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Two decades of expansion of primary health care in Latin America: a multi-country evaluation and forecasting study for health-related SDGs
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
MRC HSRI award to systematically address all these issues for a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of PHC on the broadest possible range of morbidity and mortality outcomes in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico (BCEM).
Implementing interventions to reduce health inequalities and mitigate the impact of the global economic downturn in Latin America
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
The main determinants of health inequalities are arguably socioeconomic inequalities, with income distribution and poverty among the most impactful social determinants of health. While interventions to improve education and infrastructure-related determinants require long implementation periods, and show their health effects mainly in the long-term, income-related and poverty-reduction interventions could have rapid and meaningful impacts since their initial implementation, and permanent effects on beneficiaries' life course. The main aim of our project is to evaluate the impact of the current increase in socioeconomic inequalities on morbidity, mortality, and health inequalities in five Latin American countries, namely Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico (BACEM - representing more than 400 million individuals and more than half of the population of the continent), and to develop integrated simulation models and an open-access platform, named HealthProtect, able to design and evaluate the most impactful and cost-effective economic-based policies in each country for the improvement of health and reduction its health inequalities. The proposed milestones over project will be: Milestone 1 (1-12 month): Evaluation of the effects of income and wealth changes - and of the corresponding increases in poverty rates - on morbidity and mortality, overall and for groups of causes, with a focus on the pandemic and post-pandemic period, in each one of BACEM countries. Milestone 2 (9-18 month): Forecasting the changes of income distributions, poverty rates and inequalities measures in each one of the BACEM countries according to a wide range of global and local economic scenarios. Subsequently, evaluation of the impact of these scenarios on morbidity and mortality. Milestone 3 (19-36 month): Application of HealthProtect to design - together with policy makers in the economic and health sector - the most impactful and cost-effective strategies for the mitigation of the health effects of the economic crisis on morbidity, mortality and health inequalities in each BACEM. Milestone 4 (1-12 month - in parallel with Milestone 1): Development of country-specific microsimulation models able to evaluate the impact of income-based policies, including poverty and inequality-reduction interventions, on morbidity and mortality rates, overall and for groups of causes. Milestone 5 (13-18 - in parallel with Milestone 2): Development of the HealthProtect platform, with a user-friendly dashboard and open-access to stakeholders. Milestone 6 (19-36 month - in parallel with Milestone 3): Country-specific and international dissemination activities, trainings, and advocacy actions for the use of HealthProtect in policy making practices, using also the HealthProtect application of Milestone 6.
Removing the marketing power of cigarettes: A multi-method study aimed at protecting the health of adolescents in Latin America
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
MRC AGHRB Award: A multi-method study aimed at protecting the health of adolescents by removing marketing powers of cigarettes in Latin America
Impact: Implementation of a multisectoral programme to improve Indigenous adolescent mental health in Brazil and Dominica
DEPARTMENT FOR SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Abstract developed by Indigenous youths consulted for the proposal. WHY WE NEED THIS STUDY: Many Indigenous people live in Latin America and the Caribbean, most in a situation of poverty. Mental health problems are frequent, including suicide and drug use among teenagers, which we are very concerned about. So for us it is necessary to carry out studies that help adolescents with mental health problems but also respect the Indigenous culture. Adolescence is a complicated life stage, especially for Indigenous people who also experience many problems such as violence, discrimination and less resources. For these reasons it is common for Indigenous adolescents to have mental health problems, and this is why it is important that Indigenous health professionals, and other people in the village, are trained to help adolescents who are facing problems. WHY THIS PROJECT IS DIFFERENT: Researchers often present ready-made research to the village and this generates insecurity in us, due to our lack of knowledge, or because researchers want to impose their knowledge without considering ours, sometimes with a certain contempt, which generates deep dissatisfaction. Therefore, we are pleased that this research has involved us since the project was created and that the project will be carried out with us by a team that has already worked in projects with Indigenous people. WHAT THIS STUDY IS PROPOSING: The work in this study will take place in two Indigenous settings in two countries, Brazil and Dominica, in four work streams. About 1500 adolescents in 13 schools will take part. In the first work stream, researchers and people of the village, and adolescents, will co-develop mental health promotion messages, to be discussed in conversation circles during school activities. They will also amend a tool that has already been used to help adolescents with mental health problems. In the second work stream, they will train teachers, Indigenous health workers, village Chiefs and other community leaders to incorporate these messages into our school and community activities. They will train teachers and health workers to identify and manage common adolescent mental health problems. In the third work stream, they will train Indigenous young people like ourselves in how to do research, to understand how the programme worked, whether it helped adolescents and how it can be improved. In the fourth work stream, researchers will support Indigenous adolescents and older youths to write and present results of the study to our community, nationally and across the region. Together, we will also organize events on how findings can strengthen the capacity of our schools and health systems to respond to Indigenous adolescent health. WHO WILL BENEFIT: Many will benefit from this study including adolescents and all those who will be trained to implement and evaluate the programme. There are also important wider and longer-term benefits of raising awareness of the health and well-being of Indigenous communities across the region.
UK contribution to the World Bank Group PROBLUE Programme to facilitate sustainable finance for healthy oceans
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
PROBLUE is the World Bank’s leading multilateral mechanism for leveraging and disbursing blue finance towards sustainable ocean sectors and activities. It is a multi-donor trust fund that supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, Life Below Water, and the Bank’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity. PROBLUE aims to do this by reducing the existing blue finance gap by creating the necessary enabling environment for public and private sectors to shift from unsustainable to sustainable activities.
The eco.business Fund
Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
The eco.business fund is a public-private partnership investment fund which aims to shift incentives in financial institutions (i.e. Banks) towards investing in nature, by embedding social and environmental risk into investment decisions, catalysing transformational change in the financial sector. The fund will increase lending to businesses which incorporate sustainable practices that contribute to biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, climate change mitigation and adaptation to its impact across South America: Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Panama, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru.
PIDG2 - Second phase of FCDO's Support to the Private Infrastructure Development Group .
UK - Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO)
The aim of PIDG is to mobilise private investment in infrastructure, in order to increase service provision for the poor, boost economic growth, trade and jobs to alleviate poverty in the world’s poorest countries.