COVID-19 health research in low-income countries

Impact ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (6) ◽  
pp. 4-5
Author(s):  
Lucy Annette
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Quality Of Healthcare ◽  
World Health ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected different countries in different ways and to varying extents. Differences in geography and population, as well as the different health response of respective governments, are factors that play a role in the impact of the virus. Unfortunately, the quality of healthcare systems also plays a key role and there are disparities in healthcare quality across countries. In an initiative led by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), 12 health research projects across more than 18 countries are seeking to reduce the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across low- and middle-income countries. Topics include transmission and infection control, how people in different settings are affected by the virus and long-term outcomes, including the risk of neurological problems. The projects have been informed by the World Health Organization COVID-19 Global Research Roadmap, which features four priority research topics relating to the virus: 'epidemiology, clinical management, infection prevention and control, and health system responses'. One project is looking at the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of older adults in Peru and another is looking at how the virus affected the brain. A project called the DOMINO Study is investigating the indirect effects of COVID-19 on tuberculosis and HIV care in Indonesia and a project based in a low-resource community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is working to better understand SARS-CoV-2 in children.

scholarly journals Tuberculosis and Non-Communicable Disease Multimorbidity: An Analysis of the World Health Survey in 48 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2439
Author(s):  
Brendon Stubbs ◽  
Kamran Siddiqi ◽  
Helen Elsey ◽  
Najma Siddiqi ◽  
Ruimin Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Survey ◽  
Low Income ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
World Health Survey ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The World ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). TB multimorbidity [TB and ≥1 non-communicable diseases (NCDs)] is common, but studies are sparse. Cross-sectional, community-based data including adults from 21 low-income countries and 27 middle-income countries were utilized from the World Health Survey. Associations between 9 NCDs and TB were assessed with multivariable logistic regression analysis. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were calculated using disability weights provided by the 2017 Global Burden of Disease Study. Eight out of 9 NCDs (all except visual impairment) were associated with TB (odds ratio (OR) ranging from 1.38–4.0). Prevalence of self-reported TB increased linearly with increasing numbers of NCDs. Compared to those with no NCDs, those who had 1, 2, 3, 4, and ≥5 NCDs had 2.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.14–3.22), 4.71 (95%CI = 3.67–6.11), 6.96 (95%CI = 4.95–9.87), 10.59 (95%CI = 7.10–15.80), and 19.89 (95%CI = 11.13–35.52) times higher odds for TB. Among those with TB, the most prevalent combinations of NCDs were angina and depression, followed by angina and arthritis. For people with TB, the YLDs were three times higher than in people without multimorbidity or TB, and a third of the YLDs were attributable to NCDs. Urgent research to understand, prevent and manage NCDs in people with TB in LMICs is needed.

scholarly journals Patent Buy-Outs for Global Disease Innovations for Low-and Middle-Income Countries

2006 ◽  
Vol 32 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 159-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Outterson
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Drug Price ◽  
Marginal Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Generic Competition ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Cost Of Production

The World Health Organization’s CHOICE program analyzes the cost effectiveness of various health interventions related to the Millennium Development Goals. The program identifies the best strategies for improving health in low-income countries, using a standard set of methodological assumptions. These studies evaluate interventions in many areas, including child health and HIV/AIDS.For some of these treatments, drug costs are a significant variable: if the drug price doubles, the intervention becomes less cost effective. But if the drug price is reduced by 90%, then more therapies become affordable.Drug prices are uniquely susceptible to radical price reductions through generic competition. Patented pharmaceuticals may be priced at more than 30 times the marginal cost of production; the excess is the patent rent collected by the drug company while the patent and exclusive marketing periods remain. Patent rents are significant. AIDS drugs which sell for US$10,000 per person per year in the US are sold generically for less than US$200. If patented drugs could be sold at the marginal cost of production, cost effective treatments would become even more attractive, and other interventions would become affordable.

scholarly journals The burden of serious health-related suffering among cancer decedents: Global projections study to 2060

2020 ◽  
pp. 026921632095756
Author(s):  
Katherine E Sleeman ◽  
Barbara Gomes ◽  
Maja de Brito ◽  
Omar Shamieh ◽  
Richard Harding
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Population Based ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Cancer Type ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Organization

Background: Palliative care improves outcomes for people with cancer, but in many countries access remains poor. Understanding future needs is essential for effective health system planning in response to global policy. Aim: To project the burden of serious health-related suffering associated with death from cancer to 2060 by age, gender, cancer type and World Bank income region. Design: Population-based projections study. Global projections of palliative care need were derived by combining World Health Organization cancer mortality projections (2016–2060) with estimates of serious health-related suffering among cancer decedents. Results: By 2060, serious health-related suffering will be experienced by 16.3 million people dying with cancer each year (compared to 7.8 million in 2016). Serious health-related suffering among cancer decedents will increase more quickly in low income countries (407% increase 2016–2060) compared to lower-middle, upper-middle and high income countries (168%, 96% and 39% increase 2016-2060, respectively). By 2060, 67% of people who die with cancer and experience serious health-related suffering will be over 70 years old, compared to 47% in 2016. In high and upper-middle income countries, lung cancer will be the single greatest contributor to the burden of serious health-related suffering among cancer decedents. In low and lower-middle income countries, breast cancer will be the single greatest contributor. Conclusions: Many people with cancer will die with unnecessary suffering unless there is expansion of palliative care integration into cancer programmes. Failure to do this will be damaging for the individuals affected and the health systems within which they are treated.

scholarly journals The Impact of Various Mode of Financings in Reducing Inequality in Various Groups of Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-43
Author(s):  
Irma Yuliani ◽  
Muhammad Abdul Rohman
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Islamic Bank ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

The existence of Islamic bank not always provide positive impact to the real sector of economy. Declining inequality is one of the expected significant impacts with appyling mode of financing as instrument to relize that. This study aims to investigate the impact of mode of financing was applied by Islamic bank to reduce inequality among countries of IsDB Group. World bank data and IDB data of Islamic banks are employed as samples from 1977 to 2018. The results show that equity and leasing have a positive effect and significant to reduce inequality for low income countries, where the leasing or ijarah have the most effective impact than all. In addition, instalment sale of financing has a significant impact to reduce inequality for middle-income countries, loan is being the only significant mode of financing to reduce inequality in all IDB countries. Unfortunately, Mudharabah, PLS (profit and loss sharing), Murabahan and Istishna have not significantly impact to reduce inequality

scholarly journals TESTING HECKSCHER-OHLIN-VANEK THEOREM BY USING NORMALIZED TRADE BALANCE APPROACH

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Berislav Žmuk ◽  
Hrvoje Jošić
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Trade Balance ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Sign Test ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Specific Product ◽  
Production Factors ◽  
Produced Capital ◽  
The Impact

The study described here introduces new approach for testing the Heckscher-Ohlin-Vanek (HOV) theorem based on the normalized trade balance concept. The intention was to include in the analysis all countries worldwide but due to the lack of data a certain number of countries had to be excluded. Overall 111 countries were observed according to region and income level for the year 2014. The HOV model was estimated using the sign test. It compared the expected sign of the normalized trade balance or net exports, according to the SITC 2 product classification, with the relative endowment of production factors intensively used in the production of a specific product. Production factors were divided into groups such as produced capital, labour force and natural resources further divided into forests, metals and minerals, oil, coal and gas, pastureland and cropland. Researchers in R&D per million people variable represented the impact of technological differences across countries. The results of the sign test have shown that the HOV theorem held in 55% of cases. The percentage of matched signs was highest for the non-OECD high income countries (75%) and lowest for the lower middle income and low income countries (below 50%).

scholarly journals On the determinants of trade openness in low- and lower–middle-income countries in Africa: how important is economic growth?

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Boahene Osei ◽  
Yakubu Awudu Sare ◽  
Muazu Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Trade Openness ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Real Gdp Per Capita ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe existing literature highlights the determinants of trade openness with disregard to the income classifications of countries in examining whether the determinants differ given their income levels. This study, therefore, re-examines the drivers of trade openness in Africa relying on panel data with special focus on the role of economic growth. More specifically, we perform a comparative analysis of the factors influencing trade openness for low-income and lower–middle-income countries using the system generalized method of moments. Our findings suggest that, while economic growth robustly enhances openness in low-income countries, in the case of lower–middle-income countries, the impact is not robust and largely negative suggesting that higher growth is associated with less openness. We also find that, economic growth–openness nexus for the lower-income countries exhibits non-linearities and inverted U-shaped relationship in particular. Thus, while increases in real GDP per capita enhance openness, beyond an estimated threshold point, any increases in economic growth dampen openness. We discuss key implications for policy.

More than poverty

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 536-543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore D. Wachs ◽  
Santiago Cueto ◽  
Haogen Yao
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cumulative Risk ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Developmental Risks ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Studies from both high and low-middle income (LAMI) countries have documented how being reared in poverty is linked to compromised child development. Links between poverty and development are mediated by the timing and extent of exposure to both risk factors nested under poverty and to protective influences which can attenuate the impact of risk. While children from high-, middle-, and low-income countries are exposed to similar types of developmental risks, children from low- and middle-income countries are exposed to a greater number, more varied and more intense risks. Given these contextual differences, cumulative risk models may provide a better fit than mediated models for understanding the nature of pathways linking economic insufficiency and developmental inequality in low- and middle-income countries, and for designing interventions to promote development of children from these countries. New evidence from a large scale UNICEF data set illustrates the application of a cumulative risk/protective perspective in low- and middle-income countries.

scholarly journals Global Use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Childhood Cancer: A Systematic Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 791-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Diorio ◽  
Catherine G. Lam ◽  
Elena J. Ladas ◽  
Festus Njuguna ◽  
Glenn M. Afungchwi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complementary Medicine ◽  
Pediatric Oncology ◽  
Active Treatment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Treatment Abandonment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) strategies are commonly used in pediatric oncology. Patterns may vary based on country income. We systematically reviewed published studies describing T&CM use among pediatric oncology patients in low-income countries (LIC/LMIC), middle-income countries (UMIC), and high-income countries (HIC). Objectives included describing estimated prevalence of use, reasons for use, perceived effectiveness, modalities used, rates of disclosure, and reporting of delayed or abandoned treatment. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ProceedingsFirst were searched. Inclusion criteria were primary studies involving children younger than the age of 18 years, undergoing active treatment of cancer, and any T&CM use. Exclusion criteria included no pediatric oncology–specific outcomes and studies involving only children off active treatment. Data were extracted by two reviewers using a systematic data extraction form determined a priori. Results Sixty-five studies published between 1977 and 2015 were included, representing 61 unique data sets and 7,219 children from 34 countries. The prevalence of T&CM use ranged from 6% to 100%. Median rates of use were significantly different in LIC/LMIC (66.7% ± 19%), UMIC (60% ± 26%), and HIC (47.2% ± 20%; P = .02). Rates of disclosure differed significantly by country income, with higher median rates in HIC. Seven studies reported on treatment abandonment or delays. Conclusion The use of T&CM in pediatric oncology is common worldwide, with higher median prevalence of use reported in LIC/LMIC. Further research is warranted to examine the impact on treatment abandonment and delay.

Right Idea, Wrong Result—Canada's Access to Medicines Regime

2008 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paige E. Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Essential Medicine ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Access To Medicines ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Essential Medicines ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Brand Name ◽  
Middle Income

In 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people were living with HIV, 2.5 million had become infected, and 2.1 million died from the virus. The majority of infected individuals reside in Africa, where in some countries as many as 33.4% of adults have HIV. In developed countries, effective drug therapies have reduced AIDS-related deaths by over seventy percent each year. These drugs have been so effective that over the last two years the global number of individuals dying from AIDS-related illness has actually declined. These therapies, however, are currently sold for $10,000 USD a year, a purchase price that is not feasible for low income countries where the annual health expenditure may be only $29 per person. A lack of essential medicine is not only a problem for those suffering from AIDS. Low and middle-income countries are disproportionately burdened by many additional chronic and infectious illnesses. The World Health Organization (“WHO”) estimates that one third of the world's population cannot regularly access essential medicines. The WHO cites the high cost of drugs as one of the major hurdles countries face in obtaining access to medication. However, the high cost of these brand-name medications does not reflect their minimal production costs. Drug manufacturers can produce generic versions of these drugs for as little as 1/30th of the cost of their brand-name counterparts.

Temporal Trends in Generic and Brand Prices of Antiretroviral Medicines Procured with Donor Funds in Developing Countries

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda Waning ◽  
Warren Kaplan ◽  
Matthew P Fox ◽  
Mariah Boyd-Boffa ◽  
Alexis C King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Price Competition ◽  
Public Procurement ◽  
Universal Access ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
World Health ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Price Variation ◽  
Middle Income

Pharmaceutical markets in low resource settings are imperfect. Suppliers provide information on ‘suggested’ medicine prices, but actual purchase prices vary substantially across purchasers and these prices paid are typically unavailable. Public procurement databases now, however, provide timely market intelligence on prices for antiretroviral (ARV) medicines purchased with donor funds, allowing for careful examination of market trends. We used data posted by the World Health Organization to create a longitudinal database of 15 111 ARV procurements from 2002–2008. We noted dramatic price reductions for ARVs over this 6-year time period. Most generic ARVs were cheaper than branded counterparts, with the exception of protease inhibitors (PIs) in which some generic versions were more expensive than branded counterparts. Less price variation was noted for ARVs in low-income countries than middle-income countries where price variations of threefold or greater were noted in five of 28 (18 per cent) generic and 15 of 25 (60 per cent) brand dosage forms. In order to meet global goals of universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment, further price reductions are needed for abacavir, tenofovir and PIs. New approaches are needed to create incentives for generic manufacturers of these ARVs to enter the market and create price competition with these medicines.

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