Non-Communicable Diseases
- Community Health Worker Program Outcomes for Diabetes and Hypertension Control in West Bank Refugee Camps: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study
A community health worker program in urban Palestinian West Bank refugee camps improves diabetes and hypertension control in a setting of chronic violence and extreme adversity.
- Digital Health Technologies Applied by the Pharmaceutical Industry to Improve Access to Noncommunicable Disease Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Digital health technologies applied by the pharmaceutical industry offer opportunities to improve access to care for patients with noncommunicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries.
- Effects of Pharmacist Intervention on Community Control of Hypertension: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Zunyi, China
There has been growing interest in the role of pharmacists in managing chronic conditions. We tested the effects of a pharmacist intervention on community control of hypertension. Findings showed significant short-term improvement in patient knowledge, medication adherence, and lowered blood pressure.
- Prioritizing Health-Sector Interventions for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries in Low- and Lower-Middle Income Countries: National NCDI Poverty Commissions
Noncommunicable Disease and Injury (NCDI) Poverty Commissions in 16 low- and middle-income countries provided evidence-based recommendations on a local, expanded set of priority NCDIs and health-sector interventions needed in national initiatives to attain universal health coverage. These commissions provide a collective platform for policy, research, and advocacy efforts to improve coverage of cost-effective and equitable health-sector interventions for populations living in extreme poverty.
- Curbing the Rise of Noncommunicable Diseases in Uganda: Perspectives of Policy Actors
To respond to the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Uganda, technical, managerial, and financial resources must be increased in the Ministry of Health as well as in primary and secondary health care facilities. This investment would help further Uganda's efforts to achieve sustainable development goals and build the government's capacity to meet the increasing needs for NCD services.
- Pathways to Care for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and HIV/AIDS Comorbidities in Soweto, South Africa: An Ethnographic Study
Patients with type 2 diabetes are referred to tertiary hospitals in Soweto although their care could be managed at primary health care clinics. Primary health care needs to be strengthened by addressing health systemic challenges to provide integrated care for comorbid type 2 diabetes and HIV/AIDS.
- Using Community Health Workers and a Smartphone Application to Improve Diabetes Control in Rural Guatemala
A smartphone application providing algorithmic clinical decision support enabled community health workers to improve diabetes control for a group of patients in rural Guatemala. This approach enables task sharing with physicians and other advanced practitioners for chronic disease care, which is particularly important in low-resource settings.
- Recall Efforts Successfully Increase Follow-Up for Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women With Human Papillomavirus in Honduras
A reminder phone call had a substantial impact on high rates of women returning for rescreening among those at high risk of developing cervical precancer. Scaling up routine cervical screening coverage must be accompanied by efforts to retain women throughout the screening cascade and continuum of care.
- A Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer: Context for the Global Public Health Practitioner
Many low- and middle-income countries are moving to introduce HPV vaccine into their national immunization programs. To improve coverage, equity, and sustainability, public health officials and practitioners can use planning and implementation lessons learned, including successful school-based delivery strategies, innovative approaches to reach out-of-school girls, best practices for communication and social mobilization, and integration of services to reduce delivery cost. Policy makers, donors, and global partners should continue to consider ways to drive down costs of vaccine procurement.