Editorial: Public health in Africa: role of nutrition and environment

Résumé

The first contribution is "It is unbearable to breathe here: air quality, open incineration, and misinformation in Blantyre, Malawi". The perception of the risk was low in all the targeted group populations: the poor air quality caused by the burning of waste within the hospital was understood as a problem, although there were significant differences between respondents over their understanding of potential impacts, the effectiveness of various coping mechanisms, and their problematizations linked to the burning of specific waste materials. For most, going home or leaving the Queen's campus was the only pathway to relief, though for patients who cannot leave, endurance was the only option. For more vulnerable populations, especially those with respiratory disease, such as tuberculosis, asthma or other chronic disease, it could be a matter of life or death.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1242726The second contribution is focused on very critical weaknesses of many health systems and professionals worldwide, particularly severe in limited resources subsets such as in Africa. The article raises the fundamental issue of the educational tools in this model of teaching and training, extremely relevant in several other fields. Ultrasound is a complex skill to learn, which includes the ability to obtain images through the movement of the probe and the knowledge to interpret the images to manage patient's problems. This method requires complex visual perception and psychomotor skills, as well as customized periods of hands-on training. The procedure is extremely important for timely and sustainable clinical diagnosis on point-of-care sites and without the need for more complex infrastructure and facilities. The opportunity of allowing the diagnosis of so many disease related to environmental factors and bad nutrition is extremely valuable. This is true for any organ disease, in obstetrics and in pediatrics. Its development and support have the potential to improve greatly and at acceptable costs the quality of health care.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1363134The third research article describes how most young children in Côte d'Ivoire, Niger and Senegal are not receiving an adequately diversified diet, with a reliance on starchy staples and lower intake of high-quality protein sources.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1386664The fourth article is a systematic review discussing how good dietary practice is lower than actual knowledge and the favorable attitude toward it. It is influenced by sociodemographic variables, income and wealth, knowledge and information, attitudes and intentions, gynecological and illness experiences, family support and decision-making, and expectations of nutrition outcomes and habits.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1393764The fifth contribution provides an in-depth analysis of the fact that open defecation is significantly practiced also by households with latrines. The presence of a latrine alone is insufficient to considerably reduce open defecation. Such practice increases steadily the transmission of microorganisms that cause several infections, for which children are the most vulnerable group.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1394351The sixth article describes how discernible disparities in nutrition knowledge are based on gender, educational level, and access to nutrition information. Targeted interventions aimed at enhancing nutrition literacy among students must be fostered within holistic health promotion endeavors.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1398236The seventh article reports how significant disparities in access to basic sanitation services exist between rural and urban households in Ethiopia. Key factors contributing to these disparities include the age of the household head, education level, family size, region of residence, and water source proximity.doi 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1420077The last article highlights the critical role of minimum dietary diversity in addressing undernutrition among children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia. Targeted interventions focusing on promoting diverse and nutritious diets for children, along with improving access to essential healthcare services, will mitigate the burden of undernutrition and ensure the well-being of Ethiopia's youngest population.DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1436683The translation into practice of paradigms of healthy lifestyles and nutrition [6] is possible considering profile and local availability of resources, acceptability, and verified substitutes. [7]

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