Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Vietnamese Health Policies to Improve Fairness May
Miss
Ethnic Minorities, Study Finds
Since the
1950s, the government of Vietnam has established a vast network of primary
health facilities. In addition to improving the health of individuals, this
system aims to promote healthcare equity throughout the country. Services
include comprehensive prenatal care and delivery services, care throughout
early childhood, and services for basic health needs throughout a person’s
life. Evidence suggests that these services have lowered infant and child
mortality rates and improved life expectancy at all ages. However, recent
research by the Population Council suggests that the services may have
failed to foster fairness in healthcare for minority ethnic groups in
Vietnam.
Poverty, Gender, and Youth
Bad Experiences Underlie Pregnancy-Related Dropout
In most
African countries, when a girl gets pregnant or married, she also leaves
school. Many people assume that most young women who drop out of school
following a pregnancy or marriage would otherwise have remained in school.
But is school dropout caused by adolescent pregnancy and marriage, or are
early school exit, pregnancy, and marriage all the result of the same
underlying circumstances? Few studies have examined the relationships
between early marriage, adolescent pregnancy, and leaving school. Two recent
Population Council studies investigate the links between these phenomena in
diverse African settings.
Reproductive Health
Council Works to Reduce Unsafe Abortion in Mexico
In April
2007, Mexico City’s legislative assembly voted to liberalize abortion law to
permit the interruption of pregnancy in the first trimester. The city is a
federal district—similar to Washington, DC—and has a state-like autonomy.
The law is in place only in Mexico City; Mexico’s states still have
restrictive abortion laws. The Council’s research and collaboration with
local nongovernmental organizations, universities, professional
associations, and the Mexican government helped bring about this
groundbreaking legislation.
HIV and AIDS
Support Programs Aid Vulnerable African Children
In the past,
programs for orphans and vulnerable children have provided mainly school
fees, food, and healthcare. But increasingly program managers are
recognizing the importance of psychological and social (psychosocial)
services. The Population Council’s Horizons Program recently assessed
psychosocial support programs for orphans and vulnerable youth in Zimbabwe
and Rwanda. The research points both to effective approaches and program
challenges that demand special attention.
Focus On: Endocrine Disruptors
Phthalates Toxic to Testosterone-Producing Cells
A recent
scientific review, authored by Population Council biomedical researchers,
has detailed the ways that chemical plasticizers damage
testosterone-producing Leydig cells. These chemicals, known as phthalates,
are added to plastics to increase their flexibility. Phthalates are found in
products as diverse as children’s toys, medical tubing, and shampoo bottles.
These findings have implications for male fertility and health.
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