Serve others

Poverty and Health: Access to health care

2007-12-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

Poverty and Health

Approximately 1.2 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty (less than one dollar per day). Poverty creates ill-health because it forces people to live in environments that make them sick, without decent shelter, clean water or adequate sanitation.

Poverty is multi-dimensional in its causes as well as in its cures. Poor health is a major contributor to poverty and good health status one of the means to prevent poverty or, better still, a means to overcome poverty. For this reason, health is already considered as an important element on the international poverty reduction agenda.

http://www.afro.who.int/pih/index.html

http://www.afro.who.int/pih/pub/positionpaper.pdf

Better health is central to human happiness and well-being. It also makes an important contribution to economic progress, as healthy populations live longer, are more productive, and save more.

http://www.who.int/hdp/en/index.html

http://www.who.int/hdp/publications/human_rights.pdf

http://www.who.int/hdp/publications/dying_change.pdf

Access to health care

A person’s health is influenced by the conditions in which she or he lives. Social and economic conditions — such as poverty, social exclusion, unemployment, and poor housing — strongly influence health. They contribute to inequities in health, explaining why people living in poverty die sooner and get sick more often than those living in more privileged conditions.

http://www.euro.who.int/socialdeterminants

http://www.euro.who.int/document/e80225.pdf

The main challenges include quality assurance of medicines, the supply chain itself, including selection, procurement, pricing, licensing, medicines for children, the actual care which patients receive, and the lack of human and other resource capacity to meet them.

http://www.cdcnpin.org/scripts/Display/ConfDisplay.asp?ConfNbr=6486

People with low incomes, particularly those who live in poverty, face particular challenges in maintaining their health. They are more likely than those with higher incomes to become ill, and to die at younger ages. They are also more likely to live in poor environmental situations with limited health care resources—factors that can compromise health status and access to care. Public programs play a vital role in helping to reduce disparities in health by income by supporting health initiatives targeted at those with low incomes and maintaining a safety net of health and social services for the poor.

http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/poverty-and-health

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/tsp-health.pdf

http://www.idrc.ca/es/ev-27498-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

http://www.jica.go.jp/english/global/pove/index.html

Take a look at these videos!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySvrwYTrAz8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JUYFUGlUVw

People let's reach out to the 1.2 billion poverty stricken fellows! Let's make our world a better place!

Trends of type II diabetes worldwide

2007-12-03T16:53:00.001-08:00

What is diabetes?

According to the web definition of diabetes, it is a disease:

1. A disease in which the body does not properly control the amount of sugar in the blood. As a result, the level of sugar in the blood is too high...

2. A chronic disease associated with abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood.

3. Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by elevated levels of sugar in the blood. It can be caused by too little insulin (a chemical produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar), resistance to insulin, or both.

Taken from:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1B2GGFB_enPH212PH213&defl=en&q=define:diabetes&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title

According to WHO definition of diabetes:

Diabetes is a chronic disease, which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. This leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycemia).

http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/

QUICK DIABETES FACTS

Diabetes causes about 5% of all deaths globally each year.

80% of people with diabetes live in low and middle income countries.

Most people with diabetes in low and middle income countries are middle-aged (45-64), not elderly (65+).

Diabetes deaths are likely to increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action.

What are the two types of diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes. These are type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes: Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent or childhood-onset diabetes) is characterized by a lack of insulin production. Without daily administration of insulin, Type 1 diabetes is rapidly fatal.

Symptoms include excessive excretion of urine (polyuria), thirst (polydipsia), constant hunger, weight loss, vision changes and fatigue. These symptoms may occur suddenly.

http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/

Type 1 Diabetes

Formerly this type of diabetes was called “Juvenile-Onset” diabetes as it occurs most often in children and young adults. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease because the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys its own insulin producing (beta) cells. Thus, the pancreas stops making insulin or makes only a tiny amount. Without insulin, the body starts using fat for energy, producing harmful byproducts called ketones. Insulin is necessary to life, so the hormone must be injected every day for life.

http://www.whittier.org/pages/what_type1.html

Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes) is caused by the body’s ineffective use of insulin. It often results from excess body weight and physical inactivity. Type 2 diabetes comprises 90% of people with diabetes around the world, and is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.

Symptoms may be similar to those of Type 1 diabetes, but are often less marked. As a result, the disease may be diagnosed several years after onset, once complications have already arisen.
Until recently, this type of diabetes was seen only in adults but it is now also occurring in obese children.

http://www.who.int/topics/diabetes_mellitus/en/

Type 2 Diabetes

This form of diabetes is the most common and generally occurs in adults, but is on the rise in children and young adults. Risk factors include family history of diabetes, being over the ideal weight, a sedentary lifestyle, having diabetes during pregnancy and being a member of certain racial or ethnic groups. African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Native Americans, and some Asian American and Pacific Islanders are at greater risk for type 2 diabetes.

It usually begins as insulin resistance, a disorder in which the cells in the body cannot use insulin effectively. As a result of this resistance, sugar cannot get into the body’s cells, and remains trapped in the bloodstream. When the blood sugar remains high, the pancreas overcompensates and produces more insulin. Eventually, the insulin producing "beta" cells no longer function properly, resulting in decreased insulin production and elevated blood sugar levels.

http://www.whittier.org/pages/what_type1.html

Trends of type II diabetes worldwide

DIABETES FACTS

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 180 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030.
In 2005, an estimated 1.1 million people died from diabetes.
Almost 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.
Almost half of diabetes deaths occur in people under the age of 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women.
WHO projects that diabetes deaths will increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years without urgent action. Most notably, diabetes deaths are projected to increase by over 80% in upper-middle income countries between 2006 and 2015.

WHAT ARE COMMON CONSEQUENCES OF DIABETES?

Over time, diabetes can damage the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.

Diabetic retinopathy is an important cause of blindness, and occurs as a result of long-term accumulated damage to the small blood vessels in the retina. After 15 years of diabetes, approximately 2% of people become blind, and about 10% develop severe visual impairment.
Diabetic neuropathy is damage to the nerves as a result of diabetes, and affects up to 50% of people with diabetes. Although many different problems can occur as a result of diabetic neuropathy, common symptoms are tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the feet and hands.
Combined with reduced blood flow, neuropathy in the feet increases the chance of foot ulcers and eventual limb amputation.
Diabetes is among the leading causes of kidney failure. 10-20% of people with diabetes die of kidney failure.
Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. 50% of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease (primarily heart disease and stroke).
The overall risk of dying among people with diabetes is at least double the risk of their peers without diabetes.

WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC BURDEN OF DIABETES?

Diabetes and its complications impose significant economic consequences on individuals, families, health systems and countries.

WHO estimates that over the next 10 years (2006-2015), China will lose $ 558 billion in foregone national income due to heart disease, stroke and diabetes alone.

HOW CAN THE BURDEN OF DIABETES BE REDUCED?

Without urgent action, diabetes-related deaths will increase by more than 50% in the next 10 years.

To help prevent type 2 diabetes and its complications, people should:

Achieve and maintain healthy body weight.
Be physically active - at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days. More activity is required for weight control.

Early diagnosis can be accomplished through relatively inexpensive blood testing.

Treatment of diabetes involves lowering blood glucose and the levels of other known risk factors that damage to blood vessels. Tobacco cessation is also important to avoid complications.

Interventions that are both cost saving and feasible in developing countries include:

Moderate blood glucose control. People with type 1 diabetes require insulin; people with type 2 diabetes can be treated with oral medication, but may also require insulin;
Blood pressure control;
Foot care.

Other cost saving interventions include:

Screening for retinopathy (which causes blindness);
Blood lipid control (to regulate cholesterol levels);
Screening for early signs of diabetes-related kidney disease.

These measures should be supported by a healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use.

WHO ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT AND CONTROL DIABETES

WHO aims to stimulate and support the adoption of effective measures for the surveillance, prevention and control of diabetes and its complications, particularly in low and middle-income countries. To this end, WHO:

Provides scientific guidelines for diabetes prevention;
Develops norms and standards for diabetes care;
Builds awareness on the global epidemic of diabetes; including partnership with the International Diabetes Federation in the celebration of World Diabetes Day (14 November);
Conducts surveillance of diabetes and its risk factors.

The WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health complements WHO's diabetes work by focusing on population-wide approaches to promote healthy diet and regular physical activity, thereby reducing the growing global problem of overweight and obesity. The Strategy calls upon all stakeholders to take action at the global, regional and local levels and aims to lead to a significant reduction in the prevalence of diabetes and other chronic diseases.

WHO's work on diabetes is integrated into the overall WHO chronic disease prevention and control framework of the Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion. The strategic objectives of the Department are to raise awareness about the global epidemic of chronic diseases; create healthy environments, especially for poor and disadvantaged populations; slow and reverse trends in common chronic disease risk factors such as unhealthy diet and physical inactivity; and prevent premature deaths and avoidable disability due to major chronic diseases.

From: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs312/en/index.html

http://www.who.int/diabetes/publications/Definition%20and%20diagnosis%20of%20diabetes_new.pdf

http://www.unitefordiabetes.org/assets/files/UN_Resolution.pdf

http://www.who.int/features/galleries/chronic_diseases/zahida/01_en.html

http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/diabetes/01_en.html

Figures & Graphs

Country and regional data

World

Prevalence of diabetes worldwide

	2000	2030
World	171,000,000	366,000,000

http://www.who.int/diabetes/facts/world_figures/en/

Diabetes is a life threatening condition. Recent WHO calculations indicate that worldwide almost 3 million deaths per year are attributable to diabetes.

http://www.who.int/diabetes/publications/DiabetesMortalityArticle2005.pdf

http://www.who.int/diabetes/actionnow/en/mapdiabprev.pdf

http://www.who.int/diabetes/actionnow/en/diabprev.pdf

http://www.who.int/diabetes/facts/en/diabcare0504.pdf

Watch some videos about type II diabetes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KucPnO0dCQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJl67b24grY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CodB8Q71Sok

Be aware of type II diabetes!

HIV/AIDS: Update on Asia

2007-11-19T21:26:00.000-08:00

What is HIV/AIDS?

According to the web definition of HIV/AIDS, it is "a deadly infectious disease that has killed millions across the globe. It has had the largest affect in sub-Saharan Africa, where it has stalled poverty relief and is partially responsible to the continued increase in the poverty rate there."

http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00282/other_glossary.htm

"A deadly disease, without a cure, of the human immune system due to infection by a virus."

http://www.apheda.org.au/campaigns/burma_schools_kit/resources/1074040257_16812.html

http://www.thewellproject.org/en_US/HIV_The_Basics/What_is_HIV.jsp http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art6128.htm

http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art2506.html

http://www.thebody.com/content/whatis/art33136.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIDS

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005

When did HIV/AIDS begin in Asia?

This region -- stretching from and including Pakistan in the west, to Japan and other island nations in the Pacific, and from China in the north to the countries forming Oceania in the south -- has diverse, localized, and varying HIV epidemics. HIV infections were first introduced by MSM into several countries and major cities of the region, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Hong Kong; this occurred in the early 1980s rather than the late 1970s, as in the U.S. and Western Europe.

While the epidemic among MSM in these areas of south Asia and Oceania peaked in the mid- to late 1980s, the same apparently has not yet occurred in this population in other Asian countries. Epidemiologic data are very difficult to obtain, since many MSM in these regions do not identify themselves as being MSM, and thus remain "hidden." Across this area as a whole, UNAIDS/WHO estimates that over 7 million adults and children were living with HIV at the end of 1999, over five times as many as have already died of AIDS in the region.

HIV spread quickly through IDU populations in many Asian/Pacific countries. In Bangkok, Thailand, in late 1987, 1% of IDU were HIV positive. By the end of 1988, that rate had increased to 30%. Since 1988, HIV prevalence among IDU who have been tested has remained between 20% and 45% both in and outside of Bangkok.

Taken from:

http://www.thebody.com/content/world/art2619.html

HIV/AIDS: Update on Asia

An estimated 8.6 million [6.0 million–13.0 million] people were living with HIV in Asia
in 2006, including the 960 000 [640 000–2.5 million] people who became newly infected in
the past year. Approximately 630 000 [430 000–900 000] died from AIDS-related illnesses in
2006. The number of people receiving antiretroviral therapy has increased more than threefold
since 2003, and reached an estimated 235 000 [180 000–290 000] by June 2006. This represents about 16% of the total number of people in need of antiretroviral treatment in Asia.
Taken from:http://data.unaids.org/pub/EpiReport/2006/05-Asia_2006_EpiUpdate_eng.pdf

http://www.thebody.com/content/world/art27535.html

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=16199

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/17/MN71391.DTL

http://www.thebody.com/content/world/art619.html

Statistical data (in Asia)

ASIA

HIV and AIDS statistics and features, in 2003 and 2005


	Adults and children living with HIV	Number of women living with HIV	Adults and children newly infected with HIV	Adult prevalence (%)	Adult and child deaths due to AIDS

2005	8.3 million [5.4–12.0 million]	2.0 million [1.3–3.0 million]	1.1 million [600 000–2.5 million]	0.4 [0.3–0.6]	520 000 [330 000–780 000]

2003	7.1 million [4.6–10.4 million]	1.7 million [1.1–2.5 million]	940 000 [510 000–2.1 million]	0.4 [0.2–0.5]	420 000 [270 000–620 000]

National HIV infection levels in Asia are low compared with some other continents, notably Africa. However, the populations of many Asian nations are so large that even low national HIV prevalence means large numbers of people are living with HIV. Latest estimates show some 8.3 million [5.4 million–12 million] people (2 million [1.3 million–3 million] adult women) were living with HIV in 2005, including the 1.1 million [600 000–2.5 million] people who became newly infected in the past year. AIDS claimed some 520 000 [330 000–780 000] lives in 2005.

Taken from:

http://www.unaids.org/epi/2005/doc/EPIupdate2005_html_en/epi05_06_en.htm

HIV/AIDS in Asia -- 2006
Adults and children living with HIV	8.5 million
Adult and child deaths from AIDS	633,000
Adults and children newly infected with HIV	960,000

Taken from:

http://www.thebody.com/index/whatis/demo_asia.html

What are the measures being taken to control the disease, in Asia?

http://www.thebody.com/content/world/art12027.html

The role of primary health care in developing countries

2007-11-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

What is primary health care?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_health_care

http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=primary%20health%20care

http://janus.state.me.us/Legis/Statutes/20-A/title20-Asec12101.html

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/sdh-dss/glos_e.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_primary_health_care

The role of primary health care in developing countries

http://www.emro.who.int/dsaf/dsa531.pdf

http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2007/20070816_argentina/en/

http://www.amsant.com.au/amsant/what-is-primary-health-care.html

http://www.moh.govt.nz/primaryhealthcare

http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/mdf/mdf2/papers/econdev/hassouna.pdf

Besides, primary health care plays a role in:
1. Capacity planning

2. Managing capacity and demand

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/AdvanceSearchResult/index.htm?searchTerms=The+role+of+primary+care

Quality of Primary health care in Developing Countries

http://intqhc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/8/2/131.pdf

http://www.springerlink.com/content/g58m66p4792rv378/

http://www.villagereach.org/?gclid=CL735qKt6Y8CFQe1YAodOmbThw

Discover more!

Tools that could be used to understand cultural differences (like Hofstede)

2007-11-14T14:34:00.000-08:00

What is Culture?

According to the WordNet definition of culture, it is "the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization."
http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=culture

Also, the pioneer English Anthropologist Edward B. Taylor defines culture as "culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns."
http://anthro.palomar.edu/culture/culture_1.htm

What is cultural difference or diversity?

http://www.diversity-books.com/what-is-cultural-diversity.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_diversity

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=13031&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Why is it important learning about others cultures?

It is important to learn about others culture for:

1. Business 2. Politics and Diplomacy 3. Religious and Social Work 4. Neighbors

http://blue.butler.edu/~jfmcgrat/culture.htm

http://www.amityfoundation.org/page.php?page=1438

What are the tools used to understand Cultural differences?

The well known cultural dimensions or tools are Geert Hofstede's cultural dimensions. It includes:
1. Power Distance Index (PDI) that is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. This represents inequality (more versus less), but defined from below, not from above. It suggests that a society's level of inequality is endorsed by the followers as much as by the leaders. Power and inequality, of course, are extremely fundamental facts of any society and anybody with some international experience will be aware that 'all societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others'.

2. Individualism (IDV) on the one side versus its opposite, collectivism, that is the degree to which individuals are inte-grated into groups. On the individualist side we find societies in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after him/herself and his/her immediate family. On the collectivist side, we find societies in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive in-groups, often extended families (with uncles, aunts and grandparents) which continue protecting them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. The word 'collectivism' in this sense has no political meaning: it refers to the group, not to the state. Again, the issue addressed by this dimension is an extremely fundamental one, regarding all societies in the world.

3. Masculinity (MAS) versus its opposite, femininity, refers to the distribution of roles between the genders which is another fundamental issue for any society to which a range of solutions are found. The IBM studies revealed that (a) women's values differ less among societies than men's values; (b) men's values from one country to another contain a dimension from very assertive and competitive and maximally different from women's values on the one side, to modest and caring and similar to women's values on the other. The assertive pole has been called 'masculine' and the modest, caring pole 'feminine'. The women in feminine countries have the same modest, caring values as the men; in the masculine countries they are somewhat assertive and competitive, but not as much as the men, so that these countries show a gap between men's values and women's values.

4. Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) deals with a society's tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity; it ultimately refers to man's search for Truth. It indicates to what extent a culture programs its members to feel either uncomfortable or comfortable in unstructured situations. Unstructured situations are novel, unknown, surprising, different from usual. Uncertainty avoiding cultures try to minimize the possibility of such situations by strict laws and rules, safety and security measures, and on the philosophical and religious level by a belief in absolute Truth; 'there can only be one Truth and we have it'. People in uncertainty avoiding countries are also more emotional, and motivated by inner nervous energy. The opposite type, uncertainty accepting cultures, are more tolerant of opinions different from what they are used to; they try to have as few rules as possible, and on the philosophical and religious level they are relativist and allow many currents to flow side by side. People within these cultures are more phlegmatic and contemplative, and not expected by their environment to express emotions.

5. Long-Term Orientation (LTO) versus short-term orientation: this fifth dimension was found in a study among students in 23 countries around the world, using a questionnaire designed by Chinese scholars It can be said to deal with Virtue regardless of Truth. Values associated with Long Term Orientation are thrift and perseverance; values associated with Short Term Orientation are respect for tradition, fulfilling social obligations, and protecting one's 'face'. Both the positively and the negatively rated values of this dimension are found in the teachings of Confucius, the most influential Chinese philosopher who lived around 500 B.C.; however, the dimension also applies to countries without a Confucian heritage.

Taken from: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/

Besides the cultural dimensions mentioned in Hofstede's chart, there are some tools used to differentiate culture.

The major six tools mentioned are:

1. Different communication styles

http://www.txethics.org/TCLEPCOURSE2005/omlp/sec2.5.pdf

http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/CommStyl.html

http://www.pierce.wsu.edu/Leadership/Topics/communication.htm

2. Different attitudes toward conflict

http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/full_text_search/AllCRCDocs/dynconr.htm

3. Different approaches to completing tasks

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/methodology/task_based.shtml

4. Different decision-making styles

http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/img/assets/16401/styles.pdf

http://leadershipmanagement.com/html-files/decision.htm

5. Different attitudes about open emotion and personal matters
6. Different approaches to knowing

http://ctb.ku.edu/tools/en/sub_section_tools_1177.htm

http://www.drexel.edu/isss/CEO%20-%20Intercultural%20Communication.pdf

ENJOY!!!

Welcome to Helina's sharing space!

2007-11-13T16:00:00.001-08:00

I am Helina Yohannes. Currently, I live in California, USA. My husband and me are working as literature evangelists. We sell various spiritual and health message books.

My husband finished his MBA from AIIAS last October. We are really happy for that and praise the Lord.

This picture was taken when we were in AIIAS. It is on "bell tower", for those of you who know AIIAS.