scholarly journals Understanding breast cancer as a global health concern

Author(s):  
Louise Wilkinson ◽  
Toral Gathani

Breast cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. The most recent global cancer burden figures estimate that there were 2.26 million incident breast cancer cases in 2020 and the disease is the leading cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide. The incidence is strongly correlated with human development, with a large rise in cases anticipated in regions of the world that are currently undergoing economic transformation. Survival, however, is far less favourable in less developed regions. There are a multitude of factors behind disparities in the global survival rates, including delays in diagnosis and lack of access to effective treatment. The World Health Organization’s new Global Breast Cancer Initiative was launched this year to address this urgent global health challenge. It aims to improve survival across the world through three pillars: health promotion, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment and supportive care. In this article, we discuss the key challenges of breast cancer care and control in a global context.

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 551 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fayez AlFayez ◽  
Mohamed W. Abo El-Soud ◽  
Tarek Gaber

Breast cancer is considered one of the major threats for women’s health all over the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that 1 in every 12 women could be subject to a breast abnormality during her lifetime. To increase survival rates, it is found that it is very effective to early detect breast cancer. Mammography-based breast cancer screening is the leading technology to achieve this aim. However, it still can not deal with patients with dense breast nor with tumor size less than 2 mm. Thermography-based breast cancer approach can address these problems. In this paper, a thermogram-based breast cancer detection approach is proposed. This approach consists of four phases: (1) Image Pre-processing using homomorphic filtering, top-hat transform and adaptive histogram equalization, (2) ROI Segmentation using binary masking and K-mean clustering, (3) feature extraction using signature boundary, and (4) classification in which two classifiers, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), were used and compared. The proposed approach is evaluated using the public dataset, DMR-IR. Various experiment scenarios (e.g., integration between geometrical feature extraction, and textural features extraction) were designed and evaluated using different measurements (i.e., accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity). The results showed that ELM-based results were better than MLP-based ones with more than 19%.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjana Anand ◽  

Dementia, a collective term used to characterize a group of conditions such as memory loss and the deterioration of problem-solving abilities, is caused by the impairment of brain functions, and is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world. The World Health Alzheimer’s Report estimates that the number of dementia cases “will increase with an ageing population and will reach 66 million by the year 2030 and 115 million by 2050” (Wortmann, 2012). Currently, there are 35.6 million people that have dementia, and it is stressful for both the individual affected and those who care for them. It also has an enormous economic and psychological impact on these people, and in many countries, there are not sufficient efforts taken to spread awareness about dementia (WHO). Dementia has devastating consequences and is becoming a serious challenge and threat to global health.


Beverages ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Frank Vriesekoop

Food allergies are an important global health concern, with many countries following the World Health Organisation’s guidelines with regards to due labelling of foods and, as such, providing forewarning about the presence of potential allergens to potential consumers. While for some produce, the link to specific allergens might be very clear to most consumers, this is not the case for all produce. People with specific food-related allergies usually know what to look out for, but occasionally, unexpected allergens are present in trusted produce. Beer is known to most to contain barley, which will contain gluten-like proteins that can cause allergic reactions in some people. Similarly, beer might contain sulphites and other potential allergens traditionally associated with beers. This review aims to examine a wide range of allergens that have entered the beer production process in recent years. As a result, examples of beers that contain one or more of the 14 EU-UK listed allergens are described, different allergen regulations in different countries are emphasised and their impact explained, and a number of case studies involving allergic reactions following exposure to and the ingestion of beer are highlighted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-127
Author(s):  
John Harrington

By foregrounding a widened view of the rule of law in transnational legal processes, the works under discussion in this symposium can support innovative critical perspectives on global health law –a field that has gained wide attention due to the spread of COVID-19 around the world (Lander, 2020; Bhatt, 2020). Legal and socio-legal scholars in the decade and a half before the pandemic worked on locating global health law and articulating its underlying principles. Lawrence Gostin's 2014 monograph offers a synoptic view centred on international institutions (e.g. the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, UN Human Rights Council) and problems (e.g. infectious-disease response, tobacco control), along with an elaboration of its normative basis in universal moral principle and international human rights law (Gostin, 2014). Struggles over access to essential medicines and intellectual property in the early 2000s are, for example, represented in terms of the right to health constraining international trade law. Andreas Fischer-Lescano and Guenther Teubner's 2004 reading is oriented more by social theory than by doctrinal or ethical frames (Fischer-Lescano and Teubner, 2004, pp. 1006, 1008). A functional health regime has ‘differentiated out’, they observe, and operates as a discrete communication system across borders, albeit one that is threatened by the preponderant economic system. On this model, the battle for access to medicines amounts to ensuring, via human rights guarantees, that the rationality of the health system is not replaced by that of its economic rival in legal and policy communications (Fischer-Lescano and Teubner, 2004, pp. 1030, 1046).


Author(s):  
Sholly. CK

Novel corona virus (COVID-19) is an infectious condition, which can be spread directly or indirectly from one person to another and causes respiratory illnesses, range from common cold to acute respiratory syndrome. The first cases of this virus were found in Wuhan, China. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 is serious health concern and has higher risk for severe illness and spreading rapidly all over the world.This novel coronavirus was named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by WHO in February 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the coronavirus disease 2019 a pandemic, in the year2020 March. A global coordinated effort is needed to stop the further spread of the virus. Among all cases about 92% of the confirmed cases were recorded from China. Initial reports suggest that death rate ranges from 1% to 2% which varies in the study and country. The most of the death have occurred in patients over 50 years of age followed by young children. For the confirmed cases which included both laboratory and clinically diagnosed till now there is no specific antiviral treatment recommended but there is vaccine currently available. Once the virus develops in people, corona viruses can be spread from person to person through respiratory droplets. The viral material hangs out in these droplets and can be breathed into the respiratory tract, where the virus can then lead to an infection. Repercussions of Covid -19 on individuals, families and on front line warriors are countless1.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward Kwabena Ameyaw

Abstract Background Malaria in pregnancy is a crucial public health concern due to the enormous risk it poses to maternal and newborn health. The World Health Organisation therefore recommends insecticide-treated net (ITN) for pregnant women. The world over, sub-Saharan Africa bears the highest prevalence of malaria and its associated complications. This study investigated the individual, community and society level factors associated with ITN use among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods The study was conducted with Demographic and Health Survey data of 21 sub-Saharan African countries. A total of 17,731 pregnant women who possessed ITN participated in the study. Descriptive computation of ITN use by survey country and socio-demographic characteristics was conducted. Further, five multi-level binary logistic regression models were fitted with MLwiN 3.05 package in STATA. The Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation procedure was used in estimating the parameters whilst the Bayesian Deviance Information Criterion was used for the model fitness test. Results On average, 74.2% pregnant women in SSA used ITN. The highest prevalence of ITN use occurred in Mali (83.7%) whilst the least usage occurred in Namibia (7%). Women aged 30–34 were more likely to use ITN compared with those aged 45–49 [aOR = 1.14; Crl = 1.07–1.50]. Poorest women were less probable to use ITN relative to richest women [aOR = 0.79; Crl = 0.70–0.89]. Compared to women who did not want their pregnancies at all, women who wanted their pregnancies [aOR = 1.06; Crl = 1.04–1.19] were more probable to use ITN. Women in male-headed households had higher likelihood of ITN use compared to those from female-headed households [aOR = 1.28; Crl = 1.19–1.39]. On the whole, 38.1% variation in ITN use was attributable to societal level factors whilst 20.9% variation was attributable to community level factors. Conclusion The study has revealed that in addition to individual level factors, community and society level factors affect ITN use in SSA. In as much as the study points towards the need to incorporate community and societal variations in ITN interventions, active involvement of men can yield better outcome for ITN utilisation interventions in SSA.


Author(s):  
Ken Hyland ◽  
Feng (Kevin) Jiang

Abstract Covid-19, the greatest global health crisis for a century, brought a new immediacy and urgency to international bio-medical research. The pandemic generated intense competition to produce a vaccine and contain the virus, creating what the World Health Organization referred to as an ‘infodemic’ of published output. In this frantic atmosphere, researchers were keen to get their research noticed. In this paper, we explore whether this enthusiasm influenced the rhetorical presentation of research and encouraged scientists to “sell” their studies. Examining a corpus of the most highly cited SCI articles on the virus published in the first seven months of 2020, we explore authors’ use of hyperbolic and promotional language to boost aspects of their research. Our results show a significant increase in hype to stress certainty, contribution, novelty and potential, especially regarding research methods, outcomes and primacy. Our study sheds light on scientific persuasion at a time of intense social anxiety.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 941-953
Author(s):  
Dyan Kunthi Nugrahaeni ◽  
Novie Elvinawaty Mauliku ◽  
Budiman Budiman ◽  
Gunawan Irianto ◽  
Arina Novilla

ABSTRAK The World Health Organization menetapkan outbreak SARS-CoV-2 sebagai Kedaruratan Kesehatan Masyarakat yang Meresahkan Dunia dan dinyatakan sebagai pandemik. Penyebaran dan penularan penyakit Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) sangat tinggi, dengan jumlah penderita lebih dari 117 juta di seluruh dunia. Diperlukan berbagai strategi dan tindakan yang dapat dilakukan untuk pencegahan, penanggulangan dalam rangka mengatasi COVID-19. Tujuan Pengabdian masyarakat yang dilakukan oleh Stikes Achmad Yani adalah ikut berperan serta dalam pencegahan dan penanggulangan COVID-19 di wilayah Kota Cimahi dan Kota Bandung. Metode yang digunakan adalah partisipatori dalam berbagai aktifias pencegahan dan penanggulangan COVID-19. Kegiatan Pengabdian Masyarakat yang dilakukan selama pandemic COVID-19 diantaranya adalah demontrasi pembuatan handsanitizer, penyemprotan disinfektan, mengirimkan tim relawan pemeriksaan Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) antibodi Cluster Lembang dan relawan Check Point pada kegiatan Pembatasan Sosial Berskala Besar di Kota Bandung. Pemberian donasi kepada masyarakat terdampak pandemik COVID-19 dan donasi Alat Pelindung Diri (APD) ke fasilitas pelayanan kesehatan seperti Rumah Sakit dan Puskesmas. Pelaksanaan Rapid Test Diagnostic (RTD) antibodi dan RTD antigen bagi mahasiswa, dosen dan Karyawan. Stikes Achmad Yani juga berperan serta dalam gebyar Vaksin COVID-19 bagi tenaga kesehatan dan mengirimkan relawan sebagai vaksinator yang diselenggarakan oleh Rumah Sakit Hasan Sadikin berkerjasama dengan PPNI. Partisipasi Stikes Achmad Yani Cimahi dalam berbagai kegiatan yang terkait dengan COVID-19 diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi dalam rangka pencegahan penularan, pengendalian dan penanggulangan COVID-19. Kata Kunci: COVID-19, disinfeksi, relawan, Rapid Diagnostic Test  ABSTRACT The World Health Organization recognize the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak as a public health emergency of Internasional Concerns and declared it as a pandemic. The spread and transmission of Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) are very high and reported that over 117 million people have been sufferers worldwide. Several strategies and actions can be carried out to prevention, controlling and overcoming COVID-19. The purpose of community service carried out by Stikes Achmad Yani is to participate in the prevention and control of COVID-19 in Cimahi and Bandung district. The methode used in community services are participatory methods in several activities for prevention and control of COVID-19. Community Service activities carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic included demonstrations of making hand sanitizers, spraying disinfectants, sending a team of volunteers to examine the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) antibody for the Lembang Cluster, and volunteer Check Points at Large-Scale Social Restrictions activities in Bandung. Providing donations to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to health service facilities such as hospitals and health centers. Implementation of Rapid Diagnostic Test (RTD) antibody and RDT antigen for students, lecturers, and staff. Stikes Achmad Yani also participated in the COVID-19 Vaccine for health workers and sent volunteers as vaccinators organized by Hasan Sadikin Hospital in collaboration with PPNI. The participation of Stikes Achmad Yani Cimahi in various activities to contribute prevention of disease transmission and controlling COVID-19. Kata Kunci: COVID-19, disinfection, volunteer, Rapid Diagnostic Test


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