Professionalisation of Community Health Workers: Time for a Formal Contract.

Community health workers (CHWs) are the backbone of strong primary healthcare systems. If properly supported, they can add significant value to access to healthcare service delivery. Yet, despite their proven effectiveness globally, systemwide support for CHWs remains sub-optimal.

Emaciated enigma: Decline in body conditions of common dolphins in the Celtic Seas ecoregion.

Monitoring the nutritional health of cetaceans has become increasingly important in a changing environment, where multiple stressors impact animals. Particularly for those species that require consumption of energy-dense prey, such as the common dolphin. Thus far, no uniform measure for monitoring body condition has been recommended across cetaceans, and species-specific measures may need to be developed if employed as a population condition indicator under Descriptor 1 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Trace element concentrations in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in the Celtic Seas ecoregion: Interelement relationships and effects of life history and health status.

Given the increased extraction of trace elements for use by new and emerging technologies, monitoring the environmental fate and potential effects of these compounds within the aquatic environment has never been more critical. Here, hepatic trace element concentrations were assessed in a key sentinel predator, the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), using a long-term dataset. Variation in concentrations were assessed in relation to other elements, time period, decomposition state, sex, age, total body length, sexual maturity and nutritional status, and cause of death.

Building consensus on common features and interoperability use cases for community health information systems: a Delphi study.

Introduction: Information systems for community health have become increasingly sophisticated and evidence-based in the last decade and they are now the most widely used health information systems in many low-income and middle-income countries. This study aimed to establish consensus regarding key features and interoperability priorities for community health information systems (CHISs).

Methods: A Delphi study was conducted among a systematically selected panel of CHIS experts.