2007
HIV and AIDS
Examining the Rollout of Pediatric Antiretroviral
Treatment in South Africa
“We are grossly
undersupplying antiretroviral drugs to children, and our prevention of
mother-to-child transmission program is not working at this site. As a
result children are dying in hoards,” explained one doctor who was
interviewed as part of a study of pediatric HIV treatment in South Africa.
While not all the findings were as grim as the one just quoted, the studies
revealed significant deficiencies in pediatric HIV treatment in South Africa.
2006
Public Health
Could Eliminating Malaria Significantly Extend Life
Expectancy?
A recent study has shown
that eliminating malaria in northern Ghana, where the disease is very
prevalent, could increase residents’ life expectancy at birth by between six
and nine years. “That is a huge increase from eliminating a single cause of
death,” says Ayaga A. Bawah, a Population Council Berelson postdoctoral
fellow, who conducted the study along with Fred N. Binka, executive director
of the INDEPTH Network in Ghana.
HIV and AIDS
Ethical Implications of Working with Children
Few resources exist to help program managers and evaluators deal with the
difficult and potentially harmful situations that may arise when working
with children affected by HIV/AIDS. At the request of the US Agency for
International Development (USAID), a steering group was formed composed of
representatives of the Horizons program, Family Health International’s
IMPACT Program, UNICEF, and USAID to develop practical guidelines for those
who work with young people in international settings. The insights and
experiences of this group and others working in the field were collected and
analyzed in a handbook.
2005
Biomedicine
Low Chemical Exposure May Speed Male Puberty
A recent, much-publicized study highlighted the adverse
effects that prenatal exposure to chemicals known as phthalates has on
the genital development of male infants. Population Council biomedical
researchers are now studying the effect of prepubertal exposure to these
chemicals on the onset of male puberty. They have found that
exposure to low levels of phthalates can
alter the levels of testosterone (the male sex hormone), increase the
proliferation of cells in the testes, and significantly accelerate the
onset of male puberty. Phthalates are chemicals
used to make plastics—such as those used in food packaging and infant
toys—more flexible. They are also used as stabilizers in many common
cosmetic products, such as nail polish, shampoo, and lotion.
Safe Motherhood
Maternal Health Education Needed in Pakistan
The period of time after a woman gives birth, during which her
uterus shrinks and other physical changes that occurred during pregnancy
are reversed, is a crucial yet under-researched element of maternity.
Although the pregnancy has ended, serious diseases or disabilities
associated with pregnancy—such as infection or heavy bleeding—are still
possible. In fact, some traditional practices may increase the
likelihood of these maladies. Similarly, the neonatal period is critical
for infants, and some traditional practices may put their health at risk
as well. Fariyal F. Fikree, Population Council director of regional
health programs in Cairo, and her colleagues explored postpartum and
neonatal health, traditional beliefs and practices, and care-seeking
behaviors among new mothers in poor areas of Karachi, Pakistan.
Child Survival
Focus on Newborn Survival Needed in Rural Pakistan
Child survival programs in the developing world
have focused on the post-neonatal period, the interval from one month of
age to one year. Cost-effective treatments and preventive medicine have
significantly reduced infant and child deaths during this period in much
of the developing world. However, as deaths in the post-neonatal period
become less common, an increasing proportion of infant deaths occur in the
neonatal period, the first month of life. To address the dearth of
information that exists on the causes of neonatal death, Population
Council program associate Fariyal F. Fikree in collaboration with Syed
Iqbal Azam of Aga Khan University and Heinz W. Berendes of the National
Institutes of Health used population-based surveys and in-depth
interviews to gather data on the level and clinical causes of maternal
and infant mortality and their associated risk factors.
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