Improving the Health of the World’s Poorest People (PDF: 427KB)

 For the more than 1 billion people living on less than $1 a day — one of every six people worldwide — health services and modern medicines are out of reach. And many initiatives that tried to improve the health of people in extreme poverty have failed. (February 2004)

The Poor-Rich Health Divide
Sweeping changes in public health have transformed life over the past century. Even so, the past century’s revolution in health and well-being is incomplete. For the more than 1 billion people living on less than US$1 per day, health services and modern medicines are still out of reach, and many initiatives to improve the health of people in extreme poverty have been unsuccessful. (January 2004)

Gender, Health, and Development in the Americas 2003

 This data sheet profiles gender differences in health and development in 48 countries in the Americas. (December 2003)

Kangaroo Mother Care Offers Hope for Underweight Babies in Malawi
Constant skin-to-skin contact is a low-tech and effective way to keep low birth weight babies healthy. In low-resource settings, mothers can act as "incubators" for their infants, especially during the crucial first month of life. (October 2003)

Critical Links: Population, Health, and the Environment (PDF: 340KB)

 The impact of the world’s 6.3 billion people on the environment is unprecedented. The fundamental relationships are easy to grasp: Earth provides energy and raw materials for human activities, and those activities in turn generate pollution and damage to environmental resources, in the process harming human health and well-being. This Population Bulletin explores the critical interactions among population, health, and the environment. (BUL58.3, September 2003)

Ripple Effects: Population and Coastal Regions

 Nearly half of the world's population lives within 200 kilometers of a coastline and this number is likely to double by 2025. As human pressure on coastal areas increases, identifying ways to balance people's needs while sustaining coastal resources is becoming more important. (September 2003)

Changing Youth Behavior Through Social Marketing

 Social marketing to reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections means making reproductive health services "youth friendly" and available to teenagers. (2003)

Indonesia Burdened by Population Ills, Political and Social Pressures
Still reaping the repercussions of the Asian financial crisis, Indonesia has in recent years struggled with numerous difficulties ranging from social unrest, political instability, and ethnic and sectarian violence to a decline in access to health care and other public services. (August 2003)

Nutrition of Women and Adolescent Girls: Why It Matters
Although malnutrition's effects on women have been recognized for decades, little measurable progress has been made to address these specific problems. Inadequate nutrition wreaks havoc not only with women's health: Children of malnourished women are more likely to face cognitive impairments, short stature, lower resistance to infections, and a higher risk of disease and death throughout their lives. (July 2003)

Three Case Studies: Involving Men to Address Gender Inequities (PDF: 743KB)

 Profiles of three innovative programs (Salud y Género, Society for the Integrated Development of the Himalayas (SIDH), and Stepping Stones) that have involved men and youth in efforts to improve reproductive health outcomes for both men and women (July 2003).