The psychosocial problems of sickle cell disease sufferers and their methods of coping

We interviewed 170 sickle cell disease (SCD) patients (mean age 25 years) with a modified version of the Frankfurter Befindlichkeitskala (FBS, 33-item) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), with a view to highlighting the psychosocial issues which worry them, the way they cope with these problems, and the factors associated with these issues. The mean FBS score of SCD patients was comparable with those of insulin dependent diabetics, but significantly higher than that of non-insulin dependent diabetics. The FBS scores were significantly correlated with GHQ-12 scores. Feelings of inadequacy of social contact were significantly associated with high FBS and GHQ scores. Some common complaints were: the limitations illness placed on social life; depressive feelings; abnormal habitus; suicidal ideation during crises; and the burden of illness on the family. They frequently resorted to prayers as a method of coping, as most had no clear ideas on how to deal with these issues. Worries over psychosocial consequences of SCD, seem to add considerably to the burden of illness, and clinicians will offer better care to patients if they routinely enquire into some of these issues and offer health education and counselling in a group setting.sickle cell disease psychosocial coping Nigeria

Towards a Framework Convention on Global Health

A global health treaty, a Framework Convention on Global Health (FCGH)–grounded in the right to health, with the central goal of reducing immense domestic and global health inequities–could serve as a robust global governance instrument to underpin the United Nations post-2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It would ensure for all people the three essential conditions for a healthy life–public health, health care, and the positive social determinants of health–while advancing good governance, responding to drivers of health disadvantages for marginalized populations, elevating health in other legal regimes, and enhancing people\u27s ability to claim their rights. The legally binding nature of the FCGH would enhance accountability and compliance through rigorous monitoring and reporting, domestic human rights litigation, and international incentives. It would overcome the collection action problem of global health financing through a health financing framework with clear domestic and international obligations. Stakeholders have made thoughtful critiques of the FCGH, such as the opportunities costs of advocacy, the time and expense of treaty negotiations, and reporting burdens. Nevertheless, these costs could be turned into opportunities through civil society participation in negotiations, by taking advantage of extensive reporting and monitoring requirements to expand accountability around and strengthen strategies to respond to health inequities, and through non-binding frameworks on the way towards the treaty. The greatest challenge in achieving an FCGH is the political obstacles it will face. Social justice movements united behind an FCGH, to secure the treaty and to ensure its implementation, are vital to the success of an FCGH–and the right to health. With its aim of securing this right, the FCGH could unite disparate health-related movements, all of which should contribute to developing the treaty and taking ownership of its realization

Human Resources for Health Research (HR-HR) : an African Perspective - Conference; final report and record of expert consultations, Nairobi, July 2006

A cross-disciplinary group of experts looked at how improved research skills and practices in health research can increase the effectiveness of research for health. The initiative goes beyond the need for high-level researcher capabilities, to better understand all human resources required to make health research work in Africa. The emphasis is on translating research into action, and specifically how networks can help achieve this. Expert consultations were held in four HR-HR themes: the Health Research environment; how networks can improve health research; communities and their role in shaping health research agendas; communication and Knowledge Translation approaches to improve effectiveness of health research