Word: chronics
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...timely in 2008 because a sudden increase in international food prices had pushed 100 million more people around the world into hunger, on top of the 850 million others–mostly in rural South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa–who were already suffering from chronic malnutrition before prices went up. Yet none of the invited speakers at Harvard’s session on food had much interest in this larger problem, or any academic standing to address it. One was a celebrity restaurant owner from San Francisco, the second led an organization called Slow Food...
...This lack represents a critical information vacuum in Africa, a continent being hit with a double dose of disease. Infections including tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS have been seen as Africa’s major health burden. But now, in addition to these, there is a rising epidemic of chronic, non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, mental illnesses, trauma, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Chronic diseases are projected to cause more deaths in the region than infectious diseases...
...shift in disease burden has a number of root causes. Victories against infectious disease mostly affecting children lead to more people living to adulthood, and thus an increase in chronic diseases. Economic development leads to lifestyle changes that increase the risk for chronic diseases. For example, shifts from agrarian to urban living results in less physical activity, more processed food, and exposure to more air pollution. Most African governments lack information and resources to respond to this growing crisis...
...believe that large cohort studies are a proven design that will serve African public health, and could also yield information relevant to the chronic disease epidemic in the US. The bold African Cohort Initiative aspires to fill this knowledge gap, and seeks equally visionary funders to bring studies that have enormously benefited wealthy countries to Africa. The time for action is now, before the problem escalates, so that results can guide successful prevention programs...
...American College of Physicians and others are calling for reform in health-care reimbursement, with the Federal Government and large insurance companies setting up "Patient Centered Medical Homes" in which a portion of doctors' pay will be linked to performance targets. As in Germany, these homes will target chronic diseases by allowing doctors, nurses, dietitians and therapists to educate all patients - especially chronic ones - on how to stay healthy. In 2007, Geisinger Health System began a pilot program in Pennsylvania, hiring nurses to check on patients with diabetes, heart disease and other chronic ailments, as well as linking...