Strengthening the response to noncommunicable disease in Turkmenistan

The government developed the National Health 2020 Action Plan 2014–2020 to guide action on noncommunicable disease; international attention on key issues helped generate national momentum and political will for health reform; a strong understanding of key challenges, supported with baseline population health data, facilitated the development of the Plan and allowed tailoring of activities to population needs; intersectoral partnerships across government ministries helped to keep the Plan on the political agenda and safeguarded health reforms against being undermined by other sectors’ policies; aligning with the existing primary care infrastructure facilitated the adoption of the Plan; a strong public communication strategy and provision of patient education helped to improve population health literacy and garner support for the initiative.

China country assessment report on ageing and health

China is ageing much faster than other low- and middle-income countries. The proportion of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 12.4% in 2010 to 28% in 2040. Also women outlive men, and populations in rural areas have higher proportions of older people.
Therefore, social and economic transitions are changing traditional care arrangements for older people in China. So, a health transition from communicable to noncommunicable disease is well under way in China.

Integrated care for the inhabitants of the city Leuven: Protocol of the ZORGZAAM Leuven integrated care project

In Flanders, the prevalence of chronic diseases is high and still increasing partially due to aging of the population and partially due to other reasons like surviving acute diseases or cancer. The aim of the Zorgzaam Leuven project is to test the impact of the implementation of a complex intervention based on the principles of integrated care for a well defined population of approximately 100.000 inhabitants in Belgium.

Care providers, access to care, and the Long-term Care Nursing Insurance in China: An agent-based simulation

China piloted a publicly funded Long-term Care Nursing Insurance (LTCNI) with an aim to improve access to long-term care (LTC) for older people in China in 2012. Existing studies showed that the scheme has been successful in meeting some goals, but little is known on how the availability, price and quality of the local care providers affect access to care. This article founded considerable discrepancies in terms of access to services among the LTCNI beneficiaries. The poor are more likely to choose nursing home care with low costs albeit these services may be of poor quality. The demand for home-based services is high, but these services are not distributed according to population needs and are not available in some districts with high concentration of older people. 

Health Networks in Action: The experiences of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico

Dioselina is a 54-year-old divorcée who has no children and lives alone in a large city. She has been unemployed for a year and just started receiving welfare six months ago. As for her health, she has long-term obesity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes. In recent months, she began to develop foot ulcers because her blood sugar was not being monitored properly, which is attributable in part to difficulty accessing healthcare services and getting medications and lab tests. If she does not receive rapid treatment and more specialized care for the ulcers, they could worsen and require hospitalization.

A growing number of people who seek health care have stories like Dioselina’s. Healthcare systems in Latin America and the Caribbean face significant health challenges affecting all age groups, which cause premature death and take a heavy social and economic toll.

Taking cues from the Declaration of Astana, nations ...

Adaptation and piloting of an integrated intervention model for alcohol use disorders in primary healthcare in rural Tanzania: a study protocol

According to Africa WHO, the African Region is faced with a growing burden of harmful alcohol consumption and its disastrous effects. There is no other consumer product as widely available as alcohol that accounts for as much premature death and disability. There are two main characteristics that describe alcohol consumption patterns in the Region: a high level of alcohol abstention in some countries and high volume consumption with severe health and social consequences in others. Alcohol use has immediate and long-term effects that increase the risks associated with numerous health conditions. Alcohol is a leading cause of risky sexual behaviours such as unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, and produces an increased risk of sexual assault. These behaviours can result in unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as human papillomavirus (HPV) and HIV.

Integration of evidence-based interventions for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) into primary healthcare has potential to ...