World Health Organization Action Plan Research Articles

Comparative Analysis on the Policy Approaches in the National Dementia Plans of G7 Countries and Korea and Their Implementation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a global action plan for dementia and aimed to have 75% of their member states formulating National Dementia Plans (NDPs) by 2025. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) proposed the ten key objectives of dementia policy in 2015. Among previous studies on NDPs, few studies have investigated measures for proper implementation of NDPs. This study aimed to compare the implementation basis and specific action plans of NDPs between the G7 countries and South Korea. We investigated the measures for proper implementation of the NDPs of G7 countries and South Korea. To compare the specific policy approaches, the seven action areas of the WHO action plan and the ten key objectives of dementia policy proposed by the OECD were integrated into 11 targets (prevention, diagnosis, awareness, caregiver support, appropriate environments, long-term care, health service, end-of-life care, care coordination, research and technology, information systems). Although most NDPs included specific action plans of the 11 targets, caregiver support, safe environments, healthcare services, and end-of-life care were lacking in some NDPs. For implementation, some countries reinforced the policy priority of their NDPs by timely updates, evaluation, legislations, or head-of-state leadership. However, only three countries had a legislative basis, and three countries included outcome measures in their latest NDP. Effective measures for feasible implementation are needed. The WHO should promote not only the establishment of NDPs, but also their proper implementation.

S10 Developing and Monitoring National Physical Activity Policy: A Global Challenge that Must be Addressed with a Global Response

Abstract Goals Describe the progress of developing and monitoring global physical activity policy from the 1990s through the release and implementation of Global Action Plan for Physical Activity-GAPPA; Present findings of a systematic review of instruments for physical activity policy analysis; Describe the methods and progress after 1-year implementation of the Global Observatory for Physical Activity-GoPA! physical activity policy inventory; Present the preliminary findings and lessons learned after 1-year implementation of the Global Observatory for Physical Activity-GoPA! physical activity policy inventory. Issue/problem Physical inactivity is one of the most important factors contributing to global morbidity and mortality, but despite both importance and the recent launch of a WHO action plan, public health policy around physical activity remains poorly developed and monitored. Description of the problem Physical inactivity accounts for as many as 5 million deaths per year globally but has yet to be addressed effectively by most governments or the World Health Organization(WHO). Many efforts led by WHO, national governments, networks, and academics from the 1990s to the present have tried to turn physical activity into a public health priority. Since its launch in 2015, the Global Observatory for Physical Activity-GoPA! has monitored the progress of national physical activity surveillance, policy and research. The GoPA! Policy Inventory created in 2017, contributes to physical activity policy monitoring and aims to collect data worldwide. Results In this symposium we will address several key questions about physical activity policy by examining different initiatives such as GAPPA and the experience of monitoring policy globally with the GoPA! policy inventory. We will examine whether it is feasible to track physical activity policy at the global and country levels, if the existence of ?good? physical activity policy is associated with less physical inactivity and how policy indicators may be used for advocacy and guidance in the coming years. Lessons Findings show that PA policy monitoring has and still varies substantially by geographic area and country income group. Effectiveness and implementation of PA policies remains challenging worldwide. PA policy indicators can enhance understanding of the links between policy and population levels of PA. Main messages GoPA! is committed to continue improving PA policy monitoring for informing and encouraging policy to address physical inactivity worldwide. Agenda and Presenters Introduction: Michael Pratt (10-minutes) Talk 1: Developing and monitoring physical activity policy: 1990 to today – Michael Pratt (15-minutes) Talk 2: Instruments for the analysis of national-level physical activity and sedentary behaviour policies: a systematic review – Željko Pedišić (15-minutes) Talk 3: The GoPA! Policy Inventory: Progress and methods - Andrea Ramirez (15-minutes) Talk 4: The GoPA! Policy Inventory: preliminary findings and lessons learned – Željko Pedišić (15-minutes) Q&A from the audience Conclusion by discussant Adrian Bauman (20-minutes)

Stewardship of noncommunicable diseases in Iran: a qualitative study

PurposeNoncommunicable diseases (NCDs) count for over 80% of premature death worldwide. More than 76% of the total burden of diseases in Iran is devoted to NCDs. In line with the World Health Organization action plan, Iran has developed its national action plan that led to establishment of the National Committee for Prevention and Control of NCDs (INCDC), whose aim is 30% mortality reduction attributed to NCDs by 2030. The stewardship of health system is the cornerstone of performing and sustaining meaningful actions toward prevention and control of NCDs. The literature is tiny on how to materialize the stewardship and governance of health system. The purpose of this article is to report the findings of a national study that aimed to identity functions and subfunctions of stewardship of NCDs and its related risk factors in Iran.Design/methodology/approachThis is a qualitative study. The authors conducted interviews with 18 purposefully selected interviewees until the authors reached saturation. Thematic content analysis was used for analysis and MAXQDA 10 was employed for data management. The difficulty of coordinating with interviewers and health policymakers in the field slowed the process of research progress.FindingsThe authors identified seven themes and categorized them as main functions for appropriate stewardship of NCDs in Iran, including intelligence generation; strategic framework; evidence-based policies/decisions; system design; resource allocation/development; capacity-building and enforcement/alignment; and categorized them as important.Practical implicationsThe seven themes presented as stewardship functions include concepts and practical examples of the experiences and performance of leading countries in the field of NCDs control that can help policymakers and health managers for better descion-making.Originality/valueIran adopted its national action plan in 2015 and WHO selected Iran as a fast-track country in 2017. The study confirmed that to achieve the global targets, appropriate and contextual stewardship for any specific setting is fundamental. Iran needs to improve its stewardship for prevention and control of NCDs and implement its national action plan. Therefore, the functions and policies outlined in this article for the proper performance of NCDs can improve more meaningful practices in this area in Iran and many other countries.

Moving Towards Optimized Noncommunicable Disease Management in the ASEAN Region: Recommendations from a Review and Multidisciplinary Expert Panel.

IntroductionNoncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. Progress has been slow despite the World Health Organization action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs in the region. This paper presents recommendations focused on practical strategies for optimizing NCD management in the ASEAN region.MethodsA multidisciplinary group of experts from six ASEAN member states convened for two face-to-face meetings to discuss barriers and possible recommendations for optimizing NCD management, focused on cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders, in the region. Multiple approaches, ie, analysis of insights from the meetings and a review of existing literature on NCD programs in the ASEAN region were followed. The proposed recommendations were also based on selected successful interventions in ASEAN member states, thus providing actionable strategies.ResultsThe gaps identified in NCD management for cardiovascular diseases and mental disorders in the ASEAN region were classified into gaps relating to policies and to clinical and public health practice. The proposed solutions addressing policy gaps include fostering multisectoral public–private partnerships, employing “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approaches and promoting “health-in-all policies approach” to manage issues with financing, accessibility, efficiency and quality of health services. Whereas proposed solutions to bridge clinical and public health practice gaps entail strengthening primary care services, building the capacity of trained healthcare workers and employing collaborative care for holistic management of patients.ConclusionThe scale of premature and preventable deaths from NCDs in the ASEAN region remains a serious public health concern and requires a “whole-of-system approach”. The interventions proposed in this paper build on regional collaborations and knowledge sharing to help develop a concerted and targeted response to NCDs.

EVIPNet Europe – bridging the research-to-policy gap

Abstract Issue/problem Despite substantial investments into increasing the availability and accessibility of information in the WHO European Region, scientific evidence often plays a limited role in policy and practice resulting in lost opportunities to improving health systems and outcomes. Description of the problem The WHO Action plan and resolution to strengthen the use of evidence, information and research for policy-making, adopted in 2016, urges Member States to increase country capacity to foster the utilization of research in both policy and practice. To support and guide Member States in this effort, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe launched the Evidence-informed Policy Network (EVIPNet) Europe, a capacity-building initiative that operates in line with, and in support of, Health 2020 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. EVIPNet Europe aims to assist its member countries and catalyse sustainable change by strengthening both the evidence supply and demand sides, and building knowledge translation (KT) capacity at individual, organizational and system levels. Results EVIPNet Europe has been successful in enhancing the capacity of policy-makers and researchers to access, appraise, package and use evidence; strengthening organizational capacity and infrastructure; and creating institutional bridges between policy and research communities. The network’s activities have, furthermore, led to an increased conceptual and instrumental use of evidence in policy, introducing important changes in policy strategy development and legislations. Lessons To overcome the knowledge-to-policy gap, comprehensive capacity building strategies, operating at individual, organizational and systemic levels are required to create and sustain a culture more favourable to evidence-informed policy.

How Neoliberalism Is Shaping the Supply of Unhealthy Commodities and What This Means for NCD Prevention.

Alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy foods contribute greatly to the global burden of non-communicable disease (NCD). Member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) have recognized the critical need to address these three key risk factors through global action plans and policy recommendations. The 2013-2020 WHO action plan identifies the need to engage economic, agricultural and other relevant sectors to establish comprehensive and coherent policy. To date one of the biggest barriers to action is not so much identifying affective policies, but rather how a comprehensive policy approach to NCD prevention can be established across sectors. Much of the research on policy incoherence across sectors has focused on exposing the strategies used by commercial interests to shape public policy in their favor. Although the influence of commercial interests on government decisions remains an important issue for policy coherence, we argue, that the dominant neoliberal policy paradigm continues to enable the ability of these interests to influence public policy. In this paper, we examine how this dominant paradigm and the way it has been enshrined in institutional mechanisms has given rise to existing systems of governance of product environments, and how these systems create structural barriers to the introduction of meaningful policy action to prevent NCDs by fostering healthy product environments. Work to establish policy coherence across sectors, particularly to ensure a healthy product environment, will require systematic engagement with the assumptions that continue to structure institutions that perpetuate unhealthy product environments.

Health policy brief: Global mental health and the United Nations' sustainable development goals.

Increased awareness of the importance of mental health for global health has led to a number of new initiatives, including influential policy instruments issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN). This policy brief describes two WHO instruments, the Mental Health Action Plan for 2013-2020 (World Health Organization, 2013) and the Mental Health Atlas (World Health Organization, 2015), and presents a comparative analysis with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (United Nations, 2015). The WHO's Action Plan calls for several specific objectives and targets, with a focus on improving global mental health governance and service coverage. In contrast, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals include only one goal specific to mental health, with a single indicator tracking suicide mortality rates. The discrepancy between the WHO and UN frameworks suggests a need for increased policy coherence. Improved global health governance can provide the basis for ensuring and accelerating progress in global mental health. (PsycINFO Database Record

Holistic Healthcare for the Aged: Concepts and Strategies

Advancing medical technology continues to extend the average human life span, resulting in population aging globally as well as in Taiwan. The challenges posed by aging society increase not only medical and care costs but also the burden on pension funds and the social welfare system. In addition, there is currently a desperate need for many well-trained health providers as well as a friendly and comprehensive long-term care system. However, attention should not simply focus on medical payments and long-term care, as this may prolong the length of unhealthy living years for the aged and further strain national finances. Holistic healthcare for the aged should be introduced as early as possible in order to respond effectively to global aging by assisting the aged to maintain their health, to live independently, and to extend their social functions. The purposes of this report are to: 1. analyze the demographic characteristics of Taiwanese older adults; 2. introduce the concept of holistic healthcare as advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO); 3. discuss the promotion of physical-psychological health and the development of age-friendly environments; 4. strengthen the framework of long-term care policies; and 5. recommend the development of a holistic healthcare model for the aged based on the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Aging and Health, announced in 2016. We hope to facilitate active aging, successful aging, self-esteem, and a high quality of life for the elderly in Taiwan.

Partnerships in noncommunicable disease prevention and control

The World Health Organization (WHO) Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Global Action Plan 2013–2020 and the WHO Action Plan for NCD in South-East Asia, 2013–2020, have identified advocacy, partnerships, and leaderships as a key strategic action area. The paper describes the proceedings of the plenary session titled “Partnerships in NCD Prevention and Control” which was held at the World NCD Congress at Chandigarh, India, in November 2017. Besides, a review of various data sources and literature was also carried to search for case studies related to successful partnership models in NCD prevention and control. This review describes the role of multiple partners such as the civil society, research organizations, private sector which includes the private health-care sector, pharmaceutical and the food industry, and other national and international experiences in multistakeholder partnerships to combat NCDs. Civil societies play a range of roles from generating evidence to advocating policies, providing technical support, partnering in implementation to monitoring commitments' direct provision of services, and ensuring accountability. Research organizations provide the much-needed evidence for informed policy-making. The key challenges in building a partnership are lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities of each partner in the alliance, resource constraints, imbalance of benefits and power between the partners, organizational difficulties, and differences in philosophies. A clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, interests and incentives of each of the partners, regular communication, and give-and-take philosophy are required to create effective partnerships. A mechanism of feedback channel is essential to monitor the progress and relevance. Communities should remain the central stakeholder in any partnership.

Success of 2013-2020 World Health Organization action plan to control non-communicable diseases would require pollutants control.

To control diabetes epidemic and NCDs, WHO has been promoting its action plans since 2000, but diabetes epidemic is continuing. New action plan for 2013-2020 aim to reduce shared risk factors of NCDs, such as tobacco use, unhealthy (i.e., high fat) diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol and is strengthening the risk reduction measures, such as taxing on tobacco, alcohol and sugary beverages, banning advertisements of unhealthy foods. However it might fail because it did not consider the contribution of environmental pollution on the pathogenesis of diabetes and NCDs.

P3.289 MIC Creep to Ceftriaxone and Low Levels of Resistance to Azithromycin in 7 Countries from South America and the Caribbean

BackgroundThe World Health Organization (WHO) issued an international action plan in 2012 to mitigate the health impact of antimicrobial resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates. A key strategy is to strengthen international...

Outcome and Monitoring of Cataract Surgical Services at Takeo Province, Cambodia.

To evaluate outcome and monitoring of cataract surgical services at Takeo Eye Hospital, Cambodia A prospective, hospital-based report using a cataract surgical record form from the International Center for Eye Health, London. Data including preoperative and postoperative visual acuity (VA), proportion of ocular pathology, intraoperative and postoperative complications, type of surgery, and causes of poor outcome of all patients with cataract were collected. Exclusion criteria were age of patients being younger than 20 years, combined cataract-glaucoma surgeries, and having traumatic cataract. A total of 8211 cataract surgeries were performed from January 2007 to December 2011. Preoperatively, the presenting VA was less than 6/60 in 65.8%. At discharge, 51.8% had a presenting VA of 6/18 or better.Outcome was poor (VA < 6/60) in 10.6%. Over 5 years, the percentage of patients with poor outcome decreased from 12.6% to 8.5%. Total operative complications decreased from 18.2% in 2007 to 3.3% in 2011, with a reduction of vitreous loss from 6.5% to 1.8%. Of all surgeries, 21.2% were performed by resident physicians. At the first follow-up 1 to 3 weeks postoperatively, 62.6% of the patients presented, whereas 23.9% presented for a second follow-up after 4 to 6 weeks. Monitoring of cataract surgical services indicated an increase in quantity and quality. Hospital-based data collection as recommended by the World Health Organization action plan for the prevention of avoidable blindness is possible, but biased data collection has to be considered in the interpretation of the data.

Chronic Diseases: The Emerging Pandemic

Chronic Diseases: The Emerging Pandemic

The Elimination of Congenital Syphilis: A Comparison of the Proposed World Health Organization Action Plan for the Elimination of Congenital Syphilis With Existing National Maternal and Congenital Syphilis Policies

Building upon a critical assessment of national policies, programs, and treatment options, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently developed an action plan for the elimination of congenital syphilis (CS). The objective of the review was to identify areas of commonality or divergence between the national strategies and the WHO plan, thereby helping to target the development of national-level policies in light of the forthcoming recommendations of the proposed WHO action plan to eliminate CS. The 4 strategic pillars of the proposed WHO action plan were used as a comparative framework to examine the policy, programmatic, and monitoring components of a sample of 14 existing national-level congenital or maternal control policies. The countries were chosen to represent a range of resource and prevalence levels. The majority of countries do not meet every element proposed in the WHO action plan. Political commitment (pillar 1) across the 14 countries is varied. CS elimination goals were rare but all had universal screening. Linkages to appropriate case management services were identified in 11 countries, although a national governing body was not generally evident. Efforts to increase and improve access to care (pillar 2) were noted in 8 countries with recommendations to ensure all pregnant women were screened and treated. Low-resource settings have formed international partnerships. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pregnant women and partners (pillar 3) found in high-resource settings were lacking in low-resource and high CS prevalence countries. Surveillance programs were active in 10 countries while comprehensive details on monitoring and evaluation (pillar 4) components including proxy CS indicators were unavailable for nearly all. The elimination of CS can be achieved through the implementation of a series of proven measures but requires technical support, funding, and a commitment among political forces, health officials, and the public to prevent and treat all CS cases and help countries reach their Millennium Development Goals. Stronger partnerships with clearly defined responsibilities should be developed among agencies responsible for national STI control, HIV/AIDS control, and Making Pregnancy Safer initiatives to ensure the universal coverage of CS control interventions.

Glucose intolerance as contributor to noncommunicable disease morbidity and mortality. WHO integrated program for community health in noncommunicable diseases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has considerable evidence that several interrelated factors (e.g., smoking, hypertension, cholesterol, and obesity) contribute to total mortality. Data are presented documenting that glucose intolerance is also a risk factor for total mortality, as well as for cancer and cardiovascular morality. The Kaunas-Rotterdam Intervention Study, which documented glucose tolerance and mortality in a cohort of men, shows a linear increase in total mortality with increasing blood glucose levels. By use of multiple logistic regressions, glucose was shown to be a significant risk factor (c = .2534, t = 4.0) for total mortality. A paradigm is presented in which diabetes is placed as a disease and glucose intolerance as a risk factor within the total scheme for the development of noncommunicable diseases. The WHO action plan for integrated programs in noncommunicable diseases is discussed. The program expands on the experience gained by WHO investigators in community programs and proposes a cooperative effort globally in community-based programming.