Category: Online
The Cancer Dilemma
Map of China’s “Cancer Villages” According to a study released by Washington National Institute for Wellness Solutions, cancer is the top health concern among Middle-income Americans—ranking higher than concern for heart disease, stroke, or Alzheimer’s disease1. That cancer is a major health concern in the U.S. is not surprising, as age-related diseases are the […]
The Integration of Mental Health into Primary Care
Mental health is one of the biggest problems facing modern medicine today, yet it is often overlooked in terms of primary care. Not only do mental disorders have a heavy economic and social burden on society, but also few of those who need assistance with mental disorders actually receive the treatment they require. In order to close this gap in mental health treatment and increase access to mental healthcare, mental health services should be integrated into primary healthcare through health policy legislation and education of primary care workers.
Innovations in Stem Cell Research: The Solution to Organ Trafficking?
Recently, Harald Ott’s laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital was able to make a bio-engineered rat kidney.[1] In their experimental design, they exposed a mature rat kidney to detergents in order to wash away old parent cells, leaving only a web of proteins that constituted the original kidney. Then, by injecting endothelial and epithelial cells into […]
Change Domestic Taxation Policies to Increase Available Resources for Health
The WHO document suggests that the implementation of Value Added Taxes (VAT) with a share of the revenue earmarked for the health sector, and health-specific taxes on large corporations could have medium to high fundraising potential and are likely pro-poor. Oxfam has suggested that if government leaders were to close tax loopholes that enable legal tax-dodging, some $189 billion could be raised in taxes internationally each year
The Future of Conditional Cash Transfer Programs
Conditional cash transfer programs may need to make supply-side as well as demand-side investments in order to see the most impact on health outcomes within the developing world.
The Obesity Epidemic on Campus
With an unlimited meal plan and buffet-style meals, do we Harvard students know how big our portions should be? Portions have more than doubled in the past twenty years, and the actual recommended portion sizes may be surprising. Both the type and size of food we consume are positively associated with weight gain, as seen at campus and country level.
Part Two: Forgotten Killers
As a follow-up to my previous article, “Forgotten Killers: Pneumonia and Diarrhea Prevalence in Third-World Countries,” I went to the individuals at UNICEF who are on the front lines in the battle to combat pneumonia and diarrhea. I was put in contact with Dr. Renee Van de Weerdt, the Chief of the Maternal, Newborn and […]
Financing Healthcare Initiatives with Microcredit – The Integrated Services Approach of Pro Mujer
In Mexico, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina the goals of health improvement and economic development have come together into an integrative approach developed in the 1990’s by Pro Mujer, a non-governmental organization that provides an integrated package of financial services, business and empowerment training, and primary healthcare services.
The Need For New Policy Approaches to Tobacco Cessation.
For decades, policy makers have been using the same tools to combat tobacco consumption. It might be time to consider new approaches.
