Development Communication Report, 1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosch, Andrea, Ed.

1993-01-01

The three 1993 issues of the newsletter "Development Communication Report" focus on the use of communication technologies in developing countries to educate the people about various social issues as well as the field of development communication itself. Agricultural communication is the theme of the first issue which contains the…

Sharing organs with foreign nationals.

PubMed

Bruni, Rebecca; Wright, Linda

2011-03-01

Organs for transplantation are an absolute scarcity throughout the world, and many countries do not offer transplantation. Developed countries with transplant programs receive requests to list foreign nationals for transplantation. Any national standard deserves justification by a thorough exploration of the issues. In this article, the issues regarding organ transplantation for foreign nationals in Canada are explored. Currently Canada has no policy on listing foreign nationals for transplantation. Three topics are reviewed: (1) arguments for and against the transplantation of organs from deceased donors to foreign nationals, (2) relevant legislation and position statements, and (3) relevant practices in other countries. Finally, practical policy options are suggested. This article's analysis of the issues will provide guidance for health care professionals and policy makers in Canada and developed countries exploring listing foreign nationals for transplantation.

The Educational Implications of Introducing a NQF for Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Michael

2011-01-01

The one-year research project on the implementation of NQFs in developing countries was launched by the ILO 2009 in collaboration with the ETF. This article reviews some of the educational issues that arose from the project. The findings of the case studies raise issues that are important for how future research and policy on NQFs is taken…

Integrated Resources and Training Facilitation--A Strategic Priority When Promoting ICT in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khalid, Saifuddin; Islam, Kamrul; Nyvang, Tom

2013-01-01

In a rural context in a developing country purchasing a computer and connecting it to the Internet is in itself difficult, even when the lack of money is a minor issue. These issues prevent individuals in rural communities from familiarizing themselves with educational technology and ICT in general. The present study investigates the specific…

Ethical review of health research: a perspective from developing country researchers.

PubMed

Hyder, A A; Wali, S A; Khan, A N; Teoh, N B; Kass, N E; Dawson, L

2004-02-01

Increasing collaboration between industrialised and developing countries in human research studies has led to concerns regarding the potential exploitation of resource deprived countries. This study, commissioned by the former National Bioethics Advisory Commission of the United States, surveyed developing country researchers about their concerns and opinions regarding ethical review processes and the performance of developing country and US international review boards (IRBs). Contact lists from four international organisations were used to identify and survey 670 health researchers in developing countries. A questionnaire with 169 questions explored issues of IRB review, informed consent, and recommendations. The majority of the developing country researchers were middle aged males who were physicians and were employed by educational institutions, carrying out research on part time basis. Forty four percent of the respondents reported that their studies were not reviewed by a developing country IRB or Ministry of Health and one third of these studies were funded by the US. During the review process issues such as the need for local language consent forms and letters for approval, and confidentiality protection of participants were raised by US IRBs in significantly higher proportions than by host country IRBs. This survey indicates the need for the ethical review of collaborative research in both US and host countries. It also reflects a desire for focused capacity development in supporting ethical review of research.

The population, environment, and health nexus: an Arab world perspective.

PubMed

Kulczycki, A; Saxena, P C

1998-01-01

This report describes models of the links between population growth, environmental degradation, and health in Arab countries and in the world; management of the commons; urbanization and water as critical issues; and challenges in Lebanon. It is concluded that the complexity of interrelationships is difficult to untangle. Researchers frequently neglect health issues in modeling the relationships. The lack of attention to the health, development, and environment nexus has serious implications in the Middle East and North Africa. In Lebanon, national strategies do not include a national waste management strategy based on reduction, reuse, and recycling. Most Arab countries face the major issue of the lack of adequate planning in many economic sectors, which results in imbalances in supply and demand. Most Arab countries do not have adequate statistical databases upon which to base development, planning, and policy-making. The last census in Lebanon was in 1932. Information is missing on health. Health economics are ignored. It is not possible to estimate the health costs due to deficiencies in sanitation, hygiene, water, and air quality. Capacity building for environmental management and intersectoral collaboration is hampered. Arab countries with large oil reserves have ignored the population and environment links. Poorer countries will suffer the most from limited renewable water resources and their decline due to population growth. The political agenda in Arab countries should give priority to health, environment, development, and population issues.

U.S. International Firms and R,D&E in Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.

This document provides a panel report of research, development, and engineering (R,D&E) issues confronting international firms operating in developing countries. Biscussed are the R,D&E objectives of developing countries, the objectives of international firms, conflicts and the possibilities for cooperation between the two, and the role of U.S.…

Report of the Second Asian Prostate Cancer (A-CaP) Study Meeting.

PubMed

Kim, Choung-Soo; Lee, Ji Youl; Chung, Byung Ha; Kim, Wun-Jae; Fai, Ng Chi; Hakim, Lukman; Umbas, Rainy; Ong, Teng Aik; Lim, Jasmine; Letran, Jason L; Chiong, Edmund; Wu, Tong-Lin; Lojanapiwat, Bannakij; Türkeri, Levent; Murphy, Declan G; Gardiner, Robert A; Moretti, Kim; Cooperberg, Matthew; Carroll, Peter; Mun, Seong Ki; Hinotsu, Shiro; Hirao, Yoshihiko; Ozono, Seiichiro; Horie, Shigeo; Onozawa, Mizuki; Kitagawa, Yasuhide; Kitamura, Tadaichi; Namiki, Mikio; Akaza, Hideyuki

2017-09-01

The Asian Prostate Cancer (A-CaP) Study is an Asia-wide initiative that has been developed over the course of 2 years. The study was launched in December 2015 in Tokyo, Japan, and the participating countries and regions engaged in preparations for the study during the course of 2016, including patient registration and creation of databases for the purpose of the study. The Second A-CaP Meeting was held on September 8, 2016 in Seoul, Korea, with the participation of members and collaborators from 12 countries and regions. Under the study, each participating country or region will begin registration of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients and conduct prognostic investigations. From the data gathered, common research themes will be identified, such as comparisons among Asian countries of background factors in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. This is the first Asia-wide study of prostate cancer and has developed from single country research efforts in this field, including in Japan and Korea. At the Second Meeting, participating countries and regions discussed the status of preparations and discussed various issues that are being faced. These issues include technical challenges in creating databases, promoting participation in each country or region, clarifying issues relating to data input, addressing institutional issues such as institutional review board requirements, and the need for dedicated data managers. The meeting was positioned as an opportunity to share information and address outstanding issues prior to the initiation of the study. In addition to A-CaP-specific discussions, a series of special lectures was also delivered as a means of providing international perspectives on the latest developments in prostate cancer and the use of databases and registration studies around the world.

Designing Targeted Educational Voucher Schemes for the Poor in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafiq, M. Najeeb

2010-01-01

A targeted educational voucher scheme (TEVS) is often proposed for the poor in developing countries. Essentially, TEVS involves issuing vouchers to poor households, thus enabling them to pay tuition and fees for their children's schooling at participating non-public schools. However, little is known about TEVS' design in developing countries. This…

Lay and professional stakeholder involvement in scoping palliative care issues: Methods used in seven European countries.

PubMed

Brereton, Louise; Ingleton, Christine; Gardiner, Clare; Goyder, Elizabeth; Mozygemba, Kati; Lysdahl, Kristin Bakke; Tummers, Marcia; Sacchini, Dario; Leppert, Wojciech; Blaževičienė, Aurelija; van der Wilt, Gert Jan; Refolo, Pietro; De Nicola, Martina; Chilcott, James; Oortwijn, Wija

2017-02-01

Stakeholders are people with an interest in a topic. Internationally, stakeholder involvement in palliative care research and health technology assessment requires development. Stakeholder involvement adds value throughout research (from prioritising topics to disseminating findings). Philosophies and understandings about the best ways to involve stakeholders in research differ internationally. Stakeholder involvement took place in seven countries (England, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland). Findings informed a project that developed concepts and methods for health technology assessment and applied these to evaluate models of palliative care service delivery. To report on stakeholder involvement in the INTEGRATE-HTA project and how issues identified informed project development. Using stakeholder consultation or a qualitative research design, as appropriate locally, stakeholders in seven countries acted as 'advisors' to aid researchers' decision making. Thematic analysis was used to identify key issues across countries. A total of 132 stakeholders (82 professionals and 50 'lay' people) aged ⩾18 participated in individual face-to-face or telephone interviews, consultation meetings or focus groups. Different stakeholder involvement methods were used successfully to identify key issues in palliative care. A total of 23 issues common to three or more countries informed decisions about the intervention and comparator of interest, sub questions and specific assessments within the health technology assessment. Stakeholders, including patients and families undergoing palliative care, can inform project decision making using various involvement methods according to the local context. Researchers should consider local understandings about stakeholder involvement as views of appropriate and feasible methods vary. Methods for stakeholder involvement, especially consultation, need further development.

Development Communication Report, 1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Development Communication Report, 1992

1992-01-01

The four issues of the quarterly newsletter contained in this document focus on the use of communication technologies in developing countries to educate the people about various social issues as well as the field of development communication itself. Environment and communication is the theme of the first issue, which includes articles on…

Information for Developing Countries: Definitions, Institutions and Issues. A Contribution towards Forming an Understanding of the Potential for Consultancy, Marketing and Training Related Activities. Kingston Polytechnic School of Information Systems Research Report 87-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, John

This paper reports on the emerging market in information on development-related activities in terms of the European capacity in databases and information networking. The first of its two parts addresses issues that are emerging consequent to the introduction of information technology in developing countries. Problems of definition and interest in…

Building Capacity for Developing Statistical Literacy in a Developing Country: Lessons Learned from an Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North, Delia; Gal, Iddo; Zewotir, Temesgen

2014-01-01

This paper aims to contribute to the emerging literature on capacity-building in statistics education by examining issues pertaining to the readiness of teachers in a developing country to teach basic statistical topics. The paper reflects on challenges and barriers to building statistics capacity at grass-roots level in a developing country,…

Telemedicine for Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Combi, Carlo; Pozzani, Gabriele

2016-01-01

Summary Background Developing countries need telemedicine applications that help in many situations, when physicians are a small number with respect to the population, when specialized physicians are not available, when patients and physicians in rural villages need assistance in the delivery of health care. Moreover, the requirements of telemedicine applications for developing countries are somewhat more demanding than for developed countries. Indeed, further social, organizational, and technical aspects need to be considered for successful telemedicine applications in developing countries. Objective We consider all the major projects in telemedicine, devoted to developing countries, as described by the proper scientific literature. On the basis of such literature, we want to define a specific taxonomy that allows a proper classification and a fast overview of telemedicine projects in developing countries. Moreover, by considering both the literature and some recent direct experiences, we want to complete such overview by discussing some design issues to be taken into consideration when developing telemedicine software systems. Methods We considered and reviewed the major conferences and journals in depth, and looked for reports on the telemedicine projects. Results We provide the reader with a survey of the main projects and systems, from which we derived a taxonomy of features of telemedicine systems for developing countries. We also propose and discuss some classification criteria for design issues, based on the lessons learned in this research area. Conclusions We highlight some challenges and recommendations to be considered when designing a telemedicine system for developing countries. PMID:27803948

Ethical issues in medical research in the developing world: a report on a meeting organised by Fondation Mérieux.

PubMed

Perrey, Christophe; Wassenaar, Douglas; Gilchrist, Shawn; Ivanoff, Bernard

2009-08-01

This paper reports on a multidisciplinary meeting held to discuss ethical issues in medical research in the developing world. Many studies, including clinical trials, are conducted in developing countries with a high burden of disease. Conditions under which this research is conducted vary because of differences in culture, public health, political, legal and social contexts specific to these countries. Research practices, including standards of care for participants, may vary as a result. It is therefore not surprising that ethical issues emerge. This meeting sought to identify and discuss these issues from the perspectives of the many actors in such research, including community representatives, with a view to finding ethical and pragmatic solutions to these issues. Dialogue between these actors was also promoted, with a view to identifying the need to develop such dialogue in future. Drawing from the experiences of the speakers, the colloquium attempted to outline some answers to several key questions characterising the field today. Experiences related to epidemiologic research, vaccine trials, drug trials, diagnostic tests and to some fundamental ethical issues in health research. Speakers were from different countries, disciplines and professions. The meeting provided a forum for consultation and debate between different ethics actors. Both encouraging findings and challenges emerged.

Health Informatics for Development: a Three-pronged Strategy of Partnerships, Standards, and Mobile Health. Contribution of the IMIA Working Group on Health Informatics for Development.

PubMed

Marcelo, A; Adejumo, A; Luna, D

2011-01-01

Describe the issues surrounding health informatics in developing countries and the challenges faced by practitioners in building internal capacity. From these issues, the authors propose cost-effective strategies that can fast track health informatics development in these low to medium income countries (LMICs). The authors conducted a review of literature and consulted key opinion leaders who have experience with health informatics implementations around the world. Despite geographic and cultural differences, many LMICs share similar challenges and opportunities in developing health informatics. Partnerships, standards, and inter-operability are well known components of successful informatics programs. Establishing partnerships can be comprised of formal inter-institutional collaborations on training and research, collaborative open source software development, and effective use of social networking. Lacking legacy systems, LMICs can discuss standards and inter-operability more openly and have greater potential for success. Lastly, since cellphones are pervasive in developing countries, they can be leveraged as access points for delivering and documenting health services in remote under-served areas. Mobile health or mHealth gives LMICs a unique opportunity to leapfrog through most issues that have plagued health informatics in developed countries. By employing this proposed roadmap, LMICs can now develop capacity for health informatics using appropriate and cost-effective technologies.

The affordability of antiretroviral therapy in developing countries: what policymakers need to know.

PubMed

Forsythe, S S

1998-01-01

The objective of this paper is to assist policymakers in developing countries and international donors by providing an outline of economic information needed to make a decision regarding the purchase of drugs to provide highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The following paper: (i) reviews existing experiences of policymakers in developing countries regarding the purchase of drugs needed for HAART, (ii) identifies issues that would need to be addressed and data that would be required to make more informed decisions regarding this issue, (iii) develops a cost-benefit model that could be utilized in designing an economic research project evaluating the economic costs and benefits of HAART, and (iv) performs a preliminary test of this model with data from Costa Rica. A review of experiences with this issue reveals that there are growing political, legal and budgetary pressures for countries to make tenable decisions regarding the purchase of drugs for HAART. An economic model describing the costs and benefits of HAART is proposed, although much of the required data for using such a model is currently neither available or in the process of being collected. It is imperative that economic data be collected to better inform policymakers in developing countries about their decision regarding the purchase of these drugs. It is recommended that such economic data be collected as organizations such as the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS) initiate their medical assessments of HAART in developing countries.

Policy Coherence towards East Asia: Development Challenges for OECD Countries. OECD Development Centre Policy Brief No. 26

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fukasaku, K.; Kawai, M.; Plummer, M. G.; Trzeciak-Duval, A.

2005-01-01

Coherence issues drawn from specific country and regional cases can provide the most concrete information on the development implications of OECD-country policies. A first regional case study focused on East Asia, with financial support from the Policy Research Institute of the Japanese Ministry of Finance. The links between the region's…

Effective Use of Assistive Technologies for Inclusive Education in Developing Countries: Issues and Challenges from Two Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grönlund, Åke; Lim, Nena; Larsson, Hannu

2010-01-01

Developing countries face many obstacles in the process of implementing inclusive education (IE). Effective use of assistive technologies (AT) can help governments in developing countries achieve inclusive education by helping children with disabilities in schools. Despite the importance and positive impact of AT, prior research on the use of AT…

Trade, TRIPS, and pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Smith, Richard D; Correa, Carlos; Oh, Cecilia

2009-02-21

The World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) set global minimum standards for the protection of intellectual property, substantially increasing and expanding intellectual-property rights, and generated clear gains for the pharmaceutical industry and the developed world. The question of whether TRIPS generates gains for developing countries, in the form of increased exports, is addressed in this paper through consideration of the importance of pharmaceuticals in health-care trade, outlining the essential requirements, implications, and issues related to TRIPS, and TRIPS-plus, in which increased restrictions are imposed as part of bilateral free-trade agreements. TRIPS has not generated substantial gains for developing countries, but has further increased pharmaceutical trade in developed countries. The unequal trade between developed and developing countries (ie, exporting and importing high-value patented drugs, respectively) raises the issue of access to medicines, which is exacerbated by TRIPS-plus provisions, although many countries have not even enacted provision for TRIPS flexibilities. Therefore this paper focuses on options that are available to the health community for negotiation to their advantage under TRIPS, and within the presence of TRIPS-plus.

Ethical issues related to epilepsy care in the developing world.

PubMed

Tan, Chong-Tin; Avanzini, Giuliano

2009-05-01

There are three major issues of ethical concern related to epilepsy care in the developing world. First, is it ethical for a developing country to channel its limited resources from direct epilepsy care to research? The main considerations in addressing this question are the particular research questions to be addressed and whether such research will bring direct benefits to the local community. Second, in a country with limited resources, when does ignoring the high treatment gap become an ethical issue? This question is of particular concern when the community has enough resources to afford treatment for its poor, yet is not providing such care because of gross wastage and misallocation of the national resources. Third, do countries with plentiful resources have an ethical responsibility to help relieve the high epilepsy treatment gap of poor countries? Indeed, we believe that reasonable health care is a basic human right, and that human rights transcend national boundaries. Although health care is usually the responsibility of the nation-state, many modern states in the developing world are arbitrary creations of colonization. There is often a long process from the establishment of a political-legal state to a mature functional nation. During the long process of nation building, help from neighboring countries is often required.

Critical role of ethics in clinical management and public health response to the West Africa Ebola epidemic.

PubMed

Folayan, Morenike O; Haire, Bridget G; Brown, Brandon

2016-01-01

The devastation caused by the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa has brought to the fore a number of important ethical debates about how best to respond to a health crisis. These debates include issues related to prevention and containment, management of the health care workforce, clinical care, and research design, all of which are situated within the overarching moral problem of severe transnational disadvantage, which has very real and specific impacts upon the ability of citizens of EVD-affected countries to respond to a disease outbreak. Ethical issues related to prevention and containment include the appropriateness and scope of quarantine and isolation within and outside affected countries. The possibility of infection in health care workers impelled consideration of whether there is an obligation to provide health services where personal protection equipment is inadequate, alongside the issue of whether the health care workforce should have special access to experimental treatment and care interventions under development. In clinical care, ethical issues include the standards of care owed to people who comply with quarantine and isolation restrictions. Ethical issues in research include appropriate study design related to experimental vaccines and treatment interventions, and the sharing of data and biospecimens between research groups. The compassionate use of experimental drugs intersects both with research ethics and clinical care. The role of developed countries also came under scrutiny, and we concluded that developed countries have an obligation to contribute to the containment of EVD infection by contributing to the strengthening of local health care systems and infrastructure in an effort to provide fair benefits to communities engaged in research, ensuring that affected countries have ready and affordable access to any therapeutic or preventative interventions developed, and supporting affected countries on their way to recovery from the impact of EVD on their social and economic lives.

Workers' Education in Industrialised Countries and Its Specific Problems in Relation to Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labour Education, 1986

1986-01-01

Examines several problems that need to be addressed concerning world crisis: war, poverty, unemployment, overpopulation, environmental issues, and housing; developed versus developing countries; and social justice. The task for workers' education in relation to these problems is discussed. (CT)

From Smart-Eco Building to High-Performance Architecture: Optimization of Energy Consumption in Architecture of Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahdavinejad, M.; Bitaab, N.

2017-08-01

Search for high-performance architecture and dreams of future architecture resulted in attempts towards meeting energy efficient architecture and planning in different aspects. Recent trends as a mean to meet future legacy in architecture are based on the idea of innovative technologies for resource efficient buildings, performative design, bio-inspired technologies etc. while there are meaningful differences between architecture of developed and developing countries. Significance of issue might be understood when the emerging cities are found interested in Dubaization and other related booming development doctrines. This paper is to analyze the level of developing countries’ success to achieve smart-eco buildings’ goals and objectives. Emerging cities of West of Asia are selected as case studies of the paper. The results of the paper show that the concept of high-performance architecture and smart-eco buildings are different in developing countries in comparison with developed countries. The paper is to mention five essential issues in order to improve future architecture of developing countries: 1- Integrated Strategies for Energy Efficiency, 2- Contextual Solutions, 3- Embedded and Initial Energy Assessment, 4- Staff and Occupancy Wellbeing, 5- Life-Cycle Monitoring.

The ''Complex Reality'' of Research Capacity Development in Mathematics Education in Southern African Development Community Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Julie, Cyril; Mikalsen, Oyvind; Persens, Jan

2005-01-01

This paper explores how an aid-funded Ph.D.-programme in mathematics education instituted in some Southern African Development Community countries measures up to issues related to research capacity development projects. The research capacity development programme is described and reflected against mutual benefit, relevance, sustainability and…

Health equity for internal migrant labourers in India: an ethical perspective.

PubMed

Akinola, Ajoke Basirat; Krishna, Anil Kumar Indira; Chetlapalli, Satish Kumar

2014-01-01

In the developing countries, internal migration is a survival strategy for many labourers in search of a better livelihood and opportunities. It is inevitable that many of them will leave their home towns and villages in the coming years, and that the future will see an increase in the number of migrant labourers in developing countries such as India. Migrant workers face unique health problems and it is important for the health system to prepare itself to face these. In this context, the system will need to address certain key ethical issues. There is plenty of published literature on international migration and its ethical aspects.However, there is a scarcity of information on ethical issues relating to internal migration. This article examines these issues in the context of India. It addresses the issues of equity, non-discrimination,the provision of culturally competent care to migrants, allocation of scarce resources, and achieving a balance between benefits and risks for migrants. Our analysis should be considered while planning any healthcare intervention for internal migrant workers in all developing countries.

Current issues in Scandinavian acute psychiatric wards.

PubMed

Ruud, Torleif; Lindefors, Nils; Lindhardt, Anne

2006-01-01

The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of some of the most important issues faced by acute inpatient facilities in three Scandinavian countries, including reflections and critical remarks for discussion in this field. Information was drawn from scientific articles and official reports published in recent years, as well as the authors' own knowledge of acute facilities in their home countries. Acute inpatient facilities, including General Hospital Psychiatric Units (GHPUs), in all Scandinavian countries have several issues and problems in common, which include the organisation and capacity of acute services, the assessment of dangerousness and suicidality, the use of coercion and efforts to reduce coercion, the need to define and improve the quality of acute services, and the necessity to improve collaboration and continuity between acute services and other services. Although the emphasis some of these issues receive can vary across the three countries, Scandinavian mental health professionals (and policy makers) have begun to systematically share their experiences in developing a growing spirit of collaboration. Despite the role of welfare state and the deployment of substantial resources in Scandinavian countries, mental health practitioners are struggling to implement best practices in acute wards, to develop differentiated forms of acute services, and to reach the right balance and coordination between acute services and other services.

Generating political priority for newborn survival in three low-income countries.

PubMed

Smith, Stephanie L; Shiffman, Jeremy; Kazembe, Abigail

2014-01-01

Deaths to babies in their first 28 days of life now account for more than 40% of global under-5 child mortality. High neonatal mortality poses a significant barrier to achieving the child survival Millennium Development Goal. Surmounting the problem requires national-level political commitment, yet only a few nation-states have prioritised this issue. We compare Bolivia, Malawi and Nepal, three low-income countries with high neonatal mortality, with a view to understanding why countries prioritise or neglect the issue. The three have had markedly different trajectories since 2000: attention grew steadily in Nepal, stagnated then grew in Malawi and grew then stagnated in Bolivia. The comparison suggests three implications for proponents seeking to advance attention to neglected health issues in low-income countries: the value of (1) advancing solutions with demonstrated efficacy in low-resource settings, (2) building on existing and emerging national priorities and (3) developing a strong network of domestic and international allies. Such actions help policy communities to weather political storms and take advantage of policy windows.

The Social Development Summit and the developing countries.

PubMed

Barnabas, A P; Kulkarni, P D; Nanavatty, M C; Singh, R R

1996-01-01

This article discusses some concerns of the 1996 UN Summit on Social Development. Conference organizers identified the three key conference issues as poverty alleviation, social integration of the marginalized and disadvantaged, and expansion of productive employment. The goal of a "society for all" means dealing with the increasing differences between rich and poor countries, the survival of weaker economies in a competitive market system, wide variations in consumption patterns between countries, attainment of political stability while respecting ethnic identity, the rise in social problems among countries with a high human development index, and increasing joblessness. The Human Development Report for 1994 emphasizes human security. Social development is not the equivalent of human resource development nor a side issue of economic growth. The integration of ethnic groups poses social and political problems. There remains a question about what political system and culture would be best for social integration. Developed countries define poverty as the inability of people and government to provide resources and necessary services for people's productive activity. Poverty in developing countries is blamed on colonialism. Globally, developed countries control 71% of world trade. Sharing resources to meet basic needs throughout the world is not an operational ideal. The highest 20% of income earners receive 83% of the world income. The culture of poverty is the strategy used by the poor to survive. Welfare is not an end in itself but does enable the poor to improve their conditions. Development that focuses on productive employment is uncertain. Developed and developing countries do not share similar perceptions of human rights. There is a question as to who should set the priorities for social development. Sustainable social development is related to preservation of natural resources, control of population growth, and promotion of social security.

Putting women at center of programs. Sadik says women remain at center of UNFPA population and development programming.

PubMed

1996-04-01

The Nihon University International Symposium in Tokyo held March 4-7 was about life on earth in the 21st century. It was attended by 300 people. Dr. Nafis Sadik, executive director of UNFPA, gave an overview of the global population situation, noting that environmental degradation is closely linked to population issues as well as the issues of uneven development, poverty, income disparities, wasteful consumption, and gender inequality. The consumption of natural resources, which varies from country to country, is at the heart of the population-environment relationship. The UNFPA has always placed women at the center of its population and development programming. Dr. Sadik explained that the UNFPA's work in developing countries reflects an awareness of the interactions between women's status and environmental, population, and development factors.

Contracts to devolve health services in fragile states and developing countries: do ethics matter?

PubMed

Jayasinghe, S

2009-09-01

Fragile states and developing countries increasingly contract out health services to non-state providers (NSPs) (such as non-governmental organisations, voluntary sector and private sector). The paper identifies ethical issues when contracts involve devolution of health services to NSPs and proposes procedures to prevent or resolve these ethical dilemmas. Ethical issues were identified by examining processes of contracting out. Health needs could be used to select areas to be contracted out and to identify service needs. Health needs comprise "disease-burden-related needs", "health-service needs", and "urgency of health-service needs". The mix of services should include an analysis of cost-effectiveness. NSPs should be selected fairly, without bias, and conflicts of interest during their work must be avoided. The population's views must be respected and accountability structures established. Devolved health services should ensure equity of access to healthcare. The services ought to be sustainable and evaluated objectively. Of these issues, conflicts of interest among NSPs and sustainability of health services have not attracted attention in the literature on ethics of health policy. Fair procedures could address these ethical issues-for example, public consultation on issues; decisions based on the public consultation and made on evidence; principles of decisions stated and reasonable; decisions given adequate publicity; a mechanism established to challenge decisions; assurance that mechanisms meet the above conditions; and regular review of the policies. These procedures are complemented by improving self-governance of NSPs, countries' development of guidelines for devolving health services, and measures to educate the public of the client countries on these issues.

Building Education Research Capacity in Developing Countries: Some Fundamental Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puryear, Jeffrey M.

2005-01-01

This article addresses how to develop education research capacity in developing countries, using Chile's experience as a case study. Education research capacity is defined as a productive, modern, diverse, and self-reproducing professional community conducting research at internationally acceptable levels of quality. I argue that 3 general…

Development Communication Report, 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Development Communication Report, 1991

1991-01-01

The four 1991 issues of the newsletter "Development Communication Report" are primarily concerned with the use of communication technologies in developing countries to educate the people. Evaluation is the theme of the first issue, which contains the following articles: "Evaluating Communication Programs: Means and Ends,""Making a Splash: How…

Quantitative Effectiveness Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Policies, Introduction of Socio-Feed-in Tariff Mechanism (SocioFIT) and its Implementation in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafaoglu, Mustafa Sinan

Some of the main energy issues in developing countries are high dependence on non-renewable energy sources, low energy efficiency levels and as a result of this high amount of CO2 emissions. Besides, a common problem of many countries including developing countries is economic inequality problem. In the study, solar photovoltaic policies of Germany, Japan and the USA is analyzed through a quantitative analysis and a new renewable energy support mechanism called Socio Feed-in Tariff Mechanism (SocioFIT) is formed based on the analysis results to address the mentioned issues of developing countries as well as economic inequality problem by using energy savings as a funding source for renewable energy systems. The applicability of the mechanism is solidified by the calculations in case of an implementation of the mechanism in Turkey.

Information Communication Technology Planning in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malapile, Sandy; Keengwe, Jared

2014-01-01

This article explores major issues related to Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education and technology planning. Using the diffusion of innovation theory, the authors examine technology planning opportunities and challenges in Developing countries (DCs), technology planning trends in schools, and existing technology planning models…

China’s Currency: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-07-15

a policy that is practiced by a variety of developing countries . Chinese officials have expressed concern that abandoning the current currency...has been proven to be unreliable in reality: prices are consistently lower in developing countries than industrialized countries . Some economists have...not caused by the exchange rate policy of one country , but rather the shortfall between U.S. saving and investment. That being said, there are a

Some Comments on Key Themes and Issues in the Practice of Educational Administration. Practice, Problems and Trends in the Field: An Overview.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, William G.

This paper summarizes and analyzes the views presented in the preceding group of five papers, focusing on important issues in educational administration in four countries. The author notes that the developed countries discussed (England, Canada, and Australia) all face the problems of declining student numbers, decreasing birth rates, public…

Ethnic Conflict and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Role of Peace Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonge, Rufus A.; Okunade, Helen F.

2014-01-01

The issue of ethnic conflict in Nigeria has become a burning national issue with its attendant problems. Its current predominance is reflected in the reports of various activities of ethnic militant in the country coupled with the high rising terrorism activities in the northern part of the country from which the traces of ethnicity problem cannot…

Sustaining NGOs in the developing world: a perspective from the developing world.

PubMed

Damodaran, A

1993-01-01

The issue of sustainable development is attracting a lot of attention in the 1990s in the developing world. The author therefore draws upon experience from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh to consider the related issue of sustaining nongovernmental organizations (NGO) in developing countries. Vision, credibility and trust, stable management, pragmatic leadership, good staff, team work, and public accountability are called for to develop and maintain a successful NGO. Further, pre-project studies, realistic budgeting, time frame, relationship between funding agency and NGO, multi-source funding, flexibility, scaling up, and resource mobilization are issues with which NGOs reckon throughout the world. Some criteria for financial sustainability, however, are strongly influenced by conditions and experiences particular to developing countries. In closing, the author stresses that NGOs working with the very poor must strive to sustain any process of social change leading toward community empowerment and social justice.

Trends Developments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ASPBAE Courier Service, 1981

1981-01-01

This issue contains extracts from twenty-one country reports and case studies presented to the Unesco Regional Seminar on Adult Education and Development in Bangkok, November 24-December 4, 1980. The excerpts have an emphasis on innovations in adult education in the region. Countries and programs discussed include (1) community…

Peace Corps Program & Training Journal, Vol. IV, No. 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aronson, Margot, Ed.

This issue addresses the problems of women in developing countries, and the role of the Peace Corps in developing programs which respond to the needs of women of the Third World. Articles are presented on: (1) the adverse impact of development on women; (2) appropriate technology for women of the developing countries; (3) the transfer of…

Curriculum Issues: Teaching and Learning for Sustainable Development in Developing Countries--Zimbabwe Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dambudzo, Ignatius Isaac

2015-01-01

The study sought to investigate curriculum issues, teaching and learning for sustainable development in secondary schools in Zimbabwe. Education for sustainable development (ESD) aims at changing the approach to education by integrating principles, values, practices and needs in all forms of learning. Literature has documented the importance of…

Framing access to medicines in developing countries: an analysis of media coverage of Canada's Access to Medicines Regime.

PubMed

Esmail, Laura C; Phillips, Kaye; Kuek, Victoria; Cosio, Andrea Perez; Kohler, Jillian Clare

2010-01-04

In September 2003, the Canadian government committed to developing legislation that would facilitate greater access to affordable medicines for developing countries. Over the course of eight months, the legislation, now known as Canada's Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), went through a controversial policy development process and the newspaper media was one of the major venues in which the policy debates took place. The purpose of this study was to examine how the media framed CAMR to determine how policy goals were conceptualized, which stakeholder interests controlled the public debate and how these variables related to the public policy process. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of newspaper coverage of the CAMR policy and implementation process from 2003-2008. The primary theoretical framework for this study was framing theory. A total of 90 articles from 11 Canadian newspapers were selected for inclusion in our analysis. A team of four researchers coded the articles for themes relating to access to medicines and which stakeholders' voice figured more prominently on each issue. Stakeholders examined included: the research-based industry, the generic industry, civil society, the Canadian government, and developing country representatives. The most frequently mentioned themes across all documents were the issues of drug affordability, intellectual property, trade agreements and obligations, and development. Issues such as human rights, pharmaceutical innovation, and economic competitiveness got little media representation. Civil society dominated the media contents, followed far behind by the Canadian government, the research-based and generic pharmaceutical industries. Developing country representatives were hardly represented in the media. Media framing obscured the discussion of some of the underlying policy goals in this case and failed to highlight issues which are now significant barriers to the use of the legislation. Using the media to engage the public in more in-depth exploration of the policy issues at stake may contribute to a more informed policy development process. The media can be an effective channel for those stakeholders with a weaker voice in policy deliberations to raise public attention to particular issues; however, the political and institutional context must be taken into account as it may outweigh media framing effects.

Forestry sector analysis for developing countries: issues and methods.

Treesearch

R.W. Haynes

1993-01-01

A satellite meeting of the 10th Forestry World Congress focused on the methods used for forest sector analysis and their applications in both developed and developing countries. The results of that meeting are summarized, and a general approach for forest sector modeling is proposed. The approach includes models derived from the existing...

Methodological Issues in Researching Teacher Education in Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharpes, Donald K.

Social science concepts have an impact on the study of teacher education in developing countries, and teacher education is a primary social force woven throughout the study of national development. A recommended approach to research on teacher education combines a study of how education influences, and in turn is influenced by, other developmental…

Ethics and the European countries in transition--the past and the future.

PubMed

Borovecki, Ana; ten Have, Henk; Oreskovic, Stiepan

2006-01-01

This paper surveys the situation regarding bioethical issues in the European transitional societies. It aims at exploring past, present and future characteristics of bioethics in the European countries in transitions, analysing similarities, differences and common themes together with the historical development of bioethics. By carefully studying articles published since the early 1990s, one can perceive a number of bioethical issues, varying from specificities for certain countries to similar problems for all transitional European societies. It seems that more than 15 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Central and Eastern European societies were able to achieve significant improvements in the development of bioethics. However, looking at the bioethical issues important for European transitional societies, it seems that the invisible wall between eastern and western European societies is still there and that it will take years to remove it.

China’s Currency: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-09

order to foster economic stability and investor confidence, a policy that is practiced by a variety of developing countries . Chinese officials have...powerful in theory, it has been proven to be unreliable in reality: prices are consistently lower in developing countries than industrialized countries ...total U.S. bilateral trade deficits in 2006, indicating that the overall U.S. trade deficit is not caused by the exchange rate policy of one country

The eHealth agenda for developing countries.

PubMed

Drury, Peter

2005-01-01

Delivering eHealth in developing countries faces different health and socio-economic challenges to the developed one. But, if a global health infrastructure is to evolve, then developing countries need to play their part. So, whilst the context may differ, the localization-globalization of content issues needs to be jointly addressed. In providing robust and affordable connectivity, particularly to rural areas, developing countries can fully exploit the potential of handheld computers and wireless connectivity. Over such an infrastructure new ways of building capacity, both locally and globally, can be supported. Finally, an eHealth infrastructure can support the delivery of healthcare in communities, thereby supporting individuals and community development.

Reuse of samples: ethical issues encountered by two institutional ethics review committees in Kenya.

PubMed

Langat, Simon K

2005-10-01

There is growing concern about the reuse and exploitation of biological materials (human tissues) for use in research worldwide. Most discussions about samples have taken place in developed countries, where genetic manipulation techniques have greatly advanced in recent years. There is very little discussion in developing countries, although collaborative research with institutions from developed countries is on the increase. The study sought to identify and describe ethical issues arising in the storage, reuse and exportation of samples in a developing country. Research protocols presented to two Ethics Review Committees in Kenya during a period of two years were reviewed. A record was made of the protocol title, sample collected, request for storage, reuse or exportation and whether or not subject consent was sought. The findings indicated that about 25% out of the 388 protocols sought permission for reuse and only half of those actually informed subjects of the contemplated re-use. Less than 20% requested storage and again, about half of them sought consent from subjects. There is an indication that investigators do not see the need to seek consent for storage, reuse and exportation of samples. It is proposed that these issues should be addressed through policy interventions at both the national and global levels.

[New social and economical issues in the assessment of Romanian population's health status].

PubMed

Duma, Odetta

2008-01-01

Health status is determined by a combination of biological, environmental (physical and socio-economic), behavioural/lifestyle and medical care factors. The social and economic factors include many influences over which an individual may have limited control, such as economic status or educational level. The most important measures of these factors are represented by: gross domestic product per capita, employment rate, unemployment rate, literacy rate, poverty line, and human development index. From this point of view, the following positive issues have been recorded in Romania: a low unemployment rate (6.1%) compared to European Union countries; a high literacy rate (97.3%), very close to the maximum of 100% reported by all developed countries; and a human development index of 0.805 (rank 60 in the international hierarchy), specific to a country with a high human development. Negative issues have been reported in case of the following indicators: the reported gross domestic product per capita expressed in PPP US$ was 8480, among the lowest in Europe, specific to a country with a medium income; population living with less than 2 US$ per day of 13% and living with less than 1 US$ per day 2.1%; the employment rate was 57.4%, but in female population only 51.3%, whereas in male population it was 63.9%.

International Students in Western Developed Countries: History, Challenges, and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akanwa, Emmanuel E.

2015-01-01

Many scholars have described the various challenges international students face in Western developed countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Some of the challenges include differences in culture, language barriers, adjustment problems, medical concerns, pedagogical challenges, housing issues, lack of support…

Assessing dementia in resource-poor regions.

PubMed

Maestre, Gladys E

2012-10-01

The numbers and proportions of elderly are increasing rapidly in developing countries, where prevalence of dementia is often high. Providing cost-effective services for dementia sufferers and their caregivers in these resource-poor regions poses numerous challenges; developing resources for diagnosis must be the first step. Capacity building for diagnosis involves training and education of healthcare providers, as well as the general public, development of infrastructure, and resolution of economic and ethical issues. Recent progress in some low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) provides evidence that partnerships between wealthy and resource-poor countries, and between developing countries, can improve diagnostic capabilities. Without the involvement of the mental health community of developed countries in such capacity-building programs, dementia in the developing world is a disaster waiting to happen.

Tobacco Control and Tobacco Farming in African Countries

PubMed Central

Hu, Teh-wei; Lee, Anita H.

2015-01-01

During the past decade, tobacco leaf production has shifted from high-income countries to developing countries, particularly those in Africa. Most African governments promote tobacco farming as a way to alleviate poverty. The economic benefit of tobacco farming has been used by the tobacco industry to block tobacco control policies. The tobacco industry is active in promoting the alleged positive aspects of tobacco farming and in “protecting” farmers from what they portray as unfair tobacco control regulations that reduce demand. Tobacco farming has many negative consequences for the health and wellbeing of farmers, as well as for the environment and the long-term wellbeing of the country concerned.1-3 We provide an overview of tobacco farming issues in Africa. Encompassing multi-dimensional issues of economic development, there is far more to it than tobacco control questions. PMID:25428192

The Issue of Private Tuition: An Analysis of the Practice in Mauritius and Selected South-east Asian Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foondun, A. Raffick

2002-11-01

Private tuition is an issue of growing concern and is practised in both developed and developing countries. Although it has certain positive effects, it imposes a considerable financial burden on parents and often gives rise to abuses. The present study, which focuses on the primary level, addresses a number of questions, such as the extent of the practice, its implications, the various forms that it takes, attitudes towards it, why children take private tuition, why teachers provide it, and policies to deal with the issue. The discussion ends with a plea for more research on private tuition in order to provide a basis for policies to address the problem.

Disclosing the truth to terminal cancer patients: a discussion of ethical and cultural issues.

PubMed

Kazdaglis, G A; Arnaoutoglou, C; Karypidis, D; Memekidou, G; Spanos, G; Papadopoulos, O

2010-04-01

One of the most difficult ethical dilemmas facing health care professionals working in oncology is whether, when, how and how much to tell terminal cancer patients about their diagnosis and prognosis. The aim of this article is to review the trends in this issue worldwide. While a majority of physicians in both developed and developing countries tell the truth more often today than in the past, the assumption that truth-telling is always beneficial to patients can be questioned. The issue of truth-telling is still approached differently in different countries and cultures and there is a need for an increased awareness of cultural differences to truth-telling among patients from ethnic minorities.

Greening government procurement in developing countries: building capacity in China.

PubMed

Geng, Yong; Doberstein, Brent

2008-09-01

With increasing environmental issues and depleting resources, the effective application of green government procurement (GGP) is urgently needed and potentially can have greater impacts in the developing world rather than in the developed world. Such an approach can help promote the general goal of sustainable development and address environmental issues through purchasing and facilitating the use of environmentally friendly services and products. This paper addresses this issue by employing a case study on China. We first trace the development of the GGP concept, its spread to Asian countries, and a number of approaches used to expand GGP adoption. We then review current practices in China on GGP, and analyze and identify some of the current barriers and problems in promoting green procurement in the Chinese governmental sector. We finally seek to identify possible appropriate capacity-building solutions, in order to facilitate the application of GGP in China.

Institutional Governance and Management Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa Higher Education: Developments and Challenges in a Ghanaian Research University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abugre, James B.

2018-01-01

This article examines the developments and challenges of higher education in developing countries. Using a thorough qualitative interview of deans, directors and heads of Department of the University of Ghana, this paper draws on their analysis to discover unexplored issues that affect the universities in developing countries. The study identifies…

Engaging Students in Water Resources Issues in Developing Countries (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, J.; Lutz, A.

2010-12-01

When all is said and done, what does it mean to work in the developing world? The need for access to clean water and sanitation and the desire to end poverty and disease cannot be disputed. But as engineers and physical scientists, we often step into a scenario with a problem-identification-and-solving approach. However, to successfully apply engineering and science in developing countries, we should also consider questions such as: how the problems have come to be; have our approaches been appropriate; and what have the effects of projects been on local populations? A short course to help us better address critical needs begins with readings that cover the history of development, development theories, review of “players” in development, case studies, and possibilities on the road ahead. It is also important to include key guest speakers with experience in developing countries as part of an international course curriculum. Within this overall course context, discussion of case studies provides an opportunity to critically assess positive, negative, and a combination of outcomes for communities. These case studies are building blocks for solving some of the most important water and sanitation issues in developing countries.

Vaccine safety monitoring systems in developing countries: an example of the Vietnam model.

PubMed

Ali, Mohammad; Rath, Barbara; Thiem, Vu Dinh

2015-01-01

Only few health intervention programs have been as successful as vaccination programs with respect to preventing morbidity and mortality in developing countries. However, the success of a vaccination program is threatened by rumors and misunderstanding about the risks of vaccines. It is short-sighted to plan the introduction of vaccines into developing countries unless effective vaccine safety monitoring systems are in place. Such systems that track adverse events following immunization (AEFI) is currently lacking in most developing countries. Therefore, any rumor may affect the entire vaccination program. Public health authorities should implement the safety monitoring system of vaccines, and disseminate safety issues in a proactive mode. Effective safety surveillance systems should allow for the conduct of both traditional and alternative epidemiologic studies through the use of prospective data sets. The vaccine safety data link implemented in Vietnam in mid-2002 indicates that it is feasible to establish a vaccine safety monitoring system for the communication of vaccine safety in developing countries. The data link provided the investigators an opportunity to evaluate AEFI related to measles vaccine. Implementing such vaccine safety monitoring system is useful in all developing countries. The system should be able to make objective and clear communication regarding safety issues of vaccines, and the data should be reported to the public on a regular basis for maintaining their confidence in vaccination programs.

Academic Patents and Access to Medicines in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

There is a widespread and growing concern that patents hinder access to life-saving drugs in developing countries. Recent student movements and legislative initiatives emphasize the potential role that research universities in developed countries could have in ameliorating this “access gap.” These efforts are based on the assumption that universities own patents on a substantial number of drugs and that patents on these drugs are currently filed in developing countries. I provide empirical evidence regarding these issues and explore the feasibility and desirability of proposals to change university patenting and licensing practices to promote access to medicines in the developing world. PMID:19008514

University-Industry Relations, Regionalisation, Internationalisation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drilhon, Gabriel

1993-01-01

University-industry relations are examined in the context of countries in which universities are seen as potential resources for regional development. Issues discussed include different forms of cooperation, pricing of research, competition, intellectual property rights, choice of company for developing a discovery, and the broader issue of…

Tourism in Indian Country: Opportunities for Developing and Protecting Our Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Ben

2001-01-01

Tourism in Indian Country is a valuable economic development strategy, but must be sustainable. Issues of community impact, cultural appropriateness, and environmental impact are best blended with economic feasibility by educated tribal employees and Indian entrepreneurs. Better institutional tribal support of Indian entrepreneurs is needed. Four…

Micro-Enterprises: What They Are and What They Can Be.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaddar, M., Comp.; Gerbouin-Rerolle, P., Comp.

1994-01-01

Noting the failure of large, centralized production systems in developing countries, this journal issue describes the functions, types, and strategies of micro-enterprises in the modernization process of developing countries, especially in Africa. The journal analyzes the characteristics and failures of micro-enterprises and informal industries,…

A Country Report Project for an International Economics Class.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdalla, Adil E. A.

1993-01-01

Asserts that international economics textbooks pay too little attention to the complexity of issues and problems facing individual nations. Describes a country report project included as part of a college-level international or development economics course. Provides two student instruction sheets and a sample country report. (CFR)

Use of International Documentation: Some of the Major Problems Facing Developing Countries. Occasional Paper No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaungamno, E. E.

This paper discusses the role of information in national development, addressing such issues as for whom and for what purposes information is needed in developing countries, the impact of the information explosion on the Third World, and the problems inherent in current national and international information infrastructures. A series of statements…

National nutrition planning in developing countries via gaming-simulation.

PubMed

Duke, R D; Cary, R

1977-01-01

A nutrition game designed for the Food Policy and Nutrition Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to aid in planning national nutrition education programs in Third World countries is described. The Simulated Nutrition System Game allows high-level ministerial staff in developing countries to discuss, via a common language created by SNUS I, the issues, problems, and complexities of national nutrition programs.

Resolving legal, ethical, and human rights challenges in HIV vaccine research.

PubMed

Patterson, D

2000-01-01

In the absence of a cure for AIDS, attention has turned to the possibility of developing a preventive vaccine for HIV infection. Yet many scientific, ethical, legal, and economic obstacles remain. At the current rate, the development and production of an effective vaccine could take 15 to 20 years or longer. If tens of millions more HIV infections and deaths are to be avoided in the coming decades, vaccine research needs to be greatly expedited. Furthermore, it must be undertaken ethically, and the products of this research must benefit people in developing countries. This article, an edited and updated version of a paper presented at "Putting Third First," addresses challenges arising in HIV preventive vaccine research in developing countries. It does not address clinical research in developing countries relating to treatments or therapeutic vaccines. Nor does it address legal and ethical issues relating to HIV vaccine research in industrialized countries, although similar issues arise in both contexts. The article concludes that while ethical codes are silent on the obligation to undertake research and development, international law provides strong legal obligations--particularly with regard to industrialized states--that should be invoked to accelerate HIV vaccine development, and distribution.

[Introduction of vaccination against human papillomavirus in developing countries: update and perspectives].

PubMed

Hessel, L

2009-08-01

Cervical cancer and other diseases related to human papillomavirus (HPV) represent a global public health problem. Safe and effective vaccines are now available and already used in many industrialized countries. Immunization offers the best hope for protecting the population against a disease that is the second most deadly cancer in the developing world and the first most deadly in Africa. The World Health Organization currently recommends introduction of HVP vaccination in developing countries. Widespread vaccination could be beneficial in numerous domains other than primary prevention of cervical cancer. Efforts to overcome the numerous obstacles and speed up implementation of HVP vaccination programs are now underway in many areas ranging from related scientific issues such as epidemiology and clinical research to administrative concerns such as healthcare economics, vaccination guidelines, public acceptation, program funding, and universal access. Vaccine manufacturers have committed themselves to working in partnership with national and international organizations to ensure access to HPV vaccine for all countries regardless of economic level, Although numerous issues must be resolved to optimize the use of HPV vaccines and ensure synergistic integration of vaccination, screening and treatment, current initiatives and efforts should allow introduction of HPV vaccination in developing countries in a not too distant future.

Effect of culture on acceptance of telemedicine in Middle Eastern countries: case study of Jordan and Syria.

PubMed

Alajlani, Mohannad; Clarke, Malcolm

2013-04-01

We investigated issues that affect the use and adoption of telemedicine in Middle Eastern countries, taking the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Syrian Arab Republic as case studies. Our study is based on interviews with key stakeholders (including doctors, technicians, engineers, and decision makers) and questionnaires administered to key stakeholders (including patients), ensuring opinion was gained from people from a full range of backgrounds and roles in the healthcare system. We found doctor and patient resistance was a major issue preventing the adoption of telemedicine in both countries, followed by poor infrastructure, lack of funding, and lack of information technology training. Our research identifies that culture is a greater issue than technical matters for the adoption of telemedicine in Middle Eastern countries. Based on our preliminary results we developed a guideline framework for each country that might be applied to telemedicine projects at the pre-implementation phase. The proposed guideline framework was validated through a return visit to the stakeholders and seeking further opinion.

The impact of economic issues on Nigerian health sciences libraries.

PubMed Central

Belleh, G S; Akhigbe, O O

1991-01-01

Economic issues are among the most important factors affecting health sciences libraries in Nigeria. These issues are influenced by the political, cultural, geographic, and demographic characteristics of the country. Significant economic issues are the dependence of the national economy on a single commodity, large foreign debt and spiraling inflation, stringent foreign exchange control measures, and inadequate realization by authorities of the role and importance of health sciences libraries. With shrinking budgets, resources, and staff, health sciences libraries can neither grow nor afford library automation. Health sciences librarians must take initiatives for cooperative activities to increase and make the most of resources, pursue nontraditional methods of fund-raising, educate authorities about the role and importance of libraries, and develop and implement a plan for the development and growth of health sciences libraries in the country. PMID:1884083

Brands or generics: the dilemma of pharmaceutical marketing in a developing country.

PubMed

Quraeshi, Z A; Luqmani, M; Malhotra, N

1983-01-01

A significant issue in pharmaceutical marketing in many developing countries is whether drugs should be sold by generic or by brand names. In Pakistan, legislation prohibited the sale of brand name drugs in order to increase price competition, and strengthen the market position of indigenous manufacturers to compete against multinationals. However, the government's objectives were not achieved for reasons discussed in the article. The Pakistan case has implications for multinational firms and for other developing countries in similar situations.

Applying Open Source Software in a Development Context: Expectations and Experiences. A Case Study of a University in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Reijswoud, Victor; Mulo, Emmanuel

2006-01-01

Over recent years the issue of free and open source software (FOSS) for development in less developed countries (LDCs) has received increasing attention. In the beginning the benefits of FOSS for lower developed countries was only stressed by small groups of idealists like Richard Stallman. Now, however, it is moving into the hands of large…

Brain drain from developing countries: how can brain drain be converted into wisdom gain?

PubMed Central

Dodani, Sunita; LaPorte, Ronald E

2005-01-01

Brain drain is defined as the migration of health personnel in search of the better standard of living and quality of life, higher salaries, access to advanced technology and more stable political conditions in different places worldwide. This migration of health professionals for better opportunities, both within countries and across international borders, is of growing concern worldwide because of its impact on health systems in developing countries. Why do talented people leave their countries and go abroad? What are the consequences of such migrations especially on the educational sector? What policies can be adopted to stem such movements from developing countries to developed countries? This article seeks to raise questions, identify key issues and provide solutions which would enable immigrant health professionals to share their knowledge, skills and innovative capacities and thereby enhancing the economic development of their countries. PMID:16260795

Learning Style Preferences and Mathematics Achievement of Secondary School Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosman, Anne; Schulze, Salome

2018-01-01

Mathematics is a key subject necessary to the promotion of economic development, particularly in developing countries; however, South African learners perform poorly in Mathematics when benchmarked against their counterparts in other countries. One way to address this issue is by taking cognisance of the learners' learning styles when teaching.…

Essays on the Economics of Education in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Uttam

2012-01-01

This dissertation focuses on a key challenge facing developing countries intent on enhancing their human capital base--namely, the issue of quality. One of the chapters evaluates the effectiveness of the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) initiative in Nepal's primary and lower-secondary schools. Although the OLPC program is being heavily promoted in…

Putting the Young in Business: Policy Challenges for Youth Entrepreneurship. Territorial Development. LEED Notebook No. 29.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornell, Robert

Policies and practices promoting youth entrepreneurship in Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) member countries were reviewed. Special attention was paid to the following issues: youth unemployment; contrasting employment situations and policy approaches in individual OECD countries; a definition of self-employment; and the…

An Organizational and Task Perspective Model Aimed at Enhancing Teachers' Professional Development and Occupational Expertise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evers, Arnoud T.; Kreijns, Karel; Van der Heijden, Beatrice I. J. M.; Gerrichhauzen, John T. G.

2011-01-01

Currently, many countries, including the Netherlands, are "plagued" by severe, both quantitative and qualitative, teacher shortages that are even expected to increase in the years to come. Teachers' occupational development, therefore, has become an important issue on the research agenda of the respective countries. It is essential to…

An issue of trust: state corruption, responsibility and greenhouse gas emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frame, David J.; Hepburn, Cameron

2010-01-01

Climate change is increasingly seen to raise difficult normative issues. To date, cumulative emissions have been disproportionately from the developed world, while the consequences of climate change are anticipated to hit poorer countries hardest. For this reason, amongst others, it is suggested that more economically developed countries with high greenhouse gas emissions ought to transfer resources to less economically developed, lower emissions countries. Some proponents would justify these resource transfers by ethical or justice-based arguments, often based on some function of the emissions per capita of each country, such that rights of some sort are created and those nations which are emitting more (per capita) than some amount are to compensate those who are emitting less. In this letter we show that national emissions per capita, scaled by economic output, show a systematic negative correlation with state corruption. We discuss this result in the context of justice-based arguments for per capita climate mitigation transfers, and suggest that it would be beneficial for the climate mitigation community to consider state corruption as a relevant factor in the development of mitigation policy.

Non-University Sectors and the Provision of Higher Education in OECD Countries: Problematics of Articulation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Malcolm B.

This paper identifies issues currently arising in efforts to coordinate public policy concerning competing sectors of postsecondary education in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Countries (OECD). It is presented as a result of the OECD's advisement that these industrialized countries need to further strengthen education…

International Mathematics and Science Assessments: What Have We Learned? Research and Development Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medrich, Elliott A.; Griffith, Jeanne E.

This report addresses two related issues. First, it summarizes the past international studies of mathematics and science, describing each study and its primary results. In place of country by country performance rankings, the report presents the average performance for each country accompanied by an estimate of the statistical error circumscribing…

Developing Computer Use in Education: Guidelines, Trends and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Jonathan; And Others

Designed to provide educational policy-makers and decision-makers with a basis for the development of guidelines for the development of education programs, this report presents an overview of trends and issues in computer education within the countries of the Asia and Pacific region. The impact of computers on society is described, as well as the…

Issues in the Development and Evaluation of Cross-Cultural Training in a Business Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broadbooks, Wendy J.

Issues in the development and evaluation of cross-cultural training in a business setting were investigated. Cross-cultural training and cross-cultural evaluation were defined as training and evaluation of training that involve the interaction of participants from two or more different countries. Two evaluations of a management development-type…

An Integrated Approach to Early Childhood Education and Care: A Preliminary Study. Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haddad, Lenira

This paper reflects upon the policy development and implementation of integrated or coordinated services of early childhood education and care (ECEC) within a systemic perspective, focusing on issues of relevance to both developed and developing countries. The paper is divided into four parts: (1) issues related to ECEC's cultural and historical…

United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan: Background and Policy Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-14

mainly through U.N. agencies and NGOs. 6 In 2007, Afghanistan placed 174th out of 178 countries on global rankings of the Human Development Index ( HDI ...and other insurgents to reestablish control of some areas of the country have slowed the pace and extent of economic development and the expansion of...improvement throughout the country . The international recovery and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan is immense and complicated and, in coordination

The ethics of developed nations recruiting nurses from developing countries: the case of Malawi.

PubMed

Muula, Adamson S; Mfutso-Bengo, Joseph M; Makoza, Joan; Chatipwa, Elita

2003-07-01

There is currently a global shortage of nurses. Developing countries such as Malawiare among those hardest hit by this shortage. The demands on available nurses have increased and at the same time there is a lack of interest in becoming a nurse owing to the poor working conditions among those still employed in the service. It is questionable if developed nations should recruit nurses from countries such as Malawi, where severe human resource constraints are being experienced. We argue in this article that the current phenomenon of nurses leaving developing nations for western countries is complex. Human rights issues of individual autonomy and public interest are at stake.

Key Issues and Policy Considerations in Promoting Lifelong Learning in Selected African Countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda and Tanzania. UIL Publication Series on Lifelong Learning Policies and Strategies. No. 1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walters, Shirley; Yang, Jim; Roslander, Peter

2014-01-01

This cross-national study focuses on key issues and policy considerations in promoting lifelong learning in Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, Rwanda, and Tanzania (the five African countries that took part in a pilot workshop on "Developing Capacity for Establishing Lifelong Learning Systems in UNESCO Member States: at the UNESCO Institute for…

An overview of BIM uptake in Asian developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, Noor Akmal Adillah; Chiozzi, Maria; Drogemuller, Robin

2017-11-01

BIM is increasingly in demand within the construction industry internationally in recent years. The application of the technology reconciles several problems within the project teams such as delays, rework, miscommunication, and other related to inefficiencies that affect project success. While it is actively employed by the majority of the developed countries, however, BIM is not as advanced in most developing countries. Therefore, this paper reviews BIM uptake in some of the Asian developing countries and examines the extent to which it is implemented in these regions. Prevalent challenges were considered with recommendations towards addressing the issues of low level of BIM adoption that distinguishes the developing from the developed countries. This paper will provide some insights of how BIM is evolving within those countries considering the drivers and barriers in adopting the technology and how this is likely to change in the near future.

Framing access to medicines in developing countries: an analysis of media coverage of Canada's Access to Medicines Regime

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In September 2003, the Canadian government committed to developing legislation that would facilitate greater access to affordable medicines for developing countries. Over the course of eight months, the legislation, now known as Canada's Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), went through a controversial policy development process and the newspaper media was one of the major venues in which the policy debates took place. The purpose of this study was to examine how the media framed CAMR to determine how policy goals were conceptualized, which stakeholder interests controlled the public debate and how these variables related to the public policy process. Methods We conducted a qualitative content analysis of newspaper coverage of the CAMR policy and implementation process from 2003-2008. The primary theoretical framework for this study was framing theory. A total of 90 articles from 11 Canadian newspapers were selected for inclusion in our analysis. A team of four researchers coded the articles for themes relating to access to medicines and which stakeholders' voice figured more prominently on each issue. Stakeholders examined included: the research-based industry, the generic industry, civil society, the Canadian government, and developing country representatives. Results The most frequently mentioned themes across all documents were the issues of drug affordability, intellectual property, trade agreements and obligations, and development. Issues such as human rights, pharmaceutical innovation, and economic competitiveness got little media representation. Civil society dominated the media contents, followed far behind by the Canadian government, the research-based and generic pharmaceutical industries. Developing country representatives were hardly represented in the media. Conclusions Media framing obscured the discussion of some of the underlying policy goals in this case and failed to highlight issues which are now significant barriers to the use of the legislation. Using the media to engage the public in more in-depth exploration of the policy issues at stake may contribute to a more informed policy development process. The media can be an effective channel for those stakeholders with a weaker voice in policy deliberations to raise public attention to particular issues; however, the political and institutional context must be taken into account as it may outweigh media framing effects. PMID:20044940

Qualitative adaptation of child behaviour problem instruments in a developing-country setting.

PubMed

Khan, B; Avan, B I

2014-07-08

A key barrier to epidemiological research on child behaviour problems in developing countries is the lack of culturally relevant, internationally recognized psychometric instruments. This paper proposes a model for the qualitative adaptation of psychometric instruments in developing-country settings and presents a case study of the adaptation of 3 internationally recognized instruments in Pakistan: the Child Behavior Checklist, the Youth Self-Report and the Teacher's Report Form. This model encompassed a systematic procedure with 6 distinct phases to minimize bias and ensure equivalence with the original instruments: selection, deliberation, alteration, feasibility, testing and formal approval. The process was conducted in collaboration with the instruments' developer. A multidisciplinary working group of experts identified equivalence issues and suggested modifications. Focus group discussions with informants highlighted comprehension issues. Subsequently modified instruments were thoroughly tested. Finally, the instruments' developer approval further validated the qualitative adaptation. The study proposes a rigorous and systematic model to effectively achieve cultural adaptation of psychometric instruments.

Motivating green public procurement in China: an individual level perspective.

PubMed

Zhu, Qinghua; Geng, Yong; Sarkis, Joseph

2013-09-15

Green public procurement (GPP) practices have been recognized as an effective policy tool for sustainable production and consumption. However, GPP practices adoption, especially in developing countries, is still an issue. Seeking to help understand these adoption issues, we develop a conceptual model which hypothesizes moderation effects of GPP knowledge on the relationships between GPP drivers and practices. Using primary data collected from 193 Chinese government officials, we find that regulations, rewards & incentive gains, and stakeholders exert pressure to motivate adoption of GPP practices. Knowledge of GPP regulations, responsibilities and experiences in developed countries is found to be limited. The study also found that voluntary regulations may actually be demotivating GPP practices. This study contributes to further theoretical and practical understanding of GPP practices. The findings can be helpful for policy makers, especially those in developing countries, to establish promotion and diffusion mechanisms for GPP practices as an important sustainable development tool. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Borns...Getting a Good Start.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huraux-Rendu, Christine; And Others

1991-01-01

This issue of Children in the Tropics analyzes key issues relating to protecting the health of newborn infants. Many of the suggestions offered concern rudimentary health care situations in developing countries. Key issues are addressed in four sections. The first section discusses the early care and first medical examination of infants born in…

HIV/AIDS research conducted in the developing world and sponsored by the developed world: reporting of research ethics committee review in two countries.

PubMed

Chin, Lisa Judy; Rifai-Bashjawish, Hoda; Kleinert, Kelly; Saltman, Alexandra; Leu, Cheng-Shiun; Klitzman, Robert

2011-09-01

We explored how often journal articles reporting HIV research sponsored by a developed country, but conducted in a developing country, mention research ethics committee (REC) approval from both countries, and what factors are involved. Of all such 2007 articles on Medline conducted in one of four developing countries (N = 154), only 52% mentioned such dual approval. Mention of dual vs. single approval was more likely among articles with ≥ 50% sponsor country authors, and the United States as the sponsor country. Also, dual approval was more likely among articles that mentioned informed consent and funding, had ≥ 50% sponsor country authors, were biomedical (vs. psychosocial), and appeared in journals adopting International Committee Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidelines. Dual approval was thus obtained in only half of the articles and was associated with ethical and logistic issues, indicating the need for clearer and more universally accepted guidelines.

Emerging issues in occupational safety and health.

PubMed

Schulte, Paul A

2006-01-01

In developed countries, changes in the nature of work and the workforce may necessitate recalibrating the vision of occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to increase the focus on the most important issues. New methods of organizing the workplace, extensive labor contracting, expansion of service and knowledge sectors, increase in small business, aging and immigrant workers, and the continued existence of traditional hazards in high-risk sectors such as construction, mining, agriculture, health care, and transportation support the need to address: 1) broader consideration of the role and impact of work, 2) relationship between work and psychological dysfunction, 3) increased surveillance basis for research and intervention, 4) overcoming barriers to the conduct and use of epidemiologic research, 5) information and knowledge transfer and application, 6) economic issues in prevention, and 7) the global interconnectedness of OSH. These issues are offered to spur thinking as new national research agendas for OSH are considered for developed countries.

Environmental Decision Making on Acid Mine Drainage Issues in South Africa: An Argument for the Precautionary Principle.

PubMed

Morodi, T J; Mpofu, Charles

2017-06-28

This paper examines the issue of acid mine drainage in South Africa and environmental decision making processes that could be taken to mitigate the problem in the context of both conventional risk assessment and the precautionary principle. It is argued that conventional risk assessment protects the status quo and hence cannot be entirely relied upon as an effective tool to resolve environmental problems in the context of South Africa, a developing country with complex environmental health concerns. The complexity of the environmental issues is discussed from historical and political perspectives. An argument is subsequently made that the precautionary principle is an alternative tool, and its adoption can be used to empower local communities. This work, therefore, adds to new knowledge by problematising conventional risk assessment and proposing the framing of the acid mine drainage issues in a complex and contextual scenario of a developing country-South Africa.

Migration of health workers in the Pacific Islands: a bottleneck to health development.

PubMed

Yamamoto, T S; Sunguya, B F; Shiao, L W; Amiya, R M; Saw, Y M; Jimba, M

2012-07-01

Human resources for health (HRH) are a crucial component of a well-functioning health system. Problems in the global HRH supply and distribution are an obstacle to achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals and other health outcomes. The Pacific Island region, covering 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the South Pacific Ocean, is suffering a serious HRH crisis. Yet updated evidence and data are not available for the 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories. The objective of this study was thus to explore the current HRH situation in the Pacific Island region, focusing particularly on the issue of health workforce migration. HRH trends and gaps differ by country, with some showing increases in HRH density over the past 20 years whereas others have made negligible progress. Currently, three Pacific Island countries are facing critical HRH shortages, a worsening of the situation from 2006, when HRH issues were first brought to widespread global attention. In this region, skilled personnel migration is a major issue contributing to the limited availability of HRH. Political commitment from source and destination countries to strengthen HRH would be a key factor toward increasing efforts to train new health personnel and to implement effective retention strategies.

Advancing the National and Global Knowledge Economy: The Role of Research Universities in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altbach, Philip G.

2013-01-01

Research universities are a central part of all academic systems. They are the key points of international contact and involvement. Research is produced, disseminated and in many cases imported. For developing countries, the mechanisms for the involvement of research universities in the global knowledge economy is complex, and includes issues of…

Confronting Challenges to the Liberal Arts Curriculum: Perspectives of Developing and Transitional Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Patti McGill

2012-01-01

Comparative research on higher education in developing and transitional countries is often focused on such issues as access, finance, student mobility and the impact of globalization, but there has been little attention to curriculum and the forces that shape it. Confronting Challenges to the Liberal Arts Curriculum fills an important gap in the…

The Educational Use of Mass Media. World Bank Staff Working Paper No. 491.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courrier, Kathleen, Ed.

This 7-chapter volume presents 11 papers dealing with the issues commonly encountered by educators and decision-makers in less developed countries when they consider the use of mass media to further their country's education and development. Individual topics and their authors are (1) "Marshalling, Managing, and Evaluating the Mass Media for…

Universal Primary Education in Kenya: Advancement and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngugi, Margaret; Mumiukha, Catherine; Fedha, Flora; Ndiga, Beatrice

2015-01-01

Universalisation of primary education (UPE) has been a global issue since the early sixties, yet several decades later and even in the 21st century, many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are still grappling with it. Unlike their counterparts in the developed world, its realisation in developing countries has been faced with a myriad of constraints.…

Electricity for a Developing World: New Directions. Worldwatch Paper 70.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flavin, Christopher

The nature, scope, and problems of electrical programs are examined in this report on developing nations. Electric power is recognized as a crucial component of the economy in most Third World countries with the potential to affect some of the most basic issues facing these countries today. Topic areas covered include: (1) electric power…

Academic Adjustment Issues in a Malaysian Research University: The Case of Cambodian, Laotian, Burmese, and Vietnamese Postgraduate Students' Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sam, Rany; Zain, Ahmad Nurulazam Md; Bin Jamil, Hazri; Souriyavongsa, Thongma; Quyen, Le To Do

2013-01-01

The Malaysian government aims to help the bottom billion countries, which are its neighbouring countries in the South East Asian region, for their human capital development through providing university postgraduate scholarship projects. Those countries include Cambodia, Laos PDR, Burma or Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV), which are favourite countries…

Issues Surrounding Mobility with Particular Reference to Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kameoka, Yu

1996-01-01

Several issues in college student mobility between Japan and other member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are examined, including the role of organized regional mobility in various areas of the world, curriculum development to meet the needs of international students, and the need for more analysis of…

Ageing in Asia and the Pacific. A multidimensional cross-national study in four countries.

PubMed

Andrews, G R

1987-12-01

Although ageing is not yet a high priority issue for health planners, policy makers and clinicians in most developing countries, there will be a growing need in coming years to pay more attention to the important health issues associated with population ageing in the developing world. This paper reports some of the relevant findings of a cross-national study (sponsored by the World Health Organization) of the health and social aspects of ageing in four developing countries: Korea, the Philippines, Fiji and Malaysia. The key findings are compared and contrasted with those of a similar 11-country WHO study in Europe. In broad terms, the overall demographic, physical, mental health and social patterns and trends associated with ageing as demonstrated by age group and sex differences were consistent throughout the four countries studied. Comparisons with European findings in other similar studies underlined the fundamental universality of age-related changes in biophysical, behavioural and social characteristics. The importance of the family in developing countries was evident with about three-quarters of those aged 60 and over in the four countries living with children, often in extended family situations. Levels of adverse health-related behaviour and the prospect of changing patterns of morbidity with further increases in the total and proportional numbers of aged persons point to a need for emphasis on preventive health measures and programmes directed to the maintenance of the physical and mental health of the ageing population.

Ethical perspectives on living donor organ transplantation in Asia.

PubMed

Concejero, Allan M; Chen, Chao-Long

2009-12-01

Live donors are a continuing source of organ grafts for solid organ transplantation in Asia. Ethical issues surrounding the development of living donor organ transplantation in Eastern countries are different from those in Western countries. Donor safety is still the paramount concern in any donor operation. Issues on organ trafficking remain societal concerns in low-income nations. Religion, cultural background, economic prerogatives, and timely legislation contribute to the social acceptance and maturation of organ donation.

Establishment of the International Power Institute. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Julius E. Coles

The International Power Institute, in collaboration with American industries, seeks to address technical, political, economic and cultural issues of developing countries in the interest of facilitating profitable transactions in power related infrastructure projects. IPI works with universities, governments and commercial organizations to render project-specific recommendations for private-sector investment considerations. IPI also established the following goals: Facilitate electric power infrastructure transactions between developing countries and the US power industry; Collaborate with developing countries to identify development strategies to achieve energy stability; and Encourage market driven solutions and work collaboratively with other international trade energy, technology and banking organizations.

Tobacco growing and the sustainable development goals, Malawi

PubMed Central

Bialous, Stella Aguinaga; Munthali, Spy; Max, Wendy

2017-01-01

Abstract Negative impacts of tobacco result from human consumption and from tobacco-growing activities, most of which now occur in low- and middle-income countries. Malawi is the world’s largest producer of burley tobacco and its population is affected by the negative consequences of both tobacco consumption and production. In countries like Malawi, tobacco control refers to control of the tobacco supply chain, rather than control of consumption. We review the impact of tobacco cultivation, using Malawi as an example, to illustrate the economic, environmental, health and social issues faced by low- and middle-income countries that still produce significant tobacco crops. We place these issues in the context of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly 3a which calls on all governments to strengthen the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Other goals address the negative effects that tobacco cultivation has on development. The SDGs offer an opportunity for low- and middle-income countries that are dependent on tobacco production and that are not yet parties to the Convention, to reconsider joining the FCTC. PMID:28479637

Water security and its challenges for Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malek, M. A.; Nor, M. A. M.; P, Leong Y.

2013-06-01

Water Security in Malaysia is a national issue. The Malaysian water services industry faces issues which need to be tackled immediately for it to be viable and sustainable. Among them are the decentralized water services sector, ineffective governance structure, unsustainable tariffs, huge investments required to develop the water supply and sewerage infrastructure, inefficient operation by the operators and high non-revenue water (NRW) losses. In Malaysia, the "Sectorial" approach embedded in the present water management system and its transformation towards "Integrated Water Resources Management" (IWRM), is still in a state of inertia. This paper presents the need to transform, from a "Supply" Management mode (a characteristic of a developing country) to a "Water Demand" Management mode (a characteristic of a developed country). Issues on "Water Demand" Management for the Environment which can be a threat to the need for sustainable development for biodiversity are highlighted here. Reliable water accounting systems are found still lacking in this country, especially in the Agriculture and Environmental Sectors, where figures are still highly based on "traditional" assumptions. Water Quality deterioration remains an issue especially for the Water Supply and Environment Sectors. Available surface water resource is depleting in many regions and states in the Peninsular. Apart from the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle (3R) option for surface water, another option would be to begin a concerted effort for groundwater exploitation. However there are still grey areas of knowledge in the groundwater resources in this country for affirmative decisions and development of appropriate policies. It is also found that, there are no concerted plans to prepare the public for the change from "Supply" Management to "Demand" Management. In a developed nation, this change is through stakeholder platforms and supported by appropriate policies, rules and regulations that are based on validated Sciences, Technologies and Innovations (STI). Transforming from "Supply" Management to "Demand" Management is a formidable task. This requires the wisdom and knowledge of all experts in the Water Resources Sector.

Country planning for health interventions under development: lessons from the malaria vaccine decision-making framework and implications for other new interventions

PubMed Central

Brooks, Alan; Ba-Nguz, Antoinette

2012-01-01

Traditionally it has taken years or decades for new public health interventions targeting diseases found in developing countries to be accessible to those most in need. One reason for the delay has been insufficient anticipation of the eventual processes and evidence required for decision making by countries. This paper describes research into the anticipated processes and data needed to inform decision making on malaria vaccines, the most advanced of which is still in phase 3 trials. From 2006 to 2008, a series of country consultations in Africa led to the development of a guide to assist countries in preparing their malaria vaccine decision-making frameworks. The guide builds upon the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Introduction Guidelines. It identifies the processes and data for decisions, when they would be needed relative to the development timelines of the intervention, and where they will come from. Policy development will be supported by data (e.g. malaria disease burden; roles of other malaria interventions; malaria vaccine impact; economic and financial issues; malaria vaccine efficacy, quality and safety) as will implementation decisions (e.g. programmatic issues and socio-cultural environment). This generic guide can now be applied to any future malaria vaccine. The paper discusses the opportunities and challenges to early planning for country decision-making—from the potential for timely, evidence-informed decisions to the risks of over-promising around an intervention still under development. Careful and well-structured planning by countries is an important way to ensure that new interventions do not remain unused for years or decades after they become available. PMID:22513733

[The status of human cloning in the international setting].

PubMed

Rey del Castillo, Javier

2006-01-01

The General Assembly of the United Nations submitted a Declaration on Human Cloning in March 2005. The text of such Declaration was the result of a difficult and long process, taking more than three years. Being a Declaration instead of a Resolution, it has not legal capability in inforcing United Nations members to act according to its recommendations. This article begins with an explanation of several terms referred to cloning. Different countries' legislation on cloning is analyzed. Positions of the same countries at the Convention of the United Nations are as well analyzed. Comparing both countries' views shows that national legislation on cloning is independent and orientated by some countries' particular interests and biological and ethical views on these issues. Future developments on human cloning and its applications will be shared among all countries, both the ones currently allowing and supporting "therapeutic" cloning and the ones now banning it. In such case, it would be important to reach agreements on these issues at an international level. The article discusses possible legislative developments and offers some proposals to reach such agreements.

Global Health Equity: Cancer Care Outcome Disparities in High-, Middle-, and Low-Income Countries

PubMed Central

de Souza, Jonas A.; Hunt, Bijou; Asirwa, Fredrick Chite; Adebamowo, Clement

2016-01-01

Breakthroughs in our global fight against cancer have been achieved. However, this progress has been unequal. In low- and middle-income countries and for specific populations in high-income settings, many of these advancements are but an aspiration and hope for the future. This review will focus on health disparities in cancer within and across countries, drawing from examples in Kenya, Brazil, and the United States. Placed in context with these examples, the authors also draw basic recommendations from several initiatives and groups that are working on the issue of global cancer disparities, including the US Institute of Medicine, the Global Task Force on Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries, and the Union for International Cancer Control. From increasing initiatives in basic resources in low-income countries to rapid learning systems in high-income countries, the authors argue that beyond ethics and equity issues, it makes economic sense to invest in global cancer control, especially in low- and middle-income countries. PMID:26578608

Childhood overweight, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome in developing countries.

PubMed

Kelishadi, Roya

2007-01-01

The incidence of chronic disease is escalating much more rapidly in developing countries than in industrialized countries. A potential emerging public health issue may be the increasing incidence of childhood obesity in developing countries and the resulting socioeconomic and public health burden faced by these countries in the near future. In a systematic review carried out through an electronic search of the literature from 1950-2007, the author compared data from surveys on the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and the metabolic syndrome among children living in developing countries. The highest prevalence of childhood overweight was found in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, whereas India and Sri Lanka had the lowest prevalence. The few studies conducted in developing countries showed a considerably high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among youth. These findings provide alarming data for health professionals and policy-makers about the extent of these problems in developing countries, many of which are still grappling with malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Time trends in childhood obesity and its metabolic consequences, defined by uniform criteria, should be monitored in developing countries in order to obtain useful insights for primordial and primary prevention of the upcoming chronic disease epidemic in such communities.

A strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries.

PubMed

Kapiriri, Lydia; Martin, Douglas K

2007-09-01

Because the demand for health services outstrips the available resources, priority setting is one of the most difficult issues faced by health policy makers, particularly those in developing countries. Priority setting in developing countries is fraught with uncertainty due to lack of credible information, weak priority setting institutions, and unclear priority setting processes. Efforts to improve priority setting in these contexts have focused on providing information and tools. In this paper we argue that priority setting is a value laden and political process, and although important, the available information and tools are not sufficient to address the priority setting challenges in developing countries. Additional complementary efforts are required. Hence, a strategy to improve priority setting in developing countries should also include: (i) capturing current priority setting practices, (ii) improving the legitimacy and capacity of institutions that set priorities, and (iii) developing fair priority setting processes.

The Market Positioning and the Selection of Destination Countries for Music Students from Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Li-Ping; Ho, Hsuan-fu

2014-01-01

Students now-a-days have to develop international skills to be successful in this global environment, and choosing a sound destination country is a crucial issue to the success of their overseas study. On the other hand, since international students may contribute a great deal to the host country's educational quality and its economy, countries…

Fit To Teach: Teacher Education in International Perspective. Vol. 8, Center for Cross-cultural Education Lecture Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gumbert, Edgar B., Ed.

This volume examines teacher education in countries having vigorous reform movements, along with their potential to influence other countries. The issue of teacher education in liberal and people's democracies as well as in industrial and developing countries is studied. Attention is called to such topics as aims and content of teacher education;…

Equity Issues in Public Examinations in Developing Countries. World Bank Technical Paper Number 272. Asia Technical Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Vincent; Kellaghan, Thomas

Public examinations in developing countries play a critical role in the selection of students for participation in the educational system. The examinations tend to be highly academic, bearing little reference to the everyday lives of students, limited to paper-and-pencil tests, and geared toward discriminating among high achieving students.…

Mexico's Labor Market: The Importance of Education-Occupation Matching on Wages and Productivity in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Michael A.; Rubb, Stephen

2006-01-01

The positive impact of education on earnings, wages, and economic growth is well documented; however, the issue of education-occupation matching in developing countries has been largely ignored. Since workers' levels of schooling and their occupations' required level of education both affect wages, policymakers may find it useful to note if such…

Science and technology issues in coastal ecotourism. Background paper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Nature-based tourism, increasingly called 'ecotourism'--one of the fastest growing sectors of tourism worldwide, is fast gaining the attention of developed and developing countries as a potential means to conserve natural resources and support sustainable economic progress. The paper presents information on the ecotourism trends; identifies issues related to resource conservation, ecotourism development and management, and planning; and presents questions for possible further consideration.

Ethical review issues in collaborative research between us and low-middle income country partners: a case example.

PubMed

McIntosh, Scott; Sierra, Essie; Dozier, Ann; Diaz, Sergio; Quiñones, Zahira; Primack, Aron; Chadwick, Gary; Ossip-Klein, Deborah J

2008-09-01

The current ethical structure for collaborative international health research stems largely from developed countries' standards of proper ethical practices. The result is that ethical committees in developing countries are required to adhere to standards that might impose practices that conflict with local culture and unintended interpretations of ethics, treatments, and research. This paper presents a case example of a joint international research project that successfully established inclusive ethical review processes as well as other groundwork and components necessary for the conduct of human behavior research and research capacity building in the host country.

Improving Access to Essential Medicines: How Health Concerns can be Prioritised in the Global Governance System

PubMed Central

Sridhar, Devi

2008-01-01

This paper discusses the politics of access to essential medicines and identifies ‘space’ in the current system where health concerns can be strengthened relative to trade. This issue is addressed from a global governance perspective focusing on the main actors who can have the greatest impact. These include developing country coalitions and citizens in developed countries though participation in civil society organisations. These actors have combined forces to tackle this issue successfully, resulting in the 2001 Doha Declaration on Public Health. The collaboration has been so powerful due to the assistance of the media as well as the decision to compromise with pharmaceutical companies and their host countries. To improve access to essential medicines, six C's are needed: coalitions, civil society, citizenship, compromise, communication and collaboration. PMID:19461853

The complex legal and ethical issues related to generic medications. Viral hepatitis: a case study.

PubMed

Danta, M; Ghinea, N

2017-04-01

The economic impact of medications is significant, with many countries unable to afford the essential medicines listed by the WHO. Generic medications are one strategy to address this issue. Generic medications are similar to but not the same as originator medications. They have a significant cost advantage because they do not require the background research and development studies to support registration. Consequently, they are gaining increased market share in both the developed and developing world. Many new medications are now licensed to generic manufacturers in the developing world. As a result, it is possible for patients to bypass regulatory and cost barriers by importing medications directly from generic producers. Importation of the novel hepatitis C direct-acting antiviral therapy into Australia before it was registered in the country is an illustrative case study. This review will characterise generic medications and some of the legal and ethical issues around their utilisation, focusing on the relevant players, including pharma, government, patients and doctors.

"Sweatshop" Protests Raise Ethical and Practical Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Werf, Martin

1999-01-01

Student activists have put pressure on colleges and universities to toughen licensing codes aimed at eliminating sweatshop labor for college apparel made in other countries, and have had some success. However, oversight of the codes among contractors in developing countries is logistically and economically problematic. (MSE)

Why health advocates must get involved in development economics: the case of the International Monetary Fund.

PubMed

Rowden, Rick

2010-01-01

International health advocates have traditionally focused on calling for external strategies for achieving health goals in developing countries, such as more foreign aid, foreign direct investment, loans, and debt cancellation, as opposed to internal approaches, such as building domestic productive capacity and accumulating capital. They have largely neglected questions of development economics, particularly the effectiveness, or lack thereof, of the currently dominant neoliberal development model promoted by the rich countries and aid agencies for poor countries. While critics have been correct to blame the International Monetary Fund for its policies curtailing public health spending in developing countries, their analysis generally neglects the underlying issue of why developing countries are seemingly unable to build their domestic tax base on which health budgets depend. International health advocates should engage with such macroeconomic questions and challenge the failures of the dominant neoliberal economic model that blocks countries from industrializing and building their own productive capacities with which to generate their own resources for financing their health budgets over time.

A Closer Look at the Junior Doctor Crisis in the United Kingdom's National Health Services: Is Emigration Justifiable?

PubMed

Teo, Wendy Zi Wei

2018-07-01

This article attempts to tackle the ethically and morally troubling issue of emigration of physicians from the United Kingdom, and whether it can be justified. Unlike most research that has already been undertaken in this field, which looks at migration from developing countries to developed countries, this article takes an in-depth look at the migration of physicians between developed countries, in particular from the United Kingdom (UK) to other developed countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States (US). This examination was written in response to a current and critical crisis in the National Health Service (NHS), where impending contract changes may bring about a potential exodus of junior doctors.

Better kitchens and toilets: both needed for better health.

PubMed

Ravindra, Khaiwal; Smith, Kirk R

2018-05-01

Both poor water, sanitation, hygiene (WaSH) and household air pollution (HAP) adversely affect the health of millions of people each year around the globe and specifically in developing countries. The objective of current work is to highlight the importance of HAP in parallel to WaSH for decision making to achieve better health specially in developing countries. There are examples, where developing countries are strengthening efforts to tackle the issue of poor water and sanitation such as 'Clean India Mission' was recently launched by the Government of India. However, there is lack of actions to address the issue related to HAP-to extend the coverage of clean fuel, efficient stoves and ventilated kitchens to the deprived population under the 'Clean India Mission'. Most of the rural household and urban slums in developing countries have only a single room, where people cook and sleep. This leads them to exposure to toxic HAP, which can be minimized by developing country specific indoor air quality guidelines and action framework. Hence, there should be policies to provide them not only the subsidy for clean fuel but also to build properly ventilated kitchens along with the promotion of clean toilets and water supplies. There is a need to strengthen global efforts, to jointly address the challenges associated with the risks related to WaSH and HAP in order to efficiently reduce the global burden of disease. Further, this will also help to timely attain the sustainable development goals for better health and environment.

[Thematic Issue: International Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howkins, John, Ed.

1977-01-01

The five major articles in this document examine a variety of subjects: communication issues involved in the upcoming United Nations conference "Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries"; the fundamental role that information plays in the economy and in social structures of advanced industrial economies; an investigation into the…

[European community guidelines and standards in indoor air quality: what proposals for Italy].

PubMed

Settimo, Gaetano; D'Alessandro, Daniela

2014-01-01

Indoor air quality is an issue on which to focus because of the increasing number of exposed population and in view of the strong public feeling on this issue. This paper reports the rules of EU and several European countries about indoor air quality, focusing on the initiatives performed in Italy to respond to WHO recommendations. Several EU countries have introduced in their legislation rules relating to indoor air quality. At the moment, in Italy, a reference rule has not been issued. For this reason, up to date main informations concerning some guidelines or reference values in indoor air, to be used for a first comparison, are those obtained by the scientific literature, or by the guidelines issued by other European countries or, for analogy, by other standard values such as limit or reference values regarding outdoor air. Even the EU, while reaffirming the priority of energy efficiency measures, recommends healthier indoor environments and the development of a specific European strategy on the issue of indoor air quality. The National Study Group on indoor pollution of the Italian National Health Institute (ISS), is working for the development of shared technical and scientific documents, in order to provide greater uniformity of actions at national level, waiting for a legal framework for indoor air quality, in the light of the indication already produced by the WHO.

The World = Le Monde.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Robert Beals, Ed.

This publication provides a directory of useful resources for educators on specific topics and countries pertaining to development issues. It includes publications, slide-shows, kits, games, descriptions of each resource, photographs, and small maps of 22 countries. The materials are presented in French and English and are organized into four…

Water and wastewater in developing countries: present reality and strategy for the future.

PubMed

Ujang, Z; Buckley, C

2002-01-01

This paper summarises the paper presentation sessions at the Conference, as well giving insights on the issues related to developing countries. It also discusses the present status of practice and research on water and wastewater management, and projected future scenario based not only on the papers presented in the Conference, but also on other sources. The strategy is presented to overcome many problems in developing countries such as rapid urbanization, industrialization, population growth, financial and institutional problems and, depleting water resources. The strategy consists of Integrated Urban Water Management (IUWM), cleaner industrial production, waste minimisation and financial arrangements.

The impact of nursing leadership on patient safety in a developing country.

PubMed

Stewart, Lee; Usher, Kim

2010-11-01

This article is a report of a study to identify the ways nursing leaders and managers in a developing country have an impact on patient safety. The attempt to address the problem of patient safety in health care is a global issue. Literature addressing the significant impact that nursing leadership has on patient safety is extensive and focuses almost exclusively on the developed world. A critical ethnography was conducted with senior registered nursing leaders and managers throughout the Fiji Islands, specifically those in the Head Office of the Fiji Ministry of Health and the most senior nurse in a hospital or community health service. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior nursing leaders and managers in Fiji. Thematic analysis of the interviews was undertaken from a critical theory perspective, with reference to the macro socio-political system of the Fiji Ministry of Health. Four interrelated issues regarding the nursing leaders and managers' impact on patient safety emerged from the study. Empowerment of nursing leaders and managers, an increased focus on the patient, the necessity to explore conditions for front-line nurses and the direct relationship between improved nursing conditions and increased patient safety mirrored literature from developed countries. The findings have significant implications for developing countries and it is crucial that support for patient safety in developing countries become a focus for the international nursing community. Nursing leaders and managers' increased focus on their own place in the hierarchy of the health care system and on nursing conditions as these affect patient safety could decrease adverse patient outcomes. The findings could assist the global nursing community to better support developing countries in pursuing a patient safety agenda. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Public health workforce: challenges and policy issues

PubMed Central

Beaglehole, Robert; Dal Poz, Mario R

2003-01-01

This paper reviews the challenges facing the public health workforce in developing countries and the main policy issues that must be addressed in order to strengthen the public health workforce. The public health workforce is diverse and includes all those whose prime responsibility is the provision of core public health activities, irrespective of their organizational base. Although the public health workforce is central to the performance of health systems, very little is known about its composition, training or performance. The key policy question is: Should governments invest more in building and supporting the public health workforce and infrastructure to ensure the more effective functioning of health systems? Other questions concern: the nature of the public health workforce, including its size, composition, skills, training needs, current functions and performance; the appropriate roles of the workforce; and how the workforce can be strengthened to support new approaches to priority health problems. The available evidence to shed light on these policy issues is limited. The World Health Organization is supporting the development of evidence to inform discussion on the best approaches to strengthening public health capacity in developing countries. WHO's priorities are to build an evidence base on the size and structure of the public health workforce, beginning with ongoing data collection activities, and to map the current public health training programmes in developing countries and in Central and Eastern Europe. Other steps will include developing a consensus on the desired functions and activities of the public health workforce and developing a framework and methods for assisting countries to assess and enhance the performance of public health training institutions and of the public health workforce. PMID:12904251

Tribal Alliances: Ways, Means, and Ends to Successful Strategy

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

development of civil society (presence of NGOs, governmental institutions, independent community-level groups) in a country may also be a consideration...government civilians to reflect and use their career experience to explore a wide range of strategic issues. To assure that the research developed by Army...military area of operations, particularly in countries in the Middle East that are lacking adequate traditional state-based public administrative

Critical world educational issues of the next two decades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coombs, Philip H.

1982-06-01

This article gives a pre-publication summary of some key findings that have emerged from a recent far-ranging reappraisal of the World Educational Crisis that first struck in the late 1960's. This extensively documented study demonstrates that the original crisis broadened and deepened considerably in the 1970's, in both developed and developing countries, and will confront virtually all nations in the 1980's and 1990's with a galaxy of critical educational issues. The author (who directed the reappraisal study for the International Council for Educational Development) briefly examines a few of these issues here. They relate specifically to the explosive worldwide growth of learning needs, education's growing financial squeeze, proliferating maladjustments between education and employment, festering educational disparities and inequalities, and the urgent need to revitalize and reorient international educational cooperation in order to cope with these future critical issues common to all countries. The author emphasizes that the great changes taking place in the world of education make it mandatory for all nations to develop more comprehensive, flexible and innovative educational strategies that will encompass the evolving life-long learning needs of the whole society and all modes and types of learning.

U.S. Grand Strategy for the 1990s and Beyond

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-11-01

government or movement from acquiring a nuclear capability. Primary international attention to global issues does not remove the historical causes of strife...Disengagement assumes that economic and global issues dominate the agenda in developed countries, but that the issues dividing the third world or...one of the few potential causes of conflict where U.S interests are clearly involved. Nevertheless, this problem, like other global issues , may be

Issues Relating to Distance Education in the Arab World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsunbul, Abdulaziz

2002-01-01

Distance education is not highly popular in Arab countries although it can expand educational opportunities for disadvantaged groups. Traditional philosophies of education and political issues of licensure, accreditation, and language may hinder its development. The Arab League Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization is undertaking…

Social Policy Report, 1998.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Nancy G., Ed.

1998-01-01

These four quarterly reports for 1998 provide a forum for scholarly reviews and discussions of developmental research and its implications for the policies affecting children. The first issue focuses on fathering. The main article addresses perspectives of fathers' involvement in children's lives in developing countries, specifically, issues of a…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, M.J.

The author outlines what he considers to be the key environmental issues affecting Clean Coal Technology (CCT) deployment both in the US and internationally. Since the international issues are difficult to characterize given different environmental drivers in various countries and regions, the primary focus of his remarks is on US deployment. However, he makes some general remarks, particularly regarding the environmental issues in developing vs. developed countries and how these issues may affect CCT deployment. Further, how environment affects deployment depends on which particular type of clean coal technology one is addressing. It is not the author`s intention to mentionmore » many specific technologies other than to use them for the purposes of example. He generally categorizes CCTs into four groups since environment is likely to affect deployment for each category somewhat differently. These four categories are: Precombustion technologies such as coal cleaning; Combustion technologies such as low NOx burners; Postcombustion technologies such as FGD systems and postcombustion NOx control; and New generation technologies such as gasification and fluidized bed combustion.« less

Clinton administration forging population-foreign policy links.

PubMed

De Sherbinin, A

1994-12-01

In the US, the Clinton administration has renewed the link between global population and national security issues. These so-called "soft security issues" receive attention from the Under-Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Tim Wirth, and the senior director of the Global Environmental Affairs branch of the National Security Council, Eileen Claussen. Wirth and Claussen draft the US response to soft security issues such as environmental security, refugee and migration movements, political instability, and religious and ethnic conflict as well as the other nonmilitary threats of illegal drug trafficking, terrorism, and international organized crime. Population was first considered a foreign policy concern in the 1960s. By 1965, President Johnson decided that the US would provide family planning supplies and technical assistance to any country which asked for help. The initial justification for assuming a leading role in developing innovative population strategies for less developed countries was a humanitarian desire to forward economic development, the self-interest of maintaining access to resources, and concern that rapid growth produced more communists. Today the US remains concerned about resource access and economic development and is also wary of spill-over environmental effects, economic migration, diminished US trade opportunities, political asylum seekers and refugees, and increasing demand for US peacekeepers. It is also believed that rapid population growth leads to political destabilization. Critics of these views blame the development difficulties of less developed countries on poor governing decisions (inadequate institutions, trade barriers, or indifference). Women's reproductive rights advocates fear that using security as a rationale for population assistance could lead to restrictions on women's rights to choose the number and spacing of births. Despite such objections, the belief that population growth is an underlying problem in imploding states like Haiti, Rwanda, and Somalia has turned the attention of US policy-makers to these soft security issues.

World Population in Transition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merrick, Thomas W.; And Others

1986-01-01

This issue discusses world population trends and their implications for more and less developed countries. There have been two periods of major population expansion since 1750 with the first lasting almost 200 years and the second surge occurring after World War II. Growth rates in industrialized countries are now very low with fertility below…

Contraceptive issues of youth and adolescents in developing countries: highlights from the Philippines and other Asian countries.

PubMed

Alesna-Llanto, Emma; Raymundo, Corazon M

2005-10-01

This article highlights contraceptive issues in Asia, home to some 700 million adolescents. It starts with a description of the socio-cultural milieu of adolescents in South and Southeast Asia, their knowledge and use of contraceptives, the myriad barriers to access, and the many innovative programs to broaden contraceptive availability. The reproductive health needs of adolescents in poor countries cannot be solved by merely supplying them with contraceptives--these needs can only be fully addressed in the context of gender equality, poverty alleviation and the conviction that investing in the reproductive health of adolescents is a most urgent priority. Investing in the reproductive health of adolescents will have an impact not only on birth and abortion rates, maternal health, and the spread of STI/HIV but also on the demographics and economic development of the region--and beyond.

Ethical concerns in nurse migration.

PubMed

McElmurry, Beverly J; Solheim, Karen; Kishi, Rieko; Coffia, Marcia A; Woith, Wendy; Janepanish, Poolsuk

2006-01-01

International nurse migration is natural and to be expected. Recently, however, those who have fostered nurse migration believe that it will solve nursing shortages in developed countries and offer nurse migrants better working conditions and an improved quality of life. Whether natural or manipulated, migration flow patterns largely occur from developing to developed countries. In this article, nurse migration is examined using primary health care (PHC) as an ethical framework. The unmanaged flow of nurse migrants from developing to developed countries is inconsistent with "health for all" principles. Removing key health personnel from countries experiencing resource shortages is contrary to PHC equity. Often, nurse migrants are placed in vulnerable, inequitable work roles, and employing nurse migrants fails to address basic causes of nurse shortages in developed countries, such as dissatisfaction with work conditions and decreased funding for academic settings. Nurse migration policies and procedures can be developed to satisfy PHC ethics criteria if they (1) leave developing countries enhanced rather than depleted, (2) contribute to country health outcomes consistent with essential care for all people, (3) are based on community participation, (4) address common nursing labor issues, and (5) involve equitable and clear financial arrangements.

BRIC in the Backyard: Brazil’s Economic Rise and What it Means for the United States (CSL Issue Paper, Volume 14-11, July 2011)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

component in the administration’s plans to generate future growth for the country . To develop and optimize export opportunities, the government is...seeking expanded trade ties with developing countries , as well as a strengthening of the Common Market of the South – Mercosul (Mercosur in Spanish...one of these of these geo-political risers and it is perhaps the most underestimated of the so-called BRIC countries . The term BRIC was coined by Jim

The role of satellite remote sensing in REDD/MRV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, Inge; Sandoval, Alberto

2010-05-01

REDD, which stands for 'Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries' - is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development. The UN-REDD Programme, a collaborative partnership between FAO, UNDP and UNEP launched in September 2008, supports countries to develop capacity to REDD and to implement a future REDD mechanism in a post- 2012 climate regime. The programme works at both the national and global scale, through support mechanisms for country-driven REDD strategies and international consensus-building on REDD processes. The UN-REDD Programme gathers technical teams from around the world to develop common approaches, analyses and guidelines on issues such as measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon emissions and flows, remote sensing, and greenhouse gas inventories. Within the partnership, FAO supports countries on technical issues related to forestry and the development of cost effective and credible MRV processes for emission reductions. While at the international level, it fosters improved guidance on MRV approaches, including consensus on principles and guidelines for MRV and training programmes.It provides guidance on how best to design and implement REDD, to ensure that forests continue to provide multiple benefits for livelihoods and biodiversity to societies while storing carbon at the same time. Other areas of work include national forest assessments and monitoring of in-country policy and institutional change. The outcomes about the role of satellite remote sensing technologies as a tool for monitoring, assessment, reporting and verification of carbon credits and co-benefits under the REDD mechanism are here presented.

Providing ethical guidance for collaborative research in developing countries

PubMed Central

Morris, Nina

2015-01-01

Experience has shown that the application of ethical guidelines developed for research in developed countries to research in developing countries can be, and often is, impractical and raises a number of contentious issues. Various attempts have been made to provide guidelines more appropriate to the developing world context; however, to date these efforts have been dominated by the fields of bioscience, medical research and nutrition. There is very little advice available for those seeking to undertake collaborative social science or natural science research in developing countries and what is there tends to be held within disparate sources. Charting the development of a set of ethics documentation for future use by the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme research community, this paper outlines past and present attitudes towards ethics procedures amongst this community and suggests ways in which ethics procedures might be made more relevant and user-friendly to researchers working in this area. PMID:26640509

Capacity building in anthelmintic drug discovery.

PubMed

Kron, Michael; Yousif, Fouad; Ramirez, Bernadette

2007-10-01

International collaboration in anthelmintic drug discovery holds special challenges compared with local or national discovery projects, and at the same time presents the opportunity to build capacity, forge long lasting inter-institutional relationships and strengthen infrastructure in multinational priority areas. This chapter discusses important issues that should be considered in the context of anthelmintic screening centre development and will give examples (Philippines and Egypt) of the productivity of developing country based screening centres. The positive outcomes of infrastructure building is realised in greater capacities for anthelmintic screening at institutions in the countries where the parasitic diseases are endemic and allows for optimum use of specialised resources for public health priority diseases that may be different from those in Western countries. Support for developing country based screening centres also can help countries optimise product development procedures and policies and can facilitate diffusion of desirable technology in corresponding global regions around the world.

Migration of health-care workers from developing countries: strategic approaches to its management.

PubMed Central

Stilwell, Barbara; Diallo, Khassoum; Zurn, Pascal; Vujicic, Marko; Adams, Orvill; Dal Poz, Mario

2004-01-01

Of the 175 million people (2.9% of the world's population) living outside their country of birth in 2000, 65 million were economically active. The rise in the number of people migrating is significant for many developing countries because they are losing their better-educated nationals to richer countries. Medical practitioners and nurses represent a small proportion of the highly skilled workers who migrate, but the loss for developing countries of human resources in the health sector may mean that the capacity of the health system to deliver health care equitably is significantly compromised. It is unlikely that migration will stop given the advances in global communications and the development of global labour markets in some fields, which now include nursing. The aim of this paper is to examine some key issues related to the international migration of health workers and to discuss strategic approaches to managing migration. PMID:15375449

Migration of health-care workers from developing countries: strategic approaches to its management.

PubMed

Stilwell, Barbara; Diallo, Khassoum; Zurn, Pascal; Vujicic, Marko; Adams, Orvill; Dal Poz, Mario

2004-08-01

Of the 175 million people (2.9% of the world's population) living outside their country of birth in 2000, 65 million were economically active. The rise in the number of people migrating is significant for many developing countries because they are losing their better-educated nationals to richer countries. Medical practitioners and nurses represent a small proportion of the highly skilled workers who migrate, but the loss for developing countries of human resources in the health sector may mean that the capacity of the health system to deliver health care equitably is significantly compromised. It is unlikely that migration will stop given the advances in global communications and the development of global labour markets in some fields, which now include nursing. The aim of this paper is to examine some key issues related to the international migration of health workers and to discuss strategic approaches to managing migration.

Assessing the role of regulatory bodies in managing health professional issues and errors in Europe.

PubMed

Risso-Gill, Isabelle; Legido-Quigley, H; Panteli, D; Mckee, M

2014-08-01

This paper explores how medical regulatory bodies in nine European countries manage professional issues involving quality and patient safety, to build on limited existing information on procedures for regulating medical professionals in Europe. Twelve vignettes describing scenarios of concerns about standards of physicians were developed, covering clinical, criminal and administrative matters. Medical regulatory bodies in nine European countries were asked what action they would normally take in each situation. Their responses were related to their regulatory mandate. Responses varied greatly across participating countries. Regulators are always involved where patients are at risk or where a criminal offence is committed within the clinical setting. Non-criminal medical issues were generally handled by the employer, if any, at their discretion. Countries varied in the use of punitive measures, the extent to which they took an interest in issues arising outside professional activities, and whether they dealt with issues themselves or referred cases to another regulatory authority or took no action at all. There is little consistency across Europe on the regulation of medical professionals. There is considerable diversity in the range of topics that regulatory bodies oversee, with almost all covering health care quality and safety and others encompassing issues related to reputation, respect and trust. These inconsistencies have significant implications for professional mobility, patient safety and quality of care. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

eHealth in Latin America and the Caribbean: Development and Policy Issues

PubMed Central

Risk, Ahmad

2003-01-01

This paper reviews trends and issues in health and in the information and communication technologies (ICT) market as they relate to the deployment of eHealth solutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Heretofore designed for industrialized countries and large organizations, eHealth solutions are being proposed as an answer to a variety of health-system management problems and health care demands faced by all health organizations including those in developing societies. Particularly, eHealth is seen as especially useful in the operational support of the new health care models being implemented in many countries. The authors examine those developments vis-à-vis the characteristics of the Latin American and the Caribbean health-sector organizational preparedness and technological infrastructure, and propose policy and organizational actions to foster the development of eHealth solutions in the region. PMID:12746209

Schizophrenia in women and children: a selective review of literature from developing countries.

PubMed

Chandra, Prabha S; Kommu, John Vijay Sagar; Rudhran, Vidyendran

2012-10-01

Women and children with psychotic disorders in developing countries may be vulnerable and have considerable social disadvantages. Gender disadvantage has implications for all health outcomes including mental illnesses. In the more relevant gender-related context we discuss several important issues which affect women with schizophrenia, namely stigma, caregiver burden, functional outcome, marriage, victimization and help-seeking. The findings indicate that there are variations in clinical and functional outcomes and age of onset of illness between different regions. Drug side effects, such as metabolic syndrome appear to be quite common, adding to disease burden in women from developing countries. Victimization and coercion may contribute to poor quality of life and health concerns such as STIs and HIV. Stigma among women with schizophrenia appears to play a major role in help-seeking, caregiver burden and issues such as marriage and parenting. Gender-sensitive care and practices are few and not well documented. Research in the area of psychoses in children and adolescents from LAMI countries is sparse and is mainly restricted to a few clinic-based studies. More research is needed on organic and medical factors contributing to childhood psychoses, pathways to care, help-seeking, and impact of early detection and community care.

Issues in International Energy Consumption Analysis: Electricity Usage in India’s Housing Sector

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

India offers a unique set of features for studying electricity use in the context of a developing country. First, it has a rapidly developing economy with high yearly growth rates in gross domestic product (GDP). Second, it has the second -largest population in the world and is likely to have the largest population in the future. Third, its electric system is maturing—with known difficulties (outages, shortages, issues with reliability and quality) that are characteristic of a developing country. This article focuses on electricity use in the residential sector of India and discusses key trends and provides an overview of available usage estimates from various sources. Indian households are an interesting environment where many of India’s unique features interact. The recent economic gains correlate with rising incomes and possible changes in living standards, which could affect electricity or other energy use within households. Additionally, the maturing electric system and large population in India both offer opportunities to study a range of interactions between electrification and electricity usage in a developing country.

Has the question of e-waste opened a Pandora's box? An overview of unpredictable issues and challenges.

PubMed

Bakhiyi, Bouchra; Gravel, Sabrina; Ceballos, Diana; Flynn, Michael A; Zayed, Joseph

2018-01-01

Despite regulatory efforts and position papers, electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) remains ill-managed as evidenced by the extremely low rates of proper e-waste recycling (e-recycling) worldwide, ongoing illegal shipments to developing countries and constantly reported human health issues and environmental pollution. The objectives of this review are, first, to expose the complexity of e-waste problems, and then to suggest possible upstream and downstream solutions. Exploring e-waste issues is akin to opening a Pandora's box. Thus, a review of prevailing e-waste management practices reveals complex and often intertwined gaps, issues and challenges. These include the absence of any consistent definition of e-waste to date, a prevalent toxic potential still involving already banned or restricted hazardous components such as heavy metals and persistent and bioaccumulative organic compounds, a relentless growth in e-waste volume fueled by planned obsolescence and unsustainable consumption, problematic e-recycling processes, a fragile formal e-recycling sector, sustained and more harmful informal e-recycling practices, and more convoluted and unpredictable patterns of illegal e-waste trade. A close examination of the e-waste legacy contamination reveals critical human health concerns, including significant occupational exposure during both formal and informal e-recycling, and persistent environmental contamination, particularly in some developing countries. However, newly detected e-waste contaminants as well as unexpected sources and environmental fates of contaminants are among the emerging issues that raise concerns. Moreover, scientific knowledge gaps remain regarding the complexity and magnitude of the e-waste legacy contamination, specifically, a comprehensive characterization of e-waste contaminants, information on the scale of legacy contamination in developing countries and on the potential environmental damage in developed countries, and a stronger body of evidence of adverse health effects specifically ascribed to e-waste contaminants. However, the knowledge accumulated to date is sufficient to raise awareness and concern among all stakeholders. Potential solutions to curb e-waste issues should be addressed comprehensively, by focusing on two fronts: upstream and downstream. Potential upstream solutions should focus on more rational and eco-oriented consumer habits in order to decrease e-waste quantities while fostering ethical and sustained commitments from manufacturers, which include a limited usage of hazardous compounds and an optimal increase in e-waste recyclability. At the downstream level, solutions should include suitable and pragmatic actions to progressively reduce the illegal e-waste trade particularly through international cooperation and coordination, better enforcement of domestic laws, and monitoring in both exporting and receiving countries, along with the supervised integration of the informal sector into the recycling system of developing countries and global expansion of formal e-waste collection and recycling activities. Downstream solutions should also introduce stronger reverse logistics, together with upgraded, more affordable, and eco-friendly and worker-friendly e-recycling technologies to ensure that benefits are derived fully and safely from the great economic potential of e-waste. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

UNICEF News, Issue 73: Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, New York, NY.

This quarterly publication from UNICEF, announced here on a one time basis, reviews the Fund's activities in health, education, and nutrition for the children of developing countries. The following is a sample of articles from this issue devoted to education: "New Targets" discusses recommendations for emphasizing minimum education,…

Malaysian Serials: Issues and Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahri, Che Norma

This paper analyzes the issues and problems while looking at the trends and developments of serials publishing in Malaysia. The first section provides background; topics addressed include the country and people of Malaysia, the history of serials publishing in Malaysia, categories and formats of serials publishing, academic publications,…

Contracting out of health services in developing countries.

PubMed

McPake, B; Banda, E E

1994-03-01

Contracting out is emerging as a common policy issue in a number of developing countries. The theoretical case for contracting out suggests many advantages in combining public finance with private provision. However, practical difficulties such as those of ensuring that competition takes place between potential contractors, that competition leads to efficiency and that contracts and the process of contracting are effectively managed, suggest that such advantages may not always be realized. Most countries are likely only to contemplate restricted contracting of small-scale non-clinical services in the short term. Prerequisites of more extensive models appear to be the development of information systems and human resources to that end. Some urban areas of larger countries may have the existing preconditions for more successful large-scale contracting.

Cyberspace, Distance Learning, and Higher Education in Developing Countries: Old and Emergent Issues of Access, Pedagogy, and Knowledge Production. International Studies in Sociology and Social Anthropology, 94

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Assie-Lumumba, N'Dri T., Ed.

2004-01-01

Amidst the euphoria about the new frontiers of technology sometimes perceived as a panacea for expansion of higher education in developing countries, there is a need to analyze persistent and new grounds of unequal opportunity for access, learning, and the production of knowledge. This volume addresses fundamental questions about the educational…

Benchmarking progress in tackling the challenges of intellectual property, and access to medicines in developing countries.

PubMed Central

Musungu, Sisule F.

2006-01-01

The impact of intellectual property protection in the pharmaceutical sector on developing countries has been a central issue in the fierce debate during the past 10 years in a number of international fora, particularly the World Trade Organization (WTO) and WHO. The debate centres on whether the intellectual property system is: (1) providing sufficient incentives for research and development into medicines for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries; and (2) restricting access to existing medicines for these countries. The Doha Declaration was adopted at WTO in 2001 and the Commission on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Public Health was established at WHO in 2004, but their respective contributions to tackling intellectual property-related challenges are disputed. Objective parameters are needed to measure whether a particular series of actions, events, decisions or processes contribute to progress in this area. This article proposes six possible benchmarks for intellectual property-related challenges with regard to the development of medicines and ensuring access to medicines in developing countries. PMID:16710545

Issues Affecting Rural Communities. Proceedings of an International Conference Held by the Rural Education Research and Development Centre (Townsville, Queensland, Australia, July 10-15, 1994).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McSwan, D., Ed.; McShane, M., Ed.

This proceedings contains approximately 100 conference papers and workshop summaries on rural health, education, and community development. The majority of the papers are concerned with conditions in rural Australia; about 20 examine rural issues in the United States; while a smaller number cover Canada, New Zealand, and European countries. A…

Developing an approach to assessing the political feasibility of global collective action and an international agreement on antimicrobial resistance.

PubMed

Rogers Van Katwyk, Susan; Danik, Marie Évelyne; Pantis, Ioana; Smith, Rachel; Røttingen, John-Arne; Hoffman, Steven J

2016-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global issue. International trade, travel, agricultural practices, and environmental contamination all make it possible for resistant microbes to cross national borders. Global collective action is needed in the form of an international agreement or other mechanism that brings states together at the negotiation table and commits them to adopt or implement policies to limit the spread of resistant microorganisms. This article describes an approach to assessing whether political and stakeholder interests can align to commit to tackling AMR. Two dimensions affecting political feasibility were selected and compared across 82 countries: 1) states' global influence and 2) self-interest in addressing AMR. World Bank GDP ranking was used as a proxy for global influence, while human antibiotic consumption (10-year percent change) was used as a proxy for self-interest in addressing AMR. We used these data to outline a typology of four country archetypes, and discuss how these archetypes can be used to understand whether a proposed agreement may have sufficient support to be politically feasible. Four types of countries exist within our proposed typology: 1) wealthy countries who have the expertise and financial resources to push for global collective action on AMR, 2) wealthy countries who need to act on AMR, 3) countries who require external assistance to act on AMR, and 4) neutral countries who may support action where applicable. Any international agreement will require substantial support from countries of the first type to lead global action, and from countries of the second type who have large increasing antimicrobial consumption levels. A large number of barriers exist that could derail efforts towards global collective action on AMR; issues of capacity, infrastructure, regulation, and stakeholder interests will need to be addressed in coordination with other actors to achieve an agreement on AMR. Achieving a global agreement on access, conservation, and innovation - the three pillars of AMR - will not be easy. However, smaller core groups of interested Initiator and Pivotal Countries could develop policy and resolve many issues. If highly influential countries take the lead, agreements could then be scaled up to achieve global action.

Global issues and opportunities for optimized retinoblastoma care.

PubMed

Gallie, Brenda L; Zhao, Junyang; Vandezande, Kirk; White, Abigail; Chan, Helen S L

2007-12-01

The RB1 gene is important in all human cancers. Studies of human retinoblastoma point to a rare retinal cell with extreme dependency on RB1 for initiation but not progression to full malignancy. In developed countries, genetic testing within affected families can predict children at high risk of retinoblastoma before birth; chemotherapy with local therapy often saves eyes and vision; and mortality is 4%. In less developed countries where 92% of children with retinoblastoma are born, mortality reaches 90%. Global collaboration is building for the dramatic change in mortality that awareness, simple expertise and therapies could achieve in less developed countries. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Mental health and the workplace: issues for developing countries.

PubMed

Chopra, Prem

2009-02-20

The capacity to work productively is a key component of health and emotional well-being. Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) are associated with reduced workplace productivity. It is anticipated that this impact is greatest in developing countries. Furthermore, workplace stress is associated with a significant adverse impact on emotional wellbeing and is linked with an increased risk of CMDs. This review will elaborate on the relationship between workplace environment and psychiatric morbidity. The evidence for mental health promotion and intervention studies will be discussed. A case will be developed to advocate for workplace reform and research to improve mental health in workplaces in developing countries in order to improve the wellbeing of employees and workplace productivity.

Mental health and the workplace: issues for developing countries

PubMed Central

Chopra, Prem

2009-01-01

The capacity to work productively is a key component of health and emotional well-being. Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) are associated with reduced workplace productivity. It is anticipated that this impact is greatest in developing countries. Furthermore, workplace stress is associated with a significant adverse impact on emotional wellbeing and is linked with an increased risk of CMDs. This review will elaborate on the relationship between workplace environment and psychiatric morbidity. The evidence for mental health promotion and intervention studies will be discussed. A case will be developed to advocate for workplace reform and research to improve mental health in workplaces in developing countries in order to improve the wellbeing of employees and workplace productivity. PMID:19232117

12 CFR 390.466 - Risk-based capital credit risk-weight categories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...-sector entity; (J) Bonds issued by the Financing Corporation or the Resolution Funding Corporation; (K... country. (iii) 50 percent Risk Weight (Category 3). (A) Revenue bonds issued by any public-sector entity....g., industrial development bonds; (J) Debt securities not otherwise described in this section; (K...

Feeding Babies: From Breast Milk to the Family Dish.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masse-Raimbault, Anne-Marie

1992-01-01

Focusing on the issue of feeding infants, this journal covers a wide range of information, research, and issues related to breast-feeding and its alternatives for feeding infants in both developing and industrialized countries. The journal is divided into the following sections: (1) "The Epidemiology of Breast-feeding: Frequency and…

Gender and Management Issues in Education. An International Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drake, Pat, Ed.; Owen, Patricia, Ed.

In this book, women in senior educational management positions discuss issues of internationality, management, gender, and education in various developing countries. Contributors examine power relations within organizations; choices men and women make that affect how they plan their lives, education, and careers; and characteristics of men and…

Considering the Challenges of Counselling Practice in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Low, Poi Kee

2009-01-01

School counselling is developing rapidly in many countries around the World. As with any practice in a secondary setting, challenges and special issues are often identified, discussed, and managed. These can be categorized into four distinct domains: 1) Internal challenges, which include issues related to clientele groups, teachers' attitudes…

How Is Learning Time Organised in Primary and Secondary Education? Education Indicators in Focus. No. 38

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2016

2016-01-01

This issue of "Education Indicators in Focus" reports that Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries organise learning time for primary and secondary education in different ways: (1) The number and length of school holidays differs significantly across OECD countries, meaning the number of instructional days…

Considerations for Integrating Technology in Developing Communities in Latin America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponte, Daniela Núñez; Cullen, Theresa A.

2013-01-01

This article discusses issues related to introducing new information and communication technologies (ICT) into Latin American countries. Latin American countries are gaining world focus with political changes such as the death of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela and the election of the first Latin American Pope. This region will host the World Cup,…

The Cost-Effectiveness of Education Interventions in Poor Countries. Policy Insight, Volume 2, Issue 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, David K.; Ghosh, Arkadipta

2008-01-01

Poor countries need development programs that are both effective and cost-effective. To assess effectiveness, researchers are increasingly using randomized trials (or quasi-experimental methods that imitate randomized trials), which provide a clear picture of which outcomes are attributable to the program being evaluated. This "Policy Insight"…

Special Issue: The Global Growth of Private Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinser, Kevin; Levy, Daniel C.; Casillas, Juan Carlos Silas; Bernasconi, Andres; Slantcheva-Durst, Snejana; Otieno, Wycliffe; Lane, Jason E.; Praphamontripong, Prachayani; Zumeta, William; LaSota, Robin

2010-01-01

This volume begins its global tour with the case of Mexico. The Mexican case is significant because of its original importance in defining the primary types of private higher education. It shows trends that reflect rapid transformations in the country and tensions in developing countries at the intersection of resource constraints, relatively weak…

The International Conference on Indochinese Refugees and Its Aftermath. Refugee Policy Group Issue Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Michael

A conference on Indochinese refugees, attended by representatives of Southeast Asian countries of first asylum and Western resettlement countries, has developed a Comprehensive Plan of Action (CPA) prescribing new measures to address continuing emigration from Vietnam and Laos. The CPA calls for the following measures: (1) controls on departures…

International Issues: Report of Futuring Group 9

Treesearch

1987-01-01

The wildland fire scenario outside North American is characterized by increasing amount and severity of wildfires worldwide. In Europe, most of the Mediterranean countries suffer devastating forest fires, despite fire management efforts. Examples of the wildland fire theater within the developing countries and the tropical world have been given at this Symposium on...

Ethical and social issues facing obstetricians in low-income countries.

PubMed

Ogwuegbu, Chigbu Chibuike; Eze, Onah Hyacinth

2009-06-01

A review of publications on ethical and social issues from low-income countries was done with the aim of highlighting the major ethical and social issues facing obstetricians in these countries. Low-income countries were identified using the World Health Organization income group classification of member nations. Obstetricians in low-income countries face a wide range of special social and ethical issues that reflect the peculiarities of their practice environment characterized by poverty, low education, deep attachment to tradition and culture, low social status of women, and high levels of physician's paternalism.

International issues in energy policy, development, and economics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dorian, J.P.; Fesharaki, F.

1994-01-01

Events in the international oil market have shaped energy policies in both developed and developing countries for the last two decades. This collection of 19 articles explores this situation. The articles are grouped under three headings: Global Markets and Policy, Energy Issues and Trends, and Economic development. The focus of the articles is on specific topics such as reformulated gasoline, neoclassical growth theory and energy conservation with a limited focus on the broady picture of the world's energy problems and prospects.

Comparative water law, policies, and administration in Asia: Evidence from 17 countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araral, Eduardo; Yu, David J.

2013-09-01

Conventional wisdom suggests that improving water governance is the key to solving water insecurity in developing countries but there are also many disagreements on operational and methodological issues. In this paper, we build on the work of Saleth and Dinar and surveyed 100 water experts from 17 countries in Asia to compare 19 indicators of water laws, policies, and administration among and within countries from 2001 to 2010. We present the results of our study in a comparative dashboard and report how water governance indicators vary with a country's level of economic development, which ones do not and how and why some indicators change overtime in some countries. We have two main results. First, our initial findings suggest the possibility of water Kuznet's curve, i.e., certain water governance indicators vary with a country's level of economic development. However, more studies are needed given the caveats and limitations of our study. Second, the results have practical value for policy makers and researchers for benchmarking with other countries and tracking changes within their countries overtime. We conclude with implications for a second-generation research agenda on water governance.

Issues to consider in the derivation of water quality benchmarks for the protection of aquatic life.

PubMed

Schneider, Uwe

2014-01-01

While water quality benchmarks for the protection of aquatic life have been in use in some jurisdictions for several decades (USA, Canada, several European countries), more and more countries are now setting up their own national water quality benchmark development programs. In doing so, they either adopt an existing method from another jurisdiction, update on an existing approach, or develop their own new derivation method. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages, and many issues have to be addressed when setting up a water quality benchmark development program or when deriving a water quality benchmark. Each of these tasks requires a special expertise. They may seem simple, but are complex in their details. The intention of this paper was to provide some guidance for this process of water quality benchmark development on the program level, for the derivation methodology development, and in the actual benchmark derivation step, as well as to point out some issues (notably the inclusion of adapted populations and cryptic species and points to consider in the use of the species sensitivity distribution approach) and future opportunities (an international data repository and international collaboration in water quality benchmark development).

Electric service reliability cost/worth assessment in a developing country

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Mohan Kumar

Considerable work has been done in developed countries to optimize the reliability of electric power systems on the basis of reliability cost versus reliability worth. This has yet to be considered in most developing countries, where development plans are still based on traditional deterministic measures. The difficulty with these criteria is that they cannot be used to evaluate the economic impacts of changing reliability levels on the utility and the customers, and therefore cannot lead to an optimum expansion plan for the system. The critical issue today faced by most developing countries is that the demand for electric power is high and growth in supply is constrained by technical, environmental, and most importantly by financial impediments. Many power projects are being canceled or postponed due to a lack of resources. The investment burden associated with the electric power sector has already led some developing countries into serious debt problems. This thesis focuses on power sector issues facing by developing countries and illustrates how a basic reliability cost/worth approach can be used in a developing country to determine appropriate planning criteria and justify future power projects by application to the Nepal Integrated Electric Power System (NPS). A reliability cost/worth based system evaluation framework is proposed in this thesis. Customer surveys conducted throughout Nepal using in-person interviews with approximately 2000 sample customers are presented. The survey results indicate that the interruption cost is dependent on both customer and interruption characteristics, and it varies from one location or region to another. Assessments at both the generation and composite system levels have been performed using the customer cost data and the developed NPS reliability database. The results clearly indicate the implications of service reliability to the electricity consumers of Nepal, and show that the reliability cost/worth evaluation is both possible and practical in a developing country. The average customer interruption costs of Rs 35/kWh at Hierarchical Level I and Rs 26/kWh at Hierarchical Level II evaluated in this research work led to an optimum reserve margin of 7.5%, which is considerably lower than the traditional reserve margin of 15% used in the NPS. A similar conclusion may result in other developing countries facing difficulties in power system expansion planning using the traditional approach. A new framework for system planning is therefore recommended for developing countries which would permit an objective review of the traditional system planning approach, and the evaluation of future power projects using a new approach based on fundamental principles of power system reliability and economics.

Community mental health care in the Asia-Pacific region: using current best-practice models to inform future policy

PubMed Central

NG, CHEE; HERRMAN, HELEN; CHIU, EDMOND; SINGH, BRUCE

2009-01-01

The reporting of child sexual abuse (CSA) and physician-patient sexual relationships (PPSR) are currently the focus of professional, legal and media attention in several countries. This paper briefly reviews mental health policies on these issues and reports on a WPA survey of them. While the WPA Madrid Declaration permits breaching confidentiality for mandatory reporting of CSA and clearly prohibits PPSR, it is not known how or to what extent these policies are implemented in WPA Member Societies’ countries. It is also not known whether policies or laws exist on these topics nationally or to what extent psychiatrists and the public are aware of them. Representatives of WPA Member Societies were e-mailed a survey about issues pertaining to CSA and PPSR. Fifty-one percent of 109 countries replied. All reporting countries had laws or policies regarding the reporting of CSA, but this was often voluntary (63%) and without protection for reporting psychiatrists either by law (29%) or by Member Societies (27%). A substantial number of psychiatric leaders did not know the law (27%) or their Society’s policy (11%) on these matters. With respect to PPSR, some reporting countries lacked laws or policies about PPSR with current (17%) or past (56%) patients. Fewer than half of responding representatives believed that their Society’s members or the public were well informed about the laws and policies pertaining to CSA or PPSR. There is clearly a wide range of laws, policies and practices about CSA and PPSR in WPA Member Societies’ countries. There is a need in some countries for laws or supplemental policies to facilitate the protection of vulnerable child and adult patients through clear, mandatory reporting policies for CSA and PPSR. Mechanisms to protect and support reporting psychiatrists should also be developed where they do not already exist. There is also a need in some countries to develop strategies to improve the education of psychiatrists, trainees, and the public on these issues. PMID:19293961

Land cover, land use changes and air pollution in Asia: a synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vadrevu, Krishna; Ohara, Toshimasa; Justice, Chris

2017-12-01

A better understanding of land cover/land use changes (LCLUC) and their interactions with the atmospheric environment is essential for the sustainable management of natural resources, environmental protection, air quality, agricultural planning and food security. The 15 papers published in this focus issue showcase a variety of studies relating to drivers and impacts of LCLUC and air pollution in different South/Southeast Asian (S/SEA) countries. This synthesis article, in addition to giving context to the articles in this focus issue, also reviews the broad linkages between population, LCLUC and air pollution. Additionally, we identify knowledge gaps and research priorities that are essential in addressing air pollution issues in the region. We conclude that for effective pollution mitigation in S/SEA countries, quantifying drivers, sources and impacts of pollution need a thorough data analysis through ground-based instrumentation, models and integrated research approaches. We also stress the need for the development of sustainable technologies and strengthening the scientific and resource management communities through capacity building and training activities to address air pollution issues in S/SEA countries.

Utilizing lean tools to improve value and reduce outpatient wait times in an Indian hospital.

PubMed

Miller, Richard; Chalapati, Nirisha

2015-01-01

This paper aims to demonstrate how lean tools were applied to some unique issues of providing healthcare in a developing country where many patients face challenges not found in developed countries. The challenges provide insight into how lean tools can be utilized to provide similar results across the world. This paper is based on a qualitative case study carried out by a master's student implementing lean at a hospital in India. This paper finds that lean tools such as value-stream mapping and root cause analysis can lead to dramatic reductions in waste and improvements in productivity. The problems of the majority of patients paying for their own healthcare and lacking transportation created scheduling problems that required patients to receive their diagnosis and pay for treatment within a single day. Many additional wastes were identified that were significantly impacting the hospital's ability to provide care. As a result of this project, average outpatient wait times were reduced from 1 hour to 15 minutes along with a significant increase in labor productivity. The results demonstrate how lean tools can increase value to the patients. It also provides are framework that can be utilized for healthcare providers in developed and developing countries to analyze their value streams to reduce waste. This paper is one of the first to address the unique issues of implementing lean to a healthcare setting in a developing country.

Ethical and practical challenges surrounding genetic and genomic research in developing countries.

PubMed

Nyika, Aceme

2009-11-01

The nature of some potential benefits and risks associated with genetic research is different from the types of potential benefits and risks associated with other types of health research such as clinical trials and biomedical research involving humans. Whereas most potential risks associated with biomedical research or clinical trials are mainly biological in nature, potential risks associated with genetic research are mainly of socioeconomic nature. Although the peculiarity of some of the aspects of genetic research and the complexity of the science involved are acknowledged, the extent to which these characteristics hinder firstly disclosure of information to participants and their communities and secondly comprehension of the disclosed information is a practical challenge that tends to be exaggerated in some cases. In this article, a brief overview of the various types of genetic research will be given in order to set the scene for some ethical and practical issues surrounding the research in developing countries that will be discussed subsequently. Case studies that illustrate some of the ethical and practical issues flagged will be given, followed by suggestions on possible ways of tackling some of the challenges in developing country settings. Nevertheless, genetic and genomic research could go a long way in providing knowledge that could be useful in the development of drugs and vaccines for many diseases affecting the developing countries.

Environmental lead exposure: a public health problem of global dimensions.

PubMed Central

Tong, S.; von Schirnding, Y. E.; Prapamontol, T.

2000-01-01

Lead is the most abundant of the heavy metals in the Earth's crust. It has been used since prehistoric times, and has become widely distributed and mobilized in the environment. Exposure to and uptake of this non-essential element have consequently increased. Both occupational and environmental exposures to lead remain a serious problem in many developing and industrializing countries, as well as in some developed countries. In most developed countries, however, introduction of lead into the human environment has decreased in recent years, largely due to public health campaigns and a decline in its commercial usage, particularly in petrol. Acute lead poisoning has become rare in such countries, but chronic exposure to low levels of the metal is still a public health issue, especially among some minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. In developing countries, awareness of the public health impact of exposure to lead is growing but relatively few of these countries have introduced policies and regulations for significantly combating the problem. This article reviews the nature and importance of environmental exposure to lead in developing and developed countries, outlining past actions, and indicating requirements for future policy responses and interventions. PMID:11019456

Integrating Research to Reduce Risk and Gain the Benefits for Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mcbean, G. A.

2015-12-01

Across all countries there are challenges due to the increasing numbers of hazards creating disasters and impacting on people and property and limiting development. These impacts, in a relative sense relative to population and economy, are larger in developing countries and small island states. The issues of disaster risk reduction, sustainable development goals and climate change mitigation and adaptation are key global issues being addressed through international processes in 2015. Internationally coordinated research, through programs such as Integrated Research on Disaster Risk, Future Earth: Research for Global Sustainability and Health and Wellbeing in the Changing Urban Environment, needs to be supported and their research coordinated so the outputs are effective in policy development and can be used by all countries. A particular challenge is with regard to those extreme and relatively rare events that have huge impacts but societies are not yet effective in "making timely decisions and implementation of the hazard-associated preparedness measures to mitigate humanitarian and economic losses". The challenge for the scientific community is to work with stakeholder communities through a co-design, co-produce and co-deliver approach to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of our science.

Capacity building for global nursing leaders: challenges and experiences.

PubMed

Shin, S; Han, J; Cha, C

2016-12-01

The aim of this article is to describe our experience in operating a capacity-building programme, the Korea International Cooperation Project, for global nursing leaders from developing countries, held during the International Council of Nurses (ICN) Conference in 2015 in Seoul, Korea. Globalization points to the importance of global leadership among nursing leaders. In accordance with the theme of 'Global Citizen, Global Nursing' at the ICN conference in 2015, a capacity-building programme for nursing leaders of developing countries was implemented. The global nursing leadership programme shared experiences during the preparation and operation of the conference. To prepare the programme, this paper describes selecting participants, working with invitation lists from 30 countries, and recruiting and training volunteers. The operation of the programme, orientation, organizing tailored programmes for participant groups, addressing unexpected issues and evaluating the programme are described. ICN could implement capacity-building programmes for nursing leaders of developing countries during its ICN conference for the nursing society. A programme tailored for each continent with similar sociocultural backgrounds and health issues would provide chances for collaboration and networking. A policy to compile global nursing indicators should be developed. This would allow nursing leaders to learn about the strengths and weaknesses of global nursing and provide evidence for collaboration. The programme was successful in introducing and broadening global perspectives of participants on health and education as well as building a network among leaders and next-generation leaders in participating countries for future cooperation and collaboration. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Lessons from across the pond: what the US can learn from European immunization programs.

PubMed

Freed, Gary L

2007-08-14

Childhood immunizations are the most effective clinical preventive services ever developed. Western European countries have a variety of governmental and non-governmental agencies involved in the development and operation of their immunization programs. Because of the range of programs in place across the European continent, various components of the US system parallel specific components of a variety of countries. Examining the experiences of other countries which have attempted to address issues now faced by the US can be valuable. However, such examinations are only of value if both the country and the policy itself to be examined are placed within the context of the US health care system and US policy constraints.

Language, culture, and task shifting--an emerging challenge for global mental health.

PubMed

Swartz, Leslie; Kilian, Sanja; Twesigye, Justus; Attah, Dzifa; Chiliza, Bonginkosi

2014-01-01

Language is at the heart of mental health care. Many high-income countries have sophisticated interpreter services, but in low- and middle-income countries there are not sufficient professional services, let alone interpreter services, and task shifting is used. In this article, we discuss this neglected issue in the context of low- and middle-income countries, where task shifting has been suggested as a solution to the problem of scarce mental health resources. The large diversity of languages in low- and middle-income countries, exacerbated by wide-scale migration, has implications for the scale-up of services. We suggest that it would be useful for those who are working innovatively to develop locally delivered mental health programmes in low- and middle-income countries to explore and report on issues of language and how these have been addressed. We need to know more about local challenges, but also about local solutions which seem to work, and for this we need more information from the field than is currently available.

SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES,

DTIC Science & Technology

development. Part 3 is concerned with problems of education and the diffusion of knowledge , and Part 4 is a record of the discussions and working groups in which interaction was informal and the issues were explored in depth. (Author)

Development Aid: A Guide to Facts and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Silva, Leelananda

This eight-chapter book provides information on Official Development Assistance (ODA), its importance in relation to developed and developing countries, and its prospects and limitations. Major areas discussed include: (1) the institutional evolution of development aid; (2) forms of ODA, including project aid, program aid, bilateral aid,…

Options for improving effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines in developing countries.

PubMed

Tissera, Marion S; Cowley, Daniel; Bogdanovic-Sakran, Nada; Hutton, Melanie L; Lyras, Dena; Kirkwood, Carl D; Buttery, Jim P

2017-04-03

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a leading global cause of mortality and morbidity in young children due to diarrhea and dehydration. Over 85% of deaths occur in developing countries. In industrialised countries, 2 live oral rotavirus vaccines licensed in 2006 quickly demonstrated high effectiveness, dramatically reducing severe rotavirus gastroenteritis admissions in many settings by more than 90%. In contrast, the same vaccines reduced severe rotavirus gastroenteritis by only 30-60% in developing countries, but have been proven life-saving. Bridging this "efficacy gap" offers the possibility to save many more lives of children under the age of 5. The reduced efficacy of rotavirus vaccines in developing settings may be related to differences in transmission dynamics, as well as host luminal, mucosal and immune factors. This review will examine strategies currently under study to target the issue of reduced efficacy and effectiveness of oral rotavirus vaccines in developing settings.

Options for improving effectiveness of rotavirus vaccines in developing countries

PubMed Central

Cowley, Daniel; Bogdanovic-Sakran, Nada; Hutton, Melanie L.; Lyras, Dena; Kirkwood, Carl D.; Buttery, Jim P.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Rotavirus gastroenteritis is a leading global cause of mortality and morbidity in young children due to diarrhea and dehydration. Over 85% of deaths occur in developing countries. In industrialised countries, 2 live oral rotavirus vaccines licensed in 2006 quickly demonstrated high effectiveness, dramatically reducing severe rotavirus gastroenteritis admissions in many settings by more than 90%. In contrast, the same vaccines reduced severe rotavirus gastroenteritis by only 30–60% in developing countries, but have been proven life-saving. Bridging this “efficacy gap” offers the possibility to save many more lives of children under the age of 5. The reduced efficacy of rotavirus vaccines in developing settings may be related to differences in transmission dynamics, as well as host luminal, mucosal and immune factors. This review will examine strategies currently under study to target the issue of reduced efficacy and effectiveness of oral rotavirus vaccines in developing settings. PMID:27835052

Coordinating chemists for global development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2016-06-01

Chemistry research and education face challenges anywhere in the world, but more so in less developed -- or less stable -- economies. These countries and their more economically fortunate neighbours can all contribute to the development of chemistry and its ability to tackle local and global issues.

Ethical issues in transnational "mail order" oocyte donation.

PubMed

Heng, B C

2006-12-01

The rising demand for donor oocytes in developed countries has led to what is referred to as transnational or international oocyte donation, or the outsourcing of oocyte donation to poorer countries. In a further twist, frozen sperm from a recipient's partner can also be mailed to a foreign clinic to fertilize donor oocytes, and the resulting embryos are mailed back, cryopreserved, for transfer to the recipient. Among the numerous ethical concerns raised by this practice of mail order oocyte donation, the most obvious are that underprivileged women from poorer countries are often exploited; fertility physicians from richer counties abdicate responsibility for the welfare of donors; and responsibility could become an issue of contention if transmission of disease to the oocyte recipient or congenital defects in offspring born from such oocyte donation were to occur. Moreover, savings from utilizing donors from poorer countries ought to be shared with oocyte recipients.

Non-Profit Ecological Organizations in the Function of the Realization of the Right to Freedom of Association and the Development of Civil Environmental Liability in Kazakhstan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aitimov, Bolat Zh.; Dussipov, Erkin Sh.; Altynbekkyzy, Alua; Ashimova, Dinara I.; Nurbek, Dana T.; Urazymbetov, Talgat E.

2016-01-01

Environmental issues have become a central issue, which is considered not only at the state level, but also in the international arena. At the moment the main initiators of drawing attention to the environment are the environmental non-profit organizations. In developed countries, these organizations provide full support to the government and…

The World Food Situation: Resource and Environmental Issues in the Developing Countries and the United States. Research Paper R-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosson, Pierre R.; Frederick, Kenneth D.

The book provides an overview of the food situation in developing nations and in the United States as it will be until the end of the 20th century. Specifically, the research focuses on interrelationships among world food needs, resources, and environmental issues. The document is presented in seven chapters. Chapter I presents background on the…

Improving the quality of life.

PubMed

Suyono, H

1993-12-01

It is encouraging that most developing countries now have population policies, but it is discouraging that some countries have been unable to implement their policies. Therefore, Indonesia believes technical cooperation should be strengthened among developing countries. International cooperation is working in 108 developing countries, but the desired impact has yet to be reached, and the quality of life in many countries is still unacceptable. For example, life expectancy at birth in developing countries is 14-17 years shorter for females and 10-13 years shorter for males as compared to developed countries which have superior health and welfare systems. The speed of population growth is also hindering efforts to help improve living conditions, and the biggest increase in growth will occur in Asia and Africa. This will increase the numbers of poor, hungry, and illiterate in developing countries and will lead to a lack of arable land, deterioration in education, and increase in unsafe sanitation. In order to slow population growth, quality family planning (FP) services must be provided to those who want them. By the year 2000, developed countries and donors should be ready to provide half of the required US$10.5 billion to FP services in developing countries. In Indonesia, population programs and policies have been governed by the National FP Coordinating Board as well as by the State Ministry for Population and the Environment, which was divided into two ministries in 1993 in order to deal with the enormity and seriousness of the two issues.

The challenges and opportunities of conducting a clinical trial in a low resource setting: the case of the Cameroon mobile phone SMS (CAMPS) trial, an investigator initiated trial.

PubMed

Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; Thabane, Lehana; Ongolo-Zogo, Pierre; Lang, Trudie

2011-06-09

Conducting clinical trials in developing countries often presents significant ethical, organisational, cultural and infrastructural challenges to researchers, pharmaceutical companies, sponsors and regulatory bodies. Globally, these regions are under-represented in research, yet this population stands to gain more from research in these settings as the burdens on health are greater than those in developed resourceful countries. However, developing countries also offer an attractive setting for clinical trials because they often have larger treatment naive populations with higher incidence rates of disease and more advanced stages. These factors can present a reduction in costs and time required to recruit patients. So, balance needs to be found where research can be encouraged and supported in order to bring maximum public health benefits to these communities. The difficulties with such trials arise from problems with obtaining valid informed consent, ethical compensation mechanisms for extremely poor populations, poor health infrastructure and considerable socio-economic and cultural divides. Ethical concerns with trials in developing countries have received attention, even though many other non-ethical issues may arise. Local investigator initiated trials also face a variety of difficulties that have not been adequately reported in literature. This paper uses the example of the Cameroon Mobile Phone SMS trial to describe in detail, the specific difficulties encountered in an investigator-initiated trial in a developing country. It highlights administrative, ethical, financial and staff related issues, proposes solutions and gives a list of additional documentation to ease the organisational process.

FAO UN-REDD- INPE Joint Programme on Forest Monitoring Systems based on RS and GIS techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I. G.; FAO UN-REDD MRV Team

2010-12-01

Capacity Development and Training for National Forest Monitoring Systems for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+) REDD+, which stands for ’Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries’ - is an effort to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development. The UN-REDD Programme, a collaborative partnership between FAO, UNDP and UNEP launched in September 2008, supports countries to develop capacity to REDD+ and to implement a future REDD+ mechanism in a post-2012 climate regime. The programme works at both the national and global scale, through support mechanisms for country-driven REDD strategies and international consensus-building on REDD+ processes. The UN-REDD Programme gathers technical teams from around the world to develop common approaches, analyses and guidelines on issues such as measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon emissions and flows, remote sensing, and greenhouse gas inventories. Within the partnership, FAO supports countries on technical issues related to forestry and the development of cost effective and credible MRV processes for emission reductions. While at the international level, it fosters improved guidance on MRV approaches, including consensus on principles and guidelines for MRV and training programmes. It provides guidance on how best to design and implement REDD+, to ensure that forests continue to provide multiple benefits for livelihoods and biodiversity to societies while storing carbon at the same time. Other areas of work include national forest assessments and monitoring of in-country policy and institutional change. FAO and INPE (Brazilian Space Agency) have joint forces through a MoU signed last year in Copenhagen. A major joint programme has been agreed upon to set up national forest satellite monitoring systems in the developing countries and to train them in order to get them ready for REDD+. The outcomes about the role of satellite remote sensing technologies as a tool for monitoring, assessment, reporting and verification of carbon credits and co-benefits under the REDD+ mechanism are here presented.

Addressing climate challenges in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilmes, Simone; Monaghan, Andrew; Done, James

2012-04-01

Advanced Study Program/Early Career Scientist Assembly Workshop on Regional Climate Issues in Developing Countries; Boulder, Colorado, 19-22 October 2011 The Early Career Scientist Assembly (ECSA) and the Advanced Study Program of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) invited 35 early-career scientists from nearly 20 countries to attend a 3-day workshop at the NCAR Mesa Laboratory prior to the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Open Science Conference in October 2011. The goal of the workshop was to examine a range of regional climate challenges in developing countries. Topics included regional climate modeling, climate impacts, water resources, and air quality. The workshop fostered new ideas and collaborations between early-career scientists from around the world. The discussions underscored the importance of establishing partnerships with scientists located in typically underrepresented countries to understand and account for the local political, economic, and cultural factors on which climate change is superimposed.

Migration of Nurses from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review of Issues and Challenges

PubMed Central

Dovlo, Delanyo

2007-01-01

Objective To assess the impact of out-migration of nurses on the health systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Setting The countries of SSA. Design and Methods Review of secondary sources: existing publications and country documents on the health workforce; documents prepared for the Joint Learning Initiative Global Human Resources for Health report, the World Health Organization (AFRO) synthesis on migration, and the International Council of Nurses series on the global nursing situation. Analysis of associated data. Principal Findings The state of nursing practice in SSA appears to have been impacted negatively by migration. Available (though inadequate) quantitative data on stocks and flows, qualitative information on migration issues and trends, and on the main strategies being employed in both source and recipient countries indicate that the problem is likely to grow over the next 5–10 years. Conclusions Multiple actions are needed at various policy levels in both source and receiving countries to moderate negative effects of nurse emigration in developing countries in Africa; however, critically, source countries must establish more effective policies and strategies. PMID:17489920

[Medical exchanges among China and Asiana countries].

PubMed

Chen, H

1996-01-01

Among the issues of medical exchanges, medicaments are more often encountered than medical issues, based on ancient Chinese literatures, early in the Han-Jin Dynasties, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei had exchanges with China, also in Sui-Tang Dynasties. In the Song-Yuan Dynasties, ancient Singapore and the Philippines also incorporated in exchanges of medicament and goods. In the Ming-Qing dynasties, these 6 Asian countries had even more close contact with China, especially in trades and medical exchanges among the masses, carried out in a large scale thus, promoting the advent and development of TCM in Asiana Regions.

Educational Configurations for Teaching Environmental Socioscientific Issues within the Perspective of Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonneaux, Jean; Simonneaux, Laurence

2012-01-01

Education for Sustainability has become an institutional requirement in many countries. It takes many forms that can integrate the teaching of environmental Socioscientific Issues (SSIs). In this context, we present the French notion of Socially Acute Questions (SAQs). We develop a theoretical frame to analyse educational configurations applied to…

On General Issues of Bilingual Education for Minority Ethnic Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mingyuan, Gu

2014-01-01

Minority language literacy is an important issue in national education policy for any multi-nationality country. China sticks to the policy of safeguarding the rights and interests of ethnic minority groups to use their own languages and writing systems. In education, considering communications among different nationalities and the development of…

University Interdisciplinary Research Organizations in the Process of Collaborative Innovation: Advantages, Difficulties and Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bi Ying; Yang, Liansheng

2015-01-01

Under the background of collaborative innovation, interdisciplinary research organizations due to its structural advantages should actively target frontier science and the great needs of national development, key research and strategic issues of solving the country's need, prospective issues in the frontier of science and technology and major…

Vocational and Technical Education in Lebanon: Strategic Issues and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karam, Gebran

2006-01-01

The current status of the Lebanese vocational and technical education (VTE) system is assessed and the strategic issues and challenges facing it are identified. In addition to the economic and social challenges that are common to many developing countries, the Lebanese system suffers from idiosyncratic problems, which may require innovative and…

Ethical issues in newer assisted reproductive technologies: A view from Nigeria.

PubMed

Fadare, J O; Adeniyi, A A

2015-12-01

Infertility is a prevalent condition in many developing countries with significant physical and psychosocial implications. The aim of this study is to discuss briefly the ethics of newer assisted reproductive technology (ART) with special emphasis on the peculiarities in Nigeria. MEDLINE and Google Scholar were searched for English-language articles from January 1990 to July 2014 using the search terms "ethics of ART AND Nigeria," "ethical issues in in vitro fertilization AND Nigeria." Using the above search phrases, a total of 43 articles were retrieved out of which only 5 dealt specifically with the subject matter. The core ethical issues found in the reviewed literature are listed in [Table 1]. Inequitable access to ART due to its high cost, lack of regulatory body, safety of the procedure, and fate of the embryos were the main themes identified from the papers. Surrogacy, sex selection, and gamete donation were additional relevant ethical issues. There is an urgent need for stakeholders in developing countries to formulate cultural and context-specific guidelines to help address some of these ethical dilemmas.

A roadmap for development of sustainable E-waste management system in India.

PubMed

Wath, Sushant B; Vaidya, Atul N; Dutt, P S; Chakrabarti, Tapan

2010-12-01

The problem of E-waste has forced Environmental agencies of many countries to innovate, develop and adopt environmentally sound options and strategies for E-waste management, with a view to mitigate and control the ever growing threat of E-waste to the environment and human health. E-waste management is given the top priority in many developed countries, but in rapid developing countries like India, it is difficult to completely adopt or replicate the E-waste management system in developed countries due to many country specific issues viz. socio-economic conditions, lack of infrastructure, absence of appropriate legislations for E-waste, approach and commitments of the concerned, etc. This paper presents a review and assessment of the E-waste management system of developed as well as developing countries with a special emphasis on Switzerland, which is the first country in the world to have established and implemented a formal E-waste management system and has recycled 11kg/capita of WEEE against the target of 4kg/capita set by EU. And based on the discussions of various approaches, laws, legislations, practices of different countries, a road map for the development of sustainable and effective E-waste management system in India for ensuring environment, as well as, occupational safety and health, is proposed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Memoir of Tanzania: Learning about Early Childhood Projects in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penn, Helen

2017-01-01

This article considers the contribution of memoir as a method for understanding complex early childhood issues. It recounts the author's first visit to Tanzania, a low-income country with a chequered history of independence from colonial rule. The article uses memories from that initial visit to reflect on the changing interpretations of colonial…

Development of a Rift Valley fever real-time RT-PCR assay that can detect all three genome segments

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Outbreaks of Rift Valley fever in Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritania, and South Africa had devastating effects on livestock and human health. In addition, this disease is a food security issue for endemic countries. There is growing concern for the potential introduction of RVF into non-endemic countries...

Knowledge Impact of a US-Based Tobacco Prevention Curriculum among Tanzanian Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St. Germain, Paige; Lucas, Frances L.; Williams Wilson, Miriam J.; Maegga, Bertha Tsingay A.; Miesfeldt, Susan

2017-01-01

Purpose: Tobacco use is a major public health issue in developing countries, with substantial initial exposure in childhood. School-based educational resources promise to reduce tobacco initiation and experimentation among children from low-income countries. Research in this area is scant. The study goal was to test the impact of an evidence-based…

Changing Rules: A Review of Tempus Support to University Governance. A Tempus Study. Issue 01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reilly, John; Jongsma, Ard

2010-01-01

The Tempus Programme, which funds cooperation in higher education between universities in EU Member States and a defined set of partner countries outside the European Union, is excellently positioned to support explorations into higher education governance in countries that want to draw on the developing EU experience in this field. Governance is…

Learning beyond Boundaries: Japanese Teachers Learning to Reflect and Reflecting to Learn

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakar Arani, Mohammad Reza; Fukaya, Takenobu

2009-01-01

In the early 21st century, educational reform in many countries shifted to put more emphasis on learning-oriented strategy for change and to focus on empowerment of teachers and self-sustaining change in school. Consequently, teacher quality has developed into a core innovation issue of school education in many countries. Recently "lesson…

Guide to Rebuilding Public Sector Services in Stability Operations: A Role for the Military

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

economic growth. Each topic discussion focuses on the key issues, trade-offs faced in addressing those issues in stability operations, and recommended...top-down versus bottom-up planning. As discussed above, countries have a long-term development framework that expresses broad national strategy for...SERVICES This section discusses a relatively narrow range of issues and potential actions in rebuilding government, focusing on government’s provision

International space station wire program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, Todd

1995-01-01

Hardware provider wire systems and current wire insulation issues for the International Space Station (ISS) program are discussed in this viewgraph presentation. Wire insulation issues include silicone wire contamination, Tefzel cold temperature flexibility, and Russian polyimide wire insulation. ISS is a complex program with hardware developed and managed by many countries and hundreds of contractors. Most of the obvious wire insulation issues are known by contractors and have been precluded by proper selection.

Working toward decreasing infant mortality in developing countries through change in the medical curriculum

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background High infant and maternal mortality rates are one of the biggest health issues in Pakistan. Although these rates are given high priority at the national level (Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, respectively), there has been no significant decrease in them so far. We hypothesize that this lack of success is because the undergraduate curriculum in Pakistan does not match local needs. Currently, the Pakistani medical curriculum deals with issues in maternal and child morbidity and mortality according to Western textbooks. Moreover, these are taught disjointedly through various departments. We undertook curriculum revision to sensitize medical students to maternal and infant mortality issues important in the Pakistani context and educate them about ways to reduce the same through an integrated teaching approach. Methods The major determinants of infant mortality in underdeveloped countries were identified through a literature review covering international research produced over the last 10 years and the Pakistan Demographic Health Survey 2006-07. An interdisciplinary maternal and child health module team was created by the Medical Education Department at Shifa College of Medicine. The curriculum was developed based on the role of identified determinants in infant and maternal mortality. It was delivered by an integrated team without any subject boundaries. Students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes were assessed by multiple modalities and the module itself by student feedback using questionnaires and focus group discussions. Results Assessment and feedback demonstrated that the students had developed a thorough understanding of the complexity of factors that contribute to infant mortality. Students also demonstrated knowledge and skill in counseling, antenatal care, and care of newborns and infants. Conclusions A carefully designed integrated curriculum can help sensitize undergraduate medical students and equip them to identify and address complex issues related to maternal and infant mortality in underdeveloped countries. PMID:21871130

Getting Connected: Information and Communications Technology for Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gitta, Cosmas, Ed.

2001-01-01

This journal special issue contains the following articles on the role of information and communications Technology (ICT) in development in the countries of the South: (1) "Digitally Empowered Development" (Allen L. Hammond); (2) "Global E-Commerce Policies Seen from the South" (Somkiat Tangkitvanich); (3) "Building…

Authorship ethics in global health research partnerships between researchers from low or middle income countries and high income countries

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Over the past two decades, the promotion of collaborative partnerships involving researchers from low and middle income countries with those from high income countries has been a major development in global health research. Ideally, these partnerships would lead to more equitable collaboration including the sharing of research responsibilities and rewards. While collaborative partnership initiatives have shown promise and attracted growing interest, there has been little scholarly debate regarding the fair distribution of authorship credit within these partnerships. Discussion In this paper, we identify four key authorship issues relevant to global health research and discuss their ethical and practical implications. First, we argue that authorship guidance may not adequately apply to global health research because it requires authors to write or substantially revise the manuscript. Since most journals of international reputation in global health are written in English, this would systematically and unjustly exclude non-English speaking researchers even if they have substantially contributed to the research project. Second, current guidance on authorship order does not address or mitigate unfair practices which can occur in global health research due to power differences between researchers from high and low-middle income countries. It also provides insufficient recognition of “technical tasks” such as local participant recruitment. Third, we consider the potential for real or perceived editorial bias in medical science journals in favour of prominent western researchers, and the risk of promoting misplaced credit and/or prestige authorship. Finally, we explore how diverse cultural practices and expectations regarding authorship may create conflict between researchers from low-middle and high income countries and contribute to unethical authorship practices. To effectively deal with these issues, we suggest: 1) undertaking further empirical and conceptual research regarding authorship in global health research; 2) raising awareness on authorship issues in global health research; and 3) developing specific standards of practice that reflect relevant considerations of authorship in global health research. Summary Through review of the bioethics and global health literatures, and examination of guidance documents on ethical authorship, we identified a set of issues regarding authorship in collaborative partnerships between researchers from low-middle income countries and high income countries. We propose several recommendations to address these concerns. PMID:24885855

Authorship ethics in global health research partnerships between researchers from low or middle income countries and high income countries.

PubMed

Smith, Elise; Hunt, Matthew; Master, Zubin

2014-05-28

Over the past two decades, the promotion of collaborative partnerships involving researchers from low and middle income countries with those from high income countries has been a major development in global health research. Ideally, these partnerships would lead to more equitable collaboration including the sharing of research responsibilities and rewards. While collaborative partnership initiatives have shown promise and attracted growing interest, there has been little scholarly debate regarding the fair distribution of authorship credit within these partnerships. In this paper, we identify four key authorship issues relevant to global health research and discuss their ethical and practical implications. First, we argue that authorship guidance may not adequately apply to global health research because it requires authors to write or substantially revise the manuscript. Since most journals of international reputation in global health are written in English, this would systematically and unjustly exclude non-English speaking researchers even if they have substantially contributed to the research project. Second, current guidance on authorship order does not address or mitigate unfair practices which can occur in global health research due to power differences between researchers from high and low-middle income countries. It also provides insufficient recognition of "technical tasks" such as local participant recruitment. Third, we consider the potential for real or perceived editorial bias in medical science journals in favour of prominent western researchers, and the risk of promoting misplaced credit and/or prestige authorship. Finally, we explore how diverse cultural practices and expectations regarding authorship may create conflict between researchers from low-middle and high income countries and contribute to unethical authorship practices. To effectively deal with these issues, we suggest: 1) undertaking further empirical and conceptual research regarding authorship in global health research; 2) raising awareness on authorship issues in global health research; and 3) developing specific standards of practice that reflect relevant considerations of authorship in global health research. Through review of the bioethics and global health literatures, and examination of guidance documents on ethical authorship, we identified a set of issues regarding authorship in collaborative partnerships between researchers from low-middle income countries and high income countries. We propose several recommendations to address these concerns.

Consequences of infertility in developing countries.

PubMed

Rouchou, Brittany

2013-05-01

Infertility affects more than 10% of the world's population. In developing countries, there are severe social, psychological and economic consequences for infertile men and women. All of the cited references are compiled from primary peer-reviewed research articles that were conducted through one-to-one interviews or focus groups in countries of developing regions, such as Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The following paper seeks to raise awareness of the consequences of infertility in developing nations and identify infertility as an under-observed, but significant public health issue. It is proposed that education programmes tailored to each society's specific religious beliefs and grounded traditions must be implemented in order to reverse the social stigma, detrimental psychological effects, and loss of economic security that results from infertility.

The Development of the Market of the Production of Solar Energy in Poland and Selected EU Countries in the Years 2009-2014 - Comparative Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorozińska, Weronika; Gawron, Maciej; Stańko, Paulina; Stępień, Natalia; Świstak, Patrycja; Ji, Han Yeon

2016-03-01

The paper discusses issues related to the development of solar energy production in Poland and selected EU countries in the years 2009-2014. The analysis of data concerning the production of solar energy in Poland and selected EU countries is presented as well as the strategic goals of the Union in respect the development of the `solar energy industry'. The article discusses the benefits and costs of the transformation of energy engineering and development of the production of solar energy, which is one of the most widespread and popular technologies of the production of energy from renewable resources in view of environment protection or reduction of the costs of energy consumption.

Diarrhoeal diseases in developing countries: a situational analysis.

PubMed

Kumar, S G; Subitha, L

2012-01-01

Recent data showed that there is no much reduction in diarrhoea related morbidity in developing countries. This is important in view of the Millennium Developmental Goal (MDG) to be achieved by 2015. This study reviewed and analyzed after gathering the recent literature information from Pubmed, internet and other sources. The authors discussed public health issues related to diarrhoeal diseases that include problem burden, determinants, intervention strategies, management, prevention and recent developments for control of diarrhoea among under-five children in developing countries. The study emphasizes the need for strengthening of comprehensive diarrhoeal disease prevention strategy at primary level including improvement of water quality, hygiene and sanitation, along with provision of oral rehydration solution and zinc supplements, and research in the field of vaccine and cost effective interventions.

Formulation of US international energy policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1980-09-01

To find out how the United States develops international energy policy, GAO reviewed five major energy issues covering the period from early 1977 through 1979. The issues are: vulnerabilities to petroleum supply interruptions; long term national security strategy on imported oil prices; export of U.S. oil and gas production equipment and technology to the Soviety Union; World Bank initiatives to assist in financing oil and gas exploration and development in oil-importing developing countries; and the role of gas imports relative to the nation's future sources of gas.

Energy efficiency and conservation in the developing world. World Bank policy paper. Energia: Eficiencia y conservacion en el mundo en desarrollo

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1993-01-01

Energy demand and production in developing countries are up, but efficiency of production and consumption are falling behind. The paper explores that issue and reviews the Bank's participation in energy projects. The paper conveys the Bank's strategy to promote efficiency through such means as transferring modern technology from the industrial countries and lending more selectively to energy-supply enterprises. The Bank identifies four factors that account for the differences in efficiency between the industrial and developing countries: energy pricing policies, control of energy supply enterprises, protection of energy-using industry from competition, and barriers to the productive functioning of markets.

Public Perceptions of Aquaculture: Evaluating Spatiotemporal Patterns of Sentiment around the World

PubMed Central

Froehlich, Halley E.; Gentry, Rebecca R.; Rust, Michael B.; Grimm, Dietmar; Halpern, Benjamin S.

2017-01-01

Aquaculture is developing rapidly at a global scale and sustainable practices are an essential part of meeting the protein requirements of the ballooning human population. Locating aquaculture offshore is one strategy that may help address some issues related to nearshore development. However, offshore production is nascent and distinctions between the types of aquatic farming may not be fully understood by the public–important for collaboration, research, and development. Here we evaluate and report, to our knowledge, the first multinational quantification of the relative sentiments and opinions of the public around distinct forms of aquaculture. Using thousands of newspaper headlines (Ntotal = 1,596) from developed (no. countries = 26) and developing (42) nations, ranging over periods of 1984 to 2015, we found an expanding positive trend of general ‘aquaculture’ coverage, while ‘marine’ and ‘offshore’ appeared more negative. Overall, developing regions published proportionally more positive than negative headlines than developed countries. As case studies, government collected public comments (Ntotal = 1,585) from the United States of America (USA) and New Zealand mirrored the media sentiments; offshore perception being particularly negative in the USA. We also found public sentiment may be influenced by local environmental disasters not directly related to aquaculture (e.g., oil spills). Both countries voiced concern over environmental impacts, but the concerns tended to be more generalized, rather than targeted issues. Two factors that could be inhibiting informed discussion and decisions about offshore aquaculture are lack of applicable knowledge and actual local development issues. Better communication and investigation of the real versus perceived impacts of aquaculture could aid in clarifying the debate about aquaculture, and help support future sustainable growth. PMID:28046057

Health of adolescent refugees resettling in high-income countries.

PubMed

Hirani, Kajal; Payne, Donald; Mutch, Raewyn; Cherian, Sarah

2016-07-01

Adolescent refugees are a vulnerable population with complex healthcare needs that are distinct from younger and older age groups. Physical health problems are common in this cohort with communicable diseases being the focus of attention followed by an emphasis on nutritional deficiencies and other chronic disorders. Adolescent refugees have also often experienced multiple traumatic stressors and are at a heightened risk of developing mental health problems. Navigating these problems at the time of pubertal development adds further challenges and can exacerbate or lead to the emergence of health risk behaviours. Educational difficulties and acculturation issues further compound these issues. Adolescents who have had experiences in detention or are unaccompanied by parents are particularly at risk. Despite a constantly growing number of adolescent refugees resettling in high-income countries, knowledge regarding their specific healthcare needs is limited. Research data are largely extrapolated from studies conducted within paediatric and adult cohorts. Holistic management of the medical and psychological issues faced by this group is challenging and requires an awareness of the socioeconomic factors that can have an impact on effective healthcare delivery. Legal and ethical issues can further complicate their management and addressing these in a culturally appropriate manner is essential. Early identification and management of the healthcare issues faced by adolescent refugees resettling in high-income countries are key to improving long-term health outcomes and future healthcare burden. This review article aims to increase knowledge and awareness of these issues among paediatricians and other health professionals. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

National nursing strategies in seven countries of the Region of the Americas: issues and impact.

PubMed

Shasanmi, Rebecca O; Kim, Esther M; Cassiani, Silvia Helena De Bortoli

2015-07-01

To identify and examine the current national nursing strategies and policy impact of workforce development regarding human resources for health in seven selected countries in the Region of the Americas: Argentina, Canada, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, and the United States. A review of available literature was conducted to identify publicly-available documents that describe the general backdrop of nursing human resources in these seven countries. A keyword search of PubMed was supplemented by searches of websites maintained by Ministries of Health and nursing organizations. Inclusion criteria limited documents to those published in 2008-2013 that discussed or assessed situational issues and/or progress surrounding the nursing workforce. Nursing human resources for health is progressing. Canada, Mexico, and the United States have stronger nursing leadership in place and multisectoral policies in workforce development. Jamaica shows efforts among the Caribbean countries to promote collaborative practices in research. The three selected countries in Central and South America championed networks to revive nursing education. Yet, overall challenges limit the opportunities to impact public health. The national nursing strategies prioritized multisectoral collaboration, professional competencies, and standardized educational systems, with some countries underscoring the need to align policies with efforts to promote nursing leadership, and others, focusing on expanding the scope of practice to improve health care delivery. While each country wrestles with its specific context, all require proper leadership, multisectoral collaboration, and appropriate resources to educate, train, and empower nurses to be at the forefront.

Medical pluralism: global perspectives on equity issues.

PubMed

Marian, Florica

2007-12-01

Over the last decades, awareness has increased about the phenomenon of medical pluralism and the importance to integrate biomedicine and other forms of health care. The broad variety of healing cultures existing alongside biomedicine is called complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) in industrialized countries and traditional medicine (TM) in developing countries. Considerable debate has arisen about ethical problems related to the growing use of CAM in industrialized countries. This article focuses on equity issues and aims to consider them from a global perspective of medical pluralism. Several dimensions of equity are explored and their interrelatedness discussed: access to care, research (paradigm and founding) and recognition. This so-called 'equity circle' is then related to Iris Marion Young's justice theory and particularly to the concepts of cultural imperialism, powerlessness and marginalisation.

[Strategy programming for acupuncture development along One-Belt-One-Road countries].

PubMed

Yang, Yuyang; Shen, Zhixiang; Wu, Zhongchao; Luo, Lu; Liu, Jingyuan; Liu, Baoyan

2017-04-12

Acupuncture has been applied in 183 countries and regions and gradually become a name card as TCM spreads across the world. The international influence of which plays a significant role in enhancing TCM development. The laws and regulations of TCM acupuncture along One-Belt-One-Road countries were compared and analyzed in this article. With comprehensive research and analysis, the international development strategy of acupuncture was rationally proposed. Combined with the historical background of China's national initiative One-Belt-One-Road, the acupuncture was taken as a breakthrough to lead the global spreading of TCM culture and Chinese herbs, so as to enhance China's soft strength, which could further create a fine cultural environment for the economic prosperity of One-Belt-One-Road countries. In addition, the strategy selection for China regarding TCM acupuncture development along One-Belt-One-Road countries was proposed, and the suggestive solution and implementation strategy for the essential missions and significant issues were provided.

Global issues related to enteric viral infections.

PubMed

Desselberger, Ulrich

2014-01-01

Acute viral gastroenteritis is a major health issue worldwide and is associated with high annual mortality, particularly in children of developing countries. Rotaviruses, caliciviruses and astroviruses are the main causes. Accurate diagnoses are possible by recently developed molecular techniques. In many setups, zoonotic transmission is an important epidemiological factor. Treatment consists of rehydration and is otherwise symptomatic. The worldwide introduction of universal rotavirus vaccination of infants has significantly reduced rotavirus disease and mortality.

Evaluation of an international faculty development program for developing countries in Asia: the Seoul Intensive Course for Medical Educators.

PubMed

Kim, Do-Hwan; Yoon, Hyun Bae; Sung, Minsun; Yoo, Dong-Mi; Hwang, Jinyoung; Kim, Eun Jung; Lee, Seunghee; Shin, Jwa-Seop

2015-12-18

The issue of collaboration in medical education is becoming prominent. Some faculty development programs have suggested an approach for promoting collaboration on a global level. However, non-English-speaking developing countries in Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, do not take advantage of them due to their unique context, such as language and culture. To address these issues, Seoul National University College of Medicine initiated a 6-week international faculty development program called the "Seoul Intensive Course for Medical Educators" for 16 fellows from five Asian countries (Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Vietnam). The aim of this study is to report the evaluation results of the outcome of the program and discuss better ways of collaborating with developing countries. Three levels of collaboration-intraorganizational, intranational, and international-were central initiatives of the program. Prior to setting up the program details, we first established four design principles, following which the contents, materials, and facilitators were determined to maintain consistency with the design principles. The evaluation of the program was done with Kirkpatrick's four-level model. Most of the evaluation data for level 1 were collected by two questionnaires, the post-module survey and the post-program survey. Portfolios and progress reports were mainly used to collect outcome data for levels 2 and 3, respectively. The reaction was generally positive throughout the program and there was a significant correlation between satisfaction and relevance to one's job or needs. Despite the fellows' propensity for overestimating themselves, both the evaluators and fellows reported that there was significant improvement in learning. Opinions on the impact or urgency of the topics were slightly different from country to country; however, the answers regarding feasibility were fairly similar. Moreover, we could observe from the post-program progress reports that the transfer of learning was actively in progress, mainly for topics that were highly feasible. These results show that the program was successful in terms of its effectiveness. Consistent and timely support is essential for the sustainable development of the medical education systems in these countries. Further understanding of the underlying factors on transfer (level 3) could improve the effectiveness of faculty development programs for developing countries.

Following the giant's paces-governance issues and bioethical reflections in China.

PubMed

Wang, Zhaochen; Zhang, Di; Ng, Vincent H; Lie, Reidar; Zhai, Xiaomei

2014-10-31

China has become a global player in the field of biosamples research and analysis of genetic data. The Beijing Genomics Institute is a genetics factory where enormous amounts of biosamples/data from all over the world are being analyzed. Most of the global bioethics discussions focused on research conducted by scientists from industrialized countries with subjects from poorer countries. Today, however, samples from industrialized nations are being analyzed in China on an unprecedented scale. This means that one should not just focus on bioethics developments in western countries, but also should pay attention to the situation in China. Under this era of rapid advancement in genomics, reassessing the conventionally accepted bioethical principles is strongly needed. In this paper, we will analyze the case of BGI in the context of the Chinese regulatory system in order to identify methods to regulate genetic research more effectively and to strengthen BGI's role in international collaborative research projects. Three main issues concerning sample collection and samples/data management are addressed. Firstly, an ambiguous definition of research, which does not specifically include biosamples/data, when applied to genetic research, may cause confusion and leave loopholes in governance. Secondly, the current regulations do not provide sufficient guidelines on the details of what information to present to prospective subjects, and how to combine informed consent with strategies of re-consent, withdrawal and feedback from research. Finally, the existing regulations do not adequately address issues of genetic privacy and data protection. Bioethical issues related to genetic research in China may be partially due to the nature of genetic research and partially stems from the strategy of simply adopting general international guidelines into the Chinese context without detailed considerations of the local needs. However, there are no perfect readymade ethical solutions for everyone; every country faces different open questions and challenges behind what appears to be unified guidelines. Given the importance of China in international genetic research, other countries ought to be concerned about the bioethical developments in China. China should also have a substantive discussion with the international community on bioethics issues.

Using the WTO/TBT enquiry point to monitor tendencies in the regulation of environment, health, and safety issues affecting the chemical industry.

PubMed

Pio Borges Menezes, Rodrigo; Maria de Souza Antunes, Adelaide

2005-04-01

The growing importance of technical regulation affecting the use and sale of chemical products is a topic of interest not only for the chemical industry, but also for governments, nongovernmental organizations, consumers, and interested communities. The results of such regulation on behalf of the environment, health and safety of individuals, as well as its economic effects on industrial activity, are well understood in the United States and recently in the European Union. In less developed countries, however, the general level of public understanding of these issues is still minimal. It is common knowledge that the so-called "regulatory asymmetry" between countries at different levels of development contributes to the establishment of technical barriers to trade. Such asymmetries, however, also have other impacts: the displacement of polluting industrial sectors to countries which have less demanding regulations, the concentration of unsafe and harmful environmental conditions in certain parts of the globe, and the competitive disadvantage for industries located in countries where control is more rigid. This study analyses information on a wide range of technical regulations issued by World Trade Organization (WTO) members, and focuses on those regulations that affect the chemical industry. This information is available through the WTO Enquiry Points, organizations created in each country to administrate the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT). This article consists of an analysis of 4,301 notifications of technical regulations by WTO member states in the 7-year period following the establishment of the WTO in 1995. Starting from this mass of information, 585 notifications that affect the circulation or use of chemical products were isolated. Of this group, 71% refer to only 15 countries. This group of notifications was further classified according to their motivation (the environment, health, safety), by the type of product affected (medications, fuels, hazardous products, etc.), by the type of country where it was established (developed, emerging or developing) and the existing conformity assessment mechanism (prohibition, licenses, certification, labeling, etc.). Beyond identifying tendencies in specific industrial sectors, the notifications studied here reach more than 100 chemical products, substances, preparations and other materials, which are subject to various levels of restrictions in different parts of the globe because of their composition or adverse reactions during their life cycles.

MESH Pakistan: Prospects and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leask, Marilyn; Jumani, Nabi Bux

2015-01-01

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development periodically surveys teaching and learning issues (the TALIS surveys) in the most developed countries. In their 2009 report, they commented that although teacher quality is the fundamental component in high performing systems, the education sector has been slow to develop systemic…

Travelling in the eastern Mediterranean with landscape character assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu Jaber, N.; Abunnasr, Y.; Abu Yahya, A.; Boulad, N.; Christou, O.; Dimitropoulos, G.; Dimopoulos, T.; Gkoltsiou, K.; Khreis, N.; Manolaki, P.; Michael, K.; Odeh, T.; Papatheodoulou, A.; Sorotou, A.; Sinno, S.; Suliman, O.; Symons, N.; Terkenli, T.; Trigkas, Vassilis; Trovato, M. G.; Victora, M.; Zomeni, M.; Vogiatzakis, I. N.

2015-06-01

Following its application in Northern Europe, Landscape Character Assessment has also been implemented in Euro-Mediterranean countries as a tool for classifying, describing and assessing landscapes. Many landscape classifications employed in the Euro-Mediterranean area are similar in philosophy and application to the ones developed in Northern Europe. However, many aspects of landform, climate, land-use and ecology, as well as socio-economic context are distinctive of Mediterranean landscapes. The paper discusses the conceptual and methodological issues faced during landscape mapping and characterisation in four East-Mediterranean countries (within the MEDSCAPES project): Cyprus, Greece, Jordan and Lebanon. The major hurdles to overcome during the first phase of methodology development include variation in availability, quality, scale and coverage of spatial datasets between countries and also terminology semantics around landscapes. For example, the concept of landscape - a well-defined term in Greek and English - did not exist in Arabic. Another issue is the use of relative terms like 'high mountains,' `uplands' `lowlands' or ' hills'. Such terms, which are regularly used in landscape description, were perceived slightly differently in the four participating countries. In addition differences exist in nomenclature and classification systems used by each country for the dominant landscape-forming factors i.e. geology, soils and land use- but also in the cultural processes shaping the landscapes - compared both to each other and to the Northern-European norms. This paper argues for the development of consistent, regionally adapted, relevant and standardised methodologies if the results and application of LCA in the eastern Mediterranean region are to be transferable and comparable between countries.

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Saudi Arabia and Gulf Countries: A Review.

PubMed

Al-Ghafli, Hawra; Al-Hajoj, Sahal

2017-01-01

Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) are causing growing health problems worldwide. This is indicated by an increasing amount of scientific reports showing not only well-identified species reemerging but also emergence of new species. The emergence and reemergence of NTM are particularly worrying in developing countries due to scarce published data and improper identification. Here we aimed to examine the main epidemiological aspects and diagnostic challenges associated with NTM in countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and compare these findings to the international arena findings. Data revealed that countries of the GCC are largely dominated by rapidly growing mycobacteria species such as M. fortuitum (29%) and M. abscessus (17%) with high rate of definitive respiratory diseases. On the other hand, most of the developed countries are dominated by slowly growing mycobacteria such as MAC, M. kansasii , and M. gordonae . More efforts are needed, however, to gain insights into NTM issues in countries of the GCC.

The Ethics of Medical Practitioner Migration From Low-Resourced Countries to the Developed World: A Call for Action by Health Systems and Individual Doctors.

PubMed

Mpofu, Charles; Gupta, Tarun Sen; Hays, Richard

2016-09-01

Medical migration appears to be an increasing global phenomenon, with complex contributing factors. Although it is acknowledged that such movements are inevitable, given the current globalized economy, the movement of health professionals from their country of training raises questions about equity of access and quality of care. Concerns arise if migration occurs from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to high-income countries (HICs). The actions of HICs receiving medical practitioners from LMICs are examined through the global justice theories of John Rawls and Immanuel Kant. These theories were initially proposed by Pogge (1988) and Tan (1997) and, in this work, are extended to the issue of medical migration. Global justice theories propose that instead of looking at health needs and workforce issues within their national boundaries, HICs should be guided by principles of justice relevant to the needs of health systems on a global scale. Issues of individual justice are also considered within the framework of rights and social responsibilities of individual medical practitioners. Local and international policy changes are suggested based on both global justice theories and the ideals of individual justice.

National Strategies for Curriculum Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and Oceania.

Officials responsible for designing and introducing curriculum innovation in countries participating in the Asian Programme of Education Innovation for Development (APEID) met in Australia in September 1979 to exchange experiences and explore problems and issues of common interest. Conference participants, representing educational ministries or…

Blood transfusion in developing countries: problems, priorities and practicalities.

PubMed

Wake, D J; Cutting, W A

1998-01-01

The acute medical services could not exist without blood transfusions--life-savers in many situations. But transfusions can also be a quick and easy route for the transmission of infectious agents such as HIV, HBV, HCV and malaria. Infection through blood supply is a major issue in all countries but particularly in those with economic constraints which limit safety. This study was carried out in India (March-May 1997) and involved centres in Delhi, Calcutta and Vellore. It examined many aspects of blood transfusion including donor screening, use of professional donors, blood testing and criteria for blood use. The many problems in Indian blood transfusion services are mirrored in other countries. Here we examine the problems, priorities and practicalities of blood transfusion particularly in developing countries.

Medical tourism today: what is the state of existing knowledge?

PubMed

Hopkins, Laura; Labonté, Ronald; Runnels, Vivien; Packer, Corinne

2010-07-01

One manifestation of globalization is medical tourism. As its implications remain largely unknown, we reviewed claimed benefits and risks. Driven by high health-care costs, long waiting periods, or lack of access to new therapies in developed countries, most medical tourists (largely from the United States, Canada, and Western Europe) seek care in Asia and Latin America. Although individual patient risks may be offset by credentialing and sophistication in (some) destination country facilities, lack of benefits to poorer citizens in developing countries offering medical tourism remains a generic equity issue. Data collection, measures, and studies of medical tourism all need to be greatly improved if countries are to assess better both the magnitude and potential health implications of this trade.

ENergy and Power Evaluation Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-11-01

In the late 1970s, national and international attention began to focus on energy issues. Efforts were initiated to design and test analytical tools that could be used to assist energy planners in evaluating energy systems, particularly in developing countries. In 1984, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) commissioned Argonne National Laboratory`s Decision and Information Sciences Division (DIS) to incorporate a set of analytical tools into a personal computer-based package for distribution in developing countries. The package developed by DIS staff, the ENergy and Power Evaluation Program (ENPEP), covers the range of issues that energy planners must face: economic development,more » energy demand projections, supply-and-demand balancing, energy system expansion, and environmental impact analysis. Following the original DOE-supported development effort, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), with the assistance from the US Department of State (DOS) and the US Department of Energy (DOE), provided ENPEP training, distribution, and technical support to many countries. ENPEP is now in use in over 60 countries and is an international standard for energy planning tools. More than 500 energy experts have been trained in the use of the entire ENPEP package or some of its modules during the international training courses organized by the IAEA in collaboration with Argonne`s Decision and Information Sciences (DIS) Division and the Division of Educational Programs (DEP). This report contains the ENPEP program which can be download from the internet. Described in this report is the description of ENPEP Program, news, forums, online support and contacts.« less

Country News.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Population Education in Asia and the Pacific Newsletter and Forum, 1990

1990-01-01

With respect to population education, reports concerning professional training, curriculum issues, program development, information dissemination, educational strategies, and youth counseling are included from China, Korea, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands. (JJK)

Coming to terms: toward a North-South bargain for the environment.

PubMed

Speth, J G

1989-06-01

To attack the major environmental problems, global warming, natural resource losses, and loss of biological diversity, an understanding between the industrialized and developing countries must occur. Weather patterns and sea levels are being affected by global warming which is caused by the use of fossil fuels and deforestation. The industrialized countries must cut back on the use of fossil fuels, and developing countries need to slow the process of deforestation. The loss of genetic resources and the extinction of species is happening rapidly, and most of it is in the tropical forests of developing countries. The developing countries are more dependent on their natural resources, forests, minerals, soils, and fisheries than industrialized countries. They are being depleted more rapidly with the population growth, social inequalities, and poor policies. Industrial countries are partly to blame also since they make investment and development decisions without concerns for the environment. The 4 major actions that can be initiated by industrialized countries are as follows. The initiation of national and international movements to reduce gas emissions that cause the greenhouse effect. The increased distribution of new technology and financing for population programs, sustainable development and environmental protection. The reduction of the external dept of developing countries, and the creation of programs to give technical assistance, scientific and other training for environmental problems of developing countries. Financial assistance can be linked to population programs and to environmental issues of the developing countries. Carbon dioxide taxes could be used to finance forest management and ecological zoning. The exchange of forest conservation for debt relief is a possible solution. Any dept restructuring plan should include strong environmental conservation provisions and policy reform requirements.

Geographical Education in Brazil: Past and Present in "The Country of the Future"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lastoria, Andrea Coelho; Papadimitriou, Fivos

2012-01-01

This paper examines the past, present and future context of geographical education in Brazil and the issues that, in our view, are relevant to understand its ebb and flow in the complex reality of the country. Various trends have affected the development of geographical education since the 1970s. Two pillars of training and school practice reflect…

Comparative Approaches to Genetic Discrimination: Chasing Shadows?

PubMed

Joly, Yann; Feze, Ida Ngueng; Song, Lingqiao; Knoppers, Bartha M

2017-05-01

Genetic discrimination (GD) is one of the most pervasive issues associated with genetic research and its large-scale implementation. An increasing number of countries have adopted public policies to address this issue. Our research presents a worldwide comparative review and typology of these approaches. We conclude with suggestions for public policy development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Focus on Cultural Issues in Research: Developing and Implementing Native American Postcolonial Participatory Action Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stone, Joseph B.

Indian country presents even the most seasoned and careful researcher with numerous methodological issues. Two of the most salient of these are appropriate understanding of postcolonial stress in tribal communities, and the use of participatory action research methods and models in a culturally sensitive manner. This paper explains postcolonial…

An Associational Research on Turkish Children's Environmentally Responsible Behaviors, Nature Relatedness, and Motive Concerns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahar, Fatma; Sahin, Elvan

2017-01-01

Science education has changed in recent decades with respect to key issues faced in this century. These issues such as renewable energy, waste management, air quality, and biodiversity require dealing with the transition toward a sustainable future. Thus, to contribute to the reconceptualization of science education in a developing country, the…

Violence at School: Global Issues and Interventions. Studies in Comparative Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohsako, Toshio, Ed.

The case studies in this collection explore issues of violence in schools and what can be done to reduce these events. A number of national experiences in violence management, principally from developing countries, are brought together as a step toward improving the quality of education. The following are included: (1) "Tackling School Violence…

Language Policy Provisions and Curriculum Issues: The Challenges for Secondary Schools in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adejimola, Amuseghan Sunday

2010-01-01

Language, language policy and curriculum issues occupy very important and strategic places in educational planning in any society. In a multilingual Nigerian society as well as in similar countries like Australia, India or even in seemingly homogeneous linguistic societies like Britain, language planning, development and policies are sin qua non.…

Communicative Approaches To Teaching English in Namibia: The Issue of Transfer of Western Approaches To Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Sullivan, Margo C.

2001-01-01

Examines Namibia's communicative approach to teaching English speaking and listening skills by exploring the extent to which this approach is appropriate to the Namibian context. Raises the issue of transfer, specifically that communicative approaches are transferable to the Namibian context if they are simplified and adequate prescriptive…

Meeting EFA: How Do Complementary Models Meet the Education Needs of Underserved Populations in Developing Countries? Issues Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeStefano, Joseph; Moore, Audrey-Marie Schuh; Balwanz, David; Hartwell, Ash

2006-01-01

This issues brief describes how complementary education approaches that rely on community, nongovernmental, and ministry collaboration present a promising response to the challenge to the limitations of conventional primary schooling. The brief is based on nine case studies of successful complementary education programs in Afghanistan, Bangladesh,…

Developing Diverse Teams to Improve Performance in the Organizational Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeager, Katherine L.; Nafukho, Fredrick M.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The use of teams in organizations given the current trend toward globalization, population changes, and an aging workforce, especially in high-income countries, makes the issue of diverse team building critical. The purpose of this paper is to explore the issue of team diversity and team performance through the examination of theory and…

"System Destroys Trust?"--Regulatory Institutions and Public Perceptions of Food Risks in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Kuei-tien; Liou, Hwa-meei

2010-01-01

This article aims to explore public perceptions of global food risk issues and public attitudes towards government capacity to respond to concerns with technological and health uncertainties in an era of rapid economic development in newly industrialized countries. From cross-national comparative research on global food risk issues in the EU, UK,…

A fuzzy MICMAC analysis for improving supply chain performance of basic vaccines in developing countries.

PubMed

Chandra, Dheeraj; Kumar, Dinesh

2018-03-01

In recent years, demand to improve child immunization coverage globally, and the development of the latest vaccines and technology has made the vaccine market very complex. The rise in such complexities often gives birth to numerous issues in the vaccine supply chain, which are the primary cause of its poor performance. Figuring out the cause of the performance problem can help you decide how to address it. The goal of the present study is to identify and analyze important issues in the supply chain of basic vaccines required for child immunization in the developing countries. Twenty-five key issues as various factors of the vaccine supply chain have been presented in this paper. Fuzzy MICMAC analysis has been carried out to classify the factors based on their driving and dependence power and to develop a hierarchy based model. Further, the findings have been discussed with the field experts to identify the critical factors. Three factors: better demand forecast, communication between the supply chain members, and proper planning and scheduling have been identified as the critical factors of vaccine supply chain. These factors should be given special care to improve vaccine supply chain performance.

Sustainability issues in rural water supply in Asia.

PubMed

1998-03-01

This article identifies some sustainability issues in management of water supplies in rural Asia. The International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade was 1981-90. At present, less than 50% of the rural population in several Asian countries have access to safe water, and even less have access to adequate sanitation. Access does not ensure quality of services or supplies. Data on coverage is inadequate and does not take into account water quality, hours of service, reliability of supplies, distance to the source, and community use patterns. It is difficult to improve access to the poor. There is no single uniform strategy that works for all parts of a country. Countries need to promote community management that has strategic vision and appropriate priorities. Local management is constrained by centralized authority, the orientation of sector agencies, and staff with weak managerial, financial, technical, and communications skills. Many countries lack resources to maintain water delivery infrastructures and to prevent deterioration of services. There is a need to develop low cost appropriate technologies, management requirements, health education, community participation, mobilization of women, and synergistic, nonsequential development. Demand for water and sanitation is driven by survival and privacy issues. Rural water supply programs should view water as an economic and social good. Water management is effective when decisions are made locally. Local governments need to be strengthened in order to be able to perform demand management, select institutional options, and to take care of the unserviced.

Population structure in the Arab world and its impact on integration and development trends.

PubMed

El-hallak, M N

1986-12-01

The author examines three issues: "population structure in the Arab world; trends making for integration and unity among the Arab countries; and economic and social development trends." Data from the United Nations for 1985 and from recent censuses are used to discuss population size, growth, and spatial distribution; the labor force; age and sex distribution; and fertility, mortality, and natural increase. Figures are presented separately for 22 Arab countries. Attention is then given to the relationships between population structure and economic and social development and between development and Arab unity and integration. excerpt

Ethical Review Issues in Collaborative Research between US and Low – Middle Income Country Partners: A Case Example

PubMed Central

McIntosh, Scott; Sierra, Essie; Dozier, Ann; Diaz, Sergio; Quiñones, Zahira; Primack, Aron; Chadwick, Gary; Ossip-Klein, Deborah J.

2012-01-01

The current ethical structure for collaborative international health research stems largely from developed countries’ standards of proper ethical practices. The result is that ethical committees in developing countries are required to adhere to standards that might impose practices that conflict with local culture and unintended interpretations of ethics, treatments, and research. This paper presents a case example of a joint international research project that successfully established inclusive ethical review processes as well as other groundwork and components necessary for the conduct of human behavior research and research capacity building in the host country. PMID:18554278

How Global Science has yet to Bridge Global Differences - A Status Report of the IUGS Taskforce on Global Geoscience Workforce

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keane, C. M.; Gonzales, L. M.

2010-12-01

The International Union of Geological Sciences, with endorsement by UNESCO, has established a taskforce on global geosciences workforce and has tasked the American Geological Institute to take a lead. Springing from a session on global geosciences at the IGC33 in Oslo, Norway, the taskforce is to address three issues on a global scale: define the geosciences, determine the producers and consumers of geoscientists, and frame the understandings to propose pathways towards improved global capacity building in the geosciences. With the combination of rapid retirements in the developed world, and rapid economic expansion and impact of resource and hazard issues in the developing world, the next 25 years will be a dynamic time for the geosciences. However, to date there has been little more than a cursory sense of who and what the geosciences are globally and whether we will be able to address the varied needs and issues in the developed and the developing worlds. Based on prior IUGS estimates, about 50% of all working geoscientists reside in the Unites States, and the US was also producing about 50% of all new geosciences graduate degrees globally. Work from the first year of the taskforce has elucidated the immense complexity of the issue of defining the geosciences, as it bring is enormous cultural and political frameworks, but also shed light on the status of the geosciences in each country. Likewise, this leads to issues of who is actually producing and consuming geoscience talent, and whether countries are meeting domestic demand, and if not, is external talent available to import. Many US-based assumptions about the role of various countries in the geosciences’ global community of people, namely China and India, appear to have been misplaced. In addition, the migration of geoscientists between countries raised enormous questions about what is nationality and if there is an ideal ‘global geoscientist.’ But more than anything, the taskforce is revealing clear global trends in geosciences education, both at the pre-college and university level and frame the state of health of geosciences education in the United States in a totally new light. But indicators are present that the developing world will likely overtake the developed world in the near future in the production of geoscientists, but a key question is will that fundamentally change the nature of the science given the social, cultural, and educational frameworks that the next global generation brings with them.

Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bloyd, Cary N.; Stork, Kevin

This summary reviews the status of alternate transportation fuels development and utilization in Thailand. Thailand has continued to work to promote increased consumption of gasohol especially for highethanol content fuels like E85. The government has confirmed its effort to draw up incentives for auto makers to invest in manufacturing E85-compatible vehicles in the country. An understanding of the issues and experiences associated with the introduction of alternative fuels in other countries can help the US in anticipation potential problems as it introduces new automotive fuels.

Women and Literacy; Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Report from the Hasselby Symposium on Women and Literacy Sponsored by the Nordic Association for the Study of Education in Developing Countries (Stockholm, Sweden, June 8-10, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odora, Catherine, Ed.; And Others

Fourteen papers are provided from a symposium to provide general input into the 1990 Unesco International Literacy Year by reviewing and documenting existing knowledge and current issues in the field of women and literacy with special emphasis on developing countries. Specific topics are as follows: the definition of literacy; review of methods;…

Training for Lifestyle Entrepreneurs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalglish, Carol

2010-01-01

Many developed countries have issues with the movement of populations away from rural areas. There has been an active move towards "value adding" in rural areas, and in particular, the development of tourism activities, to counter this trend. The purpose of this paper is to document the curriculum development process that was engaged in,…

Higher Education and the New International Order. A Collection of Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanyal, Bikas C., Ed.

Addressing the issues surrounding the relationship between higher education and the development of a new international economic order, the 11 articles collected here provide an introductory analysis of the current relationship between higher education and the world economy, analyze the differing needs of developing and developed countries, and…

Non-Govermental Organisations Self-Evaluation: Issue of Concern in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olujide, M. G.

2005-01-01

Non-Governmental organizations (NGOs) promote alternative development strategies to those provided by the government. The economic recession being witnessed in developing countries like Nigeria and the poor performance of many government development programmes have made NGOs more relevant than ever. NGOs play an increasingly important role in…

Instructional Development for Early Career Academics: An Overview of Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stes, Ann; Van Petegem, Peter

2011-01-01

Background: Over the past decades, the issue of improving teaching in higher education has been seriously addressed. Centres for instructional development, aimed at enhancing teaching, have been set up in many countries. Instructional development for early career academics is perceived to be of particular importance. Given the considerable…

Infertility and the provision of infertility medical services in developing countries

PubMed Central

Ombelet, Willem; Cooke, Ian; Dyer, Silke; Serour, Gamal; Devroey, Paul

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND Worldwide more than 70 million couples suffer from infertility, the majority being residents of developing countries. Negative consequences of childlessness are experienced to a greater degree in developing countries when compared with Western societies. Bilateral tubal occlusion due to sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy-related infections is the most common cause of infertility in developing countries, a condition that is potentially treatable with assisted reproductive technologies (ART). New reproductive technologies are either unavailable or very costly in developing countries. This review provides a comprehensive survey of all important papers on the issue of infertility in developing countries. METHODS Medline, PubMed, Excerpta Medica and EMBASE searches identified relevant papers published between 1978 and 2007 and the keywords used were the combinations of ‘affordable, assisted reproduction, ART, developing countries, health services, infertility, IVF, simplified methods, traditional health care'. RESULTS The exact prevalence of infertility in developing countries is unknown due to a lack of registration and well-performed studies. On the other hand, the implementation of appropriate infertility treatment is currently not a main goal for most international non-profit organizations. Keystones in the successful implementation of infertility care in low-resource settings include simplification of diagnostic and ART procedures, minimizing the complication rate of interventions, providing training-courses for health-care workers and incorporating infertility treatment into sexual and reproductive health-care programmes. CONCLUSIONS Although recognizing the importance of education and prevention, we believe that for the reasons of social justice, infertility treatment in developing countries requires greater attention at National and International levels. PMID:18820005

Debtor States and the World Market: Explaining Mexican and Brazilian Foreign Economic Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gayle, Dennis John

The ways in which world market instabilities affect indebted developing countries and explanations of their differential policy responses are the central issues addressed in this paper. The development of Brazil and Mexico is examined as examples of middle-income developing nations whose economies have assumed dependent development. Dependent…

Communication for Development: A Personal Experience with Implications for Development Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agunga, Robert

2012-01-01

Purpose: Communication for Development (C4D) is a new academic discipline and profession for addressing human dimension concerns in development, such as local participation, integration and capacity building, which are the main issues limiting aid effectiveness. However, my experience in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in Africa and where a…

Ethical Issues in Measuring Biomarkers in Children’s Environmental Health

PubMed Central

Sly, Peter D.; Eskenazi, Brenda; Pronczuk, Jenny; Šrám, Radim; Diaz-Barriga, Fernando; Machin, Diego Gonzalez; Carpenter, David O.; Surdu, Simona; Meslin, Eric M.

2009-01-01

Background Studying the impact of environmental exposures is important in children because they are more vulnerable to adverse effects on growth, development, and health. Assessing exposure in children is difficult, and measuring biomarkers is potentially useful. Research measuring biomarkers in children raises a number of ethical issues, some of which relate to children as research subjects and some of which are specific to biomarker research. Objective As an international group with experience in pediatric research, biomarkers, and the ethics of research in children, we highlight the ethical issues of undertaking biomarker research in children in these environments. Discussion Significant issues include undertaking research in vulnerable communities, especially in developing countries; managing community expectations; obtaining appropriate consent to conduct the research; the potential conflicts of obtaining permission from an ethics review board in an economically developed country to perform research in a community that may have different cultural values; returning research results to participants and communities when the researchers are uncertain of how to interpret the results; and the conflicting ethical obligations of maintaining participant confidentiality when information about harm or illegal activities mandate reporting to authorities. Conclusion None of these challenges are insurmountable and all deserve discussion. Pediatric biomarker research is necessary for advancing child health. PMID:19672395

'I'm more sick than my doctors think': ethical issues in managing somatization in developing countries.

PubMed

Chandra, Prabha S; Satyanarayana, Veena A

2013-02-01

Several ethical issues confront the healthcare professional who is managing somatization in developing countries where cost constraints, low literacy, poverty, poor nutrition and infections and inadequate access to healthcare are common. The paper discusses these in the context of the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice. Some of the ethical issues in managing somatization include being influenced by patient distress rather than rational medical decision-making, inadequate attention to the cultural meaning of symptoms, psychologizing versus medicalizing, the ethics of nomenclature and labels, communicating ethically with patients, and managing them adequately given lack of evidence and training. An ethical approach to managing somatization in this context would include using an integrated and simultaneous medical and psychiatric approach. To ensure patient beneficence, the medical, psychological and social assessment should be undertaken side-by-side as much as possible and should be cost effective. Respecting patient autonomy by using adequate communication methods and the patient's cultural model of the illness as part of management is also integral to ethical practice. In the developing world, issues of equity are also an important ethical concern. When more serious illnesses are the health priority, functional syndromes may not get equal importance or resources.

Global occupational health: current challenges and the need for urgent action.

PubMed

Lucchini, Roberto G; London, Leslie

2014-01-01

Global occupational health and safety (OHS) is strictly linked to the dynamics of economic globalization. As the global market is increasing, the gap between developed and underdeveloped countries, occupational diseases, and injuries affect a vast number of workers worldwide. Global OHS issues also become local in developed countries due to many factors, including untrained migrant workers in the informal sector, construction, and agriculture. To identify the current status and challenges of global occupational health and safety and the needs for preventive action. Absence of OHS infrastructure amplifies the devastating consequences of infectious outbreaks like the Ebola pandemic and tuberculosis. Interventions in global OHS are urgently needed at various levels: 1. Increased governmental funding is needed for international organizations like the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization to face the increasing demand for policies, guidance, and training. 2. Regulations to ban and control dangerous products are needed to avoid the transfer of hazardous production to developing countries. 3. The OHS community must address global OHS issues through advocacy, position papers, public statements, technical and ethical guidelines, and by encouraging access of OHS professionals from the developing countries to leadership positions in professional and academic societies. 4. Research, education, and training of OHS professionals, workers, unions and employers are needed to address global OHS issues and their local impact. 5. Consumers also can influence significantly the adoption of OHS practices by demanding the protection of workers who are producing he goods that are sold in the global market. Following the equation of maximized profits prompted by the inhibition of OHS is an old practice that has proven to cause significant costs to societies in the developed world. It is now an urgent priority to stop this process and promote a harmonized global market where the health of workers is guaranteed in the global perspective. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Satellite Land Monitoring Systems for REDD+ : the UN-REDD support to countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jonckheere, I. G. C.

2015-12-01

REDD+, which stands for 'Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries' - is a climate mitigation effort and aims to create a financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development. The UN-REDD Programme, a collaborative partnership between FAO, UNDP and UNEP launched in September 2008, supports nationally-led REDD+ processes and promotes the imeaningful involvement of all stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dependent communities, in national and international REDD+ implementation.The Programme supports national REDD+ readiness efforts in partner countries spanning Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, in two ways: (i) direct support to the design and implementation of UN-REDD National Programmes; and (ii) complementary support to national REDD+ action through common approaches, analyses, methodologies, tools, data and best practices. The UN-REDD Programme currently supports 62 partner countries. The UN-REDD Programme gathers technical teams from around the world to develop common approaches, analyses and guidelines on issues such as measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon emissions and flows, remote sensing, and greenhouse gas inventories. Within the partnership, FAO supports countries on technical issues related to forestry and the development of cost effective and credible MRV processes for emission reductions. While at the international level, it fosters improved guidance on MRV approaches, including consensus on principles and guidelines for MRV and training programmes. It provides guidance on how best to design and implement REDD, to ensure that forests continue to provide multiple benefits for livelihoods and biodiversity to societies while storing carbon at the same time. Other areas of work include national forest assessments and monitoring of in-country policy and institutional change. The outcomes about the role of satellite remote sensing technologies as a tool for national monitoring under the REDD+ mechanism are here presented. Some specific country examples will be shown and the current use(fulness) of radar and high resolution data is discussed.

Can countries of the WHO African Region wean themselves off donor funding for health?

PubMed

Kirigia, Joses Muthuri; Diarra-Nama, Alimata J

2008-11-01

More than 20% of total health expenditure in 48% of the 46 countries in the WHO African Region is provided by external sources. Issues surrounding aid effectiveness suggest that these countries ought to implement strategies for weaning off aid dependency. This paper broaches the following question: what are some of the strategies that countries of the region can employ to wean off donor funding for health? Five strategies are discussed: reduction in economic inefficiencies; reprioritizing public expenditures; raising additional tax revenues; increased private sector involvement in health development; and fighting corruption.

[Regulation of food supplements in the European Union and its member states. Part I].

PubMed

Petrenko, A S; Ponomareva, M N; Sukhanov, B P

2014-01-01

The article discusses aspects of the regional (the European Union) and national (European countries) regulation of food supplements. The definition of the supplement category is given. The contemporary issues of nutrition in developed countries are discussed, and the essential role of food supplements in the diet is emphasized. In particular, the use of vitamins, minerals, botanicals and their chemical constituents in food supplements as well as the issue of setting maximum daily limits are discussed. The positive lists of vitamins, minerals and their chemical modifications are presented. The paper also outlines aspects of supplement safety, requirements for their labelling and pre-market notification procedure.

Patent filing strategies: perspectives from the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

PubMed

Koshy, Nevin Jacob

2016-07-01

The protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights has become one of the most contentious issues in global commerce. Much of the traditional growth and development of countries in the Middle East over the past 30 years or so has come from oil and gas revenues. The main areas that have been covered in this article are: synopsis of patenting system in each country, the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf patent filing system, patentability subject matter, prosecution of patent application, opposition and/or invalidation action(s) and issues that need to be resolved for an effective patent regime.

Using distance technology to learn across borders: a virtual travel course in nursing.

PubMed

Gallagher-Lepak, Susan; Block, Derryl; Rojas, Yrene Esperanza Urbina; Birkholz, Lorri; Melgar Morán, Carlos Christian

2011-08-01

A 6-week online course was developed and delivered to nursing students and instructors at universities in two countries. The course exposed students and faculty to nursing and health concerns in both countries. All course communications were conducted in both English and Spanish, with support from online translation software as needed. Course content covered professional nursing, global health issues, and nursing interventions used with clinical problems. Although students were initially intimidated by the course language requirements, students valued the opportunity to learn about cultural and health issues. Faculty experienced a learning curve as well and enjoyed this international experience. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

A Critical Analysis of the Brazilian Response to HIV/AIDS: Lessons Learned for Controlling and Mitigating the Epidemic in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Berkman, Alan; Garcia, Jonathan; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Paiva, Vera; Parker, Richard

2005-01-01

The Brazilian National AIDS Program is widely recognized as the leading example of an integrated HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment program in a developing country. We critically analyze the Brazilian experience, distinguishing those elements that are unique to Brazil from the programmatic and policy decisions that can aid the development of similar programs in other low- and middle-income and developing countries. Among the critical issues that are discussed are human rights and solidarity, the interface of politics and public health, sexuality and culture, the integration of prevention and treatment, the transition from an epidemic rooted among men who have sex with men to one that increasingly affects women, and special prevention and treatment programs for injection drug users. PMID:15933232

Enhancing pharmacists' role in developing countries to overcome the challenge of antimicrobial resistance: a narrative review.

PubMed

Sakeena, M H F; Bennett, Alexandra A; McLachlan, Andrew J

2018-01-01

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health challenge and developing countries are more vulnerable to the adverse health impacts of AMR. Health care workers including pharmacists can play a key role to support the appropriate use of antimicrobials in developing countries and reduce AMR. The aim of this review is to investigate the role of pharmacists in the appropriate use of antibiotics and to identify how the pharmacists' role can be enhanced to combat AMR in developing countries. The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for articles published between 2000 and the end of August 2017 that involved studies on the role of pharmacists in developing countries, the expanded services of pharmacists in patient care in developed countries and pharmacists' contributions in antimicrobial use in both developed and developing nations. In developing countries pharmacists role in patient care are relatively limited. However, in developed nations, the pharmacists' role has expanded to provide multifaceted services in patient care resulting in improved health outcomes from clinical services and reduced health care costs. Success stories of pharmacist-led programs in combating AMR demonstrates that appropriately trained pharmacists can be part of the solution to overcome the global challenge of AMR. Pharmacists can provide education to patients enabling them to use antibiotics appropriately. They can also provide guidance to their healthcare colleagues on appropriate antibiotic prescribing. This review highlights that appropriately trained pharmacists integrated into the health care system can make a significant impact in minimising inappropriate antibiotic use in developing countries. Strengthening and enhancing the pharmacists' role in developing countries has the potential to positively impact the global issue of AMR.

Research priorities for tobacco control in developing countries: a regional approach to a global consultative process

PubMed Central

Baris, E.; Brigden, L. W.; Prindiville, J.; e, S; Chitanondh, H.; Chandiwana, S.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To develop regional tobacco control research agendas for developing countries through a consultative process.
METHODS—Research for International Tobacco Control, located at the International Development Research Centre in Ottawa, Canada, convened three regional meetings for Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, and Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. Participation by researchers, policymakers, and advocates from a wide range of disciplines ensured an accurate representation of regional issues.
RESULTS—The four main recurring themes within each regional agenda were: (1) the lack of standardised and comparable data; (2) the absence of a network for communication of information, data, and best practices; (3) a lack of adequate capacity for tobacco control research, especially in non-health related areas such as economics and policy analysis; and (4) a need for concerted mobilisation of human and financial resources in order to implement a comprehensive research agenda, build partnerships, and stimulate comparative research and analysis. Specific research issues included the need for descriptive data with respect to the supply side of the tobacco equation, and analytical data related to tobacco use, production and marketing, and taxation.
CONCLUSIONS—There was a uniform perception of tobacco as a multidisciplinary issue. All regional agendas included a balance of health, economic, agricultural, environmental, sociocultural, and international trade concerns. Research data are urgently required to provide a sound basis for the development of tobacco control policies and programmes. As tobacco control takes its rightful place on the global health agenda, it is vital that funding for tobacco control research be increased.


Keywords: regional tobacco control programmes; developing countries; tobacco control research PMID:10841859

Gathering time-series data for evaluating behavior-change campaigns in developing countries: reactivity of diaries and interviews.

PubMed

Tobias, Robert; Inauen, Jennifer

2010-10-01

Gathering time-series data of behaviors and psychological variables is important to understand, guide, and evaluate behavior-change campaigns and other change processes. However, repeated measurement can affect the phenomena investigated, particularly frequent face-to-face interviews, which are often the only option in developing countries. This article presents three intervention control studies to investigate this issue. Daily diaries in Cuba did not affect behavior or attitudes for persons with intervention but reduced attitudes for persons without intervention. Reactivity of face-to-face interviews in Bolivia was negligible if applied weekly, but strong if applied twice per week. The article concludes with recommendations for gathering time-series data in developing countries.

Human-tissue-related inventions: ownership and intellectual property rights in international collaborative research in developing countries.

PubMed

Andanda, P A

2008-03-01

There are complex unresolved ethical, legal and social issues related to the use of human tissues obtained in the course of research or diagnostic procedures and retained for further use in research. The question of intellectual property rights over commercially viable products or procedures that are derived from these samples and the suitability or otherwise of participants relinquishing their rights to the samples needs urgent attention. The complexity of these matters lies in the fact that the relationship between intellectual property rights and ownership or rights pertaining to the samples on which the intellectual property right is based may either be overlooked or taken for granted. What equally makes the matter complex is that samples may be obtained from participants in developing countries and exported to developed countries for analysis and research. It is important for research ethics committees to tread carefully when reviewing research protocols that raise such issues for purposes of ensuring that appropriate benefit sharing agreements, particularly with developing countries, are in place. This paper attempts to analyse the key questions related to ownership and intellectual property rights in commercially viable products derived from human tissue samples. Patent law is used as a point of reference as opposed to other forms of intellectual property rights such as industrial designs because it is the right that most inventors apply for in respect of human tissue-related inventions. The key questions are formulated following a systematic analysis of peer reviewed journal articles that have reported original investigations into relevant issues in this field. Most of the cases and reported studies that are referred to in this paper do not directly deal with HIV/AIDS research but the underlying principles are helpful in HIV/AIDS research as well. Pertinent questions, which members of ethics review committees should focus on in this regard are discussed and suggestions on appropriate approaches to the issues are proposed in the form of specific questions that an ethics review committee should consider. Specific recommendations regarding areas for further research and action are equally proposed.

The Design and Development of Educational Materials Using Microcomputer Technology in Distance Teaching Institutions: Some Issues for Consideration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yates, Christopher

Perhaps the most significant development in microcomputer technology over the last two years has been the development of desktop publishing techniques. This technology promises to offer some significant advantages to institutions developing instructional materials in less developed countries, particularly in terms of control, cost effectiveness,…

Conflicts between Public Car Insurance and Public Medical Insurance in Japan: International Comparison Survey

PubMed Central

SAKAGUCHI, Kazuki; MORI, Koichiro

2014-01-01

This paper clarifies essential issues regarding conflicts between public car insurance and public medical insurance in Japan, presenting the findings of an international survey to detect similar problems in other countries and discussing possible options for the resolution of these problems. Three essential issues are important to note: (i) Different prices between the two systems of public insurance provide stakeholders with the irrelevant incentive to apply public medical insurance in the case of car accidents; (ii) Public medical insurance sometimes covers medical expenses due to car accidents, although it should not cover them in principle; and (iii) The costs are imposed on tax payers unconsciously when people use public medical insurance for car accidents. Five findings were obtained from the international survey: (1) Most countries have compulsory car insurance; (2) Private insurance companies manage the financial affairs of compulsory car insurance in most developed countries; (3) Fault for casualties is not considered in the compensation of medical expenses in most countries; (4) Japan is unique in that people can choose between the two systems of public insurance; and (5) Prices for the same medical services differ between the two systems of public insurance in only a few countries. In consideration of the above findings, we provide five options for the resolution of this issue from the viewpoint of victim relief. PMID:25624784

Conflicts between Public Car Insurance and Public Medical Insurance in Japan: International Comparison Survey.

PubMed

Sakaguchi, Kazuki; Mori, Koichiro

2014-04-01

This paper clarifies essential issues regarding conflicts between public car insurance and public medical insurance in Japan, presenting the findings of an international survey to detect similar problems in other countries and discussing possible options for the resolution of these problems. Three essential issues are important to note: (i) Different prices between the two systems of public insurance provide stakeholders with the irrelevant incentive to apply public medical insurance in the case of car accidents; (ii) Public medical insurance sometimes covers medical expenses due to car accidents, although it should not cover them in principle; and (iii) The costs are imposed on tax payers unconsciously when people use public medical insurance for car accidents. Five findings were obtained from the international survey: (1) Most countries have compulsory car insurance; (2) Private insurance companies manage the financial affairs of compulsory car insurance in most developed countries; (3) Fault for casualties is not considered in the compensation of medical expenses in most countries; (4) Japan is unique in that people can choose between the two systems of public insurance; and (5) Prices for the same medical services differ between the two systems of public insurance in only a few countries. In consideration of the above findings, we provide five options for the resolution of this issue from the viewpoint of victim relief.

E-Learning and North-South collaboration: the experience of two public health schools in France and Benin.

PubMed

Edouard, Guévart; Dominique, Billot; Moussiliou, Paraïso Noël; Francis, Guillemin; Khaled, Bessaoud; Serge, Briançon

2009-10-14

Distance learning (e-learning) can facilitate access to training. Yet few public health E-learning experiments have been reported; institutes in developing countries experience difficulties in establishing on-line curricula, while developed countries struggle with adapting existing curricula to realities on the ground. In 2005, two schools of public health, one in France and one in Benin, began collaborating through contact sessions organised for Nancy University distance-learning students. This experience gave rise to a partnership aimed at developing training materials for e-Learning for African students. The distance-learning public health course at Nancy teaches public health professionals through a module entitled "Health and Development." The module is specifically tailored for professionals from developing countries. To promote student-teacher exchanges, clarify content and supervise dissertations, contact sessions are organized in centres proximate and accessible to African students. The Benin Institute's main feature is residential team learning; distance-learning courses are currently being prepared. The two collaborating institutions have developed a joint distance-learning module geared toward developing countries. The collaboration provides for the development, diffusion, and joint delivery of teaching modules featuring issues that are familiar to African staff, gives the French Institute credibility in assessing research work produced, and enables modules on specific African issues and approaches to be put online. While E-learning is a viable educational option for public health professionals, periodic contact can be advantageous. Our analysis showed that the benefit of the collaboration between the two institutions is mutual; the French Institute extends its geographical, cultural and contextual reach and expands its pool of teaching staff. The Benin Institute benefits from the technical partnership and expertise, which allow it to offer distance learning for Africa-specific contexts and applications.

Pediatric Sepsis Guidelines: Summary for resource-limited countries

PubMed Central

Khilnani, Praveen; Singhi, Sunit; Lodha, Rakesh; Santhanam, Indumathi; Sachdev, Anil; Chugh, Krishan; Jaishree, M.; Ranjit, Suchitra; Ramachandran, Bala; Ali, Uma; Udani, Soonu; Uttam, Rajiv; Deopujari, Satish

2010-01-01

Justification: Pediatric sepsis is a commonly encountered global issue. Existing guidelines for sepsis seem to be applicable to the developed countries, and only few articles are published regarding application of these guidelines in the developing countries, especially in resource-limited countries such as India and Africa. Process: An expert representative panel drawn from all over India, under aegis of Intensive Care Chapter of Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) met to discuss and draw guidelines for clinical practice and feasibility of delivery of care in the early hours in pediatric patient with sepsis, keeping in view unique patient population and limited availability of equipment and resources. Discussion included issues such as sepsis definitions, rapid cardiopulmonary assessment, feasibility of early aggressive fluid therapy, inotropic support, corticosteriod therapy, early endotracheal intubation and use of positive end expiratory pressure/mechanical ventilation, initial empirical antibiotic therapy, glycemic control, and role of immunoglobulin, blood, and blood products. Objective: To achieve a reasonable evidence-based consensus on the basis of published literature and expert opinion to formulating clinical practice guidelines applicable to resource-limited countries such as India. Recommendations: Pediatric sepsis guidelines are presented in text and flow chart format keeping resource limitations in mind for countries such as India and Africa. Levels of evidence are indicated wherever applicable. It is anticipated that once the guidelines are used and outcomes data evaluated, further modifications will be necessary. It is planned to periodically review and revise these guidelines every 3–5 years as new body of evidence accumulates. PMID:20606908

The economic case for low carbon waste management in rapidly growing cities in the developing world: The case of Palembang, Indonesia.

PubMed

Papargyropoulou, Effie; Colenbrander, Sarah; Sudmant, Andrew Heshedahl; Gouldson, Andy; Tin, Lee Chew

2015-11-01

The provision of appropriate waste management is not only an indicator of development but also of broader sustainability. This is particularly relevant to expanding cities in developing countries faced with rising waste generation and associated environmental health problems. Despite these urgent issues, city authorities often lack the evidence required to make well-informed decisions. This study evaluates the carbon and economic performance of low-carbon measures in the waste sector at a city level, within the context of a developing country. Palembang in Indonesia is used as a case of a medium-sized city in a newly industrialized country, with relevance to other similar cities in the developing world. Evidence suggests that the waste sector can achieve substantial carbon emission reductions, and become a carbon sink, in a cost effective way. Hence there is an economic case for a low carbon development path for Palembang, and possibly for other cities in developing and developed countries facing similar challenges. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Developments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lohmander, Maelis Karlson; Vandenbroeck, Michel; Pirard, Florence; Peeters, Jan; Alvestad, Marit

2009-01-01

New developments and challenges regarding early childhood education (ECE) policy and practice in Norway and in the Flemish and French communities in Belgium are presented in this issue. There are clear differences between the countries when comparing systems they have chosen for ECE. In Belgium, supervision and responsibilities for education,…

Adult Basic Skills in OECD Countries: Policy Issues and a Research Agenda. OECD/NCAL International Paper IP94-01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stern, David; Tuijnman, Albert

In light of the transition from a labor- to a knowledge-intensive economic system, member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) seem to have little choice but to increase the efficient allocation of both the quality and flow of knowledge and literacy skills. To reduce risks and counter the factors that…

Vocational Education & Training: Key Considerations when Designing Vocational Models and Curriculums Intended for Under-Educated and Socially Deprived Youths and Adults in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cully, John H.

2008-01-01

In the past decades there has been a significant transformation in global fiscal trends from a traditional resource based to a fast moving knowledge and technologically centered market. While this readjustment has triggered a significant number of advantages, issues and consequences upon industrialized countries, it has created even more concerns…

School Choice in the Light of the Effectiveness Differences of Various Types of Public and Private Schools in 19 OECD Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dronkers, J.; Robert, P.

2008-01-01

The paper approaches the issue of school choice in an indirect manner by investigating the effectiveness of public, private government-dependent and private independent schools in 19 Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development countries selected from the PISA 2000 survey for this purpose. In a multilevel approach we estimate these…

Students' Perceptions on Incorporating E-Learning into Teaching and Learning at the University of Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tagoe, Michael

2012-01-01

Technological advancement has led to significant changes in the way university education is being provided in the developed countries. Whilst their universities have made great strides in addressing issues of access, cost of higher education and quality through e-learning, Africans are in the 21st century still grappling with these issues.…

GLOBAL WOOD PELLET INDUSTRY AND MARKET – CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS AND OUTLOOK

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thrän, Daniela; Peetz, David; Schaubach, Kay

The wood pellet use in the heating and electricity sector has recorded a steady growth in the last years. IEA bioenergy task 40 carried out an update of the situation on the national pellet markets in the most relevant pellet producing countries and the global development as well. Various country specific data is collected and compiled for more than 30 countries, containing updated information about regulatory framework, production, consumption, price trends, quality standards and trade aspects. The analysis confirmed the positive development in terms of production and consumption of wood pellets in almost all countries. In 2015 more than 26more » Mt of wood pellets have been produced and consumed worldwide. Technologies and markets become more mature. Increased international pellet trade needs to be supported by adequate frame condition not only for commerce, but also with regard to sustainability issues.« less

FORENSIC DNA BANKING LEGISLATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY CONCERNS REGARDING A DRAFT FROM TURKISH LEGISLATION.

PubMed

Ilgili, Önder; Arda, Berna

This paper presents and analyses, in terms of privacy and confidentiality, the Turkish Draft Law on National DNA Database prepared in 2004, and concerning the use of DNA analysis for forensic objectives and identity verification in Turkey. After a short introduction including related concepts, we evaluate the draft law and provide articles about confidentiality. The evaluation reminded us of some important topics at international level for the developing countries. As a result, the need for sophisticated legislations about DNA databases, for solutions to issues related to the education of employees, and the technological dependency to other countries emerged as main challenges in terms of confidentiality for the developing countries. As seen in the Turkish Draft Law on National DNA Database, the protection of the fundamental rights and freedoms requires more care during the legislative efforts.

100 million refugees. The world stabilizes through population stability.

PubMed

Sakaiya, T

1993-09-01

Global change has come about due to shifts in the business cycle, a new undeveloped paradigm to replace the Cold War, and a stabilization of expansion and development of modern industrial society. Japan has been transfixed with its own internal domestic affairs, but will feel the consequences of the Industrial Age nearing its end. Industrialization had relied on unlimited resources from the natural environment and the belief that a free-market economy would automatically lead to orderliness and a state of economic equilibrium. Population control has been an issue that has slid over the years as a priority status. In 1800, the population in developed countries was 4 times the population in developing countries; the reverse is becoming true. Mass migration was an unusual phenomena and not the problem it is today. There is a gap between population and productive capacity. Developed countries believed in humanitarian aid for refugees and impoverished peoples, but the numbers were unanticipated. There is no shame for war or civil unrest to drive boat people and hugh numbers to another country. The notion of nation state has changed. The boat people from Cuba were a beginning example of how governments were unconcerned about the loss of population. Afghanistan in 1979 was another example of refugees fleeing civil war. Iraq bombed the Kurds until there was no choice but to leave. Turkey was required to use troops to drive the Kurds back into Iraq. To increase aid indefinitely, or to send out more refugees than it takes in, or to use military forces to kill the invading refugees are not acceptable. An international framework with consensus from developed and developing countries is needed for dealing with mass migrations. Conventions adopted would have to be recognized as in each countries self-interest; disregard of the regulations would have to reflect significant disadvantages to a nation. Several issues are discussed as key in such a global framework: assuring productivity for all by absorbing some refugees, and developing new training programs for the private sector at home, and assuring development aid (technology, capital, markets). A self perpetuating cycle of growth and expansion must be set in motion. Infrastructure development must be replaced with stable employment in the home country.

Introduction to special issue 'Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: a Multi-national Study'.

PubMed

Bloomfield, Kim; Gmel, Gerhard; Wilsnack, Sharon

2006-01-01

This paper provides an introduction to a series of articles reporting results from the EU concerted action "Gender, Culture and Alcohol Problems: A Multi-national Study" which examined differences in drinking among women and men in 13 European and two non-European countries. The gender gap in alcohol drinking is one of the few universal gender differences in human social behavior. However, the size of these differences varies greatly from one society to another. The papers in this issue examine, across countries, (1) men's and women's drinking patterns, (2) the prevalence of men's and women's experience of alcohol-related problems, (3) gender differences in social inequalities in alcohol use and abuse, (4) gender differences in the influence of combinations of social roles on heavy alcohol use, and (5) how societal-level factors predict women's and men's alcohol use and problems on a regional and global level. Country surveys were independently conducted and then centralized at one institution for further data standardization and processing. Several results indicated that the greater the societal gender equality in a country, the smaller the gender differences in drinking behavior. In most analyses the smallest gender differences in drinking behaviour were found in Nordic countries, followed by western and central European countries, with the largest gender differences in countries with developing economies.

Donor issues in Indonesia: A developing country in South East Asia.

PubMed

Soedarmono, Yuyun S M

2010-01-01

In most developing countries in South East Asia blood services have not been treated properly as an important service to support health program. Indonesia as a large archipelago country in South East Asia has specific obstacles in managing a blood service. To position the country blood service profile especially in term of donor issues, we compared our blood service with that in other South East Asia countries. Indonesia has 17 thousand islands with 220 million inhabitants. Blood services have been mostly run by the Indonesian Red Cross as a government assignment since 1950. Donor recruitment programs have been directed toward 100% of Voluntary Non Remunerated Blood Donor (VNRD), which now have reached 81.3%. Dissemination of information on VNRD, donor recruiter's training and VNRD appreciation programs are strategies to increase and maintain the VNRD. Limited female donors and insufficient blood supply during the fasting month and holidays constitute major challenges. Low hemoglobin level, low body weight and fear are reasons for low number of female donors. Poor management of blood stock during fasting month, long holidays and also poor networking of blood supply are reasons for insufficient blood supply during the year. Considering the great size of Indonesia with different ethnic groups and cultures, worsened by lack of infrastructure, decisive and effective strategies in donor recruitment and retention programs are needed. Copyright 2010 The International Association for Biologicals. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Third World Children: Promise and Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrand, Verna

1988-01-01

Discusses issues which concern children born to families in developing countries. Focuses on: (1) population impact on children; (2) family planning; (3) infant feeding; (4) oral rehydration therapy and immunizations; and (5) education. (RJC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shales, J.

Scientists from all over the world are currently attempting to evaluate the impact of both manmade and natural phenomena on climate change, including such issues as the role of oceans as sinks in absorbing CO{sub 2}, the role of sunspots, the absorptive capacity of different tree species, the impact of nitrous oxide and non- CO{sub 2} greenhouse gases, the length of time carbon remains in the atmosphere, the impact of ocean currents and innumerable other issues. Understanding these phenomena, and their interaction will be critical to properly addressing the issue which has tremendous importance for both the US and themore » world economic future development. The climate change issue has the potential to become the vehicle which will link developing countries to the rest of the world, since, embodies in the global climate debate are several of the social issues that the U.N. has attempted to address over the last two decades: hunger, overpopulation, environment, technology, and development. The climate change issue has the potential to test new international institutions, relationships between developed and developing counties and between traditional trading partners.« less

Strategic issues in preventing cataract blindness in developing countries.

PubMed Central

Ellwein, L. B.; Kupfer, C.

1995-01-01

Cataract blindness is a public health problem of major proportions in developing countries. Intracapsular cataract extraction with aphakic spectacles has been the standard surgical technique for restoring sight. Because of image magnification in the operated eye, however, the result in unilaterally blind patients is less than satisfactory. Fortunately, with the availability of low-cost intraocular lenses (IOL) and ophthalmologists trained in extracapsular surgery, it is now practical to intervene successfully in the unilateral case. The need for increased attention on the quality of the visual high prevalence of cataract blindness in developing countries and an increasing cataract incidence due to an aging population require substantial increases in surgical volume. The third issue relates to cost. If significant increases in surgical volume and quality of outcomes are to be realized without an increased need for external funding, service delivery must be made more efficient. The expansion of IOL surgery for unilateral blindness is a favourable trend in ensuring financial sustainability of delivery systems; patients can be operated on while still economically productive and able to pay rather than waiting for bilateral blindness and a less favourable economic and social impact. If the quality, volume, and cost issues are to be successfully addressed, operational and structural changes to eye care delivery systems are necessary. These changes can be effected through training, technology introduction, management of facilities, social marketing, organizational partnerships, and evaluation. With improved understanding of the critical factors in successful models their widespread replication will be facilitated. PMID:8846495

[Collaborating for the development of nursing in Africa].

PubMed

Oguisso, T

1993-04-01

The support offered by the ICN to the african countries of portuguese language, is described in this paper. The countries that participated of the ICN' Project were Angola, Cabo Verde, Guiné-Bissau, Moçambique, São Tomé and Principe. The purposes of the project are: analyse development of nursing in these countries; identify the needs of the nurses of the these countries; to evaluate the health systems and work to introduce the nurse in these systems; to identify the strughts and issues of the nursing associations; to promote the relationship among nurses and to establish plan to reinforce the national Nursing Association. We don't think that nursing is ready and well structured now, but this Project will be the first step in this direction. We have results an had some example of this is affiliation to the ICN of some African countries that have been made.

Issues of environmental compliance in developing countries.

PubMed

Singh, S; Rajamani, S

2003-01-01

Environmental laws define the scarcity of environmental resources as they affect the factor endowment of a country and therefore its position in the international division of labour. There is now also a general agreement that applying the "polluter pays" principle should solve environmental problems. As the burden of abatement increases, as measured by the ratio of abatement expenditure to sales, there is definitely an incentive for firms to either invest in cleaner technology or more efficient abatement technology. There is also evidence that taxes and charges, designed to internalise externalities, can actually affect trade. It is interesting to know if the developing countries face particular market access problems in the face of stringent environmental standards and regulations. While it is true that stringent measures impose market access restrictions and cause limitations on competitiveness, this is much more widely felt by the developing countries because of lack of infrastructure and monitoring facilities, limited technology choices, inadequate access to environment-friendly raw materials, lack of complete information, presence of small-scale exporters and emergence of environmental standards in sectors of export interest to developing countries. The small and medium enterprises often divert sales either to the domestic market or to external markets where environmental requirements are less stringent, in order to save on their costs. In developing countries, 80% of the tanning industry is comprised of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) processing raw to semi-finished leather, usually less than 2 tons per day. In Europe and other developed countries the SMEs in the leather sector have vanished due to strict environmental legislation and this will likely occur in developing countries also. The environmental legislation has not always been practical, either because the laws are too ambitious or unrealistic in certain parameters, or because they have lacked effective instrumentation and institutional support. Some environmental regulations have not succeeded as they do not match the technical requirements and economic reality of the country or region, or because they do not take the institutional capabilities of the society that has to implement them into consideration. For the survival and sustenance of the SMEs in the leather industry, it may be a viable alternative to carry out the tanning process in a decentralized fashion such that the raw to semi-finished process is carried out in the large scale sector while the semi-finished to finished process could either be reserved or open to competition as per the countries' requirements. But the issue of concern is whether it is fair that the raw to semi-finished tanning process, containing 70% of the pollution discharge should be undertaken by developing countries alone, especially if it is at the cost of their survival! However, the game analysed in the paper reveals that tanning units in developing countries would prefer to comply with the regulations and stay in the industry, the alternatives being to collude or to compete!

Linking Science Education to Labour Markets: Issues and Strategies. Secondary Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewin, Keith M.

During the last 35 years, due to the globalization of the world economy and developing technologies, a considerable change has occurred in secondary education. This publication explores the extent to which the development of science education should be linked to labor markets in developing countries. Sections include: (1) "Science Education,…

Beyond Economic Growth: Meeting the Challenges of Global Development. WBI Learning Resources Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soubbotina, Tatyana P.

This book is designed primarily to help readers broaden their knowledge of global issues, gain insight into their country's situation in a global context, and understand the problems of sustainable development nationally and globally. Because development is a comprehensive process involving economic as well as social and environmental changes, the…

Film in Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Information Center on Instructional Technology Report, 1976

1976-01-01

The positive and negative aspects of using film as a medium for inducing change in developing nations are explored in this issue. Critics of the use of film for development cite (1) the culture specific nature of film content of foreign produced films; (2) the technical, economic, and logistical problems of in-country production; and (3) lack of…

Medicine beyond borders: the legal and ethical challenges.

PubMed

Kassim, Puteri Nemie J

2009-09-01

The ease and affordability of international travel has contributed to the rapid growth of the healthcare industry where people from all around the world are traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care while at the same time touring, vacationing and fully experiencing the attractions of the countries that they are visiting. A combination of many factors has led to the recent increase in popularity of medical tourism such as exorbitant costs of healthcare in industrialized nations, favorable currency exchange rates in the global economy, rapidly improving technology in many countries of the world and most importantly proven safety of healthcare in selected foreign nations. Nevertheless, the development of medical tourism has certainly awakened many ethical and legal issues, which must be addressed. Issues pertaining to malpractice, consumer protection, organ trafficking, alternative medicine and telemedicine need comprehensive legal regulatory framework to govern them. Ethical issues are also been raised by the promotion of medical tourism in particular those pertaining to doctor and patient relationship. A future, where medical law is subsumed into various legal and ethical dimensions, poses serious challenges for the practice and ethics of medicine.

Challenges and potential solutions for big data implementations in developing countries.

PubMed

Luna, D; Mayan, J C; García, M J; Almerares, A A; Househ, M

2014-08-15

The volume of data, the velocity with which they are generated, and their variety and lack of structure hinder their use. This creates the need to change the way information is captured, stored, processed, and analyzed, leading to the paradigm shift called Big Data. To describe the challenges and possible solutions for developing countries when implementing Big Data projects in the health sector. A non-systematic review of the literature was performed in PubMed and Google Scholar. The following keywords were used: "big data", "developing countries", "data mining", "health information systems", and "computing methodologies". A thematic review of selected articles was performed. There are challenges when implementing any Big Data program including exponential growth of data, special infrastructure needs, need for a trained workforce, need to agree on interoperability standards, privacy and security issues, and the need to include people, processes, and policies to ensure their adoption. Developing countries have particular characteristics that hinder further development of these projects. The advent of Big Data promises great opportunities for the healthcare field. In this article, we attempt to describe the challenges developing countries would face and enumerate the options to be used to achieve successful implementations of Big Data programs.

Prevalence and predictors for musculoskeletal discomfort in Malaysian office workers: Investigating explanatory factors for a developing country.

PubMed

Maakip, Ismail; Keegel, Tessa; Oakman, Jodi

2016-03-01

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major occupational health issue for workers in developed and developing countries, including Malaysia. Most research related to MSDs has been undertaken in developed countries; given the different regulatory and cultural practices it is plausible that contributions of hazard and risk factors may be different. A population of Malaysian public service office workers were surveyed (N = 417, 65.5% response rate) to determine prevalence and associated predictors of MSD discomfort. The 6-month period prevalence of MSD discomfort was 92.8% (95%CI = 90.2-95.2%). Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) analyses was used to compare a range of models and determine a model of best fit. Contributions associated with MSD discomfort in the final model consisted of physical demands (61%), workload (14%), gender (13%), work-home balance (9%) and psychosocial factors (3%). Factors associated with MSD discomfort were similar in developed and developing countries but the relative contribution of factors was different, providing insight into future development of risk management strategies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Revitalizing Higher Education. Issues in Higher Education, Volume 3. First Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salmi, Jamil, Ed.; Verspoor, Adriaan M., Ed.

This volume contains 13 papers on experiences with reform and innovation in higher education and their implications for developing countries. Four themes are highlighted: higher education and development, performance assessment, sustainable financing, and effectiveness in governance and management. The papers include: "Introduction:…

Militarism Versus Development. Teaching Global Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gage, Susan

1988-01-01

Articles and activities written for the senior secondary level explore the complex links between militarization and underdevelopment. The articles discuss choices between missiles and food in developing countries, the internal and external causes of militarism, and the hidden costs of militarism. Case studies of the Kwajalein Atoll and Ethiopia…

Implementing the United Kingdom Government's 10-Year Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England (1999-2010): Applicable Lessons for Other Countries.

PubMed

Hadley, Alison; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Ingham, Roger

2016-07-01

Teenage pregnancy is an issue of inequality affecting the health, well-being, and life chances of young women, young men, and their children. Consequently, high levels of teenage pregnancy are of concern to an increasing number of developing and developed countries. The UK Labour Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England was one of the very few examples of a nationally led, locally implemented evidence-based strategy, resourced over a long duration, with an associated reduction of 51% in the under-18 conception rate. This article seeks to identify the lessons applicable to other countries. The article focuses on the prevention program. Drawing on the detailed documentation of the 10-year strategy, it analyzes the factors that helped and hindered implementation against the World Health Organization (WHO) ExpandNet Framework. The Framework strives to improve the planning and management of the process of scaling-up of successful pilot programs with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, making it particularly suited for an analysis of England's teenage pregnancy strategy. The development and implementation of the strategy matches the Framework's key attributes for successful planning and scaling up of sexual and reproductive health programs. It also matched the attributes identified by the Centre for Global Development for scaled up approaches to complex public health issues. Although the strategy was implemented in a high-income country, analysis against the WHO-ExpandNet Framework identifies many lessons which are transferable to low- and medium-income countries seeking to address high teenage pregnancy rates. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Setting research priorities across science, technology, and health sectors: the Tanzania experience.

PubMed

de Haan, Sylvia; Kingamkono, Rose; Tindamanyire, Neema; Mshinda, Hassan; Makandi, Harun; Tibazarwa, Flora; Kubata, Bruno; Montorzi, Gabriela

2015-03-12

Identifying research priorities is key to innovation and economic growth, since it informs decision makers on effectively targeting issues that have the greatest potential public benefit. As such, the process of setting research priorities is of pivotal importance for favouring the science, technology, and innovation (STI)-driven development of low- and middle-income countries. We report herein on a major cross-sectoral nationwide research priority setting effort recently carried out in Tanzania by the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) in partnership with the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) and the NEPAD Agency. The first of its type in the country, the process brought together stakeholders from 42 sub-sectors in science, technology, and health. The cross-sectoral research priority setting process consisted of a 'training-of-trainers' workshop, a demonstration workshop, and seven priority setting workshops delivered to representatives from public and private research and development institutions, universities, non-governmental organizations, and other agencies affiliated to COSTECH. The workshops resulted in ranked listings of research priorities for each sub-sector, totalling approximately 800 priorities. This large number was significantly reduced by an expert panel in order to build a manageable instrument aligned to national development plans that could be used to guide research investments. The Tanzania experience is an instructive example of the challenges and issues to be faced in when attempting to identify research priority areas and setting an STI research agenda in low- and middle-income countries. As countries increase their investment in research, it is essential to increase investment in research management and governance as well, a key and much needed capacity for countries to make proper use of research investments.

Policy directions in urban health in developing countries--the slum improvement approach.

PubMed

Harpham, T; Stephens, C

1992-07-01

The urban development, or housing, sector has a longer experience of addressing the problems of the urban poor in developing countries than the health sector. In recent years the policy of 'slum improvement', which involves both sectors, has attracted the support of international donors. This article documents the development of the slum improvement approach and addresses key issues of the approach which have implications for health planning: covering the poorest dwellers; relocation; land tenure; gentrification; debt burdens and the impact on women. Questions about the approach which still need answering are defined and a summary of the constraints in slum improvement and potential solutions is presented.

Strategic Resources of Iraq, Turkey and Iran and the Development of Kurdish Nationalism: The Domestic, Regional and International Context

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

well as regional and international relations in these three nations have been complicated by the Kurdish issue in varying degrees. In each country , the... Country : The Kurds and Kurdistan (London: Zed Press, 1980), p. 115. 5 Kurds "who are Ali-Ilahi, a sect even farther from the Sunni creed than the Shia...as to the boundaries of the country that Kurdish nationalists seek to establish. Due to population shifts over the years, Kurds have settled in

The challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) management in developing countries.

PubMed

Osibanjo, O; Nnorom, I C

2007-12-01

Information and telecommunications technology (ICT) and computer Internet networking has penetrated nearly every aspect of modern life, and is positively affecting human life even in the most remote areas of the developing countries. The rapid growth in ICT has led to an improvement in the capacity of computers but simultaneously to a decrease in the products lifetime as a result of which increasingly large quantities of waste electrical and electronic equipment (e-waste) are generated annually. ICT development in most developing countries, particularly in Africa, depends more on secondhand or refurbished EEEs most of which are imported without confirmatory testing for functionality. As a result large quantities of e-waste are presently being managed in these countries. The challenges facing the developing countries in e-waste management include: an absence of infrastructure for appropriate waste management, an absence of legislation dealing specifically with e-waste, an absence of any framework for end-of-life (EoL) product take-back or implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR). This study examines these issues as they relate to practices in developing countries with emphasis on the prevailing situation in Nigeria. Effective management of e-waste in the developing countries demands the implementation of EPR, the establishment of product reuse through remanufacturing and the introduction of efficient recycling facilities. The implementation of a global system for the standardization and certification/labelling of secondhand appliances intended for export to developing countries will be required to control the export of electronic recyclables (e-scarp) in the name of secondhand appliances.

Autism in Developing Countries: Lessons from Iran

PubMed Central

Samadi, Sayyed Ali; McConkey, Roy

2011-01-01

Most research into Autism Spectrum Disorders has been conducted in affluent English-speaking countries which have extensive professional support services. This paper describes a series of investigations that was undertaken in Iran, and these findings, together with reviews of research in other low-income countries, are used to identify key lessons in three areas of service provision of particular relevance to developing countries with scarce professional resources: first, the issues to be considered in establishing the prevalence of the condition nationally; second, identification of parental understanding of ASD and the impact it has on them as carers; third, the education and training that could be provided to families when professional supports are sparse. It is concluded that culturally sensitive, parental support strategies must be central to the planning and development of services. Moreover, future research should further elucidate the needs of families and evaluate the impact of culturally tailored interventions designed to promote the children's development and overall family quality of life. PMID:22937242

Outcome of schizophrenia: some transcultural observations with particular reference to developing countries.

PubMed

Kulhara, P

1994-01-01

The present paper provides a description of data based and methodologically sound studies of outcome of schizophrenia from developing and non-Western countries and compares the results. Major studies reviewed include the 2- and 5-year follow-up of the cohort of the International Pilot Study of Schizophrenia, the patients of the World Health Organization Collaborative Study on the Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders, a few Indian studies including the study sponsored by the Indian Council of Medical Research and some studies from Colombia and South-East Asia. The studies are compared in terms of the quality of methodology and the rate of attrition. Although the outcome criteria of these studies are not similar, it is obvious that the outcome of schizophrenia in developing countries is generally more favourable. The reasons for this are far from clear. Research concerning the issues pertaining to better outcome of schizophrenia in developing countries in the context of socio-cultural differences in woefully lacking. This is an area that deserves research attention.

Hospital waste management in developing countries: A mini review.

PubMed

Ali, Mustafa; Wang, Wenping; Chaudhry, Nawaz; Geng, Yong

2017-06-01

Health care activities can generate different kinds of hazardous wastes. Mismanagement of these wastes can result in environmental and occupational health risks. Developing countries are resource-constrained when it comes to safe management of hospital wastes. This study summarizes the main issues faced in hospital waste management in developing countries. A review of the existing literature suggests that regulations and legislations focusing on hospital waste management are recent accomplishments in many of these countries. Implementation of these rules varies from one hospital to another. Moreover, wide variations exist in waste generation rates within as well as across these countries. This is mainly attributable to a lack of an agreement on the definitions and the methodology among the researchers to measure such wastes. Furthermore, hospitals in these countries suffer from poor waste segregation, collection, storage, transportation and disposal practices, which can lead to occupational and environmental risks. Knowledge and awareness regarding proper waste management remain low in the absence of training for hospital staff. Moreover, hospital sanitary workers, and scavengers, operate without the provision of safety equipment or immunization. Unsegregated waste is illegally recycled, leading to further safety risks. Overall, hospital waste management in developing countries faces several challenges. Sustainable waste management practices can go a long way in reducing the harmful effects of hospital wastes.

International perspectives on education, training, and practice in clinical neuropsychology: comparison across 14 countries around the world.

PubMed

Grote, Christopher L; Novitski, Julia I

2016-11-01

To review and summarize data provided by special issue authors regarding the education, training, and practice of neuropsychologists from 14 surveyed countries. A table was constructed to present an overview of variables of interest. There is considerable diversity among surveyed countries regarding the education and training required to enter practice as a clinical neuropsychologist. Clinical neuropsychologists are typically well compensated, at least in comparison to what constitutes an average salary in each country. Despite substantial variations in education and training pathways, and availability of neuropsychologists from country to country, two common areas for future development are suggested. First, identification, development, and measurement of core competencies for neuropsychological education and practice are needed that can serve as a unifying element for the world's clinical neuropsychologists. Second, greater emphasis on recognizing and addressing the need for assessment and treatment of diverse populations is needed if the world's citizens can hope to benefit from the expertise of practitioners in our field.

Health reform: the human resource challenges for Central Asian Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries.

PubMed

Parfitt, Barbara

2009-01-01

This paper examines the key human resource issues for health amongst mid-level workers in Central Asia CIS countries. It focuses on Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan highlighting the human resource issues that are evident within these countries and illustrating how they differ from those described in the sub-Saharan developing countries. The key human resource issue highlighted by the World Health Organization Report [WHO. (2006). World Health Report: Working together for health. Geneva: WHO] was the scarcity of health workers. Four million health care workers were identified as essential if the health services of the world are able to meet current health needs. The primary area of need highlighted was in Africa. Africa bears the greatest burden of disease but has the lowest number of health care workers. In the CIS countries in Central Asia different human resource issues have emerged. The Soviet health care system was comprehensive but labour intensive it had a primarily acute and a specialist disease focused approach with little investment in primary and community health care. It was unsustainable and the legacy that it left the new Central Asian emerging nations was of a large workforce with poor levels of competence and outdated approaches to providing care along with a crumbling infrastructure. In response to this situation health reform has been introduced which focuses on a family model of primary health care with family doctors supported by Family Health Nurses. This approach is beginning to make a difference to the morbidity and mortality of the populations but still has a long way to go before its full benefits are realised.

Towards sustainable transport infrastructure : a sectoral approach in practice

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-07-01

These guidelines provide a comprehensive overview of the issues in moving towards more sustainable transport infrastructure in developing countries. They provide a sectoral framework in which project proposals and requests for European Union assistan...

Using luminosity data as a proxy for economic statistics

PubMed Central

Chen, Xi

2011-01-01

A pervasive issue in social and environmental research has been how to improve the quality of socioeconomic data in developing countries. Given the shortcomings of standard sources, the present study examines luminosity (measures of nighttime lights visible from space) as a proxy for standard measures of output (gross domestic product). We compare output and luminosity at the country level and at the 1° latitude × 1° longitude grid-cell level for the period 1992–2008. We find that luminosity has informational value for countries with low-quality statistical systems, particularly for those countries with no recent population or economic censuses. PMID:21576474

How health affects small business in South Africa.

PubMed

Chao, Li-Wei; Pauly, Mark V

2007-03-01

Preventable and treatable diseases have taken a devastating human and economic toll on many developing countries. That economic toll is likely to be underestimated because most studies focus on productivity losses in the formal, or large-firm, sector; yet, a large portion of the population of developing countries works in the informal sector in very small businesses, either as an owner-worker or as an employee. It is plausible that ill health might affect small businesses most severely, possibly putting the entire business at risk. This Issue Brief summarizes a three-year study that tracks small businesses in Durban, South Africa, and investigates the connection between the owner's health and business growth, survival, or closure. The results bolster the economic case for investing resources in the prevention and treatment of disease in developing countries.

Participatory ergonomics intervention in an industrially developing country--a case study.

PubMed

Helali, Faramarz; Lönnroth, Emma-Christin; Shahnavaz, Houshang

2008-01-01

In industrially developing countries, a few ergonomists have directed great efforts towards developing ergonomics awareness among managers and workers in organizations. There is little research on the degree of their success, though. Furthermore, access of organizations to ergonomics knowledge is usually very difficult, especially in industrially developing countries. Thus, building ergonomics awareness is certainly the first phase of the process. Three companies from one industry (44 people: 14 females and 30 males) participated in a project aimed at improving their work system. At the beginning, we needed to create a common goal and ensure participation with appropriate ergonomics tools. The findings of this study were the key issue for the ergonomics intervention (i.e., a shared vision, awakened need of change and learning). Further, to build ergonomics awareness and develop a continuous learning process in the company, it was necessary to use more ergonomics tools through workers' participation in different workplaces.

Teaching cultural diversity: current status in U.K., U.S., and Canadian medical schools.

PubMed

Dogra, Nisha; Reitmanova, Sylvia; Carter-Pokras, Olivia

2010-05-01

In this paper we present the current state of cultural diversity education for undergraduate medical students in three English-speaking countries: the United Kingdom (U.K.), United States (U.S.) and Canada. We review key documents that have shaped cultural diversity education in each country and compare and contrast current issues. It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss the varied terminology that is immediately evident. Suffice it to say that there are many terms (e.g. cultural awareness, competence, sensitivity, sensibility, diversity and critical cultural diversity) used in different contexts with different meanings. The major issues that all three countries face include a lack of conceptual clarity, and fragmented and variable programs to teach cultural diversity. Faculty and staff support and development, and ambivalence from both staff and students continue to be a challenge. We suggest that greater international collaboration may help provide some solutions.

Telemedicine in neurosurgical emergency: Indian perspective

PubMed Central

Sinha, Virendra Deo; Tiwari, Rahul Nath; Kataria, Rashim

2012-01-01

Telemedicine is rapidly developing telecommunication technology to provide medical information and services. The importance of telemedicine for neurosurgical emergencies was established with the fact that majority of the neurosurgical specialists are practicing in urban settings and in most of the rural areas, neurosurgical care is far off or non-existing. Countries with inadequate health care must incorporate telemedicine in their health care system. Telemedicine offers real benefits in a country as vast as India, where the majority of the population lives in remote areas with no access to even the most basic healthcare. Issues pertaining security, privacy, maintaining standards, and legal aspects are relevant. A recommended set of standards and guidelines for telemedicine needs to be set in place and constantly refined to promote the integrated growth of telemedicine in the country. The paper discusses various issues, shortcomings, and utility of telemedicine in India. PMID:22870155

Security and privacy issues of personal health.

PubMed

Blobel, Bernd; Pharow, Peter

2007-01-01

While health systems in developed countries and increasingly also in developing countries are moving from organisation-centred to person-centred health service delivery, the supporting communication and information technology is faced with new risks regarding security and privacy of stakeholders involved. The comprehensively distributed environment puts special burden on guaranteeing communication security services, but even more on guaranteeing application security services dealing with privilege management, access control and audit regarding social implication and connected sensitivity of personal information recorded, processed, communicated and stored in an even internationally distributed environment.

Worldwide wind/diesel hybrid power system study: Potential applications and technical issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, W. R.; Johnson, B. L., III

1991-04-01

The world market potential for wind/diesel hybrid technology is a function of the need for electric power, the availability of sufficient wind resource to support wind/diesel power, and the existence of buyers with the financial means to invest in the technology. This study includes data related to each of these three factors. This study does not address market penetration, which would require analysis of application specific wind/diesel economics. Buyer purchase criteria, which are vital to assessing market penetration, are discussed only generally. Countries were screened for a country-specific market analysis based on indicators of need and wind resource. Both developed countries and less developed countries (LDCs) were screened for wind/diesel market potential. Based on the results of the screening, ten countries showing high market potential were selected for more extensive market analyses. These analyses provide country-specific market data to guide wind/diesel technology developers in making design decisions that will lead to a competitive product. Section 4 presents the country-specific data developed for these analyses, including more extensive wind resource characterization, application-specific market opportunities, business conditions, and energy market characterizations. An attempt was made to identify the potential buyers with ability to pay for wind/diesel technology required to meet the application-specific market opportunities identified for each country. Additionally, the country-specific data are extended to corollary opportunities in countries not covered by the study. Section 2 gives recommendations for wind/diesel research based on the findings of the study.

Child Labour and Education: Issues Emerging from the Experiences of Some Developing Countries of Asia. UNESCO-UNICEF Co-operative Programme Digest No. 28.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Children's Fund, Paris (France).

This digest examines the problem of child labor and education in India and other Southeast Asian countries. It offers novel insights into the extent of child labor and the shortcomings and inertia of educational systems in adapting to the needs of working children. Also, the digest describes a series of promising educational innovations meant to…

Out-of-School Youth in Developing Countries: What the Data Do (and Do Not) Tell Us. Policy Study and Issue Paper Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fawcett, Caroline; Hartwell, Ash; Israel, Ron

2010-01-01

This report offers the first systematic analysis of out-of-school youth populations. In so doing, it estimates the youth bulge worldwide and measures key characteristics of out-of-school youth for sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. In addition, as examples of how existing data can be used for analysis at the national and subnational levels, the…

Who owns urban waste? Appropriation conflicts in emerging countries.

PubMed

Cavé, Jérémie

2014-09-01

Managing solid waste in developing cities is not an easy task and many public policies have failed to bring the expected results. It is here argued that comprehending the solid waste handling in the South implies reconsidering the proper definition of waste. Where does the product end and where does rubbish begin? The answer to this question is far from being obvious. Solid waste appears as a blurred concept. Such a thorny issue is all the more relevant today, as municipal solid waste management approaches in the developing world are being reformulated: dumping sites are banned, sanitary landfills are imposed, and separate collection is being introduced. The current sector transformations are here analysed through a novel theoretical analysis combined with an original qualitative and quantitative empirical work. Through two case-studies of one-million inhabitant cities from emerging countries, it is shown that if appropriation conflicts arise that is because the urban solid waste deposit in Southern countries can be defined as an impure public good. This issue does not only involve private service operators and informal wastepickers; several other actors covet the urban solid waste deposit's cream, that is, recyclable items. In emerging countries, huge industrial groups are starting to target domestic recyclable waste as an alternative for raw materials, which costs are increasing ever more. © The Author(s) 2014.

Gastroenterology in developing countries: Issues and advances

PubMed Central

Mandeville, Kate L; Krabshuis, Justus; Ladep, Nimzing Gwamzhi; Mulder, Chris JJ; Quigley, Eamonn MM; Khan, Shahid A

2009-01-01

Developing countries shoulder a considerable burden of gastroenterological disease. Infectious diseases in particular cause enormous morbidity and mortality. Diseases which afflict both western and developing countries are often seen in more florid forms in poorer countries. Innovative techniques continuously improve and update gastroenterological practice. However, advances in diagnosis and treatment which are commonplace in the West, have yet to reach many developing countries. Clinical guidelines, based on these advances and collated in resource-rich environments, lose their relevance outside these settings. In this two-part review, we first highlight the global burden of gastroenterological disease in three major areas: diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis B, and Helicobacter pylori. Recent progress in their management is explored, with consideration of future solutions. The second part of the review focuses on the delivery of clinical services in developing countries. Inadequate numbers of healthcare workers hamper efforts to combat gastroenterological disease. Reasons for this shortage are examined, along with possibilities for increased specialist training. Endoscopy services, the mainstay of gastroenterology in the West, are in their infancy in many developing countries. The challenges faced by those setting up a service are illustrated by the example of a Nigerian endoscopy unit. Finally, we highlight the limited scope of many clinical guidelines produced in western countries. Guidelines which take account of resource limitations in the form of “cascades” are advocated in order to make these guidelines truly global. Recognition of the different working conditions facing practitioners worldwide is an important step towards narrowing the gap between gastroenterology in rich and poor countries. PMID:19533805

Recent Reform and Perspectives in Higher Education: Report of the Seminar Including a Range of Countries from Asia-Pacific and Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. for Educational Research, Tokyo (Japan).

This report describes a 1998 seminar held to review the situation of higher education reform in Asia and the Pacific region, as well as in some Western nations, and to identify common issues and priorities, and then develop a collaborative framework for addressing these issues and setting priorities. Seventeen participants from 16 countries…

Biomass fuel from woody crops for electric power generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perlack, R.D.; Wright, L.L.; Huston, M.A.

1995-06-22

This report discusses the biologic, environmental, economic, and operational issues associated with growing wood crops in managed plantations. Information on plantation productivity, environmental issues and impacts, and costs is drawn from DOE`s Biofuels Feedstock Development as well as commercial operations in the US and elsewhere. The particular experiences of three countries--Brazil, the Philippines, and Hawaii (US)--are discussed in considerable detail.

Microbiological food safety: a dilemma of developing societies.

PubMed

Akhtar, Saeed; Sarker, Mahfuzur R; Hossain, Ashfaque

2014-11-01

Current food safety issues are deleteriously reshaping the life style of the population in the developing world. Socioeconomic status of the population in poorer economies is one of the major determinants to delineate the availability of safe food to the vulnerable population. Assessment of the prevalence of foodborne illness in developing world is the most neglected area to control disease. Botulism, Shigellosis, Campylobacteriosis, Escherichia coli infection, Staphylococcus aureus infection, Salmonellosis, Listeriosis and Cholerae are extensively prevalent and pose a major threat to human health in underdeveloped communities. The existing food safety status of many African, South Asian, Central, and South American developing countries is distressing therefore; it seems much timely to highlight the areas for the improvement to ensure the supply of safe food to the population in these regions. Extensive literature search at PubMed, Science Direct and Medline was carried out during the current year to catch on relevant data from 1976 to date, using selective terms like food safety, South East Asia, Africa, Central and South America, and foodborne illness etc. Efforts were made to restrict the search to low income countries of these regions with reference to specific foodborne pathogens. This report briefly discusses the present food safety situation in these developing countries and associated consequences as prime issues, suggesting foodborne illness to be the most distressing threat for human health and economic growth.

Leadership Development and School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhodes, Christopher; Brundrett, Mark

2009-01-01

The chosen focus of this special issue is timely given the burgeoning international interest and investment in leadership development and school improvement. In many countries leadership and improvement have been closely linked and there is no doubt that this linkage has an international reach. Together, these articles review and extend some of…

Youth Reproductive & Sexual Health in Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Melodi

2010-01-01

Nearly one third of Nigeria's total population of 148.1 million is between the ages of 10 and 24. Nigerian adolescents' sizeable share of the population makes them integral to the country's social, political and economic development. Nigeria's development is compromised by the sexual and reproductive health issues afflicting its youth. Lack of…

Asia-Pacific Partnership for Human Development through TVET.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basu, C. K.

Despite their great geographic, economic, and demographic diversity, Asia-Pacific countries share many common challenges and pose many common issues that are fundamental to improving the quality and relevance of technical-vocational education and training (TVET) as a means of human resource development (HRD). Because of their great need for…

ESD: Power, Politics, and Policy: "Tragic Optimism" from Latin America

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

González-Gaudiano, Edgar J.

2016-01-01

In light of the challenging developmental issues confronting the countries of Latin America, this response article analyzes the power and resistance of education for sustainable development from both theoretical and policy perspectives. Of particular concern are the neo-productivist strategies driving the latest stage of capitalist development.…

AIDS: Children Too.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lejeune, Genevieve, Ed.

1994-01-01

This journal issue is devoted to the many problems faced by children with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) who live in both developing and developed countries. Section 1 provides general information on the pandemic, defining AIDS and exploring the social aspects of the disease. It also addresses child health, child mortality, moral and…

Women Teachers' Aspirations to School Leadership in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sperandio, Jill; Kagoda, Alice Merab

2010-01-01

Purpose: The under-representation of women in the leadership of secondary schooling is a problem common to many developing countries, raising issues of social justice and sustainable development. It has its roots in societal understandings about leadership, the schooling and career aspirations of girls, the organizational characteristics of the…

Health Service Delivery in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benyoussef, Amor

1977-01-01

Reviews recent work dealing with methodological and technical issues in health and development; presents examples of the application of social sciences, including health demography and economics, in questions of health services delivery; and analyzes delivery of health services to rural and nomadic populations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.…

Adolescents and Youth in Developing Countries: Health and Development Issues in Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fatusi, Adesegun O.; Hindin, Michelle J.

2010-01-01

Adolescence is a period of transition, marked by physical, psychological, and cognitive changes underpin by biological factors. Today's generation of young people--the largest in history--is approaching adulthood in a world vastly different from previous generations; AIDS, globalisation, urbanisation, electronic communication, migration, and…

Non-Governmental Organisations. Their Role in Development. Courier No. 37.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ASPBAE Courier, 1986

1986-01-01

This issue of the "Courier" contains several articles on the role of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working for social justice and development for people in Third World countries. The following articles appear: "Sharing One Earth" (Nighat Said Khan, Kamla Bhasin); "Beware of the Gongo--Regulating NGOs in India: New…

Reproductive health and genetic testing in the Third World.

PubMed

Penchaszadeh, V B

1993-09-01

New reproductive genetics means recently developed techniques to prevent the birth of children with specific defects or genetic diseases by testing individuals for sickle cell anemia, the thalassemias, Tay-Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, or Down syndrome. Third World health services have many deficiencies with high maternal mortality rates (30-40 fold higher than in developed countries), the low percentage of births delivered by health personnel, the high rates of low birth weight babies, and high child malnutrition and infant mortality rates. The main issues in women's reproductive health are fertility regulation, abortion, maternal mortality, sexually transmitted diseases, and infertility. As a result of expansion in contraceptive use worldwide, the total fertility rate in developing countries has declined from 6.1 in 1965 to 3.9 in 1990. It is estimated that, worldwide, 36-53 million induced abortions are performed each year, most of them in developing nations. WHO estimates that more than 500,000 women die each year because of complications of pregnancy, most in developing countries. More than 95% of the 13 million estimated deaths of children under 5 years of age have occurred in these countries. Approximately 200 million people carry a potentially pathologic hemoglobinopathy gene, and about 250,000 children are born every year with hemoglobinopathy, most of them in the developing world. Reproductive genetic testing in big cities and in private for-profit ventures cater to the socioeconomic elite. Amniocentesis is often misused for fetal sex determination to abort female fetuses in India. Currently, in Cuba virtually every pregnant woman is tested for sickle cell trait and maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels between 15 and 20 weeks of gestation. It is predicted that the judicious use of reproductive genetic testing will be possible when health and quality of life issues are addressed properly.

Bribery and Its Ethical Implications for Aid Workers in the Developing World.

PubMed

Remer, J Scott

2017-02-01

Bribery is a complicated, multi-dimensional issue. Upon first glance, most westerners would immediately condemn it as an underhanded, unfair means of gaining an advantage in a competitive or legal situation, and so it is in virtually every case in the westernized world. However, the issue becomes much more complicated in the international context, particularly in developing nations, where giving and accepting bribes is often normal and expected. This paper serves to inform ethical decision-making in situations where the "right choice" is unclear with regards to bribery, primarily for individuals performing aid work in foreign countries with corrupt officials and police officers. In such contexts, a simple offering of food, money, or a small trinket may make the difference between a person being able to accomplish meaningful, life-changing work for the local populace or having that work significantly slowed at best and being thrown out of the country, robbed, or imprisoned in worse cases. The larger scale bribery issues in international business and the laws pertaining to them are also discussed.

Probabilistic evaluation of integrating resource recovery into wastewater treatment to improve environmental sustainability

PubMed Central

Wang, Xu; McCarty, Perry L.; Liu, Junxin; Ren, Nan-Qi; Lee, Duu-Jong; Yu, Han-Qing; Qian, Yi; Qu, Jiuhui

2015-01-01

Global expectations for wastewater service infrastructure have evolved over time, and the standard treatment methods used by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are facing issues related to problem shifting due to the current emphasis on sustainability. A transition in WWTPs toward reuse of wastewater-derived resources is recognized as a promising solution for overcoming these obstacles. However, it remains uncertain whether this approach can reduce the environmental footprint of WWTPs. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a net environmental benefit calculation for several scenarios for more than 50 individual countries over a 20-y time frame. For developed countries, the resource recovery approach resulted in ∼154% net increase in the environmental performance of WWTPs compared with the traditional substance elimination approach, whereas this value decreased to ∼60% for developing countries. Subsequently, we conducted a probabilistic analysis integrating these estimates with national values and determined that, if this transition was attempted for WWTPs in developed countries, it would have a ∼65% probability of attaining net environmental benefits. However, this estimate decreased greatly to ∼10% for developing countries, implying a substantial risk of failure. These results suggest that implementation of this transition for WWTPs should be studied carefully in different temporal and spatial contexts. Developing countries should customize their approach to realizing more sustainable WWTPs, rather than attempting to simply replicate the successful models of developed countries. Results derived from the model forecasting highlight the role of bioenergy generation and reduced use of chemicals in improving the sustainability of WWTPs in developing countries. PMID:25605884

Probabilistic evaluation of integrating resource recovery into wastewater treatment to improve environmental sustainability.

PubMed

Wang, Xu; McCarty, Perry L; Liu, Junxin; Ren, Nan-Qi; Lee, Duu-Jong; Yu, Han-Qing; Qian, Yi; Qu, Jiuhui

2015-02-03

Global expectations for wastewater service infrastructure have evolved over time, and the standard treatment methods used by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are facing issues related to problem shifting due to the current emphasis on sustainability. A transition in WWTPs toward reuse of wastewater-derived resources is recognized as a promising solution for overcoming these obstacles. However, it remains uncertain whether this approach can reduce the environmental footprint of WWTPs. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a net environmental benefit calculation for several scenarios for more than 50 individual countries over a 20-y time frame. For developed countries, the resource recovery approach resulted in ∼154% net increase in the environmental performance of WWTPs compared with the traditional substance elimination approach, whereas this value decreased to ∼60% for developing countries. Subsequently, we conducted a probabilistic analysis integrating these estimates with national values and determined that, if this transition was attempted for WWTPs in developed countries, it would have a ∼65% probability of attaining net environmental benefits. However, this estimate decreased greatly to ∼10% for developing countries, implying a substantial risk of failure. These results suggest that implementation of this transition for WWTPs should be studied carefully in different temporal and spatial contexts. Developing countries should customize their approach to realizing more sustainable WWTPs, rather than attempting to simply replicate the successful models of developed countries. Results derived from the model forecasting highlight the role of bioenergy generation and reduced use of chemicals in improving the sustainability of WWTPs in developing countries.

Goals for Sustainable Development: Focusing on Children and Youth. Social Policy Report Brief. Volume 30, Issue 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridgman, Anne

2017-01-01

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, ratified by all 193 member states of the U.N. General Assembly in 2015, outline 17 goals considered central to sustainable development in all countries. Building on and broadening the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2005, the new goals offer a more holistic vision of child and youth…

Educational Development and Reformation in the Malaysian Education System: Challenges in the New Millennium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

bin Zakaria, Haji Azmi

2000-01-01

Development of the education system in Malaysia is tied to the National Development Policy. Malaysia will address issues related to equity, access, and democratization of education, education quality, efficiency, and values education as the country responds to the demands of being part of the global village while ensuring domestic growth and…

Proposed Model for Innovation of Community Colleges to Meet Labor Market Needs in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almannie, Mohamed

2015-01-01

The study introduced a very important issue for the development of labor market in any developing country. The rapid changes in technology and communication imposed challenges on education institutions for the development of labor market to meet local communities. These institutions have more responsibilities to provide professional and skilled…

Strategies for Promoting Gender Equity in Developing Countries: Lessons, Challenges, and Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryan, Elizabeth, Ed.

2008-01-01

Over the last several decades a number of strategies have emerged and evolved to promote gender equity in development efforts. Yet debates regarding the relative efficacy of these strategies remain. On Thursday, April 26, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson Center convened a group of experts on gender and development to address the issue of gender inequality…

Gender equality and sustainable human development are key issues.

PubMed

Ando, H

1995-01-01

In a message to the Indochina Women's Parliamentarians Meeting, Hirofumi Ando, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Family Planning Association (UNFPA), encouraged participants to link gender equality and development issues. Ando noted that many of the goals of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development imply recognition of the need to redress gender inequalities and empower women. The Program of Action adopted in Cairo requires countries to achieve universal access to primary education and reproductive health care services. Parliamentarians in attendance were urged to mobilize the financial resources and political will necessary to implement programs in these areas.

Healthcare Information Systems for the epidemiologic surveillance within the community.

PubMed

Diomidous, Marianna; Pistolis, John; Mechili, Aggelos; Kolokathi, Aikaterini; Zimeras, Stelios

2013-01-01

Public health and health care are important issues for developing countries and access to health care is a significant factor that contributes to a healthy population. In response to these issues, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been working on the development of methods and models for measuring physical accessibility to health care using several layers of information integrated in a GIS. This paper describes the methodological approach for the development of a real time electronic health record, based on the statistical and geographic information for the identification of various diseases and accidents that can happen in a specific place.

Opposition to gender-sensitive development. Learning to answer back.

PubMed

Longwe, S H

1995-02-01

Opposition to gender-sensitive development policies can arise within the very development agencies charged with implementing the policies. Agencies may maintain that policies on equality for women are unnecessary because development is concerned with improving welfare in general. This can be refuted by referring to the literature which points out that failure to address the specific needs of women means their exclusion from the development process. Agencies may argue that women's equality is a political rather than a developmental issue. This is countered by the fact that the "Forward-Looking Strategies" define women's development, equality, and empowerment as intertwined processes. Agencies may say that promoting women's equality constitutes undue interference in a country's internal affairs. This is wrong because aid programs should not be supported in countries which do not support women's rights. Agencies may claim that they must work within the existing laws and policies of a developing country. This is partly correct, but the point must be limited because policies and laws may be "given," but they are not fixed. An agency may state that they have no business seeking or promoting change in existing social and customary practices. This is wrong where such practices stand in the way of development and because any development project is by definition a social and economic intervention. Agencies may consider their policy on women an inappropriate imposition of Western ideas. This is wrong because international conventions place a concern for women's rights on a level with a concern for human rights. Finally, agencies may maintain that women in developing countries do not desire equality with men. While it may be true that women accept their subordinate position, this does not offset issues of human rights and equal development. Oppressed women may be very silent; given the opportunity, they generally have a great deal to say.

Developing for the future: hometown USA.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-09-01

In a trend that continues to build, citizens : across the country are joining forces locally to : address environmental issues that affect their : health, natural resources, and the quality of : life in their communities. Groups of people are : takin...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lindsay, I.

The author limits his remarks to a discussion of the international generator`s marketplace, especially aimed at the developing countries. He discusses future global electricity demand, generating capacity build, its financing issues, and to the commercial generating opportunities which now abound outside the US.

Ethical issues in neonatal intensive care units.

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Chen, Xin-Xin; Wang, Xin-Ling

2016-01-01

On one hand, advances in neonatal care and rescue technology allow for the healthy survival or prolonged survival time of critically ill newborns who, in the past, would have been non-viable. On the other hand, many of the surviving critically ill infants have serious long-term disabilities. If an infant eventually cannot survive or is likely to suffer severe disability after surviving, ethical issues in the treatment process are inevitable, and this problem arises not only in developed countries but is also becoming increasingly prominent in developing countries. In addition, ethical concerns cannot be avoided in medical research. This review article introduces basic ethical guidelines that should be followed in clinical practice, including respecting the autonomy of the parents, giving priority to the best interests of the infant, the principle of doing no harm, and consent and the right to be informed. Furthermore, the major ethical concerns in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in China are briefly introduced.

Framing and sources: a study of mass media coverage of climate change in Peru during the V ALCUE.

PubMed

Takahashi, Bruno

2011-07-01

Studies about mass media framing have found divergent levels of influence on public opinion; moreover, the evidence suggests that issue attributes can contribute to this difference. In the case of climate change, studies have focused exclusively on developed countries, suggesting that media influence perceptions about the issue. This study presents one of the first studies of media coverage in a developing country. It examines newspapers' reporting in Peru during the Fifth Latin America, Caribbean and European Union Summit in May 2008. The study focuses on the frames and the sources to provide an initial exploratory assessment of the coverage. The results show that the media relied mostly on government sources, giving limited access to dissenting voices such as environmentalists. Additionally, a prominence of "solutions" and "effects" frames was found, while "policy" and "science" frames were limited. The results could serve as a reference point for more comprehensive studies.

Potential use of NOACs in developing countries: pros and cons.

PubMed

Bista, Durga; Chalmers, Leanne; Bereznicki, Luke; Peterson, Gregory

2014-07-01

Although vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) are effective for long-term thromboprophylaxis in atrial fibrillation (AF), their limitations have led to widespread underutilisation, especially in the developing world. Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have emerged as promising alternatives to VKAs, although there are some particular considerations and challenges to their introduction in developing countries. This review summarises the current state of antithrombotic management of AF in the developing world, explores the early evidence for the NOACs and describes some of the special considerations that must be taken into account when considering the role of the NOACs within developing countries' health care systems. A literature search was conducted via PubMed and Google Scholar to find articles published in English between the years 2000 to 2014. Search terms used were "atrial fibrillation", "oral anticoagulants", "warfarin", "NOACs", "dabigatran", "rivaroxaban", "apixaban", "edoxaban", "time in therapeutic range", "International Normalized Ratio" "cost-effectiveness", "stroke", "adverse-drug reactions" and "drug-drug interactions", together with the individual names of developing countries as listed by the World Bank. We reviewed the results of randomized clinical trials, relevant retrospective and prospective studies, case-studies and review articles. Many developing countries lack or have sporadic data on the quality of AF management, making it difficult to anticipate the potential impact of NOACs in these settings. The utilisation of anticoagulants for AF appears highly variable in developing countries. Given the issues associated with VKA therapy in many developing countries, NOACs offer some potential advantages; however, there is insufficient evidence to advocate the widespread replacement of warfarin at present. VKAs may continue to have a role in selected patients or countries, especially if alternative monitoring strategies can be utilised. The evaluation of the introduction of NOACs should consider safety, budget concerns and the quality of oral anticoagulation care achieved by each country. Prospective registries will be important in developing countries to better elucidate the comparative safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness of NOACs and VKAs as NOACs are introduced into practice.

Overview of cancer vaccines

PubMed Central

Kudrin, Alex

2012-01-01

Cancer immunotherapy has seen a tremendous number of failures and only few recent regulatory successes. This is a review dedicated to determine major regulatory and developmental issues around cancer immunotherapeutics. A three pillar approach should be used in setting a development path: discovery platforms and sufficient pool of validated tumor antigens, product development strategy enabling to bring the product closer to the patient and clinical development strategy accounting for competitive landscape, treatment paradigm, technical and commercial risks. Regulatory framework existing around cancer vaccines in the EU, US, Japan and some developing countries is outlined. In addition, the review covers some specific issues on the design and conduct of clinical trials with cancer vaccines. PMID:22894970

Attitudes of rehabilitation medicine doctors toward medical ethics in Malaysia.

PubMed

Mazlina, M; Julia, P E

2011-06-01

Medical ethics issues encountered in rehabilitation medicine differ from those in an acute care setting due to the complex relationships among the parties involved in rehabilitative care. The study examined the attitudes of Malaysian rehabilitation doctors toward medical ethics issues commonly encountered during patient care. We surveyed 74 rehabilitation physicians and residents in Malaysia using a self-administered descriptive questionnaire. The questions covered medical ethics issues on allocation of resources, patient confidentiality, discharge planning, goal-setting, reimbursement documentation, decision-making capacity and withdrawal of life support. The overall response rate was 69 percent. More than 80 percent of respondents would disclose confidential information to their team members if it would affect the rehabilitation process. More than two-thirds of respondents would not allocate scarce rehabilitation resources if the functional outcome is marginally positive. Issues involving patients' autonomy in decision-making, both in life-threatening and non-life-threatening situations, showed mix responses. The least common response was on the issue of discharge planning, where 51 percent of respondents would send a patient back to a nursing home with suboptimal care if there were no other alternatives. The attitude of Malaysian rehabilitation doctors toward ethical issues is reflective of the level of maturity of rehabilitation medicine in Malaysia. Issues on allocation of resources, discharge planning and decision-making capacity are significantly influenced by limited rehabilitation facilities in parts of the country. The lack of influence from external factors, such as a developed health insurance system, contributes to the difference in attitude between rehabilitation doctors in Malaysia and those in developed countries.

Building capacity in health research in the developing world.

PubMed Central

Lansang, Mary Ann; Dennis, Rodolfo

2004-01-01

Strong national health research systems are needed to improve health systems and attain better health. For developing countries to indigenize health research systems, it is essential to build research capacity. We review the positive features and weaknesses of various approaches to capacity building, emphasizing that complementary approaches to human resource development work best in the context of a systems and long-term perspective. As a key element of capacity building, countries must also address issues related to the enabling environment, in particular: leadership, career structure, critical mass, infrastructure, information access and interfaces between research producers and users. The success of efforts to build capacity in developing countries will ultimately depend on political will and credibility, adequate financing, and a responsive capacity-building plan that is based on a thorough situational analysis of the resources needed for health research and the inequities and gaps in health care. Greater national and international investment in capacity building in developing countries has the greatest potential for securing dynamic and agile knowledge systems that can deliver better health and equity, now and in the future. PMID:15643798

Population education in Africa South of Sahara.

PubMed

1985-01-01

This book discusses the strategy of the systematic introduction of population and family life education programs into the education systems of developing countries. The objectives of this type of education are not only to create awareness among learners of the linkages between population factors and peoples's standards of living, but also to encourage national decision-making and actions in ways that are personally meaningful and socially desirable. This issue presents a number of ideas from practitioners in the population and family life education field concerning suitable approaches for developing population education programs to make them respond positively to the needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa. It also presents country, regional, and agency-level field experiences to show the dimensions of the field as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the technics adopted in implementing the programs. The articles are presented in 3 parts: 1) planning, development, and pedagogy; 2) experiences at the country, regional, and agency levels; and 3) 3 sets of recommendations in recent years that have a direct relevance to the development of population eudcation programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Vaccine procurement and self-sufficiency in developing countries.

PubMed

Woodle, D

2000-06-01

This paper discusses the movement toward self-sufficiency in vaccine supply in developing countries (and countries in transition to new economic and political systems) and explains special supply concerns about vaccine as a product class. It traces some history of donor support and programmes aimed at self-financing, then continues with a discussion about self-sufficiency in terms of institutional capacity building. A number of deficiencies commonly found in vaccine procurement and supply in low- and middle-income countries are characterized, and institutional strengthening with procurement technical assistance is described. The paper also provides information about a vaccine procurement manual being developed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for use in this environment. Two brief case studies are included to illustrate the spectrum of existing capabilities and different approaches to technical assistance aimed at developing or improving vaccine procurement capability. In conclusion, the paper discusses the special nature of vaccine and issues surrounding potential integration and decentralization of vaccine supply systems as part of health sector reform.

Tuberculosis in Asia and the pacific: the role of socioeconomic status and health system development.

PubMed

Wu, Jie; Dalal, Koustuv

2012-01-01

To identify the relationship between socioeconomic status, health system development and the incidence, prevalence and mortality of tuberculosis in Asia and the Pacific. Incidence, prevalence and mortality rates of tuberculosis and 20 variables of socioeconomic, health system and biological-behavioral issues were included in the study involving all 46 countries of the Asian Development Bank region (2007 data). Both univariate and multivariate linear regressions were used. The worst three tuberculosis affected countries were Cambodia, India and Indonesia, while the least affected was Australia. Tuberculosis incidence, prevalence and mortality rate were higher in countries with lower human development index, corruption perception index, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and countries with more people under minimum food supplements. Among the health system variables, total health expenditure per capita, governmental health expenditure per capita, hospital beds, and access to improved water and sanitation were strongly associated with tuberculosis. Socioeconomic determinants and health system development have significant effect on the control of tuberculosis in Asia and the Pacific region. The study has some policy implications by means of lowering the corruption and improving the sanitation.

Building capacity in health research in the developing world.

PubMed

Lansang, Mary Ann; Dennis, Rodolfo

2004-10-01

Strong national health research systems are needed to improve health systems and attain better health. For developing countries to indigenize health research systems, it is essential to build research capacity. We review the positive features and weaknesses of various approaches to capacity building, emphasizing that complementary approaches to human resource development work best in the context of a systems and long-term perspective. As a key element of capacity building, countries must also address issues related to the enabling environment, in particular: leadership, career structure, critical mass, infrastructure, information access and interfaces between research producers and users. The success of efforts to build capacity in developing countries will ultimately depend on political will and credibility, adequate financing, and a responsive capacity-building plan that is based on a thorough situational analysis of the resources needed for health research and the inequities and gaps in health care. Greater national and international investment in capacity building in developing countries has the greatest potential for securing dynamic and agile knowledge systems that can deliver better health and equity, now and in the future.

Volunteers in plastic surgery guidelines for providing surgical care for children in the less developed world: part II. Ethical considerations.

PubMed

Schneider, William J; Migliori, Mark R; Gosain, Arun K; Gregory, George; Flick, Randall

2011-09-01

Many international volunteer groups provide free reconstructive plastic surgery for the poor and underserved in developing countries. An essential issue in providing this care is that it meets consistent guidelines for both quality and safety-a topic that has been addressed previously. An equally important consideration is how to provide that care in an ethical manner. No literature presently addresses the various issues involved in making those decisions. With these ethical considerations in mind, the Volunteers in Plastic Surgery Committee of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation undertook a project to create a comprehensive set of guidelines for volunteer groups planning to provide this type of reconstructive plastic surgery in developing countries. The committee worked in conjunction with the Society for Pediatric Anesthesia on this project. The Board of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons/Plastic Surgery Foundation has approved the ethical guidelines created for the delivery of care in developing countries. The guidelines address the variety of ethical decisions that may be faced by a team working in an underdeveloped country. These guidelines make it possible for a humanitarian effort to anticipate the types of ethical decisions that are often encountered and be prepared to deal with them appropriately. Any group seeking to undertake an international mission trip in plastic surgery should be able to go to one source to find a detailed discussion of the perceived needs in providing ethical humanitarian care. This document was created to satisfy that need and is a companion to our original guidelines addressing safety and quality.

Optimizing the use of breed types in developing country livestock production systems: a neglected research area.

PubMed

Marshall, K

2014-10-01

Developing country livestock production systems are diverse and dynamic, and include those where existing indigenous breeds are currently optimal and likely to remain so, those where non-indigenous breed types are already in common use, and systems that are changing, such as by intensification, where the introduction of new breed types represents significant opportunities. These include opportunities to improve the livelihood of the world's poor, increase food and nutrition security and enhance environmental sustainability. At present, very little research has focused on this issue, such that significant knowledge gaps in relation to breed-change interventions remain. The purpose of this study is to raise awareness of this issue and suggests strategic research areas to begin filling these knowledge gaps. Such strategic research would include (i) assessing the impact of differing breed types in developing country livestock productions systems, from a range of viewpoints including intrahousehold livelihood benefit, food and nutrition security at different scales, and environmental sustainability; (ii) identification of specific livestock production systems within developing countries, and the type of livestock keepers within these system, that are most likely to benefit from new breed types; and (iii) identification of new breed types as candidates for in-situ testing within these systems, such as through the use of spatial analysis to identify similar production environments combined with community acceptance studies. Results of these studies would primarily assist stakeholders in agriculture, including both policy makers and livestock keepers, to make informed decisions on the potential use of new breed types. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Urbanization and health in developing countries.

PubMed

Harpham, T; Stephens, C

1991-01-01

In developing countries the level of urbanization is expected to increase to 39.5% by the end of this century and to 56.9% by 2025. The number of people living in slums and shanty towns represent about one-third of the people living in cities in developing countries. This article focuses upon these poor urban populations and comments upon their lifestyle and their exposure to hazardous environmental conditions which are associated with particular patterns of morbidity and mortality. The concept of marginality has been used to describe the lifestyle of the urban poor in developing countries. This concept is critically examined and it is argued that any concept of the urban poor in developing countries being socially, economically or politically marginal is a myth. However, it can certainly be claimed that in health terms the urban poor are marginal as demonstrated by some of the studies reviewed in this article. Most studies of the health of the urban poor in developing countries concentrate on the environmental conditions in which they live. The environmental conditions of the urban poor are one of the main hazards of the lifestyle of poor urban residents. However, other aspects of their way of life, or lifestyle, have implications for their health. Issues such as smoking, diet, alcohol and drug abuse, and exposure to occupational hazards, have received much less attention in the literature and there is an urgent need for more research in these areas.

Has the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean produced intellectual property legislation that favours public health?

PubMed

Oliveira, Maria Auxiliadora; Bermudez, Jorge Antonio Zepeda; Chaves, Gabriela Costa; Velásquez, Germán

2004-11-01

The World Trade Organization's Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement establishes minimum standards for intellectual property rights, including patent protection for pharmaceuticals; therefore, it may make it difficult for developing countries to gain access to medicines, especially those countries that are the least developed. This study aims to determine whether implementation of the TRIPS Agreement in Latin American and Caribbean countries has generated patent legislation that is sensitive to public health needs. Legislation in 11 Latin American and Caribbean countries was analysed. The variables considered in the analysis were: the term of patents issued, patentable subject matter, transition periods (that is, time until legislation was enacted), reversal of the burden of proof of patent infringement, exhaustion of rights, compulsory licensing and the early working exception (which allows a country to complete all procedures necessary to register a generic product before the original patent expires). By 2000, all of the countries studied had reformed their legislation to conform to the agreement. Brazil and Argentina used the transition period until 2005 to grant patents in the pharmaceutical industry. All countries, except Panama, made use of the safeguards and flexibilities available through the agreement by including mechanisms for compulsory licensing in their legislation. Argentina; Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela (countries that represented the Andean community); the Dominican Republic; and Panama included mechanisms to allow parallel importation. Mexico did not. Brazil only permits parallel importation after a compulsory licence has been issued. The early working exception is included in legislation in Brazil and the Dominican Republic. The countries in this study did not incorporate all of the mechanisms allowed for by the Agreement and are not adequately using the provisions that enable World Trade Organization (WTO) members to obtain better health for the public, particularly in regard to gaining access to medicines. This situation may deteriorate in future if other agreements establish more restrictive rules for intellectual property rights.

EMS Systems in Lower-Middle Income Countries: A Literature Review.

PubMed

Suryanto; Plummer, Virginia; Boyle, Malcolm

2017-02-01

Introduction Prehospital care is one of the many issues that require addressing by lower-middle income countries (LMICs) where approximately 90% of global injuries occur. This may arise from more traffic in LMICs, poor road conditions, lack of public awareness of the importance of road safety, and the lack of ability to provide first aid to the victims. However, prehospital care in LMICs remains underdeveloped. Problem There is insufficient evidence regarding the development of prehospital care among LMICs. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the status of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems in these countries. A review of medical-related electronic databases was designed to identify the development of EMS systems in LMICs. A search of the literature was undertaken using three electronic databases, CINAHL, Ovid Medline, and EMBASE via Ovid, from their commencement date until the end of July 2015. The grey literature was searched using Google Scholar. Articles were included if they reported on the establishment and current status of an EMS system and were excluded if they were letters to the editor, articles focusing on disaster management, a combination of more than one country if the other country was not a LMIC, written in a language other than English or Bahasa Indonesia, and/or focusing only on in-hospital care. There were 337 articles identified in CINAHL, 731 in Ovid Medline, 891 in EMBASE via Ovid, and 41 in Google Scholar. Based on the title and abstract, 31 articles from CINAHL, 40 from Ovid Medline, 43 from EMBASE, and 11 from Google Scholar were retrieved for further review. There were 92 articles that met the inclusion criteria with 35 articles removed, as they were duplicated, leaving 57 articles to be reviewed. From those 48 countries categorized as LMICs, there were 16 (33.3%) countries that had information about an EMS system, including injury types, patient demographic, prehospital transport, and the obstacles in implementing the prehospital care system. The implementation and development of an EMS system is varied among LMICs. Many LMICs lack an organized EMS system with most ambulances used purely for transport and not as an emergency care vehicle. Financial issues are the most common problems faced by LMICs with support from developed countries a necessity. Suryanto , Plummer V , Boyle M . EMS systems in lower-middle income countries: a literature review. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(1):64-70.

Review of Ordering Don't Resuscitate in Iranian Dying Patients.

PubMed

Cheraghi, Mohammad Ali; Bahramnezhad, Fatemeh; Mehrdad, Neda

2018-06-01

Making decision on not to resuscitate is a confusing, conflicting and complex issue and depends on each country's culture and customs. Therefore, each country needs to take action in accordance with its cultural, ethical, religious and legal contexts to develop guidelines in this regard. Since the majority of Iran's people are Muslims, and in Islam, the human life is considered sacred, based on the values of the community, an Iranian Islamic agenda needs to be developed not taking measures about resuscitation of dying patients. It is necessary to develop an Iranian Islamic guidelines package in order to don't resuscitate in dying patients.

Bringing diagnostics to developing countries: an interview with Rosanna Peeling.

PubMed

Peeling, Rosanna

2015-01-01

Interview with Professor Rosanna Peeling, PhD by Claire Raison (Commissioning Editor) Professor Rosanna Peeling is Chair of Diagnostic Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (London, UK) and founded the International Diagnostics Centre at the institution. Professor Peeling previously worked for the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland, and continues to work on innovations for molecular diagnostics for point-of-care use in developing countries, addressing challenges posed by lack of funding and resources, regulatory issues and under-developed healthcare systems in these locations. Here, she discusses her career, recent progress in the field and how connectivity will affect global healthcare.

Three-dimensional Printing in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Ibrahim, Ahmed M. S.; Jose, Rod R.; Rabie, Amr N.; Gerstle, Theodore L.; Lee, Bernard T.

2015-01-01

Summary: The advent of 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology has facilitated the creation of customized objects. The lack of regulation in developing countries renders conventional means of addressing various healthcare issues challenging. 3D printing may provide a venue for addressing many of these concerns in an inexpensive and easily accessible fashion. These may potentially include the production of basic medical supplies, vaccination beads, laboratory equipment, and prosthetic limbs. As this technology continues to improve and prices are reduced, 3D printing has the potential ability to promote initiatives across the entire developing world, resulting in improved surgical care and providing a higher quality of healthcare to its residents. PMID:26301132

Three-dimensional Printing in Developing Countries.

PubMed

Ibrahim, Ahmed M S; Jose, Rod R; Rabie, Amr N; Gerstle, Theodore L; Lee, Bernard T; Lin, Samuel J

2015-07-01

The advent of 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology has facilitated the creation of customized objects. The lack of regulation in developing countries renders conventional means of addressing various healthcare issues challenging. 3D printing may provide a venue for addressing many of these concerns in an inexpensive and easily accessible fashion. These may potentially include the production of basic medical supplies, vaccination beads, laboratory equipment, and prosthetic limbs. As this technology continues to improve and prices are reduced, 3D printing has the potential ability to promote initiatives across the entire developing world, resulting in improved surgical care and providing a higher quality of healthcare to its residents.

JPRS Report, East Asia; Southeast Asia.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-10

Oct] 22 ECONOMIC Mahathir Says Country To Build Planes by 2020 [UTUSAN MALAYSIA 11 Oct] 22 Failure To Achieve Incorporation Lamented [UTUSAN...be able to handle this issue with patience and effectiveness. ECONOMIC Mahathir Says Country To Build Planes by 2020 92SE0058B Kuala Lumpur...UTUSANMALAYSIA in Malay 11 Oct 91 p 26 [Text] Jitra, 10 Oct—Prime Minister Datuk Serf Dr. Mahathir Mohamad says that by 2020 Malaysia will be a developed

International trends in health science librarianship: Part 2--Northern Europe.

PubMed

Dollfuss, Helmut; Bauer, Bruno; Declève, Ghislaine; Verhaaren, Henri; Utard-Wlerick, Guillemette; Bakker, Suzanne; Leclerq, Edith; Murphy, Jeannette

2012-06-01

This is the third in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country--viz. Austria, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. Future issues will track trends in the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America. JM. © 2012 The authors. Health Information and Libraries Journal © 2012 Health Libraries Group.

Workshop on Spanning Regional-to-Global Pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, Anne M.; Newman, Paul A.; Gleason, James F.; Brune, William H.; Dickerson, Russell R.

2002-01-01

Pollution is often considered a localized phenomenon, but it is now clear that it travels from region-to-region, country to country, and even continent to continent. In addition to urban pollution in developed countries, large emissions from developing nations and large-scale biomass fires add to the global pollution burden. Ozone and aerosols are two components of pollution that contribute to radiative forcing of the earth s climate. In turn, as climate changes, rates of chemical and microphysical reactions may be perturbed. Considering the earth as a coupled chemical-microphysical-climate system poses challenges for models and observations alike. These issues were the topic of a Workshop held in May 2002 at NASA GSFC s Laboratory for Atmospheres. Highlights of the Workshop are summarized in this article.

The development of PROQOL-HIV: an international instrument to assess the health-related quality of life of persons living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Duracinsky, Martin; Herrmann, Susan; Berzins, Baiba; Armstrong, Andrew R; Kohli, Rewa; Le Coeur, Sophie; Diouf, Assane; Fournier, Isabelle; Schechter, Mauro; Chassany, Olivier

2012-04-15

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important outcome in HIV/AIDS infection and treatment. However, most existing HIV-HRQL instruments miss important issues (eg, sleeping problems, lipodystrophy). They were developed before highly active antiretroviral therapy (pre-HAART), and in a single language. We sought to develop a contemporary HIV-HRQL instrument (PROQOL-HIV) in multiple languages that accounts for HAART treatment and side effects. This article details the 3-stage content validation phase of PROQOL-HIV. In stage 1, we developed a conceptual model of HIV-HRQL and questionnaire item bank from thematic analysis of 152 patient interviews conducted simultaneously across 9 countries. In stage 2, pilot items were selected by an expert panel to form the pilot instrument. Stage 3 involved linguistic validation and harmonization of selected items to form an equivalent instrument in 9 target languages. Analysis of 3375 pages of interview text revealed 11 underlying themes: general health perception, social relationships, emotions, energy/fatigue, sleep, cognitive functioning, physical and daily activity, coping, future, symptoms, and treatment. Seven issues new to HIV-HRQL measurement were subsumed by these themes: infection fears, future concerns, satisfaction with care, self-esteem problems, sleep problems, work disruption, and treatment issues. Of the 442 theme-related items banked, 70 items met the retention criteria and formed the pilot PROQOL-HIV instrument. HIV patients across 11 countries attributed a wide range of physical, mental, and social issues to their condition, many of which were not measured by existing HIV-HRQL instruments. The pilot PROQOL-HIV instrument captures these issues, is sensitive to sociocultural context, disease stage, and HAART.

KNOW ESSENTIALS: a tool for informed decisions in the absence of formal HTA systems.

PubMed

Mathew, Joseph L

2011-04-01

Most developing countries and resource-limited settings lack robust health technology assessment (HTA) systems. Because the development of locally relevant HTA is not immediately viable, and the extrapolation of external HTA is inappropriate, a new model for evaluating health technologies is required. The aim of this study was to describe the development and application of KNOW ESSENTIALS, a tool facilitating evidence-based decisions on health technologies by stakeholders in settings lacking formal HTA systems. Current HTA methodology was examined through literature search. Additional issues relevant to resource-limited settings, but not adequately addressed in current methodology, were identified through further literature search, appraisal of contextually relevant issues, discussion with healthcare professionals familiar with the local context, and personal experience. A set of thirteen elements important for evidence-based decisions was identified, selected and combined into a tool with the mnemonic KNOW ESSENTIALS. Detailed definitions for each element, coding for the elements, and a system to evaluate a given health technology using the tool were developed. Developing countries and resource-limited settings face several challenges to informed decision making. Models that are relevant and applicable in high-income countries are unlikely in such settings. KNOW ESSENTIALS is an alternative that facilitates evidence-based decision making by stakeholders without formal expertise in HTA. The tool could be particularly useful, as an interim measure, in healthcare systems that are developing HTA capacity. It could also be useful anywhere when rapid evidence-based decisions on health technologies are required.

Collaborative international research: ethical and regulatory issues pertaining to human biological materials at a South African institutional research ethics committee.

PubMed

Sathar, Aslam; Dhai, Amaboo; van der Linde, Stephan

2014-12-01

Human Biological Materials (HBMs) are an invaluable resource in biomedical research. To determine if researchers and a Research Ethics Committee (REC) at a South African institution addressed ethical issues pertaining to HBMs in collaborative research with developed countries. Ethically approved retrospective cross-sectional descriptive audit. Of the 1305 protocols audited, 151 (11.57%) fulfilled the study's inclusion criteria. Compared to other developed countries, a majority of sponsors (90) were from the USA (p = 0.0001). The principle investigators (PIs) in all 151 protocols informed the REC of their intent to store HBMs. Only 132 protocols informed research participants (P < 0.0001). In 148 protocols informed consent (IC) was obtained from research participants, 116 protocols (76.8%) solicited broad consent compared to specific consent (32; 21.2%) [p < 0.0001]. In 105 cases a code was used to maintain confidentiality. HBMs were anonymised in 14 protocols [p < 0.0001]. More protocols informed the REC (90) than the research participants (67) that HBMs would be exported (p = 0.011). Export permits (EPs) and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs) were not available in 109 and 143 protocols, respectively. Researchers and the REC did not adequately address the inter-related ethical and regulatory issues pertaining to HBMs. There was a lack of congruence between the ethical guidelines of developed countries and their actions which are central to the access to HBMs in collaborative research. HBMs may be leaving South Africa without EPs and MTAs during the process of international collaborative research. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Hotspot for (Global) One Health in Primary Food Production: Aflatoxin M1 in Dairy Products.

PubMed

Frazzoli, Chiara; Gherardi, Paola; Saxena, Navneet; Belluzzi, Giancarlo; Mantovani, Alberto

2016-01-01

One Health involves the multifaceted environment-animal-human web: nevertheless, the role of toxicological issues has yet to be fully explored in this context. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) contamination of feeds is a risk for the health of several farm animals, including fishes; milk is the only food of animal origin where a significant feed-food carry over may occur. The main AFB1-related compound present in milk is the hydroxy-metabolite aflatoxin M1 (AFM1). Besides contamination of raw milk, AFM1 is of concern for the whole dairy chain; AFM1 may also contaminate the milk of several other ruminants used for milk/dairy production. In a One Health perspective, milk represents a sentinel matrix for AFB1 vulnerability of the agro-food system, that is crucial in a phase when food/nutritional security becomes a global issue and climatic changes may affect agricultural productions. In the global setting, food chain exposure to long-term toxicants, such as AFM1, is a growing concern for economically developing countries, whereas global trade and climatic change makes AFM1 an emerging hot issue in economically developed countries as well. We critically review the state of the art on AFM1 risk assessment and risk management using two scenarios as case studies: a European Union country where the health system aims at ensuring a high-level protection of food chain (Italy) and the world's largest (and economically developing) producer of dairy products by volume (India). The case studies are used to provide building blocks for a global One Health framework.

Evolution, opportunity and challenges of transboundary water and energy problems in Central Asia.

PubMed

Guo, Lidan; Zhou, Haiwei; Xia, Ziqiang; Huang, Feng

2016-01-01

Central Asia is one of the regions that suffer the most prominent transboundary water and energy problems in the world. Effective transboundary water-energy resource management and cooperation are closely related with socioeconomic development and stability in the entire Central Asia. Similar to Central Asia, Northwest China has an arid climate and is experiencing a water shortage. It is now facing imbalanced supply-demand relations of water and energy resources. These issues in Northwest China and Central Asia pose severe challenges in the implementation of the Silk Road Economic Belt strategy. Based on the analysis of water and energy distribution characteristics in Central Asia as well as demand characteristics of different countries, the complexity of local transboundary water problems was explored by reviewing corresponding historical problems of involved countries, correlated energy issues, and the evolution of inter-country water-energy cooperation. With references to experiences and lessons of five countries, contradictions, opportunities, challenges and strategies for transboundary water-energy cooperation between China and Central Asia were discussed under the promotion of the Silk Road Economic Belt construction based on current cooperation conditions.

Capacity for ethical and regulatory review of herbal trials in developing countries: a case study of Moringa oleifera research in HIV-infected patients.

PubMed

Monera-Penduka, Tsitsi G; Maponga, Charles C; Morse, Gene D; Nhachi, Charles F B

2017-01-01

Lack of regulatory capacity limits the conduct of ethical and rigorous trials of herbal medicines in developing countries. Sharing ethical and regulatory experiences of successful herbal trials may accelerate the field while assuring human subjects protection. The methods and timelines for the ethical and regulatory review processes for the first drug regulatory authority approved herbal trial in Zimbabwe are described in this report. The national drug regulatory authority and ethics committee were engaged for pre-submission discussions. Six applications were submitted. Application procedures and communications with the various regulatory and ethics review boards were reviewed. Key issues raised and timelines for communications were summarized. There was no special framework for the approval of herbal trials. One local institutional review committee granted an exemption. Key issues raised for revision were around pre-clinical efficacy and safety data, standardization and quality assurance of the intervention as well as consenting procedures. Approval timelines ranged between eight and 72 weeks. In the absence of a defined framework for review of herbal trials, approval processes can be delayed. Dialogue between researchers and regulators is important for successful and efficient protocol approval for herbal trials in developing countries. The study was registered prospectively on August 3, 2011 with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01410058).

Ethical issues in research in low-income countries.

PubMed

Benatar, S R; Fleischer, T E

2007-06-01

During the twentieth century, spectacular developments in science, technology and medical practice coupled with economic growth have transformed health care and improved the lives of many people. Despite such progress, the world today is more inequitable than it was 50 years ago: disparities in wealth and health are widening inexorably, and infectious diseases are again becoming a major scourge and pose a threat to the lives of all. Hundreds of millions of people live in degrading poverty, with little, if any, access to health care. Recognition of this context in which much research takes place should sharpen our focus on the ethical requirements for research that could improve the health of a greater proportion of the world's population--one of the most pressing moral problems of our time. The intense debate on ethical dilemmas associated with an expanding programme of clinical research in developing countries has revealed much common ground, but has also left a residuum of controversy. We suggest that contested issues could be resolved by paying greater attention to different world views on the relationship between research and clinical care and by defining policies that both progressively improve the standard of care in research and link research to improved delivery of health care in developing countries.

Research during medical school: is it particularly difficult in developing countries compared to developed countries?

PubMed Central

Siddaiah-Subramanya, Manjunath; Singh, Harveen; Tiang, Kor Woi

2017-01-01

Objectives Medical student involvement in research has been declining over the years. We reviewed the factors that hinder participation in research with a focus on developing countries. Methods Literature search was performed using PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library. Peer-reviewed articles published between 1995 and 2017 were screened for relevance to identify key factors affecting medical student involvement in research with a particular focus on developing world. Analytical review is presented here in this article in relation to commonly reported aspects related to research during medical school. Results This search revealed varied contributing factors that hinder students’ growth and interest in research. It commonly highlighted few aspects in relation to research during medical school, and they were “variability in research uptake among students and issues related to them, their knowledge and attitude toward research and organizational input and its influence on students”. Conclusion While early introduction to research by inculcating a mindset aimed at research has been proposed, it has not been seen in practice during either the medical school or beyond to an extent that was expected. It appears that developing countries, while they share some of the reasons with developed countries, have their own set of difficulties, which are influenced by culture, beliefs and priorities. PMID:29180910

Bucharest: poverty or population?

PubMed

1974-01-01

The controversy that occurred in Bucharest over the World Population Plan of Action had not been totally anticipated. Prior to the Conference, there appeared to be a general consensus that population growth was the crucial issue although it was recognized that population growth had to be considered in the context of socioeconomic and cultural development. What developed at Bucharest was a clear division between the developed countries who favored population control and implementation of family planning programs by 1986 and the developing countries who rejected the idea of population control unless it was associated with the redistribution of world resources. The reality of people having large families because they are poor cannot be denied, but, simultaneously, the problem of increasing numbers and their impact on the quality of life, nutrition, housing, education, and employment must be faced. Since affluent countries cannot be relied upon concerning the redistribution of their wealth, developing countries can bring about some change by redistributing the wealth within their countries. Adult literacy programs have been identified as a means to promote socioeconomic development, but these programs will only prove successful if they involve the adults in the process of learning by means of problem solving and cause them to reflect on their socioeconomic situation with the result of reinvolving themselves in society in order to change it.

Putting an End to Diarrhoeal Diseases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fricker, Jacques

1993-01-01

Focusing on health issues in developing countries, this journal presents information about diarrhoeal diseases and related health problems. The journal is divided into the following sections: (1) "Intestinal Absorption of Water and Electrolytes"; (2) "Diagnosis of Infectious Diarrhoea"; (3) "Hydration and…

Sexuality Education--What Is It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning, 2016

2016-01-01

This policy brief developed by the European Expert Group on Sexuality Education provides an overview of key issues in sexuality education. It focuses primarily on sexuality education in Europe and Central Asia but is also relevant to countries outside of these regions.

Weaning Foods.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauliac, Michel; And Others

1987-01-01

Described in this issue of "Children in the Tropics" are handicraft, semi-industrial, and industrial projects which produce weaning foods in developing countries. The introductory section briefly discusses the global epidemiology of malnutrition and offers guidelines for combatting malnutrition. Chapter I provides a framework for…

Overview of legislation on sewage sludge management in developed countries worldwide.

PubMed

Christodoulou, A; Stamatelatou, K

2016-01-01

The need to apply innovative technologies for maximizing the efficiency and minimizing the carbon footprint of sewage treatment plants has upgraded sewage sludge management to a highly sophisticated research and development sector. Sewage sludge cannot be regarded solely as 'waste'; it is a renewable resource for energy and material recovery. From this perspective, legislation on sewage sludge management tends to incorporate issues related to environmental protection, public health, climate change impacts and socio-economic benefits. This paper reviews the existing legislative frameworks and policies on sewage sludge management in various countries, highlighting the common ground as well as the different priorities in all cases studied. More specifically, the key features of legislation regarding sludge management in developed countries such as the USA, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union (EU27) are discussed.

Designing Targeted Educational Voucher Schemes for the Poor in Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafiq, M. Najeeb

2010-02-01

A targeted educational voucher scheme (TEVS) is often proposed for the poor in developing countries. Essentially, TEVS involves issuing vouchers to poor households, thus enabling them to pay tuition and fees for their children's schooling at participating non-public schools. However, little is known about TEVS' design in developing countries. This article provides the foundation for constructing a TEVS and conducting subsequent scientific evaluations to support, modify or oppose such a system. Specifically, this article uses three policy instruments to design a TEVS: regulation, support services and finance. Regulation here refers to the rules that must be adhered to by participating households, children and schools. Support services refer to services facilitating the participation of children, households, schools, and financial and political supporters. Finance refers to the value of each voucher, total TEVS costs and sources of finance.

Maternal mortality in developing countries: challenges in scaling-up priority interventions.

PubMed

Prata, Ndola; Passano, Paige; Sreenivas, Amita; Gerdts, Caitlin Elisabeth

2010-03-01

Although maternal mortality is a significant global health issue, achievements in mortality decline to date have been inadequate. A review of the interventions targeted at maternal mortality reduction demonstrates that most developing countries face tremendous challenges in the implementation of these interventions, including the availability of unreliable data and the shortage in human and financial resources, as well as limited political commitment. Examples from developing countries, such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Honduras, demonstrate that maternal mortality will decline when appropriate strategies are in place. Such achievable strategies need to include redoubled commitments on the part of local, national and global political bodies, concrete investments in high-yield and cost-effective interventions and the delegation of some clinical tasks from higher-level healthcare providers to mid- or lower-level healthcare providers, as well as improved health-management information systems.

An International Comparison of Female and Male Students' Attitudes to the Use of Animals.

PubMed

Phillips, Clive; Izmirli, Serdar; Aldavood, Javid; Alonso, Marta; Choe, Bi; Hanlon, Alison; Handziska, Anastasija; Illmann, Gudrun; Keeling, Linda; Kennedy, Mark; Lee, Gwi; Lund, Vonne; Mejdell, Cecilie; Pelagic, Veselinas; Rehn, Therese

2010-12-09

Previous research has demonstrated that in households where the male partner is more dominant, there is convergence in male and female attitudes towards animals, whereas if the female partner is empowered they exhibit greater empathy towards animals than the male partner. We tested this theory of 'female empowered empathy' internationally in a survey of female and male students' attitudes towards use of animals, conducted in 11 Eurasian countries: China, Czech Republic, Great Britain, Iran, Ireland, South Korea, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Spain and Sweden. Gender empowerment was estimated for each country using the Gender Empowerment Measure designed by the United Nations. The survey was administered via the internet in universities within countries, and 1,902 female and 1,530 male student responses from 102 universities were received. Respondents rated the acceptability of 43 major concerns about human use of animals, and the importance of 13 world social issues, including animal protection, environmental protection and sustainable development. Females had greater concern for animal welfare and rights than males. There was a positive correlation between the Gender Empowerment Measure and the ratio of female to male concern for animal welfare and rights, but not for other world issues. Thus in countries where females were more empowered, principally Sweden, Norway and Great Britain, females had much greater concern than males for animal issues, whereas in other countries the responses of males and females were more similar. Across countries female students were more likely to avoid meat and less likely to avoid eggs, milk and seafood than male students, and were more likely to have kept pets than males. Females rated cats as more sentient than males did. The results demonstrate that females have greater concern for animal welfare and rights than males, and that this is more likely to be expressed in countries where females are relatively empowered, suggesting that 'emancipated female empathy' operates across countries as well as at a local level.

Development of the EORTC QLQ-CAX24, A Questionnaire for Cancer Patients With Cachexia.

PubMed

Wheelwright, Sally J; Hopkinson, Jane B; Darlington, Anne-Sophie; Fitzsimmons, Deborah F; Fayers, Peter; Balstad, Trude R; Bredart, Anne; Hammerlid, Eva; Kaasa, Stein; Nicolatou-Galitis, Ourania; Pinto, Monica; Schmidt, Heike; Solheim, Tora S; Strasser, Florian; Tomaszewska, Iwona M; Johnson, Colin D

2017-02-01

Cachexia is commonly found in cancer patients and has profound consequences; yet there is only one questionnaire that examines the patient's perspective. To report a rigorously developed module for patient self-reported impact of cancer cachexia. Module development followed published guidelines. Patients from across the cancer cachexia trajectory were included. In Phase 1, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) issues were generated from a literature review and interviews with patients in four countries. The issues were revised based on patient and health care professional (HCP) input. In Phase 2, questionnaire items were formulated and translated into the languages required for Phase 3, the pilot phase, in which patients from eight countries scored the relevance and importance of each item, and provided qualitative feedback. A total of 39 patients and 12 HCPs took part in Phase 1. The literature review produced 68 HRQOL issues, with 22 new issues arising from the patient interviews. After patient and HCP input, 44 issues were formulated into questionnaire items in Phase 2. One hundred ten patients took part in Phase 3. One item was reworded, and 20 items were deleted as a consequence of patient feedback. The QLQ-CAX24 is a cancer cachexia-specific questionnaire, comprising 24 items, for HRQOL assessment in clinical trials and practice. It contains five multi-item scales (food aversion, eating and weight-loss worry, eating difficulties, loss of control, and physical decline) and four single items. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Conceptual Model of Sustainable Development of the Rural Sector

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belyaeva, Galina I.; Ermoshkina, Ekaterina N.; Sukhinina, Veronika V.; Starikova, Lyudmila D.; Pecherskaya, Evelina P.

2016-01-01

On the one hand, the relevance of the studied issue is determined by growing lag of rural territorial units in socioeconomic development, and one the other by their significance in such important aspects of the country, as ensuring food supply security, preservation of the available land, production, ecological, demographic and human potential.…

Research on Adolescent Sexual Orientation: Development, Health Disparities, Stigma, and Resilience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saewyc, Elizabeth M.

2011-01-01

The decade between 1998 and 2008 saw rapid increases in research on adolescent sexual orientation development and related health issues, both in the quantity and in the quality of studies. While much of the research originated in North America, studies from other countries also contributed to emerging understanding of developmental trajectories…

Sustainable Development by Instinct, Challenges, and Opportunities in the Decade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Gary; Abdullah, Khaeril Zach

2005-01-01

Asian countries are charatericised by great variations in their human and economic development indices. Malaysia is no different, and before learning takes place, one has to deal with the diversity and complexity of audience and the range of environmental issues. This article aims to highlight the response of citizens towards the United Nations…

Technology in Schools: Education, ICT and the Knowledge Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hepp, Pedro; Hinostroza, J. Enrique; Laval, Ernesto; Rehbein, Lucio

2004-01-01

This document offers examples and insights on a number of issues that are relevant to policy-makers in developing countries. A particular effort has been made to demonstrate that introducing ICT into the schools, without a proper staff development plan and without a pedagogical perspective, is a low-return investment. Technology is still expensive…

Youth Organizing: From Youth Development to School Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warren, Mark R.; Mira, Meredith; Nikundiwe, Thomas

2008-01-01

Over the past twenty years, youth organizing has grown across the country. Through organizing, young people identify issues of concern and mobilize their peers to build action campaigns to achieve their objectives. Youth organizing has been appreciated for its contributions to youth and community development. The authors use two case studies to…

Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Human Development: Theory, Research and Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saraswathi, T. S., Ed.

This book is based on lectures delivered by 12 cross-cultural social science scholars drawn from 7 countries to address critical issues related to knowledge construction in human development and allied disciplines. The book is organized into two major sections. Section 1 focuses on theoretical perspectives and Section 2 highlights ongoing research…

Demographic development in ASEAN: a comparative overview.

PubMed

Herrin, A N; Pardoko, H; Lim, L L; Hongladorom, C

1981-01-01

A comparative overview of recent demographic developments in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region is presented. Countries discussed include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Separate consideration is given to mortality; fertility; and migration, spatial distribution, and employment. A final section is concerned with emerging issues and directions for population policy.

Green IT Model for IT Departments in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Organisations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albahlal, Abdulaziz

2016-01-01

Environmental problems such as climate change, pollution, non-sustainable energy, resource depletion, and recycling Information Technology (IT) devices considered the biggest glitches which are facing developed and developing countries. IT devices have become a critical issue due to the great amount of environmental damage caused by IT companies…

Background: Energy's holy grail. [The quest for controlled fusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This article presents a brief history of the pursuit and development of fusion as a power source. Starting with the 1950s through the present, the research efforts of the US and other countries is highlighted, including a chronology of hey developments. Other topics discussed include cold fusion and magnetic versus inertial fusion issues.

Inquiry-Based Practical Work in Physical Sciences: Equitable Access and Social Justice Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsakeni, Maria

2018-01-01

Physical sciences education comes with high expectations for learners to be successfully placed in tertiary institutions in related fields, and developing countries' aspirations to develop advanced and specialised skills to drive economies. However, some of the prevailing instructional strategies in science classrooms work to marginalise learners.…

Is There a "New Rural Policy" in OECD Countries?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryden, John M.

There was a notable transition in the nature, content, and administration of rural policies in many developed nations in the 1980s and 1990s. These changes concerned issues of governance and institutional framework, the definition of "development," and policy goals and content. A key question, however, concerns the extent to which shifts…

Supervision to Enhance Educational and Vocational Guidance Practice: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Hazel L.

2010-01-01

Supervision to support the work of career practitioners is evident in many countries, but is not universal. This author presents a literature review, intending to emphasise the prime importance of developing supervision for guidance work. The author also considers the issues facing those training to develop the role of supervisors in southeast…

Education and Youth Employment in Less Developed Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medina, Alberto Hernandez; And Others

The education/employment situations of young people in Mexico and South Asia are examined as part of a project to broaden perspectives on social, educational, and employment issues in developing nations. In Mexico, economic growth between 1940 and 1970 was considerably greater than achievement of social goals such as full employment and…

A Modular Approach for Training Employees in the Automotive Service Sector: A Case Study in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Ridvan; Kus, Abdil

2012-01-01

Certified education aimed at developing and documenting professional growth is an important issue for lifelong learning in developing countries. Some firms and educational institutions have applied different educational models to keep up with technological innovations. This study examines a Turkish programme for employees in the automotive sector…

Financing Albanian Higher Education: Growth between the Public and Private Sectors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pere, Engjell; Minxhozi, Luljeta

2011-01-01

In many countries, reforms in higher education have follow-on effects on social and economic development. This article relates mainly to economic and financial issues regarding the development of higher education. Starting from the notable increase in demand for higher education and the budgetary constraints on public education financing, we argue…

Is rangeland agriculture sustainable?

PubMed

Heitschmidt, R K; Vermeire, L T; Grings, E E

2004-01-01

The objective of this paper is to examine the sustainability of rangeland agriculture (i.e., managed grazing) on a world-wide basis, with a focus on North America. Sustainability is addressed on three fronts: 1) ecological, 2) economic, and 3) social acceptance. Based on previous and on-going research, we suggest that employment of science-based rangeland grazing management strategies and tactics can ensure ecological sustainability. The formidable challenge in employing such technology centers around the need to balance efficiency of solar energy capture and subsequent harvest efficiencies across an array of highly spatially and temporally variable vegetation growing conditions using animals that graze selectively. Failure to meet this fundamental challenge often accelerates rangeland desertification processes, and in some instances, enhances rate and extent of the invasion of noxious weeds. We also suggest that the fundamental reason that ecologically sound grazing management technologies are often not employed in the management of grazed ecological systems is because social values drive management decisions more so than ecological science issues. This is true in both well-developed societies with substantial economic resources and in less-developed societies with few economic resources. However, the social issues driving management are often entirely different, ranging from multiple-use issues in developed countries to human day-to-day survival issues in poorly developed countries. We conclude that the long-term sustainability of rangeland agriculture in 1) developed societies depends on the ability of rangeland agriculturalists to continually respond in a dynamic, positive, proactive manner to ever-changing social values and 2) less-developed societies on their ability to address the ecological and social consequences arising from unsustainable human populations before the adoption of science-based sustainable rangeland management technologies.

Internet Performance Analysis of South Asian Countries Using End-to-End Internet Performance Measurements

DOE PAGES

Ali, Saqib; Wang, Guojun; Cottrell, Roger Leslie; ...

2018-05-28

Internet performance is highly correlated with key economic development metrics of a region. According to World Bank, the economic growth of a country increases 1.3% with a 10% increase in the speed of the Internet. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and understand the performance of the Internet links in the region. It helps to figure out the infrastructural inefficiencies, poor resource allocation, and routing issues in the region. Moreover, it provides healthy suggestions for future upgrades. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to understand the Internet performance and routing infrastructure of South Asian countries in comparison to themore » developed world and neighboring countries using end-to-end Internet performance measurements. The South Asian countries comprise nearly 32% of the Internet users in Asia and nearly 16% of the world. The Internet performance metrics in the region are collected through the PingER framework. The framework is developed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, USA and is running for the last 20 years. PingER has 16 monitoring nodes in the region, and in the last year PingER monitors about 40 sites in South Asia using the ubiquitous ping facility. The collected data is used to estimate the key Internet performance metrics of South Asian countries. The performance metrics are compared with the neighboring countries and the developed world. Particularly, the TCP throughput of the countries is also correlated with different development indices. Further, worldwide Internet connectivity and routing patterns of the countries are investigated to figure out the inconsistencies in the region. Furthermore, the performance analysis revealed that the South Asia region is 7-10 years behind the developed regions of North America (USA and Canada), Europe, and East Asia.« less

Internet Performance Analysis of South Asian Countries Using End-to-End Internet Performance Measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ali, Saqib; Wang, Guojun; Cottrell, Roger Leslie

Internet performance is highly correlated with key economic development metrics of a region. According to World Bank, the economic growth of a country increases 1.3% with a 10% increase in the speed of the Internet. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and understand the performance of the Internet links in the region. It helps to figure out the infrastructural inefficiencies, poor resource allocation, and routing issues in the region. Moreover, it provides healthy suggestions for future upgrades. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to understand the Internet performance and routing infrastructure of South Asian countries in comparison to themore » developed world and neighboring countries using end-to-end Internet performance measurements. The South Asian countries comprise nearly 32% of the Internet users in Asia and nearly 16% of the world. The Internet performance metrics in the region are collected through the PingER framework. The framework is developed by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, USA and is running for the last 20 years. PingER has 16 monitoring nodes in the region, and in the last year PingER monitors about 40 sites in South Asia using the ubiquitous ping facility. The collected data is used to estimate the key Internet performance metrics of South Asian countries. The performance metrics are compared with the neighboring countries and the developed world. Particularly, the TCP throughput of the countries is also correlated with different development indices. Further, worldwide Internet connectivity and routing patterns of the countries are investigated to figure out the inconsistencies in the region. Furthermore, the performance analysis revealed that the South Asia region is 7-10 years behind the developed regions of North America (USA and Canada), Europe, and East Asia.« less

Global health and transfusion medicine: education and training in developing countries.

PubMed

Eichbaum, Quentin; Shan, Hua; Goncalez, Thelma T; Duits, A J; Knox, Patricia; Reilly, Jim; Andrews, David

2014-07-01

Education and training in transfusion medicine have improved over the past decade in developing countries but are still generally deficient for the purpose of maintaining the safety of the global blood supply. In 2009, the World Health Organization global database on blood safety indicated that only 72% of countries in the world were able to meet their training needs necessary for maintaining the safety of their local blood supply. Educational approaches in transfusion medicine vary widely between continents and world regions. In this article, we summarize a session on global health education and training in developing countries that took place at the 2012 AABB conference. The panel consisted of transfusion representatives from South America (Brazil), Asia (China), Africa (South Africa), and the Caribbean (Curaçao), as well as a description of capacitation issues in postearthquake Haiti and the pivotal role of the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in transfusion training and education in Africa. We present here summaries of each of these panel presentations. © 2014 AABB.

Ethical questions regarding health insurance in India.

PubMed

Mathur, Vineesh

2011-01-01

Improved health and healthcare are of vital concern to the welfare of Indian society. The nascent health insurance system of the country is experiencing an explosive expansion and various models of health insurance provision are under trial by different agencies. Since the country has been relatively late in introducing health insurance, it can study the effects of different systems of healthcare and insurance and develop a system of health coverage which addresses the unique social character of our country as well as the ethical questions of comprehensiveness and inclusion. This article seeks to explore these issues in detail.

Global climate change: A strategic issue facing Illinois

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Womeldorff, P.J.

1995-12-31

This paper discusses global climate change, summarizes activities related to climate change, and identifies possible outcomes of the current debate on the subject. Aspects of climate change related to economic issues are very briefly summarized; it is suggested that the end result will be a change in lifestyle in developed countries. International activities, with an emphasis on the Framework Convention on Climate Change, and U.S. activities are outlined. It is recommended that the minimum action required is to work to understand the issue and prepare for possible action.

Tobacco Control and the World Trade Organization: Mapping Member States’ Positions after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

PubMed Central

Holden, Chris; Callard, Cynthia

2016-01-01

Objective To note the frequency of discussions and disputes about tobacco control measures at the World Trade Organization (WTO) before and after the coming into force of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). To review trends or patterns in the positions taken by members of the WTO with respect to tobacco control measures. To discuss possible explanations for these observed trends/patterns. Methods We gathered data on tobacco related disputes in the WTO since its establishment in 1995 and its forerunner, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), prior- and post-FCTC. We also looked at debates on tobacco control measures within the WTO more broadly. To this end, we classified and coded the positions of WTO member states during discussions on tobacco control and the FCTC, from 1995 until 2013, within the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee and the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council. Results There is a growing interest within the WTO for tobacco related issues and opposition to tobacco control measures is moving away from high-income countries towards low(er) income countries. Conclusion The growing prominence of tobacco issues in the WTO can be attributed at least in part to the fact that during the last decade tobacco firms have been marginalised from the domestic policy-making process in many countries, which has forced them to look for other ways and forums to influence decision-making. Furthermore, the finding that almost all recent opposition within the WTO to stronger tobacco regulations came from developing countries is consistent with a relative shift of transnational tobacco companies’ lobbying efforts from developed to developing countries. PMID:26585705

Prevalence of Vitamin A Deficiency in South Asia: Causes, Outcomes, and Possible Remedies

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Anwaar; Randhawa, Muhammad Atif; Atukorala, Sunethra; Arlappa, Nimmathota; Ismail, Tariq; Ali, Zulfiqar

2013-01-01

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) has been recognized as a public-health issue in developing countries. Economic constraints, sociocultural limitations, insufficient dietary intake, and poor absorption leading to depleted vitamin A stores in the body have been regarded as potential determinants of the prevalence of VAD in South Asian developing countries. VAD is exacerbated by lack of education, poor sanitation, absence of new legislation and enforcement of existing food laws, and week monitoring and surveillance system. Several recent estimates confirmed higher morbidly and mortality rate among children and pregnant and non-pregnant women of childbearing age. Xerophthalmia is the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness with its earliest manifestations as night blindness and Bitot's spots, followed by blinding keratomalacia, all of which are the ocular manifestations of VAD. Children need additional vitamin A because they do not consume enough in their normal diet. There are three general ways for improving vitamin A status: supplementation, fortification, and dietary diversification. These approaches have not solved the problem in South Asian countries to the desired extent because of poor governmental support and supervision of vitamin A supplementation twice a year. An extensive review of the extant literature was carried out, and the data under various sections were identified by using a computerized bibliographic search via PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. All abstracts and full-text articles were examined, and the most relevant articles were selected for screening and inclusion in this review. Conclusively, high prevalence of VAD in South Asian developing countries leads to increased morbidity and mortality among infants, children, and pregnant women. Therefore, stern efforts are needed to address this issue of public-health significance at local and international level in lower- and middle-income countries of South Asia. PMID:24592582

'Disease, disaster and despair'? The presentation of health in low- and middle-income countries on Australian television.

PubMed

Imison, Michelle; Chapman, Simon

2010-11-24

In high-income nations mainstream television news remains an important source of information about both general health issues and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, research on news coverage of health in LMICs is scarce. The present paper examines the general features of Australian television coverage of LMIC health issues, testing the hypotheses that this coverage conforms to the general patterns of foreign news reporting in high-income countries and, in particular, that LMIC health coverage will largely reflect Australian interests. We analysed relevant items from May 2005 - December 2009 from the largest health-related television dataset of its kind, classifying each story on the basis of the region(s) it covered, principal content relating to health in LMICs and the presence of an Australian reference point. LMICs that are culturally proximate and politically significant to Australia had higher levels of reportage than more distant and unengaged nations. Items concerning communicable diseases, injury and aspects of child health generally consonant with 'disease, disaster and despair' news frames predominated, with relatively little emphasis given to chronic diseases which are increasingly prevalent in many LMICs. Forty-two percent of LMIC stories had explicit Australian content, such as imported medical expertise or health risk to Australians in LMICs. Media consumers' perceptions of disease burdens in LMICs and of these nations' capacity to identify and manage their own health priorities may be distorted by the major news emphasis on exotic disease, disaster and despair stories. Such perceptions may inhibit the development of appropriate policy emphases in high-income countries. In this context, non-government organisations concerned with international development may find it more difficult to strike a balance between crises and enduring issues in their health programming and fundraising efforts.

The polio endgame.

PubMed

Minor, Philip

2014-01-01

Paralytic poliomyelitis is a disease that became a public health issue at the beginning of the twentieth century and was more or less eliminated in developed countries by the early 1970s. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative of WHO has now eradicated endemic polio from all but three countries although re-introductions occur. The progress in polio eradication is striking and has accelerated over the last few years. It is likely that it will be finally eradicated from the world soon, the looming issue will then be how to stop vaccinating or modify immunization programs safely so that poliomyelitis does not re-emerge. This review article discusses the history and pathogenesis of poliomyelitis. The progress made, and challenges in sustaining the eradication of this debilitating infectious disease are considered.

The polio endgame

PubMed Central

Minor, Philip

2014-01-01

Paralytic poliomyelitis is a disease that became a public health issue at the beginning of the twentieth century and was more or less eliminated in developed countries by the early 1970s. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative of WHO has now eradicated endemic polio from all but three countries although re-introductions occur. The progress in polio eradication is striking and has accelerated over the last few years. It is likely that it will be finally eradicated from the world soon, the looming issue will then be how to stop vaccinating or modify immunization programs safely so that poliomyelitis does not re-emerge. This review article discusses the history and pathogenesis of poliomyelitis. The progress made, and challenges in sustaining the eradication of this debilitating infectious disease are considered. PMID:25608050

Interface: The UN Speaks to American Educators. The Major Speeches by UN Officials at the "Global Crossroads" National Assembly, Washington, DC, May 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhagat, Susheila R., Ed.

Development education, the process of sensitizing citizens of industrialized countries to the problems of the third world, and related issues of global development, has gained acceptance among educators in recent years. To respond to this global approach to development, a National Assembly ("Global Crossroads: Educating Americans for…

Sustaining and Scaling Up Pedagogic Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Grounded Insights for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassler, Bjoern; Hennessy, Sara; Hofmann, Riikka

2018-01-01

Developing sustainable and scalable educational initiatives is a key challenge in low-income countries where donor-funded short-term projects are limited by both contextual factors and programme design. In this commentary we examine some of the issues related to in-service teacher development in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, grounded…

Energy profiles of selected Latin American and Caribbean countries. Report series No. 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, K.

1994-07-01

Countries in this report include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. These ten countries are the most important oil and gas producers in the Latin American and the Caribbean region. In the following sections, the primary energy supply (oil, gas, coal, hydroelectricity, and nuclear power whenever they are applicable), primary energy consumption, downstream oil sector development, gas utilization are discussed for each of the ten countries. The report also presents our latest forecasts of petroleum product consumption in each country toward 2000, which form the basis of the outlook for regional energy productionmore » and consumption outlined in Report No 1. Since the bulk of primary energy supply and demand is hydrocarbons for many countries, brief descriptions of the important hydrocarbons policy issues are provided at the end of the each country sections.« less

Development and implementation of Models of Care for musculoskeletal conditions in middle-income and low-income Asian countries.

PubMed

Lim, Keith K; Chan, Madelynn; Navarra, Sandra; Haq, Syed Atiqul; Lau, Chak Sing

2016-06-01

This chapter discusses the challenges faced in the development and implementation of musculoskeletal (MSK) Models of Care (MoCs) in middle-income and low-income countries in Asia and outlines the components of an effective MoC for MSK conditions. Case studies of four such countries (The Philippines, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Myanmar) are presented, and their unique implementation issues are discussed. The success experienced in one high-income country (Singapore) is also described as a comparison. The Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) project and the role of Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR), a professional body supporting MoC initiatives in this region, are also discussed. The experience and lessons learned from these case studies can provide useful information to guide the implementation of future MSK MoC initiatives in other middle-income and low-income countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food, Hunger, and Agricultural Issues. Proceedings of a Colloquium on Future U.S. Development Assistance (Morrilton, Arkansas, February 17-19, 1988). Development Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clubb, Deborah, Ed.; Ligon, Polly C., Ed.

Colloquium participants were asked to make informed guesses about whether developing countries can grow and equitably distribute the food they need over the next decade, what the international development community should do to help in both production and distribution, and what role the United States should play in the development process. The 17…

Current Needs and Future Directions of Occupational Safety and Heath in a Globalized World

PubMed Central

Perera, Frederica P.; Li, TY; Lin, C; Tang, Deliang; Gilbert, Steven G.; Kang, Seong-Kyu; Aschner, Michael

2011-01-01

This summary provides a synopsis of talks included in a symposium entitled “Current Needs and Future Directions of Occupational Safety and Heath in a Globalized World”. The purpose of the symposium was to (1) highlight national and international agencies with occupational health related activities; (2) address electronic (e-)waste issues in developing countries where exposures are secondary to the handling and scavenging of scrap; and (3) discuss the effects of hazardous materials, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and tobacco smoke on child intelligence quotient (IQ) in developing countries. PMID:22037493

Using Immersive Virtual Reality to Reduce Work Accidents in Developing Countries.

PubMed

Nedel, Luciana; de Souza, Vinicius Costa; Menin, Aline; Sebben, Lucia; Oliveira, Jackson; Faria, Frederico; Maciel, Anderson

2016-01-01

Thousands of people die or are injured in work accidents every year. Although the lack of safety equipment is one of the causes, especially in developing countries, behavioral issues caused by psychosocial factors are also to blame. This article introduces the use of immersive VR simulators to preventively reduce accidents in the workplace by detecting behavioral patterns that may lead to an increased predisposition to risk exposure. The system simulates day-to-day situations, analyzes user reactions, and classifies the behaviors according to four psychosocial groups. The results of a user study support the effectiveness of this approach.

The impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries.

PubMed

Boutayeb, Abdesslam

2009-11-18

In the present paper, we consider the impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries, showing that, beyond health issues, this disease should and must be seen as a global development concern, affecting all components of human development. Consequently, we stress the necessity of multidisciplinary approaches that model, estimate and predict the real impact of HIV/AIDS on human development of African countries in order to optimise the strategies proposed by national countries, international institutions and their partners. In our search strategy, we relied on secondary information, mainly through National Human Development Reports of some African countries and regular publications released by the United Nations (UN), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank. We restricted ourselves to reports dealing explicitly with the impact of HIV/AIDS on human development in African countries. HIV/AIDS is affecting the global human development of African countries through its devastating impact on health and demographic indicators such as life expectancy at birth, healthcare assistance, age and sex distribution, economic indicators like income, work force, and economic growth, education and knowledge acquisition and other indicators like governance, gender inequality and human rights. On the basis of the national reports reviewed, it appears clearly that HIV/AIDS is no longer a crisis only for the healthcare sector, but presents a challenge to all sectors. Consequently, HIV/AIDS is a development question and should be viewed as such. The disease is impeding development by imposing a steady decline in the key indicators of human development and hence reversing the social and economic gains that African countries are striving to attain. Being at the same time a cause and consequence of poverty and underdevelopment, it constitutes a challenge to human security and human development by diminishing the chances of alleviating poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child and maternal mortality, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Geological Challenges in Radioactive Waste Isolation—Fifth Worldwide Review

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Faybishenko, Boris; Birkholzer, Jens; Sassani, David

The overall objective of the Fifth Worldwide Review (WWR-5) is to document the current state-of-the-art of major developments in a number of nations throughout the World pursuing geological disposal programs, and to summarize challenging problems and experience that have been obtained in siting, preparing and reviewing cases for the operational and long-term safety of proposed and operating nuclear waste repositories. The scope of the Review is to address current specific technical issues and challenges in safety case development along with the interplay of technical feasibility, siting, engineering design issues, and operational and post-closure safety. In particular, the chapters included inmore » the report present the following types of information: the current status of the deep geological repository programs for high level nuclear waste and low- and intermediate level nuclear waste in each country, concepts of siting and radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel management in different countries (with the emphasis of nuclear waste disposal under different climatic conditions and different geological formations), progress in repository site selection and site characterization, technology development, buffer/backfill materials studies and testing, support activities, programs, and projects, international cooperation, and future plans, as well as regulatory issues and transboundary problems.« less

Are Different Professionals Ready to Support Children of Parents with Mental Illness? Evaluating the Impact of a Pan-European Training Programme.

PubMed

Viganò, Giovanni; Kaunonen, Marja; Ryan, Peter; Simpson, Wendy; Dawson, Ian; Tabak, Izabela; Scherbaum, Norbert; Poma, Stefano Zanone

2017-04-01

A training package (pre-tested in a pilot phase) about supporting children who have parents with a mental illness and/or with substance misuse (COPMI) was developed and delivered to 131 different professionals from six different European Countries. A questionnaire about importance, awareness and competence on the issue (8 items on knowledge and 15 items on skills) was developed and completed by participants before and after the training. The training was evaluated by participants as generally very successful in terms of improving the importance, awareness and competence of their knowledge and skills, with a statistically significant difference in the pre-/post-analyses (no decreases occurred). Different professional groups performed differently in the pre-training self-rating scores. The participants in some countries were mainly drawn from one professional group (i.e. teachers in Finland, social workers in Germany and psychologists in Poland). It was found that stigma was considered an extremely important concern even before the training, whilst country-specific legal issues were not taken into proper account in the training. Some possibilities for further refinement of the training programme are suggested.

Is globalization good for your health?

PubMed Central

Dollar, D.

2001-01-01

Four points are made about globalization and health. First, economic integration is a powerful force for raising the incomes of poor countries. In the past 20 years several large developing countries have opened up to trade and investment, and they are growing well--faster than the rich countries. Second, there is no tendency for income inequality to increase in countries that open up. The higher growth that accompanies globalization in developing countries generally benefits poor people. Since there is a large literature linking income of the poor to health status, we can be reasonably confident that globalization has indirect positive effects on nutrition, infant mortality and other health issues related to income. Third, economic integration can obviously have adverse health effects as well: the transmission of AIDS through migration and travel is a dramatic recent example. However, both relatively closed and relatively open developing countries have severe AIDS problems. The practical solution lies in health policies, not in policies on economic integration. Likewise, free trade in tobacco will lead to increased smoking unless health-motivated disincentives are put in place. Global integration requires supporting institutions and policies. Fourth, the international architecture can be improved so that it is more beneficial to poor countries. For example, with regard to intellectual property rights, it may be practical for pharmaceutical innovators to choose to have intellectual property rights in either rich country markets or poor country ones, but not both. In this way incentives could be strong for research on diseases in both rich and poor countries. PMID:11584730

Is globalization good for your health?

PubMed

Dollar, D

2001-01-01

Four points are made about globalization and health. First, economic integration is a powerful force for raising the incomes of poor countries. In the past 20 years several large developing countries have opened up to trade and investment, and they are growing well--faster than the rich countries. Second, there is no tendency for income inequality to increase in countries that open up. The higher growth that accompanies globalization in developing countries generally benefits poor people. Since there is a large literature linking income of the poor to health status, we can be reasonably confident that globalization has indirect positive effects on nutrition, infant mortality and other health issues related to income. Third, economic integration can obviously have adverse health effects as well: the transmission of AIDS through migration and travel is a dramatic recent example. However, both relatively closed and relatively open developing countries have severe AIDS problems. The practical solution lies in health policies, not in policies on economic integration. Likewise, free trade in tobacco will lead to increased smoking unless health-motivated disincentives are put in place. Global integration requires supporting institutions and policies. Fourth, the international architecture can be improved so that it is more beneficial to poor countries. For example, with regard to intellectual property rights, it may be practical for pharmaceutical innovators to choose to have intellectual property rights in either rich country markets or poor country ones, but not both. In this way incentives could be strong for research on diseases in both rich and poor countries.

A comparative review of the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in South Africa.

PubMed

Carapinha, João L

2017-01-01

To compare the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in South Africa (SA) with other middle- and high-income countries. A comparative review of key features of the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in SA was undertaken using the Comparative Table of Pharmacoeconomic Guidelines developed by the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, and published country-level pharmacoeconomics guidelines. A random sample of guidelines in high- and middle-income countries were analyzed if data on all key features were available. Key features of the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in SA were compared with those in other countries, and divergent features were identified and elaborated. Five upper middle-income countries (Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Malaysia, and Mexico), one lower middle-income country (Egypt), and six high-income countries (Germany, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Taiwan, and the Netherlands) were analyzed. The pharmacoeconomic guidelines in SA differ in important areas when compared with other countries. In SA, the study perspective and costs are limited to private health-insurance companies, complex modelling is discouraged and models require pre-approval, equity issues are not explicitly stated, a budget impact analysis is not required, and pharmacoeconomic submissions are voluntary. Future updates to the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in SA may include a societal perspective with limitations, incentivize complex and transparent models, and integrate equity issues. The pharmacoeconomic guidelines could be improved by addressing conflicting objectives with policies on National Health Insurance, incentivize private health insurance companies to disclose reimbursement data, and require the inclusion of a budget impact analysis in all pharmacoeconomic submissions. Further research is also needed on the impact of mandatory pharmacoeconomic submissions in middle-income countries.

Peak health and the need for more sustainable urban water systems

EPA Science Inventory

Large centralized urban water services in developed countries like the USA still provide significant environmental impact via loss of ecological water services, energy use, loss of nutrients from agricultural production, and eutrophication issues. Current climate models predict t...

Examining Television.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaffney, Maureen, Ed.

1980-01-01

Designed for media specialists and educators, this issue contains four articles focusing on children and television. The lead article outlines major Australian views on television, analyzing how these concepts determine that country's use of the medium. The second article reviews international developments in children's television highlighted at…

A comparative study of two communication models in HIV/AIDS coverage in selected Nigerian newspapers.

PubMed

Okidu, Onjefu

2013-01-30

The current overriding thought in HIV/AIDS communication in developing countries is the need for a shift from the cognitive model, which emphasises the decision-making of the individual, to the activity model, which emphasises the context of the individual. In spite of the acknowledged media shift from the cognitive to the activity model in some developing countries, some HIV/AIDS communication scholars have felt otherwise. It was against this background that this study examined the content of some selected Nigerian newspapers to ascertain the attention paid to HIV/AIDS cognitive and activity information. Generally, the study found that Nigerian newspapers had shifted from the cognitive to the activity model of communication in their coverage of HIV/AIDS issues. The findings of the study seem inconsistent with the theoretical argument of some scholars that insufficient attention has been paid by mass media in developing countries to the activity model of HIV/AIDS communication. It is suggested that future research replicate the study for Nigerian and other developing countries' mass media.

European Hands-on Universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doran, Rosa; Ferlet, Roger; Gómez de Castro, Ana I.; Hill, Robert; Horellou, Cathy; Mankiewicz, Lech; Melchior, Anne-Laure; Metaxa, Margarita; Zanazzi, Alessandra

2007-08-01

Hands-on Universe is a project born at UC@Berkeley. A project devoted to enrich the teaching of Astronomy within the classroom environment with a different approach, more connected to the new technologies. Its main goals are not only to promote the use of such technologies but also to reawaken on students the taste for STEM (Science, technologies, engineering and math) related issues and also to increase their scientific culture. Eight countries in Europe decided to adopt the method and, funded by MINERVA, formed the European Hands-on Universe. Several resources were produced and a data reduction software developed http://www.euhou.net/.Other European countries are interested and should join this coordinated effort in the near future. At an international level there are 20 countries using this approach. There are plans to develop scientific cooperation among these countries. Pilot scientific research projects in schools are being tested in EU-HOU schools, Russia and USA. There is also a game being developed to be used as a new tool for teaching scientific content in the classroom environment. An effort to develop an international network of scientific / educational collaboration is the next step.

Migrants, refugees and insecurity. Current threats to peace?

PubMed

Lohrmann, R

2000-01-01

Since the early 1980s, international migration has moved beyond humanitarian, economic development, labor market and societal integration concerns, raising complex interactive security implications for governments of migrant sending, receiving and transit countries, as well as for multilateral bodies. This article examines the effects of international migration on varied understandings and perceptions of international security. It discusses why international migration has come to be perceived as a security issue, both in industrialized and developing countries. Questions are raised on the migration-security nexus and the way in which the concepts "security" and "migration" are used. The real and perceived impacts of international migration upon national and regional security, both in industrialized and developing countries, are analyzed. The policies developed by governments and multilateral agencies since the mid-1980s to mitigate the destabilizing effects of certain kinds of international population movement and human displacement are examined. The conclusions stress the need for the establishment of a comprehensive framework of international cooperation among origin and receiving countries and international organizations to address the destabilizing implications of international migration.

Egyptian future physicians are packing to leave but may be willing to return.

PubMed

Fouad, Yousef A; Fahmy, Yara M; Abdel Hady, Sarah M; Elsabagh, Abdelrahman E

2015-05-01

The migration of physicians from the developing to the developed world remains a controversial topic with many proposed negative effects. Although Egypt remains a major supplier of international medical graduates, no exploration of the root causes of the issue or the required policy changes was attempted before. An online questionnaire was used to survey 940 Egyptian undergraduates enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University exploring their intentions of mobility following graduation and the factors impacting such intentions. Of the responding students, 85.7% (n=806) intended to leave the country for training following graduation, mostly seeking better research opportunities (mean 4.74) and working conditions (mean 4.64). Of those, 81.8% (659) reported their plan to eventually return after training, although at different intervals, principally driven by the feeling of belonging and desire to serve their country (mean 4.01). Due attention should be given to such an unnoticed country's issue with the adoption of evidence-based policy changes to minimize its negative effects. The affinity of the students to eventually return (driven by the desire to serve the country) could prove a valuable point to consider in policy-making. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Patent controversies and court cases

PubMed Central

Fialho, Arsenio M.; Chakrabarty, Ananda M.

2012-01-01

Patents are issued essentially by all countries on inventions that are deemed novel, non-obvious, clearly described and of significant utility or industrial application. The only exceptions to patenting an invention are abstract ideas, laws of nature and natural phenomena, although the exceptions vary depending on countries where moral, public order or human rights considerations are also taken into account. Although patent laws are updated over decades, the rapid progress of science creates situations that the patent laws on the book cannot address, leading to contentious legal issues. This is often true for life saving drugs, particularly drugs for cancers or HIV/AIDS, which are expensive and beyond the reach of poor people because of the proprietary positions of these patented drugs. Another contentious issue is the patent eligibility of human genes and mutations that are often thought of nature's contribution to human health and propagation and should be beyond the reach of patentability. In this review, we address some of these current legal issues and their implications for the development of diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions and even prevention for cancer, a scourge of mankind. PMID:22954683

Human-animal chimera: a neuro driven discussion? Comparison of three leading European research countries.

PubMed

Cabrera Trujillo, Laura Yenisa; Engel-Glatter, Sabrina

2015-06-01

Research with human-animal chimera raises a number of ethical concerns, especially when neural stem cells are transplanted into the brains of non-human primates (NHPs). Besides animal welfare concerns and ethical issues associated with the use of embryonic stem cells, the research is also regarded as controversial from the standpoint of NHPs developing cognitive or behavioural capabilities that are regarded as "unique" to humans. However, scientists are urging to test new therapeutic approaches for neurological diseases in primate models as they better mimic human physiology than all current animal models. As a response, various countries have issued reports on the topic. Our paper summarizes the ethical issues raised by research with human-animal brain chimeras and compares the relevant regulatory instruments and different recommendations issued in national reports from three important European research nations: Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. We assess and discuss the focus and priorities set by the different reports, review various reasons for and perspectives on the importance of the brain in chimera research, and identify critical points in the reports that warrant further specification and debate.

Langley's DEVELOP Team Applies NASA's Earth Observations to Address Environmental Issues Across the Country and Around the Globe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Childs, Lauren M.; Miller, Joseph E.

2011-01-01

The DEVELOP National Program was established over a decade ago to provide students with experience in the practical application of NASA Earth science research results. As part of NASA's Applied Sciences Program, DEVELOP focuses on bridging the gap between NASA technology and the public through projects that innovatively use NASA Earth science resources to address environmental issues. Cultivating a diverse and dynamic group of students and young professionals, the program conducts applied science research projects during three terms each year (spring, summer, and fall) that focus on topics ranging from water resource management to natural disasters.

Oslo Ministerial Declaration--global health: a pressing foreign policy issue of our time.

PubMed

2007-04-21

Under their initiative on Global Health and Foreign Policy, launched in September, 2006, in New York, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, France, Indonesia, Norway, Senegal, South Africa, and Thailand issued the following statement in Oslo on March 20, 2007-In today's era of globalisation and interdependence there is an urgent need to broaden the scope of foreign policy. Together, we face a number of pressing challenges that require concerted responses and collaborative efforts. We must encourage new ideas, seek and develop new partnerships and mechanisms, and create new paradigms of cooperation. We believe that health is one of the most important, yet still broadly neglected, long-term foreign policy issues of our time. Life and health are our most precious assets. There is a growing awareness that investment in health is fundamental to economic growth and development. It is generally acknowledged that threats to health may compromise a country's stability and security. We believe that health as a foreign policy issue needs a stronger strategic focus on the international agenda. We have therefore agreed to make impact on health a point of departure and a defining lens that each of our countries will use to examine key elements of foreign policy and development strategies, and to engage in a dialogue on how to deal with policy options from this perspective. As Ministers of Foreign Affairs, we will work to: increase awareness of our common vulnerability in the face of health threats by bringing health issues more strongly into the arenas of foreign policy discussions and decisions, in order to strengthen our commitment to concerted action at the global level; build bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation for global health security by strengthening the case for collaboration and brokering broad agreement, accountability, and action; reinforce health as a key element in strategies for development and for fighting poverty, in order to reach the Millennium Development Goals; ensure that a higher priority is given to health in dealing with trade issues and in conforming to the Doha principles, affirming the right of each country to make full use of TRIPS flexibilities in order to ensure universal access to medicines; strengthen the place of health measures in conflict and crisis management and in reconstruction efforts. For this purpose, we have prepared a first set of actionable steps for raising the priority of health in foreign policy in an Agenda for Action. We pledge to pursue these issues in our respective regional settings and in relevant international bodies. We invite Ministers of Foreign Affairs from all regions to join us in further exploring ways and means to achieve our objectives.

New roads toward North-South cooperation.

PubMed

Terpstra, E G

1989-12-01

A Netherlands Parliament member gives a European Perspective on population and development, problems in urban development, and methods of cooperation between industrialized and developing countries. On population and development, the relationship between population explosion and poverty, underdevelopment, environment, social infrastructure, and food shortages is pointed out. Most population growth in the years ahead will be in developing countries. Rampant population growth and burgeoning poverty strain the world's carrying capacity and environment, both in industrial and developing countries. Development policy and cooperation will fail in the absence of efforts to stem population growth. On this front, religious and political leaders have groundbreaking cooperative steps in supporting international family planning efforts through the global forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival. Economic development, environment, and population issues are inexorably tied together. The numerous problems faced by uncontrolled Third World urbanization are discussed with potential solutions for change. Incorporating women in the development process is strongly encouraged. The interdependent North-South relationship is discussed. All nations, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and women must cooperate to find solutions and effect positive change on a case-by-case basis.

Sustainable development of smallholder crop-livestock farming in developing countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ates, S.; Cicek, H.; Bell, L. W.; Norman, H. C.; Mayberry, D. E.; Kassam, S.; Hannaway, D. B.; Louhaichi, M.

2018-03-01

Meeting the growing demand for animal-sourced food, prompted by population growth and increases in average per-capita income in low-income countries, is a major challenge. Yet, it also presents significant potential for agricultural growth, economic development, and reduction of poverty in rural areas. The main constraints to livestock producers taking advantage of growing markets include; lack of forage and feed gaps, communal land tenure, limited access to land and water resources, weak institutions, poor infrastructure and environmental degradation. To improve rural livelihood and food security in smallholder crop-livestock farming systems, concurrent work is required to address issues regarding efficiency of production, risk within systems and development of whole value chain systems. This paper provides a review of several forage based-studies in tropical and non-tropical dry areas of the developing countries. A central tenet of this paper is that forages have an essential role in agricultural productivity, environmental sustainability and livestock nutrition in smallholder mixed farming systems.

"The family is the clinic, the community is the hospital": community mental health in Timor-Leste.

PubMed

Hawkins, Zoe; Tilman, Teofilo

2011-07-01

This paper describes the history and recent development of mental health services in Timor-Leste, a small developing country recovering from conflict. Challenges to effective service delivery are discussed as well as plans for future development. Timor-Leste's mental health service began just over a decade ago. Unlike many other low and middle income countries where hospital-based services predominate, the mental health model in Timor-Leste is entirely community based. However, challenges to effective mental health care delivery are similar to most developing countries and include a lack of sufficient financial resources, human resources, and mental health infrastructure. Addressing these issues successfully requires political will, a greater prioritization of mental health services, close coordination between stakeholders, as well as developments in the area of education, training and infrastructure. Greater understanding and education about the links between mental and physical health would benefit the overall health of the population, and integration of these respective policies may prove a successful method of more equitably redistributing finances and resources.

Imbalance in the health workforce

PubMed Central

Zurn, Pascal; Dal Poz, Mario R; Stilwell, Barbara; Adams, Orvill

2004-01-01

Imbalance in the health workforce is a major concern in both developed and developing countries. It is a complex issue that encompasses a wide range of possible situations. This paper aims to contribute not only to a better understanding of the issues related to imbalance through a critical review of its definition and nature, but also to the development of an analytical framework. The framework emphasizes the number and types of factors affecting health workforce imbalances, and facilitates the development of policy tools and their assessment. Moreover, to facilitate comparisons between health workforce imbalances, a typology of imbalances is proposed that differentiates between profession/specialty imbalances, geographical imbalances, institutional and services imbalances and gender imbalances. PMID:15377382

A Chronology of Global Assistance Funding for NCD.

PubMed

Nugent, Rachel

2016-12-01

Funding from the global community for noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control in developing countries is miniscule-dwarfed by donor support for communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and other traditional health concerns in low-income countries. Yet, NCD now constitute the bulk of illness and deaths in low-income countries with, to date, only a small uptick in donor funding evident as a response. This paper describes recent magnitude and trends in the development of assistance for NCD; identifies the main sources among the 3 groupings of multilateral, bilateral, and private philanthropic funders; and discusses issues in tracking NCD donor funding, and challenges to mobilizing donor funding for NCD. Finally, it concludes with a more (slightly) optimistic outlook. Copyright © 2016 World Heart Federation (Geneva). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transformation of Information Technology into Information Resources in the 21st Century in the GCC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kader, Abdullah

Information for development has become one of the most pressing issues of the last decade, which Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have to tackle on an urgent basis. The need and urgency for planning national information systems has been clearly pointed out in several international conferences. Major research and development centers of…

Recurring Issues Encountered by Distance Educators in Developing and Emerging Nations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Clayton R.; Dhanarajan, Gajaraj; Reju, Sunday A.

2009-01-01

This article explores a number of challenges faced by e-learning or distance educators in developing and emerging countries, provides a context for many of the challenges, and outlines some measures devised to overcome them. These educators must determine a sound rationale for employing online learning, recognize that technology is only part of…

Turkey: Women in Development. A World Bank Country Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadler, Sandra

This report is intended to serve as the basis of the World Bank's support to the government of Turkey in the implementation of its policies to enhance the participation of women in the economic development process. The report provides background information on the situation of women in Turkey, including legal and health issues, and examines…

Solar Electricity Generation: Issues of Development and Impact on ICT Implementation in Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damasen, Ikwaba Paul

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine and discuss, in-depth, how solar electricity can be developed and used to tackle grid electricity-related problems in African countries suffering from unreliable and inadequate grid electricity. Design/methodology/approach: The paper discusses in depth the current status of grid electricity in…

Young Children and the Quality of Life: Report of XVIIIth World Congress of OMEP

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiser, Margaret G.

1986-01-01

Reports on some of the major issues addressed during the l8th World Congress of OMEP (Organisation Mondiale de l'Education Prescolaire). Topics discussed included maternal and infant malnutrition; social dynamics in developing (and developed) countries; the messages of high technology for children and the quality of life. (BB)

Education Policy Analysis, 1999: Resources for Lifelong Learning, Early Childhood Education and Care, Technology in Education, Tertiary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Centre for Educational Research and Innovation.

In its Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development is developing an instrument to compare across countries the quality of outcomes produced by schools. This document explores some issues related to academic achievement. Chapter 1, "Resources for Lifelong Learning: What Might…

Issues in the Development of Cross-Cultural Assessments of Speech and Language for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Julie A.; Lees, Janet A.; Murira, Gladys M.; Gona, Joseph; Neville, Brian G. R.; Newton, Charles R. J. C.

2005-01-01

Background: There is an increasing demand for the assessment of speech and language in clinical and research situations in countries where there are few assessment resources. Due to the nature of cultural variation and the potential for cultural bias, new assessment tools need to be developed or existing tools require adaptation. However, there…

Perspectives on the History of Psychoactive Substance Use; Research Issues 24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Gregory A.

This collection of resources contains 34 studies which summarize significant developments within the history of psychoactive substance use in developed countries since the sixteenth century. The primary intent of this volume is to provide a greater awareness of the ubiquity of drug use in the past and of the complex and varied factors which have…

Ethics Standards Impacting Test Development and Use: A Review of 31 Ethics Codes Impacting Practices in 35 Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leach, Mark M.; Oakland, Thomas

2007-01-01

Ethics codes are designed to protect the public by prescribing behaviors professionals are expected to exhibit. Although test use is universal, albeit reflecting strong Western influences, previous studies that examine the degree issues pertaining to test development and use and that are addressed in ethics codes of national psychological…

Barriers Encountered in the Transfer of Educational Training to Workplace Practice in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almannie, Mohamed

2015-01-01

This study introduces a critical issue in the practicality of training programs, not only in Saudi Arabia, but also in other developing countries where billions of dollars are spent on training human resources without evaluation of these programs on workplace practice and organization development. This study investigates barriers encountered in…

Without Women No Development: Selected Case Studies from Asia of Non-Formal Education for Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Madhuri, Ed.

This handbook presents 15 case studies on the non-formal education of women from four Asian countries: India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. The goal of this publication is to provide information about education-related issues concerning women and girls and development. This information is intended for those people, in governmental and…

Working without Shame in International Educational Development? From Consequentialism to Casuistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bridges, David

2015-01-01

The central question addressed in this paper is about the ethics of engaging with educational development in countries perceived as undemocratic or as failing to respect human rights. More particularly, it examines the nature of the arguments that are brought to bear on this issue. It suggests that these are essentially consequentialist in…

HRD Issues in Asia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1999

The first of the four papers in this symposium, "The History of Human Resource Development in Taiwan from 1949 to 1999" (Christine M. Kuo, Gary N. McLean) finds that, contrary to the belief of most Taiwanese scholars that HRD (human resource development) in Taiwan is a new field, the roots of HRD in that country originated in the 1950s.…

Vocational Pedagogical Competencies of a Professor in the Secondary Vocational Education System: Approbation of Monitoring Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andryukhina, Lyudmila M.; Dneprov, Sergey ?.; Sumina, Tatyana G.; Zimina, Elena Yu.; Utkina, Svetlana N.; Mantulenko, Valentina V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the researched issue is preconditioned by the strategic changes in the secondary vocational education system taking place not only in Russia, but also in the majority of industrially developed countries. Provision of the system with qualified pedagogical staff is the leading strategic objective of development of the secondary…

The Model of Monitoring of Vocational Pedagogical Competences of Professors in Secondary Vocational Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andryukhina, Lyudmila M.; Dneprov, Sergey ?.; Sumina, Tatyana G.; Zimina, Elena Yu.; Utkina, Svetlana N.; Mantulenko, Valentina V.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the researched issue is preconditioned by the strategic changes in the secondary vocational education system taking place not only in Russia, but also in majority of industrially developed countries. Provision of the system with qualified pedagogical staff is the leading strategic objective of development of the secondary…

Culture and end of life care: a scoping exercise in seven European countries.

PubMed

Gysels, Marjolein; Evans, Natalie; Meñaca, Arantza; Andrew, Erin; Toscani, Franco; Finetti, Sylvia; Pasman, H Roeline; Higginson, Irene; Harding, Richard; Pool, Robert

2012-01-01

Culture is becoming increasingly important in relation to end of life (EoL) care in a context of globalization, migration and European integration. We explore and compare socio-cultural issues that shape EoL care in seven European countries and critically appraise the existing research evidence on cultural issues in EoL care generated in the different countries. We scoped the literature for Germany, Norway, Belgium, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Portugal, carrying out electronic searches in 16 international and country-specific databases and handsearches in 17 journals, bibliographies of relevant papers and webpages. We analysed the literature which was unearthed, in its entirety and by type (reviews, original studies, opinion pieces) and conducted quantitative analyses for each country and across countries. Qualitative techniques generated themes and sub-themes. A total of 868 papers were reviewed. The following themes facilitated cross-country comparison: setting, caregivers, communication, medical EoL decisions, minority ethnic groups, and knowledge, attitudes and values of death and care. The frequencies of themes varied considerably between countries. Sub-themes reflected issues characteristic for specific countries (e.g. culture-specific disclosure in the southern European countries). The work from the seven European countries concentrates on cultural traditions and identities, and there was almost no evidence on ethnic minorities. This scoping review is the first comparative exploration of the cultural differences in the understanding of EoL care in these countries. The diverse body of evidence that was identified on socio-cultural issues in EoL care, reflects clearly distinguishable national cultures of EoL care, with differences in meaning, priorities, and expertise in each country. The diverse ways that EoL care is understood and practised forms a necessary part of what constitutes best evidence for the improvement of EoL care in the future.

Population education in the school curriculum: a comparative analysis of the American and Asian models.

PubMed

Okobiah, O S

1981-02-01

The content, strategies, and objectives of population education curriculum materials developed for use in school systems in a developed country (US) and in a developing country (Thailand) were compared. It was assumed that the objectives and strategies of population education developed in a specific country would reflect the way in which population matters were viewed by that country's policy makers and planners. In developed countries, population education is primarily an outgrowth of environmental concerns. In less developed countries population education is pursued mainly because of concerns about rapid population growth. The specific curriculum materials which were analyzed were the Population, Environmental-Ecological Education Project developed by the Missouri State Department of Education and the Population and Family Education Project developed in Bangkok. A conceptual framework for analyzing the content of the materials was developed. The framework included 5 major parameters. These parameters were 1) a description of the human population, 2) basic population concepts and processes, 3) population dynamics, 4) the causes and consequences of population change, and 5) population issues. Content analysis of the materials revealed that the content focus was similar for both of the curriculum materials. 74% of the Asian curricula and 73% of the US curricula focused on population issues and on the causes and consequences of population growth; however, the US materials emphasized environmental consequences and policies while the Asian materials emphasized family planning policies and the effects of population growth on family, community, sociocultural, and personal factors. Marked differences were revealed when the instructional strategies and course objectives of the materials were judged in reference to established educational standards of objectivity. All of the sampled instructional strategies in the US materials were judged as suitable for use in the formal school setting in that they encouraged students to analyze information and to develop their own generalizations. Most of the sampled strategies in the Asian materials were judged to be inappropriate for use in the formal school setting as they sought to indoctrinate students with specific attitudes and norms, e.g., the small family norm. The materials instructed the Asian teachers to manipulate, limit, and mold discussion sessions while the US materials encouraged teachers to develop the analytic skills of their students. The approach adopted in the Asian materials will ultimately defeat the goal of population education which is to prepare students to make informed and rational population related decisions when they reach adulthood.

Introduction: population migration and urbanization in developing countries.

PubMed

Kojima, R

1996-12-01

This introductory article discusses the correlation between migration and rapid urbanization and growth in the largest cities of the developing world. The topics include the characteristics of urbanization, government policies toward population migration, the change in absolute size of the rural population, and the problems of maintaining megacities. Other articles in this special issue are devoted to urbanization patterns in China, South Africa, Iran, Korea and Taiwan as newly industrialized economies (NIEs), informal sectors in the Philippines and Thailand, and low-income settlements in Bogota, Colombia, and India. It is argued that increased urbanization is produced by natural population growth, the expansion of the urban administrative area, and the in-migration from rural areas. A comparison of urbanization rates of countries by per capita gross national product (GNP) reveals that countries with per capita GNP of under US$2000 have urbanization rates of 10-60%. Rates are under 30% in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, China, and Indonesia. Rapid urbanization appears to follow the economic growth curve. The rate of urbanization in Latin America is high enough to be comparable to urbanization in Europe and the US. Taiwan and Korea have high rates of urbanization that surpass the rate of industrialization. Thailand and Malaysia have low rates of urbanization compared to the size of their per capita GNP. Urbanization rates under 20% occur in countries without economic development. Rates between 20% and 50% occur in countries with or without industrialization. East Asian urbanization is progressing along with industrialization. Africa and the Middle East have urbanization without industrialization. In 1990 there were 20 developing countries and 5 developed countries with populations over 5 million. In 10 of 87 developing countries rural population declined in absolute size. The author identifies and discusses four patterns of urban growth.

Depo-Provera--ethical issues in its testing and distribution.

PubMed Central

Potts, M; Paxman, J M

1984-01-01

Ethical issues relating to the use of the injectable contraceptive in developed and developing countries alike involve public policy decisions concerning both criteria for testing a new drug and individual choices about using a specific form of contraception approved for national distribution. Drug testing consists of an important but still evolving set of procedures. Depo-Provera is not qualitatively different from any other drug and some unpredictable risks are inevitable, even after extensive animal experiments and clinical trials. In assessing the risks and benefits of Depo-Provera use, epidemiological data from large-scale human use is now beginning to become more important than data from animal experiments and clinical trials. The consumer's best interest is central to any ethically responsible system of drug distribution. Systems of informed choice are needed, even in societies where illiteracy remains common and medical services are weak. In the case of a contraceptive, the risks of non-use leading to unintended pregnancy, which can result in high mortality, are relevant as well as the side-effects of the method. An attempt, therefore, is made here to categorise those issues which are universal and those which are country-specific. PMID:6231379

Considerations for conducting epidemiologic case-control studies of cancer in developing countries.

PubMed

Brinton, L A; Herrero, R; Brenes, M; Montalván, P; de la Guardia, M E; Avila, A; Domínguez, I L; Basurto, E; Reeves, W C

1991-01-01

The challenges involved in conducting epidemiologic studies of cancer in developing countries can be and often are unique. This article reports on our experience in performing a case-control study of invasive cervical cancer in four Latin American countries (Columbia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Panama), the summary medical results of which have been published in a previous issue of this journal (1). The study involved a number of principal activities--mainly selecting, conducting interviews with, and obtaining appropriate biologic specimens from 759 cervical cancer patients, 1,467 matched female controls, and 689 male sex partners of monogamous female subjects. This presentation provides an overview of the planning and methods used to select the subjects, conduct the survey work, and obtain complete and effectively unbiased data. It also points out some of the important advantages and disadvantages of working in developing areas similar to those serving as locales for this study.

Safe paediatric intensive care. Part 1: Does more medical care lead to improved outcome?

PubMed

Frey, Bernhard; Argent, Andrew

2004-06-01

Neonatal and paediatric intensive care has improved the prognosis for seriously sick infants and children. This has happened because of a pragmatic approach focused on stabilisation of vital functions and immense technological advances in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, the belief that more medical care must inevitably lead to improved health is increasingly being questioned. This issue is especially relevant in developing countries where the introduction of highly specialised paediatric intensive care may not lead to an overall fall in child mortality. Even in developed countries, the complexity and availability of therapeutics and invasive procedures may put seriously ill children at additional risk. In both developing and industrialised countries the use of safe and simple procedures for appropriate periods, particular attention to drug prescription patterns and selection of appropriate aims and modes of therapy, including non-invasive methods, may minimise the risks of paediatric intensive care.

Migration as a form of workforce attrition: a nine-country study of pharmacists

PubMed Central

Wuliji, Tana; Carter, Sarah; Bates, Ian

2009-01-01

Background There is a lack of evidence to inform policy development on the reasons why health professionals migrate. Few studies have sought to empirically determine factors influencing the intention to migrate and none have explored the relationship between factors. This paper reports on the first international attempt to investigate the migration intentions of pharmacy students and identify migration factors and their relationships. Methods Responses were gathered from 791 final-year pharmacy students from nine countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Croatia, Egypt, Portugal, Nepal, Singapore, Slovenia and Zimbabwe. Data were analysed by means of Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and two-step cluster analysis to determine the relationships between factors influencing migration and the characteristics of subpopulations most likely and least likely to migrate. Results Results showed a significant difference in attitudes towards the professional and sociopolitical environment of the home country and perceptions of opportunities abroad between those who have no intention of migrating and those who intend to migrate on a long-term basis. Attitudes of students planning short-term migration were not significantly different from those of students who did not intend to migrate. These attitudes, together with gender, knowledge of other migrant pharmacists and past experiences abroad, are associated with an increased propensity for migration. Conclusion Given the influence of the country context and environment on migration intentions, research and policy should frame the issue of migration in the context of the wider human resource agenda, thus viewing migration as one form of attrition and a symptom of other root causes. Remuneration is not an independent stand-alone factor influencing migration intentions and cannot be decoupled from professional development factors. Comprehensive human resource policy development that takes into account the issues of both remuneration and professional development are necessary to encourage retention. PMID:19358704

A Tale of 4 Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, Ron

2001-01-01

Profiles four elementary and secondary schools from around the country that have created successful staff development programs to address an array of diversity issues common in schools nationwide. The efforts included emphasizing assessment and nonverbal techniques; pairing teachers and students on technology-based projects; emphasizing motivation…

Adults in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Centre for Educational Research and Innovation.

Issues concerning the enrollment of adults in degree programs in countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development are considered. Of concern are policies and institutional practices that affect adult participation in degree studies. The growing importance of continuing academic and professional education is…

Climate Change Impact on Sugarcane Production in Developing Countries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A combination of long-term change in the weather patterns worldwide (Global climate change), caused by natural processes and anthropogenic factors, may result in major environmental issues that have affected and will continuously affect agriculture. Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrat...

Agricultural Education: Key to Providing Broader Opportunities for Third World Women in Production Agriculture.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lelle, Mark A.; Holt, Barbara A.

1987-01-01

The authors focus on providing opportunities for women in Third World countries in agriculture. A review of the body of knowledge in agricultural development and of the issues surrounding current world food crises is included. (CH)

Teaching across Borders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poliakoff, Anne Rogers, Ed.

2001-01-01

This theme issue of "Basic Education" considers the importance of studying and comparing student work and educational practice in different countries, in particular as a vehicle to further the professional development of teachers. The first article, "International Studies of Education: Why Should We Care?" (William H. Schmidt;…

Teaching English Phrases through SMS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cig, Enes Kurtay; Guvercin, Selim; Bayimbetov, Berdak; Dos, Bulent

2015-01-01

Achieving the maximum efficiency in teaching a second language (L2) has always been an important issue for educators. Current globalization processes, development of international business relations, political integrations among the various countries throughout the world, and the abilities of latest information and communications technologies…

Community Involvement in School Development: Modifying School Improvement Concepts to the Needs of South African Township Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prew, Martin

2009-01-01

The article posits a paradigm for school development (SD) in the context of a developing country, which is somewhat different from the dominant SD and school improvement (SI) paradigm in the West. Within this paradigm the norm of a school-parent engagement over pedagogical issues as in the West is replaced by imperatives based on full community…

Addressing the Issue of Gender Equity in the Presidency of the University System in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guramatunhu-Mudiwa, Precious

2010-01-01

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional economic grouping of 15 countries whose common vision is to promote economic, social and political development and growth. Arguably, sustainable growth can be realized if there is equal access to all positions of power and influence in the area, but an investigation of 117…

Health Economics of Nutrition Intervention in Asia: Cost of Malnutrition.

PubMed

Mizumoto, Kaori; Murakami, Genki; Oshidari, Kenro; Trisnantoro, Laksono; Yoshiike, Nobuo

2015-01-01

Asia has recorded the fastest economic growth in the world. However, some countries are still struggling with economic stagnation and poverty. Even in the emerging countries, there are economic disparities between urban and rural areas within a country. Reflecting the situations, nutritional issues in Asia came to be the antithetical situation of excess and insufficiency. The rate of overweight and obesity keeps increasing, especially in emerging countries. Meanwhile, underweight is still a critical problem in the region. Although the importance of nutrition is well recognized for social and economic development, it is difficult to identify the immediate outcome of nutrition interventions. Evidence-based decision-making is an important element of quality health care and efficiency and effectiveness are always key words. Along with enhanced attention to accountability and transparency of budget use in health services, attention to the economic evaluation of nutrition interventions has increased in recent years. In this symposium, we will review the current situation of nutritional issues and economic evaluation of nutrition interventions in Asia through experience of an international organization, the basis and trends for health care economics, and also efforts have been made in an Asian country. Discussion will be made about efficient and effective ways to evaluate projects/programmes for nutrition improvement.

Ethics in international health research: a perspective from the developing world.

PubMed Central

Bhutta, Zulfiqar Ahmed

2002-01-01

Health research plays a pivotal role in addressing inequities in health and human development, but to achieve these objectives the research must be based on sound scientific and ethical principles. Although it is accepted that ethics play a central role in health research in developing countries, much of the recent debate has focused on controversies surrounding internationally sponsored research and has taken place largely without adequate participation of the developing countries. The relationship between ethical guidelines and regulations, and indigenously sponsored and public health research has not been adequately explored. For example, while the fundamental principles of ethical health research, such as community participation, informed consent, and shared benefits and burdens, remain sacrosanct other issues, such as standards of care and prior agreements, merit greater public debate within developing countries. In particular, the relationship of existing ethical guidelines to epidemiological and public health research merits further exploration. In order to support health research in developing countries that is both relevant and meaningful, the focus must be on developing health research that promotes equity and on developing local capacity in bioethics. Only through such proactive measures can we address the emerging ethical dilemmas and challenges that globalization and the genomics revolution will bring in their wake. PMID:11953789

Need for closer interaction between Space Science Education and Exploration programs in Developing Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, R. N.

Space science has become a subject of prime interest. Important issue is the involvement of major expenditures. For overcoming this problem a global co-operation has developed and is proving to be successful. Space programs in developing countries have not yet started in the true sense. India is very well known as one of the pioneering countries for its contribution to upper atmospheric research that was initiated and grew on University campuses. With the advent of space research, the rocket launching facilities were developed and it was used by various scientists groups from many countries. India has developed capability of rocket and satellite launching. With development of space commission, the ground-based study programs spread all over India have decayed slowly. The space research programs are run by governmental agencies only. Universities that initiated space research programs using ground-based radio waves are out of business. Space research has not yet entered the teaching curricula in Indian Universities. It is high time that the teaching and laboratory work in space research be initiated in Indian universities. Development of such a system is emphasized. Its development would enable university's scientists to participate in Indian space research programs on equal footing as commonly seen in American, European, Russian and Japanese programs.

Caregiver Behavior Change for Child Survival and Development in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Examination of the Evidence

PubMed Central

Elder, John P.; Pequegnat, Willo; Ahmed, Saifuddin; Bachman, Gretchen; Bullock, Merry; Carlo, Waldemar A.; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman; Fox, Nathan A.; Harkness, Sara; Huebner, Gillian; Lombardi, Joan; Murry, Velma McBride; Moran, Allisyn; Norton, Maureen; Mulik, Jennifer; Parks, Will; Raikes, Helen H.; Smyser, Joseph; Sugg, Caroline; Sweat, Michael

2014-01-01

In June of 2012, representatives from more than 80 countries promulgated a Child Survival Call to Action, which called for reducing child mortality to 20 or fewer child deaths per 1,000 live births in every country by 2035. To address the problem of ending preventable child deaths, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Children's Fund convened, on June 3–4, 2013, an Evidence Summit on Enhancing Child Survival and Development in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries by Achieving Population-Level Behavior Change. Six evidence review teams were established on different topics related to child survival and healthy development to identify the relevant evidence-based interventions and to prepare reports. This article was developed by the evidence review team responsible for identifying the research literature on caregiver change for child survival and development. This article is organized into childhood developmental periods and cross-cutting issues that affect child survival and healthy early development across all these periods. On the basis of this review, the authors present evidence-based recommendations for programs focused on caregivers to increase child survival and promote healthy development. Last, promising directions for future research to change caregivers' behaviors are given. PMID:25315597