Health
HealthThis helpdesk reviews key studies on multiple primary and secondary prevention strategies, cardio-vascular disease (CVD) prevention drugs, and cancer prevention and early detection, in order to determine what the evidence says about the affordability of managing NCDs in low income countries. One key document reviewed the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of… Read more
This rapid review looks at the evidence on Early Childhood Development (ECD) models (including integrated approaches) in Malawi and in the Sub-Saharan African region, looking at the impact on child development and learning. Most of the evidence from Malawi focuses on Community Based Childcare Centres (CBCC) which are the main centre based model for ECD… Read more
The value of syphilis testing in early pregnancy has been gaining recognition in recent years. Mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the disease is estimated to be responsible for between 2-4% of all neonatal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study. This makes a clear case for strengthening the prevention of MTCT (PMTCT)… Read more
The market for menstrual hygiene products in developing countries is expanding rapidly, driven both by private demand and by public efforts to improve girls’ educational outcomes and women’s health and dignity. However, many women and girls cannot consistently afford the monthly cost of disposable menstrual products and revert to less hygienic solutions when facing cash… Read more
There is a growing movement advocating for an increased focus on resourcing the control and treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), ie The Lancet NCD Action Group and the NCD Alliance. The proponents of tackling NCDs often quote figures for NCD impact in LMICs without discussing disparities between socio-economic groups. The rapid search for this report… Read more
On average, urban health levels are better than those in rural areas. However, averages can be misleading: once the data are disaggregated, it is clear that the urban poor face health risks often as high as and sometimes worse than those of rural residents, despite the proximity of modern health services (UNFPA, 2012). This report… Read more
This helpdesk focuses on the impact of traditional healers, witch doctors and burial attendants on ebola in West Africa. It seeks to establish if there is a difference between witch doctors, herbalists and traditional healers in terms of when people see them and the kind of treatment they provide. It goes on to explore the… Read more
The Ebola outbreak currently affecting West Africa is the most serious trans-national medical emergency in modern times. It has the potential to become a global health crisis. Many of the countries affected already have weak health systems, which are now stretched to breaking point. The health authorities have a limited capacity to respond and in a… Read more
Gender is a critical determinant of mental health and mental illness. Gender dictates the differential power and control men and women have over the socioeconomic determinants of their mental health and lives. These determinants include their social position, their access to resources, their status and treatment in society and their susceptibility and exposure to gender-specific… Read more
Approaches to increasing facility based births: Eliminating user fees and voucher schemes have been found to improve facility-based delivery rates. A systems approach was found to increase facility-based deliveries in the Philippines. The strategy prioritised the creation of community-based women’s health teams. Payment to a trained birth assistant within a health team incentivised referral to… Read more
DFID is mapping the current health architecture and identifying drivers that will influence the future architecture from 2015. This report was prepared to inform DFID on the strengths and weaknesses of the current global health architecture, and of the relevance and responsive of the health architecture for the post 2015 agenda. This work looks at… Read more