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Speaking of health : assessing health communication strategies for diverse populations

INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE
2002

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This book looks at the challenges of delivering important health messages to different audiences. Using case studies in the areas of diabetes, mammography, and mass communication campaigns, it examines the ways in which messages must be adapted to the unique informational needs of their audiences if they are to have any real impact. It also looks at basic theories of communication and behaviour change and focuses on where they apply and where they don't. Although written for the context of the USA, the principles of adapting health messages to the needs of minority populations may have relevance in developing countries

Breast cancer in south-east Republic of Yemen

ABDUL HAMID, G
TAYEB, M S
BAWAZIR, A A
November 2001

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This retrospective study of breast cancer was carried out using the treatment registry of Aden Health Office and archives of Al-Gamhoria Teaching Hospital. It advocates for a comprehensive national approach to increase research funding in this area

Strategic issues in preventing cataract blindness in developing countries

Ellwein, L B
Kupfer, C
1995

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Cataract blindness is a public health problem of major proportions in developing countries. Intracapsular cataract extraction with aphakic spectacles has been the standard surgical technique for restoring sight. Because of image magnification in the operated eye, however, the result in unilaterally blind patients is less than satisfactory. Fortunately, with the availability of low-cost intraocular lenses ( IOL) and ophthalmologists trained in extracapsular surgery, it is now practical to intervene successfully in the unilateral case. The need for increased attention on the quality of the visual outcome is only one of three important strategic issues in cataract blindness control. The existing high prevalence of cataract blindness in developing countries and an increasing cataract incidence due to an aging population require substantial increases in surgical volume. The third issue relates to cost. If significant increases in surgical volume and quality of outcomes are to be realised without an increased need for external funding, service delivery must be made more efficient. The expansion of IOL surgery for unilateral blindness is a favourable trend in ensuring financial sustainability of delivery systems; patients can be operated on while still economically productive and able to pay rather than waiting for bilateral blindness and a less favourable economic and social impact. It the quality, volume, and cost issues are to be successfully addressed, operational and structural changes to eye care delivery systems are necessary. These changes can be effected through training, technology introduction, management of facilities, social marketing, organizational partnerships, and evaluation. With improved understanding of the critical factors in successful models their widespread replication will be facilitated.

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