The Faculty of Public Health (FPH) is a public health association in the United Kingdom established as a registered charity. It is the standard setting body for public health specialists within the United Kingdom, setting standards for training, examination and specialist practice across the four countries of the UK. It is also a source of knowledge and guidance around public health, and advocates for public health nationally and globally.The current president is Maggie Rae, who took office in June 2019 for a three-year term.
Background: Pesticides pose health risks to vulnerable populations living in agricultural areas, especially children. However, effective interventions demonstrating biomarker-based reductions in pesticide exposure among toddlers remain scarce, including in Thailand. Objective: This quasi-experimental study, using a pre-test/post-test design, aimed to assess the effect of a parental behavior modification program on pesticide exposure among young Thai children. Methods: The sample consisted of 90 families with children aged 1-3 years who lived within 50 meters of agricultural areas, including 46 in the intervention group and 44 in the control group. Guardians in the intervention group received a behavior modification program based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which included three training sessions and one home visit. The control group did not receive any intervention. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) levels in toddlers were measured via finger prick in both groups at three time points: baseline, follow-up 1 (two months after the end of the intervention), and follow-up 2 (five months after the end of the intervention). Results: Linear mixed-model analysis showed that, from baseline to follow-up 1, hemoglobin-adjusted AChE (HAChE) levels in the intervention group were 1.307 U/g Hgb higher than in the control group (P = 0.047). From baseline to follow-up 2, HAChE levels were 2.332 U/g Hgb higher in the intervention group (P = 0.005), and AChE levels were also higher by 0.311 U/mL. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the parental behavior modification program can effectively reduce pesticide exposure in young Thai children, and therefore the program should be considered for implementation as part of efforts to improve health outcomes among children living in agricultural areas of Thailand.
Violence and issues related to sexual orientation among children and adolescents constitute significant public health concerns, affecting mental health, social well-being, and family resilience. National data indicate that sexual violence remains the most prevalent form of violence against children in Indonesia. At the same time, there has been a notable increase in new HIV infections among same-sex–oriented populations. Schools, as spaces for character formation, play a strategic role in promotive and preventive efforts. This community engagement program aimed to enhance sexuality ethics literacy and raise awareness of sexual violence prevention among students at Muhammadiyah schools in Bekasi City through a participatory approach grounded in Al-Islam and Muhammadiyah values. The methods employed included interactive educational sessions, small group discussions, and brainstorming activities. The program was implemented at the elementary (SD), vocational high school (SMK), and Islamic senior high school (Madrasah Aliyah) levels, involving 245 students and 15 teachers. The results indicated improved conceptual understanding of healthy interaction boundaries, the importance of consent, and awareness of the risks of gender-based violence in digital spaces. Participatory discussions also revealed the need for safe spaces where students can openly address issues related to relationships and adolescent mental health. The findings demonstrate that integrating Islamic values with a health promotion approach can strengthen a safe school culture and support students’ psychosocial well-being.
The low level of writing culture among adult women remains a significant challenge to strengthening da’wah activities and documenting social movements. Although Aisyiyah cadres are actively involved in community-based da’wah and social services, writing has not yet been optimally utilized as a medium of da’wah bil qalam and advocacy for progressive Muslim women. This community service program aimed to enhance the writing literacy and da’wah literacy capacities of Aisyiyah cadres in Bekasi City through training based on the psychological empowerment approach. The program was implemented through two writing training sessions (2 × 2 hours) accompanied by online mentoring. A total of 20 participants were involved, with ages ranging from 18 to 70 years (average age 50 years) and organizational experience ranging from 0 to 38 years. Some showed resistance to regularly writing activity reports. The program resulted in articles published on the Kompasiana SadarBakat community platform. The findings indicate that improving writing literacy requires technical writing training, confidence-building, habit formation, and sustained mentoring support.
Background: Malnutrition is highly prevalent in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and is linked to increased morbidity and mortality. This study evaluated the association between the malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) and mortality in PD patients.Methods: This single-center, retrospective cohort study included 269 PD patients between January 2010 and December 2022. Patients were categorized by MIS levels: mild (Group A), moderate (Group B), and severe (Group C). Groups B and C received targeted nutritional interventions as part of routine care. Patients were followed until death, therapy transition, transplantation, or February 2025.Results: Group B demonstrated the lowest mortality rate (17.8 per 100 person-years) and a significant survival advantage in Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and multivariable Cox regression after adjustment for confounders. Following interventions, 64% of Group B showed improvement in the MIS category, whereas 65% of Group C remained unchanged. Conversely, 60% of Group A (which received no intervention) experienced a worsening of the MIS category. Older age and diabetes were independent predictors of higher mortality.Conclusion: Patients with moderate MIS achieved better survival than those with mild or severe MIS, likely driven by targeted interventions. The dynamic shifts across MIS categories underscore the critical need for regular, routine nutritional and inflammatory assessments followed by appropriate interventions.
