Multi-sectoral Approach to Non-Communicable Diseases Control: Easier Said than Done.

The burden of non-communicable diseases is growing and countries are committed to combat this and achieve the sustainable development goals and targets. Non-communicable diseases are complex conditions attributed by multiple behavioural risk factors and without understanding the whole ecosystem of such diseases, it is difficult to determine the global goals and targets for them and to take action to address them. Countries are trying to take the multi-sectoral approach in addressing the non-communicable diseases and often encounter challenges in operationalizing the approach. Therefore, it is essential to nuance the multi-sectoral approach to non-communicable diseases in order to better inform application to achieving the sustainable development goals for which multisectoral approach is imperative. Keywords: multi-sectoral; non-communicable diseases; risk factors; sustainable development goals.

A comparison of the change in clinical severity scale score and a retrospective physician assessment of neurological outcome in individuals with leprosy associated nerve function impairment after treatment with corticosteroids.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the measured change in score of a validated clinical severity scale reflected physician assessed improvement in individuals who had received corticosteroid therapy for leprosy associated nerve damage. DESIGN: Patients with nerve function impairment who participated in a randomised controlled trial of corticosteroids were classified into two groups using a retrospectively determined physician assessment of improvement. One group consisted of patients who had recovered or improved the other of patients who were unchanged or had deteriorated. The change in the clinical severity scale scores of these two groups was compared. RESULTS: The change in the clinical severity scale scores of the 34 eligible individuals in the two groups were significantly different (P = 0.003). Individuals in the group who recovered or improved had a greater change in severity score than those whose nerve function was unchanged or deteriorated. CONCLUSION: The scale for measuring the severity of leprosy Type 1 reactions (T1Rs) and/or nerve function impairment reflects the clinical improvement of individuals with leprosy associated nerve damage.