Enhancing global capacity in the surveillance, prevention, and control of chronic diseases: seven themes to consider and build upon.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases are now a major health problem in developing countries as well as in the developed world. Although chronic diseases cannot be communicated from person to person, their risk factors (for example, smoking, inactivity, dietary habits) are readily transferred around the world. With increasing human progress and technological advance, the pandemic of chronic diseases will become an even bigger threat to global health. METHODS: Based on our experiences and publications as well as review of the literature, we contribute ideas and working examples that might help enhance global capacity in the surveillance of chronic diseases and their prevention and control. Innovative ideas and solutions were actively sought. RESULTS: Ideas and working examples to help enhance global capacity were grouped under seven themes, concisely summarised by the acronym "SCIENCE": Strategy, Collaboration, Information, Education, Novelty, Communication and Evaluation. CONCLUSION: Building a basis for action using the seven themes articulated, especially by incorporating innovative ideas, we presented here, can help enhance global capacity in chronic disease surveillance, prevention and control. Informed initiatives can help achieve the new World Health Organization global goal of reducing chronic disease death rates by 2% annually, generate new ideas for effective interventions and ultimately bring global chronic diseases under greater control.

[Health and the development of a rural health service system]. / La salud y el desarrollo en un sistema rural de servicios de salud.

The first part of this article reviews the interesting experience of the Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Rural Development (CIMDER) of Cali, Colombia, in the application of a model for the integrated development of health services. The strategies used in the model were: services available to all individuals and families in the community, use of accessible technology, community participation, and cooperation between the health sector and other development sectors. The second part briefly reviews the role of the nurse in health and development and takes issue with the traditional narrow view of the sphere of action of nursing as a profession. It is asserted that, in order to bring about the extension of health services and community development, it is necessary that the nurse serve in a position of leadership on a multidisciplinary team as either coordinator of services, supervisor of personnel, or education, and as liaison for the formal health care system with the community to enlist its active participation.

La salud y el desarrollo en un sistema rural de servicios de salud / Health and the development of a rural health service system

The first part of this article reviews the interesting experience of the Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Rural Development (CIMDER) of Cali, Colombia, in the application of a model for the integrated development of health services. The strategies used in the model were: services available to all individuals and families in the community, use of accessible technology, community participation, and cooperation between the health sector and other development sectors. The second part briefly reviews the role of the nurse in health and development and takes issue with the traditional narrow view of the sphere of action of nursing as a profession. It is asserted that, in order to bring about the extension of health services and community development, it is necessary that the nurse serve in a position of leadership on a multidisciplinary team as either coordinator of services, supervisor of personnel, or education, and as liaison for the formal health care system with the community to enlist its active participation (Au)