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THE ASIAN REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION FOR NUTRITION IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
Education and information for behaviour change are being increasingly recognized as key interventions in the improvement of health and nutrition. However, functional illiteracy, the lack of infrastructure, and expensive technology often mean that efforts in health and nutrition communication at the community level are minimal, difficult, and disappointing.
Many Asian countries have adopted primary health care (PHC) as the fundamental philosophy in their health-care systems, making effective communication crucial. It was for the purpose of evaluating, expediting, and expanding the progress made by various countries that the Asian Regional Workshop on Effective Communications for Nutrition in Primary Health Care was held from 3 to 7 October 1983.
The five-day workshop featured eight papers on various aspects of communication, ranging from a broader view of planning to more specific details regarding media production, methodology, and application. Three case studies from Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines gave insights into ongoing projects in nutrition communications. Six country reports and three individual reports described the efforts of various countries and institutions in Asia that are working with communications for nutrition education.
Special interest groups discussed planning, development evaluation, and growth charts. Pertinent points were raised in regard to each activity, providing a chance for the exchange of ideas between resource persons and participants.
The small group discussions covered the following four topics:
Problems, constraints, and possible or potential solutions were discussed, and the recommendations for each of these topics were as follows:
Integration of Communications in PHC
Human Resources and Training Needs
- 300-400 million parents;
- 30-40 million village workers; and
- 20-30 million subdistrict- to provincial-level workers.
Nutrition Information Network Needs
Research Needs
Food Composition Data: A User's Perspective
Edited by William Ml Rand, Carol T. Windham, Bonita W. Wyse, and Vernon R. Young
Knowledge of what is in the foods that are eaten around the world is of critical importance and at the same time extremely inadequate. Data on food composition underpin research and policy in a number of important areas of public health, dietetics, nutrition, and epidemiology; they are critical for key decisions of bilateral and international assistance agencies and play a major role in all phases of the food production and manufacturing industry, both locally and on a global scale. These needs stand in stark contrast to the availability and adequacy of food composition data. In this volume prominent workers in the field present their views and experiences concerning the importance of food composition data and its current problems end what must be done to improve the situation. It provides an essential introduction and survey of the field for anyone interested in or expecting to be involved with the gathering, compilation, or use of food composition data. It will also be a useful reference for university courses on food and nutrition.
WHTR-10/UNUP-633 ISBN 92-808-0633-5
240 pages, 16.4 x 23.9 cm, paper-bound, US$20
Methods for the Evaluation of the Impact of Food and Nutrition Programmes
Edited by David E Sahn, Richard Lockwood and Nevin S. Scrimshaw
This state-of-the-art discussion of methods for evaluating food and nutrition programmes focuses primarily on determining specific nutritional impact, even in circumstances where adequate baseline data are not available. It recognizes also that food and nutrition programmes can have beneficial effects going beyond traditional health impacts and gives specific attention to social, economic, behavioural, and political consequences that may accompany a feeding programme.
WHTR 6/UNUP-473 ISBN 92-808-0473-1
291 pages, 16.5 x 23.6 cm, paper-bound, US$25
2nd printing (1988)
Research Methods In Nutritional Anthropology
Edited by Gretel Pelto
A comprehensive manual of anthropological methodologies applicable to field studies in nutrition, this volume describes strategies of field research in nutritional anthropology, determinants and cultural components of food intake, methods for collecting and analysing data on energy expenditures, and statistical methods for nutritional anthropology.
WHTR-9/UNUP-632 ISBN 92-808-4632-7
In press, 16.4 x 23.9 cm, paper-bound, US$20