|
Weekly News and Notes
From the Duke Global Health Institute
Greetings!
DGHI's faculty is made up of an impressive group of professors, researchers and individuals. Today's newsletter highlights the recent achievements, publications, discoveries and appointments of a number of them.
We're also pleased to bring you a new series we're calling " Bringing Global Health Home." This periodic series will highlight the global health research and projects under way in our own backyard. Today we're featuring two students who have spent their summer working with health clinics in Raleigh and Durham. Read about their experiences, challenges and what surprised them most.
Until next time,
Geelea Seaford and Everyone at DGHI
|
|
DGHI Researcher Develops Depression Treatment for HIV Patients in Cameroon
In an African country where depression is rarely managed, and where there's little known about mental illness among people with HIV, DGHI researchers are testing a pilot program to screen and treat patients for mental illness and train health care providers as depression care managers.
Left to right: Joseph Nyingcho, Interviewer, CSCCD; Seema Parkash, Research Coordinator, CHP; Shantal Asanji, Research Nurse, CSCCD | The DGHI-affiliated depression treatment intervention, called the ADEPT Project, is under way at an HIV clinic in Bamenda, a regional capitol in English-speaking Cameroon. Cameroon is a low-income country in central Africa where approximately 5.5% of the population is known to be infected with HIV. It is the first known project focused both on HIV and mental illness in Cameroon and one of few throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
"Resources to comprehensively respond to mental health disorders are limited," said co-principal investigator and DGHI member Brian Pence, an infectious diseases epidemiologist in the Department of Community and Family Medicine and the Center for Health Policy. "There are few trained mental health specialists in the area, and there is fragmented health care at best. In fact, there is virtually no information on how prevalent mental health disorders are in the country."
In a recent Global Health Exchange at DGHI, Pence noted there are five neurologists, three psychiatrists, and 33 psychiatric nurses for the country's population of nearly 20 million. "In other words," he observed, "our research team includes 20% of the neurologists and 3% of the psychiatric nurses in the entire country."
He admits it will be challenging to develop a system that can function efficiently in a resource-poor setting, but Pence is hopeful that he can potentially improve the standard of care for mental health in Cameroon and elsewhere.
Read more about what's being done in the three phases of the project.
|
|
Noteworthy Publications
U.S. Clergy Disproportionately Suffer from Chronic Illnesses, Yet Self-Report Better Physical Health
DGHI member and research scholar of the Center for Health Policy Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell finds that United Methodist clergy have higher than average self-reported rates of obesity, diabetes, asthma, arthritis and high blood pressure. However, health diagnoses differ from physical health functioning, which indicates how much health problems interfere with activities of daily living. Proeschold-Bell said health interventions are urgently needed, but it may be difficult to elicit participation given pastors' optimistic view of their physical health functioning. The research findings were published in the Journal on Religion and Health in July.
Mother's Affection at Infancy Predicts Emotional Distress in Adulthood
A study by DGHI member Joanna (Asia) Maselko, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University Medical Center, found that infants who are shown motherly affection are better able to cope with life stressors as adults. Published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, these findings suggest that early nurturing and warmth have long-lasting positive effects on mental health well into adulthood. Read more.
This study was featured in number of news publications, including CNN, MSN Health & Fitness, the Wall Street Journal and BBC.
DGHI Faculty Identifies New Human Pathogen
A group of scientists, including Duke physician and DGHI member John Crump and DGHI partners at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), has identified a new human pathogen that is associated with severe disease originating in sub-Saharan Africa. Officially called mycobacterium sherrisii, the organism is emerging as a major cause of invasive disease with bloodstream infection among people with advanced HIV. The mycobacterial bloodstream infection is described in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.
|
Dispatches from the Field:
Bringing Global Health Home
With projects ranging from infectious diseases to health insurance, Duke students are learning and studying the vast health challenges that face underserved populations in their backyard. Here, they give firsthand accounts of their summer fieldwork and research experiences so far - all different, but tied by geography.
 Kelly Hu"Access to Health Care for the Uninsured - Project Access"
Senior, Environmental Sciences Major, Global Health Certificate
Kelly Hu is working with Project Access of Durham County this summer to help link uninsured, low-income Durham residents to a local network of clinics, laboratories, pharmacies and hospitals that donate time to help those in need. Hu processes new referrals from the health center, screens and schedules patients for eligibility based on insurance, income and residence. She also conducts patient enrollment interviews and arranges for transportation to specialty appointments.
How has this experience impacted what you want to do with your life? "I was almost certain that I would like to become a doctor, but recently I have been having second thoughts based on my experiences with Project Access and the Durham County Health Assessment..." Read Q & A.
"Tuberculosis and Control Internship at Wake County Human Services"
Senior, Biology Major, Global Health Certificate
Castillo is observing the Wake County Tuberculosis program, housed within Wake County Human Services at the Clinic for Communicable Disease this summer. She is also assisting in the recruitment of participants for a research study at Duke's clinic for Infectious Disease, which looks at whether a text message reminder can improve attendance at clinical appointments for HIV patients. Prior to this summer, Castillo has completed other fieldwork and volunteer projects in Durham, Guatemala and Uganda.
How have the people you interacted with impress upon you? "The interactions I have had with HIV-positive patients at Duke, as well as those from the Wake County system with TB-related issues, have given me a more realistic perspective of the spectrum of patients I can expect to encounter in this region..." Read Q & A.
Jen'nan Read to Lead DGHI's Gender, Poverty and Health Initiative
 DGHI has tapped Duke sociologist and DGHI member Jen'nan Ghazal Read to lead the Institute's signature research initiative on gender, poverty and health. Read takes over for Kim Blankenship, who left Duke in June to chair the Sociology department at American University.
At Duke since 2008, Read is associate professor of sociology and global health, and is a faculty member in DGHI's Master of Science in Global Health (MSc-GH) program. Her research interests include health, religion and politics, and Muslims in America.
Read will direct the Institute's interdisciplinary faculty working group to address the causes of inequality that are masked by race, ethnicity and gender. Estimates show women represent nearly two-thirds of the world's poor, and as a result, face considerable health challenges. The working group, part of DGHI's six signature research initiatives, is designed to facilitate faculty research across a variety of schools and departments at Duke. Read more, including comments from Read.
DGHI's Michael Merson Participates in Launch of NUS Program to Boost Health Care in Asia
The National University of Singapore (NUS) launched a new initiative in July that aims to improve public health and health care delivery in Asia through research, high-level policy forums and leadership programs.
Left to right: Alan Lopez, Australia's University of Queensland; Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan; Michael Merson, DGHI; Lord Ara Darzi, Imperial College London. Courtesy of The Straits Times. |
The NUS Initiative to Improve Health in Asia was announced by Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan during his address at the East Asia Healthcare Policy Dialogue. DGHI Founding Director Michael Merson, also Vice Chancellor for Duke-NUS Affairs, gave remarks at the event.
The $17 million initiative for research, education and capacity building in health policy across Asia is supported by the GSK-EDB Trust Fund, set up by the Economic Development Board and pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline. It will provide funding for research on health policy as well as sponsor mid-career healthcare executives across Asia to participate in a leadership program in Singapore. A forum is set for November to tackle health challenges, identify solutions and foster partnerships between Asian health policy makers.
Khaw emphasized more must be done in health care, including integrating care for those with multiple or complex chronic conditions and putting in place new infrastructure like a national electronic health records system.
The symposium, which took place on the sidelines of the 10th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting, attracted roughly 60 health care officials. |
|
|
Faculty News and Funding
DGHI Affiliate Appointed to Health-Care Reform Rulemaking Committee
 Donald H. Taylor Jr., associate professor of public policy and DGHI affiliate, has been appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to a committee of 24 experts who will review and update criteria used to define medically underserved areas and health professional shortage areas. The new committee was mandated in health care reform measures approved by Congress in March.
Taylor's health policy research focuses on older Americans, Medicare and long-term care. He closely followed the health care reform debate in Congress since June 2009, writing a blog and a series of columns on the topic for the Raleigh News & Observer. Read more.
Funding Opportunities
Calls for Abstracts/Papers
Deadline Aug. 15
Deadline Oct. 23
Education Opportunity
The NIH Clinical Center has extended an invitation for the 2010-2011 "Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research" on how to effectively conduct clinical research. Deadline Oct. 8. Learn more.
|
Student News and Opportunities
Undergraduate students are invited to apply for GSA, which explores health and development issues in India and China. Deadline Sept. 20
Deadline Oct. 1
Deadline Oct.18
* * * Careers in Global Health
Recently graduated? Interesed in working in global health? The Duke Global Health Institute keeps a list of career resources. See current opportunities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Events
Aug. 6 » 9:30- 11 am
Fault Lines in Global Health: Launch of CSIS Debate Series
Geneen Auditorium, Fuqua School of Business
Aug. 26 » 7:30-9 am
TGHC Monthly Breakfast Discussion: Private Sector Participation in Achieving Public Health Goals
NC Biotechnology Center
Aug. 30 » 12-1:30 pm
Health Forum: Emerging Challenges in Keeping the Public Healthy
School of Nursing, Auditorium 1014
Sept. 8 » 1:45-2:45 pm
Global Health Policy Updates
UNC Gillings School of Public Health
Sept. 13 » 5:30-9 pm
GH TRIPS - Global Health Transitions, Research, Insights, Presentations, Service
TBA
Sept. 15 » 12-1 pm
Global Health Exchange Brown Bag Series: Mike Hansen, Exco InTouch Inc
Trent Hall, Room 124
Sept. 15
HSM's Second Annual Medical Innovation and Strategies Conference 2010
Fuqua School of Business
|
|
DGHI In The News
Taking a Break from Lord's Work
DGHI member Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell found that clergy suffer from obesity, hyptertension and depression at higher rates than most Americans.
The iPad Goes to College This Fall
DGHI's iPad project has been featured on a variety of news websites; the latest is CNN
Mother Love 'Does Breed Confidence'
DGHI member Joanna (Asia) Maselko found that infants who are shown motherly affection are better able to cope with life stressors as adults.
Fighting Malaria, Protecting Environment
Charlotte Observer
Duke researchers, including DGHI Associate Director of Strategy Randy Kramer
are working with African colleagues to reduce the spread of malaria without causing environmental harm.
|
|
