG patch clamp assay. The selectivity profile for 8 and 90 revealed that both compounds are multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors with low nanomolar potencies against the members of the VEGFR and PDGFR kinase subfamilies.
PAPERS IN AGRICULTURE Vernon, Henry; TAYLOR, CHARLES; Gray, Lawrence ...
Transactions of the Society, Instituted at London, for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce,
01/1801, Letnik:
19
Journal Article