Poverty and obesity: the role of energy density and energy costs

Worldwide, some 240 million people have chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), with the highest rates of infection in Africa and Asia. Our understanding of the natural history of HBV infection and the potential for therapy of the resultant disease is continuously improving. New data have become available since the previous APASL guidelines for management of HBV infection were published in 2012. The objective of this manuscript is to update the recommendations for the optimal management of chronic HBV infection. The 2015 guidelines were developed by a panel of Asian experts chosen by the APASL. The clinical practice guidelines are based on evidence from existing publications or, if evidence was unavailable, on the experts' personal experience and opinion after deliberations. Manuscripts and abstracts of important meetings published through January 2015 have been evaluated. This guideline covers the full spectrum of care of patients infected with hepatitis B, including new terminology, natural history, screening, vaccination, counseling, diagnosis, assessment of the stage of liver disease, the indications, timing, choice and duration of single or combination of antiviral drugs, screening for HCC, management in special situations like childhood, pregnancy, coinfections, renal impairment and pre- and post-liver transplant, and policy guidelines. However, areas of uncertainty still exist, and clinicians, patients, and public health authorities must therefore continue to make choices on the basis of the evolving evidence. The final clinical practice guidelines and recommendations are presented here, along with the relevant background information.

/pdf/asian-pacific-clinical-practice-guidelines-on-the-management-za5qxgu5i6.pdf

Asian-Pacific clinical practice guidelines on the management of hepatitis B: a 2015 update.

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(04)16675-0.pdf

Association between child and adolescent television viewing and adult health: a longitudinal birth cohort study

Responding to global infectious disease outbreaks: lessons from SARS on the role of risk perception, communication and management.

Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to improve vaccination coverage in children adolescents and adults.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-842X.1999.tb01553.x

Food ads on TV: a health hazard for children?

Experiences with provider and parental attitudes and practices regarding the administration of multiple injections during infant vaccination visits: lessons for vaccine introduction.

Progress in the control of hepatitis B infection in the Western Pacific Region.

Another influenza pandemic is all but inevitable. We estimated its potential impact on the primary care medical workforce in New Zealand, so that planning could mitigate the disruption from the pandemic and similar challenges. The model in the "FluAid" software (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, Atlanta) was applied to the New Zealand primary care medical workforce (i.e., general practitioners). At its peak (week 4) the pandemic would lead to 1.2% to 2.7% loss of medical work time, using conservative baseline assumptions. Most workdays (88%) would be lost due to illness, followed by hospitalisation (8%), and then premature death (4%). Inputs for a "more severe" scenario included greater health effects and time spent caring for sick relatives. For this scenario, 9% of medical workdays would be lost in the peak week, and 3% over a more compressed six-week period of the first pandemic wave. As with the base case, most (64%) of lost workdays would be due to illness, followed by caring for others (31%), hospitalisation (4%), and then premature death (1%). Preparedness planning for future influenza pandemics must consider the impact on this medical workforce and incorporate strategies to minimise this impact, including infection control measures, well-designed protocols, and improved health sector surge capacity.

/pdf/the-potential-impact-of-the-next-influenza-pandemic-on-a-41rq3j80g9.pdf

The potential impact of the next influenza pandemic on a national primary care medical workforce.

Aim. New Zealand monitors vaccine safety through vaccinator reports of adverse events following immunisation. The rate of reporting for the commonly used vaccines during 1990-5 are presented. During this time new vaccines were added to the immunisation schedule, enabling comparison of reporting rates.

Osman Mansoor

Papers

Food ads on TV: a health hazard for children?

Experiences with provider and parental attitudes and practices regarding the administration of multiple injections during infant vaccination visits: lessons for vaccine introduction.

Progress in the control of hepatitis B infection in the Western Pacific Region.

The potential impact of the next influenza pandemic on a national primary care medical workforce.

Vaccine adverse events reported in New Zealand 1990-5.