Health and population

Health and population dynamics are intertwined, embodying an intricate relationship with significant implications on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Health is fundamentally at the center of these 17 global goals, aimed to transform the world by 2030. Specifically, Goal 3 endeavors to "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." It acknowledges that health is pivotal to human life quality, social cohesion, and sustainable development. Inextricably linked to this are the complexities of population dynamics, including growth rates, age structure, fertility and mortality rates, and migration patterns.

With the world's population projected to exceed 9.7 billion by 2050, the pressure on health systems will undoubtedly escalate. The demographic transition, with an aging population and an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, poses new challenges for health systems globally. Additionally, areas with high fertility rates often overlap with extreme poverty, resulting in heightened health risks, including higher maternal and child mortality rates, malnutrition, and infectious diseases.

Moreover, rapid urbanization and migration present both opportunities and threats to health. While urban areas may provide better access to healthcare, they also harbor risks of disease transmission, air and water pollution, and social determinants of health like inadequate housing and social inequality. Simultaneously, migrants often face disproportionate health risks due to unstable living conditions, exploitation, and limited access to healthcare services.

Achieving the SDGs will necessitate comprehensive approaches that consider the intricate interplay of health and population dynamics. It means strengthening health systems, promoting universal health coverage, and addressing social determinants of health. It also implies crafting policies that recognize demographic realities and foster an environment conducive to sustainable development. Only by understanding and harnessing these dynamics can the world meaningfully progress towards realizing the SDGs, ensuring healthy lives and well-being for all.

A Commission on dementia prevention, intervention, and care, in the context of SDG 3, focusing specifically on individual-level and policy-level interventions for modifying risk factors to prevent or delay onset, tackling inequalities, providing holistic post-diagnostic care, managing neuropsychiatric symptoms, and caring for family carers.
Elsevier,

The Lancet, Volume 396, Issue 10247, 1–7 August 2020, Pages 301-302

This news report addresses SDGs 3 and 5 by highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global surge in violence against women and girls. The report highlights that lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services during the lockdown and thereafter could result in up to 7 million unintended pregnancies worldwide, and up to 2·7 million unsafe abortions and 11 000 pregnancy-related deaths.
Elsevier,

The Lancet, Volume 396, Issue 10247, 1–7 August 2020, Pages 301-302

This news report addresses SDG 5 by highlighting how the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global surge in violence against women and girls. The report highlights that lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services during the lockdown and thereafter could result in up to 7 million unintended pregnancies worldwide, and up to 2·7 million unsafe abortions and 11 000 pregnancy-related deaths.
Dr. Dr. Dênis Pires de Lima, 2017 first prize winner of the Elsevier Foundation-ISC3 Green & Sustainable Chemistry Challenge
In 2017, Dr. Dênis Pires de Lima from the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, was awarded the first prize of € 50,000 for his project “From Cashews to castor oil, combating mosquito-borne diseases.” Contributing to SDGs 3 and 15, Dr. Pires de Lima and his team’s project promoted the use of natural waste from locally sourced cashew nuts and castor oil, to produce environmentally friendly insecticides against mosquitoes carrying Zika and Dengue fever — a sustainable alternative to conventional, substantially toxic insecticides. Three years later, we interviewed Dr. about his experience as a winner of the Green Sustainable Chemistry Challenge, as well as the upcoming steps for his winning project.
Elsevier,

Starting At the Beginning, Laying the Foundation for Lifelong Mental Health, 2020, Pages 31-42

This chapter addresses Goal 3 by exploring stressors that adversely affect healthy cultural identification and adjustment in children causing mental health disparities.
Elsevier,

Starting At the Beginning, Laying the Foundation for Lifelong Mental Health, 2020, Pages 239-272

This chapter addresses Goal 3 by discussing child-relevant mental health policies.
Elsevier,

Surveying the Covid-19 Pandemic and its Implications, Urban Health, Data Technology and Political Economy, 2020, Pages 129-139

This chapter explores how data science and technology has been key in fighting COVID-19 through early detection and in the devising of tools for containing the spread. The goal of SDG 3.3 is to end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
Food safety concerns every food handling facility and is intricately woven with food nutrition. There are many factors that can make food incongruous for the consumption of humans. Contributing to SDGs 2 and 3, this chapter highlights the different scenarios related to food in respect of microorganism growth, different types of food poisoning caused by different sources, like microbial contamination, pesticides residues, improper handling of food, personal unhygienic practices, and their safety measures.
Elsevier,

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome From Physiologic Principles to Clinical Practice 2020, Pages 29-38

This book chapter advances SDG3 Good Health and Wellbeing and SDG10 Reducing Inequalities by bringing to light research on OHS. Patients with OHS have significant morbidity and mortality if left untreated and early diagnosis and treatment can lead to significant improvement in patient outcomes.
This book chapter advances SDG 3 by explaining how pain is considered as the fifth vital sign. Therefore, proper treatment of acute or chronic pain is important for improving the quality of life of patients.

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