Category: Health
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Majority of Women Unaware of Early Signs of Breast Cancer
Only two in five people (42%) feel confident in recognizing changes in their breasts that could be a sign of cancer, according to a new survey of 19,000 respondents conducted by Avon Products, Inc. The results also show that there is a knowledge gap among women worldwide regarding the symptoms of breast cancer and how…
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Brazil is One of the World Leaders in Tobacco Control
A report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that Brazil is one of the world leaders in tobacco control. The study also shows that one in ten deaths caused by diseases worldwide is attributable to cigarettes. “The country is listed as one of the eight low- and middle-income nations that have managed to…
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University of California to Study Alzheimer’s Disease in Latinos
The University of California has received a multi-year grant of nearly $14.7 million from the National Institutes of Health to study contributing factors to dementia in the Latino population in the United States. The multicenter study will examine the biological bases of stroke, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease among Hispanics, and will seek new…
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Brazil Pioneer in Public Policy for HIV Prevention
Brazil has begun implementing a new method to reduce the risk of HIV transmission, according to the Ministry of Health. The HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis project (ImPrEP) was developed by the Evandro Chagas National Institute of Infectology (INI), part of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).Brazil has begun implementing a new method to reduce the risk of…
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Zika Epidemic Ended, but Rights Issues Persist
According to Human Rights Watch, Brazil has not addressed long-standing human rights issues that allowed the Zika outbreak to worsen, leaving the population vulnerable to future outbreaks and other serious public health risks. The government declared the end of the national public health emergency related to the Zika virus in May 2017. The Human Rights…
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Brazil Sets Nutrition Goals
Brazil has become the first country to make commitments as part of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016–2025. Brazil’s 3 commitments, to be achieved by 2019, are as follows: • Stop the growth of the adult obesity rate (currently at 20.8%) • Reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among adults by at least…
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100 Healthy Years – Are Children Ready?
With the continuous increase in global life expectancy, statistics from the World Health Organization show that today’s children are likely to be the first to live to 100 years. But living 100 healthy years – with vitality and mobility – and the challenge of equipping children for this was the theme of the second annual…
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Ministry of Health Declares End of Zika Emergency
The Minister of Health, Ricardo Barros, announced the end of the National Public Health Emergency caused by the Zika virus and its association with microcephaly and other neurological conditions. The number of reported cases has dropped by 95% in the first months of this year compared to the same period in 2016. Therefore, Brazil no…
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Negative Attitudes About Ageing are Bad for Health
New analysis by World Health Organization shows that negative or ageist attitudes towards older people are widespread. They also negatively affect older people’s physical and mental health. Fully 60% of respondents in the “World Values Survey” analysed by WHO reported that older people are not respected. More than 83,000 people in 57 countries took part…
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Diabetes on the Rise in Brazil
As it is in most countries around the world, diabetes is on the rise in Brazil. But efforts being rolled out nationwide, supported by World Health Organization, are helping Brazilians manage often debilitating health consequences, and lead productive lives at the same time. As explains Dr Lenildo de Moura, who works on the prevention and…