Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose. Hyperglycaemia, also called raised blood glucose or raised blood sugar, is a common e...ffect of uncontrolled diabetes and over time leads to serious damage to many of the body's systems, especially the nerves and blood vessels.
more
Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Scotland and worldwide, with an increasing prevalence. In 2009 there were around 228,000 people registered as having diabetes in Scotland, an increase of 3.6% from the preceding year. This increase relates, in part, to the increasing a...ge of the population, an increase in obesity and also perhaps to increasing survival of those with diabetes.
more
Diabetes is a major public health problem. The rising incidence of Diabetes Type 2 is related to the effects of urbanization and unhealthy lifestyles. Research studies show that healthy eating and regular physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of Diabetes Type 2, even in high-risk individu...als.
more
The OpenWHO course titled "Interventions for Noncommunicable Diseases in Primary Health Care" provides guidance on screening, detection, diagnosis, and management of major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases (asthma and chron...ic obstructive pulmonary disease), and early cancer detection within primary health care settings. It emphasizes delivering high-impact essential NCD interventions through a primary healthcare approach to enhance early detection and timely treatment. This course is part of the SEARO NCD PEN-HEARTS series, which includes four courses aimed at enabling learners to plan and deliver NCD services effectively.
more
Hypertension, also known as high or raised blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood vessels have persistently raised pressure. Blood is carried from the heart to all parts of the body in the vessels. Each time the heart beats, it pumps blood into the vessels. Blood pressure is created by th...e force of blood pushing against the walls of blood vessels (arteries) as it is pumped by the heart. The higher the pressure, the harder the heart has to pump.
Hypertension is a serious medical condition and can increase the risk of heart, brain, kidney and other diseases. It is a major cause of premature death worldwide, with upwards of 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women – over a billion people – having the condition. The burden of hypertension is felt disproportionately in low- and middle-income countries, where two thirds of cases are found, largely due to increased risk factors in those populations in recent decades.
more
Use these resources to engage communities, increase cultural competence, and promote type 2 diabetes prevention and diabetes management.
The WHO document "Integrating the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexual and reproductive health programmes: implementation guidance" provides a framework for integrating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) into existing health programs for HIV/AIDS, tub...erculosis (TB), and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). It emphasizes the importance of a people-centered approach to enhance healthcare accessibility and efficiency, especially in low-resource settings. The document outlines strategies for strengthening policy, financing, capacity building, and health system infrastructure. It offers actionable steps, tools, and case studies to support countries in reducing the burden of NCDs through integrated, holistic care within primary health services.
more
Silicosis is a group of occupational lung diseases caused by breathing in silica dust. It has been described since ancient times, when miners and stonecutters were exposed to dust containing this crystalline mineral.
This short guide to the Global Diabetes Compact explains what diabetes is and why action to improve prevention efforts, diagnosis and treatment is so urgent. It outlines the key asks associated with the Compact and emphasizes that increasing access to insulin, strengthening health systems and meanin...gfully engaging with people affected by diabetes are key to success.
more
Physical activity plays an important role in the care
of people living type 2 diabetes. Regular physical
activity can help reduce some of the harmful
effects and slow or even reverse disease progression.
Being active can also reduce symptoms of depression
and anxiety, and enhance thinking, lear...ning, and
overall well-being. Conversely, too much sedentary
behaviour can be unhealthy.
more
Asthma is a chronic lung disease affecting people of all ages. It is caused by inflammation and muscle tightening around the airways, which makes it harder to breathe.
Symptoms can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness. These symptoms can be mild or severe and can co...me and go over time.
Although asthma can be a serious condition, it can be managed with the right treatment. People with symptoms of asthma should speak to a health professional.
more
A workshop of “first mover” countries to exchange experience and identify wider policy implications for the WHO European Region
The World Health Organization (WHO) European Region continues to be severely affected by diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), obesity and, in some countries, ...micronutrient deficiencies.
In order to drive further progress on improving dietary intake and food product improvement, the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Public Health England and the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) co-convened a workshop of “first mover” countries in March 2019.
more
Approximately 80% of the 463 million adults worldwide with diabetes live in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). A major obstacle to designing evidence-based policies to improve diabetes outcomes in LMICs is the scarce availability of nationally representative data on the current patterns... of treatment coverage. The objectives of this study were to estimate the proportion of adults with diabetes in LMICs who receive coverage of recommended pharmacological and non-pharmacological diabetes treatment; and to describe country-level and individual-level characteristics that are associated with treatment.
more
Our awareness necessity of cystic fibrosis (CF) significantly predates our ability to comprehend the molecular factors that underpin its cause and affect prognosis. The dire warning “Woe to that child which when kissed on the forehead tastes salty. He is bewitched and soon must die” has been cir...culating since the 1800s. CF patients taste salty when kissed because an elevated level of sweat chloride is a hallmark of the disease. If untreated, they rarely make it past their first birthday. Typical presentation also includes failure to thrive caused by pancreatic insufficiency and chronic recurrent chest infections.
more
The document "Cystic Fibrosis Key Findings 2023 for Care Providers" by the Pennsylvania Department of Health summarizes recent findings and insights related to cystic fibrosis (CF). It highlights key statistics on the prevalence and outcomes of CF, emphasizes best practices for patient care, and pro...vides recommendations for healthcare providers. The document discusses improvements in treatment protocols, advances in medical research, and strategies to enhance patient quality of life. It also includes guidance on early detection, genetic testing, and comprehensive management plans to support affected individuals and their families.
more
The World Health Organization (WHO) fact sheet on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) provides an overview of this common lung condition characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation.
Asthma is a long term illness of the lungs that causes the airways to become inflamed and produce lots of mucus. Viral infections, cold air, allergens, exercise, and smoke make the airways “twitchy”; they close easily causing asthma attacks with coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath (see wh...at is asthma). Between attacks the airways are inflamed (see what is an allergy).
more
To provide recommendations on the initial care of persons with acute respiratory illness (ARI) in the context of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in healthcare facilities based on a decision-making process flowchart. These recommendations are preliminary and subject to review as new evidence becomes a...vailable. The recommendations provided in this document apply for adults olden than 18 years old.
more
The WHO fact sheet on household air pollution highlights that around 2.1 billion people rely on solid fuels like wood and coal for cooking, using open fires or inefficient stoves. This leads to severe indoor air pollution, contributing to about 3.2 million premature deaths each year, including over ...237,000 children under five. Health impacts include strokes, heart disease, COPD, and lung cancer. Women and children are particularly affected due to their roles in cooking and fuel gathering. WHO calls for the adoption of clean energy solutions, such as electricity and solar power, to mitigate the health risks associated with household air pollution.
more
To assess the quality of Indian clinical practice guidelines (CPG)s for the management of cardiovascular conditions, MEDLINE, Embase, Google Scholar and websites of relevant medical associations and government organisations were searched, from inception until August 2020, to identify Indian CPGs for... the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions, produced in or between 2010 and 2019. Excluded were CPGs that were not specific to India, focused on alternative systems of medicine, of non-CVD conditions (even if they included a component of CVD), and those related to the electronic devices, cardiac biomarkers, or diagnostic procedures. Quality of the each included CPG was assessed using the AGREE II tool by four reviewers in duplicate, independently. Each AGREE II domain score and overall quality score was considered low (≤40%), moderate (40.1%-59.9%), and high (≥60%). Of the 23 CPGs included, six (26%) were reported to be adapted from other CPGs. Fourteen (61%) CPGs were produced by medical associations, six (26%) by individual authors and three (13%) by government agencies. Based on the AGREE II overall quality score, two (9%) CPGs were of high quality, four (17%) and seventeen (74%) CPGs were of moderate and low quality, respectively. Except for scope and purpose, and clarity of presentation all other domains were rated low. The quality of most Indian CPGs for managing CVD conditions assessed using the AGREE II tool was moderate-to-low. Combined efforts from different stakeholders are needed to develop, disseminate and implement high-quality CPGs while identifying and addressing barriers to their uptake to optimize patient care and improve outcomes.
more