Wild edible fruits from the forest have often been regarded as poverty food; however, there has b... more Wild edible fruits from the forest have often been regarded as poverty food; however, there has been a notable shift in recent years as these wild edible fruits have gained increasing recognition for their significance in global food security, especially in agricultural societies such as Senegal. This paper contributes to the debate on how the forest plays a role in diets and nutrition security using the example of wild fruit (Baobab) found in the Boundou Region in Senegal. The livelihood strategies of people in this region have been subject to external influences, such as climate shock and restrictions enforced as the area became a protected area in 2009. These external influences have resulted in the loss of pasture use and the prohibition of hunting. Restriction of access to these previous commons (pasture, wildlife) diminishes the resilience of the local population. However, a new alternative of seasonal usage of wild fruit, specifically baobab, for commercial purposes has emerg...
Almost a quarter of the global burden of disease and mortalities is attributable to environmental... more Almost a quarter of the global burden of disease and mortalities is attributable to environmental causes, the magnitude of which is projected to increase in the near future. Evidence informed policies and interventions are a key element in the adaptation response for countries. However, in many low- and middle-income settings, there remains a large gap in the synthesis of evidence on climate-sensitive health outcomes. In India, now the world’s most populous country, little remains known about the impacts of climate change on various health outcomes. In light of India’s vulnerability to climate change, the growing population and the high burden of disease, it is imperative for public health professionals to engage in the climate action, and to understand the challenges they face, particularly with regard to barriers in conducting environmental health research. In this study, we employed key informant interviews to understand the perceived research barriers amongst health professional...
Since 2015 the need for evidence-based guidance in primary health care management of refugees, as... more Since 2015 the need for evidence-based guidance in primary health care management of refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants has dramatically increased. The aims of this study were to identify the challenges met by primary care physicians in Switzerland, by performing semi-structured interviews and to identify possible approaches and interventions. Between January 2019 and January 2020, 20 GPs in 3 Swiss cantons were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed, coded with MAXQDA 18, and analyzed using the framework methodology. Following relevant findings were highlighted; (i) problems relating to health insurance companies among (health-insured) asylum seekers and refugees were negligible; (ii) there is a high acceptance for vaccination by refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants; (iii) limitations in time for consultations and adequate reimbursement for practitioners pose a serious challenge; (iv) the majority of consultations are complaint-oriented, preventive consultations are rare; and (v) the language barrier is a major challenge for psychosocial consultations, whereas this appears less relevant for somatic complaints. The following issues were identified as high priority needs by the study participants; (i) increased networking between GPs, that is, establishing bridging services with asylum centers, (ii) improved training opportunities for GPs in Migration Medicine with regular updates of current guidelines, and (iii) a standardisation of health documentation facilitating exchange of medical data, that is, digital/paper-based “health booklet” or “health pass.”
Background Adolescents have special sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) needs and are susceptib... more Background Adolescents have special sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) needs and are susceptible to poor health outcomes. The global burden of ill sexual health includes a significant proportion of Adolescents. The existing ASRH services in Ethiopia and particularly in the Afar region are currently not well suited to meet the needs of pastoralist adolescents. This study assesses the level of ASRH service utilization among pastoralists in Afar regional state, Ethiopia. Method A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2021 in four randomly chosen pastoralist villages or kebeles of Afar, Ethiopia. A multistage cluster sampling procedure was used to select 766 volunteer adolescents aged 10–19. SRH services uptake was measured asking whether they had used any SRH service components during the last year. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire; data entry was done with Epi info 3.5.1. Logistic regression analy...
Background Health personnel in conflict zones face high levels of violence while also playing a c... more Background Health personnel in conflict zones face high levels of violence while also playing a crucial role in assisting the population in distress. For more than two decades, the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), have been wracked by conflict. This study aims to describe the state of violence against Health Care Workers (HCWs) and the potential prevention mechanisms in eastern DRC. Methods In North and South Kivu, between February 5 and 21, 2021, we conducted a mixed cross-sectional convergent study in health facilities (health centers and hospitals). An anonymized self-administered questionnaire was sent to HCWs about their experience of violence in the 12 months prior to the study. In-depth individual interviews with HCWs, present on the day of the investigation, were also done to explore their experience of violence. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and a thematic analysis of the qualitative data was carried out. Results Of a total ...
Background:In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), food insecurity and malnutrition in chi... more Background:In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), food insecurity and malnutrition in children under five years of age carry out a great burden. It is estimated that 45 per cent of child mortality in DRC is associated with malnutrition. The ongoing conflict in the Eastern DRC worsens the situation. This study aims to assess the impact of a project combining approaches to increase women’s economic participation through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) and men’s sensitization on gender norms on child nutritional status.Methods: A cohort of 1400 children aged 1-5 years old were followed over a year. Height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height were calculated using WHO Anthro software version 2006. Prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight were calculated before and after intervention and linear regression models were run to assess any impact of the intervention on the WHO child anthropometric measurements.Results: Prevalence of stunting, wasting, a...
Background Smoking, physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and obesity are com... more Background Smoking, physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and obesity are common in Kosovo. Their prevention is a priority to relieve the health system of from costly non-communicable disease treatments. The Accessible Quality Healthcare project is implementing a primary healthcare intervention that entails nurse-guided motivational counselling to facilitate change in the domains of smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity for at-risk patients. This study quantitatively assesses the uptake of motivational counselling and the distribution of health behaviours and stages of health behaviour change of the participants according to the intervention, as well as qualitatively describes experiences and perceived benefits of motivational counselling. Methods Study participants (n = 907) were recruited consecutively in 2019 from patients visiting the Main Family Medical Centres in 12 municipalities participating in the Kosovo Non-Communicable Disease Coh...
We would like to acknowledge the technical support and advice received from Pem Namgyal, WHO IVR,... more We would like to acknowledge the technical support and advice received from Pem Namgyal, WHO IVR, Joachim
<p>Gendered factors influencing vaccination in childhood–overview over the main second-orde... more <p>Gendered factors influencing vaccination in childhood–overview over the main second-order constructs.</p
Wild edible fruits from the forest have often been regarded as poverty food; however, there has b... more Wild edible fruits from the forest have often been regarded as poverty food; however, there has been a notable shift in recent years as these wild edible fruits have gained increasing recognition for their significance in global food security, especially in agricultural societies such as Senegal. This paper contributes to the debate on how the forest plays a role in diets and nutrition security using the example of wild fruit (Baobab) found in the Boundou Region in Senegal. The livelihood strategies of people in this region have been subject to external influences, such as climate shock and restrictions enforced as the area became a protected area in 2009. These external influences have resulted in the loss of pasture use and the prohibition of hunting. Restriction of access to these previous commons (pasture, wildlife) diminishes the resilience of the local population. However, a new alternative of seasonal usage of wild fruit, specifically baobab, for commercial purposes has emerg...
Almost a quarter of the global burden of disease and mortalities is attributable to environmental... more Almost a quarter of the global burden of disease and mortalities is attributable to environmental causes, the magnitude of which is projected to increase in the near future. Evidence informed policies and interventions are a key element in the adaptation response for countries. However, in many low- and middle-income settings, there remains a large gap in the synthesis of evidence on climate-sensitive health outcomes. In India, now the world’s most populous country, little remains known about the impacts of climate change on various health outcomes. In light of India’s vulnerability to climate change, the growing population and the high burden of disease, it is imperative for public health professionals to engage in the climate action, and to understand the challenges they face, particularly with regard to barriers in conducting environmental health research. In this study, we employed key informant interviews to understand the perceived research barriers amongst health professional...
Since 2015 the need for evidence-based guidance in primary health care management of refugees, as... more Since 2015 the need for evidence-based guidance in primary health care management of refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants has dramatically increased. The aims of this study were to identify the challenges met by primary care physicians in Switzerland, by performing semi-structured interviews and to identify possible approaches and interventions. Between January 2019 and January 2020, 20 GPs in 3 Swiss cantons were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed, coded with MAXQDA 18, and analyzed using the framework methodology. Following relevant findings were highlighted; (i) problems relating to health insurance companies among (health-insured) asylum seekers and refugees were negligible; (ii) there is a high acceptance for vaccination by refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants; (iii) limitations in time for consultations and adequate reimbursement for practitioners pose a serious challenge; (iv) the majority of consultations are complaint-oriented, preventive consultations are rare; and (v) the language barrier is a major challenge for psychosocial consultations, whereas this appears less relevant for somatic complaints. The following issues were identified as high priority needs by the study participants; (i) increased networking between GPs, that is, establishing bridging services with asylum centers, (ii) improved training opportunities for GPs in Migration Medicine with regular updates of current guidelines, and (iii) a standardisation of health documentation facilitating exchange of medical data, that is, digital/paper-based “health booklet” or “health pass.”
Background Adolescents have special sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) needs and are susceptib... more Background Adolescents have special sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) needs and are susceptible to poor health outcomes. The global burden of ill sexual health includes a significant proportion of Adolescents. The existing ASRH services in Ethiopia and particularly in the Afar region are currently not well suited to meet the needs of pastoralist adolescents. This study assesses the level of ASRH service utilization among pastoralists in Afar regional state, Ethiopia. Method A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2021 in four randomly chosen pastoralist villages or kebeles of Afar, Ethiopia. A multistage cluster sampling procedure was used to select 766 volunteer adolescents aged 10–19. SRH services uptake was measured asking whether they had used any SRH service components during the last year. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire; data entry was done with Epi info 3.5.1. Logistic regression analy...
Background Health personnel in conflict zones face high levels of violence while also playing a c... more Background Health personnel in conflict zones face high levels of violence while also playing a crucial role in assisting the population in distress. For more than two decades, the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), have been wracked by conflict. This study aims to describe the state of violence against Health Care Workers (HCWs) and the potential prevention mechanisms in eastern DRC. Methods In North and South Kivu, between February 5 and 21, 2021, we conducted a mixed cross-sectional convergent study in health facilities (health centers and hospitals). An anonymized self-administered questionnaire was sent to HCWs about their experience of violence in the 12 months prior to the study. In-depth individual interviews with HCWs, present on the day of the investigation, were also done to explore their experience of violence. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and a thematic analysis of the qualitative data was carried out. Results Of a total ...
Background:In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), food insecurity and malnutrition in chi... more Background:In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), food insecurity and malnutrition in children under five years of age carry out a great burden. It is estimated that 45 per cent of child mortality in DRC is associated with malnutrition. The ongoing conflict in the Eastern DRC worsens the situation. This study aims to assess the impact of a project combining approaches to increase women’s economic participation through Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) and men’s sensitization on gender norms on child nutritional status.Methods: A cohort of 1400 children aged 1-5 years old were followed over a year. Height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height were calculated using WHO Anthro software version 2006. Prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight were calculated before and after intervention and linear regression models were run to assess any impact of the intervention on the WHO child anthropometric measurements.Results: Prevalence of stunting, wasting, a...
Background Smoking, physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and obesity are com... more Background Smoking, physical inactivity, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and obesity are common in Kosovo. Their prevention is a priority to relieve the health system of from costly non-communicable disease treatments. The Accessible Quality Healthcare project is implementing a primary healthcare intervention that entails nurse-guided motivational counselling to facilitate change in the domains of smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and physical inactivity for at-risk patients. This study quantitatively assesses the uptake of motivational counselling and the distribution of health behaviours and stages of health behaviour change of the participants according to the intervention, as well as qualitatively describes experiences and perceived benefits of motivational counselling. Methods Study participants (n = 907) were recruited consecutively in 2019 from patients visiting the Main Family Medical Centres in 12 municipalities participating in the Kosovo Non-Communicable Disease Coh...
We would like to acknowledge the technical support and advice received from Pem Namgyal, WHO IVR,... more We would like to acknowledge the technical support and advice received from Pem Namgyal, WHO IVR, Joachim
<p>Gendered factors influencing vaccination in childhood–overview over the main second-orde... more <p>Gendered factors influencing vaccination in childhood–overview over the main second-order constructs.</p
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