The Role of Pediatricians in Global Health

Pediatrics
|November 21, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Pediatricians play a crucial role in global health, addressing child health disparities in low- and middle-income countries. This policy statement outlines their responsibilities and provides recommendations for improving child well-being worldwide.

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Child Health Disparities

Background:

  • 90% of children reside in low- and middle-income countries.
  • Significant child morbidity and mortality exist due to health barriers.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics is committed to the health of all children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Define the pediatrician's role in global health.
  • Provide recommendations for pediatricians.
  • Emphasize global health as integral to pediatrics.

Main Methods:

  • Policy statement development.
  • Review of global child health challenges.
  • Formulation of recommendations for pediatric practice.

Main Results:

  • A defined role for pediatricians in global health.
  • Specific recommendations for pediatricians' engagement.
  • Emphasis on integrating global health into pediatric education and practice.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatricians have a vital role in addressing global child health inequities.
  • The policy statement serves as a guide for pediatricians worldwide.
  • Global health is an essential component of modern pediatric practice.

Related Concept Videos

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health01:25

Role of Vitamins in Maintaining Bone Health

The growth and maintenance of bone are regulated by a combination of nutritional factors, including vitamins, such as vitamin A, B12, C, D, and K.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is involved in the process of bone remodeling. Retinoic acid, the active metabolite of Vitamin A, has nuclear receptors in osteoblasts and osteoclasts, which are involved in bone remodeling.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 acts as a cofactor during the formation of osteoblast-related proteins, such as osteocalcin. Vitamin B12 plays a role...
5.5K
Global Climate Change01:50

Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
28.9K
Introduction to Global Positioning System01:30

Introduction to Global Positioning System

The Global Positioning System (GPS) revolutionized positioning on Earth, providing precise location data through satellite ranging. The GPS system was developed in 1978 by the U.S. Department of Defense  for military use, and it became available for civilian applications in 1983, transforming fields including navigation, fleet management, and time synchronization for telecommunications systems.GPS consists of satellites in medium Earth orbit, about 20,200 kilometers above the surface,...
516
Health Literacy01:21

Health Literacy

Health literacy is an individual's or a community's capacity to comprehend, receive, read, and use relevant healthcare information and services. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) defines health literacy as the cognitive and social skills that determine the ability of individuals to gain access to, understand, and use information in ways that promote and maintain good health. As a result, the WHO helps individuals manage long-term health concerns, participate in preventative...
5.4K
Errors in Global Positioning System01:26

Errors in Global Positioning System

Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has revolutionized navigation and positioning, but its accuracy is often compromised by various errors. These errors, stemming from environmental, satellite, and receiver-related factors, require careful mitigation to ensure reliable performance across applications.Atmospheric ErrorsGPS signals travel through the Earth’s ionosphere and troposphere, introducing delays which affect accuracy. The ionosphere is strongly influenced by charged particles,...
354
Global Regulatory Systems01:28

Global Regulatory Systems

Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
677