Mongolia and U.S. Policy: Political and Economic Relations

This report provides background information on Mongolia, including political and economic conditions, the status of U.S.-Mongolian political and economic relations, and key security and foreign policy issues

Mongolia: Political and Economic Status

This report provides background information on Mongolia, including political and economic conditions, the status of U.S.-Mongolian political and economic relations, and key security and foreign policy issues

Policy and Practice Pharmaceutical donations by the USA: an assessment of relevance and time-to-expiry

This paper assesses the relevance and time-to-expiry of pharmaceutical donations by the USA by means of a convenience sample of two private voluntary organizations. Data were collected on 16 566 donations shipped between 1994 and 1997 for the two organizations to a total of 129 countries. For three field study countries (Armenia, Haiti, and the United Republic of Tanzania), between 37% and 65% of donated unique drug products were on the recipient countries' essential drugs lists, and between 50% and 80% were either on these lists or were permissible therapeutic alternatives. Between 10% and 42% were not listed on either the national essential drugs lists or the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs, nor were they permissible therapeutic alternatives. For the worldwide data set, the median times to expiry when shipment by the organizations took place were 599 and 550 days; about 30% of shipment items had a year or less of shelf-life, and about 6% had less than 100 days of shelf-life. Although a majority of the donations fulfilled the criteria of relevance and time-to-expiry, a substantial proportion failed to do so. Actions are proposed with a view to improving the relevance and time-to-expiry of USA pharmaceutical donations. Voir page 679 le re sume en franc Ëais. En la pa gina 680 figura un resumen en espan Ä ol

‘Grandmother, aren’t you going to sing for us?’ Current childcare practices and caregivers’ perceptions of and receptivity to early childhood development activities in rural Burkina Faso

Introduction Effective stimulation and responsive caregiving during the first 2 years is crucial for children’s development. By age 3–4 years, over 40% of children in sub-Saharan Africa fail to meet basic cognitive or socioemotional milestones, but there are limited data on parenting and childcare practices. This study, conducted to inform the design of a mass media intervention, explored practices, perceptions, motivators and obstacles to childhood development-related practices among parents and caregivers of children aged 0–2 years in rural Burkina Faso. Methods We performed two rounds of six focus groups with 41 informants in two villages, using an adapted version of the Trials of Improved Practices methodology. These first explored beliefs and practices, then introduced participants to the principles and benefits of early childhood development (ECD) and provided illustrative examples of three practices (interactive ways of talking, playing and praising) to try with their children. One week later, further discussions explored participants’ experiences and reactions. Data were analysed inductively using thematic content analysis. Results Existing activities with young children were predominantly instructive with limited responsive interaction and stimulation. Participants were receptive to the practices introduced, noted positive changes in their children when they adopted these practices and found engagement with children personally rewarding. Conclusion Interactive, stimulating activities with young children did not appear to be widespread in the study area, but caregivers were receptive to information about the importance of early stimulation for children’s development. ECD messages should be tailored to the local sociocultural context and consider time limitations.</p

CHAMPP4KIDS: Mixed methods study protocol to evaluate acceptability and feasibility of Parenting for Lifelong Health materials in a Canadian context.

BackgroundParents and caregivers play a key role in children's healthy development and well-being. Traditional parenting interventions promote positive parenting practices and are key to preventing child maltreatment. However, numerous barriers can limit access to programs, barriers which were further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Parenting for Lifelong Health group developed mass media and public health communication materials to promote positive caregiving behaviours on a population level. The Champions of Positive Parenting 4 Kids (CHAMPP4KIDS) study will examine the acceptability and feasibility of these materials for service providers and caregivers of children aged 2-6 years in Ontario, Canada.MethodsThis study will use a convergent mixed-methods design. Consenting service providers (n = 200) and caregivers (n = 100) will complete a quantitative survey to rate, rank and give feedback on Parenting for Lifelong Health tip sheets and social media ads. Caregivers will also complete self-report scales measuring depression and anxiety. We will hold focus group discussions with a sub-sample of surveyed providers (n = 40) and caregivers (n = 25). An adapted Trials of Improved Practices methodology will explore caregiver perspectives after implementing the tip sheets. Primary quantitative outcomes will be descriptive statistics of rankings, Likert Scale scores and descriptive analysis of caregiver depression and anxiety. Qualitative data will be analyzed using Rapid Qualitative Inquiry and triangulated through a convergent coding matrix.DiscussionThe Parenting for Lifelong Health COVID-19 parenting materials offer succinct, engaging parenting information in a mass media format that addresses some challenges associated with accessing in-person programming. The CHAMPP4KIDS study will provide mixed methods insights on the materials' acceptability and feasibility from different groups in a Canadian context, with a focus on marginalized families. The use of Trials of Improved Practices methodology could prove a useful tool for participant-led adaptation of existing parenting, early childhood development and other health intervention materials