WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Health research shifted from individual to social determinants, recognizing socioeconomic factors' role in disparities. The focus now is on health equity, addressing societal and structural levels for sustainable solutions. Multidisciplinary, multilevel research and community involvement are key to achieving health equity.

Obesity is a global health crisis, with significant increases in overweight and obese populations worldwide. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to high sugar content and low satiety. Reducing SSB intake is recommended to mitigate these health risks.

A systematic review found that the rate of ectopic pregnancy after emergency contraceptive pill failure (0.6% for mifepristone, 1% for levonorgestrel) does not exceed the general population rate. Emergency contraceptive pills reduce the risk of pregnancy, thereby lowering the chance of ectopic pregnancy.

Glaucoma, a leading cause of preventable blindness, requires patient adherence to treatment for effective management. Simplifying treatment regimens and educating patients improve adherence. Challenges include socioeconomic factors and the complexity of administering eye drops. Addressing these can reduce surgical needs, prevent vision loss, and lower healthcare costs.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender individuals face heightened HIV risk due to social exclusion, stigma, and inadequate services. Despite prevention efforts, challenges persist, including legal and cultural barriers. Recommendations include improving understanding of HIV burden among sexually diverse populations, confronting social exclusion, ensuring comprehensive prevention and care, and addressing specific challenges in lower and middle-income countries.

The article reviews factors contributing to therapeutic non-compliance, categorizing them into patient-centered, therapy-related, social and economic, healthcare system, and disease factors. It highlights the complexity of these factors and their inconsistent impact on compliance, suggesting a need for systematic studies to address their interactions and improve healthcare outcomes.

Oral exposure to fluoride, primarily through fluoridated water, has been extensively studied for its health effects, including dental and skeletal fluorosis, and its role in reducing dental caries. Studies show conflicting results on fluoride's essentiality and its impact on bone health, with some indicating benefits in bone density and others highlighting risks like increased fracture rates. Fluoride's toxicity varies with dose and exposure duration, affecting dental health, bone integrity, and potentially other systemic effects. The balance between beneficial and adverse effects of fluoride exposure remains a complex issue, influenced by exposure levels, duration, and individual susceptibility.

Advances in genetic testing enable diagnosis of genetic conditions, raising ethical concerns, especially for testing healthy children. Guidelines emphasize informed consent, the child's best interest, and the right to refuse testing. Testing should offer timely medical benefits, with decisions involving the child when possible. Ethical, psychological, and social implications must be considered.

Pharmaceutical companies engage in 'disease mongering' by expanding treatable illness boundaries to market new drugs. This involves creating alliances with doctors and patient groups to frame conditions as widespread and severe, often turning ordinary ailments into medical problems. The practice risks unnecessary treatment, economic waste, and diverts resources from serious diseases. Independent information is crucial to counteract this trend.