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The HELP guide for community based rehabilitation workers : a training manual

LOVEDAY, Marion
2006

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This is a training manual for community based rehabilitation workers based upon physiotherapist's work on a rehabilitation project in Cape Town, South Africa. The manual is aimed at trainers of rehabilitation workers who are assumed to have adequate medical knowledge. The manual is divided into the following 4 main topics: health in the community; normal body functions; conditions and treatment; management of patients. Each section contains a summary of the learning aims for the rehabilitation workers, and the teaching is based mainly on a question and answer format
Note: originally published in 1990 by SACLA Health Project

Poverty, equity and health research : a report on Forum 9

STEARNS, Beverly Peterson
December 2005

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This is a report on Forum 9, highlighting the key themes emerged during the discussions. Forum 9 focused on poverty, equity and health research, and their affect on access to health services, particularly in low-income countries. The report looks at the vicious cycle of poverty and ill-health, gender disparities, sexual and reproductive health, innovation and human intellectual capital, policies, priorities and resources

Active life expectancy and functional limitations among older Cambodians : results from a 2004 survey

ZIMMER, Zachary
August 2005

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'This study's aims are to: (1) determine the prevalence of functional limitations among older adults in Cambodia using activities of daily living (ADLs); (2) compare limitation prevalence with other countries in the region; (3) estimate active life expectancy; (4) examine standard correlates of functional status and assess whether they are associated with limitation in expected ways. ADLs included here are bathing, dressing, eating, and getting up from lying down. Degree of difficulty is used to determine whether limitations are moderate or severe. Results are generally consistent with expectations. For example, women live longer than men but spend a greater proportion of life with limitations, and older age is related to higher rates of limitation and less active life. Elderly Cambodians appear more likely to report limitations than their counterparts in neighboring countries. A contribution of the analysis is the examination of a basic measure of health among a population that until recently has been isolated from the rest of the world.'

Mexico Forum 8

GLOBAL FORUM FOR HEALTH RESEARCH
February 2005

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The Global Forum for Health Research aims at addressing the "10/90 gap": less than ten per cent of research funds are devoted to 90 per cent of the world health needs. This CD-ROM contains the full text of papers and posters presented at Forum 8 in Mexico City in 2004. Forum 8 gathered around 900 participants from 450 institutions in 109 countries. Participants represented governments, multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, international and national foundations and NGOs, women's organizations, research institutions and universities, the private sector and the media. Topics covered include health research, disease prevention, child mortality, maternal health, substance abuse, mental and neurological health

Is cybermedicine killing you? The story of a Cochrane disaster

EYSENBACH, Gunther
KUMMERVOLD, Per Egil
2005

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This editorial briefly reviews the series of events that led to the publication, dissemination and eventual retraction of a flawed Cochrane systematic review on interactive health communication applications (IHCAs), which was widely reported in the media with headlines such as 'Internet Makes Us Sick', 'Knowledge May Be Hazardous to Web Consumers' Health', 'Too Much Advice Can Be Bad for Your Health', 'Click to Get Sick?' and even 'Is Cybermedicine Killing You?'. The authors show that while the media attention helped to speed up the identification of errors, leading to a retraction of the review after only 13 days, a paper subsequently published by Rada shows that the retraction, in contrast to the original review, remained largely unnoticed by the public. The authors examine the three flaws of the review and then discuss 'retraction ethics' for researchers, editors/publishers and journalists, making recommendations for the future

Research for people's health : a researcher's encounter at the Second People's Health Assembly

PEOPLE'S HEALTH MOVEMENT
2005

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This bilingual booklet describes a "research encounter" which brought together researchers from all over the world committed to people's health problems. The purpose was to reflect and debate the problems and inequities related to research on health. The booklet describes the themes that were raised, the ideas that emerged, and challenges. It includes a 'declaration' with recommendations for governments, researchers and training institutions

The impact of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS mortality : a study focusing on educators in South African public schools

REHLE, Thomas
SHISANA, Olive
2005

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This study attempts to estimate the impact of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS mortality over the next ten years, focusing on educators in South African public schools. Recently, African governments have scaled up ART initiatives, but the full potential of wider access to treatment is still unknown. The results of this study show that given that ART only delays death, AIDS mortality rate will increase over time among treated people. Further, as HIV-positive people will survive longer, an expansion of ART programmes will result on higher HIV prevalence. These findings have crucial implications for the education sector. The paper calls for new government policies aimed at increasing the number of students preparing to become teachers and raising the retirement age of educators

Starting or strengthening a drug bulletin : a practical manual

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF DRUG BULLETINS
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
2005

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Access to independent and reliable drug information is key to the promotion of rational prescribing and use of medicines. Bulletins are essential tools for information dissemination and this manual aims to provide guidelines, tips and examples on how to start or improve drug bulletins. It covers all aspects of production, providing a comprehensive overview of the editorial process, the reviewing of new drugs and the design, production and distribution of the bulletin. The manual is an essential guide for anyone starting or running a drug bulletin, but may also be of interest to health professionals and others

Tackle malaria today : give tomorrow a chance

MEEK, Sylvia
WHITTY, Christopher
LINES, Jo
et al
2005

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Every year malaria causes up to three million deaths, and if attempts to control the pandemic fail, drug-resistant malaria will spread even further. This report provides key statistics about the disease and makes a case for an effective and internationally coordinated response to the crisis, which should include drugs development, use of insecticide, increased funding, investment in the delivery systems and human resources and the involvement of the private sector

Access to health information

SOURCE INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION SUPPORT CENTRE
2005

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This Key list highlights essential information resources on access to health information. Resources have been selected and reviewed by experts in the field. Any study of access in ICT and health should include a background analysis on digital divide issues generally; then a specific focus on access to health information delivered via ICT -- for health practitioners, researchers and for the public. ICTs present a significant tool for sharing information within various constituencies in the health sector. They also present the opportunity for health professionals in developing countries to access a wide range of medical journals online. Delivery of medical assistance via ICTs make access by the public a key issue

Drug promotion : what we know, what we have yet to learn

NORRIS, Pauline
et al
2005

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This is a literature review on drug promotion, summarising current research findings on: professional and lay people's attitudes toward drug promotion; impact of pharmaceutical promotion on attitudes and knowledge; impact of pharmaceutical promotion on behaviour; and interventions carried out to counter promotional activities. The review suggests that promotion affects attitudes and behaviour. However evidence is patchy and more research is needed to verify the relationship between drug promotion and behaviour change

Poverty, equity and health research

MATLIN, Stephen
Ed
2005

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The Global Forum Update on Research for Health is the result of a collaboration between the Global Forum for Health Research and Pro-Brook Publishing Limited. This second volume focuses on the cultural, social and economic factors that contribute to the growing health disparities within and between populations, and in particular between high-income countries and low-income countries. The articles address the theme of poverty, equity and health research, which was also the theme of Forum 9, held in Mumbai in 2005

Piloting paperless data entry for clinical research in Africa

MISSINOU, M A
OLOLA, C H,
ISSIFOU, S
et al
2005

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The study compared the accuracy of data entry using the current standard practice (a paper-based case report form with double data entry) with that using a personal digital assistant (PDA) in a clinical study in rural Gabon. The paperless systems functioned smoothly and no data were lost. The clinicians involved in this study preferred the handheld computers, and their use will be considered in future studies in an African clinical research network

An electronic medical record system for ambulatory care of HIV-infected patients in Kenya

SIIKA, A M
et al
2005

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The faculty at Moi University in Kenya and Indiana University in the USA opened adult and pediatric HIV clinics in a national referral hospital, a district hospital, and six rural health centers in western Kenya using a newly developed electronic medical record system (EMR) to support comprehensive outpatient HIV/AIDS care. The EMR contains more than 30,000 visit records for more than 4,000 patients, almost half taking antiretroviral drugs. This article describes the development and structure of this EMR and plans for future development that include wireless connections, tablet computers, and migration to a Web-based platform

AIDS and the family : policy options for a crisis in family capital

BELSEY, Mark A
2005

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This document highlights the role of family members in the care and support of peole living with HIV and addresses the issues and challenges of HIV and AIDS from a family perspective. There is information about HIV and AIDS and how the disease impacts family situations, focusing upon case studies in Sub-Saharan African countries. This report would be useful for people interested in the impact of HIV and AIDS on family members

Mental health information systems : mental health policy and service guidance package

FUNK, Michelle
et al
2005

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"A mental health information system (MHIS) is a system for collecting, processing, analysing, disseminating and using information about a mental health service and the mental health needs of the population it serves...For the purpose of information systems, this module focuses only on primary care, psychiatric services based in general hospitals, formal community mental health services, and specialist mental health services." It outlines the stages and steps involved in the collection, processing, analysis, dissemination and use of mental health information systems
Note: This module is part of a guidance package that consists of a series of interrelated user-friendly modules that are designed to address the wide variety of needs and priorities in mental health policy development and service planning. Its recommended for use by policy makers, service planners representatives or associations of families and carers of people with mental disorders

Model IMCI handbook : integrated management of childhood illness

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND (UNICEF)
2005

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The IMCI model handbook provides a detailed explanation of the IMCI case management guidelines. It is organized into seven main parts: overview of the IMCI process; assess and classify the sick child age 2 months up to 5 years; assess and classify the sick young infant age 1 week up to 2 months; identify treatment; treat the sick child or the sick young infant; communicate and counsel; and give follow-up care
Teaching institutions are advised to adapt the handbook in two ways: 1.to ensure that all text, charts and illustrations are consistent with nationally-adapted IMCI clinical guidelines, and 2.to ensure that its content and format corresponds to the teaching approach used by the institution

Participation of African social scientists in malaria control : identifying enabling and constraining factors

NGALAME, Paulyne M
et al
December 2004

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This article discusses research examining the enabling and constraining factors that influence African social scientists' involvement in malaria control. Findings showed that most participants did not necessarily seek malaria as a career path. Having a mentor who provided research and training opportunities, and developing strong technical skills in malaria control and grant or proposal writing facilitated career opportunities in malaria. A paucity of jobs and funding and inadequate technical skills in malaria limited the type and number of opportunities available to social scientists in malaria control. Understanding the factors that influence job satisfaction, recruitment and retention in malaria control is necessary for better integration of social scientists into malaria control. However, given the wide array of skills that social scientists have and the variety of deadly diseases competing for attention in sub-Saharan Africa, it might be more cost effective to employ social scientists to work broadly on issues common to communicable diseases in general rather than solely on malaria

Shaping the conflict : factors influencing the representation of conflict around HIV/AIDS policy in the South African press

FINLAY, Alan
December 2004

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This article identifies three major constraints to better HIV and AIDS coverage in the South African media, which are the imperative of news values, economic constraints and lack of commitment to HIV and AIDS stories. The lack of editorial-level policy around HIV and AIDS coverage means that editorial decisions tend to be ad-hoc, reactive, and largely determined on a case by case basis

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