Health Sustainable Development Research Articles

Assessing the Gap: Resource Efficiency of Institutionalised Elderly Care in Urban and Rural China

ObjectivesThe allocation of resources in elderly care institutions is directly linked to the well-being, quality of life and sustainable development of public health for the elderly. However, a disparity in elderly care resources between urban and rural areas exists. Therefore, this study aimed to explore resource allocation efficiency in China's urban and rural institutional elderly care. Study DesignEmploying a mixed-methods approach, the research integrated quantitative analysis with spatial-temporal assessments to investigate spatial-temporal evolution patterns of resource allocation efficiency. MethodsA Projection Pursuit Evaluation Model (PPM) utilising an Accelerated Genetic Algorithm was applied to measure the input and output of urban and rural elderly care institutions. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to visualise the static and dynamic efficiency. Spatial analysis techniques determined the spatial evolution of resources. ResultsSignificant disparities in resource allocation between urban and rural areas were identified, with rural areas facing declining numbers of elderly care institutions despite having a larger ageing population. The efficiency analysis revealed room for improvement in both urban and rural settings, emphasising the need to strengthen management and technology in elderly care institutions. ConclusionsAddressing the challenges of elderly care in China requires policy reform, enhanced government support and stimulation of private investment, particularly in rural areas. A shift towards quality-focused elderly care and strategic investments is crucial for equitable and efficient service provision across China.

Innovative technologies to address neglected tropical diseases in African settings with persistent sociopolitical instability

The health, economic, and social burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa remains substantial, with elimination efforts hindered by persistent sociopolitical instability, including ongoing conflicts among political and ethnic groups that lead to internal displacement and migration. Here, we explore how innovative technologies can support Africa in addressing NTDs amidst such instability, through analysis of WHO and UNHCR data and a systematic literature review. Countries in Africa facing sociopolitical instability also bear a high burden of NTDs, with the continent ranking second globally in NTD burden (33%, 578 million people) and first in internal displacement (50%, 31.6 million people) in 2023. Studies have investigated technologies for their potential in NTD prevention, surveillance, diagnosis, treatment and management. Integrating the evidence, we discuss nine promising technologies—artificial intelligence, drones, mobile clinics, nanotechnology, telemedicine, augmented reality, advanced point-of-care diagnostics, mobile health Apps, and wearable sensors—that could enhance Africa’s response to NTDs in the face of persistent sociopolitical instability. As stability returns, these technologies will evolve to support more comprehensive and sustainable health development. The global health community should facilitate deployment of health technologies to those in greatest need to help achieve the NTD 2030 Roadmap and other global health targets.

Health literacy & somatic education: a salutogenic self-resource critical health intervention

Abstract Issue Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as musculoskeletal conditions, cause severe functional limitations. Therapeutic practices in this field have employed a theoretical-practical framework with a pathogenic and mechanistic bias. However, the causes of these NCD’s are also related to biopsychosocial factors. Therefore, a critical theoretical-practical approach, such as Somatic Education, becomes relevant as it introduces a subjective experience to an educational praxis, modifying the meaning processes in human movement experience in a complimentary approach to the pathogenic perspective. Description of the problem There is a perceptual poverty in movement experience, which dissociates doing from feeling. Somatic practices aim to foster movement awareness (perception) and autonomy (self-regulation), placing the individual as a valuable resource, strengthening the capacity for understanding, reflection and habitus change. This presentation will focus on the following research questions: Can Somatic Education, as a critical intervention of the body, contribute to increased levels of health literacy? Can somatic practices contribute to sustainable health development? Is it possible to create a new meaningful process in human movement experience through this practice incrementing its salutogenic emphasis? Results/Effects Somatic practices foster integrative approaches of health, promoting subjective bodily experience (interface between doing, thinking and feeling). Integrative progress can urge the embodiment of health literacy, encouraging more active and awareness of individuals related to their well-being, contributing to sustainable health development. Moreover, subjective bodily experience transforms the process of meaning in movement experience. Lessons Somatic practices enhance NCDs prevention and education, increasing health literacy rates through innovative conceptual foundations.

3rd TCMTs 2024 Book of Abstracts

Tripoli Conference on Medical Technology is an annual medical conference organized by the Research and Consulting Department at the College of Medical Technology, one of the departments of the Research and Consulting Center at the University. This conference seeks to advance society and achieve sustainable health development by developing scientific research in various medical sciences, by bringing together various medical and academic cadres and enhancing cooperation between them, and supporting opportunities for cooperation and research in the medical and academic field. Conference Objectives 1. Demonstrate the role of technology and innovation in developing medical education to achieve sustainable development goals. 2. Instill the spirit of teamwork by forming work teams to achieve specific goals. 3. Raise the spirit of scientific competition among students, which leads to raising the scientific level. 4. Exchange scientific experiences and experiments and support the spirit of competition.

Application of a high-performance grey prediction model to predict the cardiovascular disease mortality in elderly Chinese residents

With the acceleration of urbanization and aging process, an increasing number of Chinese senior citizens are suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Therefore, reducing the prevalence and mortality of CVD has become one of the priorities of the public health department. And the scientific prediction of CVD morality is of great significance in the prevention and treatment of CVD among the elderly. Given the characteristics of “small sample, complex causes and long duration” of CVD among the senior citizens, grey prediction models which aim at handling the data with “small sample, poor information” are more feasible in forecasting its developing trend. In this paper, a new discrete grey prediction model is designed to forecast the CVD morality among Chinese senior citizens, in which a non-linear function is introduced to expand the model structure and the order and background value coefficient are optimized. In all the three sets of experiments, the errors of the new model are close to but smaller than those of the other three mainstream grey prediction models, indicating that the simulation and prediction performance of the new model is more accurate and stable. The research provides a new modelling approach to predicting the CVD mortality among Chinese senior citizens, which is conducive to the prevention of CVD prevalence and the sustainable development of public health.

Hydroxyapatite synergistic polyamidoxime functionalized macroporous xerogels for fast removal of U (VI) in wastewater

Recovering uranium (VI) from wastewater is crucial for the sustainable development of nuclear energy industry and ecological environment health. Polyamidoxime (PAO) based 3D hydrophilic adsorbents are regarded as ideal materials for their high selectivity and adsorption capabilities. However, constructing efficient 3D hydrophilic adsorbents from inorganic and PAO composites remains a challenge. This study exploited high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) as template to fabricate hydroxyapatite (HAP)-PAO hydrophilic xerogels for U(VI) extraction. The oil-in-water HIPEs were constructed using sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) modified HAP particles as stabilizers and acrylamide (AAm) with dissolved PAO as continuous phase. After the polymerization of AAm, macroporous xerogels were prepared by removing the water and oil phases. Xerogels exhibited the removal efficiency of 99.9 % for U(VI) within 3 h with a maximum adsorption capacity of 223 mg∙g−1. The outstanding removal performance was ascribed to the specific structure of HAP and PAO which can effectively integrate with U(VI) ions in the presence of a hydrophilic network. This work provided a new approach to fabricate the complex adsorbents of inorganic particles with PAO for the rapid clean-up of U(VI) in wastewater.

Species authentication and conservation challenges in Chinese fish maw market using Mini-DNA barcoding

Fish maws, derived from the swim bladders of fish, are valued for their high collagen content and nutritional benefits, leading to significant market demand, especially in Asia. This study investigates the species authenticity of fish maw products using mini-DNA barcoding technology to address issues of mislabeling and substitution. Out of 350 samples, 347 were successfully sequenced, revealing a high mislabeling rate of 51.01% among identified species. Species such as Diodon liturosus and Diodon hystrix were found, posing significant health risks due to the presence of tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin. The study also highlights the conservation implications of this market, with endangered species like Totoaba macdonaldi being illicitly traded. These findings underscore the urgent need for accurate species identification, stringent labeling regulations, and enhanced fishery management to protect endangered species and ensure consumer safety. This research advocates for robust international cooperation and reporting to combat illegal fishing and trade, promoting the sustainable development of fish populations and marine ecosystem health.

Empowerment of Posyandu Lansia cadres in overcoming depression and violence among elderly women after the Covid-19 pandemic in Dukuh Panggungan

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health and safety of the elderly, particularly affecting elderly women. Research indicates a rise in anxiety and depression among older adults, with pre-existing elevated depressive symptoms exacerbating their resilience during this period. Increased isolation, financial strain, and restricted access to support services have led to a surge in elder abuse cases, disproportionately affecting women. Effective strategies, such as raising awareness and ensuring timely provision of resources, are crucial to safeguarding the mental well-being of the elderly. Indonesia's commitment to sustainable development and health equity, exemplified through initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals, must address the specific challenges faced by elderly women in communities like Panggungan Village. The demographic shift towards an aging population, coupled with the pandemic's effects, further magnifies vulnerabilities. Empowering community-based resources can provide holistic support to elderly women, contributing to sustainable health development and social equity. Methods: The approach targets 15 Posyandu Lansia cadres and 20 elderly women in Panggungan Village through an offline community service program adhering to health protocols. Tools used in this study were the Mental Health Improvement Module, Geriatric Depression Scale questionnaire, and knowledge/skills assessment for Posyandu Lansia cadres. A combined quantitative and qualitative analysis was applied. Results: Results showed that 55% prevalence of verbal violence, 45% neglect, and 35% exploitation violence among elderly women. Post-training, these figures improved to 25% for verbal violence, 10% for exploitation violence, and 15% for neglect violence. Depression tendencies witnessed a 25% shift. Cadres’ knowledge increased from 58.2 to 82.1, and skills improved from 63.5 to 79.2. Conclusion: Elevated violence and depression tendencies that were quite high, negatively impact elderly women's mental health in Panggungan Village. Cadre’s training significantly enhances residents' well-being and mental health, offering a meaningful solution.

HUBUNGAN PENGETAHUAN DAN SIKAP DENGAN PERILAKU PENCEGAHAN TUBERCULOSIS (TB) PADA ANAK

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health issue both in Indonesia and internationally, making it one of the targets of sustainable health development goals (SDGs). The proportion of childhood tuberculosis cases in Central Java in 2022 was 19.5%, an increase compared to the 2021 proportion of 11.2%. This indicates that the transmission of tuberculosis cases to children is on the rise. Knowledge and attitudes are essential in promoting healthy behaviors, including efforts to prevent TB.Purpose. To determine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes with tuberculosis (TB) prevention behaviors in children.Methods.. This study is a quantitative correlational research. The study design is a cross-sectional study. The respondents were mothers with toddlers at Posyandu Mugi Slamet in Ledug Village, Kembaran Subdistrict, Banyumas Regency. The sample was taken using accidental sampling techniques, totaling 23 respondents. Data were collected on June 7, 2024. The research instrument used a questionnaire. The analysis used includes univariate and bivariate.Result. The majority had primary education (65.2%) and were unemployed (87%). Most respondents had good knowledge (56.5%), positive attitudes (91.3%), and positive behaviors (95.7%). The correlation between knowledge and behavior was not statistically significant (p = 0.184). A correlation value of 0.184 indicates a very weak positive correlation. The correlation between attitude and behavior was not statistically significant (p = 0.66). A correlation value of 0.752 indicates a strong positive correlation.Conclusion. There is no significant relationship between mothers' knowledge and attitudes with TB prevention behaviors in children.

Temporal-spatial variability of grazing behaviors of yaks and the drivers of their intake on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Grassland-livestock balance is an important principle of sustainable development of grassland livestock production and grassland ecosystem health. Grassland degradation becomes more serious at global scales and especially at the area that is sensitive to climate change and human activities. Decreases in pasture biomass and shifts in plant community composition in degraded grasslands can largely affect grazing behaviors of livestock. Up to date, however, it is unclear that whether livestock behaviors change across spatial and temporal scales and what key factors are to shape observed behavioral patterns of livestock. Here, yak behaviors including grazing, rumination and walking on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) were monitored by a continuous visual observation, to investigate temporal and spatial variations of grazing behavior of yaks (Bos grunniens); based on the data from public database in the past 18 years, a meta-analysis was conducted to examine the main factors that affect grazing behaviors and intake of yaks. We showed that grazing behaviors of yaks differed significantly within hours, among hours of each day and among days as well as across different observation sites. Intake rate of yaks was higher in the morning than in the afternoon, but walking speed showed an inverse trend compared with intake rate. Resting, altitude, the mean annual precipitation (MAP), the mean annual temperature (MAT), forage ash, yak age and season were the main predictors for yak intake, and forage and yak individual characteristics had direct effects on grazing behaviors and intake of yaks. The findings confirm that grazing behaviors of yaks can vary even at small temporal scales and regional scales, which is closely related to the shift in forage quality and biomass caused by environmental changes. The study suggests that multiple factors can be responsible for the variation in livestock behaviors and shifts in behavioral patterns may consequently lead to positive or negative feedback to grassland ecosystems through plant-animal interactions.

Empowering Namibia's Fight against Malaria: Drawing Inspiration from China's Remarkable Malaria Elimination Journey

Malaria is a debilitating parasitic disease that has been prevalent in various parts of the world, including China and Namibia. China’s successful elimination of Malaria offers valuable lessons for Namibia in its ongoing efforts to control the parasitic disease. This paper explores the historical context of Malariamalaria in Namibia and its fight towards elimination of malaria, as well as China, the strategies employed by the Chinese government in the elimination of malaria, and the key lessons that Namibia can learn from China’s success. The discussion highlights the importance of political commitment, multisector collaboration, tailoring control strategies to local contexts, adopting a comprehensive approach, and emphasizing health education and community mobilization. By adopting these lessons and fostering a robust national strategy, engaging diverse stakeholders, and ensuring active community involvement, Namibia can work towards achieving eliminating Malaria, improving the public health system, and promoting sustainable health development.

Strategy to Accelerate Sustainable Development in the Health Field in Bengkulu Province

This research aims to determine a strategy to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality, infant mortality and stunting and to describe the acceleration of sustainable health development in Bengkulu Province. This research was designed as descriptive research with a correlational investigation and intervention study; namely, the research wanted to find significant variables related to the problem with minimum intervention. The sample in this study used a clustering technique (Cluster Random Sampling), using primary and secondary data. Primary data in this research uses a questionnaire. Meanwhile, the collected data will be tested using validity and reliability tests on research instruments. Meanwhile, to achieve the objectives of this research, data analysis will be carried out using the SWOT test. The research results found that strategies to accelerate the reduction of maternal mortality can be carried out by providing training or education to health cadres, adding skilled health workers, providing supporting facilities related to accelerated access to health services, providing education about the benefits of nutritious and balanced food to improve health. Meanwhile, the strategy to accelerate the reduction in child mortality is to assist in processing drinking water suitable for consumption, provide fast access to services with a community pick-up program, and create a health service program with early detection of diseases in pregnant women. Meanwhile, strategies to accelerate the reduction in stunting rates include providing assistance to treat stunting, providing education about nutritious and balanced food, and health service programs with early disease detection in expectant mothers. There are still many shortcomings; it is recommended that further researchers add research indicators to the variables studied and use the AHP and FGD analysis methods.

Anthropocene Air Quality Impact on the Kolkata People

Air quality is a significant concern globally, particularly in densely populated urban areas like Kolkata, pollution-wise the 2nd largest, fast-growing metropolis in India. The present study correlates to Kolkata city during the pre-Anthropocene (the 1950s) and the concurrent air quality related to human health. Investigating the impact of anthropogenic activities on air quality in Calcutta and Kolkata is relevant to understanding public health risks and environmental sustainability.
 The portrayal of the current air pollutants, causes, classification and measuring apparatuses recommended by the India Meteorological Department, collected from WBPCB, the levels of the parameters such as. Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10), CO, CO2, NO2, O3 and SO2 etc. and analysed statistically.
 Air pollution has outnumbered the fatalities of other polluting agents such as waterborne, waste, radiation, and anthropogenic players in the 21st century. The novel insights into the specific effects of anthropogenic activities on air quality in Kolkata are the vulnerabilities of transportation, industry, meteorological and slum activities that are valuable. The vulnerabilities that distract ambient air quality indices have reached critical levels of air pollutants, especially particulate matter, GHG gases and NO2.
 Different zones in the city are residential, commercial, shanty towns, and industrial areas. Results show levels of pollution are different in each area. Seasonal considered, the winter season is found to have the highest distraction from ambient air quality. Some suitable measures are conceptualised that will mitigate the menace of air pollution to pave the way for bringing sustainable urban health and environment development to Greater Kolkata.

Study on the allocation efficiency of medical and health resources in Hainan Province: Based on the super-efficiency SBM-Malmquist model.

The equity and efficiency of medical and health resource allocation is the key point of health reform in all countries. Poor allocation efficiency of health resources will seriously affect the sustainable and high-quality development of health causes. Hainan Province is the only free trade port with Chinese characteristics in China, which means that Hainan has ushered in a brand-new development under the policy of free trade port. This study aims to adopt policies to improve the efficiency of medical and health resource allocation in Hainan Province and provide references for other regions. In this study, the Super-efficiency SBM and Malmquist models were used to analyze the static and dynamic efficiency of medical and health resource allocation in Hainan Province during 2016-2020. The results showed that, statically, the average efficiency of comprehensive allocation of health resources in Hainan Province from 2016 to 2020 was 0.975, showing poor overall performance and significant regional differences. Dynamically, the average index of allocation efficiency of medical and health resources was 0.934, showing a negative growth trend. The technical efficiency and scale efficiency of health resource allocation efficiency showed positive growth, while the technical progress and pure technical efficiency showed negative growth. It shows that it is influenced by both scale efficiency and technological progress, among which technological progress is the key factor. Therefore, some policy suggestions are put forward to further optimize the allocation of medical and health resources and improve utilization efficiency.

A sustainable health and educational goal development (SHEGD) prediction using metaheuristic extreme learning algorithms

The United Nations established the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015 to address issues like gender equality, clean water, health, education, and hunger by 2030. Of the 17 SDGs, health and education have an outsized impact on countries’ socioeconomic development, so providing insights into progress on these two goals is crucial. Machine learning can help solve many real-world problems, including working towards the SDGs. This paper proposes using a metaheuristic ensemble of Cat Swarm Optimization algorithms with Feed Forward Extreme Learning Machines, called Sustainable Health And Educational Goal Development (SHEGD) Prediction, to effectively contribute to countries’ economic growth by achieving health and education SDGs through machine learning. The model is assessed using UN SDG datasets and performance metrics like accuracy, precision, recall, specificity, and F1-score. Comparisons to other machine learning models demonstrate this model's superiority in designing a recommendation system for progressing towards the health and education SDGs. The proposed model outperforms the other approaches, proving its value for an SDG recommendation system design.

Tripartite relationship of urban planning, city growth, and health for sustainable development in Akure, Nigeria

We live in an urban planet. As the world continues to urbanize, urban development that support the health and wellbeing of city dwellers is far more important than ever before to achieve sustainable development targets. This study explores the complex relationship among urban planning, city growth, and health as critical drivers of sustainable development in the rapidly growing nodal city of Akure, Nigeria. The study provides a four-decade spatio-temporal model of urban Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes in Akure between the years 1984 and 2023 from acquired Landsat satellite imageries. The result shows more than 20% net change increase in developed LULC classes between the study years. A strong positive correlation exists between the years covered in the analyses and urban development (r = 0.93, p = 0.002), and a strong negative relationship with the forest land use (r = −0.94, p = 0.002) with potential debilitating impacts on residents’ health, green infrastructures and the city’s sustainability in the future. Furthermore, results of key informant interviews (KIIs) of officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development (MPPUD) in Akure, Ondo State, unveil various views on the “place of health” in urban planning practices in Akure. A lack of synergy between urban planners and public health practitioners in the city and limiting scope of functions of urban planning on the impact of health in Akure were observed. Thus, we recommend the integration of a sustainable urban planning approach as a guide to manage the city.

Juridical Analysis of Standard Procedures for Implementing Referrals in Community Health Centers with Limited Health Personnel

The current condition of health workers utilized in Indonesian Community Health Centers still experiences inequality in number and distribution. Limited human resources for health are an obstacle in realizing sustainable health development. The aim of this research is to find out what the Standard Procedures for Referrals at Community Health Centers are regarding Human Resource Limitations, what the responsibilities of Community Health Centers are in implementing the Referral Service System, as well as the impact of excessive performance burdens on Health Workers at Community Health Centers. The research method used is a normative juridical approach accompanied by library data collection. The results of this research were then analyzed qualitatively. Based on the research results, it shows that in principle the referral procedure at the Community Health Center regarding limited human resources is the same as the referral principle in general. Every health worker is still required to be multiskilling in providing health services at the Community Health Center. There must still be health workers accompanying patients in carrying out referrals. Puskesmas also has the authority to place competent health workers as companions if the patient's condition is not good. Workload is a combination of quantitative workload and qualitative workload. The impact of excessive performance burden by Health Workers is stress, fatigue, human error, and vulnerability to disease transmission.

Sustainable Development of Social Health in the Risky Conditions of Digitalization of Society: Regional Aspect

Sustainable Development of Social Health in the Risky Conditions of Digitalization of Society: Regional Aspect

High-Density Communities and Infectious Disease Vulnerability: A Built Environment Perspective for Sustainable Health Development

High-density communities have proliferated globally during rapid urbanization. They are characterized by a high population density and limited per capita public spaces, making them susceptible to infectious disease risks. The impact of infectious diseases in these communities, as evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores their vulnerabilities. Yet, research on disease prevention in high-density areas remains limited. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the built environment and the transmission of infectious diseases in high-density urban communities, with a particular focus on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing Shenzhen city as a case study, this study collected data on the built environment and epidemic trends and involved a generalized linear regression analysis, aiming to understand the key built environment factors that affect epidemic spread in high-density areas. The results from the study revealed that high-density communities experience higher rates of infectious disease transmission compared to their medium- to low-density counterparts. The significant factors identified include land use mixture and walkability, with land use mixture showing the most substantial impact on infection rates. Through a combination of qualitative analysis and empirical research, we constructed a conceptual framework linking containment measures, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and the built environment. The findings emphasize the significance to focus on the health development of high-density communities and offer valuable insights for tailored urban planning and built environment design. These insights are crucial for promoting the healthy and sustainable transformation of existing high-density communities.

School and community driven dengue vector control and monitoring in Myanmar: Study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

Dengue is the most common and widespread mosquito-borne arboviral disease globally estimated to cause >390 million infections and >20,000 deaths annually. There are no effective preventive drugs and the newly introduced vaccines are not yet available. Control of dengue transmission still relies primarily on mosquito vector control. Although most vector control methods currently used by national dengue control programs may temporarily reduce mosquito populations, there is little evidence that they affect transmission. There is an urgent need for innovative, participatory, effective, and locally adapted approaches for sustainable vector control and monitoring in which students can be particularly relevant contributors and to demonstrate a clear link between vector reduction and dengue transmission reduction, using tools that are inexpensive and easy to use by local communities in a sustainable manner. Here we describe a cluster randomized controlled trial to be conducted in 46 school catchment areas in two townships in Yangon, Myanmar. The outcome measures are dengue cases confirmed by rapid diagnostic test in the townships, dengue incidence in schools, entomological indices, knowledge, attitudes and practice, behavior, and engagement. The trial involves middle school students that positions them to become actors in dengue knowledge transfer to their communities and take a leadership role in the delivery of vector control interventions and monitoring methods. Following this rationale, we believe that students can become change agents of decentralized vector surveillance and sustainable disease control in line with recent new paradigms in integrated and participatory vector surveillance and control. This provides an opportunity to operationalize transdisciplinary research towards sustainable health development. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and political instability in Myanmar the project has been terminated by the donor, but the protocol will be helpful for potential future implementation of the project in Myanmar and/or elsewhere.Registration: This trial was registered in the ISRCTN Registry on 31 May 2022 ( https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN78254298).