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Biomedical subjects

Ib Christian Bygbjerg

Publications and source records attributed to Ib Christian Bygbjerg.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Global burden of disease--a race against time].

Low-income communities will within the next decades undergo rapid changes. The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardio-vascular disease and cancer, will comprise an increasing proportion of the total disease burden. The results of projections indicate that the already constrained health systems will face a double burden of disease, in which HIV/AIDS and other common infectious diseases will co-exist with the new NCDs. In order for preventive measures directed towards NCD to be cost-effective, these have to be implemented within the next 10-20 years.

Cost of Illness↗
PubMed2006

[International health research: priorities and commitment].

Of the global budget for health research, only 10% is spent on the disease burden of 90% of the world's population. Investments for international health research are lacking, hampering health for the poor. Effective vaccines against the world killers HIV, malaria and tuberculosis still do not exist. However, in order to understand the obstacles to implementing existing effective interventions, scaling up research for new drugs and vaccines must be accompanied by research in health systems, to understand the obstacles to implement existing effective interventions. The task demands political and private sector commitment.

Biomedical Research↗
PubMed2006

Improving motivation among primary health care workers in Tanzania: a health worker perspective.

In Tanzania access to urban and rural primary health care is relatively widespread, yet there is evidence of considerable bypassing of services; questions have been raised about how to improve functionality. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of health workers working in the primary health care facilities in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania, in terms of their motivation to work, satisfaction and frustration, and to identify areas for sustainable improvement to the services they provide. The primary issues arising pertain to complexities of multitasking in an environment of staff shortages, a desire for more structured and supportive supervision from managers, and improved transparency in career development opportunities. Further, suggestions were made for inter-facility exchanges, particularly on commonly referred cases. The discussion highlights the context of some of the problems identified in the results and suggests that some of the preferences presented by the health workers be discussed at policy level with a view to adding value to most services with minimum additional resources.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

[Prophylaxis-- what lies ahead?].

Travellers to areas where poverty and pollution prevail may be exposed to the same health risks as are the local populations. In the future, prophylaxis for travellers will therefore rely upon advances in prevention being distributed equally to people in both rich and poor societies. Of the eight World Millennium Development Goals to be attained by 2015, most relate indirectly to human health, while three relate directly to the prevention and fighting of diseases. Reduction of the child mortality rate and control of major infectious diseases are among the most important goals. In endemic areas of poverty and deficient infrastructure, children risk being infected primarily by diarrhoeal diseases, hepatitis A, polio, measles and other respiratory infections, and vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria, as well as, increasingly, blood/sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B, and syphilis. Adults as well as children travelling to such areas may be hit by the very same diseases. Eradication of polio and measles is within reach, while a number of other infections without effective vaccines will not be controlled without a large-scale global effort including protection of pesticides and antibiotics against development of resistance of disease vectors. Advances in travel medicine are thus closely linked with global advances in health and living conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Malaria control at the district level in Africa: the case of the muheza district in northeastern Tanzania.

An assessment was done in Tanzania to determine the extent to which the primary health care services have contributed to reducing the burden of malaria since the system was initiated in the 1980s. Seven descriptive processes and outcome indicators of effectiveness were used: changes of malaria transmission and incidence over time; use of facility-based care services for malaria; patients' access to professional advice; the trend of treatment failure over time of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and chloroquine; survival rates of severe cases at the district hospital; a district malaria control strategy; number of malaria specific training for care providers; and the number of activities carried out on mosquito control measures. The data were collected from 1996 to 2003 in the Muheza district northeastern Tanzania. It covered household interviews with a stratified sample of 1,250 respondents, and in-depth interviews with all 175 health care providers in the 35 health facilities within the district. All six members of the district health management team were also interviewed. Additional data came from dispensary and hospital records, and published literature. The results show an unchanged malaria disease burden. The average number of clinical malaria episodes per child less than five years of age remained between 3 and 3.5 episodes per year in the district since the 1960s. The comparison of cases expected in the population less than five years old with those seen in the district health facilities shows a coverage rate of 33%. Furthermore, between 1990 and 2003, little training on malaria was provided to health staff. The findings imply a limited effectiveness of district health services on malaria control, suggesting a weak process of translating national malaria goals to activities at the district level.

Antimalarials↗