The article "Asthma in South African adolescents: a time trend and risk factor analysis over two decades" investigates the prevalence and risk factors for asthma in Cape Town adolescents from 2002 to 2017. The study finds that while the overall prevalence of asthma remained similar, the severity of ...the condition increased significantly. Risk factors for asthma and severe cases include smoking, pet exposure, outdoor pollution, and living in informal housing. Despite these trends, underdiagnosis remains a concern, as only one-third of adolescents with current or severe asthma had been formally diagnosed. The article emphasizes the need for better public health strategies to address environmental exposures and improve asthma diagnosis and treatment.
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Background
Asthma remains highly prevalent, with more severe symptoms in low-income to middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries. Identifying risk factors for severe asthma symptoms can assist with improving outcomes. We aimed to determine the prevalence, severity and ris...k factors for asthma in adolescents in an LMIC.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey using the Global Asthma Network written and video questionnaires was conducted in adolescents aged 13 and 14 from randomly selected schools in Durban, South Africa, between May 2019 and June 2021.
Results
A total of 3957 adolescents (51.9% female) were included. The prevalence of lifetime, current and severe asthma was 24.6%, 13.7% and 9.1%, respectively. Of those with current and severe asthma symptoms; 38.9% (n=211/543) and 40.7% (n=147/361) had doctor-diagnosed asthma; of these, 72.0% (n=152/211) and 70.7% (n=104/147), respectively, reported using inhaled medication in the last 12 months. Short-acting beta agonists (80.4%) were more commonly used than inhaled corticosteroids (13.7%). Severe asthma was associated with: fee-paying school quintile (adjusted OR (CI)): 1.78 (1.27 to 2.48), overweight (1.60 (1.15 to 2.22)), exposure to traffic pollution (1.42 (1.11 to 1.82)), tobacco smoking (2.06 (1.15 to 3.68)), rhinoconjunctivitis (3.62 (2.80 to 4.67)) and eczema (2.24 (1.59 to 3.14)), all p<0.01.
Conclusion
Asthma prevalence in this population (13.7%) is higher than the global average (10.4%). Although common, severe asthma symptoms are underdiagnosed and associated with atopy, environmental and lifestyle factors. Equitable access to affordable essential controller inhaled medicines addressing the disproportionate burden of asthma is needed in this setting.
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Aerosol pollutants are known to raise the risk of development of non-communicable respiratory diseases (NCRDs) such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and allergic rhinitis. Sub-Saharan Africa’s rapid pace of urbanization, economic expansion, and population growt...h raise concerns of increasing incidence of NCRDs. This research characterizes the state of research on pollution and NCRDs in the 46 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This research systematically reviewed the literature on studies of asthma; chronic bronchitis; allergic rhinitis; and air pollutants such as particulate matter, ozone, NOx, and sulfuric oxide.
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This report on global leishmaniasis surveillance follows those published in 2016–2023.2–6 Six indicators of leishmaniasis are publicly available from the Global Health Observatory (GHO).7 In addition to the GHO, country profiles with up to 30 indicators are published, with detailed data received... from 45 Member States.
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This document provides a list of key WHO-recommended maternal and newborn health commodities and aims to accelerate progress towards the SDGs. It consolidates the key and enabling commodities from existing WHO guidelines on maternal and newborn health.
Review book of health crisis center of Indonesia 2015 :
The book "Overview of Crisis Response 2015" is prepared based on data /
information sourced from reports of events and developments received from cross
Programs and related sectors that have been collected by the Health Crisis Center for th...e period time 2015.
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Mapping "Pro Poor" Policy in Aceh Province 2007-2011
Auslandaufenthalte Ausgabe 2, Juli 2019.
Ob aus humanitären, aus entwicklungspolitischen und volkswirtschaftlichen Gründen oder auch aus Gründen des Eigeninteresses – die Ausbreitung von Krankheiten einzudämmen, ist notwendig. Wir haben als Staatengemeinschaft dafür eine gemeinsame Verantwor...tung“, sagte Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel im Mai 2019 in Berlin. Nicht nur dieses Zitat zeigt: Aufbau und Schutz einer globalen Gesundheitsarchitektur rücken zunehmend in den Fokus der internationalen Staatengemeinschaft und Deutschland spielt dabei eine zentrale Rolle.
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Glaucoma, a disease that gradually affects the optic nerve, is the second leading cause of vision loss globally, and it continues to pose a challenge to the eye health professionals.
This training module is designed to equip health workers (HWs) with
knowledge, skills, confidence and resources to help them in their role to recommend the Human Papillomavirus
(HPV) vaccine.
Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia on Guidelines for Antiretroviral Treatment
Clinical Practice Guidelines and Clinical Pathway for Therapy and Management of Heart Disease and Blood Vessels in Indonesia
Inclusive Project Cycle Management - This Inclusive Project Cycle Management (IPCM) training package has been developed for CBM staff and Partner Organisations worldwide. The Trainers’ Manual will guide CBM trainers. It contains the curriculum for the course and training resources for trainers to ...help them deliver the course. The training will be successful if the trainers make sufficient planning time to prepare in advance and to respond to partners training needs. Different contexts and different partners may require different emphasis on areas that may be a challenge. This training material is not suggested as a prescriptive manual but as a suggested framework that can be added to and deepened as required. This means adapting the course to the local context and training needs and competencies of partners. In particular, it would be good to supplement or replace case studies included in the course with local case studies (refer Handout 8) and to have participants draw on their own examples.
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Diagnosis, Case Management Prevention and Control of Leptospirosis