Although the COVID-19 crisis is, in the first instance, a physical health crisis, it has the seeds of a major mental health crisis as well, if action is not taken. Good mental health is critical to the functioning of society at the best of times. It
...
must be front and centre of every country’s response to and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The mental health and wellbeing of whole societies have been severely impacted by this crisis and are a priority to be addressed urgently.
more
Self-care interventions are among the most promising and exciting new approaches to improve health and well-being, both from a health systems perspective
...
and for people who use these interventions. The World Health Organization (WHO) uses the following working definition of self-care: Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health- care provider
more
The publication draws on pre-COVID data to highlight how children with disabilities face greater risks in the midst of this pandemic. It documents what has happened to services for children and adults with disabilities across the world
...
and includes examples of what has been done to address disruptions in services. It also discusses the challenges in generating disability-inclusive data during the pandemic.
more
Hypertension is referred to as a “silent killer”. Most people with hypertension are unaware of their condition as in most cases, they experience no warning signs or symptoms hence they are not identified or treated. Hypertention is associated with a number of conditions,
...
disability, and causes of death. These include: strokes; myocardial infarction; end-stage renal disease; congestive heart failure; peripheral vascular disease and blindness. According to Stats SA, in 2017, hypertensive disorders resulted in 19 900 deaths with a further 44 357 deaths associated with cerebrovascular diseases and other heart diseases. This means around 30% of all deaths in 2017 were associated with increased blood pressure.
more
After a frightening or distressing experience (any kind of injury, a physical or sexual assault, car crash, fire, or other natural disaster), a child or teen may suffer psychological
stress in addition to any physical injuries.
When these reactions last for more than a month
...
and are strong enough to affect a child's or teen's everyday functioning, that child may be diagnosed as having Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD.
more
Every year, an estimated 15 million babies are born preterm – before 37 weeks of pregnancy. That is more than 1 in 10 live births. Approximately 1 million children die each year worldwide due to complications from their early birth. Those that survive often face a lifetime of ill-health including
...
disability, learning difficulties, and visual and hearing problems.
Half of the babies born at or below 32 weeks (2 months early) die in low-income settings, due to a lack of feasible, cost-effective care, such as warmth, breastfeeding support, and basic care for infections and breathing difficulties. In high-income countries, almost all these babies survive.
more
Mental health is critical to personal well-being, interpersonal relationships, and successful contributions to society. Mental health conditions consequently impose a high burden not only on individuals, families
...
and society, but also on economies. In Jamaica, mental health conditions are highly prevalent and major contributors to morbidity, disability, and premature mortality.
more
Reflections from disability research using the ICF in Afghanistan and Cambodia | Working Paper Series: No. 11
Working with parent groups – a training resource for facilitators, parents, caregivers, and persons with cerebral palsy.
TThis manual aims to increase knowledge and skills in caring for a child w
...
ith cerebral palsy. Research highlighted the significant needs of the caregivers, and how they can gain a huge amount of support from meeting with each other in an understanding environment.
It promotes a participatory learning approach with an emphasis on working with groups and the empowerment of parents and caregivers.
Download the manual and teaching materials for free, in English, French, Arabic or Spanish. A Chichewa (Malawi) version is also ready for sharing and the manual is being translated in a variety of other languages through the online community Working in the Community with Children with Cerebral Palsy
more
This research report provides results from the study of living conditions
among people with disabilities in Lesotho. Comparisons are made
between disabled and non-disabled in household level and i
...
ndividual
level. Disability was defined as limitation to perform certain activities that
was measured according to the Washington City Group questions.
Results obtained in Lesotho are also compared to those obtained in
earlier studies carried out in Mozambique, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe
and Malawi. The Lesotho study was undertaken in 2009-2010.
more
salud pública de méxico / vol. 50, suplemento 2 de 2008, pp.167-177.
In response to the emerging global concern regarding health and people with intellectual disabilities (ID), several developed countries have established national initiatives to
...
address the unique health needs of this population segment. However, most people with ID reside in countries with developing economies, such as many Latin American countries, yet there is virtually no information on the health of people with ID in these regions. Countries with developing economies face distinct challenges in promoting health among this population segment that may preclude adoption or adaptation of policies and practices developed in regions with established economies. This paper will address the issue of health promotion among people with ID in Latin America, an area that is undergoing significant reforms in both health care and disability rights
more
This study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of a community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programme known as Inspire2Care (I2C), implemented in Nepal by Karuna Foundation Nepal. In the absence of any gold standard methodology to measure cost-effectiveness, the authors developed a new methodology
...
to estimate the programme’s achievements and cost-effectiveness.
more
This paper aims to explore the conditions needed for sustainable community based rehabilitation (CBR) programmes for persons with disabilities in Vietnam, and to identify the conditions and opportun
...
ities missing at present for the implementation of such programmes.
more
Mental disorders impose an enormous burden on society, accounting for almost one in three years lived with disability globally. •In addition to their health impact, mental disorders cause a significant economic burden due to lost economic output
...
and the link between mental disorders and costly, potentially fatal conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV, and obesity.•80% of the people likely to experience an episode of a mental disorder in their lifetime come from low- and middle-income countries.• Two of the most common forms of mental disorders, anxiety and depression, are prevalent, disabling, and respond to a range of treatments that are safe and effective. Yet, owing to stigma and inadequate funding, these disorders are not being treated in most primary care and community settings.
more
The Disability inclusion guide for action supports ministries of health and their partners in both advancing health equity for persons with disabilities by identifying entry points,
...
and planning appropriate actions that strengthen the health system through disability inclusion. It focuses on addressing the contributing factors which relate to the health system – namely, the attitudinal,
institutional, and physical barriers faced by persons with disabilities across all health system building blocks. Such factors include the exclusion of persons with disabilities in governance and decision-making processes in the health sector; gaps in knowledge, negative attitudes, and discriminatory practices among the health and care workforce; inaccessible physical infrastructure, health
information and communication; and a lack of information or data collection and analysis on disability in monitoring and evaluation in the health system.
more
Disability. Assessment among Syrian Refugees in Jordan and Lebanon
Consultancy to conduct desk review on impact of national policies and programs on disability rights and develop an action plan to make existing pol
...
icies and programs and legislation disability friendly
more
This report aims to improve the assessment of mental health needs in the Americas by providing an updated and nuanced picture of: (a) the disability resulting from mental, substance use,
...
and specific neurological disorders, plus self-harm, alone and in combination with premature mortality; (b) the imbalance between mental health spending and its related disease burden; and (c) the inadequate allocation of the meager mental health spending by countries of the Region
more
The study analyses the intersection of gender with disability issues by combining economic and social analysis across four states in India by using both quantitative
...
and qualitative methods including gender analysis of disability budgets.
more