Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe process of globalization, particularly in developing countries, has been significantly accelerated through the global economic policies implemented by major international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. While the primary goal of these neoliberal policies was geared towards financial stability and economic development, there is evidence of negative impacts of these policies on the health of the population in the countries of the third world. This paper explores this issue by reviewing Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) and their impact on child health in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). It examines the possible pathways and causal links between SAPs and child health in SSA. We argue that the adoption of SAPs by countries in SSA and the market‐driven approach to healthcare has played a detrimental role in worsening indicators of child health in the region. The paper underscores the importance of looking beyond the indicators of purely economic growth when global macroeconomic policies are implemented. Linking specific macroeconomic policies with health opens up avenues for investigation of the conditions required for healthier populations. Besides the general indicators of population health, particular attention should be given to the often neglected, yet too sensitive to the impact of economic policies, indicators of child health. The paper highlights the value of healthy public policy and the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in adding health to the agenda of policymakers across sectors and levels of government. It concludes by promoting the value of effective global action in the face of the global economy and trade.

This article deals with chronically ill schoolage children and their parents' perceptions of their neighborhood. Three hundred and sixty-five chronically ill children (ages 10 through 12) were interviewed about their neighborhood. The children described aspects of their neighborhood that they liked and disliked, and their activity pattems alone and with peers. The parents also evaluated neighborhood safety. Regression analysis was used to identify parentand child-reported items that may have influenced images of neighborhood safety. The findings demonstrate that chronically ill children's activity patterns in their neighborhoods are influenced by child factors (perception of the neighborhood and its safety, gender, type of illness) and by parental factors (perception of neighborhood safety, income, home ownership). The findings also suggest that the patterns of interaction of chronically ill children with their neighborhood may be a source of developmental risk.