Turning Health Research Into Action
The difficulty that health officials face in translating health research into policies and practices is stymieing efforts to achieve healthy populations in developing countries. (January 2005)

Breaking New Ground in the Philippines: Opportunities to Improve Human and Environmental Well-Being (PDF: 327KB)

 In the face of mounting development challenges, people and communities across the Philippines are designing innovative programs that address human and environmental well-being in holistic ways. (November 2004)

An Overview of Disability in America
Participation in society to the fullest extent possible by people with disabilities has been a goal of U.S. policies and programs. But fulfilling that goal requires confronting a series of challenges. (October 2004)

Disability in America (PDF: 540KB)

This Population Bulletin provides a broad overview of disability in America in the 21st century. It reviews basic concepts and measures of disability and shows recent U.S. trends on the demography of disability. This report also defines support systems and supportive living environments for disabled individuals and it describes current federal programs and policies pertaining to those with disabilities. (BUL59.3, September 2004)

The Healthy Newborn Partnership: Improving Newborn Survival and Health Through Partnership, Policy, and Action (PDF: 394KB)

 This policy brief outlines the ways in which the Healthy Newborn Partnership (an interagency group formed to promote newborn health in developing countries) has helped to focus attention on newborn health issues. (July 2004)

Conflict Chips Away at Living Conditions in Sudan
The costs of conflict have weighed heavily on the people of Sudan. The recent repression and killings of African villagers in Darfur by government forces and Arab militias have stalled peace hopes. (June 2004)

Improving the Health of the World's Poorest People Policy Brief (PDF: 106KB)

 This policy brief, based on a longer report by the Population Reference Bureau, "Improving the Health of the World's Poorest People," highlights the extent of the rich-poor health divide, the factors that play a role in health disparities, and approaches for improving the health of the poor. (April 2004)

Empowering Communities to Reduce the Impact of Infectious Diseases
To reduce the impact of infectious diseases on women, some programs are employing community-based approaches conducted by women: a Guinea-worm control program in Ghana and a dengue project in Puerto Rico. (May 2004)

The Wealth Gap in Health (PDF: 136KB)

 Despite improvements in public health in the last half-century, large disparities still exist between and within countries in a range of health and population indicators: fertility, infant and child mortality, nutrition, and the use of family planning and other health services. (May 2004)

Progress Toward the Millennium Development Goals in the Middle East
Countries in the MENA region were among the 189 countries that attended the 2000 United Nations Millennium Summit, where leaders from around the word adopted the Millennium Declaration and made a commitment to combat poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women. This policy brief is also available in Arabic. (March 2004)