Global Fund [to 22 August 2015]
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/mediacenter/newsreleases/

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:: Ghana Takes Big Step in Health with New Global Fund Grants
18 August 2015
ACCRA, Ghana – In a ceremony hosted by the president of Ghana, the Government of Ghana and the Global Fund today strengthened their partnership by signing new grants for US$ 248 million to substantially increase the number of people receiving prevention, treatment and care for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
The financial resources provided through the Global Fund come from many sources and partners, represented today at a signing event held at the presidential palace by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, the UK Department for International Development, France, Germany, Japan, the European Union, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Korea, UNICEF, UNAIDS and WHO, among others.
The seven new grants will build resilient and sustainable systems for health, fund HIV treatment for an additional 56,736 people, increase malaria treatment coverage for children under five and significantly expand diagnosis and treatment for TB.

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:: Life-saving HIV treatment for adults and children arrives in Ukraine
17 August 2015

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:: Standard Bank partners with the Global Fund on CSI initiatives in Africa
17 August 2015
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – An expanded partnership between Standard Bank and the Global Fund aims to provide better financial tools and skills to organizations implementing programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa.
This is an extension of the pro-bono agreement signed in 2008 between the two organizations. The partnership, which was signed on 15 April 2015, extends the relationship between the two organizations for an additional three years.
The Global Fund mobilizes and invests US$4 billion a year to combat the AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria epidemics. It supports programs run by local experts in countries and communities most in need. More than 50 percent of that funding is directed to countries in Africa.
The partnership between Standard Bank and the Global Fund focuses on improving the financial skills and management expertise of Global Fund implementers. These include government health ministries, faith-based organizations, non-government organizations and private sector foundations…

State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – 2nd Volume: Indigenous People’s Access To Health
UN DESA
August 2015 :: 198 pages
Advance Copy pdf: http://www.undesadspd.org/Portals/0/SOWIP_final.pdf

[Excerpt from Foreward]
…The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples states that indigenous peo¬ples have the right to be actively involved in developing and determining their health programmes; the right to their traditional medicines, maintain their health practices, and the equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Unfortunately, indig¬enous peoples suffer higher rates of ill health and have dramatically shorter life expectancy than other groups living in the same countries. This inequity results in indigenous peoples suffering unacceptable health problems and they are more likely to experience disabilities and dying at a younger age than their non-indigenous counterparts.

Indigenous peoples’ health status is severely affected by their living conditions, income levels, employment rates, access to safe water, sanitation, health services and food availability. Indige¬nous peoples are facing destruction to their lands, territories and resources, which are essential to their very survival. Other threats include climate change and environmental contamination (heavy metals, industrial gases and effluent wastes).

Indigenous peoples also experience major structural barriers in accessing health care. These in¬clude geographical isolation and poverty which results in not having the means to pay the high cost for transport or treatment. This is further compounded by discrimination, racism and a lack of cultural understanding and sensitivity. Many health systems do not reflect the social and cultural practices and beliefs of indigenous peoples…

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[Excerpt from Introduction]
…The State of the World’s Indigenous Peoples will remain a recurrent “flagship” publication pro¬duced by the United Nations. It is intended that such publications, such as this, will deal with a broad spectrum of indigenous peoples’ issues. It is hoped that such a publication, given its func¬tion of supporting the United Nations Permanent Forum will also promote awareness of indige¬nous peoples’ issues within the United Nations system, with States, academia and the broader public.

The current situation of indigenous peoples remains a concern within the United Nations. It has been estimated that the world’s 370 million indigenous peoples reside in approximately 90 coun¬tries of the world.3 They are among the world’s most marginalized peoples, and are often isolated politically and socially within the countries where they reside by the geographical location of their communities, their separate histories, cultures, languages and traditions. They are often among the poorest peoples and the poverty gap between indigenous and non-indigenous groups is in¬creasing in many countries around the world. This influences indigenous peoples’ quality of life and their right to health.

Indigenous peoples’ access to adequate health care remains one of the most challenging and complex areas that require an urgent focus on the main health issues as well as examining alter¬native health care frameworks. As previously stated, health is one of the six mandated areas of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and is one of the focuses of the World Health Organization which recognizes the right to health as a fundamental human right in its con¬stitution. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples includes articles (21, 23, 24, and 29) that refer specifically to the right to health including indigenous peoples’ right to improving their economic and social conditions in the area of health and that particular atten¬tion to the needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities. Fur¬ther, indigenous peoples have the right to determine their health programmes and to administer these programmes through their own institutions as well as maintaining their traditional health practices. Also, that States take effective measures to ensure that programmes for monitoring, maintaining and restoring the health of indigenous peoples, as developed and implemented by the peoples affected by such materials, are duly implemented.

Indigenous peoples face a myriad of obstacles when accessing public health systems such as the lack of health facilities in indigenous communities, cultural differences with the health care providers such as differences in languages, illiteracy and lack of understanding of indigenous cul¬ture and traditional health care systems. There is also an absence of adequate health insurance or lack of economic capacity to pay for services. As a result, indigenous peoples often cannot afford health services even if it is available. Marginalization also means that indigenous peoples are reluctant or have difficulties in participating in non-indigenous processes or systems at the community, municipal, state and national levels…

American Journal of Public Health
Volume 105, Issue 9 (September 2015)
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/current

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Unintended Consequences of Screening for Ebola
Laura Johnson Faherty, Chyke A. Doubeni
American Journal of Public Health: September 2015, Vol. 105, No. 9: 1738–1739.

Public Health Intelligence: Learning From the Ebola Crisis
Timothy Jay Carney, David Jay Weber
American Journal of Public Health: September 2015, Vol. 105, No. 9: 1740–1744.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
August 2015; 93 (2)
http://www.ajtmh.org/content/current

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Editorial
Striding Toward Malaria Elimination in China
Michelle S. Hsiang and Roly D. Gosling
Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015 93:203-204; Published online June 15, 2015, doi:10.4269/ajtmh.15-0391
OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE

Perspective Piece
When Potentially Lifesaving Drugs are Both Experimental and in Very Short Supply: A Clinician’s Story from the Front Lines of the Battle Against Ebola
Linda M. Mobula
Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015 93:210-211; Published online June 1, 2015, doi:10.4269/ajtmh.15-0302

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 22 August 2015)

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Research article
Why do women choose private over public facilities for family planning services? A qualitative study of post-partum women in an informal urban settlement in Kenya
Sirina Keesara, Pamela Juma, Cynthia Harper
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:335 (20 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
Can she make it? Transportation barriers to accessing maternal and child health care services in rural Ghana
Kilian Atuoye, Jenna Dixon, Andrea Rishworth, Sylvester Galaa, Sheila Boamah, Isaac Luginaah BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:333 (20 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
The elimination of healthcare user fees for children under five substantially alleviates the burden on household expenses in Burkina Faso
Mahaman Abdou Illou, Slim Haddad, Isabelle Agier, Valéry Ridde
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:313 (8 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
Mental health service use by recent immigrants from different world regions and by non-immigrants in Ontario, Canada: a cross-sectional study
Anna Durbin, Rahim Moineddin, Elizabeth Lin, Leah Steele, Richard Glazier BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:336 (20 August 2015)

Research article
The rising burden of chronic conditions among urban poor: a three-year follow-up survey in Bengaluru, India
Mrunalini J Gowda, Upendra Bhojani, Narayanan Devadasan, Thriveni S Beerenahally BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:330 (15 August 2015)

Research article
Outcome of a reproductive health advocacy mentoring intervention for staff of selected non- governmental organisations in Nigeria
Gloria. Momoh, Mojisola Oluwasanu, Olufemi Oduola, Grace Delano, Oladapo Ladipo BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:314 (11 August 2015)

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpregnancychildbirth/content
(Accessed 22 August 2015)

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Research article
Contraceptive adoption in the extended postpartum period is low in Northwest Ethiopia
Zelalem Mengesha, Abebaw Worku, Senafikish Feleke BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2015, 15:160 (22 August 2015)
Abstract

Study protocol
Effectiveness of a normative nutrition intervention (diet, physical activity and breastfeeding) on maternal nutrition and offspring growth: the Chilean maternal and infant nutrition cohort study (CHiMINCs)
Maria Garmendia, Camila Corvalan, Marcela Araya, Paola Casanello, Juan Kusanovic, Ricardo Uauy BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2015, 15:175 (18 August 2015)
Abstract
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Research article
How intra-familial decision-making affects women’s access to, and use of maternal healthcare services in Ghana: a qualitative study
John Ganle, Bernard Obeng, Alexander Segbefia, Vitalis Mwinyuri, Joseph Yeboah, Leonard Baatiema
BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2015, 15:173 (15 August 2015)
Abstract |

Research article
How do Malawian women rate the quality of maternal and newborn care? Experiences and perceptions of women in the central and southern regions
Christabel Kambala, Julia Lohmann, Jacob Mazalale, Stephan Brenner, Manuela De Allegri, Adamson Muula, Malabika Sarker
BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2015, 15:169 (15 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
Birth location preferences of mothers and fathers in rural Ghana: Implications for pregnancy, labor and birth outcomes
Leslie Cofie, Clare Barrington, Kavita Singh, Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, Akalpa Akaligaung
BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth 2015, 15:165 (12 August 2015)
Abstract

BMC Public Health
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealth/content
(Accessed 22 August 2015)

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Research article
Understanding the socio-economic and sexual behavioural correlates of male circumcision across eleven voluntary medical male circumcision priority countries in southeastern Africa
Fiona Lau, Sylvia Jayakumar, Sema Sgaier
BMC Public Health 2015, 15:813 (22 August 2015)
Abstract |

Research article
Country characteristics and acute diarrhea in children from developing nations: a multilevel study
Ángela Pinzón-Rondón, Carol Zárate-Ardila, Alfonso Hoyos-Martínez, Ángela Ruiz-Sternberg, Alberto Vélez-van-Meerbeke
BMC Public Health 2015, 15:811 (21 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
Improved coverage and timing of childhood vaccinations in two post-Soviet countries, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan
Schweitzer, G. Krause, F. Pessler, M. Akmatov
BMC Public Health 2015, 15:798 (19 August 2015)
Abstract
Background
Timing of childhood vaccinations has received close attention in many countries. Little is known about the trends in correctly timed vaccination in former Soviet countries. We examined trends in vaccination coverage and correct timing of vaccination in two post-Soviet countries, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, and analyzed factors associated with delayed vaccinations.
Methods
We used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys; the surveys were conducted in 2000 (n = 1726), 2005 (n = 1430) and 2010 (n = 1473) in Armenia and in 1997 (n = 1127) and 2012 (n = 4363) in Kyrgyzstan. We applied the Kaplan-Meier method to estimate age-specific vaccination coverage with diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) vaccine and a measles-containing vaccine (MCV). A Cox proportional hazard regression with shared frailty was used to examine factors associated with delayed vaccinations.
Results
Vaccination coverage for all three doses of the DTP vaccine increased in Armenia from 92 % in 2000 to 96 % in 2010. In Kyrgyzstan, DTP coverage was 96 % and 97 % in 1997 and 2012, respectively. Vaccination coverage for MCV increased from 89 % (Armenia, 2000) and 93 % (Kyrgyzstan, 1997) to 97 % (Armenia, 2010) and 98 % (Kyrgyzstan, 2012). The proportion of children with correctly timed vaccinations increased over time for all examined vaccinations in both countries. For example, the proportion of children in Armenia with correctly timed first DTP dose (DTP1) increased from 46 % (2000) to 66 % (2010). In Kyrgyzstan, the proportion of correctly timed DTP1 increased from 75 % (1997) to 87 % (2012). In Armenia, delays in the third DTP dose (DTP3) and MCV vaccinations were less likely to occur in the capital, whereas in Kyrgyzstan DTP3 and MCV start was delayed in the capital compared to other regions of the country. Also, in Armenia living in urban areas was associated with delayed vaccinations.
Conclusions
Vaccination coverage and timing of vaccination improved over the last years in both countries. Further efforts are needed to reduce regional differences in timely vaccinations.

Research article
Improving child survival through a district management strengthening and community empowerment intervention: early implementation experiences from Uganda
Anne Katahoire, Dorcus Henriksson, Eric Ssegujja, Peter Waiswa, Florence Ayebare, Danstan Bagenda, Anthony Mbonye, Stefan Peterson
BMC Public Health 2015, 15:797 (19 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
Harmful practices in the management of childhood diarrhea in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review
Emily Carter, Jennifer Bryce, Jamie Perin, Holly Newby
BMC Public Health 2015, 15:788 (18 August 2015)
Abstract

Research article
Multimorbidity and the inequalities of global ageing: a cross-sectional study of 28 countries using the World Health Surveys
Sara Afshar, Paul Roderick, Paul Kowal, Borislav Dimitrov, Allan Hill
BMC Public Health 2015, 15:776 (13 August 2015)
Abstract

BMC Research Notes
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcresnotes/content
(Accessed 22 August 2015)

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Research article
Risk factors and practices contributing to newborn sepsis in a rural district of Eastern Uganda, August 2013: a cross sectional study
Bua John, Mukanga David, Lwanga Mathias, Nabiwemba Elizabeth BMC Research Notes 2015, 8:339 (9 August 2015)

BMJ Open
2015, Volume 5, Issue 8
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/current

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Health services research
Human trafficking and health: a cross-sectional survey of NHS professionals’ contact with victims of human trafficking
Claire Ross, Stoyanka Dimitrova, Louise M Howard, Michael Dewey, Cathy Zimmerman, Siân Oram
BMJ Open 2015;5:e008682 doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008682
Abstract
Objectives
(1) To estimate the proportion of National Health Service (NHS) professionals who have come into contact with trafficked people and (2) to measure NHS professionals’ knowledge and confidence to respond to human trafficking.
Design
A cross-sectional survey.
Setting
Face-to-face mandatory child protection and/or vulnerable adults training sessions at 10 secondary healthcare provider organisations in England, and meetings of the UK College of Emergency Medicine.
Participants
782/892 (84.4%) NHS professionals participated, including from emergency medicine, maternity, mental health, paediatrics and other clinical disciplines.
Measures
Self-completed questionnaire developed by an expert panel. Questionnaire asks about prior training and contact with potential victims of trafficking, perceived and actual human trafficking knowledge, confidence in responding to human trafficking, and interest in future human trafficking training.
Results
13% participants reported previous contact with a patient they knew or suspected of having been trafficked; among maternity services professionals this was 20.4%. However, 86.8% (n=679) reported lacking knowledge of what questions to ask to identify potential victims and 78.3% (n=613) reported that they had insufficient training to assist trafficked people. 71% (n=556), 67.5% (n=528) and 53.4% (n=418) lacked confidence in making appropriate referrals for men, women and children, respectively, who had been trafficked. 95.3% (n=746) of respondents were unaware of the scale of human trafficking in the UK, and 76.5% (n=598) were unaware that calling the police could put patients in more danger. Psychometric analysis showed that subscales measuring perceived knowledge, actual knowledge and confidence to respond to human trafficking demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s αs 0.93, 0.63 and 0.64, respectively) and internal correlations.
Conclusions
NHS professionals working in secondary care are in contact with potential victims of human trafficking, but lack knowledge and confidence in how to respond appropriately. Training is needed, particularly for maternity staff, on how to identify and respond to victims’ needs, including through making safe referrals.

Conflict and Health
http://www.conflictandhealth.com/
[Accessed 22 August 2015]

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Research
A pilot study of a portable hand washing station for recently displaced refugees during an acute emergency in Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia
Husain F, Hardy C, Zekele L, Clatworthy D, Blanton C and Handzel T Conflict and Health 2015, 9:26 (22 August 2015)

Review
Impact of service provision platforms on maternal and newborn health in conflict areas and their acceptability in Pakistan: a systematic review
Lassi ZS, Aftab W, Ariff S, Kumar R, Hussain I, Musavi NB, Memon Z, Soofi SB et al. Conflict and Health 2015, 9:25 (22 August 2015)

Research
Perceptions, attitude and use of family planning services in post conflict Gulu district, northern Uganda
Orach CG, Otim G, Aporomon JF, Amone R, Okello SA, Odongkara B and Komakech H Conflict and Health 2015, 9:24 (11 August 2015)
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Case study
Ebola in the context of conflict affected states and health systems: case studies of Northern Uganda and Sierra Leone
McPake B, Witter S, Ssali S, Wurie H, Namakula J and Ssengooba F Conflict and Health 2015, 9:23 (8 August 2015)

Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation
http://www.resource-allocation.com/
(Accessed 22 August 2015)

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Research
Cost-effectiveness analysis of routine immunization and supplementary immunization activity for measles in a health district of Benin
Kaucley L and Levy P Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2015, 13:14 (20 August 2015)
Abstract
Background
This study was carried out at district level to describe the cost structure and measure the effectiveness of delivering supplementary immunization activity (SIA) and routine immunization (RI) for measles in Benin, a country heavily affected by this disease.
Methods
This cost-effectiveness study was cross sectional and considered 1-year time horizon. RI consists to vaccinate an annual cohort of children aged 0–1 year old and SIA consists to provide a second dose of measles vaccine to children aged 0–5 years old in order to reach both those who did not seroconvert and who were not vaccinated through RI. Ingredients approach to costing was used. Effectiveness indicators included measles vaccine doses used, vaccinated children, measles cases averted and disability adjusted life years averted. Data were collected from all the 18 health care centers of the health district of Natitingou for the year 2011. In the analysis, the coverage was 89 % for RI and 104 % for SIA.
Results
SIA total cost was higher than RI total cost (15,796,560 FCFA versus 9,851,938 FCFA). Personnel and vaccines were the most important cost components for the two strategies. Fuel for cold chain took a non-negligible part of RI total cost (4.03 %) because 83 % of refrigerators were working with kerosene. Cost structures were disproportionate as social mobilization and trainings were not financed during RI contrarily to SIA. In comparison with no intervention, the two strategies combined permitted to avoid 12,671 measles cases or 19,023 DALYs. The benefit of SIA was 5601 measles cases averted and 6955 additional DALYs averted. Cost per vaccinated child for SIA (442 FCFA) was lower than for RI (1242 FCFA), in line with previous data from the literature. Cost per DALY averted was 2271 FCFA (4.73 USD) for SIA and 769 FCFA (1.60 USD) for RI. Analysis showed that low vaccine efficacy decreased the cost-effectiveness ratios for the two strategies. SIA was more cost-effective when the proportion of previously unvaccinated children was higher. For the two strategies, costs per DALY were more likely to vary with measles case fatality ratio.
Conclusions
SIA is costlier than RI. Both SIA and RI for measles are cost-effective interventions to improve health in Benin compared to no vaccination. Policy makers could make RI more efficient if sufficient funds were allocated to communications activities and to staff motivation (trainings, salaries).

Food Policy
Volume 56, In Progress (October 2015)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03069192

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Household food waste behaviour in EU-27 countries: A multilevel analysis
Original Research Article
Pages 25-40
Luca Secondi, Ludovica Principato, Tiziana Laureti
Highlights
:: Food waste at consumer level is a fairly new research topic.
:: We explore EU-27 individuals’ food waste behaviour by means of multilevel models.
:: Modelling country heterogeneity allows for setting of intervention priorities.
:: Degree of urbanization should be considered for policies at sub-national level.
:: Waste sorting practices are positively associated with food waste reduction.

Farmer seed networks make a limited contribution to agriculture? Four common misconceptions
Original Research Article
Pages 41-50
Oliver T. Coomes, Shawn J. McGuire, Eric Garine, Sophie Caillon, Doyle McKey, Elise Demeulenaere, Devra Jarvis, Guntra Aistara, Adeline Barnaud, Pascal Clouvel, Laure Emperaire, Sélim Louafi, Pierre Martin, François Massol, Marco Pautasso, Chloé Violon, Jean Wencélius
Highlights
:: Food and agricultural policy undervalues farmer seed networks.
:: These networks are important globally in circulating planting material among farmers.
:: We challenge four common misconceptions in policy and practice about seed networks.
:: Farmer seed networks are efficient and open but also selective in seed provisioning.
:: Commercialization and regulation are unlikely to eradicate farmer seed networks.

Global Public Health
Volume 10, Issue 8, 2015
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rgph20/current

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Legal and policy foundations for global generic competition: Promoting affordable drug pricing in developing societies
Pablo Zapatero Miguel
pages 901-916
DOI:10.1080/17441692.2015.1014824
Published online: 04 Mar 2015
Abstract
The so-called ‘TRIPS flexibilities’ restated in 2001 by the World Trade Organization’s Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health offer a variety of policy avenues for promoting global price-based competition for essential medicines, and thus for improving access to affordable medicines in the developing world. In recent years, developing countries and international organisations alike have begun to explore the potentialities of global generic markets and competition generally, and also of using compulsory licensing to remedy anti-competitive practices (e.g. excessive pricing) through TRIPS-compatible antitrust enforcement. These and other ‘pro-competitive’ TRIPS flexibilities currently available provide the critical leverage and policy space necessary to improve access to affordable medicines in the developing world.

Globalization and Health
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/
[Accessed 22 August 2015]

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Research
Attitudes and behaviours of maternal health care providers in interactions with clients: a systematic review
Mannava P, Durrant K, Fisher J, Chersich M and Luchters S Globalization and Health 2015, 11:36 (15 August 2015)

Research
Does Pharmaceutical Pricing Transparency Matter? Examining Brazil’s Public Procurement System
Kohler JC, Mitsakakis N, Saadat F, Byng D and Martinez MG Globalization and Health 2015, 11:34 (4 August 2015)

Health Policy and Planning
Volume 30 Issue 7 September 2015
http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/content/current
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Editor’s Choice: Can the health system deliver? Determinants of rural Liberians’ confidence in health care
Theodore Svoronos, Rose Jallah Macauley, and Margaret E Kruk
Health Policy Plan. (2015) 30 (7): 823-829 doi:10.1093/heapol/czu065
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The value of building health promotion capacities within communities: evidence from a maternal health intervention in Guinea
Ellen Brazier, Renée Fiorentino, Mamadou Saidou Barry, and Moustapha Diallo
Health Policy Plan. (2015) 30 (7): 885-894 doi:10.1093/heapol/czu089
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Increased use of recommended maternal health care as a determinant of immunization and appropriate care for fever and diarrhoea in Ghana: an analysis pooling three demographic and health surveys
Natalie McGlynn, Piotr Wilk, Isaac Luginaah, Bridget L Ryan, and Amardeep Thind
Health Policy Plan. (2015) 30 (7): 895-905 doi:10.1093/heapol/czu090
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Review
The effectiveness of community-based loan funds for transport during obstetric emergencies in developing countries: a systematic review
Chidiebere Hope Nwolise, Julia Hussein, Lovney Kanguru, Jacqueline Bell, and Purvi Patel
Health Policy Plan. (2015) 30 (7): 946-955 doi:10.1093/heapol/czu084
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Human Rights Quarterly
Volume 37, Number 3, August 2015
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/human_rights_quarterly/toc/hrq.37.3.html

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Ratification, Reporting, and Rights: Quality of Participation in the Convention against Torture
Cosette D. Creamer, Beth A. Simmons
Human Rights Quarterly
Volume 37, Number 3, August 2015
pp. 579-608 | 10.1353/hrq.2015.0041
Abstract
The core international human rights treaty bodies play an important role in monitoring implementation of human rights standards through consideration of states parties’ reports. Yet very little research explores how seriously governments take their reporting obligations. This article examines the reporting record of parties to the Convention against Torture, finding that report submission is heavily conditioned by the practices of neighboring countries and by a government’s human rights commitment and institutional capacity. This article also introduces original data on the quality and responsiveness of reports, finding that more democratic—and particularly newly democratic—governments tend to render higher quality reports.

Human Rights and Development: Putting Power and Politics at the Center
pp. 662-690
Gordon Crawford, Bård A. Andreassen

The Privatization of Water Services: The Quest for Enhanced Human Rights Accountability
pp. 691-727
Khulekani Moyo, Sandra Liebenberg

Overcoming Barriers to Justice in the Age of Human Rights Accountability
pp. 728-754
Leigh A. Payne, Francesca Lessa, Gabriel Pereira

Beyond Strategic Rape and Between the Public and Private: Violence Against Women in Armed Conflict
pp. 755-786
Aisling Swaine

JAMA
August 18, 2015, Vol 314, No. 7
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx
[New issue; No relevant content identified]

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August 11, 2015, Vol 314, No. 6
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx?journalid=67&issueid=934298&direction=P
[No relevant content identified]

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August 4, 2015, Vol 314, No. 5
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx?journalid=67&issueid=934282&direction=P
Viewpoint
The State of the World’s Refugees: The Importance of Work, Cash Assistance, and Health Insurance
Paul B. Spiegel, MD, MPH

Psychological Treatments for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Affected by Traumatic Events and Chronic Adversity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Peter Ventevogel, MD; Paul Spiegel, MD, MPH
Abstract
Importance
Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are at high risk for experiencing trauma and related psychosocial problems. Despite this, no randomized clinical trials have studied evidence-based treatments for OVC in low-resource settings.
Objective
To evaluate the effectiveness of lay counselor–provided trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) to address trauma and stress-related symptoms among OVC in Lusaka, Zambia.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This randomized clinical trial compared TF-CBT and treatment as usual (TAU) (varying by site) for children recruited from August 1, 2012, through July 31, 2013, and treated until December 31, 2013, for trauma-related symptoms from 5 community sites within Lusaka, Zambia. Children were aged 5 through 18 years and had experienced at least one traumatic event and reported significant trauma-related symptoms. Analysis was with intent to treat.
Interventions The intervention group received 10 to 16 sessions of TF-CBT (n = 131). The TAU group (n = 126) received usual community services offered to OVC.
Main Outcomes and Measures
The primary outcome was mean item change in trauma and stress-related symptoms using a locally validated version of the UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (range, 0-4) and functional impairment using a locally developed measure (range, 0-4). Outcomes were measured at baseline and within 1 month after treatment completion or after a waiting period of approximately 4.5 months after baseline for TAU.
Results
At follow-up, the mean item change in trauma symptom score was −1.54 (95% CI, −1.81 to −1.27), a reduction of 81.9%, for the TF-CBT group and −0.37 (95% CI, −0.57 to −0.17), a reduction of 21.1%, for the TAU group. The mean item change for functioning was −0.76 (95% CI, −0.98 to −0.54), a reduction of 89.4%, and −0.54 (95% CI, −0.80 to −0.29), a reduction of 68.3%, for the TF-CBT and TAU groups, respectively. The difference in change between groups was statistically significant for both outcomes (P < .001). The effect size (Cohen d) was 2.39 for trauma symptoms and 0.34 for functioning. Lay counselors participated in supervision and assessed whether the intervention was provided with fidelity in all 5 community settings.
Conclusions and Relevance
The TF-CBT adapted for Zambia substantially decreased trauma and stress-related symptoms and produced a smaller improvement in functional impairment among OVC having experienced high levels of trauma.

JAMA Pediatrics
August 2015, Vol 169, No. 8
http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx

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Effectiveness of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Among Trauma-Affected Children in Lusaka, Zambia: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Laura K. Murray, PhD; Stephanie Skavenski, MSW, MPH; Jeremy C. Kane, PhD; John Mayeya, MSc; Shannon Dorsey, PhD; Judy A. Cohen, MD; Lynn T. M. Michalopoulos, PhD; Mwiya Imasiku, PhD; Paul A. Bolton, MBBS
Abstract
Importance
Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) are at high risk for experiencing trauma and related psychosocial problems. Despite this, no randomized clinical trials have studied evidence-based treatments for OVC in low-resource settings.
Objective
To evaluate the effectiveness of lay counselor–provided trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) to address trauma and stress-related symptoms among OVC in Lusaka, Zambia.
Design, Setting, and Participants
This randomized clinical trial compared TF-CBT and treatment as usual (TAU) (varying by site) for children recruited from August 1, 2012, through July 31, 2013, and treated until December 31, 2013, for trauma-related symptoms from 5 community sites within Lusaka, Zambia. Children were aged 5 through 18 years and had experienced at least one traumatic event and reported significant trauma-related symptoms. Analysis was with intent to treat.
Interventions
The intervention group received 10 to 16 sessions of TF-CBT (n = 131). The TAU group (n = 126) received usual community services offered to OVC.
Main Outcomes and Measures
The primary outcome was mean item change in trauma and stress-related symptoms using a locally validated version of the UCLA Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Reaction Index (range, 0-4) and functional impairment using a locally developed measure (range, 0-4). Outcomes were measured at baseline and within 1 month after treatment completion or after a waiting period of approximately 4.5 months after baseline for TAU.
Results
At follow-up, the mean item change in trauma symptom score was −1.54 (95% CI, −1.81 to −1.27), a reduction of 81.9%, for the TF-CBT group and −0.37 (95% CI, −0.57 to −0.17), a reduction of 21.1%, for the TAU group. The mean item change for functioning was −0.76 (95% CI, −0.98 to −0.54), a reduction of 89.4%, and −0.54 (95% CI, −0.80 to −0.29), a reduction of 68.3%, for the TF-CBT and TAU groups, respectively. The difference in change between groups was statistically significant for both outcomes (P < .001). The effect size (Cohen d) was 2.39 for trauma symptoms and 0.34 for functioning. Lay counselors participated in supervision and assessed whether the intervention was provided with fidelity in all 5 community settings.
Conclusions and Relevance
The TF-CBT adapted for Zambia substantially decreased trauma and stress-related symptoms and produced a smaller improvement in functional impairment among OVC having experienced high levels of trauma.

Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (JPIDS)
Volume 4 Issue 3 September 2015
http://jpids.oxfordjournals.org/content/current

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Measles in Latin America: Current Situation
Robério Dias Leite1 and Eitan Naaman Berezin2
Extract
The Region of the Americas (North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean) successfully interrupted endemic measles transmission in 2002, but recent outbreaks in Latin America threaten to reverse this impressive achievement. Before widespread measles immunization in Latin America, measles was a common illness in early childhood and was associated with substantial mortality. During the 1960s, 600 000 measles cases were reported annually in the Region of the Americas [1]. Although measles vaccine was introduced during the 1960s, it was the creation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Expanded Program on Immunization in 1977 that marked the beginning of sustained decreases in case numbers. During 1970–1979, Latin American countries reported 220 000 measles cases annually, with incidence rates of 47–116 cases/100 000 population [2]. The highest mortality rates occurred among young children; from 1971 through 1980, measles associated mortality was 14–55 measles-associated deaths per 100 000 infants and 8–54 deaths/100 000 children aged 1–4 years. By 1980, most countries in the region had established national immunization programs; however, the mean infant measles vaccine coverage in the region was only 42%. In 2002, after more than 30 years of successful strategies and joint efforts of many countries in the region, interruption of endemic measles transmission in the Americas was achieved [3]. However, isolated cases continue to occur, due to the importation of measles from other areas of the world, sometimes causing short chains of transmissions over a few months…

The Lancet
Aug 22, 2015 Volume 386 Number 9995 p717-828 e7-e8
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/current

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Articles
Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013
Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 Collaborators(
Theo Vos, et al
Published Online: 07 June 2015
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60692-4
Summary
Background
Up-to-date evidence about levels and trends in disease and injury incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) is an essential input into global, regional, and national health policies. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013), we estimated these quantities for acute and chronic diseases and injuries for 188 countries between 1990 and 2013.
Methods
Estimates were calculated for disease and injury incidence, prevalence, and YLDs using GBD 2010 methods with some important refinements. Results for incidence of acute disorders and prevalence of chronic disorders are new additions to the analysis. Key improvements include expansion to the cause and sequelae list, updated systematic reviews, use of detailed injury codes, improvements to the Bayesian meta-regression method (DisMod-MR), and use of severity splits for various causes. An index of data representativeness, showing data availability, was calculated for each cause and impairment during three periods globally and at the country level for 2013. In total, 35 620 distinct sources of data were used and documented to calculated estimates for 301 diseases and injuries and 2337 sequelae. The comorbidity simulation provides estimates for the number of sequelae, concurrently, by individuals by country, year, age, and sex. Disability weights were updated with the addition of new population-based survey data from four countries.
Findings
Disease and injury were highly prevalent; only a small fraction of individuals had no sequelae. Comorbidity rose substantially with age and in absolute terms from 1990 to 2013. Incidence of acute sequelae were predominantly infectious diseases and short-term injuries, with over 2 billion cases of upper respiratory infections and diarrhoeal disease episodes in 2013, with the notable exception of tooth pain due to permanent caries with more than 200 million incident cases in 2013. Conversely, leading chronic sequelae were largely attributable to non-communicable diseases, with prevalence estimates for asymptomatic permanent caries and tension-type headache of 2·4 billion and 1·6 billion, respectively. The distribution of the number of sequelae in populations varied widely across regions, with an expected relation between age and disease prevalence. YLDs for both sexes increased from 537·6 million in 1990 to 764·8 million in 2013 due to population growth and ageing, whereas the age-standardised rate decreased little from 114·87 per 1000 people to 110·31 per 1000 people between 1990 and 2013. Leading causes of YLDs included low back pain and major depressive disorder among the top ten causes of YLDs in every country. YLD rates per person, by major cause groups, indicated the main drivers of increases were due to musculoskeletal, mental, and substance use disorders, neurological disorders, and chronic respiratory diseases; however HIV/AIDS was a notable driver of increasing YLDs in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, the proportion of disability-adjusted life years due to YLDs increased globally from 21·1% in 1990 to 31·2% in 2013.
Interpretation
Ageing of the world’s population is leading to a substantial increase in the numbers of individuals with sequelae of diseases and injuries. Rates of YLDs are declining much more slowly than mortality rates. The non-fatal dimensions of disease and injury will require more and more attention from health systems. The transition to non-fatal outcomes as the dominant source of burden of disease is occurring rapidly outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Our results can guide future health initiatives through examination of epidemiological trends and a better understanding of variation across countries.
Funding
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Viewpoint
Responsibility and accountability for well informed health-care decisions: a global challenge
Prof Gro Jamtvedt, PhD, Prof Marianne Klemp, PhD, Berit Mørland, PhD, Prof Magne Nylenna, PhD
Published Online: 14 June 2015

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August 15, 2015 No. 9994, p625-716, e2-e6
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/vol386no9994/PIIS0140-6736%2815%29X6155-1
[No relevant content identified]

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August 8, 2015 No. 9993, p503-624
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/issue/vol386no9993/PIIS0140-6736%2815%29X6154-X
Comment
The Vancouver Consensus: antiretroviral medicines, medical evidence, and political will
Chris Beyrer, Deborah L Birx, Linda-Gail Bekker, Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Pedro Cahn, Mark R Dybul, Serge P Eholié, Matthew M Kavanagh, Elly T Katabira, Jens D Lundgren, Lilian Mworeko, Marama Pala, Thanyawee Puttanakit, Owen Ryan, Michel Sidibé, Julio S G Montaner on behalf of the Vancouver Consensus Signatories (appendix)
[No abstract]