For example, the article “Pan American Health Organization and international health: a history of training, conceptualization, and collective development” reviews the history of the educational program for professionals in international health. The issue also includes references to more recent initiatives, as in the article “Salud internacional y nuevas formas de asociación: el Diálogo Multipartito y el Foro de Socios” [International health and new forms of association: the Multipartite Dialogue and the Partners Forum].

Another article, “El terremoto de 2010 en Chile: respuesta del sistema de salud y de la cooperación internacional” [The 2010 earthquake in Chile: the response of the health system and international cooperation] examines international assistance after a disaster. “El financiamiento internacional para la cooperación al desarrollo de la salud de América Latina y el Caribe” [International financing for cooperation to develop health in Latin America and the Caribbean] evaluates such international assistance for health development in countries of the Region].

This special issue also examines topics such as the limitations on a country’s efforts due to legal constraints, particularly at borders, as explained in “Armonización de la vigilancia sanitaria interfronteriza: una propuesta vinculante en salud internacional” [An international health proposal to harmonize cross-border health surveillance], and the perspective of actors involved in technical cooperation is presented in the article “Cooperación técnica en salud entre Colombia y sus países fronterizos” [Technical cooperation for health between Colombia and bordering countries].

Also addressed in the issue is the topic of health-policy decision-making in relation to economic decision-making in “Medicamentos de alto costo: análisis y propuestas para los países del Mercosur” [Costly drugs: analysis and proposals for the Mercosur countries] and in the note entitled “Agenda regional da saúde no Mercosul: arquitetura e temas” [Mercosur’s regional health agenda: architecture and themes].

Other articles in this special issue include: “La migración de médicos en Venezuela “[The emigration of physicians in Venezuela] and “Remaking international health: refreshing perspectives from Latin America.”

Special issue of the Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública / Pan American Journal of Public Health  (PAJPH) on

Health and human security in border communities

The Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública / Pan American Journal of Public Health, published by the Pan American Health Organization, announces an open call for original papers, brief communications, and reviews for its next special issue, which will cover topics related to health and human security.

The Pan American Health Organization has selected health and human security as the theme for this special issue, given the significant increase of violence and injuries as a global health problem. Each year, more than 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence. For every person who dies as a result of violence, many more are injured and suffer from a range of physical, sexual, reproductive and mental health problems. Violence places a massive burden on national economies, costing countries billions of US dollars each year in health care, law enforcement and lost productivity. The PAHO/WHO work with partners to prevent violence through scientifically credible strategies that are conceived and implemented in relation to causes at the levels of the individual, family, community and society[1]

The security and safety of all people in the entire world is interrelated, as highlighted in global current events pertaining to goods, services, finances, people and images indicated by the Commission on Human Security (CHS 2003). Approximately 2,800 million are affected by poverty, illiteracy, bad health and sickness. Conflict and deprivation are mutually related and have many causal links to violence. Violence and wars kill people, destroy mutual trust, increase poverty and crime and stall the economy. Effectively addressing these elements of lack of security and safety demand a comprehensive approach[2].

Main theme - Health and human security with specific context grounded in the United States-Mexico border and other border communities around the world:

• Impact of violence and injuries on health and development
• violence and injuries financial costs
• violence and injury prevention and risk factor identification
• violence and injury surveillance, data collection and analysis

(among them: observatories, standardized indicators systems and databsed, geographic information systems)

• evidence based and research on human security involving other disciplines

(among them: medicine, epidemiology, sociology, psychology, criminology, teaching and economy)

• conflict and humanitarian emergencies impact on public health
• mental health and care of victims

Papers will be accepted in Spanish, English or Portuguese, and the manuscript selection process will follow the Journal standards.

In submitting papers, authors should follow the publishing standards of la Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública / Pan American Journal of Public Health, available at http://new.paho.org/journal.

Manuscripts should be no longer than 3 500 words (excluding tables, figures, and references). They should be submitted for publication to the following address: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rpsp. The letter of introduction should indicate that the manuscript is being submitted for the special issue on health and human security.

Deadline to present manuscripts: August 15th, 2011.

[2] United Nations: Commission on Human Security Report. http://www.humansecurity-chs.org/finalreport/index.html (Dec 1, 2010)

The World Health Organization has selected antimicrobial resistance as the theme for World Health Day 2011, given the significant worldwide increase in this phenomenon in recent years, whose consequences include higher morbidity and mortality and a higher cost of treating infectious diseases.

The emergence and spread of resistance is one of the thorniest challenges confronting modern medicine and public health. The underlying cause is the growing use of antimicrobial drugs in both hospitalized patients and the community, although other contributing factors also play a role, which means that more evidence is needed on the causes, magnitude, and consequences of resistance.

Main theme: Antimicrobial resistance:
- basic or clinical microbiology
- infections associated with health care
- impact of resistance on the burden of disease
- impact on public health
- clinical outcomes
- financial costs.

Papers will be accepted in Spanish or English, and the manuscript selection process will follow Journal standards. The guest editors of the special issue are Drs. Gabriel Schmunis and Marcos Antonio Espinal. Dr. Espinal is the author of numerous publications in the area of communicable diseases, and his contributions to the study of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis have been critical to a better understanding of the disease’s epidemiology and public health impact. Dr. Schmunis created and developed the antimicrobial resistance surveillance and containment program aimed at strengthening microbiology laboratories, infection prevention and control practices, and the promotion of antimicrobial prescription standards.

In submitting papers, authors should follow the publishing standards of La Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública / Pan American Journal of Public Health, available at http://new.paho.org/journal/.

Manuscripts should be no longer than 2 500 words (excluding tables, figures, and references). They should be submitted for publication to the following address: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/rpsp. The letter of introduction should indicate that the manuscript is being submitted for the special issue on antimicrobial resistance.

Timetable:

February 2011 Opening of submission period
10 April 2011 Deadline for submission
01 April to 15 July 2011 Peer review
15 July to 30 August 2011 Editing of the special issue
25 September 2011 Publication on the PAHO website

We found it interesting to disseminate the module “Avoiding plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other questionable writing practices: A guide to ethical writing” to our authors and reviewers.

The first chapter “26 Guidelines at a Glance” provides a quick summary of ORI’s ethical guidelines.

Leading the pack is the RPSP / PAJPH blog (http://new.paho.org/blogs/rpsp/), intended to achieve synergy among the various user spaces through the exchange of vital knowledge and experiences. Other text features being unveiled are a micro-blog on Twitter, as well as a YouTube channel and a Picasa photo gallery for those who wish to follow us through the visual media. These media services will replace the journal’s once-static pages with behind-the-scene glimpses into the researchers themselves as you hear and see them provide context for their work, describe findings, and interpret the consequences of these for the international public health community.  Users can subscribe to RSS to receive news from these emerging tools and services automatically.

Together, the new tools have been designed to increase understanding of emerging scientific research and knowledge among journalists and the general public thorough the use of less technical jargon and more accessible language, thereby increasing appeal and opportunities for wide dissemination.

As we begin this new journey, we encourage user feedback and the creation of a dynamic dialogue with our followers—as always, in your language of preference, whether English, Portuguese, or Spanish.

Launching the special issue

The latest issue of the Revista / Journal provides readers with a wealth of information regarding diabetes prevention and control, based on the just-released results of a binational research project conducted among the U.S.-Mexico border population. The study was coordinated by the PAHO/WHO U.S.-Mexico Border Office in El Paso, Texas, in a special partnership between Mexico’s ministry of health (Secretaría de Salud) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other institutions.

Type 2 diabetes currently affects more than 220 million people globally. In Mexico, this disease is the leading cause of mortality, whereas in the United States, it ranks number three. Along the border between the two countries, diabetes-related morbidity and mortality rates were disproportionately high, with public health authorities on both sides calling for immediate action.

The findings of the U.S.-Mexico Border Diabetes Prevention and Control Project validated the worst fears of local and national decision-makers and confirm the urgent need for well-coordinated cross-border efforts to translate the valuable knowledge gained into effective strategies, policies, and plans to turn back the tide on this no-longer-so-silent killer.  

Authors cellebrate the launching of the special issue

Read all about it in our newly designed format, which also introduces you to the researcher-authors featured in the issue through photos, video, and audio, and allows you to post your comments and questions for viewing by a vast and still-growing community of colleagues sharing your interest and/or expertise in leading public health topics of the moment.

We are pleased to announce this new space designed to publish any news of interest to our readers, authors and contributors and to promote the exchange of ideas and experiences. It will also be used to disseminate events, courses and materials that could contribute to the improvement of scientific research publishing in the Region of the Americas.

As in the RPSP/PAJPH, posts and comments may be published in English, Portuguese or Spanish.

We look forward to receiving your contribution!

Editorial Team
Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública / Pan American Journal of Public Health