The combined effect of social pensions and cash transfers on child mortality: evaluating the last two decades in Brazil and projecting their mitigating effect during the global economic crisis

News Item Medicine, General & Internal

Urgent action is needed to tackle malnutrition crisis in 30 million children, says WHO

Luke Taylor

BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL (2023)

Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

The return of austerity imperils global health

Thomas Stubbs et al.

Summary: Recognising the lack of preparedness for the COVID-19 pandemic, international organisations are calling for additional funding to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response systems in low-income and middle-income countries. This article examines the prospects of national health budgets increasing in such a context, revealing that public spending will decrease for almost half of these countries by 2024. The increase in public spending on repaying external debt is a key driver of this austerity wave, potentially leading to deteriorating population health and reduced public health services.

BMJ GLOBAL HEALTH (2023)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

Conditional cash transfer program and child mortality: A cross-sectional analysis nested within the 100 Million Brazilian Cohort

Dandara Ramos et al.

Summary: This study found a significant association between BFP participation and child mortality in children aged 1-4 years, with a stronger effect for preterm children, children of Black mothers, and children living in municipalities in the lowest quintile of wealth. These findings reinforce the evidence that programs like BFP, already proven effective in poverty reduction, have the potential to improve child health and survival. Subgroup analysis revealed heterogeneous results, useful for policy improvement and better targeting of BFP.

PLOS MEDICINE (2021)

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Article Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Combination of conditional cash transfer program and environmental health interventions reduces child mortality: an ecological study of Brazilian municipalities

Anelise Andrade de Souza et al.

Summary: This study aimed to assess the interactive effects of Brazilian public interventions, environmental health programs, and a Conditional Cash Transfer Program on mortality reduction due to diarrhea and malnutrition among children under 5 years old. The results showed that high coverage of the Conditional Cash Transfer Program and access to water or sanitation had a positive effect on reducing diarrhea mortality rates, while high coverage of the program and solid waste collection had a negative effect on malnutrition mortality rates. Implementing environmental health services and expanding the Conditional Cash Transfer Program could enhance the prevention of early deaths in children under 5 years old.

BMC PUBLIC HEALTH (2021)

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Article Medicine, General & Internal

Long-term impact of a conditional cash transfer programme on maternal mortality: a nationwide analysis of Brazilian longitudinal data

Davide Rasella et al.

Summary: The Brazilian Bolsa Familia Programme (BFP) has been shown to significantly reduce maternal mortality and improve access to healthcare, with stronger effects observed among poor mothers who were exposed to the programme during their childhood and adolescence. This indicates a potential inter-generational effect of conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes in reducing health inequalities and contributing to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3.1. During the current global economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to preserve sustained CCT coverage to continue reducing maternal mortality and improving healthcare access.

BMC MEDICINE (2021)

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Review Public, Environmental & Occupational Health