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Apopo Annual Report 2014, Apopo

Global CWD Repository

APOPO is an organization geared for positive social impact through the energy and dedication of our people. In 2014, with over 800 staff we nurtured and supported new, diverse and passionate talent from all over the world. As Chairwoman of APOPO I am pleased to introduce you to them, as well as share with you the news of our successes and challenges.

Sustainability is integral to our work and we aim to improve people’s lives by breaking down the barriers to development. Testament to this is almost two and half million square meters of mine-free land we handed back in …

Health Professionals’ Attitude Towards Substance Abusers : A Part Of The Health Professionals’ Value And Belief System Which Prevails In Society, Ana Gotay

Master in Public Administration Theses

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Emergency Room And Hospital Utilization Among Adults With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities (Idd) In New York City, Meghan G. Blaskowitz

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Background. Avoidable emergency room (ER) visits and hospital admissions among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) contribute significantly to rising Medicaid costs. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and New York State (NYS) Medicaid Redesign Team have identified a critical need to reduce ER and hospital utilization in an effort to contain healthcare costs and improve quality of care. Study Objective. This study identifies independent predictors of medical and behavioral/psychiatric ER and hospital utilization for a cohort of individuals with IDD (n=597) residing in supported living arrangements in New York City, the most Medicaid-dense region of NYS. Methods. A retrospective …

Negotiated Bodies : Institution Building And Participatory Policymaking In Mexico's Public Health Sector, Katherine Truby

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation examines the relationships between the state and civil society organizations within the context of HIV policy in Mexico. The Mexican context is important in this analysis: Mexico has relatively recently transitioned to a more democratic form of governance, including expanding institutional opportunities for civil society organizations to participate in processes of policy development and implementation. Further, Mexico has an HIV epidemic that is concentrated in the most at-risk communities. These communities typically face political and social exclusion. The extent to which civil society organizations advocating on behalf of these marginalized communities successfully negotiate the creation of new policy …

Governing For Health As The World Grows Older: Healthy Lifespans In Aging Societies, Lawrence O. Gostin, Anna Garsia

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

So much of global health governance focuses intensely on a brief moment in the human lifespan—from a safe birth to infant and child survival. Yet, with all the attention to this early window of life (infancy to age five), the opposite end of the life spectrum is comparatively neglected. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) do not mention a healthy lifespan or a healthy old age. This inadequate attention to the older years of the life appears to be a glaring omission given the universal challenges posed by aging societies. Aging is a demographic fact in almost all countries, but it …

The Increasing Weight Of Regulation: Countries Combat The Global Obesity Epidemic, Allyn L. Taylor, Emily W. Parento, Laura A. Schmidt

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Obesity is a global epidemic, exacting an enormous human and economic toll. In the absence of a comprehensive global governance strategy, states have increasingly employed a wide array of legal strategies targeting the drivers of obesity. This article identifies recent global trends in obesity-related legislation and makes the normative case for an updated global governance strategy.

National governments have responded to the epidemic both by strengthening traditional interventions and by developing novel legislative strategies. This response consists of nine important trends: (1) strengthened and tailored tax measures; (2) broader use of counter-advertising and health campaigns; (3) expanded food labeling; (4) …

Pandemic Disease, Biological Weapons, And War, Laura K. Donohue

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Over the past two decades, concern about the threat posed by biological weapons has grown. Biowarfare is not new. But prior to the recent trend, the threat largely centered on state use of such weapons. What changed with the end of the Cold War was the growing apprehension that materials and knowledge would proliferate beyond industrialized states’ control, and that “rogue states” or nonstate actors would acquire and use biological weapons. Accordingly, in 1993 senators Samuel Nunn, Richard Lugar, and Pete Dominici expanded the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to assist the former Soviet republics in securing biological agents and weapons …

The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act’S Effects On Patterns Of Coverage In A Ryan White Funded Hiv Clinic: What Are The Implications For The Bluegrass Care Clinic?, Jacqueline Wagner Mccuddy

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Ryan White CARE Act of 1991 implemented a federal grant program to help individuals in the US with HIV/AIDS get access to healthcare and diminish barriers to care. Since its enactment, there have been many changes in the environment of HIV/AIDS, including a demographic shift in those most affected by the disease and a growing number of new infections, the introduction of Antiretroviral therapy, and most recently, the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

The PPACA is expected to have a positive effect on patients with HIV in the US by increasing access to care, …

Utilization Of The Kentucky Aids Drug Assistance Program Versus Kentucky Medicaid Using Medication Possession Ratio: Policy Implications For Public Program, Jenna Parrett

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Uninsured and underinsured people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) are able to utilize federally funded AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) to cover the price of their HIV-related medications. In Kentucky, this program also provides support services through social workers, a dedicated pharmacist, and medications by mail order. With the Affordable Care Act, many patients previously covered by the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program (KADAP) will be newly eligible for Medicaid and will no longer receive services through KADAP. There is concern that people in this situation will be at a disadvantage without these services and, in …

The Global Health Security Agenda In An Age Of Biosecurity, Lawrence O. Gostin, Alexandra Phelan

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Historically, the Oval Office has been a leader in global health assistance. From the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) under the Bush Administration, to the Global Health Initiative launched by President Obama in 2009. However, unlike PEPFAR and PMI, the Global Health Initiative met an untimely end with the launch of a bold new global health measure by the Obama Administration: the Global Health Security Agenda (GHS Agenda). The GHS Agenda aims to “accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats” through a US-led diplomatic collaboration with 30 …

Transfer Of The U.S. National Parasite Collection [Announcement], Eric P. Hoberg, Anna J.. Phillips

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

In 2013, an agreement was articulated between the United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Smithsonian Institution to transfer the National Parasite Collection (NPC) in its entirety (fluid specimens, slide specimens, frozen tissues, and reprints) to the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington, D.C. Current collections staff, including senior curator Dr. Eric P. Hoberg and support scientists/managers from the ARS, will be transferred with the collection and, with adjunct appointments in the NMNH, will provide continuity and assistance for curation and accessibility during and after the relocation. New curatorial controls will be established under NMNH …

Transfer Of The United States National Parasite Collection [Announcement], Eric P. Hoberg, Anna J. Phillips

Harold W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology: Faculty Publications

In 2013, an agreement was articulated between the United States Department of Agriculture/Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the Smithsonian Institution to transfer the United States National Parasite Collection in its entirety (fluid specimens, slide specimens, frozen tissues and reprints) to the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in Washington, D.C. Current collections staff, including senior curator Dr. Eric P. Hoberg and support scientists/managers from the ARS will be transferred with the collection and with adjunct appointments in the NMNH will provide continuity and assistance for curation and accessibility during and after the relocation. New curatorial controls will be established under …

Towards Proactive And Flexible Agent-Based Generation Of Policy Packages For Active Transportation, Araz Taeihagh, Rene Bañares-Alcántara

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

One of the approaches gaining ground in policy design is the implementation of combinations of policy measures as policy packages with the aim of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the designed policies. In this paper, we describe the recent advancements in the developments of a virtual environment for the exploration and analysis of policy packages. The virtual environment uses an agent-based modelling approach for the generation of different configurations of policy measures in the policy packages. The benefit of using the approach is the proactive and flexible generation of policy packages as the agents can react to the changes that …

Public Health Emergencies: What Counts?, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

Vaccines and drugs to prevent and treat Ebola Virus Disease that have never been tested in humans, and in scarce supply raise profound ethical challenges. What if good evidence emerged demonstrating safety and efficacy of drugs? What would be an ethical method of allocating scarce beneficial resources? The apparent preference given to foreign aid workers over West Africans provoked a firestorm. In addition to discussing the ethical allocation of scarce drugs, this article also asks a more fundamental question: Why did it take nearly 40 years after the first Ebola outbreak in 1976 to launch clinical trials?

Preparedness And Emergency Response Research Centers: Early Returns On Investment In Evidence-Based Public Health Systems Research, Shoukat Qari, David Abramson, Jane Kushma, Paul Halverson

Research, Publications & Creative Work

In today’s environment of an increased need to demonstrate the value of the federal investment in public health preparedness and response (PHPR), it is encouraging to see the results of the research conducted by the Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs), which were funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 The research generated by the PERRCs represented in this special supplement of Public Health Reports, “Outcomes from the Federal Investment in Public Health Systems Research to Strengthen Preparedness and Response,” is not only impressive but also vital in adding to the evidence base for our …

Human Consequences Of Animal Exploitation: Needs For Redefining Social Welfare, Atsuko Matsuoka, John Sorenson

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This paper addresses an area which has not been given serious consideration in social welfare and social work literature, the instrumental use of nonhuman animals, in particular as food, and argues that the welfare of humans and other animals are intertwined. The paper examines the consequences of animal exploitation for humans in terms of health, well-being, environmental damage, and exploitation of vulnerable human groups. The paper concludes that a necessary redefinition of social welfare entails attention to these issues and the recognition that other animals have inherent value and their rights must be respected.

Impact : Issue 3, Patients' Behbud Society

IMPACT – The Aga Khan University Hospital Archives

Content

- Chairman’s Message

- What Makes The Patients’ Behbud Society For AKUH Unique?

- Hoping Against Hope : Zain Khanzada

- Happenings

- The Next Generation Comes on Board

- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health : In The Limelight

- A Father’s Love : Mohammad Anas Sajjad

Diffusion Of Innovation Across A National Local Health Department Network: A Simulation Approach To Policy Development Using Agent-Based Modeling, Mark Orr, Jacqueline Merrill

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

The network that local health officials use to communicate about professional issues is sparsely connected, which may limit the spread of innovative practices. We used agent-based simulation modeling to find out if a policy to promote more connections improved the network’s capability to diffuse innovation. We found that unanticipated effects could result, depending on the requirements of the policy and the proportion of health officials involved. With carefully crafted assumptions and reliable data it is possible to untangle complex processes using simulation modeling. The results represent how the world might actually work which may provide useful decision support for policymakers …

Biofouling : A Means Of Aquatic Species Transfer, Anne Bouyssou, Josefin Madjidian

NSBWO

Ships carry seawater in their ballast tanks when they are not fully loaded with cargo, in order to maintain adequate trim, draught and stability, adjust list and limit stresses on the hull. It is now well documented that the water pumped into the ship contains aquatic organisms – which can also sink to the sediments at the bottom of tanks – and that these organisms are thereby transferred from the port of origin to the destination. But it is seldom mentioned that aquatic organisms are also found on the outside of ships, attached on their hulls and appendages, as a …

Securing Health Care Rights For Survivors: Developing An Evidence Base To Inform Policy, Jo Durham

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Analysis of current literature on landmine/explosive remnants of war casualties in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam reveals flaws in recording systems. An integrated course of action should aid mine action and public health communities in preventing incidents and providing care to survivors.

Earning Trust And Explaining Complexities As You Communicate Climate Science: The Cause Model, Katherine E. Rowan

July 10, 2013: Best Practices and Communications Strategies for Adapting to Sea Level Rise and Flooding

No abstract provided.

Local Public Health In Financial Crises: Common Decision Drivers For Changes In Services Due To Economic Downturn, Gulzar H. Shah

Health Policy & Management: Faculty Presentations (2008-2022)

We measured the impact of the 2008-2010 economic recession on local health departments (LHDs) across the United States. Between 2008 and 2010, we conducted 3 Web-based, cross-sectional surveys of a nationally representative sample of LHDs to assess cuts to budgets, workforce, and programs. By early 2010, more than half of the LHDs (53%) were experiencing cuts to their core funding. In excess of 23 000 LHDs jobs were lost in 2008-2009. All programmatic areas were affected by cuts, and more than half of protecting the health of the public, such as monitoring health status to identify and solve community health …

New Jersey Vaccine Mandates: The Confluence Of Regulations, Rights, And Religion, Drew Harris Dpm, Mph

Population Health Matters (Formerly Health Policy Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Moving Forward To 2014: Global Ihr (2005) Implementation, Julie E. Fischer, Rebecca L. Katz

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Positive Dimension: Exploring Factors That Enhance Utilization Of And Adherence To Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission (Pmtct) Of Hiv Services In An Urban Setting In Kenya, Lydia Murithi

Theses and Dissertations

Despite expansive scale-up of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV services in Kenya over the last decade, Kenya remains one of the countries contributing high numbers of children living with HIV globally and among the 22 PMTCT global plan priority countries. Using a mixed methods approach this study examined enabling factors –individual, social and structural – that enhance utilization of and adherence to PMTCT services in a plural urban setting in Kenya. The study was conducted from October-December of 2012 at St. Mary’s Mission Hospital, Lang’ata. HIV-positive birthmothers whose infants were HIV-negative at the time of the study were …

Public Health Roi: Evidence, Experience And Remaining Questions, Glen P. Mays

Health Management and Policy Presentations

Expanding the delivery of efficacious public health and prevention strategies holds considerable potential for improving health outcomes and constraining costs across the U.S. health system. Unfortunately, lingering certainties about the costs required to expand public health delivery systems and about the health and economic effects of such expansions has muted private and public support for increased public health expenditures. This lecture examines recent evidence from public health services and systems research studies that examine the health and economic value of public health delivery, and identifies remaining research needs for the field.

Transport And Health: A Look At Three Latin American Cities, Janeth Mosquera Becerra, Rodrigo S. Reis, Lawrence D. Frank, Farah A. Ramirez-Marrero, Benjamin Welle, Eugenio Arriaga Cordero, Fabian Mendez Paz, Carlos J. Crespo, Veronica Dujon, Enrique Jacoby, Jennifer Dill, Lynn Weigand, Carlos M. Padin

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transport is associated with environmental problems, economic losses, health and social inequalities. A number of European and US cities have implemented initiatives to promote multimodal modes of transport. In Latin America changes are occurring in public transport systems and a number of projects aimed at stimulating non-motorized modes of transport (walking and cycling) have already been implemented. Based on articles from peer-reviewed academic journals, this paper examines experiences in Bogota (Colombia), Curitiba (Brazil), and Santiago (Chile), and identifies how changes to the transport system contribute to encourage active transportation. Bus rapid transit, ciclovias, bike paths/lanes, and car use restriction are …

Tackling The Global Ncd Crisis: Innovations In Law And Governance, Bryan P. Thomas, Lawrence O. Gostin

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

35 million people die annually of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), 80% of them in low- and middle-income countries—representing a marked epidemiological transition from infectious to chronic diseases and from richer to poorer countries. The total number of NCDs is projected to rise by 17% over the coming decade, absent significant interventions. The NCD epidemic poses unique governance challenges: the causes are multifactorial, the affected populations diffuse, and effective responses require sustained multi-sectorial cooperation. The authors propose a range of regulatory options available at the domestic level, including stricter food labeling laws, regulation of food advertisements, tax incentives for healthy lifestyle choices, …

Rediscovering The Core Of Public Health, Steven Teutsch, Jonathan E. Fielding

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

The success of public health has been its ability to understand contemporary health problems, to communicate the needs successfully, to identify solutions, and to implement them through programs and policies. In the past 50 years, those successes can be attributed largely to control of infectious disease, improved maternal and child health, delivery of other personal health care services, and changes in behaviors, particularly smoking. Yet health is primarily a product of our social, cultural, and physical environments. To continue to improve the nation’s health and reduce disparities, public health needs to return to its historical roots and engage with other …

Sweet Freedom: Smokers’ Rights & The Rebranding Of Philip Morris, Amy Dipierro

Annual Undergraduate Conference on Health and Society

This paper discusses how Philip Morris invoked strong American values to defend its own corporate speech as well as “smoker’s rights.” In particular, it examines Philip Morris Company’s Bill of Rights advertising campaign of the early 1990s, especially focusing on an advertisement featuring Everett Alvarez, a prisoner of war during Vietnam. This strategy reveals how Philip Morris was able to manipulate the public conversation about smoking from one about health and disease to one about human rights and freedoms.