Global health risks: progress and challenges

Abstract

WHO's upcoming report Global health risks will identify the global and regional mortality and disease burden associated with 24 health risks. These risk factors range from environmental risks such as exposure to smoke from indoor solid fuel use, to metabolic risks such as high blood pressure. The report finds that five leading risk factors (childhood underweight, unsafe sex, alcohol use, unsafe water and sanitation, and high blood pressure) are responsible for one-quarter of all deaths in the world and one-fifth of all disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Success in reducing exposure to these five risk factors alone would increase global life expectancy by nearly 5 years. This report describes the changing risk profiles of developing countries. Global health risks are in transition as declining fertility rates and fewer deaths from infectious diseases at young ages are reflected in population age patterns with a predominance of older people. At the same time, patterns of physical activity, diet, alcohol and tobacco consumption are changing. Low-and middle-income countries now face increasing burdens of chronic, noncommunicable conditions in addition to infectious diseases. Understanding the effects of health risks is vital to designing and targeting prevention efforts. However, the analysis of risk factors is challenging due to the inherent complexity of finding and interpreting evidence on risks and their causal associations with disease and disability. Risk assessment is limited both by epidemiologic knowledge and by availability of global information on risk factor exposure. To carry out a quantitative risk assessment, evidence must exist first, to show that the exposure to each risk causes disease, second, to quantify the magnitude of harm caused by each exposure, and lastly, to

Automated Sampling Procedures Supported by High Persistence of Bacterial Fecal Indicators and Bacteroidetes Genetic Microbial Source Tracking Markers in Municipal Wastewater during Short-Term Storage at 5°C

“…Such autosampling procedures will contribute significantly to a better understanding and monitoring of municipal WWTPs as sources of fecal contamination of water resources (1,45).…”

“…icrobial fecal contamination of aquatic systems by municipal wastewater represents a significant threat to public health (1). Thus, appropriate wastewater disposal technologies and fecal pollution monitoring programs are critical for safeguarding our water resources.…”

Vulnerabilidad social en mujeres embarazadas de una comuna de la Región Metropolitana

“…En este estudio, la precariedad laboral de las mujeres que trabajaban demostró una fuerte presencia de trabajo informal, bajos ingresos y baja cobertura de seguridad social, situación que implica la ausencia de benefi cios para el real ejercicio de una maternidad segura e infancia protegida. Se ha señalado que la salud reproductiva, neonatal, mental y familiar se deteriora cuando las mujeres tienen empleos precarios, con embarazos sin seguridad social, habitabilidad informal e insegura de la vivienda, baja escolaridad, riesgo psicosocial, ausencia de la pareja en el hogar y alta tasa de dependencia 16,24 . La tasa de dependencia encontrada, confi rma que una familia es más vulnerable cuando en el hogar hay embarazadas, lactantes o niños pequeños y estudiantes 23 .…”

“…Además, la mujer JH que trabaja abarca una doble jornada laboral, combina el trabajo asalariado y el trabajo no remunerado en casa, lo que la expone a padecer altos niveles de estrés por la sobrecarga de género 23,[25][26][27] . Se ha señalado que un sustrato sociocultural adverso predice resultados negativos en las trayectorias de vida en la adultez desde la vida intrauterina, neonatal y de la infancia [14][15][16]24 . Barker, citado por Talge, señaló que la enfermedad coronaria, diabetes tipo 2, accidentes vasculares, hipertensión y mayores tasas de mortalidad en la adultez están asociadas con antecedentes de desnutrición fetal y bajo peso al nacer 17 .…”

Occurrence of Bronchial Anthracofibrosis in Respiratory Symptomatics with Exposure to Biomass Fuel Smoke

“…Indoor combustion of biomass solid fuels has been identified by the World Health Organization as the fourth leading risk factor for disease burden worldwide [6]. Incomplete combustion of these fuels is the source of smoke containing approximately 200 compounds of gaseous pollutants along with solid particulate matter.…”