Search

Climate change has been described as one of the greatest threats to global health of the 21st century, but also as one of the greatest opportunities to redefine the environmental and social determinants of health. Climate change interacts with biodiversity loss and other threats to the environment, creating a crisis of planetary health that is negatively impacting human health, and disproportionately affecting equity-seeking groups. As medical students, we see the significant health consequences of the planetary health crisis and understand the toll that this will take on the healthcare system. This article describes efforts made by UBC Medical Students for Climate Action to introduce such content into the UBC Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) curriculum and provides information for learners and healthcare professionals alike on how to become involved in advocacy on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Dental caries is the most prevalent pediatric illness worldwide. It results from a complex interplay between biological and social determinants of health (SDH). The purpose of this review is 1) to understand the social determinants of health impacting dental caries burden in remote communities, using Spiti Valley, India as an example; 2) to understand the importance of using SDH to inform preventative oral health program (OHP) design, and lastly; 3) to provide best practice guidelines for implementing OHPs in remote communities worldwide. Methods: MEDLINE and PubMed databases were searched for English-language articles describing oral health programs implemented in remote communities around the world. Articles pertaining to OHPs that used preventative interventions to address pediatric dental caries in remote communities were included. Articles were excluded if the study sample included special needs children, and if the program lacked preventative interventions. Results: Remote communities around the world share many SDH factors, such as low income, limited education, limited availability and access to oral healthcare services, nutritious foods, clean water, and electricity. These factors are key to informing OHP design, and when addressed appropriately, can reduce a community's dental caries burden. Conclusion: There is a continued need for preventative OHPs in remote communities worldwide. In communities such as Spiti Valley, India where the pediatric caries burden remains high despite caries prevention strategies, efforts are needed to identify and address SDH factors, like cariogenic diets, that continue to contribute towards dental caries formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The University of British Columbia's Global Health Initiative (GHI) collaborated with the NGO, Kenya Partners in Community Transformation (PCT), to explore community knowledge, beliefs and practices surrounding mental health and illness in the rural Kisumu region. Methods: Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were held in three rural communities within the Kisumu region. Demographic groups surveyed included: women (n=54), men (n=14), and Community Health Workers (CHWs; n=36). Focus groups probed community mental health knowledge and included case-based vignettes describing presentations of mental illnesses as outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition. Results: Participant responses on mental health and mental illness definitions were generally well understood; however, stigmatizing perceptions were present among community members and CHWs. Medical-based etiologies and treatment were rarely suggested for psychiatric illness, and CHWs did not identify themselves as a resource for mental illness cases. Significant barriers to accessing mental healthcare exist in the area, including stigma, financial strain, and long distances to care centers. Conclusion: Overall, FGDs with community members and CHWs indicated education on mental health was limited. Qualitative data gathered will be used to tailor WHO mental health modules to meet the unique needs of CHWs living in the rural Kisumu region of Kenya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth living in rural Uganda represent over 20% of the country's population. Despite the size of this demographic segment of the population, there is a paucity of data on their health priorities. Engaging people in understanding their own health status has proven to be an effective mechanism for health promotion. The objective of this study was to use Photovoice, a community-based, participatory action research methodology, to understand the current health priorities of youth living in rural Uganda. Thirty-two students between the ages of 13 and 17 were recruited from four schools within the region of Soroti, Uganda. Participants were given a disposable camera and were asked to photograph situations that contributed or detracted from their health status. The cameras were then returned to the investigators and each photo taken by the participant was reviewed with the investigators during a semi-structured interview. Codes were applied to the photographs and organized into overarching themes. Each participant chose one to two photos that were most representative of their health priorities for a secondary analysis. Participants provided 499 photos that met the eligibility criteria. The most common themes presented in the photographs were 'hygiene' ( n = 73, 12.4%), 'nutrition' ( n = 69, 11.7%), and 'cleanliness' ( n = 48, 8%). 'Hygiene' ( n = 6, 14.6%) and 'exercise' ( n = 6, 14.6%) were the most common priorities articulated in the representative photographs. Photovoice proved to be an effective method to assess and express the health concerns of youth in rural Uganda. Study participants were able to articulate their health concerns and priorities through photographs and reflect on opportunities for health promotion through subsequent interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: According to the 2011 Uganda Nutrition Action Plan, 40 per cent of children under the age of five are malnourished. As local healthcare leaders identify childhood malnutrition as an ongoing problem in the rural village of Nakaseke, Uganda, this study aimed to assess early childhood nutritional practices in Nakaseke, and to identify barriers to healthy nutritional practices in order to create sustainable interventions. METHODS: Data was collected using seven focus groups with a total of 46 participants including community health workers, village health teams, and community members. The interviews were conducted in Luganda using a translator, and were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for common themes. RESULTS: General poverty and lack of knowledge were identified as two major barriers to healthy nutritional practices in the community. Poverty left many homes unable to afford certain nutrition--rich foods, an issue compounded by the lack of family planning resulting in large families. A general lack of knowledge contributed to the inappropriate cessation of breastfeeding and the improper introduction of complementary foods, and was due in part to a lack of proper education. CONCLUSION: This study identified a continued need for education on nutrition within the community. With a better understanding of current practices and beliefs, we can now collaborate with the community to create sustainable interventions to address their specific needs while taking into account their financial restraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is experiencing a global water crisis and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is expected to be a hotspot for increasing global water scarcity in years to come. Water is quintessentially a gendered issue; indeed, sociocultural norms hold women responsible for household water collection, requiring them to travel far distances while carrying water. This paper reports the findings of a scoping review of peer-reviewed and grey literature that examines the relationship between water fetching and the musculoskeletal (MSK) health of women in SSA. The work is informed by a gendered life-course perspective, and the authors follow the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Results indicate a bidirectional relationship between water fetching and poor MSK health as chronic and acute incidences of water carrying are highly related to MSK pain and dysfunction. This has negative implications for the overall health and wellbeing of women and their households. Gaps in the literature are identified, including the experiences of elderly people and people with various vulnerabilities. Recommendations from the literature are compiled to outline potential avenues of future research and innovation to better support the MSK health of water fetchers in SSA., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Meeuwisse et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: To explore the development of family medicine postgraduate training in countries with varying levels of resources at different stages of development of the discipline., Composition of the Committee: Since 2012, the College of Family Physicians of Canada has hosted the Besrour Conferences to reflect on its role in advancing the discipline of family medicine globally. The Besrour Narrative Working Group was conceived in 2012 at the first Besrour Conference. Their mandate was to use narrative and appreciative inquiry to gather stories of family medicine worldwide. The working group comprised members of various academic departments of family medicine in Canada and abroad who attended the conferences., Methods: A consultation process with our partners from lower-middle-income countries was undertaken from 2012 to 2014. Stories were sought from each global partner institute with ties to Canadian family medicine departments. An appreciative inquiry approach was chosen to elicit narratives. Thematic analysis was used to search for common threads and important elements of success that could serve to inform other initiatives in other nations and, in turn, offer hope for greater effect., Report: Sixteen narrative stories have been collected so far. These stories highlight insightful solutions, foresight, perseverance, and ultimately a steadfast belief that family medicine will improve the health system and the care provided to the citizens of each nation. Seventeen themes were elucidated by 3 independent Canadian readers. At a subsequent workshop, these themes were validated by Besrour Centre members from Canada and elsewhere. The linkage between the thematic analysis and the experiences of various schools helps to illustrate both the robustness and the usefulness of the narratives in exploring generalizable observations and the features supporting success in each institute., Conclusion: If we are to understand, and contribute to, the development of family medicine throughout the world (a key objective of the Besrour Centre), we must begin to hear each others' stories and search for ways in which our collective story can advance the discipline., (Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.)