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PurposeThis paper was to describe the overview of public health research.Design/methodology/approachIt is a commentary piece of work from own long experience in working with the World Health Organization.FindingsThis study has innovative ideas in approaching priority areas in public health research.Originality/valueThis study opens up new thought in public health research.

Putri Nahrisah, 1, 2 Ratana Somrongthong, 1 Napaphan Viriyautsahakul, 1 Pramon Viwattanakulvanid, 1 Samlee Plianbangchang 1 1College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; 2Health Office of Kota Langsa Municipality, Kota Langsa, Province of Aceh, IndonesiaCorrespondence: Samlee PlianbangchangCollege of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Institute Building 2-3, Soi Chulalongkorn 62, Phyathai Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, ThailandTel +66 2218 8193Fax +66 2255 6046Email samleep40@gmail.comPurpose: To determine the effect of individual education through a pictorial handbook on anemia in conjunction with counseling on improving hemoglobin and hematocrit level, birth weight, knowledge, iron-rich food and iron-folic acid (IFA) intake.Patients and Methods: The study developed a pictorial handbook that was conceptualized based on the Health Belief Model and adjusted to some cultural and local contexts. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design was used, purposefully conducted between two homogenous municipalities, each having a rate of anemic pregnancy that was 40% or greater. The sample consists of 140 anemic pregnant women randomly allocated via lottery into two groups; the intervention group (n=70), which received two home visits—one for education and another for a counseling session, and control group (n=70), which received routine antenatal care. A chi-square test and a Mann–Whitney U-test were conducted to compare the baseline socio-demographics. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), controlling some possible confounders, was performed to analyze the effect of intervention.Results: The post-test means of hemoglobin F (1, 132) = 122, p-value < 0.001, and hematocrit levels F (1, 132) = 373, p-value < 0.001, were significantly different and higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. Similar results were found in knowledge, food frequency score, number of IFA intake (with p-value < 0.001), birth weight and daily iron intake from food (with p-value < 0.05). The intervention had a particularly large effect on food frequency score and number of IFA intake, and medium effect on hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.Conclusion: Individual education through a pictorial handbook on anemia in conjunction with the counseling intervention program had a positive impact on hemoglobin and hematocrit levels for anemic pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy.Keywords: anemia pictorial handbook, health believe model, hemoglobin

Sawitree Visanuyothin,1,2 Samlee Plianbangchang,1 Ratana Somrongthong1 1College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand; 2Social Medicine Department, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand Purpose: Hypertension (HT) is accountable for death in half of the patients suffering from heart disease and stroke. Many treatment strategies have been used, but little research exists on an integrated program with home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) and village health volunteers (VHVs) in an urban area of Thailand. The present study aims to determine the effectiveness of the integrated program, HBPM, and VHVs in supporting the target population. Patients and methods: This quasi-experiment was conducted from July to November 2017. Patients with poorly controlled HT were randomly selected from each of the two primary care units in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The participants were separated into an experiment (n=63) and control group (n=65). The experiment group participated in the integrated program, which was based on the 20-item Health Literate Care Model. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to collect data from participant interviews. Blood-pressure monitoring was used to measure systolic home blood pressure and diastolic home blood pressure. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared tests, Fisher’s exact test, the independent t-test, and the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test were used to compare the baseline data. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare the differences between the mean changes in the outcomes. Results: At the end of the 3-month follow-up appointment, significant statistical changes were found. Systolic home blood pressure, diastolic home blood pressure, and body mass index changed −4.61 (95% CI −8.32, −0.90) mmHg (P-value=0.015), −3.5 (95% CI −5.31, −1.72) mmHg (P-value

Aree Sanee, Ratana Somrongthong, Samlee Plianbangchang College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major health risk in Thailand. Although it is reported that females have a higher rate of MetS than males, very few peer-led intervention studies have been conducted on specific groups, such as seamstresses, at risk of MetS. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a peer-led intervention program on reducing MetS risk factors in individuals working in Thai Uniform Sewing Military Factories.Methods: A quasiexperimental program was introduced using a pre- and posttest design that was applied to female sewing factory workers selected for this research. All participants had at least one of the key MetS symptoms. The experimental group (N=50 participants) received 12 weekly peer-led individual support discussion sessions that included both dietary and physical activity (PA) advice and the control group (N=50 participants) followed their usual daily routines. The Student’s t-test and the Pearson’s chi-squared test were used to compare the differences of baseline data and analysis of variance was used for analysis of the data after intervention.Results: The results showed that after 3months of participation, when compared to the control group, the experimental group had significantly improved systolic blood pressure (BP) (P=0.04), diastolic BP (P

Estimating vitamin, mineral intakes related to anaemia and describing perception regard pregnancy diet, accessibility to foodstuff among first ANC visitor of anaemic pregnant women aged above 20 years in Province Aceh, Indonesia.A cross sectional mixmethod of quantitatively and focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted at two municipalities having more than 40% anaemic pregnancy. One hundred fifty-eight anaemic pregnant women were interviewed regarding socio-demographic and three days of 24-hours food recall, in addition to FGD at each municipality using FGD guidelines about nutritional anaemia. Food recall data was analysed using software NutriSurvey Indonesia, deficiency is defined as daily intake below 77% recommended dietary allowances (RDA) Indonesia. The FGD result was analysed by content analysis and clarified with representative quotes.Prevalence of deficiencies intake were folate (98.7%), vitamin B6 (91.1%), vitamin B2 (90.5%), iron (89.2%), zinc (87.3%), vitamin E (84.8%), vitamin C (79.7%), vitamin A (74.1%), copper (67.1%) and vitamin B12 (30.4%). Anaemic pregnant women noticed to consume more amount of food during pregnancy, and preferred to access foodstuff at shop nearby the house.Other than low iron intake, more than 90% anaemic pregnant women were also deficiency in folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B2. Perceived of less acknowledgement about affordable cost micronutrient-rich food, high cost of quality-food, sufficient to varieties foodstuff at neighbourhood shop prevents them from making correct food choices subsequently barrier to the food access and intake.

Sawitree Visanuyothin,1,2 Samlee Plianbangchang,2 Ratana Somrongthong2 1Social Medicine Department, Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand; 2College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand Purpose: Hypertension (HT) is the major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases because of its poor control. To control HT at the primary care level in urban communities, there is a demand for deeper comprehension of the manifestations of poorly controlled HT. This study aimed to examine appearance of HT, including the association between the appearance and home blood pressure (HBP) control at the primary care level in urban communities.Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in July–October 2017 in an urban community in Thailand. The total sample size from randomization was 125 poorly controlled HT patients who were diagnosed with an average clinic blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg in their last three visits. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews, HBP monitoring (HBPM), and blood and urine testing. Data analysis was conducted via descriptive statistics and the chi-square tests, with a significance level of p

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While adolescence is generally perceived to be a healthy period in life because mortality is relatively low in this age group adolescents face many health challenges. In the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEA) important causes of maternal mortality including hemorrhage sepsis and complications from abortion account for a higher proportion of deaths among young women and adolescent girls. For young men injury-related deaths such as drowning violence and traffic accidents are the significant causes of deaths in the SEA region. Furthermore malnutrition and anemia and important public health concerns in the adolescent age group; the health and nutrition status of adolescents is likely to have an intergeneration effect on their offspring. In many countries of the SEA Region instances of overweight and obesity are prevalent among younger populations as well as tobacco and drug and substance abuse. For these reasons adolescents deserve a sound public health response that should come primarily from national policies and multidisciplinary programs. To move the agenda of adolescent health forward the WHO has been engaged in developing and sustaining partnerships with other United Nations agencies in pushing for multisectoral involvement to support Member States. This movement in adolescent health and development has the potential to help countries make progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and overall national development.

With great pleasure, I warmly welcome you all to this regional meeting.As we all are aware, approximately 200,000 lives were lost due to the Earthquake and Tsunami at the end oflast year. It was one of the worst catastrophes of our times.The tragic event affected nine countries and displaced an estimated 1.2 million people. This was in spite of prompt responses by the governments of affected countries and international organizations.

b a �WorldHealthOrganization, � RegionalOfficeforSouth-EastAsia, � NewDelhi, � India. b �DepartmentofSustainableDevelopmentandHealthyEnvironments, � WorldHealthOrganization, � RegionalOfficeforSouth-East � � Asia, � NewDelhi, � India. Correspondenceto JaiPNarain � (email: � narainj@searo.who.int) TheSouth-EastAsia � (SEA) � RegionoftheWorld � Health Organization (WHO), home to 26% of theworldpopulationandto � 40% � oftheworld's � poor, � isinthemiddleofarapideconomic, � demographicandepidemiologicaltransition. � Itsuffersdisproportionatelyfromthehigh � burdenofcommunicableandemerging � noncommunicablediseasesinthebackground � ofrelativelypoorhealthinfrastructure. � Clearly, � progressinglobalhealthisnotpossible � withoutasignificantimprovementintheWHO � South-EastAsiaRegion. Outofthe � 14.5 � milliondeathsthatoccur � intheSouth-EastAsiaRegioneveryyear, � 3.9 � millionareduetocommunicablediseases � (CDs). 1 �Thesediseasestogetherwithmaternal, � perinatalandnutritionalconditionsare � responsiblefor � 36% � ofthedisability-adjusted � lifeyearslost, � indicatingthatcommunicable � diseasesarestillamajorpublichealthproblem � in the Region, and a threat to national and internationalhealthsecurity. � Outbreaksdue � toemergingandre-emergingdiseasesarea � frequentoccurrencerequiringearlydetection � andrapidresponse. � Dengueisofparticular � concernasitisnotonlyoccurringinexplosive � outbreaksbutexpandinggeographicallyto � newerareas. � Overthepastfiveyears, � Bhutan � andNepalhavereporteddenguecasesforthe � firsttime. � Noncommunicablediseases � (NCDs) � can � impingeonnationalhealthanddevelopment � astheynotonlycauseprematuredeaths � butexacerbatepovertyandaffectnational � economies. � IntheSEARegion, � 8.3 � millionNCD � deaths � (nearly � 56% � ofalldeaths) 1 �aremainly � duetocardiovasculardiseases, � diabetes, � cancerandchronicobstructivelungdiseases � contributedbythefoursharedriskfactors, � namelytobacco; � harmfuluseofalcohol; � unhealthydiet; � andphysicalinactivity. � Mental � illnessesandinjuriesalsoposeaconsiderable � burdenintheRegion. Aninterplayofsocioeconomic, � environ - mentalandbehaviouralfactors, � which � constitutethesocialdeterminantsofhealth, � aredrivingtheepidemicsofcommunicable � andnoncommunicablediseases. � Thesituation � isfurtherworsenedbyglobalizationand � rapideconomicactivity, � oftenunplannedand �