Home | Intervention Overview | World Health for Equal Dignity
World Health for Equal Dignity (WHED)
HumanDHS is primarily grounded in academic work. We are independent of any religious or political agenda. However, we wish to bring academic work into "real life." Our research focuses on topics such as dignity (with humiliation as its violation), or, more precisely, on respect for equal dignity for all human beings in the world. This is not only our research topic, but also our core value, in line with Article 1 of the Human Rights Declaration that states that every human being is born with equal dignity (that ought not be humiliated).
We agree with Professor Shibley Telhami, who advocates the building of bridges from academia as follows, "I have always believed that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential for public policy. It is possible to affect public policy without being an advocate; to be passionate about peace without losing analytical rigor; to be moved by what is just while conceding that no one has a monopoly on justice." We would like to add that we believe that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential not only for public policy, but for raising awareness in general.
We look for interested people, who would like to develop our WHED page. Please see our Call for Creativity.
Our Health for Equal Dignity (WHED) project aims at focusing on cultural habits that undermine dignity, even though we might not always be aware of it. Please see some texts further down, that highlight different aspects of this issue. The notion of human rights and its ideal of equal dignity for all call for attention to the details of quality of life, as well as of public and personal health, as a task within the quest for equal dignity for all.
Tyranny of the Moment:
Fast and Slow Time in the Information Age
Thomas Hylland Eriksen
The book was published by Pluto Press in autumn 2001. A preview follows.
Blurb:
This surprising and original book argues that slow time is a main scarce resource in the information age. Parents, readers, pensioners, wage workers, executives, unionists and politicians have a common cause here.
Using a wealth of examples, the book offers an accurate and wide-ranging diagnosis of this hurried era. It shows in which ways phenomena such as soap operas, correspondence, the youth cult, advertising and "flexible work" are connected to a logic of acceleration and fragmentation, with information technology as a driving force, and how they are connected with the history of modern society.
At the same time, the book indicates that there are deep contradictions in technology-driven contemporary society. Who would have expected the time-saving technology — from the filofax to e-mail and the mobile phone — to result in time being scarcer than ever? As availability approaches one hundred per cent, the struggle now concerns the right to be unavailable, the right to live and think more slowly.
The problem is illuminated by demonstrating that there is exponential growth in everything to do with communication. Electronic media have not reduced the output of printed media. The Internet has not reduced air trafic. Fax and e-mail have not reduced the use of the telephone. On the contrary, all of this and much more is stacked in tall piles of information and activities that lead nowhere. The moment becomes so overfilled that it excludes everything else.
Tyranny of the moment depicts a culture about to become its own worst enemy; where evolution is about to turn into involution. Anyone who is familiar with the feeling that they never get important things done because there is something else they have to do first, needs this book. In order to understand their own time and their personal situation, and in order to be able do something about it.
Creating Humane Environments
Ashraf Salama
the following text is taken from Skill-Based / Knowledge-Based Architectural Pedagogies: An Argument for Creating Humane Environments
Paper given at the 7th International Conference on Humane Habitat-ICHH-05 – The International Association of Humane Habitat IAHH, Rizvi College of Architecture, Mumbai, India, January 29-31, 2005
ON PARADIGMATIC SHIFTS
In his manuscript, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn (1970) bases his theory of a scientific
revolution on paradigms that relate to rules and some necessary specifications of common ground in
the corresponding area. Along the same theory, De-Bono (1991) argues that a paradigm changes in
the way we think and approach problems. Based on the concept of paradigms, four shifts or shifting
attitudes about the environment can be identified (Salama, 1999 & 2002). The following is a brief
discussion of these shifts.
Things versus Relations between Things
According to Capra et al. (1992), the reductionism of the old paradigm was reflected in the belief that the dynamics of the whole could be understood from the properties of the parts. But, in the new paradigm, the properties of the parts can be understood only from the dynamics of the whole. John Turner affirms this view when he argues that there are no parts at all, what we call a part is a pattern in an inseparable web of relationships. Tracing back the literature that has been developed in the
sixties, one can find that this view has been introduced by Christopher Alexander (1966) who identified three basic abilities for investigating and understanding the physical environment. These are: a) the holistic behavior of the phenomenon which we are focusing on, b) the parts within the thing and the interaction among those parts which causes the holistic behavior we have defined, and c) the
way in which this interaction among these parts causes the holistic behavior defined.
Taking housing as an example, this paradigm shift can be clearer. In the old paradigm, the value of
housing is assumed to be in the quantifiable attributes of dwellings, sometimes including their immediate environments. In the new paradigm, housing values lie in the relationships between the
process, the product, the users, and the social and environmental contexts. In the old paradigm,
housing has been conceived in terms of what it is, rather than what it does for local populations and
the way in which people interact with built and natural environments (Turner, 1997). In this respect,
one can assert that by focusing on relationships the new paradigm converts the insoluble problems
into encouragingly practical tasks and promising ends.
Economy and Ecology: Isolation versus Integration
In the new paradigm, the concept of sustainability has emerged as a reaction to environmental
depletion and degradation. Many theorists are voicing the need to harmonize economy and ecology. The old paradigm has been characterized by three basic assumptions: man is more valuable than
nature; man has the right to subdue and conquer nature, and has no responsibility for nature. On the
other hand, in the new paradigm the concept of sustainable development is conceived to value the environment alongside economic development, and to value social equity alongside material growth.
In the new paradigm, the same technology that has been employed to conquer and subdue nature
needs to be employed for the benefits of nature and, in turn, for the long-term benefit of the human race. It is believed that this characteristic of the new paradigm creates the need for mature and
competent professionals. Thus, the new sustainable society will need to identify non-material means for non-material needs. In response, professional development will need to include the practice of
interdisciplinary and the practice of non-technical and lifelong learning skills.
Fight versus Fit with Nature: Techno-development versus Eco-development
The difference between techno-development and eco-development is the difference between a
mechanical contrivance or tool and a living organism. Technology does not make built environments;
people make them. Techno-development is based on the modernist illusion of technological
determinism. It is an assault on nature. Eco-development is a package of concepts, ethics, and
programs that provides designers and planners a criterion of social and ecological rationality that are
different from the market logic (Sacks, 1987). It is rooted in the real need to fit human settlements
within the patterns of nature. Politically, eco-development is decentralized and democratic. Socially
and culturally, it reflects the diverse reality of human affairs and the tapestry of life, which makes
every portion of the built environment work well. Economically, it adopts the premise that economy
and ecology are both essentially to do with the flow of energy and materials through a system and
that value is a social construct.
Mechanistic Pedagogy versus Systemic Pedagogy
Based on conductive an inductive analysis of a number of studies (Schon, 1971; Ackoff, 1974;
Salama, 1991 & 1995), one can find that there is a strong evidence on the paradigm shifts in
education and pedagogy. Following the mechanistic paradigm, the educational process of
architecture is reduced to a large number of disconnected components. Education has been
decomposed into schools, curricula, grades, subjects, courses, lectures, lessons, and exercises. In
this respect, one can argue that formal education has never been treated as a whole, nor is it
appropriately conceptualized as part of a process much of which takes place within society; a
characteristic of the systemic paradigm.
The mechanistic orientation of pedagogy results in the treatment of students as if they were machines
with the combined properties and characteristics of tape recorders, cameras, and computers. The
student is evaluated with respect to his/her ability to reproduce what he/she has been told or shown. In turn, examinations are tests of the ability to reproduce material previously presented to the
examined. They are designed to serve the system’s purposes rather than the students’ needs. In the
mechanistic paradigm, educators make little or almost no effort to relate the pieces of information they
dispense. A course in one subject does not refer to the content of another. This reinforces the concept
that knowledge is made-up of many unrelated parts. Inversely, the systemic paradigm focuses on grasping the relationships between the parts of knowledge.
In the systemic paradigm, some alternative concepts have been introduced. These are exemplified
by: 1) some subjects are best learned by teaching them to oneself, 2) some subjects are best learned
by teaching them to others, 3) some skills are best learned through demonstration and instruction,
and 4) some fundamentals are attained in seminar discussions guided by one specialized in the
relevant area.
Links
Billions 'Wasted' by Aid System
Billions of dollars will be wasted unless there is a radical overhaul of the system of giving aid, a report from a leading aid agency warns. Care International says too much money is being spent on short-term fixes during emergencies, rather than on longer-term prevention work. The number of people living "on the edge of emergency" has nearly doubled to 220 million in two years, Care says. The report comes ahead of a high-level UN meeting on poverty goals next week. Halving poverty and hunger around the world by 2015 are key objectives of the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDG)...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/in_depth/7622275.stm, and download the report from http://www.careinternational.org.uk/?lid=11686.
Shops Get Fruit and Veg Sale Help
Corner shops in deprived areas of England are to be given money to help boost sales of fruit and vegetables...
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7556850.stm.
Drug3k - Online Drug Encycloped
Consumers and medical practitioners face increasingly complex choices about the prescription drugs they use and prescribe. Direct-to-consumer advertising; changes in prescription drug benefits; the rising cost of prescription drugs; and discount programs available for Medicare recipients are causing significant confusion among consumers and clinicians.
In this shifting environment, consumers need to become more-informed purchasers of prescription drugs and prescribers need decision-support tools to ensure that prescriptions are written with an understanding of the evidence on available treatments - including pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical interventions.
The Drug3k.com Project aims to provide evidence-based, easily accessible information on most commonly prescribed drugs , includes links to detailed product monograph(Prescription Drug Information, Side Effects, Interactions,Drug pictures) to help clinicians and patients select the best drug or treatment.
Australia Abandons Asylum Policy
The new Australian government has abandoned the country's controversial policy of jailing all asylum seekers. In a major overhaul of immigration rules, the policy of detaining would-be asylum seekers in often remote jails will now be used only as a last resort. Children will no longer be held, and adults who are detained will have their situation evaluated every three months. Immigration Minister Chris Evans called the decision a move towards "more humane" treatment of asylum seekers. Human rights groups welcomed the announcement. Amnesty International called the reforms a "welcome step forward" that would bring Australia's system "into line with other Western democracies".
'Human dignity':
The strict policy of detaining asylum seekers and visitors who overstayed their visas was brought in by a former Labor government in the 1990s. But it was its hard-line enforcement by conservative leader John Howard that drew criticism from rights groups and the United Nations.
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7530156.stm.
World Trade Talks End in Collapse
Marathon talks in Geneva aimed at liberalising global trade have collapsed, the head of the World Trade Organisation has said. Pascal Lamy confirmed the failure, which officials have blamed on China, India and the US failing to agree on import rules. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said the result was "heartbreaking". The talks were launched in 2001 in Doha and were seen as providing a cornerstone for future global trade. The main stumbling block was farm import rules, which allow countries to protect poor farmers by imposing a tariff on certain goods in the event of a drop in prices or a surge in imports. India, China and the US could not agree on the tariff threshold for such an event...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/business/7531099.stm.
Sulston Argues for Open Medicine
By Matt McGrath
BBC science correspondent
A Nobel Prize-winning scientist has hit out at what he terms the "moral corruption" of the medical industry. Britain's Sir John Sulston says that profits are taking precedence over the needs of patients, particularly in the developing world. He was speaking at the launch of a new research institute into science, ethics and innovation. Sir John shared the 2002 Nobel Prize for medicine for his work on the genetics controlling cell division. He is well known for his commitment to public medicine and his opposition to the privatisation of scientific information. Eight years ago he led the fight to keep the data being derived from the Human Genome Project open and free to any scientist who wanted to use it.
'Fair access': He says there is now great concern among researchers about private companies patenting genes and genetic tests. He is also concerned about the misuse of information, and what he terms "disease mongering". He is taking these concerns over the direction that science and medicine are going in, onto a broader stage. Sir John is to be the chairman of a new UK-based institute that will research the ethical questions raised by science and innovation. He wants the group to try to provide ground rules and guidance on issues such as the patenting of genes, and how people in developing countries have fair access to medicines. Sir John believes that our current systems place the needs of shareholders ahead of the needs of patients.
Treaty requirement: The Nobel Laureate told the BBC: "Some people would say it is not corrupt because it is not illegal, and that is true; but I consider that advertising a medicine that doesn't make clear any disadvantages of the medicine, or, in fact, the fact that most people don't need this particular medicine - I would cite, for example, anti-depressants which are hugely oversold, especially in America. This is the sort of thing I mean by corruption. It's not legal corruption; it's moral corruption." According to Sir John, the world is at a crisis point in terms of getting medicines to sick people, particularly in the developing world. He says that the world needs an international biomedical treaty to iron out issues over patents and intellectual property. Sir John is setting up the Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation with the bioethicist John Harris. The institute is staging a one-day conference on Saturday called Who Owns Science? Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7490384.stm.
Hospital Alcohol Admissions Soar
Hospital admissions linked to alcohol use have more than doubled in England since 1995, an NHS report shows. Alcohol was the main or secondary cause of 207,800 NHS admissions in 2006/7, compared to 93,500 in 1995/96. There has also been a 20% rise in the number of GP prescriptions for treating alcohol dependency in the past four years, the NHS Information Centre said. The British Liver Trust warned that the health impact of alcohol would only get worse in years to come. Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre, agreed that alcohol was placing an ever-increasing burden on the NHS. We are talking about a younger age group, drinking sometimes huge quantities, which can be damaging (Dr Varuna Aluvihare, liver specialist at Kings College Hospital)...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7414322.stm.
Call for Junk Food Ad Clampdown
Junk food advertising makes it difficult to feed children a healthy diet, a consumer survey suggests. Which? found 83% of those polled believed irresponsible marketing was making it harder to encourage children to eat well. And most of the 2,000 questioned want the government to do more to control the marketing of unhealthy food to children.
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7353983.stm.
Global Food System 'Must Change'
The global agriculture system will have to change radically if the world is to avoid future environmental and social problems, a report has warned. The study, commissioned by the UN and World Bank, concluded that while recent advances had increased food production, the benefits were spread unevenly. It said that 850 million people were still not getting enough food to eat. The authors added that food prices would remain volatile as a result of rising populations and biofuel growth...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7347239.stm.
France Targets Anorexia in Media
The French National Assembly has passed a groundbreaking bill which seeks to criminalise the promotion in the media of extreme thinness.
The bill targets pro-anorexia websites and publications that encourage girls and young women to starve themselves.
It will affect websites, fashion houses, magazines and advertisers.
If approved by France's upper house, those found to have encouraged severe weight loss could be fined up to 45,000 euros and face three years in prison.
French Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot said the proposed law would help stop advice on how to become ultra-thin being spread through pro-anorexia sites on the internet.
"Encouraging young girls to lie to their doctors, advising them on foods that are easier to regurgitate and inciting them to beat themselves up each time they eat is not freedom of expression," Ms Bachelot told the assembly...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/7349607.stm.
People Missing Five-a-Day Target
Many people still do not manage to eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but they now have more than before, a survey suggests.
The Food Standards Agency survey suggests diets are slowly improving but people from poorer backgrounds struggle to achieve the five-a-day target...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/7261205.stm.
Obesity 'Requires Climate Plan'
By Helen Briggs
Science reporter, BBC News, Boston
Obesity needs to be tackled in the same way as climate change, a top nutritional scientist has said.
The chairman of the International Obesity Taskforce wants world leaders to agree a global pact to ensure that everyone is fed healthy food...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7250608.stm.
Scared Sacred by Velcrow Ripper
Patricia Wong Hall wrote (13th January 2008): Hi everyone -- I just saw a film called "Scared Sacred," by Velcrow Ripper. He traveled around the world to Bosnia, Japan (Hiroshima), India (Bhopal), Cambodia (Pol Pot), New York (9/11 site), Pakistan, Palestine, and other countries. He documented and interviewed people who have been traumatized by war, violence, and tragedies. Many of the people have been transforming their suffering. Some have done so through song (a rabbi in Israel), art (the Bejovics, artists in Bosnia). I especially liked his interview with the Bejovics, who created art everyday, amidst all of the violence around them--not knowing if they would be alive tomorrow. This was a wonderful film on transforming crisis; on forgiveness, genocide, war and compassion. The Dalai Lama spoke briefly in this film on creating unity in our communities.
After the film, we were shown a clip of an exercise to transform suffering into joy through Tibetan Buddhist tonglen meditation. In the background were misty scenes of fog traveling through Zen gardens. The filmmaker was the narrator. Those of you who wish to continue, please read on..... The exercise involved sitting with eyes open or closed, while picturing the face of someone you know who is suffering. Then imagine dark, hot and heavy black smoke pouring out of his or her mouth (her/his suffering) as you inhale; take this black, heavy smoke (suffering) into your heart and then immediately transform it into bright, cool, white light as you exhale -- it is fresh and light, as you send compassion, love, forgiveness, and kindness back to this person. Do not hold on to the suffering, let it go immediately, turning the black smoke into a white light of compassion. Continue to do this for five minutes or so, as you inhale and exhale.
Next, picture the face of someone that you have an aversion to; repeat the exercise above. Think of all of the suffering this person is experiencing in life. Breathe in the black, heavy smoke (his/her suffering) into your heart as you inhale; then transform it into a cool, white light as you exhale -- sending him or her compassion, forgiveness, love and respect. Do not hold on to the suffering -- let it go. Continue to do this for the next five minutes or so. Breathe in black smoke -- breathe out cool, white light.
Next, form a picture in your mind of yourself. Think of all of the suffering you are experiencing now in life. Breathe in the black, hot, and heavy smoke of your suffering into your heart as you inhale. Then transform this black smoke immediately into a cool, white light as you exhale, sending yourself love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness and respect. Let go... Continue to inhale and exhale in this way for five minutes as you transform your suffering into compassion for yourself.
Lastly, do this exercise for everyone on earth. Imagine all of the people who are suffering on this earth. Inhale and breathe in their pain as a heavy, hot, black smoke. Take it into your heart. Do not hold on to the suffering. Transform it immediately, as you exhale, into a cool, white light that you send out to the world to heal the planet. Continue to inhale and exhale in this way for five minutes. When you are ready, bring your awareness back to the place you are in, as you slowly open your eyelids.
One of my favorite books is called "Practicing Peace in Times of War," by Pema Chodron (on tonglen practice). Wishing you peace and joy. -- Risha
Institute for OneWorld Health
The Institute for OneWorld Health is a Nonprofit pharmaceutical company.
Mental Health 'Costs UK Billions'
By Adam Brimelow
BBC News, Health Correspondent
Mental health problems cost British businesses an average of £1,000 a year for every employee, researchers say.
The Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health said the overall annual cost to employers, including time off work and lost productivity, is nearly £26bn...
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7139233.stm.
The Mailman School of Public Health
The Mailman School of Public Health's ground-breaking initiatives have improved the health of millions of people in resource limited settings around the world. The Mailman School has developed models for the scale-up of global HIV/AIDS comprehensive care and treatment. The Averting Maternal Death and Disability Program (AMDD), which improves the availability, quality, and utilization of emergency obstetric care in developing countries, was launched in 1999 with a $50 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-the largest private foundation grant in Columbia University history. A leader in infectious disease research, the School's Greene Infectious Disease Laboratory acts in both a coordinating and research capacity to diagnose, contain, and treat emerging viral diseases such as SARS. The Mailman School and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia's Earth Institute have been collaborating in Araihazar, Bangladesh, since 2000 to develop preventive strategies and treatments for arsenic poisoning for those exposed to the toxin through contaminated well water.
Tribal People at Risk of Extinction from Diabetes
Read the Survival's report, Progress can kill, at http://www.survival-international.org/campaigns/progresscankill.
The Sleep-Industrial Complex
The New York Times, November 18, 2007, page 56-61: The Sleep-Industrial Complex
by Jon Mooallam
Please read on http://www.nytimes.com/.
Segmented Sleep
Segmented sleep or divided sleep are modern Western terms for a polyphasic sleep pattern found in medieval and early modern Europe and many modern non-industrial societies, where the night's sleep is evenly divided by a few hours of wakefulness.
Please read more, for example at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Segmented_sleep.
The Anthroposophical/Rudolf Steiner Movement
Einar Strumse explains (22nd October 2007): "The anthroposophical view of human nature [...] is very benign in relation to the mentally retarded. This is because it includes a spiritual view of human nature, assuming that at the spiritual level all are equally valuable, so there is no difference between mentally retarded and "normal" people, it is just that the former have certain challenges at the physical / material level which needs to be dealt with while maintaining the basic dignity of the mentally retarded person, who also is a great teacher for those who take the challenge to work with them."
Obesity 'Not Individuals' Fault'
Individuals can no longer be held responsible for obesity and government must act to stop Britain "sleepwalking" into a crisis, a report has concluded.
The largest ever UK study into obesity, backed by government and compiled by 250 experts, said excess weight was now the norm in our "obesogenic" society.
Read the entire article at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7047244.stm.
Fatty Liver Is Going to Be One of the Tragedies of the Future Unless We Do Something About It
A diet rich in potatoes, white bread and white rice may be contributing to a "silent epidemic" of a dangerous liver condition.
"High-glycaemic" foods - rapidly digested by the body - could be causing "fatty liver", increasing the risk of serious illness.
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7006191.stm.
Behavior OnLine
Behavior OnLine is a gathering place for professionals in mental health and the applied social and behavioral sciences. At this time all Behavior OnLine services and features are provided without charge and access is open to all who are interested. In the future BOL intends to charge for some of its services and to restrict access to some of them. Behavior OnLine aims to be as inclusive as possible---few things are more frustrating than being excluded from a discussion to which one can contribute. Yet few things are more inhibiting than concern about being overheard in a discussion one believed was private.
International Mental Health Professionals of Japan (IMHPJ
IMHPJ is a multidisciplinary professional association of therapists who provide mental health services to the international communities in Japan. Founded in 1997, IMHPJ's goals are to improve the quality, quantity, and accessibility of mental health services available to the international communities in Japan.
The Nightingale Declaration Campaign (NDC)
The Nightingale Declaration Campaign (NDC) - a programme of the Nightingage Initiative for Global Health (NIGH) - has been created to follow in these footsteps.
Please read about the NDC mission:
"We are rallying nurses, health professionals and other concerned citizens — 21st Century Nightingales -- to effectively network globally while also acting locally -- to make a collective difference in our time. We are beginning with a big vision for millions of nurses and other concerned citizens - from all 192 member states of the United Nations - to sign a personal commitment - and to join with many many others - to create a healthy world. We are collectively taking these commitments to tell our leaders - locally, regionally, nationally and globally - that a healthy world must be our first priority. Today, people in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Oceania, and all of the Americas commemorate the difference Nightingale made. Across the earth and in her footsteps, we can together make our difference in our time. We are a pro-active and vocal conscience for the health of humanity. We are calling this nursing. The health of our world may well depend on this."
PILOTS: An Electronic Index to the Traumatic Stress Literature
The PILOTS database is an electronic index to the worldwide literature on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental-health consequences of exposure to traumatic events. It is produced by the National Center for PTSD, and is available to the public on computer systems maintained by Dartmouth College. There is no charge for using the database, and no account or password is required. As of August 2006 there were 30,290 references (almost all including abstracts) in the database.
Child 'Adult Mental Care' Scandal
By Alison Holt
Social Affairs correspondent, BBC News
Treating children in adult psychiatric wards is a "national scandal", says the Children's Commissioner for England. Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green told the BBC he fears children leave in a poorer condition than when they went in.
A report to be published next week by the charity Young Minds warns there are not enough emergency beds for children with mental health problems.
Almost 1,000 under-18s spend time on an adult ward in a year, with more than half of those admissions inappropriate...
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6165062.stm.
Inquiry into Prison Care of Young
By Alison Holt
BBC News, Social affairs correspondent
The Home Office has agreed to an independent inquiry into the treatment of young people with mental health problems in the prison system.
The BBC has learned the investigation will concentrate on the case of one young girl.
She was taken to hospital 20 times in two years after self harming whilst in young offenders institutes.
The girl - who can't be named - was jailed when she was 17 for assault and robbery.
She had been in care and had a history of mental health problems. But despite continually cutting herself and trying to take her own life in prison, it took a court injunction to get her moved to a secure psychiatric hospital...
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6169736.stm.
Broken Home Linked to Psychosis
People from broken homes may be more prone to psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, research suggests. Researchers said their findings suggest the illnesses are not simply brain diseases, but linked to factors such as social adversity. They found much higher rates among black people, who were also more likely to come from broken homes. The study, by London's Institute of Psychiatry, will appear in the journal Psychological Medicine. These findings suggest social factors can also contribute to the onset of illness...
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6169120.stm.
Innovation, Advancement, and Best Practices To Achieve Global Goals
Unite For Sight's Fourth Annual International Health Conference
April 14-15, 2007 - Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA
http://uniteforsight.org/conference/2007/index.php.
Diabetes 'Hitting Poor Hardest'
Britain's poorest communities are 2.5 times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than the general population, research suggests.
They are also 3.5 times more likely to develop serious complications of diabetes, including heart disease.
The report, by the charity Diabetes UK and the All Party Parliamentary Group for Diabetes, calls for action to tackle social inequalities.
But the government said much had already been done.
It will take a huge shift in both attitudes and services to reverse this pattern for future generations.
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6143358.stm.
Diabetes 'Threat' to Indigenous
Diabetes could threaten the existence of indigenous peoples around the world, experts have warned.
Scientists meeting at a diabetes conference in Melbourne heard such tribes faced extinction this century unless obesity was tackled.
Western diets and sedentary lifestyles are leading to obesity and a rise in Type 2 diabetes in Asia, the Pacific, Australia and the Americas.
But experts say if urgent action is taken, the trend could be reversed.
Without urgent action there certainly is a real risk of a major wipe-out of indigenous communities, if not total extinction, within this century.
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6143182.stm.
Rich Areas' Poor in Deaths Link
The death rates of poor people who live in rich neighbourhoods in the US are higher than those who live in disadvantaged areas, a study says.
Researchers studied 8,200 people for 17 years across California, the American Journal of Public Health reported.
The Stanford University Medical Center team said the likely cause was rich areas drained people's resources and had a negative psychological effect.
Experts said it showed the polarised nature of US society....
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/6103678.stm.
Global Health and Social Justice Conference: “Violence as Disease”
Thursday, March 29 - Friday, March 30, 2007
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
