Year: 2001
Type: review
Abstract: During the past century, advances in hygiene, antibiotic development, and immunisations have resulted in cures for most childhood infections.Because access to medical care is not universally available, however, infectious diseases continue to be the main source of childhood mortality and morbidity.Increasingly, disparities in the health of children are linked to differences in socioeconomic status between industrialised and developing countries and between lower and higher income families within those countries.For example, diseases that are preventable by vaccination, such as polio, continue to flourish in parts of the world, and children are still becoming infected with HIV because identifying infected mothers and delivering effective drugs to them are formidable tasks.In this review, we examine four prominent health issues influenced by social or economic conditions: vertical transmission of HIV, vaccines, obesity, and teenage smoking.The advances made in these areas are relevant to both industrialised and developing countries. MethodsWe searched Medline for relevant articles published since 1 January 1999 and reviewed recent government documents where relevant.We also identified additional educational resources related to each of the four topics that may be of interest to doctors and families. Recent advancesSimplified antiretroviral regimens can prevent the vertical transmission of HIV in developing countries Public-private partnerships are helping to overcome the problems of low immunisation rates, poor sanitation, and political conflict that continue to hinder eradication of polio virus New vaccines against pneumococcus have been developed that are effective in young children Revised paediatric growth charts have been introduced that are based on larger samples of children Decreasing television viewing among children may by itself reduce childhood obesity Doctors can help prevent tobacco use among adolescents as well as other family members
Source: BMJ
Authors: Anjali Jain, Matthew M Davis
Language: English
Topic: Child and Adolescent Health
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2037700053