Global health in the UK government and university sector

In this article, the authors review recent global health activities in the United Kingdom by key organisations in several defined areas:- UK government (international aid and global health strategy); UK research funding agencies (overseas research units); non-governmental organisations; UK universities and hospitals and academic/clinical international partnerships;professional societies; UK undergraduate and postgraduate training opportunities in global health; and opportunities for international medical graduates.     

The burden of overweight and obesity in the Asia–Pacific region

The rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg m⁻²) is, in part, a negative consequence of the increasing economic developments of many lower‐ and middle‐income countries in the Asia–Pacific region. To date, there has been no systematic quantification of the scale of the problem in countries of this region. From the most recent nationally representative estimates for the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 14 countries of the region, it is apparent that overweight and obesity is endemic in much of the region, prevalence ranging from less than 5% in India to 60% in Australia. Moreover, although the prevalence in China is a third of that in Australia, the increase in prevalence in China over the last 20 years was 400% compared with 20% in Australia. In addition, across various countries in the region, the population attributable fractions because of overweight and obesity ranged from 0.8% to 9.2% for coronary heart disease mortality, 0.2% to 2.9% for haemorrhagic stroke mortality, and 0.9% to 10.2% for ischaemic stroke mortality. These results indicate that consequences of overweight and obesity for health and the economy of many of these countries are likely to increase in coming years.     

1990年和2016年北京市心脑血管疾病负担及其变化

目的调查1990年和2016年北京市心脑血管疾病负担及其变化情况。方法利用2016年全球疾病负担研究数据,分析1990年和2016年北京市心脑血管疾病死亡情况和疾病负担。主要指标包括死亡人数、过早死亡损失寿命年(YLL)、伤残损失寿命年(YLD)和伤残调整寿命年(DALY),同时使用2000—2025年世界人口的平均人口作为标准人口,计算标化死亡率、DALY率、YLL率和YLD率。结果2016年,北京市居民心脑血管病标化死亡率为209.24/10万;心脑血管病DALY、YLL和YLD分别为87.56、73.36和14.20万人年,较1990年分别增加了58.05%、44.24%和213.47%;标化DALY率和标化YLL率分别为3552.24/10万和2988.01/10万,较1990年分别下降47.90%和52.43%,标化YLD率为564.23/10万,较1990年增加5.10%。2016年,脑血管疾病和缺血性心脏病的死亡数分别为1.76万例和2.37万例;DALY分别为39.63和39.36万人年,较1990年(DALY分别为33.02和16.27万人年)分别增加20.02%和141.92%。结论北京市心脑血管疾病负担重,其中以脑血管疾病和缺血性心脏病最为显著;脑血管疾病的伤残负担严重,缺血性心脏病的疾病负担成倍增长。     

Contribution of changes in incidence and mortality to trends in the prevalence of coronary heart disease in the UK: 1996 2005.

Aims: To assess how trends in the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) and mortality rates among people with CHD have affected the prevalence of CHD in the UK. METHODS AND RESULTS: A time trend analysis using computerized general practice clinical records of people aged 35 years and over was performed. From 1996 to 2005, age-standardized incidence of CHD decreased by 2.2% in men and 2.3% in women per year (average percentage change). Age-standardized all-cause mortality among those with CHD decreased by 4.5% in men and 3.4% in women per year (average percentage change). Age-standardized prevalence increased by 1.3% in men and 1.7% in women per year (average percentage change). Although the decline in incidence had some impact on limiting the increase in prevalence, its effect was offset by the increase in prevalence occurring as a result of improved survival among people with CHD. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that increasing prevalence is largely due to decreasing mortality among people with CHD. Further increases in prevalence are likely even if the incidence of CHD continues to fall.     

Reporting of diabetes on death certificates using data from the UK Prospective Diabetes Study.

AIMS: To study the effect of age at death, sex, ethnic group, date of death, underlying cause of death and social class on the frequency of reporting diabetes on death certificates in known cases of diabetes. METHODS: Data were extracted from certificates recording 981 deaths which occurred between 1985 and 1999 in people aged 45 years or more who participated in the UK Prospective Diabetes Study, to which 23 English, Scottish and Northern Ireland centres contributed. Diabetes (9th revision of the International Classification of Diseases; ICD-9 250) entered on parts 1A-1C or 2A-2C of the death certificate was considered as reporting diabetes. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine independent factors associated with the reporting of diabetes. RESULTS: Diabetes was reported on 42% (419/981) of all death certificates and on 46% (249/546) of those with underlying cardiovascular disease causes. Reporting of diabetes was independently associated on all death certificates with per year of age increase (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.001-1.04, P = 0.037), underlying cause of death (non-cardiovascular causes OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.59-0.98, P = 0.035) and social class (classes I-II OR 1.00; class III OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.96-1.89, P = 0.084, classes IV-V OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.05-2.10, P = 0.027). Stratification by age, sex, and underlying cause of death also revealed significant differences in the frequency of reporting diabetes over time. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of reporting of diabetes on cardiovascular disease death certificates remains poor. This may indicate a lack of awareness of the importance of diabetes as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.     

The burden of pneumococcal disease in the Canadian population before routine use of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

BACKGROUND: In the United States, implementation of the seven-valent conjugate vaccine into childhood immunization schedules has had an effect on the burden of pneumococcal disease in all ages of the population. To evaluate the impact in Canada, it is essential to have an estimate of the burden of pneumococcal disease before routine use of the vaccine. METHODS: The incidence and costs of pneumococcal disease in the Canadian population in 2001 were estimated from various sources, including published studies, provincial databases and expert opinion. RESULTS: In 2001, there were 565,000 cases of pneumococcal disease in the Canadian population, with invasive infections representing 0.7%, pneumonia 7.5% and acute otitis media 91.8% of cases. There were a total of 3000 deaths, mainly as a result of pneumonia and largely attributable to the population aged 65 years or older. There were 54,330 life-years lost due to pneumococcal disease, and 37,430 quality-adjusted life-years lost due to acute disease, long-term sequelae and deaths. Societal costs were estimated to be $193 million (range $155 to $295 million), with 82% borne by the health system and 18% borne by families. Invasive pneumococcal infections represented 17% of the costs and noninvasive infections represented 83%, with approximately one-half of this proportion attributable to acute otitis media and myringotomy. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of pneumococcal disease before routine use of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was substantial in all age groups of the Canadian population. This estimate provides a baseline for further analysis of the direct and indirect impacts of the vaccine.     

The epidemiologic burden of hepatitis C virus infection in Latin America

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major and growing public health concern worldwide, including in Latin America. With more efficacious therapies becoming available, decision-makers will require accurate estimates of disease prevalence to assess the potential impact of new treatments. However, few estimates of the epidemiologic burden, either overall or by country, are available for Latin America; and the potential impact of currently-available treatments on the epidemiologic burden of HCV in Latin America has not been assessed. To address this, we systematically reviewed twenty-five articles presenting population-based estimates of HCV prevalence from general population or blood donor samples, and supplemen- ted those with publically-available data, to estimate the total number of persons infected with HCV in Latin America at 7.8 million (2010). Of these, over 4.6 million would be expected to have genotype 1 chronic HCV, based on published data on the risk of progression to chronic disease and the HCV genotype distribution of Latin America. Finally, we calculated that between 1.6 and 2.3 million persons with genotype 1 chronic HCV would potentially benefit from current treatments, based on published estimates of genotype-specific treatment responsiveness. In conclusion, these estimates demonstrate the substantial present epidemiologic burden of HCV, and quantify the impending societal and clinical burden from untreated HCV in Latin America.     

1990—2019年中国人群退行性二尖瓣病变疾病负担研究

目的探讨1990至2019年中国人群退行性二尖瓣病变(DMVD)疾病负担变化趋势。方法基于2019年全球疾病负担研究(GBD 2019)数据库, 采用患病人数、新发病例数、死亡人数、伤残调整寿命年(DALY)以及患病率、发病率、死亡率、DALY率及其年龄标化率等指标, 分析1990至2019年中国人群DMVD疾病负担变化趋势。结果 2019年中国DMVD患病人数、新发病例数及死亡人数分别为461.2、27.0、0.129万例, 与1990年相比分别增长了209.0%、199.1%和13.2%。2019年DMVD的年龄标化患病率、发病率和死亡率分别为228.1/10万、12.7/10万和0.075/10万, 与1990年相比, 变化率分别为32.6%、42.8%和-54.1%。另外, 2019年的数据还显示, 女性的年龄标化患病率和发病率均高于男性[年龄标化患病率:男性190.1(181.5～198.9)/10万、女性262.0(250.3～273.9)/10万;年龄标化发病率:男性10.5(10.0～11.0)/10万、女性14.9(14.3～15.6)/10万];DMVD患病人数最多...     

Placing the global burden of low back pain in context

The latest Global Burden of Disease Study, published at the end of 2012, has highlighted the enormous global burden of low back pain. In contrast to the previous study, when it was ranked 105 out of 136 conditions, low back pain is now the leading cause of disability globally, ahead of 290 other conditions. It was estimated to be responsible for 58.2 million years lived with disability in 1990, increasing to 83 million in 2010. This chapter illustrates the ways that the Global Burden of Disease data can be displayed using the data visualisation tools specifically designed for this purpose. It also considers how best to increase the precision of future global burden of low back pain estimates by identifying limitations in the available data and priorities for further research. Finally, it discusses what should be done at a policy level to militate against the rising burden of this condition.     

The effect of obesity on health outcomes

The prevalence of obesity has progressively increased globally over the last 30 years. The determinants of this pandemic are many, poorly defined and priorities debated. While public health measures to prevent obesity have largely failed we are presented with a growing burden of disease and disability.     

Clinical evaluation of the overweight patient

Evaluation of an overweight patient is the first step in any therapeutic program. The syndromes of obesity can be classified in several ways. The first is an anatomic classification based on the size, number, and distribution of fat cells and fat tissue. The second is an etiologic classification based on identification of specific diseases and settings that produce obesity. Hypothalamic injury and endocrine disease such as Cushing's disease and the polycystic ovary syndrome are three identifiable causes of obesity. In this medicated society drugs are always candidates to produce weight gain. The most common causes, however, are stopping smoking, overconsumption of high-fat foods, a decrease in the level of activity, and aging. The natural history of obesity provides a useful framework in which to view both preventive and therapeutic strategies. Some individuals will never become overweight, but of those who do, about one-third will do so during the first two decades, and the remaining two-thirds will become overweight after age 20. A number of epidemiological and metabolic factors can serve as a guide to those individuals who are at high risk. Having overweight parents tops the list, but multiple births, cessation of smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle are additional factors. Therapeutic decisions should be based on risk-benefit decisions. The risk can be assessed from the body mass index, the distribution of fat in upper or lower body obesity, the rate of weight gain, and the degree of physical inactivity. After assessing risk, the therapeutic choices can be selected from the age category of the patient. With any therapeutic activity, involvement of the patient in a realistic approach to the treatment process is essential.     

Economic burden of childhood overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

To update existing literature and fill the gap in meta-analyses, this meta-analysis quantitatively evaluated the worldwide economic burden (in 2022 US $) of childhood overweight and obesity in comparison with healthy weight. The literature search in eight databases produced 7756 records. After literature screening, 48 articles met the eligibility criteria. The increased annual total medical costs were $237.55 per capita attributable to childhood overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity caused a per capita increase of $56.52, $14.27, $46.38, and $1975.06 for costs in nonhospital healthcare, outpatient visits, medication, and hospitalization, respectively. Length of hospital stays increased by 0.28 days. Annual direct and indirect costs were projected to be $13.62 billion and $49.02 billion by 2050. Childhood obesity ascribed to much higher increased healthcare costs than overweight. During childhood, the direct medical expenditures were higher for males than for females, but, once reaching adulthood, the expenditures were higher for females. Overall, the lifetime costs attributable to childhood overweight and obesity were higher in males than in females, and childhood overweight and obesity resulted in much higher indirect costs than direct healthcare costs. Given the increased economic burden, additional efforts and resources should be allocated to support sustainable and scalable childhood obesity programs.