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At least 775 records · Page 43Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Anaemia in schoolchildren in eight countries in Africa and Asia.

OBJECTIVE: To report on the haemoglobin concentrations and prevalence of anaemia in schoolchildren in eight countries in Africa and Asia. DESIGN: Blood samples were collected during surveys of the health of schoolchildren as a part of programmes to develop school-based health services. SETTING: Rural schools in Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania and Vietnam. SUBJECTS: Nearly 14 000 children enrolled in basic education in three age ranges (7-11 years, 12-14 years and > or =15 years) which reflect the new UNICEF/WHO thresholds to define anaemia. RESULTS: Anaemia was found to be a severe public health problem (defined as >40% anaemic) in five African countries for children aged 7-11 years and in four of the same countries for children aged 12-14 years. Anaemia was not a public health problem in the children studied in the two Asian countries. More boys than girls were anaemic, and children who enrolled late in school were more likely to be anaemic than children who enrolled closer to the correct age. The implications of the four new thresholds defining anaemia for school-age children are examined. CONCLUSIONS: Anaemia is a significant problem in schoolchildren in sub-Saharan Africa. School-based health services which provide treatments for simple conditions that cause blood loss, such as worms, followed by multiple micronutrient supplements including iron, have the potential to provide relief from a large burden of anaemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiology of prostatic cancer in East Asia.

Prostate cancer has become one of the most common malignancies in the world. The incidence of prostate cancer has rapidly increasing over the last decade in East Asia. In Japan, age-adjusted death rates due to prostate cancer rose from 4.4 to 8.6 per 100,000 between 1980 and 1998. Recent research has focused on age, race-related differences, patterns of familial aggregation, genetic factors, hormones, and diet. Epidemiological approach has identified several possible risk factors that may be useful for the prevention of prostate cancer and targeting high-risk individuals for early detection.

Age of Onset↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationships between blood pressure, anthropometric characteristics and blood lipids in high- and low-altitude populations from Central Asia.

We studied the relationships between blood pressure, anthropometric characteristics and blood lipids in 72 low altitude (LA) Uighurs (600 m), 91 LA-Kirghizs (900 m), 117 medium altitude (MA) Kazakhs (2100 m) and 94 high altitude (HA) Kirghizs (3200 m). All subjects were male and had a similar age (p = ns, ANOVA; range for all 374 subjects: 18-66 yr). Body weight (Wt), body mass index (BM1) and the sum of four skinfolds (4SF) were significantly lower in HA-Kirghizs than the remaining groups (p < 0.0005, p < 0.0005 and p < 0.05 respectively, ANOVA). However, no difference was found in body fat distribution as detected by waist:hip circumference (WHR) and triceps:subscapular skinfold ratios (TSR; p = ns, ANOVA). Stage 1 hypertension was detected in 18% of LA-Uighurs, 2% of LA-Kirghizs, 4% of MA-Kazakhs and 1% of HA-Kirghizs; stage 2 hypertension was detected in 2% of LA-Uighurs and none of the remaining groups; no subject had stage 3 hypertension (The Joint National Committee on Prevention. Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure 1997). Blood cholesterol (CH) and triglycerides (TG) did not differ between groups (p = ns, ANOVA). The relationships between systolic (SBP) or diastolic (DBP) blood pressure and age, Wt, BMI, 4SF, WHR, TSR, CH and TG were independent from altitude (p = ns, ANCOVA). In the pooled sample (n = 374), age explained 1 and 3% of SBP (p < 0.05) and DBP (p < 0.005) variance respectively, Wt was the best predictor of SBP and DBP explaining 11 and 10% of their variance respectively (p < 0.0001) and CH explained 5% of DBP variance (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, hypertension is more frequent in LA- than MA- and HA-subjects from Central Asia. However, anthropometric characteristics and blood lipids do similarly contribute to explain blood pressure in these subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alpha-thalassaemia and population health in Southeast Asia.

Alpha-thalassaemia mutations are common. In Southeast Asia, they cause Hb H disease and Hb Barts hydrops fetalis. Fetuses with the devastating Hb Barts hydrops fetalis due to the complete lack of alpha-globin gene die in utero or shortly after birth, often during the second or third trimesters. Recent findings on patients with Hb H disease who have only one active alpha-globin gene suggest that it is not necessarily a benign disorder as previously thought. The disease burden of these syndromes and their public health importance have been largely neglected. We review the population carrier frequencies of alpha-thalassaemia, and summarize the clinical features, diagnostic approaches, counselling and management of these common genetic disorders. Several practical proposals are made that, if implemented, can begin to address the issues of collaboration and improvement for care of these common diseases in the region.

Asia, Southeastern↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Distribution of transferrin (Tf) subtypes in several Mongoloid populations of East Asia.

The distribution of serum transferrin subtypes was determined by PAG electrophoresis and isoelectric focussing in a group of 2288 individuals from 10 Mongoloid populations of East Asia. The sample comprised 857 Chinese from different localities: Singapore (239), Malaysia (228), Taiwan (265), Hong Kong (65), Fouzhou (60); Koreans (332), Filipinos (281), Thais (455), Malays (335) and Indonesians (28). The frequencies of TfC1 varied from 0.73 to 0.79 in the Chinese and from 0.76 to 0.83 in the other Mongoloid populations. TfC3 was observed at a frequency of 0.02 in the Koreans and Chinese from Fouzhou. TfDChi was present in a low frequency (0.01 to 0.03) in all the populations. A low frequency of TfB was also present in all the populations. The phenotypic distribution of transferrin subtypes was at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all the populations.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The prediction of extracellular and total body water from bioelectric impedance in a non-Caucasian population from central Asia.

The availability of only a small number of studies on bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA) in non-Caucasian ethnic groups appears to limit reliable utilization of this method in anthropological field studies. In this study, 28 male Turkish-Mongolian subjects native of Kazakhstan (Central Asia) underwent total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW) assessment by deuterium oxide (D2O) and sodium bromide (NaBr) dilution respectively. Bioelectric impedance (BI) was recorded at multiple frequencies. ECW and TBW were calculated from BI at 1 and 100 kHz respectively by applying formulae developed on a sample of Caucasian subjects with a hydration status similar to that of the study population. TBW predicted from BI at 1 and 100 kHz (37.5 +/- 3.31) was highly correlated and not significantly different from that obtained by D2O dilution (39.0 +/- 4.11, r = 0.894, p < 0.0001, SEE = 1.91). Similarly, ECW predicted from BI at 1 kHz (15.1 +/- 1.21) was highly correlated and not significantly different from that obtained by NaBr dilution (15.0 +/- 1.61, r = 0.847, p < 0.0001, SEE = 0.81). It is concluded that selected predictive formulae developed on Caucasian subjects may provide a precise and accurate assessment of ECW and TBW in Turkish-Mongolian populations.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Promoting the positive: responses to stigma and discrimination in Southeast Asia.

Pervasive stigma has surrounded HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the pandemic. In Southeast Asia, as elsewhere, it has been accompanied by discrimination, affecting transmission patterns and access to care and support. Beginning with definitions of stigma and discrimination as they relate to HIV/AIDS, this paper outlines the contexts of discrimination experienced in the region and reviews local community-based interventions that have worked to reduce negative attitudes. The evidence presented comes primarily from unpublished literature and anecdotal evidence gained through interviews with project staff throughout the region. Although the activities represent initiatives in a number of countries and contexts of discrimination, they nonetheless share certain components which are highlighted. What these characteristics have in common is an emphasis on process, indicating that reducing community-level discrimination can be integrated into any approach to HIV/AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2006

Programmes, resources, and needs of HIV-prevention nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Africa, Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

This study assessed the programmes, resources, and needs of HIV-prevention nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 75 countries in Africa, Central/Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Multiple databases and expert recommendations were used to identify one major HIV-prevention NGO in the capital or a large city in each country, and in-depth interviews were conducted with each NGO Director. Most NGOs are carrying out their programmes with minimal funding and few regularly employed personnel. Most are highly dependent on international donors, but reliance on small grants with short funding periods limits programme development capacity. HIV-prevention activities varied by region, with African NGOs most likely to use peer education and community awareness events; Eastern European NGOs most likely to offer needle exchange; Latin American NGOs to have resource centres and offer risk reduction programmes; and Caribbean organizations to use mass education approaches. Across regions, NGOs most often targeted the general public and youth, although specialized at-risk groups were the additional focus of attention in some regions. Limited funding, governmental indifference or opposition, AIDS stigma, and social discomfort discussing sex were often cited as barriers to new HIV-prevention programmes. NGOs are critical service providers. However, their funding, programmes, and resource capacities must be strengthened if NGOs are to realize their full potential in HIV prevention.

Africa↗
PubMed2005

An Asia Pacific six-country study on HIV-related discrimination: introduction.

This paper outlines a six-country study of institutionalised forms of HIV/AIDS-related discrimination in the Asia-Pacific region. Although recognised as a barrier to disease prevention and treatment, very limited data are available on the effects of institutionalised HIV-related stigma and discrimination. Understanding the forms of discrimination within the institutions where they occur is the first step to identifying effective ways of promoting compassionate, non-discriminatory treatment of PLWHA. Thus, the goal of this research project was to document institutional discrimination against PLWHA, as guided by the UNAIDS Protocol for the Identification of Discrimination Against People Living with HIV (2000), in six Asian countries: India, Thailand, Philippines, China, Vietnam and Indonesia. As a precursor to the six individual studies, this paper provides a brief overview of the literature on HIV discrimination, and then describes the UNAIDS Protocol and the shared methodological considerations relevant to all of the study sites. Commonalities in sampling, procedures and analysis are also discussed.

Asia↗
PubMed2005

HIV discrimination: integrating the results from a six-country situational analysis in the Asia Pacific.

The findings of the six independent studies on institutional forms of HIV discrimination in the Asia Pacific presented in this Special Issue of AIDS Care are integrated. At first glance, the general pattern of the results across the study sites suggests that discrimination is most pertinent in the domain of 'practice' rather than in the domains of law or institutional policy. On closer analysis, however, utilising the qualitative data, this conclusion does not take sufficient account of the cultural context within which the interpersonal interaction (practice) between the health carers and people living with HIV/AIDS occurs. Limitations on the use of anti-discrimination legislations and protective written policies for reducing discrimination in these contexts are discussed. The need for alternative approaches to thinking about discrimination intervention is raised and this is done through a consideration of the strategy of universal precautions.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2003

Is elbow breadth a measure of frame size in non-Caucasian populations? A study in low- and high-altitude Central-Asia populations.

UNLABELLED: The concept of frame size has not undergone a thorough evaluation in non-Caucasian populations. Using data from the Central Asia High Altitude Population (CAHAP) study, we tested whether: (1) the relationship between frame size and body composition is different in high-, medium- and low-altitude populations; (2) elbow breadth is a better index of frame size than biacromial and biiliac breadth; and (3) measures of frame size are associated with blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides. A number of 334 male subjects aged 33 +/- 10 years (mean +/- standard deviation) were selected from the CAHAP population (n = 384) on the basis of the availability of breadth measurements. The subjects were 85 high-altitude Kirghizs, 105 medium-altitude Kazakhs, 79 low-altitude Kirghizs and 65 low-altitude Uighurs. A detailed anthropometric evaluation and blood pressure, cholesterol and trygliceride measurements were performed on all individuals. Among breadths, elbow had the lowest correlation with arm fat area, thigh fat area, calf fat area and the sum of trunk skinfolds (r < or = 0.196, P < 0.01). Even if elbow breadth did not have the highest correlation with muscularity indexes, its constantly lower association with adiposity indexes shows that it is a better measure of frame size than biacromial breadth and biiliac breadth. The relationship between frame size and body composition did not differ in high-, medium- and low-altitude subjects (P = not significant, analysis of co-variance). Only a weak association was present between breadths, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides (r < or = 0.230, P < 0.01) and it was not influenced by altitude (P = not significant, analysis of co-variance). Elbow breadth was significantly correlated only with diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.121, P < 0.05). IN CONCLUSION: (1) the relationship between frame size and body composition is similar in high- and low-altitude populations; (2) elbow breadth is an index of frame size independent of altitude; and (3) elbow breadth is correlated with diastolic blood pressure, but this correlation is of doubtful biological relevance.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Action-oriented support for occupational safety and health programs in some developing countries in Asia.

Action-oriented support programs have been increasingly playing vital roles in promoting safety and health in developing countries in Asia. This paper studied achievements of 3 action-oriented support programs: the WISE program for small enterprises, the WIND program for farmers, and the POSITIVE program for workers and trade unions. Special attention was paid to how the programs have strengthened local efforts for sustainable actions in safety and health improvements. The results showed that there were significant achievements in action-oriented support programs in the region, including a large number of improvement examples, integration into government policies, and network support through employers' and workers' organizations. Participatory, action-oriented training tools such as action-checklists, local good example photos, and group work methods played key roles in the effective implementation of the programs. It was of note that there were a number of local efforts to extend the coverage of action-oriented support even to hard-to-reach workers such as home-based workers, rural workers, and ethnic minorities. The efforts included the equal participation in the training by female and male farmers, shortened and weekend training programs, photo sheets showing local good examples, and reasonable fee collection for better sustainability. In conclusion, action-oriented support programs provided local people with concrete means to promote safety and health improvements. The successful programs commonly focused on local initiatives and were built on local wisdom and resources.

Asia↗
PubMed2006

Needle syringe acquisition and HIV prevention among injecting drug users: a treatise on the "good" and "not so good" public health practices in South Asia.

This article describes the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and other bloodborne infections is well established among injection drug user (IDU) populations in South Asia (SA). IDU populations in SA are diverse and display different demographic and socioeconomic profiles. The current provision of sterile injecting equipment as part of public health initiatives is suboptimal. Although some needle and syringe exchange programs (NSEPs) operate in the region, pharmacies and "friends" continue to be a major source of syringe acquisition. It is suggested that the cost of syringes in the region is significantly higher in real terms than in several other countries and negatively impacts on the ability of IDUs to acquire needles and syringes. In addition, existing NSEPs offer poor coverage both at the population and individual level. Their effective functioning is hampered by resource constraints, ambivalent policy positions, little attention to quality, and environmental factors. Secondary syringe exchange is a nascent phenomenon in SA that needs to be adequately documented and evaluated. Urgent attention needs to be given to developing alternative models of needle syringe delivery to scale-up HIV prevention interventions for IDUs. This study was conducted in the first quarter of 2004 and updated in 2006. We used key informants, previously unpublished and published data from research studies, and interventions programs, service statistics, and primary data to inform this study.

Asia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of proliferation of small arms and light weapons in south Asia.

Small arms and light weapons (SALW) cause much death and injury around the world, through war, homicide and suicide. The problems of SALW in south Asia have to be seen within a global context, but the region itself has special concerns which must be understood by the world. Ultimately these issues will only be resolved through international co-operation, which in turn requires people to become active in urging their political leaders to take the right path.

Asia↗
PubMed2004

Managing aging men in Asia: a strategic approach.

We have established a comprehensive diagnostic paradigm for the management of aging men which seeks to evaluate the various determinants of the aging process in five major health areas: cardio-health, bone health, sex health, general health and endocrine state. This paradigm appears to be useful for the management of the problem of aging in our local population. It could be used for the management of individuals as well as for population research. When combined with the establishment of evidence-based management modalities, it will provide a useful tool for the holistic management of aging in Asia.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Network analyses of Y-chromosomal types in Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia reveal specific patterns of geographic distribution.

In a study of 908 males from Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, the variation of four Y-linked dinucleotide microsatellites was analyzed within three "frames" that are defined by mutations that are nonrecurrent, or nearly so. The rapid generation and extinction of new dinucleotide length variants causes the haplotypes within each lineage to diverge from one another. We constructed networks of "adjacent" haplotypes within each frame, by assuming changes of a single dinucleotide unit. Two small and six large networks were obtained, the latter including 94.9% of the sampled Y chromosomes. We show that the phenetic relationships among haplotypes, represented as a network, result largely from common descent and subsequent molecular radiation. The grouping of haplotypes of the same network thus fits an evolutionarily relevant criterion. Notably, this method allows the total diversity within a sample to be partitioned. Networks can be considered optimal markers for population studies, because reliable frequency estimates can be obtained in small samples. We present synthetic maps describing the incidence of different Y-chromosomal lineages in the extant human populations of the surveyed areas. Dinucleotide diversity also was used to infer time intervals for the coalescence of each network.

Africa, Northern↗
PubMed1998

mtDNA haplogroup X: An ancient link between Europe/Western Asia and North America?

On the basis of comprehensive RFLP analysis, it has been inferred that approximately 97% of Native American mtDNAs belong to one of four major founding mtDNA lineages, designated haplogroups "A"-"D." It has been proposed that a fifth mtDNA haplogroup (haplogroup X) represents a minor founding lineage in Native Americans. Unlike haplogroups A-D, haplogroup X is also found at low frequencies in modern European populations. To investigate the origins, diversity, and continental relationships of this haplogroup, we performed mtDNA high-resolution RFLP and complete control region (CR) sequence analysis on 22 putative Native American haplogroup X and 14 putative European haplogroup X mtDNAs. The results identified a consensus haplogroup X motif that characterizes our European and Native American samples. Among Native Americans, haplogroup X appears to be essentially restricted to northern Amerindian groups, including the Ojibwa, the Nuu-Chah-Nulth, the Sioux, and the Yakima, although we also observed this haplogroup in the Na-Dene-speaking Navajo. Median network analysis indicated that European and Native American haplogroup X mtDNAs, although distinct, nevertheless are distantly related to each other. Time estimates for the arrival of X in North America are 12,000-36,000 years ago, depending on the number of assumed founders, thus supporting the conclusion that the peoples harboring haplogroup X were among the original founders of Native American populations. To date, haplogroup X has not been unambiguously identified in Asia, raising the possibility that some Native American founders were of Caucasian ancestry.

Asia, Western↗
PubMed2002

A back migration from Asia to sub-Saharan Africa is supported by high-resolution analysis of human Y-chromosome haplotypes.

The variation of 77 biallelic sites located in the nonrecombining portion of the Y chromosome was examined in 608 male subjects from 22 African populations. This survey revealed a total of 37 binary haplotypes, which were combined with microsatellite polymorphism data to evaluate internal diversities and to estimate coalescence ages of the binary haplotypes. The majority of binary haplotypes showed a nonuniform distribution across the continent. Analysis of molecular variance detected a high level of interpopulation diversity (PhiST=0.342), which appears to be partially related to the geography (PhiCT=0.230). In sub-Saharan Africa, the recent spread of a set of haplotypes partially erased pre-existing diversity, but a high level of population (PhiST=0.332) and geographic (PhiCT=0.179) structuring persists. Correspondence analysis shows that three main clusters of populations can be identified: northern, eastern, and sub-Saharan Africans. Among the latter, the Khoisan, the Pygmies, and the northern Cameroonians are clearly distinct from a tight cluster formed by the Niger-Congo-speaking populations from western, central western, and southern Africa. Phylogeographic analyses suggest that a large component of the present Khoisan gene pool is eastern African in origin and that Asia was the source of a back migration to sub-Saharan Africa. Haplogroup IX Y chromosomes appear to have been involved in such a migration, the traces of which can now be observed mostly in northern Cameroon.

Africa↗