:: Journal Watch
The Sentinel will track key peer-reviewed journals which address a broad range of interests in human rights, humanitarian response, health and development. It is not intended to be exhaustive. We will add to those monitored below as we encounter relevant content and upon recommendation from readers. We selectively provide full text of abstracts and other content but note that successful access to some of the articles and other content may require subscription or other access arrangement unique to the publisher. Please suggest additional journals you feel warrant coverage.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
November 2016 Volume 51, Issue 5, p637-864, e119-e154
http://www.ajpmonline.org/current
Theme: Digital Health: Leveraging New Technologies to Develop, Deploy, and Evaluate Behavior Change Interventions
Guest Editors: Lucy Yardley, Tanzeem Choudhury, Kevin Patrick

.
Research Articles
Concomitant Adolescent Vaccination in the U.S., 2007–2012
Jennifer L. Moss, Paul L. Reiter, Noel T. Brewer
p693–705
Published online: June 30, 2016
Abstract
Introduction
Concomitant (same-day) delivery of two or more vaccines to adolescents is effective, safe, and efficient. Increasing concomitant vaccination could improve coverage for recommended adolescent vaccines, but little is known about who receives vaccines concomitantly.
Methods
Data came from healthcare provider–verified records on 70,144 adolescents (aged 13–17 years) in the 2008–2012 versions of the National Immunization Survey–Teen who had received at least one dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) booster; meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY); or human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Separately for each vaccine, multivariable logistic regression identified adolescent and household correlates of concomitant versus single vaccination, stratified by adolescent sex. Vaccination took place in 2007–2012, data collection in 2008–2012, and data analysis in 2015.
Results
Among vaccinated adolescents, 51%–65% of girls and 25%–53% of boys received two vaccines concomitantly. Concomitant uptake of each vaccine increased over survey years (e.g., 2012 vs 2008: girls’ Tdap booster, OR=1.88, 95% CI=1.56, 2.26; boys’ Tdap booster, OR=2.62, 95% CI=2.16, 3.16), with the exception of HPV vaccination among boys. Additionally, concomitant vaccination was less common as adolescents got older and in the Northeast (all p<0.05). For MenACWY and HPV vaccine, concomitant uptake was less common for girls whose mothers had higher versus lower education and for boys who lived in metropolitan versus non-metropolitan areas (all p<0.05).
Conclusions
Missed opportunities for concomitant adolescent vaccination persist, particularly for HPV vaccine. Future interventions targeting groups with low rates of concomitant vaccination could improve population-level coverage with recommended vaccines.

American Journal of Public Health
Volume 106, Issue 11 (November 2016)
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/current

.
AJPH SPECIAL SECTION: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Whither WHO? Our Global Health Leadership
Elizabeth Fee
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1903–1904.

World Health Organization Reform—A Normative or an Operational Organization?
Derek Yach
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1904–1906.

Finance and Governance: Critical Challenges for the Next WHO Director-General
Julio Frenk
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1906–1907.

A New Leader for a New World Health
Ariel Pablos-Mendez, Susanna Baker
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1907–1908.

The Election of the Next World Health Organization Director-General Explained to a Visitor From Mars
Gilles Dussault
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1908–1909.

World Health Organization: Overhaul or Dismantle?
Suwit Wibulpolprasert, Mushtaque Chowdhury
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1910–1911.

At the Roots of The World Health Organization’s Challenges: Politics and Regionalization
Elizabeth Fee, Marcu Cueto, Theodore M. Brown
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1912–1917.

.

AJPH PERSPECTIVES FROM THE SOCIAL SCIENCES – ISLAM
Islamophobia and Public Health in the United States
Goleen Samari
American Journal of Public Health: November 2016, Vol. 106, No. 11: 1920–1925.

BMC Infectious Diseases
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcinfectdis/content
(Accessed 29 October 2016)

.
Research article
The impact of active surveillance and health education on an Ebola virus disease cluster — Kono District, Sierra Leone, 2014–2015
During December 2014–February 2015, an Ebola outbreak in a village in Kono district, Sierra Leone, began following unsafe funeral practices after the death of a person later confirmed to be infected with Ebola…
Tasha Stehling-Ariza, Alexander Rosewell, Sahr A. Moiba, Brima Berthalomew Yorpie, Kai David Ndomaina, Kai Samuel Jimissa, Eva Leidman, Dingeman J. Rijken, Colin Basler, James Wood and Dumbuya Manso
BMC Infectious Diseases 2016 16:611
Published on: 27 October 2016

BMC Medicine
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmed/content
(Accessed 29 October 2016)
Editorial
Medicine and the future of health: reflecting on the past to forge ahead
Dale Fisher, Paul Wicks and Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar
BMC Medicine 2016 14:169
Published on: 25 October 2016
Abstract
The development of new therapies has a rich history, evolves quickly with societal trends, and will have an exciting future. The last century has seen an exponential increase in complex interactions between medical practitioners, pharmaceutical companies, governments and patients. We believe technology and societal expectations will open up the opportunity for more individuals to participate as information becomes more freely available and inequality less acceptable. Corporations must recognize that usual market forces do not function ideally in a setting where health is regarded as a human right, and as modern consumers, patients will increasingly take control of their own data, wellbeing, and even the means of production for developing their own treatments. Ethics and legislation will increasingly impact the processes that facilitate drug development, distribution and administration. This article collection is a cross-journal collaboration, between the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (JoPPP) and BMC Medicine that seeks to cover recent advances in drug development, medicines use, policy and access with high clinical and public health relevance in the future.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpregnancychildbirth/content
(Accessed 29 October 2016)

.
Research article
Obstetric outcomes for women with female genital mutilation at an Australian hospital, 2006–2012: a descriptive study
Women, who have been subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM), can suffer serious and irreversible physical, psychological and psychosexual complications. They have more adverse obstetric outcomes as compa...
Nesrin Varol, Angela Dawson, Sabera Turkmani, John J. Hall, Susie Nanayakkara, Greg Jenkins, Caroline S. E. Homer and Kevin McGeechan
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2016 16:328
Published on: 28 October 2016

.

Research article
Women’s status and experiences of mistreatment during childbirth in Uttar Pradesh: a mixed methods study using cultural health capital theory
Mistreatment of women in healthcare settings during childbirth has been gaining attention globally. Mistreatment during childbirth directly and indirectly affects health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the…
May Sudhinaraset, Emily Treleaven, Jason Melo, Kanksha Singh and Nadia Diamond-Smith
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth 2016 16:332
Published on: 28 October 2016

BMC Research Notes
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/content
(Accessed 29 October 2016)

.
Research article
Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy of Japan: the fastest graying society in the world
We appraised time trends of Japanese life expectancy (LE) and healthy life expectancy (HALE) by gender, LE-HALE and (LE-HALE)/LE figures, along with the women–men’s differences. LE and HALE consistently linearly elongated for both sexes over the study period. Not only LE-HALE but also (LE-HALE)/LE values were still growing for both sexes. Public health measures, nursing-care/services as well as social security schemes are called for to further elevate longevities, HALE in particular, and enhance quality of life and well-being.
Shinkan Tokudome, Shuji Hashimoto and Akihiro Igata
Published on: 28 October 2016

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Volume 10 – Issue 5 – October 2016
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/latest-issue

.
Commentary
Yemen’s Unprecedented Humanitarian Crisis: Implications for International Humanitarian Law, the Geneva Convention, and the Future of Global Health Security
Published online: 11 August 2016, pp. 701-703
Alba Ripoll Gallardo, Frederick M. Burkle, Luca Ragazzoni, Francesco Della Corte
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2016.50
Abstract
The current humanitarian crisis in Yemen is unprecedented in many ways. The Yemeni War tragedy is symptomatic of gross failures to recognize, by combatants, existing humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention that have become the new norm in unconventional armed conflicts and are increasingly replicated in Africa, Afghanistan, and other areas of the Middle East with dire consequences on aid workers and the noncombatant population. The health and humanitarian professions must take collective responsibility in calling for all belligerent parties to cease the massacre and commit to guaranteed medical assistance, humanitarian aid, and the free flow of information and respect for the humanitarian principles that protect the neutrality and impartiality of the humanitarian workforce. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016; page 1 of 3)

.

Policy Analysis
Zika Virus: A Basic Overview of an Emerging Arboviral Infection in the Western Hemisphere
Published online: 29 March 2016, pp. 707-712
Kelly G. Vest
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2016.43

.

Systematic Review
Tools and Checklists Used for the Evaluation of Hospital Disaster Preparedness: A Systematic Review
Published online: 27 May 2016, pp. 781-788
Mahmood Nekoie-Moghadam, Lisa Kurland, Mahmood Moosazadeh, Pier Luigi Ingrassia, Francesco Della Corte, Ahmadreza Djalali
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2016.30

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 29 October 2016]

.
Research
Civil society participation in the health system: the case of Brazil’s Health Councils
Martha Gabriela Martinez and Jillian Clare Kohler
Globalization and Health 2016 12:64
Published on: 26 October 2016
Abstract
Background
Brazil created Health Councils to bring together civil society groups, heath professionals, and government officials in the discussion of health policies and health system resource allocation. However, several studies have concluded that Health Councils are not very influential on healthcare policy. This study probes this issue further by providing a descriptive account of some of the challenges civil society face within Brazil’s Health Councils.
Methods
Forty semi-structured interviews with Health Council Members at the municipal, state and national levels were conducted in June and July of 2013 and May of 2014. The geographical location of the interviewees covered all five regions of Brazil (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, South) for a total of 5 different municipal Health Councils, 8 different state Health Councils, and the national Health Council in Brasilia. Interview data was analyzed using a thematic approach.
Results
Health Councils are limited by a lack of legal authority, which limits their ability to hold the government accountable for its health service performance, and thus hinders their ability to fulfill their mandate. Equally important, their membership guidelines create a limited level of inclusivity that seems to benefit only well-organized civil society groups. There is a reported lack of support and recognition from the relevant government that negatively affects the degree to which Health Council deliberations are implemented. Other deficiencies include an insufficient amount of resources for Health Council operations, and a lack of training for Health Council members. Lastly, strong individual interests among Health Council members tend to influence how members participate in Health Council discussions.
Conclusions
Brazil’s Health Councils fall short in providing an effective forum through which civil society can actively participate in health policy and resource allocation decision-making processes. Restrictive membership guidelines, a lack of autonomy from the government, vulnerability to government manipulation, a lack of support and recognition from the government and insufficient training and operational budgets have made Health Council largely a forum for consultation. Our conclusions highlight, that among other issues, Health Councils need to have the legal authority to act independently to promote government accountability, membership guidelines need to be revised in order include members of marginalized groups, and better training of civil society representatives is required to help them make more informed decisions.

JAMA
October 25, 2016, Vol 316, No. 16, Pages 1615-1726
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

.
Viewpoint
Systems Strategies for Health Throughout the Life Course
J. Michael McGinnis, MD, MA, MPP; Angela Diaz, MD, MPH; Neal Halfon, MD, MPH
JAMA. 2016;316(16):1639-1640. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.14896
This Viewpoint from the National Academy of Medicine’s 2016 Vital Directions initiative discusses strategies to improve the health of populations at each stage of life through incentivizing and measuring health system performance to improve health, creating an interoperable digital health platform, and fostering a culture and practice of continuous health improvement.

.
Viewpoint
Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Health Inequalities
Nancy E. Adler, PhD; M. Maria Glymour, ScD, MS; Jonathan Fielding, MD, MPH
JAMA. 2016;316(16):1641-1642. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.14058
This Viewpoint from the National Academy of Medicine’s 2016 Vital Directions initiative emphasizes the importance of refocusing some health policies toward addressing social and behavioral determinants of health and the potential effects of reducing health inequalities and improving the health and longevity of all people in the United States.

.
Viewpoint
Preparing for Better Health and Health Care for an Aging Population
John W. Rowe, MD; Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN; Linda Fried, MD
JAMA. 2016;316(16):1643-1644. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.12335
This Viewpoint from the National Academy of Medicine’s 2016 Vital Directions initiative recommends ways to improve the health and health care of older persons, including development of new care delivery models for people with chronic conditions and strengthening of the elder care workforce.

JBI Database of Systematic Review and Implementation Reports
September 2016 – Volume 14 – Issue 9 pp: 1-380
http://journals.lww.com/jbisrir/Pages/currenttoc.aspx

.
Editorial
Riding a wave in developing countries: challenges and priorities for evidence based practice
Enuameh, Yeetey Akpe Kwesi
[Initial text]
Over the past decade, developing countries have become increasingly engaged with the processes and activities of evidence-based practice (EBP).1,2 Some facilitators of this process include the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and Cochrane, among others. Organizations from a number of developing countries are currently members of these two bodies1,2 — a testament to their increasing participation in evidence synthesis. Systematic reviews and other EBP processes and resources are also being accessed and utilized by the developing world.
The Joanna Briggs Institute, Cochrane and the Collaboration for Evidence-Based Healthcare in Africa (CEBHA) have in recent times established evidence synthesis and translation groups in sub-Saharan and Asian countries.3,4 Researchers, educationists, healthcare providers, health program implementers and policy makers are keen to understand the concept of EBP across the developing world. Institutions of higher learning and research in developing countries are encouraging graduate students to conduct and publish systematic reviews as a component of their programs of study. Some organizations have further provided end-users with platforms to access systematic reviews and relevant derivatives to guide practice and policy.5…

.

Systematic Review Protocols
Community health workers’ experiences of mobile device-enabled clinical decision support systems for maternal, newborn and child health in developing countries: a qualitative…
Dzabeng, Francis; Enuameh, Yeetey; Adjei, George; More
Abstract
Review question/objective: The objective of this review is to synthesize evidence on the experiences of community health workers (CHWs) of mobile device-enabled clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) interventions designed to support maternal newborn and child health (MNCH) in low-and middle-income countries.
Specific objectives:
* To identify the perceived benefits and barriers of using mobile device-enabled CDSSs.
* To identify the deficiencies in mobile device-enabled CDSSs as perceived by CHWs.
* To understand how these systems affect CHWs work patterns based on behavioral change theories.

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
2016: Volume 6 Issue 3
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/jchmsd/6/2

.
Research paper
Challenges to urban cultural heritage conservation and management in the historic centre of Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan – Iraq
Hanaw M. Taqi M. Amin , Emmanuel Akwasi Adu-Ampong
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research paper is to examine the challenges to urban cultural heritage management conservation in the historical city of Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq. The paper focuses on the roles and interactions of stakeholders and the issues that confront the decision making processes that underpin the management of historic city towns.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study methodology is utilised for this research. It involves documentary analysis and interviews with stakeholders who are part of the management of the historic city centre of Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq. The findings from this case study are analysed in a systematic way before being discussed in the context of the literature on urban cultural heritage management.
Findings
The research shows that although there is a shared vision of the need to preserve and conserve urban cultural heritage, the management process is a contentious one. Stakeholders have different ideas as to how to achieve conservation goals which leads to increasing conflicts among stakeholders. This situation is compounded by the limited financial resources available to local government agencies, political interference in the work of implementation agencies and the lack of capacity in local government to enforce rules and carry out conservation projects. There are also significant power differentials among stakeholders in the decision making process which often means that local residents are excluded from the process of conserving their built urban heritage.
Practical implications
This research can help practitioners who are in charge of urban cultural heritage management in dealing with stakeholder conflicts. The paper offers insight into a number of sources of stakeholder conflicts and on ways to overcome these in the planning process.
Originality/value
The originality of research lies in the novelty of the case study area. This research highlights the issues of built heritage conservation management and planning practices in an area – Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq – that is geographically less represented in the extant literature. The research also identifies some of the key sources of conflict in urban heritage conservation projects and provides an insight into the roles of stakeholders in the management of smaller locally-dependent historic city centres.
Purpose
The purpose of this research paper is to examine the challenges to urban cultural heritage management conservation in the historical city of Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq. The paper focuses on the roles and interactions of stakeholders and the issues that confront the decision making processes that underpin the management of historic city towns.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study methodology is utilised for this research. It involves documentary analysis and interviews with stakeholders who are part of the management of the historic city centre of Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq. The findings from this case study are analysed in a systematic way before being discussed in the context of the literature on urban cultural heritage management.
Findings
The research shows that although there is a shared vision of the need to preserve and conserve urban cultural heritage, the management process is a contentious one. Stakeholders have different ideas as to how to achieve conservation goals which leads to increasing conflicts among stakeholders. This situation is compounded by the limited financial resources available to local government agencies, political interference in the work of implementation agencies and the lack of capacity in local government to enforce rules and carry out conservation projects. There are also significant power differentials among stakeholders in the decision making process which often means that local residents are excluded from the process of conserving their built urban heritage.
Practical implications
This research can help practitioners who are in charge of urban cultural heritage management in dealing with stakeholder conflicts. The paper offers insight into a number of sources of stakeholder conflicts and on ways to overcome these in the planning process.
Originality/value
The originality of research lies in the novelty of the case study area. This research highlights the issues of built heritage conservation management and planning practices in an area – Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan-Iraq – that is geographically less represented in the extant literature. The research also identifies some of the key sources of conflict in urban heritage conservation projects and provides an insight into the roles of stakeholders in the management of smaller locally-dependent historic city centres.

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 18, Issue 5, October 2016
http://link.springer.com/journal/10903/18/5/page/1

.
Original Paper
Prevalence of Chronic Disease and Their Risk Factors Among Iranian, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Refugees in California, 2002–2011
Michelle-Linh Thuy Nguyen, David H. Rehkopf

.
Original Paper
Diabetes Among United States-Bound Adult Refugees, 2009–2014
Stephen R. Benoit, Edward W. Gregg…

The Lancet
Oct 29, 2016 Volume 388 Number 10056 p2057-2208
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

.
Special Report
WHO’s Director-General candidates: visions and priorities
Richard Horton, Udani Samarasekera
A new Director-General of WHO will be selected in May, 2017. Richard Horton and Udani Samarasekera asked the six candidates competing for the position about their candidacy.
The forthcoming election of the next Director-General of WHO comes at a critical moment not only for the world’s only multilateral health agency but also for the precarious trajectory of global health itself. WHO is often criticised for failing to live up to the expectations of the health community. Sometimes, as in the case of how the agency managed the early stages of the Ebola virus outbreak, that criticism is justified. But WHO plays a vital and successful, and frequently neglected, part in setting norms and standards for health in countries. It has a powerful convening role. And, should a Director-General choose to do so, the agency has unprecedented authority to offer leadership in health.

As the world enters a new era—that of the Sustainable Development Goals—the Director-General has an essential voice in shaping the meaning of health in an era of human dislocation, pervasive inequality, mass migration, ecological degradation, climate change, war, and humanitarian crisis. Six excellent candidates for Director-General are standing. All have wide experience in health, as one would expect, but each offers a very different platform. Some candidates have formidable international experience in global health. Others have forged their reputations nationally. Some have strong technical credentials. Others offer political skills. Some come from countries that should be WHO’s greatest concern. Others are from nations that are traditionally seen as donors. Some have expertise in what might be considered the traditional agenda of global health (infectious diseases and women’s and children’s health). Others bring experience of newer concerns. This great diversity of candidates is a strength. It allows the Executive Board of WHO in January, 2017, and then the World Health Assembly in May, to select a candidate based on a clear diagnosis of the global predicament for health and the solutions needed. To help clarify their experience, visions, and ideas, we invited each candidate to offer a brief manifesto and to answer a series of ten questions to illuminate their positions on what we see as some priorities for the organisation…

.

Series
Maternal Health
Diversity and divergence: the dynamic burden of poor maternal health
Wendy Graham, Susannah Woodd, Peter Byass, Veronique Filippi, Giorgia Gon, Sandra Virgo, Doris Chou, Sennen Hounton, Rafael Lozano, Robert Pattinson, Susheela Singh
2164
PDF

Maternal Health
Beyond too little, too late and too much, too soon: a pathway towards evidence-based, respectful maternity care worldwide
Suellen Miller, Edgardo Abalos, Monica Chamillard, Agustin Ciapponi, Daniela Colaci, Daniel Comandé, Virginia Diaz, Stacie Geller, Claudia Hanson, Ana Langer, Victoria Manuelli, Kathryn Millar, Imran Morhason-Bello, Cynthia Pileggi Castro, Vicky Nogueira Pileggi, Nuriya Robinson, Michelle Skaer, João Paulo Souza, Joshua P Vogel, Fernando Althabe

Maternal Health
The scale, scope, coverage, and capability of childbirth care
Oona M R Campbell, Clara Calvert, Adrienne Testa, Matthew Strehlow, Lenka Benova, Emily Keyes, France Donnay, David Macleod, Sabine Gabrysch, Luo Rong, Carine Ronsmans, Salim Sadruddin, Marge Koblinsky, Patricia Bailey

Nature
Volume 538 Number 7626 pp427-548 27 October 2016
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html

.
Letter
Changing cultural attitudes towards female genital cutting
Sonja Vogt, Nadia Ahmed Mohmmed Zaid, Hilal El Fadil Ahmed, Ernst Fehr & Charles Efferson
Entertaining movies addressing both individual values and marriageability can provide a way to change cultural attitudes towards female genital cutting within certain cultures.
[Initial text]
As globalization brings people with incompatible attitudes into contact, cultural conflicts inevitably arise. Little is known about how to mitigate conflict and about how the conflicts that occur can shape the cultural evolution of the groups involved. Female genital cutting is a prominent example1, 2, 3. Governments and international agencies have promoted the abandonment of cutting for decades, but the practice remains widespread with associated health risks for millions of girls and women4, 5. In their efforts to end cutting, international agents have often adopted the view that cutting is locally pervasive and entrenched1. This implies the need to introduce values and expectations from outside the local culture. Members of the target society may view such interventions as unwelcome intrusions1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and campaigns promoting abandonment have sometimes led to backlash1, 7, 8, 10, 11 as they struggle to reconcile cultural tolerance with the conviction that cutting violates universal human rights1, 9. Cutting, however, is not necessarily locally pervasive and entrenched1, 3, 12. We designed experiments on cultural change that exploited the existence of conflicting attitudes within cutting societies. We produced four entertaining movies that served as experimental treatments in two experiments in Sudan, and we developed an implicit association test to unobtrusively measure attitudes about cutting. The movies depart from the view that cutting is locally pervasive by dramatizing members of an extended family as they confront each other with divergent views about whether the family should continue cutting. The movies significantly improved attitudes towards girls who remain uncut, with one in particular having a relatively persistent effect. These results show that using entertainment to dramatize locally discordant views can provide a basis for applied cultural evolution without accentuating intercultural divisions…

PLOS Currents: Disasters
http://currents.plos.org/disasters/
[Accessed 29 October 2016]

.
Quality of Life of Persons Injured on 9/11: Qualitative Analysis from the World Trade Center Health Registry
October 27, 2016 · Research Article
Introduction: A number of studies published by the World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry) document the prevalence of injuries sustained by victims of the World Trade Center Disaster (WTCD) on 9/11. Injury occurrence during or in the immediate aftermath of this event has been shown to be a risk factor for long-term adverse physical and mental health status. More recent reports of ongoing health and mental health problems and overall poor quality of life among survivors led us to undertake this qualitative study to explore the long-term impact of having both disaster-related injuries and peri-event traumatic exposure on quality of life in disaster survivors.
Methods: Semi-structured, in-depth individual telephone interviews were conducted with 33 Registry enrollees who reported being injured on 9/11/01. Topics included: extent and circumstance of the injury(ies), description of medical treatment for injury, current health and functional status, and lifestyle changes resulting from the WTCD. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and inductively open-coded for thematic analysis.
Results: Six themes emerged with respect to long term recovery and quality of life: concurrent experience of injury with exposure to peri-event traumatic exposure (e.g., witnessing death or destruction, perceived life threat, etc.); sub-optimal quality and timeliness of short- and long-term medical care for the injury reported and mental health care; poor ongoing health status, functional limitations, and disabilities; adverse impact on lifestyle; lack of social support; and adverse economic impact. Many study participants, especially those reporting more serious injuries, also reported self-imposed social isolation, an inability to participate in or take enjoyment from previously enjoyable leisure and social activities and greatly diminished overall quality of life.
Discussion: This study provided unique insight into the long-term impact of disasters on survivors. Long after physical injuries have healed, some injured disaster survivors report having serious health and mental health problems, economic problems due to loss of livelihood, limited sources of social support, and profound social isolation. Strategies for addressing the long-term health problems of disaster survivors are needed in order to support recovery.

.

Developing the Philippines as a Global Hub for Disaster Risk Reduction – A Health Research Initiative as Presented at the 10th Philippine National Health Research System Week Celebration
October 25, 2016 · Discussion
The recent Philippine National Health Research System (PNHRS) Week Celebration highlighted the growing commitment to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the Philippines. The event was lead by the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Health, and saw the participation of national and international experts in DRR, and numerous research consortia from all over the Philippines. With a central focus on the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the DRR related events recognised the significant disaster risks faced in the Philippines. They also illustrated the Philippine strengths and experience in DRR. Key innovations in science and technology showcased at the conference include the web-base hazard mapping applications ‘Project NOAH’ and ‘FaultFinder’. Other notable innovations include ‘Surveillance in Post Extreme Emergencies and Disasters’ (SPEED) which monitors potential outbreaks through a syndromic reporting system. Three areas noted for further development in DRR science and technology included: integrated national hazard assessment, strengthened collaboration, and improved documentation. Finally, the event saw the proposal to develop the Philippines into a global hub for DRR. The combination of the risk profile of the Philippines, established national structures and experience in DRR, as well as scientific and technological innovation in this field are potential factors that could position the Philippines as a future global leader in DRR. The purpose of this article is to formally document the key messages of the DRR-related events of the PNHRS Week Celebration.

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 29 October 2016)
.
Research Article
Impacts on Breastfeeding Practices of At-Scale Strategies That Combine Intensive Interpersonal Counseling, Mass Media, and Community Mobilization: Results of Cluster-Randomized Program Evaluations in Bangladesh and Viet Nam
Purnima Menon, Phuong Hong Nguyen, Kuntal Kumar Saha, Adiba Khaled, Andrew Kennedy, Lan Mai Tran, Tina Sanghvi, Nemat Hajeebhoy, Jean Baker, Silvia Alayon, Kaosar Afsana, Raisul Haque, Edward A. Frongillo, Marie T. Ruel, Rahul Rawat
| published 25 Oct 2016 PLOS Medicine
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002159
.

Towards Equity in Service Provision for Gay Men and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Repressive Contexts
Chris Beyrer, Keletso Makofane, Ifeanyi Orazulike, Daouda Diouf, Stefan D. Baral
Editorial | published 25 Oct 2016 PLOS Medicine
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002154

PLoS Medicine
http://www.plosmedicine.org/
(Accessed 29 October 2016)
.
Research Article
The Global Burden of Latent Tuberculosis Infection: A Re-estimation Using Mathematical Modelling
Rein M. G. J. Houben, Peter J. Dodd
| published 25 Oct 2016 PLOS Medicine
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002152
Abstract
Background
The existing estimate of the global burden of latent TB infection (LTBI) as “one-third” of the world population is nearly 20 y old. Given the importance of controlling LTBI as part of the End TB Strategy for eliminating TB by 2050, changes in demography and scientific understanding, and progress in TB control, it is important to re-assess the global burden of LTBI.
Methods and Findings
We constructed trends in annual risk in infection (ARI) for countries between 1934 and 2014 using a combination of direct estimates of ARI from LTBI surveys (131 surveys from 1950 to 2011) and indirect estimates of ARI calculated from World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates of smear positive TB prevalence from 1990 to 2014. Gaussian process regression was used to generate ARIs for country-years without data and to represent uncertainty. Estimated ARI time-series were applied to the demography in each country to calculate the number and proportions of individuals infected, recently infected (infected within 2 y), and recently infected with isoniazid (INH)-resistant strains. Resulting estimates were aggregated by WHO region. We estimated the contribution of existing infections to TB incidence in 2035 and 2050.
In 2014, the global burden of LTBI was 23.0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 20.4%–26.4%), amounting to approximately 1.7 billion people. WHO South-East Asia, Western-Pacific, and Africa regions had the highest prevalence and accounted for around 80% of those with LTBI. Prevalence of recent infection was 0.8% (95% UI: 0.7%–0.9%) of the global population, amounting to 55.5 (95% UI: 48.2–63.8) million individuals currently at high risk of TB disease, of which 10.9% (95% UI:10.2%–11.8%) was isoniazid-resistant. Current LTBI alone, assuming no additional infections from 2015 onwards, would be expected to generate TB incidences in the region of 16.5 per 100,000 per year in 2035 and 8.3 per 100,000 per year in 2050.
Limitations included the quantity and methodological heterogeneity of direct ARI data, and limited evidence to inform on potential clearance of LTBI.
Conclusions
We estimate that approximately 1.7 billion individuals were latently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) globally in 2014, just under a quarter of the global population. Investment in new tools to improve diagnosis and treatment of those with LTBI at risk of progressing to disease is urgently needed to address this latent reservoir if the 2050 target of eliminating TB is to be reached.
.

The Tuberculosis Cascade of Care in India’s Public Sector: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Ramnath Subbaraman, Ruvandhi R. Nathavitharana, Srinath Satyanarayana, Madhukar Pai, Beena E. Thomas, Vineet K. Chadha, Kiran Rade, Soumya Swaminathan, Kenneth H. Mayer
Research Article | published 25 Oct 2016 PLOS Medicine
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002149

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
[Accessed 29 October 2016]

.
Review
Diagnostics in Ebola Virus Disease in Resource-Rich and Resource-Limited Settings
Robert J Shorten, Colin S Brown, Michael Jacobs, Simon Rattenbury, Andrew J. Simpson, Stephen Mepham
| published 27 Oct 2016 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004948

.

Editorial
Blue Marble Health and the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013
Peter J Hotez, Ashish Damania, Mohsen Naghavi
| published 27 Oct 2016 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0004744

.

Research Article
Integrated Healthcare Delivery: A Qualitative Research Approach to Identifying and Harmonizing Perspectives of Integrated Neglected Tropical Disease Programs
Arianna Rubin Means, Julie Jacobson, Aryc W. Mosher, Judd L. Walson
| published 24 Oct 2016 PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 29 October 2016]

.
Research Article
Preparation and Response to the 2014 Ebola Virus Disease Epidemic in Nigeria—The Experience of a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria
Dimie Ogoina, Abisoye Sunday Oyeyemi, Okubusa Ayah, Austin Onabor A, Adugo Midia, Wisdom Tudou Olomo, Onyaye E. Kunle-Olowu
| published 27 Oct 2016 PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165271

.

Research Article
Prevalence and Diagnosis of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Young Children in the Absence of a Gold Standard
Tomas Maria Perez-Porcuna, Hélio Doyle Pereira-da-Silva, Carlos Ascaso, Adriana Malheiro, Samira Bührer, Flor Martinez-Espinosa, Rosa Abellana
| published 26 Oct 2016 PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0164181

.

Research Article
The Impact of Internal Migration on under-Five Mortality in 27 Sub-Saharan African Countries
Abukari I. Issaka, Kingsley E. Agho, Andre M. N. Renzaho
| published 26 Oct 2016 PLOS ONE
http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163179
Abstract
Objective
The literature on the impact of internal migration on under-five mortality in sub-Saharan Africa has been limited. This study examined the impact of internal migration on under-five mortality rate in 27 sub-Saharan African countries.
Design
The analysis used cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys of 27 sub-Saharan African countries. Information on the number of live births and the number of under-five deaths in the five years preceding the surveys in these countries was examined. Using variables from which migration data were generated, four migration statuses were computed, and the impact of each migration status on under-five mortality was analysed by using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models.
Results
Of the 96333 live births, 7036 deaths were reported. Adjusting for internal migration status revealed a 20% increase in under-five mortality rate among urban-rural migrant mothers [HR = 1.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.06–1.35)], a 40% increase in under-five mortality rates among rural non-migrant mothers, [HR = 1.40; 95% CI: (1.29–1.53)] and a 43% increase in under-five deaths among rural-urban migrant mothers [HR = 1.43; 95% CI: (1.30–1.58)]. Whilst under-five mortality rate did not change considerably when we adjusted for country and demographic variables, there were significant decreases among rural non-migrant and rural-urban migrant mothers when health care service utilization factors were adjusted for [HR = 1.20; 95% CI: (1.07–1.33) and [HR = 1.29; 95% CI: (1.14–1.45)]. The decreased risk of under-five deaths was not significant among rural non-migrant and rural-urban migrant mothers when socio-economic factors were adjusted for. Other factors for which there were significant risks of under-five deaths included household poverty, lack of health care services
Conclusion
Although under-five child mortality rate declined by 52% between 1990 and 2015 (from 179 to 86 per1000 live births) in sub-Saharan Africa, the continent still has the highest rate in the world. This finding highlights the need to consider providing education and health care services in rural areas, when implementing interventions meant to reduce under-five mortality rates among internal migrant mothers.