Working with African nations to improve the health of their children

Article Abstract:

Of the four million children born each year in Africa who will die before they reach the age of five, more than half will die from diarrhea, malaria, acute lower respiratory tract infection, and disease that is preventable by vaccination. The Combatting Childhood Communicable Diseases (CCCD) project, part of the US Agency for International Development, works with 10 countries in Africa to lower childhood illness and death rates. A report on the CCCD's first eight years of operation, 1982 through 1989, is provided. Of the technical strategies proposed by the CCCD, immunization has come the farthest. Measles vaccine coverage has increased in nine of the 10 countries, with an estimated prevention of 3.5 million cases and 100,000 measles-associated deaths for 1988. The incidence of pertussis (whopping cough), poliomyelitis, and neonatal tetanus have also been reduced. However, many children have not been vaccinated. Because early treatment of acute watery diarrhea was observed to be incorrect, diarrheal disease treatment and training units were established in capital cities. As a result, hospital admissions, costs, and deaths, have decreased. Success in fighting malaria has been limited by the proliferation of malarial strains that are resistant to chloroquine, the primary drug therapy. Overall, health data collection methods have been improved. In most countries, the majority of health care is provided by nurses and paramedical personnel. Assessment of the training and the needs of these workers has been carried out in nine countries. However, acute childhood illness is most often treated at home, and the quality of this care needs improvement. For instance, 70 percent of home-administered doses of chloroquine were incorrectly calculated, according to one study in Togo. Training of mothers is approached in many ways by the CCCD, including group health talks, practice, and songs broadcasted over the radio, but dramatic success in this area has not been achieved. Resources for improving health are sorely lacking. Research regarding health problems is promoted by training young Africans; several such projects are described. Focus in the coming years should remain on immunization and treatment of major life-threatening diseases. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Prevention, Public health, Africa, United States. Agency for International Development, Communicable diseases in children, Pediatric communicable diseases

---

Research on aging: an agenda for all nations individually and collectively

Article Abstract:

Many countries can contribute to the research on aging. JAMA was one of 97 medical journals in 31 countries to publish a special issue on aging. In many countries, growth of the elderly population outstrips the birth rate. The International Association of Gerontology held a meeting in Aug, 1997, in Australia attended by hundreds of scientists conducting research in aging. One group is enlarging the Minimum Data Set used in every US nursing home to assess residents. The new MDS has been translated into at least 11 languages and much of the information will be entered into a computer database for access by all countries.

Aging, Aged, Elderly, Editorial, Research, Demographic aspects

---

Fatality Trends in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, 1948-1998

Article Abstract:

The number of UN peacekeepers killed during a mission has increased since 1990 compared to the previous 40 years of peacekeeping missions. However, this is primarily because there have been more large-scale missions in the 1990s rather than an increase in the risk of death.

Statistical Data Included, Patient outcomes, Mortality, Peacekeeping forces

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Ringing the changes. Help that goes direct the heart of the matter
• Abstracts: Inhibition of telomerase limits the growth of human cancer cells. Inhibition of plasminogen activators or matrix metalloproteinases prevents cardiac rupture but impairs therapeutic angiogenesis and causes cardiac failure
• Abstracts: Varicella vaccination: evidence for frequent reactivation of the vaccine strain in healthy children. The role of CD4+ lymphocytes in the susceptibility of mice to stress-induced reactivation of experimental colitis
• Abstracts: Meningitis; the facts. Knowing the facts. Dieting fads: the facts
• Abstracts: Reducing mother-to-infant transmission of HIV - the door remains open. Development of an in vitro organ culture model to study transmission of HIV-1 in the female genital tract

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.