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1 – 10 of over 58000Caroline Sabina Wekullo, Elise Catherine Davis, Fredrick Muyia Nafukho and Bita A. Kash
This paper aims to critically analyze the empirical literature on health and human development in high-, middle- and low-income countries to develop a sustainable model for…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to critically analyze the empirical literature on health and human development in high-, middle- and low-income countries to develop a sustainable model for investing in human health. The model is critical in building a comprehensive health-care system that fosters the stakeholders’ financial stability, economic growth and high-quality education for the local community.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive literature review was carried out on health, human development and sustainable health investment. After thoroughly examining theoretical frameworks underlying the strategies of successful human health systems, a summary of empirical articles is created. Summaries provided in this paper represent relevant health-care strategies for Kenya.
Findings
Based on the empirical review of literature, a Nexus Health Care model focusing on human development, social and cultural development, economic development and environmental development in high-, middle- and low-income countries is proposed. The goal of this model is to enhance sustainable development where wealth creation is accompanied with environmental uplifting and protection of social and material well-being.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited to a comprehensive literature review presenting empirical evidence of human development and sustainability.
Originality/value
Kenya like other developing nations aspires to contribute significantly in improving health through development of health products but the approaches used have been limiting. In most cases, the use of Western theories, lack of empowering the community and dependence on donor support have hindered the country from achieving comprehensive health and human development. This papers seeks to develop a model for health-care investment and provide strategies, operations and structure of successful health systems and human development for a developing country, such as Kenya.
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Shulin Xu, Zefeng Tong, Cheng Li and Shuoqi Chen
High-quality labor supply is inevitable to maintain sustainable and steady economic growth. This study mainly explores the impact of the social pension system on the health of…
Abstract
Purpose
High-quality labor supply is inevitable to maintain sustainable and steady economic growth. This study mainly explores the impact of the social pension system on the health of human capital, and further explores its impact mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
On the basis of the data from China Family Panel Studies from 2012 to 2018, this article uses the fixed effect model and the mediation effect model to empirically study the influence of the social pension scheme on the health of human capital and further explore its influence mechanism.
Findings
This study shows that the social pension scheme can significantly improve the physical and mental health of laborers, especially for low-income and agricultural groups. The implementation of the social pension scheme contributes to increasing medical services and reducing the labor supply for the benefit of human health capital. Therefore, the government should continue to expand the coverage of the social pension scheme and comprehensively improve the importance of human health capital on economic growth.
Practical implications
Medical costs and labor supply play a mediating effect in the relationship between social pension and rural labors' health status, which indicates that medical costs and labor supply level are still important factors affecting the health status of rural labor. There are essential factors affecting the health status of the rural labor force, and their role should be given more consideration in the process of system design and improvement.
Originality/value
The existing studies have more frequently studied the effect of the implementation of social pension schemes from the perspective of economic performance, but this paper evaluates the policy effect of social pension schemes based on the perspective of health human capital, which enriches research on health performance in related fields.
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Irina Farquhar, Michael Kane, Alan Sorkin and Kent H. Summers
This chapter proposes an optimized innovative information technology as a means for achieving operational functionalities of real-time portable electronic health records, system…
Abstract
This chapter proposes an optimized innovative information technology as a means for achieving operational functionalities of real-time portable electronic health records, system interoperability, longitudinal health-risks research cohort and surveillance of adverse events infrastructure, and clinical, genome regions – disease and interventional prevention infrastructure. In application to the Dod-VA (Department of Defense and Veteran's Administration) health information systems, the proposed modernization can be carried out as an “add-on” expansion (estimated at $288 million in constant dollars) or as a “stand-alone” innovative information technology system (estimated at $489.7 million), and either solution will prototype an infrastructure for nation-wide health information systems interoperability, portable real-time electronic health records (EHRs), adverse events surveillance, and interventional prevention based on targeted single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) discovery.
Brittany Shea, Kim Knowlton and Jeffrey Shaman
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the existing opportunity to educate future health professionals on the health impacts of climate change in order to facilitate more…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the existing opportunity to educate future health professionals on the health impacts of climate change in order to facilitate more informed planning and health governance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors provide context for climate and health education and how it can lead to better-informed health governance, discuss how health can be used to motivate climate action, and provide examples of climate and health governance. In addition, they outline the climate and health educational components needed in health profession curricula and provide an example of an effort currently being implemented to support and coordinate climate and health education at health professions institutions.
Findings
Although action to address the health impacts of climate change is taking place, more climate-health policy and informed governance is needed. In addition, climate and health education must be included in the curricula of all health professions institutions to provide critical know-how on this topic.
Originality/value
The authors seek to advance the discussion around the need for climate and health education in schools and programs of public health, medicine, and nursing to better prepare students for their future roles as health practitioners.
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Raquel Guiné, João Duarte, Manuela Ferreira, Paula Correia, Marcela Leal, Ivana Rumbak, Irena Baric, Drazenka Komes, Zvonimir Satalic, Marijana Matek Saric, Monica Tarcea, Zita Fazakas, Dijana Jovanoska, Dragoljub Vanevski, Elena Vittadini, Nicoletta Pellegrini, Viktória Szucs, Júlia Harangozó, Ayman EL-Kenawy, Omnia EL-Shenawy, Erkan Yalçin, Cem Kösemeci, Dace Klava and Evita Straumite
Because dietary fibre has been recognized as a major ally to the maintenance of a healthy body as well as to help against the development of some chronic diseases, this paper aims…
Abstract
Purpose
Because dietary fibre has been recognized as a major ally to the maintenance of a healthy body as well as to help against the development of some chronic diseases, this paper aims to study the level of knowledge of a relatively wide range of people about the health effects related to the ingestion of dietary fibre in appropriate dosages.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken on a non-probabilistic sample of 6,010 participants. The data were collected from 10 countries in three different continents (Europe, Africa and America) and measured the level of knowledge regarding different health benefits from dietary fibre. The questionnaires were applied by direct interview after verbal informed consent.
Findings
The results obtained considering the general level of knowledge revealed a considerable degree of information about the benefits of fibre (average score of 3.54 ± 0.5, on a scale from 1 to 5). There were significant differences between genders (p < 0.001), with higher average score for women, and also for level of education (p < 0.001), with higher score for university level. The living environment also showed significant differences (p < 0.001), with people living in urban areas showing a higher degree of knowledge. Also for countries the differences were significant (p < 0.001), with the highest score obtained for Portugal (3.7), and the lowest for Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia and Romania (3.5). However, despite these differences, the results showed that for all the countries the degree of knowledge was good (above 3.5), corresponding to a minimum level of knowledge of 70 per cent.
Originality/value
This work is considered important due to the wide coverage, including so many countries inclusive with different social and cultural settings. The study allowed concluding that, in general, the participants in the study were quite well informed about the benefits of dietary fibre for the improvement of human health, regardless of gender, level of education, living environment or country. This finding is very relevant considering the diversity of people that composed the sample and reinforces the necessity of continuing with educational policies aimed at providing the general population with the knowledge that might help them make appropriate food choices.
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Idowu Opeoluwa Isreal Akingba, Shivee Ranjanee Kaliappan and Hanny Zurina Hamzah
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the long-term impacts of health capital on economic growth in Singapore from 1980 to 2013.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the long-term impacts of health capital on economic growth in Singapore from 1980 to 2013.
Design/methodology/approach
Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL)-ECM methodology and several diagnostic and specification tests were used to estimate the impact of health capital on economic growth on time series data covering the period 1980-2013.
Findings
The results confirm that health capital (measure by health expenditure per capita) positively and significantly affects Singapore’s economic growth in the long run. In addition, the equilibrium error correction coefficient lagged by one in the short-run is approximately 83.25 percent for all estimated variables, implying a considerably high speed of long-term adjustment to equilibrium following a short-term shock. Moreover, the Toda-Yamamoto’s Granger causality estimation reveals that there is a unidirectional causality from health expenditure per capita to GDP per capita.
Research limitations/implications
The findings imply that Singapore’s economic growth could be improved significantly if expenditure on health capital is increased. This eventually would have a substantial impact on human productivity which leads to improved output per capita. Thus, policy makers and/or the government should strive to create institutional capacity to improve basic health service by strengthening the health institutions infrastructure that produces healthy and quality manpower.
Originality/value
Grounded on the premises that there are little or no studies on the impact of health capital on Singapore economy, this paper provides new evidence on the potential effect of health capital on Singapore’s economic growth over the last three decades. Also, this study explore the causal effect (unidirectional or bidirectional) between health capital and economic growth.
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Marta Postula, Krzysztof Kluza, Magdalena Zioło and Katarzyna Radecka-Moroz
Environmental degradation resulting from human activities may adversely affect human health in multiple ways. Until now, policies aimed at mitigating environmental problems such…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental degradation resulting from human activities may adversely affect human health in multiple ways. Until now, policies aimed at mitigating environmental problems such as climate change, environmental pollution and damage to biodiversity have failed to clearly identify and drive the potential benefits of these policies on health. The conducted study assesses and demonstrates how specific environmental policies and instruments influence perceived human health in order to ensure input for a data-driven decision process.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted for the 2004–2020 period in European Union (EU) countries with the use of dynamic panel data modeling. Verification of specific policies' impact on dependent variables allows to indicate this their effectiveness and importance. As a result of the computed dynamic panel data models, it has been confirmed that a number of significant and meaningful relationships between the self-perceived health index and environmental variables can be identified.
Findings
There is a strong positive impact of environmental taxation on the health index, and the strength of this relationship causes effects to be observed in the very short term, even the following year. In addition, the development of renewable energy sources (RES) and the elimination of fossil fuels from the energy mix exert positive, although milder, effects on health. The reduction of ammonia emissions from agriculture and reducing noise pollution are other health-supporting factors that have been shown to be statistically valid. Results allow to identify the most efficient policies in the analyzed area in order to introduce those with the best results or a mix of such measures.
Originality/value
The results of the authors' research clearly indicate the health benefits of measures primarily aimed at improving environmental factors, such as environmental taxes in general. The authors have also discovered an unexpected negative impact of an increase in the share of energy taxes in total taxes on the health index. The presented study opens several possibilities for further investigation, especially in the context of the rapidly changing geopolitical environment and global efforts to respond to environmental and health challenges. The authors believe that the outcome of the authors' study may provide new arguments to policymakers pursuing solutions that are not always easily acceptable by the public.
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Azadeh Ranjbar Nedamani, Elham Ranjbar Nedamani and Azadeh Salimi
Human health is strongly affected by diet. By the increased use of food industries products, public knowledge about health factors and side effects of chemical additives, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Human health is strongly affected by diet. By the increased use of food industries products, public knowledge about health factors and side effects of chemical additives, the concepts of human health founded an important aspect during past years, and application of natural-based ingredients such as coloring, flavoring, texturizing and anti-oxidative agents was increased.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of the present paper is to review the published scientific research studies about lycopene health benefits in different human disease or disorders and bold the necessity of study the health effects of lycopene after its formulation in food industrial products. About 190 papers were searched in Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science databases and 72 relevant papers were used. It was found that in medical studies, the lycopene oleoresin or powder is used directly to the subjects. However, it is necessary to study the effectiveness of lycopene in diet food products.
Findings
According to the literature, it has beneficial effects on cancers, glands, reproductive system, bone, gastric system, liver and fat reduction in the body. Also, it was concluded from the literature that lycopene oxidative cleavages make also its chemo protective effects which is a lost key element to study different food processing on lycopene products or its isomers in final food products and on human health.
Originality/value
Many ingredients in food formulations are substituted by natural products. Lycopene is a colorant but also, according to the literature, has a strong antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effect to reduce the risk of most important human disease and disorders. Future research in food science can emphasize the effect of different unit operations or formulations on lycopene effects on human health.
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Kasturi Sudam Patil and Elizabeth Rufus
The paper aims to focus on implantable antenna sensors used for biomedical applications. Communication in implantable medical devices (IMDs) is beneficial for continuous…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to focus on implantable antenna sensors used for biomedical applications. Communication in implantable medical devices (IMDs) is beneficial for continuous monitoring of health. The ability to communicate with exterior equipment is an important aspect of IMD. Thus, the design of an implantable antenna for integration into IMD is important.
Design/methodology/approach
In this review, recent developments in IMDs, three types of antenna sensors, which are recommended by researchers for biomedical implants are considered. In this review, design requirements, different types of their antenna, parameters and characteristics in medical implants communication system (MICS) and industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) bands are summarized here. Also, overall current progress in development of implantable antenna sensor, its challenges and the importance of human body characteristics are described.
Findings
This article give information about the requirements of implantable antenna sensor designs, types of antennas useful to design implantable devices and their characteristics in MICS and ISM bands. Recent advancement in implantable devices has led to an improvement in human health.
Originality/value
The paper provides useful information on implantable antennas design for biomedical application. The designing of such antennas needs to meet requirements such as compact size, patients’ safety, communication ability and biocompatibility.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine how nature-based solutions (NBS) are being used in city areas to improve environmental conditions and increase tourism. This research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how nature-based solutions (NBS) are being used in city areas to improve environmental conditions and increase tourism. This research examines the drivers behind, and impacts of, the application of NBS in city redevelopment projects for tourism. NBS is a term that refers to the use of flora and fauna ecosystems as an approach to resolve problems faced by society.
Design/methodology/approach
An interdisciplinary research methodology has been developed to examine the relationship between city NBS and tourism; the methods include a literature review of contemporary practice, field observations and thematic textual analysis from digital archives. The research methodology uses a combined empirical and desk-based analysis of five case studies cites.
Findings
NBS, as part of city redevelopment projects, is now a strategic aim of many cities globally to re-brand, re-vision and re-orientate themselves to be more hospitable, liveable and attractive to tourists and visitors.
Practical implications
City redevelopment projects are incorporating NBS to address climate change as well as local environmental issues such as disaster resilience whilst simultaneously delivering social and economic benefits.
Social implications
The research reveals that NBS can deliver benefits to human wellbeing, tourism, economic vitality as well as more sustainable models of urban development.
Originality/value
The research reveals for the first time how NBS is being used as a driver for increasing tourism globally. The research is highly original as it examines a new topic in tourism studies, the role of NBS in relation to city tourism.
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