Traditional healing: modern medicine’s friend or foe?

Despite skeptism, WHO has legitimised acupuncture and ayurveda.

Carlin Carr in Mumbai − 17 Sep 2014

Arvind Singh came to Barefoot Acupuncturists in Mumbai’s Vijay Nagar slum to find relief from debilitating low-back pain. His chronic suffering forced him to leave his job as a security guard, eliminating the family’s sole income. “We went for x-rays, CT scans and blood tests, but no one could give us a diagnosis,” says his wife, Anita. Doctors prescribed painkillers and suggested surgery − both costly options. Eventually, the Singhs turned to acupuncture, where, after 15 treatments at 20 rupees a sitting, Singh felt “completely fine”.

Around the world, traditional medical systems, such as acupuncture and ayurveda are increasingly being recognised as affordable, low-tech interventions for under-served areas. In India, 65% of the rural population uses ayurveda and medicinal plants as a first step for healthcare. In Africa, traditional medicine serves 80% of healthcare needs. In China, the figure is about 40%.

“For many millions of people, often living in rural areas of developing countries, herbal medicines, traditional treatments and traditional practitioners are the main − sometimes the only − source of healthcare,” the World Health Organisation’s director general, Margaret Chan, said in 2008. “This is care that is close to homes, accessible and affordable.”

The WHO recently launched the traditional medicine strategy 2014-2023 to mainstream traditional medicine alongside allopathic (modern, western) care, with an emphasis on improving safety and expanding access.

Traditional medicine in its many forms has proven to be an effective treatment for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) − one of the biggest health burdens for developing countries. NCDs, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and chronic lung disease, kill more than 36 million people each year and 80% of the deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Founder of AyurVaid chain of ayurvedic hospitals Rajiv Vasudevan says today’s “quick fix” society turns too quickly to pills and elective surgery but traditional medicine treats the root-cause. He says that allopathic medicine provides symptomatic treatment that, for example, returns blood pressure back to normal, but ignores the underlying conditions − a person’s constitution, the surrounding environment, diet − that cause the illness in the first place.

“In general, ayurveda can play an effective complementary role to allopathy’s emergency medical care system,” says Vasudevan, who believes the lowest economic strata can benefit the most from these choices in treatment.

Ayurveda’s focus on long-term wellbeing is particularly important for vulnerable communities who rely on healthy bodies for a steady income.

(Adapted from https://amp.theguardian.com)

Traditional healing: modern medicine’s friend or foe?

Despite skeptism, WHO has legitimised acupuncture and ayurveda.

Carlin Carr in Mumbai − 17 Sep 2014

Arvind Singh came to Barefoot Acupuncturists in Mumbai’s Vijay Nagar slum to find relief from debilitating low-back pain. His chronic suffering forced him to leave his job as a security guard, eliminating the family’s sole income. “We went for x-rays, CT scans and blood tests, but no one could give us a diagnosis,” says his wife, Anita. Doctors prescribed painkillers and suggested surgery − both costly options. Eventually, the Singhs turned to acupuncture, where, after 15 treatments at 20 rupees a sitting, Singh felt “completely fine”.

Around the world, traditional medical systems, such as acupuncture and ayurveda are increasingly being recognised as affordable, low-tech interventions for under-served areas. In India, 65% of the rural population uses ayurveda and medicinal plants as a first step for healthcare. In Africa, traditional medicine serves 80% of healthcare needs. In China, the figure is about 40%.

“For many millions of people, often living in rural areas of developing countries, herbal medicines, traditional treatments and traditional practitioners are the main − sometimes the only − source of healthcare,” the World Health Organisation’s director general, Margaret Chan, said in 2008. “This is care that is close to homes, accessible and affordable.”

The WHO recently launched the traditional medicine strategy 2014-2023 to mainstream traditional medicine alongside allopathic (modern, western) care, with an emphasis on improving safety and expanding access.

Traditional medicine in its many forms has proven to be an effective treatment for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) − one of the biggest health burdens for developing countries. NCDs, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and chronic lung disease, kill more than 36 million people each year and 80% of the deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

Founder of AyurVaid chain of ayurvedic hospitals Rajiv Vasudevan says today’s “quick fix” society turns too quickly to pills and elective surgery but traditional medicine treats the root-cause. He says that allopathic medicine provides symptomatic treatment that, for example, returns blood pressure back to normal, but ignores the underlying conditions − a person’s constitution, the surrounding environment, diet − that cause the illness in the first place.

“In general, ayurveda can play an effective complementary role to allopathy’s emergency medical care system,” says Vasudevan, who believes the lowest economic strata can benefit the most from these choices in treatment.

Ayurveda’s focus on long-term wellbeing is particularly important for vulnerable communities who rely on healthy bodies for a steady income.

(Adapted from https://amp.theguardian.com)

Young people are hungry for good sex education. I found a program in Mexico that gets it right

March 9, 2021

By Shelly Makleff

Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, Monash University, Australia

More than 30,000 people have signed a petition, launched by ex-Sydney school girl Chanel Contos, demanding for consent to be at the forefront of sexual education in schools. The text in the petition states:

Those who have signed this petition have done so because they are sad and angry that they did not receive an adequate education regarding what amounts to sexual assault and what to do when it happens.

School principals, particularly in all-boys schools, have responded by acknowledging the need for a cultural shift. Some schools have gathered students for sessions about consent, others addressed the topic in the classroom, some have asked parents to engage their children in discussions about sexual consent and social norms.

But studies show one-off conversations or education sessions about consent and rape are unlikely to influence long-term change. Interventions need to systematically and gradually address the harmful social norms that underpin a host of interrelated issues including rape culture, intimate partner violence and homophobic bullying.

Evidence from around the globe suggests that to transform the harmful gender norms that contribute to violence and sexual assault, programs should promote critical reflections about gender, relationships and sexuality. Evidence also shows such reflection takes time.

A community-based organisation providing sexual and reproductive health services throughout Mexico adapted their sexuality course in 2016. It was a 20-hour course, delivered weekly over one semester to 185 students in one school. Each group of 20 participants aged 14 to 17 had one facilitator.

The facilitators in the course were young people (under 30 years of age). They were trained as professional health educators, and to facilitate activities that promote critical reflection among students about entrenched beliefs and social norms.

In the program, students engaged in debates about romantic jealousy, and whether it was a sign of love. One student told me:

“they told us […] about what is love and what is not love. I told my boyfriend, ‘they told us that jealousy is bad’, and he replied,

‘that’s right, because it means a lack of trust’, and in this way, we sometimes talked about the course.”

Vignettes that were relevant to the students’ lived experiences stimulated debates about gender roles and social norms. For example, a student said:

“One of the things my classmate said stayed with me. He said that the man has to work and the woman should stay in the house. It made me, like, think. I think that a woman doesn’t need to always be at home […] as if it were a prison. I think you need to give freedom to both people in a relationship.”

These group conversations can be challenging. They may also be upsetting to participants and could even provoke verbal harassment or violence. One facilitator described bullying and violence during some sessions of the course. The group started to verbally attack each other, and it was one corner of the room against the other.

This means facilitators need training not only on the concepts of gender, sexuality and relationships, but also on how best to directly address comments that may reinforce harmful gender norms or other types of violence in the classroom and use those as teaching moments to highlight the consequences of harmful social norms.

I saw the students become more comfortable talking about relationships and sexuality as the course progressed. One young man said:

“before the course, it made us a bit embarrassed to talk about sexual and reproductive health. But afterwards we understood, with the course, that it was, like, very natural to talk about it. It’s like any other thing, and so I now feel fine talking about it.”

As a result of the program, some students said they directly addressed negative behaviours in their own relationships. And some even left controlling relationships.

(Adapted from https://theconversation.com)

Young people are hungry for good sex education. I found a program in Mexico that gets it right

March 9, 2021

By Shelly Makleff

Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, Monash University, Australia

More than 30,000 people have signed a petition, launched by ex-Sydney school girl Chanel Contos, demanding for consent to be at the forefront of sexual education in schools. The text in the petition states:

Those who have signed this petition have done so because they are sad and angry that they did not receive an adequate education regarding what amounts to sexual assault and what to do when it happens.

School principals, particularly in all-boys schools, have responded by acknowledging the need for a cultural shift. Some schools have gathered students for sessions about consent, others addressed the topic in the classroom, some have asked parents to engage their children in discussions about sexual consent and social norms.

But studies show one-off conversations or education sessions about consent and rape are unlikely to influence long-term change. Interventions need to systematically and gradually address the harmful social norms that underpin a host of interrelated issues including rape culture, intimate partner violence and homophobic bullying.

Evidence from around the globe suggests that to transform the harmful gender norms that contribute to violence and sexual assault, programs should promote critical reflections about gender, relationships and sexuality. Evidence also shows such reflection takes time.

A community-based organisation providing sexual and reproductive health services throughout Mexico adapted their sexuality course in 2016. It was a 20-hour course, delivered weekly over one semester to 185 students in one school. Each group of 20 participants aged 14 to 17 had one facilitator.

The facilitators in the course were young people (under 30 years of age). They were trained as professional health educators, and to facilitate activities that promote critical reflection among students about entrenched beliefs and social norms.

In the program, students engaged in debates about romantic jealousy, and whether it was a sign of love. One student told me:

“they told us […] about what is love and what is not love. I told my boyfriend, ‘they told us that jealousy is bad’, and he replied,

‘that’s right, because it means a lack of trust’, and in this way, we sometimes talked about the course.”

Vignettes that were relevant to the students’ lived experiences stimulated debates about gender roles and social norms. For example, a student said:

“One of the things my classmate said stayed with me. He said that the man has to work and the woman should stay in the house. It made me, like, think. I think that a woman doesn’t need to always be at home […] as if it were a prison. I think you need to give freedom to both people in a relationship.”

These group conversations can be challenging. They may also be upsetting to participants and could even provoke verbal harassment or violence. One facilitator described bullying and violence during some sessions of the course. The group started to verbally attack each other, and it was one corner of the room against the other.

This means facilitators need training not only on the concepts of gender, sexuality and relationships, but also on how best to directly address comments that may reinforce harmful gender norms or other types of violence in the classroom and use those as teaching moments to highlight the consequences of harmful social norms.

I saw the students become more comfortable talking about relationships and sexuality as the course progressed. One young man said:

“before the course, it made us a bit embarrassed to talk about sexual and reproductive health. But afterwards we understood, with the course, that it was, like, very natural to talk about it. It’s like any other thing, and so I now feel fine talking about it.”

As a result of the program, some students said they directly addressed negative behaviours in their own relationships. And some even left controlling relationships.

(Adapted from https://theconversation.com)

Young people are hungry for good sex education. I found a program in Mexico that gets it right

March 9, 2021

By Shelly Makleff

Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, Monash University, Australia

More than 30,000 people have signed a petition, launched by ex-Sydney school girl Chanel Contos, demanding for consent to be at the forefront of sexual education in schools. The text in the petition states:

Those who have signed this petition have done so because they are sad and angry that they did not receive an adequate education regarding what amounts to sexual assault and what to do when it happens.

School principals, particularly in all-boys schools, have responded by acknowledging the need for a cultural shift. Some schools have gathered students for sessions about consent, others addressed the topic in the classroom, some have asked parents to engage their children in discussions about sexual consent and social norms.

But studies show one-off conversations or education sessions about consent and rape are unlikely to influence long-term change. Interventions need to systematically and gradually address the harmful social norms that underpin a host of interrelated issues including rape culture, intimate partner violence and homophobic bullying.

Evidence from around the globe suggests that to transform the harmful gender norms that contribute to violence and sexual assault, programs should promote critical reflections about gender, relationships and sexuality. Evidence also shows such reflection takes time.

A community-based organisation providing sexual and reproductive health services throughout Mexico adapted their sexuality course in 2016. It was a 20-hour course, delivered weekly over one semester to 185 students in one school. Each group of 20 participants aged 14 to 17 had one facilitator.

The facilitators in the course were young people (under 30 years of age). They were trained as professional health educators, and to facilitate activities that promote critical reflection among students about entrenched beliefs and social norms.

In the program, students engaged in debates about romantic jealousy, and whether it was a sign of love. One student told me:

“they told us […] about what is love and what is not love. I told my boyfriend, ‘they told us that jealousy is bad’, and he replied,

‘that’s right, because it means a lack of trust’, and in this way, we sometimes talked about the course.”

Vignettes that were relevant to the students’ lived experiences stimulated debates about gender roles and social norms. For example, a student said:

“One of the things my classmate said stayed with me. He said that the man has to work and the woman should stay in the house. It made me, like, think. I think that a woman doesn’t need to always be at home […] as if it were a prison. I think you need to give freedom to both people in a relationship.”

These group conversations can be challenging. They may also be upsetting to participants and could even provoke verbal harassment or violence. One facilitator described bullying and violence during some sessions of the course. The group started to verbally attack each other, and it was one corner of the room against the other.

This means facilitators need training not only on the concepts of gender, sexuality and relationships, but also on how best to directly address comments that may reinforce harmful gender norms or other types of violence in the classroom and use those as teaching moments to highlight the consequences of harmful social norms.

I saw the students become more comfortable talking about relationships and sexuality as the course progressed. One young man said:

“before the course, it made us a bit embarrassed to talk about sexual and reproductive health. But afterwards we understood, with the course, that it was, like, very natural to talk about it. It’s like any other thing, and so I now feel fine talking about it.”

As a result of the program, some students said they directly addressed negative behaviours in their own relationships. And some even left controlling relationships.

(Adapted from https://theconversation.com)

Young people are hungry for good sex education. I found a program in Mexico that gets it right

March 9, 2021

By Shelly Makleff

Research Fellow, Global and Women's Health, Monash University, Australia

More than 30,000 people have signed a petition, launched by ex-Sydney school girl Chanel Contos, demanding for consent to be at the forefront of sexual education in schools. The text in the petition states:

Those who have signed this petition have done so because they are sad and angry that they did not receive an adequate education regarding what amounts to sexual assault and what to do when it happens.

School principals, particularly in all-boys schools, have responded by acknowledging the need for a cultural shift. Some schools have gathered students for sessions about consent, others addressed the topic in the classroom, some have asked parents to engage their children in discussions about sexual consent and social norms.

But studies show one-off conversations or education sessions about consent and rape are unlikely to influence long-term change. Interventions need to systematically and gradually address the harmful social norms that underpin a host of interrelated issues including rape culture, intimate partner violence and homophobic bullying.

Evidence from around the globe suggests that to transform the harmful gender norms that contribute to violence and sexual assault, programs should promote critical reflections about gender, relationships and sexuality. Evidence also shows such reflection takes time.

A community-based organisation providing sexual and reproductive health services throughout Mexico adapted their sexuality course in 2016. It was a 20-hour course, delivered weekly over one semester to 185 students in one school. Each group of 20 participants aged 14 to 17 had one facilitator.

The facilitators in the course were young people (under 30 years of age). They were trained as professional health educators, and to facilitate activities that promote critical reflection among students about entrenched beliefs and social norms.

In the program, students engaged in debates about romantic jealousy, and whether it was a sign of love. One student told me:

“they told us […] about what is love and what is not love. I told my boyfriend, ‘they told us that jealousy is bad’, and he replied,

‘that’s right, because it means a lack of trust’, and in this way, we sometimes talked about the course.”

Vignettes that were relevant to the students’ lived experiences stimulated debates about gender roles and social norms. For example, a student said:

“One of the things my classmate said stayed with me. He said that the man has to work and the woman should stay in the house. It made me, like, think. I think that a woman doesn’t need to always be at home […] as if it were a prison. I think you need to give freedom to both people in a relationship.”

These group conversations can be challenging. They may also be upsetting to participants and could even provoke verbal harassment or violence. One facilitator described bullying and violence during some sessions of the course. The group started to verbally attack each other, and it was one corner of the room against the other.

This means facilitators need training not only on the concepts of gender, sexuality and relationships, but also on how best to directly address comments that may reinforce harmful gender norms or other types of violence in the classroom and use those as teaching moments to highlight the consequences of harmful social norms.

I saw the students become more comfortable talking about relationships and sexuality as the course progressed. One young man said:

“before the course, it made us a bit embarrassed to talk about sexual and reproductive health. But afterwards we understood, with the course, that it was, like, very natural to talk about it. It’s like any other thing, and so I now feel fine talking about it.”

As a result of the program, some students said they directly addressed negative behaviours in their own relationships. And some even left controlling relationships.

(Adapted from https://theconversation.com)

Mental health determinants

Adolescence (10-19 years) is a unique and formative time. It is a crucial period for developing and maintaining social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; taking regular exercise; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are also important. An estimated 10-20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Multiple factors determine mental health outcomes. The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include a desire for greater autonomy, pressure to conform with peers, exploration of sexual identity, and increased access to and use of technology. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent’s lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers. Violence (including harsh parenting and bullying) and socioeconomic problems are recognized risks to mental health. Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, which has a clear association with detrimental mental health.

Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.

Emotional disorders commonly emerge during adolescence. In addition to depression or anxiety, adolescents with emotional disorders can also experience excessive irritability, frustration or anger. Symptoms can overlap across more than one emotional disorder with rapid and unexpected changes in mood and emotional outbursts. Younger adolescents may additionally develop emotionrelated physical symptoms such as stomachache, headache or nausea.

Globally, depression is the fourth leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents aged 15-19 years and fifteenth for those aged 10-14 years. Anxiety is the ninth leading cause for adolescents aged 15-19 years and sixth for those aged 10-14 years. Emotional disorders can profoundly affect areas like schoolwork and school attendance. Social withdrawal can exacerbate isolation and loneliness.

Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors that may impact their potential to thrive are critical for their well-being during adolescence and for their physical and mental health in adulthood.

(Adapted from https://www.who.int)

Mental health determinants

Adolescence (10-19 years) is a unique and formative time. It is a crucial period for developing and maintaining social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; taking regular exercise; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are also important. An estimated 10-20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Multiple factors determine mental health outcomes. The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include a desire for greater autonomy, pressure to conform with peers, exploration of sexual identity, and increased access to and use of technology. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent’s lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers. Violence (including harsh parenting and bullying) and socioeconomic problems are recognized risks to mental health. Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, which has a clear association with detrimental mental health.

Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.

Emotional disorders commonly emerge during adolescence. In addition to depression or anxiety, adolescents with emotional disorders can also experience excessive irritability, frustration or anger. Symptoms can overlap across more than one emotional disorder with rapid and unexpected changes in mood and emotional outbursts. Younger adolescents may additionally develop emotionrelated physical symptoms such as stomachache, headache or nausea.

Globally, depression is the fourth leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents aged 15-19 years and fifteenth for those aged 10-14 years. Anxiety is the ninth leading cause for adolescents aged 15-19 years and sixth for those aged 10-14 years. Emotional disorders can profoundly affect areas like schoolwork and school attendance. Social withdrawal can exacerbate isolation and loneliness.

Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors that may impact their potential to thrive are critical for their well-being during adolescence and for their physical and mental health in adulthood.

(Adapted from https://www.who.int)

Mental health determinants

Adolescence (10-19 years) is a unique and formative time. It is a crucial period for developing and maintaining social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; taking regular exercise; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are also important. An estimated 10-20% of adolescents globally experience mental health conditions, yet these remain underdiagnosed and undertreated.

Multiple factors determine mental health outcomes. The more risk factors adolescents are exposed to, the greater the potential impact on their mental health. Factors that can contribute to stress during adolescence include a desire for greater autonomy, pressure to conform with peers, exploration of sexual identity, and increased access to and use of technology. Media influence and gender norms can exacerbate the disparity between an adolescent’s lived reality and their perceptions or aspirations for the future. Other important determinants include the quality of their home life and relationships with peers. Violence (including harsh parenting and bullying) and socioeconomic problems are recognized risks to mental health. Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to sexual violence, which has a clear association with detrimental mental health.

Some adolescents are at greater risk of mental health conditions due to their living conditions, stigma, discrimination or exclusion, or lack of access to quality support and services.

Emotional disorders commonly emerge during adolescence. In addition to depression or anxiety, adolescents with emotional disorders can also experience excessive irritability, frustration or anger. Symptoms can overlap across more than one emotional disorder with rapid and unexpected changes in mood and emotional outbursts. Younger adolescents may additionally develop emotionrelated physical symptoms such as stomachache, headache or nausea.

Globally, depression is the fourth leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents aged 15-19 years and fifteenth for those aged 10-14 years. Anxiety is the ninth leading cause for adolescents aged 15-19 years and sixth for those aged 10-14 years. Emotional disorders can profoundly affect areas like schoolwork and school attendance. Social withdrawal can exacerbate isolation and loneliness.

Promoting psychological well-being and protecting adolescents from adverse experiences and risk factors that may impact their potential to thrive are critical for their well-being during adolescence and for their physical and mental health in adulthood.

(Adapted from https://www.who.int)