Objective

 To determine the prevalence and causes of vision loss and calculate the effective cataract surgery coverage (eCSC) in adults aged 60 years and older in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2020.

Methods 

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness Vision Atlas and the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness databases were used as data source. The collected data were used to estimate the prevalence and causes of vision loss in people aged 60 years and older, and to determine the eCSC.

This letter to the editor is only available in Spanish.

Objectives
 To summarize available data on unit costs for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing, prevention, and care interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Methods
We conducted a systematic literature review of costing studies published between 2012 and 2024, and selected those reporting empirically measured costing data. The available data were categorized according to predefined intervention categories and compared by time and place. We also explored variations in unit costs by intervention type.

Objective
To evaluate whether use of a culturally adapted mobile application (app) for adolescents with type 1 diabetes is associated with improved metabolic control.

The Region of the Americas has historically experienced social inequalities rooted in colonialism, which are reflected and reproduced in the area of health. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the entire Region, but the most socially disadvantaged groups were hit hardest, intensifying health inequities. Under the premise that pandemics are not socially neutral phenomena, this special report analyzes the unequal impacts of the pandemic from different perspectives: historical, epidemiological, political, social, economic, environmental, and population-related.

[Extract] This editorial presents a collective vision of unity, innovation and collaboration, and a shared desire for resilient and more equitable health systems worldwide, urging the global health community to harness the collective strength of alliances and international collaboration to guide the health sector into a new era of digital transformation and innovation.

Abstract

The study of catastrophic costs incurred by people affected by tuberculosis (TB), conducted in Colombia during the COVID-19 pandemic, provided the opportunity to implement telephone surveys for data collection. This constitutes a methodological innovation regarding the standards established by the World Health Organization (WHO) which, for this type of study, usually rely on face-to-face surveys of patients attending health facilities. The study design, objectives, and methodology were adapted from the WHO publication Tuberculosis patient cost surveys: a handbook.

Objectives

To describe the development, implementation, and results of a training course designed to equip health professionals from the Pan American Health Organization region with the knowledge and tools needed to adapt health systems to current climate realities.

Objective

Present the experience of a rapid response service to support decision-making in health systems.

Methodology

Description of the processes and results of a service that produces rapid reviews and evidence maps to support decision-making under the National Health Promotion Policy, as well as the authors' perception of the work process.

Objective

Analyze the implementation of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) in Chile with a view to optimizing the distribution of public resources.

Methods

A chronological narrative analysis of the main milestones was complemented by simulated application of DRGs through emulated competition and cluster analysis for evaluative purposes.