States, the United Nations and civil society organisations continue to raise concerns about the humanitarian impact caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA). This issue is currently being examined from political, legal, socio-economic and humanitarian perspectives. The GICHD
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has undertaken research to provide a technical perspective on the destructive effects of selected explosive weapons to inform the international debate.
The research project attempts to reduce an observed knowledge gap regarding EWIPA. It seeks to provide clarity concerning the immediate physical effects and terminology used when discussing explosive weapons. The project is guided by a group of experts dealing with weapons-related research and practitioners who address the implications of explosive weapons in humanitarian, policy, advocacy and legal fields.
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31 March 2021
This article is part of a series of explainers on vaccine development and distribution. Learn more about vaccines – from how they work and how they’re made to ensuring safety and equitable access – in WHO’s Vaccines Explained series.
COVID-19 vaccines are safe, and getting v
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accinated will help protect you against developing severe COVID-19 disease and dying from COVID-19. You may experience some mild side effects after getting vaccinated, which are signs that your body is building protection.
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COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may have some side effects, which are normal signs that your body is building protection. These
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side effects may affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days. Some people have no side effects.
Available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese
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With this quick reference guide, providers can easily recognize diseases and side effects related to climate change, implement appropriate management and provide guidance to exposed populations, pro
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vide up-to-date information on the relationship between the adverse effects of certain drugs and the worsening of climate-sensitive health conditions, and determine the possible consequences of climate change for health services. This book addresses key meteorological risks, as well as the health conditions which they may influence, grouped by specific clinical areas.
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The objective of this book is to provide health workers with easily accessible information on important aspects of the medicines commonly used at primary care level in Zimbabwe. Medicines are a crucial part of the management of most of our patients, yet many medicines are potentially dangerous if no
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t used correctly (by either prescriber or patient). It is important to have up-to-date information not only on the indications for, and the dose of a particular medicine, but also the contra-indications and reasons for special care, possible side effects and interactions with other medicine or medicines. The patient must also have information on how to use the preparation, what side effects may occur, and when to return for help.
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Vaccines are designed to give you immunity without the dangers of getting the disease. It’s common to experience some mild to moderate side effects when receiving vaccinations. This is because you
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r immune system instructs your body to increase blood flow so more immune cells can circulate, and it raises your body temperature to kill the virus. Vaccines help protect us against disease and feeling mild or moderate side effects after receiving one is a sign that the vaccine and our immune system is working.
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23 April 2020EMA/202483/2020 Rev
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are known to potentially cause heart rhythm problems, and these could be exacerbated if treatment is combined with other medicines, such as the antibiotic azithromycin, that have similar
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effects on the heart.
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Infographic
Health workers play a key role in ensuring the continued safety of COVID-19 vaccines
If you have the choice of more than one vaccine and are wondering which one to take and how to assess the risk of side effects, this episode of Science in 5 with WHO’s Dr Katherine O’Brien is fo
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r you.
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Q7. SCOPING QUESTION: In adults with moderate-severe depressive disorder, what is the effectiveness and safety of antidepressant medication (ADM) in comparison with psychological treatment?
The WHO mhGAP programme’s existing guidelines recommend that either structured brief psychological treatm
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ents (e.g., interpersonal psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy, including behavioural activation) or antidepressant medication (e.g., SSRIsi and tricyclic antidepressants) be considered in adults with moderate-severe depression. Health care workers need to know whether these treatments have different effects, including side-effects, in treating depressive disorder in the short and long term, in order to improve clinical decision-making.
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Introduction: Considering the global prevalence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a vaccine is being developed to control the disease as a complementary solution to hygiene measures—and better, in social terms, than social distancing. Given that a vaccine will eventually be produced, informa
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tion will be needed to support a potential campaign to promote vaccination.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the variables affecting the likelihood of refusal and indecision toward a vaccine against COVID-19 and to determine the acceptance of the vaccine for different scenarios of effectiveness and side effects.
Materials and Methods: A multinomial logistic regression method based on the Health Belief Model was used to estimate the current methodology, using data obtained by an online anonymous survey of 370 respondents in Chile.
Results: The results indicate that 49% of respondents were willing to be vaccinated, with 28% undecided or 77% of individuals who would potentially be willing to be inoculated. The main variables that explained the probability of rejection or indecision were associated with the severity of COVID-19, such as, the side effects and effectiveness of the vaccine; perceived benefits, including immunity, decreased fear of contagion, and the protection of oneself and the environment; action signals, such as, responses from ones' family and the government, available information, and specialists' recommendations; and susceptibility, including the contagion rate per 1,000 inhabitants and relatives with COVID-19, among others. Our analysis of hypothetical vaccine scenarios revealed that individuals preferred less risky vaccines in terms of fewer side effects, rather than effectiveness. Additionally, the variables that explained the indecision toward or rejection of a potential COVID-19 vaccine could be used in designing public health policies.
Conclusions: We discovered that it is necessary to formulate specific, differentiated vaccination-promotion strategies for the anti-vaccine and undecided groups based on the factors that explain the probability of individuals refusing or expressing hesitation toward vaccination.
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The guide is organized into the major types of toxicities, the associated symp-toms, possible offending medications, and the suggested nursing assessments and interventions. Some symptoms (e.g. nausea) may be associated with a num-ber of underlying causes and may be mild, or a symptom of
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a more serious medical situation requiring urgent attention. The pathophysiology for medica-tion-related fatigue and hypersalivation are unclear and these symptoms are not grouped under a specific type of toxicity. Additional information (comments) are provided for each toxicity to highlight relevant clinical information that may assist in management of side effects. Medications more strongly associated with the side effect appear in bold text. The appendices include tools nurses can use to more thoroughly assess patient complaints of pain, depression and neuropathy.
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Q6: In individuals with psychotic disorders (including schizophrenia) who require long term antipsychotic treatment, are anticholinergic medications more effective in preventing or reducing extrapyramidal side-
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effects and/or improving treatment adherence than placebo/treatment as usual?
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Infographic for General Public
This briefing paper provides an overview of the approach underlying EA, how and by whom it is applied and its problems and consequences. It concludes that policy makers, rather than be guided by its assumptions and conclusions, must instead concentrate on understand-i
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ng the confounding structural causes of interdependent global challenges and aim at their long-term solution, within an overarching human rights framework.
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Available in English, French, German and Italian
The Lancet Global Health Published:May 12, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30229-1