Global & Public Health (all articles)
Guidelines for the Economic Evaluation of Health Technologies
1 May, 2017 | 16:47h | UTCNews release: Guidelines for the Economic Evaluation of Health Technologies (free)
Commentary: New guidelines for evaluating health tech: New guide for economic analysis of drugs and technology – CMAJ News (free)
Best practices guidelines for conducting economic evaluations of health care technologies, so that the information produced is standardized and of high quality and can effectively inform health care decision-making.
For Pregnant Women, Getting Serious About Whooping Cough
2 May, 2017 | 17:13h | UTCFor Pregnant Women, Getting Serious About Whooping Cough – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Related: Effectiveness of Vaccination During Pregnancy to Prevent Infant Pertussis – Pediatrics (free) AND Study: Pertussis shot in pregnant moms protects newborns – CIDRAP (free) AND Get the Whooping Cough Vaccine While You Are Pregnant – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (free)
Guidelines for treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis and patient care
1 May, 2017 | 16:52h | UTCGuidelines for treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis and patient care (2017 update) – World Health Organization (free) (RT @paimadhusee Tweet)
Tobacco packaging design for reducing tobacco use
28 Apr, 2017 | 16:41h | UTCSystematic review: Tobacco packaging design for reducing tobacco use – Cochrane Library (link to summary – $ for full-text)
News release: Standardised tobacco packaging: will banning branding cut down smoking? (free)
See also: Standardised cigarette packaging is on its way, but will it reduce smoking? – The Guardian (free)
New evidence finds standardized cigarette packaging may reduce the number of people who smoke.
Normal-Weight Central Obesity and Risk for Mortality
28 Apr, 2017 | 16:38h | UTCNormal-Weight Central Obesity and Risk for Mortality – Annals of Internal Medicine (link to abstract – $ for full-text)
Commentaries: Waist circumference stronger predictor of death risk than BMI – Haelio (free) AND Forget Your BMI and Focus on This Measurement Instead – TIME (free) AND Central Obesity Ups Mortality Across BMI Range – Physician’s Briefing (free) AND Central obesity may increase mortality risk from cardiovascular disease – Cardiovascular Business (free) AND People with a normal BMI who carry weight around the middle at greatest risk of death – HealthCanal (free)
Advil, Motrin and other NSAIDs painkillers should be prescription only, Danish study says
28 Apr, 2017 | 16:37h | UTCAdvil, Motrin and other NSAIDs painkillers should be prescription only, Danish study says – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (free) (RT @medpagetodaysee Tweet)
Original article: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use is associated with increased risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a nationwide case–time–control study – European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy (free)
See more commentaries on this study in our March 17 issue, see #5.
Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage
27 Apr, 2017 | 16:33h | UTCEditorial: WOMAN: reducing maternal deaths with tranexamic acid (free)
Commentary: Overlooked Drug Could Save Thousands Of Moms After Childbirth – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
“Tranexamic acid reduced deaths of mothers caused by bleeding after childbirth by 1/3” (RT @LSHTMpress see Tweet)
A better way to care for the dying
28 Apr, 2017 | 16:39h | UTCA better way to care for the dying – The Economist (a few articles per month are free) (RT @EricTopol see Tweet)
“How the medical profession is starting to move beyond fighting death to easing it”.
Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50
26 Apr, 2017 | 16:07h | UTCMeta-analysis: Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: a systematic review with meta-analysis – British Journal of Sports Medicine (free)
Source: Exercise Could Benefit Cognition in Older Adults – Physician’s First Watch (free)
“Physical exercise interventions significantly improved cognitive function in adults older than 50 years, regardless of baseline cognitive status”.
Screening for Preeclampsia – USPSTF Recommendations
26 Apr, 2017 | 16:10h | UTCGuideline: Screening for Preeclampsia: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement – JAMA (free)
Evidence Report and Systematic Review: Preeclampsia Screening (free)
Editorial 1: Early Identification of Pregnant Women at Risk for Preeclampsia (free)
Editorial 2: Screening for Preeclampsia and the USPSTF Recommendations (free)
Editorial 3: Preeclampsia and Hypertension – Courting a Long While: Time to Make It Official (free)
“The USPSTF recommends screening for preeclampsia in all pregnant women with blood pressure measurements throughout pregnancy”
World Malaria Day, 25 April 2017 – World Health Organization
26 Apr, 2017 | 16:11h | UTCWorld Malaria Day, 25 April 2017 – World Health Organization (free)
Press release: Prevent malaria – save lives: WHO push for prevention on World Malaria Day, 25th April (free)
WHO Reports 2017: A framework for malaria elimination (free) AND Malaria prevention works: let’s close the gap – World Malaria Day 2017(free)
See also: WHO’s work on malaria (free)
Related: Mapping the End of Malaria – Gates Notes (free) (RT @glassmanamanda and @BillGates see Tweet) AND 7 Good Reads For #WorldMalariaDay – NPR Goats and Soda (free) AND Editorial: Is malaria elimination within reach? – The Lancet Infectious Diseases (free)
World Immunization Week, 24-30 April 2017
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:53h | UTCWorld Immunization Week, 24-30 April 2017 – World Health Organization (free)
Press release: World Immunization Week 2017 (free)
See also: WHO’s work on immunization (free)
“Increasing immunization globally could save an additional 1.5 million people every year”.
Recommendations on hepatitis C screening for adults
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:50h | UTCGuideline: Recommendations on hepatitis C screening for adults – Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (free)
News release: CTFPHC Releases Its First Hepatitis C Population-wide Screening Guideline (free)
See also: Summary of recommendations for clinicians and policy-makers (free) AND Clinician FAQ (free)
Commentary: Canada recommends against testing everyone for hepatitis C – Reuters Health (free) (RT @CMichaelGibson)
“Guideline recommends against screening for HCV in adults who are not at elevated risk”.
Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:51h | UTCGuideline: Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza – United States, 2017 – CDC – MMWR (free)
Source: New CDC guidelines on flu pandemic measures reflect 2009 lessons – CIDRAP (free)
These new guidelines focus on nonpharmaceutical measures to fight and prevent influenza pandemics.
Global kidney health 2017 and beyond
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:52h | UTCGlobal kidney health 2017 and beyond: a roadmap for closing gaps in care, research, and policy – The Lancet (free registration required)
Chronic kidney disease is increasingly recognized as a global public health problem affecting as many as 10–15% of the population worldwide. It is associated with impaired quality of life and strongly reduced life expectancy. The article identifies key activities for the next 5-10 years to address the problem.
Relationship between hospital ward design and healthcare-associated infection rates
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:46h | UTCRelationship between hospital ward design and healthcare-associated infection rates: a systematic review and meta-analysis – Antimicrobial Resistance & Infection Control (RT @brhospitalist and @PreetiNMalani see Tweet)
Single-patient rooms and easily accessible hand rub dispensers located near the patient’s bed are the most effective measures.
Nursery Product-Related Injuries
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:49h | UTCNursery Product-Related Injuries Treated in United States Emergency Departments – Pediatrics (free)
Source: Common Nursery Products Send Thousands of Children to Hospitals – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free) (RT @CMichaelGibson)
Baby carriers, mattresses, strollers, high chairs, changing tables, bath seats and other ordinary nursery products lead to injuries and emergency room visits for 66,000 children a year in U.S.
Spend a Dollar on Drug Treatment, and Save More on Crime Reduction
25 Apr, 2017 | 15:48h | UTCSpend a Dollar on Drug Treatment, and Save More on Crime Reduction – The New York Times (10 articles per month are free)
Global hepatitis report, 2017 – World Health Organization
24 Apr, 2017 | 15:31h | UTCReport: Global hepatitis report, 2017 – World Health Organization (free)
Press release: New hepatitis data highlight need for urgent global response (free)
Related resources: WHO’s work on Hepatitis (free) AND Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis, 2016-2021 (free)
The World Health Organization has released the first ever Global Hepatitis Report, with estimates on Hepatitis B and C burden, incidence and mortality. According to the report, deaths from viral hepatitis are increasing, with 1.34 million deaths in 2015, a number comparable to deaths caused by tuberculosis and HIV.
Patterns of global health financing and potential future spending on health
24 Apr, 2017 | 15:28h | UTCTwo new articles in The Lancet address important issues in global health economics.
Invited commentary: Patterns of global health financing and potential future spending on health – The Lancet (free)
Commentary on the studies: What Country Spends the Most (And Least) On Health Care Per Person? – NPR Goats and Soda (free)
Association between active commuting and incident cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mortality
21 Apr, 2017 | 15:19h | UTCEditorial: Active commuting is beneficial for health (free)
See also: Cycling to work can cut cancer and heart disease, says study – BBC News (free) AND Cycling to work: major new study suggests health benefits are staggering – The Conversation (free)
A case for global investment in the capabilities of adolescents
21 Apr, 2017 | 15:20h | UTCSee also: Securing investments to realise the social and economic rights of adolescents (free) Our Future – Invest in Adolescent Health Now(free) AND Our future: a Lancet commission on adolescent health and wellbeing (all articles are free)
“Investing in adolescent health & education could bring 10-fold economic benefit” (RT @TheLancet see Tweet)
Climate Change and Health Reports
21 Apr, 2017 | 14:37h | UTCWhy the Menace of Mosquitoes Will Only Get Worse – The New York Times Magazine (RT @CIDRAP and @marynmck see Tweet) (10 articles per month are free)
Related: Disease Burden Growing as Vector Insects Adapt to Climate Change – IPS (free) (source Global Health NOW Newsletter) AND UN Doc: Climate Change is New Challenge in Fighting Disease Outbreaks – MedPage Today (free registration required)
“Climate change is altering the environment in ways that increase the potential for viruses like Zika”.
The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change – The Lancet (free)
Editorial: Climate and health: joining up the pieces, scaling up the action (free)
Medical Alert! Climate Change Is Harming Our Health – Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health (link to summary – free PDF available)
Sources: Medical Societies Come Together on Harms of Climate Change – Medscape (free registration required) AND Climate Change Already Affecting Human Health – Physician’s First Watch (free)
Mortality Trends After Surgical Safety Checklist
20 Apr, 2017 | 14:31h | UTCMortality Trends After a Voluntary Checklist-based Surgical Safety Collaborative – Annals of Surgery (link to abstract – free PDF available)
Sources: Global Health NOW Newsletter (free) AND South Carolina Hospitals Saw Surgery Deaths Drop After Implementing WHO Checklist – AJMC News (free) AND A simple checklist prevents deaths after surgery, a large new study suggests – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
See also: WHO Surgical Safety Checklist – World Health Organization (free) AND A Surgical Safety Checklist to Reduce Morbidity and Mortality in a Global Population – New England Journal of Medicine (free)
Why it’s a bad idea to space out your child’s vaccination shots
19 Apr, 2017 | 14:17h | UTCWhy it’s a bad idea to space out your child’s vaccination shots – The Washington Post (a few articles per month are free)
“Splitting immunizations into several visits only increases children’s stress” (RT @IDSAInfo see Tweet)