Global and Humanitarian Medicine
M-A | Impact on childhood mortality of interventions to improve drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene to households
10 May, 2023 | 15:28h | UTC
WHO declares end to COVID-19 global health emergency
8 May, 2023 | 13:26h | UTCWHO Declares End to COVID-19 Global Health Emergency – Health Policy Watch
M-A | Effectiveness of handwashing with soap for preventing acute respiratory infections in low-income and middle-income countries
5 May, 2023 | 15:28h | UTCNews Release: Handwashing during ‘normal times’ can reduce burden of respiratory disease – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Commentary from the author: New meta-analysis – handwashing promotion reduces respiratory infections by 17%
Commentary from the author on Twitter
Our new meta-analysis in @TheLancet : promoting handwashing with soap reduces respiratory infections by 17%.
Paper
👉 https://t.co/83RnQFbZoiBlogpost
👉 https://t.co/YZi91FGpo2Handwashing is not just for pandemics.
Endemic pneumonia kills 2.5m every year. pic.twitter.com/ulOUljLZUO— Ian Ross (@IanRossUK) April 28, 2023
Review | The global burden of liver disease
5 May, 2023 | 15:23h | UTCThe Global Burden of Liver Disease – Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Clinical aspects of snakebite envenoming and its treatment in low-resource settings
2 May, 2023 | 13:21h | UTCClinical aspects of snakebite envenoming and its treatment in low-resource settings – The Lancet (free registration required)
Global burden of chronic respiratory diseases and risk factors, 1990–2019
28 Apr, 2023 | 13:17h | UTCNews Release: Chronic respiratory disease is third leading cause of death globally with air pollution killing 1.3 million people – IHME
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Modifiable risk factors like air pollution were responsible for roughly 70% of chronic respiratory disease (#CRD) deaths, finds new global burden of disease study published in @eClinicalMed @TheLancet 🧵
»https://t.co/uUVZFdNWVV pic.twitter.com/kgMXOePlfS
— Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) (@IHME_UW) April 25, 2023
Study estimates poor diet causes 70% of diabetes cases globally
21 Apr, 2023 | 13:06h | UTCIncident type 2 diabetes attributable to suboptimal diet in 184 countries – Nature Medicine
News Release: Study links poor diet to 14 million cases of type 2 diabetes globally – Tufts University
Commentary on Twitter
An analysis in @NatureMedicine estimates that 70% of new global cases of type 2 diabetes are attributable to suboptimal intake of 11 dietary factors, with substantial differences in dietary risks across world regions and nations. https://t.co/MYoLRt3rhO pic.twitter.com/Pv7I6Mhvxu
— Nature Portfolio (@NaturePortfolio) April 19, 2023
Cluster RCT | Long-lasting insecticidal nets compared for malaria control
12 Apr, 2023 | 13:04h | UTCInvited Commentary: Getting ahead of insecticide-resistant malaria vector mosquitoes – The Lancet (free registration required)
SR | Epidemiology of injecting drug use, related harms & exposure to behavioral and environmental risks
11 Apr, 2023 | 14:26h | UTCInvited Commentary: Surveillance of injecting drug use as a global health imperative – The Lancet Global Health
News Release: Evidence of injecting drug use found in 190 countries: global review – UNSW Sydney
Related Article: Global coverage of interventions to prevent and manage drug-related harms among people who inject drugs: a systematic review – The Lancet Global Health
M-A | Ambient air pollution and clinical dementia
11 Apr, 2023 | 14:23h | UTCAmbient air pollution and clinical dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis – The BMJ
Editorial: Air pollution and dementia – The BMJ
News Releases:
Air pollution may increase risk for dementia – Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Exposure to fine particle air pollution linked to heightened dementia risk – BMJ Newsroom
Commentary: Elevated dementia risk even when pollution is below EPA standards – The Harvard Gazette
SR | Global coverage of interventions to prevent and manage drug-related harms among people who inject drugs
11 Apr, 2023 | 14:24h | UTCInvited Commentary: Harm reduction interventions for people who inject drugs – The Lancet Global Health
News Release: Evidence of injecting drug use found in 190 countries: global review – UNSW Sydney
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Online first: Global coverage of interventions to prevent and manage drug-related harms among people who inject drugs: a systematic review https://t.co/2xvrQryyLN (1/4)
— The Lancet Global Health (@LancetGH) April 3, 2023
WHO Report | Dengue & Chikungunya cases spreading beyond known transmission zones in the Americas
10 Apr, 2023 | 14:04h | UTCCommentary: WHO: Concerning Spread of Dengue, Chikungunya in Latin America – JAMA
Global epidemiology of cirrhosis — Etiology, trends and predictions
6 Apr, 2023 | 13:27h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
New content online: Global epidemiology of cirrhosis — aetiology, trends and predictions https://t.co/EbgDWTjOyI pic.twitter.com/Cj7KFoWtLi
— Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology (@NatRevGastroHep) March 28, 2023
WHO Report | 1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility
5 Apr, 2023 | 13:47h | UTCNews Release: 1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility – World Health Organization
Report: Infertility Prevalence Estimates, 1990–2021 – World Health Organization
Key facts: Infertility – World Health Organization
Commentaries:
Infertility affects a ‘staggering’ 1 in 6 people worldwide, WHO says – CNN
One in six people worldwide affected by infertility, WHO reports – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
Around 1 in 6 people is affected by infertility in their lifetime: 🆕 WHO research.
This shows an urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care https://t.co/od9QQ9Qjvj pic.twitter.com/R8JtezT0kZ
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) April 4, 2023
Analysis | Global coverage and design of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes
5 Apr, 2023 | 12:43h | UTCGlobal Coverage and Design of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxes – JAMA Network Open
Related:
WHO manual on sugar-sweetened beverage taxation policies to promote healthy diets.
M-A: Outcomes following taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages.
Public Policies to Reduce Sugary Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents – Pediatrics
Cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages: What works? – Cochrane Library
Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes: Lessons to date and the future of taxation – PLOS Medicine
Banning the promotion of soft drinks could be more effective than a sugar tax – The Conversation
Sugar tax: why health experts want it but politicians and industry are resisting – The Guardian
Commentary on Twitter
With 105 national SSB taxes in effect covering 51% of the world’s population, SSB taxes are no longer a novel policy tool. https://t.co/P0TvIdB4D3
— JAMA Network Open (@JAMANetworkOpen) March 29, 2023
Updated WHO Guidelines | COVID-19 boosters no longer routinely recommended for low-risk groups
30 Mar, 2023 | 14:33h | UTCSummary: The WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) has revised its COVID-19 vaccination roadmap in light of the Omicron variant and widespread population immunity. The revised roadmap prioritizes protecting those at the highest risk of severe disease and death while maintaining resilient health systems. It introduces cost-effectiveness considerations for vaccinating lower-risk individuals, such as healthy children and adolescents, and presents revised booster dose recommendations.
Priority groups are categorized as high, medium, and low, based on factors like risk of severe disease and death. People in the high-priority group, consisting of older adults, individuals with significant comorbidities or immunocompromising conditions, pregnant persons, and frontline health workers, are advised to receive additional boosters 6 or 12 months after the last dose. The medium priority group, which includes healthy adults without comorbidities and children with comorbidities, is recommended to receive primary series and first booster doses. However, SAGE no longer routinely recommends additional boosters for this group due to limited public health gains.
For the low-priority group, encompassing healthy children and adolescents, vaccination decisions should take into account factors such as disease prevalence and cost-effectiveness. It is important to note that the public health benefits of vaccinating healthy children and adolescents are considerably lower compared to established essential vaccines for children, like rotavirus, measles, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.
News Release: SAGE updates COVID-19 vaccination guidance – World Health Organization
Commentaries:
No More COVID-19 Boosters for Healthy People, WHO Experts Recommend – Health Policy Watch
WHO vaccine advisers update COVID vaccine recommendations – CIDRAP
M-A | The efficacy of Kangaroo-Mother care to the clinical outcomes of LBW and premature infants
21 Mar, 2023 | 13:35h | UTCSummary: Kangaroo-Mother Care (KMC) is a method that involves skin-to-skin contact between the mother and newborn, frequent exclusive or almost exclusive breastfeeding, and early discharge. KMC is an alternative to traditional care interventions for low birthweight (LBW) infants, and the World Health Organization has recommended its use for LBW infants for over a decade.
The authors conducted a meta-analysis including 17 randomized clinical trials involving 17,668 participants. They found that KMC can significantly reduce neonatal mortality, lower hypothermia and sepsis rates, and reduce the duration of hospital stay. The authors suggest that KMC should be promoted, popularized, and standardized in clinical practice.
Related:
Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants – Cochrane Library
Analysis | Networks of care to strengthen primary healthcare in resource constrained settings
21 Mar, 2023 | 13:08h | UTCNetworks of care to strengthen primary healthcare in resource constrained settings – The BMJ
Burden, trends, and inequalities of heart failure globally, 1990 to 2019
14 Mar, 2023 | 13:35h | UTC
Evidence for harmful cardiovascular effects of ambient ozone: Insights from a multi-city time-series study in China
14 Mar, 2023 | 13:32h | UTCOzone pollution and hospital admissions for cardiovascular events – European Heart Journal
News Release: Ozone pollution is linked with increased hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease – European Society of Cardiology
The global burden of metabolic disease: data from 2000 to 2019
13 Mar, 2023 | 14:39h | UTCThe global burden of metabolic disease: Data from 2000 to 2019 – Cell Metabolism (free for a limited period)
New WHO guidelines to boost the use of life-saving safety restraints in vehicles
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:40h | UTCNews Release: New global guidelines to boost the use of life-saving safety restraints in vehicles – World Health Organization
WHO urges countries to implement comprehensive sodium reduction policies to combat cardiovascular disease
10 Mar, 2023 | 14:43h | UTCSummary:
A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has shown that the world needs to catch up to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025. The report highlights that only 5% of WHO member states have mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies.
Sodium, found in table salt and other condiments, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and premature death when eaten in excess. Implementing highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies could save an estimated seven million lives globally by 2030.
WHO suggests a number of policies, such as reducing the amount of sodium in food products, introducing front-of-pack labeling, launching mass media campaigns, and enforcing public policies related to food service and sales.
The report urges member states to implement sodium intake reduction policies without delay, and calls on food manufacturers to set ambitious targets for sodium reduction in their products.
Article: WHO global report on sodium intake reduction – World Health Organization
News Release: Massive efforts needed to reduce salt intake and protect lives – World Health Organization
Related:
Adding salt to foods and hazard of premature mortality – European Heart Journal
New WHO benchmarks help countries reduce salt intake and save lives – World Health Organization
WHO global sodium benchmarks for different food categories – World Health Organization
Commentary on Twitter
Eating too much salt is one of the top risk factors for heart disease, stroke, and death.
WHO’s first global report on sodium intake reduction shows only 5% of WHO Member States are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies👉https://t.co/hiocdiXUiy pic.twitter.com/NXSv0oe7fn
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 9, 2023
Report | Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035
6 Mar, 2023 | 14:32h | UTCSummary:
A recent report from the World Obesity Federation has issued a warning that the number of people worldwide suffering from overweight or obesity could increase significantly by 2035, surpassing the 50% mark. The report, called the World Obesity Atlas 2023, also highlights the significant economic impact of this trend, estimating that the cost of overweight and obesity could reach $4.32tn annually by 2035, equivalent to almost 3% of the global GDP.
The report also identifies two groups that are particularly at risk: children and individuals from lower-income countries. Childhood obesity is a growing concern, as the report predicts it could double by 2035. Additionally, lower-income countries face a rapid increase in obesity prevalence, with nine out of 10 countries with the greatest expected increases in obesity coming from low or lower-middle income countries.
Report: World Obesity Atlas 2023
News release: Economic impact of overweight and obesity to surpass $4 trillion by 2035
Commentary: Report: Obesity could cost the world over $4 trillion a year by 2035 – STAT
Related:
Report: Tenfold increase in childhood and adolescent obesity in four decades
Global cost of obesity-related illness to hit $1.2tn a year from 2025
The Lancet Series: The Double Burden of Malnutrition
Cluster RCT | Effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive BP intervention vs. usual care on CVD
6 Mar, 2023 | 14:20h | UTCSummary:
The study evaluated the effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive blood pressure intervention on cardiovascular disease compared to usual care. The trial randomly assigned 326 villages to the intervention or usual care, and recruited individuals aged at least 40 years with hypertension. Trained non-physician community health-care providers initiated and titrated antihypertensive medications according to a simple stepped-care protocol and delivered health coaching for patients in the intervention group during the 36-month follow-up.
The study found that the intervention effectively reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause death. There was a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (23.1 mm Hg) and diastolic blood pressure (9.9 mm Hg) in the intervention group compared to the usual care group, with an increased risk of hypotension in the intervention group.
Article: Effectiveness of a non-physician community health-care provider-led intensive blood pressure intervention versus usual care on cardiovascular disease (CRHCP): an open-label, blinded-endpoint, cluster-randomised trial – The Lancet (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Related:
Cohort Study: Impact of Community Based Screening for Hypertension in Older Adults
Randomized Trial: Community-Based Interventions to Improve Cardiovascular Risk in High-Risk Patients
Cluster-Randomized Trial of Blood-Pressure Reduction in Black Barbershops