FNU-CMNHS FIPHR Institutional Research Repository
Not a member yet
4038 research outputs found
Sort by
The Design and Development of a Food Composition Database for an Electronic Tool to Assess Food Intake in New Caledonian Families
No full textAbstract: The food environment in New Caledonia is undergoing a transition, with movement away from traditional diets towards processed and discretionary foods and beverages. This study aimed to develop an up-to-date food composition database that could be used to analyze food and nutritional intake data of New Caledonian children and adults. Development of this database occurred in three
phases:
Phase 1, updating and expanding the number of food items to represent current food supply;
Phase 2, refining the database items and naming and assigning portion size images for food items;
Phase 3, ensuring comprehensive nutrient values for all foods, including saturated fat and total sugar.
The final New Caledonian database comprised a total of 972 food items, with 40 associated food categories and 25 nutrient values and 615 items with portion size images. To improve then searchability of the database, the names of 593 food items were shortened and synonyms or alternate spelling were included for 462 foods. Once integrated into a mobile app-based multiple-pass 24-h recall tool, named iRecall.24, this country-specific food composition database would support the assessment of food and nutritional intakes of families in New Caledonia, in a cross-sectional and
longitudinal manner, and with translational opportunities for use across the wider Pacific region
Lung Health in the Solomon Islands: A Mixed Methods Study
No full textBackground and Objectives: Despite a population of 600,000 people from 900 islands, there is little published data on the prevalence of lung disease in the Solomon Islands. We sought to 1) estimate the prevalence of obstructive lung disease (OLD) in Gizo, Solomon Islands, 2) identify risk factors for respiratory disease in this population and 3) review current management practices for respiratory disease through an audit of local emergency department (ED) presentations.
Methods: A two-part mixed methods study was performed between March and May 2019;the first was a population-based, cross-sectional study conducted in Gizo, Solomon Islands, with a random sample undergoing questionnaires and spirometry. The second was an audit for Gizo Hospital ED records to assess presentation numbers, diagnoses and outcomes.
Results: A total of 104 patients were randomly selected for spirometry. The mean age was 46.9years. Current smoking rates were high (24.0% overall, 43.3% age 10h/week) exposure to indoor/enclosed wood fire ovens (51.5%). The prevalence of COPD was 3.2% overall. A further 9.7% of participants demonstrated significant bronchodilator responsiveness suggestive of possible asthma. Most patients seen in ED presented with a respiratory condition or fever/viral illness, but spirometry was not available. Only four out-patients were prescribed salbutamol and two patients inhaled corticosteroid. Conclusion: There appears to be a high burden of obstructive lung disease in the Solomon Islands with high smoking rates, indoor smoke exposure and bronchodilator responsiveness. Respiratory symptoms are common amongst hospital ED presentations; however, inhaled asthma treatments are infrequently prescribed to outpatients
COLLEGE HUMAN HEALTH RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEESTAKEHOLDERS’ MEETING
No full textThe College Human Health Research Ethics Committee (CHHREC) is the research bioethics andoversight committee of the College of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) and isembedded within the structure of the Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research (FIPHR)1. It wasestablished in 2011 in response to the requirement of the Fiji National University that every Collegemust set up a research ethics committee. The CHHREC also complies with the requirements ofinternational ethical guidelines on the conduct of research involving humans. The CHHREC wasaccredited by the Fiji National Human Research Ethics Review Committee (FNHHREC) of theMinistry of Health and Medical Services in 2019, authorizing it to issue full approvals for researchproposals that have met the ethics review requirements of CHHREC, as per its Standard OperatingProcedures (SOP). Previously, all CMNHS proposals were required to be submitted to the FijiNational Human Health Research Ethics Committee (FNHHREC) after the CHHREC has issued a fullapproval.Research is a mandatory course in all of the Masters programmes of CMNHS and is graduallybecoming a requirement in the graduating year of most of undergraduate programmes. There hasalso been more research capacity building for our staff over the years, and corresponding increasein staff research activities in the College. An essential component of teaching research to the staffand students of CMNHS is the strong emphasis on understanding the role of ethical considerationsin research. It is important that all involved in the research projects maintain a high level of researchethics awareness as this will influence how the research project is designed, implemented,monitored and results disseminated.A prime role of any ethics committee, like the CHHREC, is to provide expert guidance to researchprojects primarily to protect the lives of research participants from prospective harm or risk, thatare physical, psychological, socio-cultural, economic and financial in nature. Ethics committeeswork to ensure that researchers uphold the research participants’ dignity, rights and health andmore so, to achieve improved health and benefits as they participate in research. CHHREC also workto enforce methods to protect institutions such as CMNHS from institutional risks posed by theconduct of research. CHHREC also works in partnership with other organizations who may need toestablish an ethics committee, or general assistance with research bioethics issues that arise fromtime to time.CHHREC members and external professional reviewers review the research being proposed to beconducted by staff and students of the CMNHS and their affiliates, locally, regionally andinternationally. The research project is not allowed to begin unless it has gone through CHHRECreview processes. These processes comply with international research practices which also extendsto requirements of publishers. The CHHREC governs the appointment of members as well as definesspecific terms of appointment and roles for members and reviewer
COVID-19 and vaccination rollout in Fiji: Challenges caused by digital platform.
No full textSince the beginning of the pandemic, a variety of interventions have reduced SARS-CoV-2 virus infection and mortality, including individual precautions such as wearing proper personal protective equipment (i.e., hand gloves, facemasks, and face shields), social distancing, handwashing, and limiting interpersonal interaction to outside situations. The most promising hope for ending the COVID-19 pandemic is the successful launch of COVID-19 vaccines. In response, this letter to editor will disclose the rollout of COVID-19 vaccination and challenges caused by digital platforms in Fiji
Current Research on the Promotion and Prevention of Non-communicable Diseases in Fiji
No full textAbstract:
As indicated by the World Health Organization, an expected 80% or more deaths in Pacific island nations, including Fiji, were identified with non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This paper reports the results of a survey conducted with the health care workers working under Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHOMS) as how ethical decisions can help in the promotion and advancement of one’s health and wellbeing as well as prevent NCDs in Fiji. This study indicates that although mediation by health care workers is necessary to promote individuals’ wellbeing and generate advantages for the population served, the nation as a whole when offered such intercessions should sufficiently comprehend the advantages and disadvantages for themselves and practice healthy living. As said by the American specialist and intellectual Edmund Pellegrino 'The wellbeing strategy of a country or a local community is its framework for controlling and improving the social employment of its clinical data and resources'. The study finding determined that health care workers proficiently proactively make an honest effort to advocate and advance the counteraction of NCDs in Fiji in spite of the absence of finances and assets apportioned by the health policy makers and government
The political economy of restricting marketing to address the double burden of malnutrition: two case studies from Fiji
Get PDFAbstract
Objective: To draw lessons from Fiji regarding the challenges and opportunities for policy initiatives to restrict (i) food marketing to children and (ii) marketing of breast milk substitutes, to inform policy for the double burden of malnutrition.
Design: Qualitative political economy analysis of two policy case studies.
Setting: Fiji.
Participants: Eleven key informants from relevant sectors, representing public health, economic and consumer interests.
Results: This study used two policy initiatives as case studies to examine factors influencing decision-making: Marketing Controls (Foods for Infants and Young Children) Regulations 2010, amended in 2016 to remove guidelines and restrictions on marketing in the form of labelling, and the draft Advertising and
Promotion of Unhealthy Foods and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children
Regulation developed in 2014 but awaiting review by the Solicitor General’s
Office. Factors identified included: a policy paradigm in which regulation of business activity contradicts economic policy goals; limited perception by key policy
actors of links between nutrition and marketing of breast milk substitutes, foods
and beverages; and a power imbalance between industry and public health stakeholders in policymaking. Regulation of marketing for health purposes sits within
the health sector’s interest but not its legislative remit, while within the economic
sector’s remit but not interest. Opportunities to strengthen restrictions on marketing to improve nutrition and health include reframing the policy issue, strategic
advocacy and community engagement.
Conclusions: Restricting marketing should be recognised by public health actors as
a public health and an industry policy issue, to support strategic engagement with
economic policy actors
