SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Developing Countries”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Selection of ideal candidates for epilepsy surgery in developing countries.

In order to become cost-effective, epilepsy surgery centers in developing countries will have to achieve excellent results by selecting candidates destined to have a seizure-free outcome using locally available limited technology and expertise, without compromising on patient safety. Our experience illustrates that this goal can be accomplished by selecting patients, whose epileptogenic zone can be unquestionably established, based on history, magnetic resonance imaging, and interictal and ictal scalp electroencephalogram findings. Patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and those with circumscribed potentially epileptogenic lesions belong to this category. A stepwise approach by reserving more difficult to treat patients to later date as experience develops, or by referring them to a better-equipped center, will help each center to understand its capabilities and limitations and to move forward. It would be essential to work with and educate the local public and professionals, if the epilepsy surgery program in a developing region were to have a lasting impact, It is encouraging to note that, despite major challenges, in the last one-decade, several epilepsy centers in the developing world have not only successfully implemented epilepsy surgery programs, but also have produced results comparable to that from developed countries at a fractional cost.

Developing Countries↗

PubMed2000

Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV: practical strategies for developing countries.

The HIV pandemic has greatly affected women of childbearing age in developing countries and, thus, their offspring, through mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of the virus. Scientific advances, most of them established by randomized clinical trials, have recently led to the development of practical strategies aiming to reduce the public health burden of MTCT of HIV. These advances came first in non-breast-feeding populations, for example, in Thailand and, more recently, in African populations, where breast-feeding remains the predominant mode of infant feeding. This article reviews major accomplishments in this area, outlines practical issues for program implementation, and suggests future research needs. Short-course zidovudine and short-course nevirapine in the peripartum period currently represent 2 valid options to reduce MTCT of HIV in developing countries if appropriate prenatal, obstetrical, and postnatal care is provided and if alternatives to breast-feeding are considered according to the local situation and the mother's individual decision.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

PubMed1998

Strategies for reducing maternal mortality in developing countries: what can we learn from the history of the industrialized West?

Ten years of Safe Motherhood Initiative notwithstanding, many developing countries still experience maternal mortality levels similar to those of industrialized countries in the early 20th century. This paper analyses the conditions under which the industrialized world has reduced maternal mortality over the last 100 years. Preconditions appear to have been early awareness of the magnitude of the problem, recognition that most maternal deaths are avoidable, and mobilization of professionals and the community. Still, there were considerable differences in the timing and speed of reduction of maternal mortality between countries, related to the way professionalization of delivery care was determined: firstly, by the willingness of the decision-makers to take up their responsibility; secondly, by making modern obstetrical care available to the population (particularly by encouragement or dissuasion of midwifery care); and thirdly, by the extent to which professionals were held accountable for addressing maternal health in an effective way. Reduction of maternal mortality in developing countries today is hindered by limited awareness of the magnitude and manageability of the problem, and ill-informed professionalization strategies focusing on antenatal care and training of traditional birth attendants. These strategies have by and large been ineffective and diverted attention from development of professional first-line midwifery and second-line hospital delivery care.

Developed Countries↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiology of acute respiratory infections in children of developing countries.

Acute respiratory infections cause four and a half million deaths among children every year, the overwhelming majority occurring in developing countries. Pneumonia unassociated with measles causes 70% of these deaths; post-measles pneumonia, 15%; pertussis, 10%; and bronchiolitis and croup syndromes, 5%. Both bacterial and viral pathogens are responsible for these deaths. The most important bacterial agents are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphylococcus aureus. The data on bacterial etiology of pneumonia during the first 3 months of life are limited, and almost no information on the role of chlamydia and pertussis in this age period is available. The distribution of viral pathogens in developing countries can be summarized as follows: respiratory syncytial virus, 15%-20%; parainfluenza viruses, 7%-10%; and influenza A and B viruses and adenovirus, 2%-4%. Mixed viral and bacterial infections occur frequently. Risk factors that increase the incidence and severity of lower respiratory infection in developing countries include large family size, lateness in the birth order, crowding, low birth weight, malnutrition, vitamin A deficiency, lack of breast feeding, pollution, and young age. Effective interventions for prevention and medical case management are urgently needed to save the lives of many children predisposed to severe disease.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2001

Management of hemophilia in developing countries.

Coagulation disorder are common in India. In the absence of any epidemiological studies it is expected that there are at least 50,000 severe hemophilics in our country. The factor concentrates are not easily available in developing countries which poses a major problem while managing severe bleeding episodes in these patients. Various strategies which could be useful while managing these cases in developing countries have been reviewed.

Child↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Paraquat in developing countries.

The herbicide paraquat is considered safe by industry and the bulk of regulators worldwide. However, determinants of exposure from 30 years ago persist in developing countries. Little is known about systemic absorption from occupational exposures. The relationships between exposure determinants, levels of external exposure, biomarkers of exposure, and outcomes are not clear. High rates of severe acute poisonings have been documented. In addition, topical injuries occur in as many as 50% of exposed workers. Non-worker populations are also at risk, particularly children. Long-term and delayed health effects include Parkinson's disease, lung effects, and skin cancer. Regulatory agencies have not fully recognized either the inherent toxicity of paraquat or the particular risks derived from exposures in developing countries. Independent risk assessment in the developing-country context and application of the precautionary principle are necessary to prevent adverse effects of dangerous pesticides in susceptible populations.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Co-operation in veterinary education between sub-Saharan Africa and the developed countries: experience of the University of Zambia.

As is the case with many other veterinary schools in sub-Saharan Africa, the development of the University of Zambia (UNZA) Veterinary School has been supported largely by aid from the developed countries in the form of general expenditure grants, staff training scholarships and technical assistance. The three major pillars of the policies which have governed interactions between UNZA and donors have been bilateralism, "projectisation" (the supplying of aid within the framework of specific projects) and donor management of aid. These have been blended according to the resources endowed by the donors and the negotiating position of UNZA. The authors discuss the effect of the consequent diverse policies on the development of the UNZA school. It is recognised that high dependence on donors by veterinary schools in sub-Saharan Africa will continue in the future. However, the emerging political and economic integration in the sub-region and in the developed countries, as well as the trend towards early specialisation in the veterinary profession in the developed countries at a time when countries in sub-Saharan Africa still require generalists, will mean that co-operation within a bilateral framework will become less desirable. It is therefore recommended that veterinary schools in sub-Saharan Africa evolve mechanisms for collective aid negotiations and utilisation of aid. Conversely, co-operation between donors in multi-donor supported schools will be essential to minimise rigidity in projects, which tends to undermine the cohesion of multi-donor funded schools.

Belgium↗

PubMed1990

Teenage childbearing: structural determinants in developing countries.

Data for a sample of 50 developing countries are analysed to investigate the social correlates of the teenage birth rate. Of five major factors considered as predictors of national birth rates (socioeconomic development, family planning programmes, women's status, the sex ratio, and marriage patterns), regression analyses reveal that only the average age at marriage for women has a significant effect on the teenage birth rate. In contrast, all variables except the sex ratio and the average age at marriage for women have a significant effect on the total fertility rate.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Keynote address: The challenge of thalassemia for the developing countries.

The thalassemias occur at some of their highest frequencies in the developing countries, particularly those of Asia. In many countries, facilities for the control of these conditions are extremely limited. Although a great deal can be done to help the situation by developing further North-South and South-South partnerships for disseminating better practice, the major problem for the future lies in the unwillingness of governments and international health agencies to accept that the thalassemias present a health burden comparable to that of other major diseases in the developing countries. However, preliminary analyses suggest that, at least in the case of Asia, this is not true. Further work of this nature, together with more detailed frequency and economic data, are required to provide solid evidence for the health burden posed by thalassemia in the developing world. Unless this is done, the large populations of patients with thalassemia in these countries will continue to be neglected.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

[Functional results of surgical treatment of bronchiectasis in a developing country].

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of bronchiectasis has decreased significantly over recent decades in developed countries. However, resection for bronchiectasis still plays an important part in thoracic surgery practice in developing countries such as Turkey. This study was designed to evaluate the outcomes of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis, particularly in aspects related to the effects on functional well-being. PATIENTS AND METHOD: From January 1995 through December 2003, operations for bronchiectasis were performed in 81 patients. Demographic features, type of resection, and operative morbidity and mortality were evaluated. The outcomes related to overall "social" or nonpulmonary functional status were classified and compared according to a scale constructed to assess patients' well-being preoperatively and at the 6th postoperative month. RESULTS: The mean age was 24.4 years and 47 patients (58%) were male. Surgical treatment was lobectomy in 37 (45%), pneumonectomy in 10 (12%), segmentectomy in 13 (16%), and lobectomy plus segmentectomy in 22 (27%) of the operations. Complete resection of disease was achieved in 69 patients (85%). There was no operative mortality. The rate of morbidity was 18.3%. Improvement to a functional status of excellent was observed in 81.7% and improvement to a status of good was seen in 12.7% of patients; 5.6% experienced no change. The results of complete resection were significantly better than those of incomplete resection (P=.0015). CONCLUSION: Functional results of surgical treatment for bronchiectasis in this series suggest that the outcomes are favorable and promising, particularly in selected patients with sufficient pulmonary reserves and localized disease who are suitable for complete resection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1978

The role of family planning in recent rapid fertility declines in developing countries.

World Fertility Survey data for ten developing countries are used to examine the respective roles of development and family planning in influencing the regulation of fertility. The findings show that high proportions of women at all socioeconomic levels in the countries studied wanted no more children, including large proportions among rural, poor, and uneducated women with few children. The data also show that despite the limitations of underdevelopment, in countries with strong family planning programs knowledge and use of contraception was high. These findings confirm that there is a large unmet demand for family planning and point to the importance of continued allocation of funds to support service programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

The Impact of upport of Occupational Health Research on National Development in Developing Countries.

This paper assesses the developmental impact of donor-supported occupational health and safety research in developing countries through examining over 40 projects supported by one donor. Based on an analysis of 42 questionnaires completed by principal investigators of 38 international projects in developing countries and an on-site study of five completed projects in Latin America, the results show that donor-supported occupational health and safety research projects have had a significant impact on strengthening the research capacities of recipient scientists and research institutions as well as facilitated changes in the policy environment and the health and safety practices of occupational groups in developing countries. The analysis also suggests that the type of recipient institution has some bearing on the impact of research. Furthermore, effective and broad dissemination of research results and the involvement of stakeholders in the research contributed to the developmental impact.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Can maternal depression increase infant risk of illness and growth impairment in developing countries?

Despite relative improvement in living conditions and availability of modern healthcare, infant mortality rates continue to be very high in many developing countries. High rates of depression have also been reported in women in these countries. The continuous care and attention of children is a demanding task, and poor physical or mental health in mothers might be expected to have adverse consequences on their children's health, nutrition and psychological well-being. Review of published literature reveals very little research in developing countries on the association between poor mental health in mothers and the subsequent physical well-being of their children. We hypothesize that the level of care provided by mothers with depression may put their infants at higher risk of infection and impaired growth, compared with infants of mothers without depression. We outline approaches to test such a hypothesis in a developing country, and discuss its implications.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Policy directions in urban health in developing countries--the slum improvement approach.

The urban development, or housing, sector has a longer experience of addressing the problems of the urban poor in developing countries than the health sector. In recent years the policy of 'slum improvement', which involves both sectors, has attracted the support of international donors. This article documents the development of the slum improvement approach and addresses key issues of the approach which have implications for health planning: covering the poorest dwellers; relocation; land tenure; gentrification; debt burdens and the impact on women. Questions about the approach which still need answering are defined and a summary of the constraints in slum improvement and potential solutions is presented.

Developing Countries↗

PubMed1992

A successful transport scenario for the health sector in developing countries.

The role and operation of transport in the health sector in developing countries is important, costly but often taken for granted. This article suggests the need for a fresh look at the policy, planning and management of transport through the analysis of the essential components of a successful transport scenario for health services in developing countries i.e. transport and health planning; transport and organisational responsibility; the role of health sector donors; decision-making and procurement of transport and spares; transport and human resources; monitoring and control of transport and information; maintenance and repair; the budget. The article concludes with a checklist of key questions that may be used in assessing the contribution of transport to the health services.

Decision Making, Organizational↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Medical supplies for travelers to developing countries.

BACKGROUND: There has been little research to date on the use of medicines and first aid supplies by travelers. In some developing countries such products may be difficult to obtain, and there is the danger that substandard medicines may be purchased. As space for medical supplies in the luggage of many individuals, particularly backpackers, may be restricted, it is important to identify correctly those items most likely to be needed. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to survey a cohort of travelers from the UK visiting a variety of destinations in developing countries, regarding the medical supplies taken and used during their trip. METHOD: Travelers visiting a specialist travel pharmacy in London, UK were recruited consecutively into the study. Only those planning to visit destinations in South America, Asia, Africa or the Middle East for < or = 2 weeks and returning to the UK were included. Participants were handed a questionnaire to be posted back when they returned to the UK, asking them to note those items that they included in the kit, those actually used, and any others obtained while they were away. All subjects had consulted the pharmacist concerning the medical kit appropriate for their trip. RESULTS: Two hundred and ninety-nine travelers volunteered to take part, of whom 127 returned the postal questionnaire. Analgesics and medication for the treatment of diarrhea were most likely to be used, but many types of wound dressing were unlikely to be required. Twenty individuals (16%) required antibiotics, with eight people purchasing them while they were away. Thirty-two (31%) individuals did not use insect repellents despite traveling to potentially malaria-endemic countries. Only seven subjects purchased any other items while they were away. CONCLUSION: The items most likely to be required by travelers to developing countries are analgesics, treatments for diarrhea, antiseptics and sticking plasters. The provision of antibiotics to certain travelers is probably justified.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Laparoscopy in developing countries in the management of patients with an acute abdomen.

Surgeons in developing countries see a need to improve diagnosis and decision making in patients with an acute abdomen. Without the benefit of diagnostic aids such as computers and high-resolution ultrasonography, the rate of unnecessary laparotomy is often unacceptably high. The laparoscope is usually available in a developing country and its use easily acquired. Using laparoscopy in doubtful situations the unnecessary laparotomy rate was significantly reduced from 14.0 to 6 per cent (P < 0.05). Laparoscopy achieved a diagnostic accuracy of 86 per cent and prevented unnecessary laparotomy in 57 per cent of those in whom it was used.

Abdomen, Acute↗

PubMed2003

A new classification of osteomyelitis for developing countries.

BACKGROUND: The term osteomyelitis (OSM) was first coined by Nelaton in 1844. Waldvogel et al, Cierny-Mader, May et al classifications of OSM from developed countries and Meier et al's from Nigeria have been described. OBJECTIVE: This new classification was developed to highlight significant pathology seen in developing countries not covered by existing classifications. DESIGN: A prospective study. SETTING: University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. SUBJECTS: All OSM patients treated from January 1998 to June 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age, sex, clinical features, radiographs and treatment offered were analysed. Five stages were recognised: stage 0 (potential OSM with bone contamination), stage I (early or acute OSM), stage II (intermediate OSM with subperiosteal abscess), stage III (lateorchronic OSM with sequestrum and subdivided into IIIa 'curable', IIIb 'controllable', IIIc 'complicated'). Stage IV (compound OSM) with joint involvement: IVa, if anatomical and IVb if physiological. Patients' haemoglobin (Hb) status is added to the staging, for example stage II (Hb SS). RESULTS: All 271 patients comprising 198 males and 73 females (M: F = 2.7: 1) with age range 2-48 years (mean 29.4 +/- 12.2) were studied. Only 93 patients had Hb genotype done; only 42 had Hb S. The stage O had 184 patients (120 open fractures and 64 bone operations). Stage I had nine patients, stage II 19 patients, stage III 51 patients and stage IV eight. CONCLUSIONS: This new staging incorporates pre-emptive OSM seen in developing countries where certain practices, if unchecked lead to OSM. The severity of OSM featuring florid disease not common in the developed world, and for which existing classifications did not accommodate, is included.

Adolescent↗