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September 01, 2020

Women's empowerment and early child development: Study found a positive effect on literacy-numeracy development cross-nationally in Africa

The first five years of the child’s life are critical for their cognitive, social, and physical development. Still, every year more than 200 million children under-five years fail to achieve their full developmental potential in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The family environment is a key determinant of child survival and optimal development. Poverty, discrimination, conflict and other forms of individual, family and community stress create barriers for families to provide nur

August 18, 2020

Socio-demographic and economic inequalities in modern contraception in 11 low- and middle-income countries: an analysis of the PMA2020 surveys

Contraception is a key aspect of sustainable development, helping people to achieve reproductive wishes and contributing to reduce abortions and the risk of maternal and child mortality. Considering these benefits, the United Nations aim to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. The number of women in need of contraception that are using contraceptives is increasing worldwide, but these numbers may vary depending on

August 17, 2020

Ultra-processed foods and the nutrition transition: Global, regional and national trends, food systems transformations and political economy drivers

Understanding the drivers and dynamics of global ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption is essential, given the evidence linking these foods with adverse health outcomes. In this synthesis review, we take two steps. First, we quantify per capita volumes and trends in UPF sales, and ingredients (sweeteners, fats, sodium and cosmetic additives) supplied by these foods, in countries classified by income and region. Second, we review the literature on food systems and political economy factors that

July 24, 2020

The double burden of malnutrition in under-five children at national and individual levels: observed and expected prevalence in ninety-three low- and middle-income countries

Objective:To assess whether the observed prevalence of the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) would be higher than expected on the basis of chance, through analyses at national, wealth quintile and individual child levels.Design:We selected nationally representative surveys from low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) carried out since 2005 with anthropometric measures on children under 5 years of age. Household wealth was assessed through asset indices. The expected prevalence of DBM was estim

July 24, 2020

Association between ethnicity and under-5 mortality: analysis of data from demographic surveys from 36 low-income and middle-income countries

BACKGROUND: The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for stratification of social indicators by ethnic groups; however, no recent multicountry analyses on ethnicity and child survival have been done in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: We used data from Demographic and Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys collected between 2010 and 2016, from LMICs that provided birth histories and information on ethnicity or a proxy variable. We calculated neonata

April 13, 2020

Ethnic inequalities in child stunting and feeding practices: results from surveys in 13 countries from Latin America

This study is the most comprehensive report to date on ethnic differences in linear growth failure and feeding practices in 13 Latin American countries, based on standardized survey methods and analytical approaches. We observe that indigenous people are more stunted than the reference group, a pattern that persists even after adjustment for wealth and place of residence. We also show that indigenous children are poorer and more likely to live in rural areas. In our evaluation of feeding prac

April 01, 2020

Professor Aluisio Barros participates in the first meeting of the Lancet Commission for Global Oral Health

The medical journal The Lancet plays an essential role in the health field, both for its capacity for innovation as well as its ability to go beyond publishing high-quality scientific articles. The journal has been taking the initiative of bringing together experts from priority areas in global health, creating commissions with the aim of synthesizing the current state of the field and establishing priorities and future directions for research and health policy. By this logic, the Lancet Comm

November 29, 2019

Measurement of Health Inequalities

The International Center for Equity in Health (ICEH) gave a workshop on the measurement of health inequalities from November 20th to 22nd, 2019 in Brasília. Present at the event were the researchers Andrea Wendt, Cauane Blumenberg, Fernando C. Wehrmeister, and Janaína Calu Costa. Members of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Ministry of Health were trained in order to apply an equity lens to the monitoring of health indicators, with a focus on Non-Communicable Dise