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.

Elsevier, Sustainable Materials and Technologies, Volume 9, 1 September 2016
Granite Powder (GP) and Iron Powder (IP) are industrial byproducts generated from the granite polishing and milling industry in powder form respectively. These byproducts are left largely unused and are hazardous materials to human health because they are airborne and can be easily inhaled. An experimental investigation has been carried out to explore the possibility of using the granite powder and iron powder as a partial replacement of sand in concrete. Twenty cubes and ten beams of concrete with GP and twenty cubes and ten beams of concrete with IP were prepared and tested.
Loowatt team in Madagascar
The RELX Group Environmental Challenge is awarded annually to projects that best demonstrate how they can provide sustainable access to safe water where it is presently at risk and/or access to improved sanitation. The 2016 winner was Loowatt - an innovative sanitation solution which also generates power. The Environmental Challenge directly assists SDG 6.1 and 6.2 to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water and access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene, for all.
Background Timely assessment of the burden of HIV/AIDS is essential for policy setting and programme evaluation. In this report from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 (GBD 2015), we provide national estimates of levels and trends of HIV/AIDS incidence, prevalence, coverage of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and mortality for 195 countries and territories from 1980 to 2015.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective intervention in outpatient and inpatient settings for a wide range of presenting mental health problems including depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and Somatorform Disorder. There is likely to be an unmet need for this therapeutic approach in most Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC).
This book chapter advances SDG #3 and #10 by providing a brief outline of AD epidemiology, the definition of an AD biomarker, the classification and features of AD, and AD risk factors, followed by a description of the structure and content of each of the following chapters and their focus on specific types of AD biomarkers.
Elsevier,

Biomarkers in Alzheimer's Disease, 2016, Pages 103-135

This chapter addresses goal 3 by providing an overview of genetic biomarkers and the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease.
Employers should address rising stress and mental health risk through collaboration between internal departments and insurance providers. A dedicated employee risk manager is part of the solution, argues Andrew Woolnough, value propositions director at Willis Employee Benefits. Companies have an important role to play in advancing SDG 3.4 to promote mental health and well-being.
Elsevier,

Research Intelligence, August 2016

Cancer Moonshot Report
With this report, Elsevier aims to benchmark and map out the global landscape of cancer research to provide helpful new insights. Along with other materials, this benchmark report will offer the research community, pubic, policymakers and research funding organizations information on the current state of cancer related research. We hope this report will be used to inform the development of new operational approaches, priorities, policies and funding strategies to produce new knowledge that will address key challenges related to cancer in the most effective, efficient and impactful way possible.
Although effective programmes are available and several countries have seen substantial declines in new HIV infections, progress in the reduction of adult HIV incidence has been slower than expected worldwide and many countries have not had large decreases in new infections in adults despite large reductions in paediatric infections. Reasons for slow progress include inadequate commitment, investment, focus, scale, and quality of implementation of prevention and treatment interventions.
Transgender people are a diverse population affected by a range of negative health indicators across high-income, middle-income, and low-income settings. Studies consistently document a high prevalence of adverse health outcomes in this population, including HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, mental health distress, and substance use and abuse. However, many other health areas remain understudied, population-based representative samples and longitudinal studies are few, and routine surveillance efforts for transgender population health are scarce.

Pages