Global health briefs - April 2018
March / April 2018 | Volume 17, Number 2
NIH unveils plan for universal flu vaccine
To speed development of a universal flu vaccine, the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has released a research plan focusing on three key topics: improving understanding of influenza infection; characterizing how immunity occurs and how to tailor vaccination responses to achieve it; and supporting the design of universal vaccines.
New framework to spur Alzheimer's research
The research community now has a new framework for developing a biologically-based definition of Alzheimer's disease. This proposed "biological construct" is based on measurable changes in the brain and is expected to facilitate better understanding of the disease process. The NIH's National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer's Association convened the effort.
NIH releases adolescent brain data
The NIH has released data from 4,500 participants of its Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Approximately 30 terabytes of data - three times the Library of Congress collection - are now available to scientists worldwide to conduct research on the many factors that influence brain, cognitive, social and emotional development.
New mental health data tools are available
The NIH's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has added new interactive data visualization tools and sharing capabilities on its website to improve understanding of the impact of mental illnesses. The site includes statistics on prevalence and treatment utilization for mental illnesses, and possible consequences, such as suicide and disability.
Nursing Now campaign launched
Nursing Now - a three-year campaign to increase awareness of the role of nurses and midwives in global health - is a collaboration of WHO and the International Council of Nurses. The effort aims to boost investment in nursing, increase nurses' influence in policymaking, and improve dissemination of effective and innovative nursing practices.
Violence and mental health report released
A report examining the connection between violence and mental health has been released by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The publication is a summary of a workshop titled "Mental Health and Violence: Opportunities for Prevention and Early Intervention," convened by the Forum on Global Violence Prevention.
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