Making the Case for Alcohol as a Public Health Threat in the Region. The purpose of this document is to explain the need for making alcohol a top public health priority in the region and the need for national and regional action. Current evidence-based research shows that alcohol consumption and dri...nking patterns in the Americas are at damaging levels, with the region surpassing global averages for many alcohol related problems.
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The article investigates the diagnostic capabilities and prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary care settings in northern Brazil. It highlights that COPD is often underdiagnosed and undertreated in resource-limited regions. The study involved 34 general practitioners a...nd used spirometry to evaluate their diagnostic accuracy compared to clinical assessments. Findings revealed significant discrepancies between GP diagnoses and spirometry results, with many false positives and negatives. The study underscores the need for better training and the use of spirometry to improve COPD diagnosis and case-finding in primary care, emphasizing the importance of targeted strategies to enhance healthcare outcomes in developing countries.
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Worldwide, studies on asthma prevalence have shown major rises over the last 30 years. The impact on the burden of asthma is being increasingly recognised. In some countries in Latin America, the prevalence of asthma is among the highest in the world. Asthma admissions are very common in children, l...eading to high costs for the health systems of those countries. Unfortunately, Latin America has limited resources to pay for appropriate treatment. The main goals of the international guidelines for asthma treatment are not being met. However, asthma programmes operating in some countries are showing promising results in reducing asthma admissions and consequently decreasing the burden of asthma. Local adaptation of international guidelines must be implemented in order to decrease costs and optimise outcomes.
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