Concepts and measures of reproductive morbidity

This paper presents a conceptual and methodological framework developed by an interdisciplinary group of researchers to diagnose reproductive morbidity at the community level. The paper also presents a determinants structure that delineates the health and social factors hypothesized to influence reproductive morbidity. The high prevalence of reproductivemorbidity conditions revealed by implementation of the study framework in two villages of Giza in Egypt is reported. Based on this research experience and the process of presenting its results to the larger professional community, the paper discusses policy implications of the study in terms of reproductive-health services, education and training programs and research efforts for measurement of reproductive ill-health at a community setting

Integrating a reproductive health framework within primary care services: The experience of the Reproductive Health Intervention Study [Arabic]

This paper is part of the Policy Series in Reproductive Health, which shares research undertaken by the Reproductive Health Working Group (RHWG). It describes the Reproductive Health Intervention Study, which designed and tested a model of essential reproductive health (RH) services. RHWG was established in 1988 as part of a special program on the health of women and children within the context of the family and community initiated by the Population Council’s Regional Office for the West Asia and North Africa region. The paper identifies a framework of basic service components that address RH and shows that their delivery is possible at the primary level. It gives an overview of this experience, which illustrates how the RH approach can be translated into actual service delivery at the primary care level in a developing country setting. The paper outlines the framework that was developed and tested in three rural primary care clinics in Giza, Egypt; presents the main achievements as well as challenges; and discusses the most salient policy implications

Support for UNRWA's survival

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides life-saving humanitarian aid for 5·4 million Palestine refugees now entering their eighth decade of statelessness and conflict. About a third of Palestine refugees still live in 58 recognised camps. UNRWA operates 702 schools and 144 health centres, some of which are affected by the ongoing humanitarian disasters in Syria and the Gaza Strip. It has dramatically reduced the prevalence of infectious diseases, mortality, and illiteracy. Its social services include rebuilding infrastructure and homes that have been destroyed by conflict and providing cash assistance and micro-finance loans for Palestinians whose rights are curtailed and who are denied the right of return to their homeland

On the Prediction of Family Planning Practice in Pakistan: A Methodological Note

The high rate of population growth in the developing countries at the present time—due to a fall in the level of mortality while fertility maintains its high level—is threatening to absorb the benefits achieved by those countries through the process of development, and is adversely influencing the health and welfare of individual families. The approach adopted by most governments of developing countries to solve the population problem has been increasingly the incorporation of popu¬lation objectives within their development plans, and the establishment of family planning programmes, or the support of family planning activities [1]. Such programmes and activities have concentrated mainly on providing family planning services to couples on a voluntary basis to prevent unwanted births [2]. As such, they have come under severe criticism on two accounts, (a) the objective they set for themselves of preventing unwanted births is not sufficient to reduce the birth rate to the desired level. Emphasis should be put on motivating couples to reduce their desired family size. And (b) the provision of services within family planning programmes has not been adequate, and needs improvement [3,4]

Progress of The Lancet Palestinian Health Alliance

No abstract available

A population-based survey of loss and psychological distress during war

Research on the psychological effects of war has been conducted on a limited number of population groups and has generally failed to study the experience of particular losses while warfare was still in progress. This paper presents the results of a household surveillance study of 5788 displaced and non-displaced civilians conducted during the summer 1982 war in Lebanon. In order to determine demographic differences in the psychological response to war and help identify population groups possibly at-risk for mental disorder, an interview checklist of symptoms of psychological distress was developed and administered to a key informant in each household. The occurrence of psychological distress symptoms varied significantly by age, sex, nationality, socio-economic status, loss of physical health and economic loss. A more detailed analysis of the psychological effect of displacement or loss of one's home during war is presented. Displacement group differentials suggest that psychological distress may be more frequently perceived post-war and that both social integration and social isolation may play important roles in mediating the perception of psychological distress during war.loss psychological distress war