Child Health in the News:

Transcription

1 Child Health in the News: Examining Media Coverage of Global Child Health IN THIS ACTIVITY, the participants will learn about different health issues impacting children and reflect on media coverage of those issues. TIME REQUIRED: 50 MINUTES INTENDED FOR GRADES 7-12 language arts media studies communications technology health sciences MATERIALS NEEDED» Copies of Global Child Health in the Media, found on pages » Copies of Fact Sheet: Pneumonia, found on pages » Copies of Fact Sheet: Diarrheal Diseases, found on pages » Copies of Fact Sheet: Malaria, found on page 189» Access to computers or tablets and the Internet Activity Steps DISTRIBUTE COPIES of the handouts, Global Child Health in the Media, Fact Sheet: Pneumonia, Fact Sheet: Diarrheal Diseases, and Fact Sheet: Malaria. REVIEW the assignment instructions for Global Child Health in the Media. ON COMPLETION of the assignment, discuss the following as a class:» What gaps exist in the news coverage on global child health?» Which stories do you think need more coverage?» Share any interesting examples of bias you found in the news stories.» Why don t global child health issues receive more media attention, given the numbers of children they affect?» How would media coverage differ if 16,000 children were dying in the U.S. each day? LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS 181

2 4 Child Health in the News: Examining Media Coverage of Global Child Health (continued) IF YOU CHOOSE, conclude this lesson with a prayer of your own or use this one: Gracious God, lover of all whom you have made, we place before you this day the hopes and dreams of all children those we can name and those we cannot. We promise you, we will keep them in our hearts, prayers, and actions until the day that no child will beg for food, weep for water, or cry out for a loving touch. As Jesus said to let the little children come to him, we ask you that we might be Jesus for a child who is hurting. Amen. 182 LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS

3 Global Child Health in the Media Every day more than 16,000 children die of preventable causes*. Most of the treatments and preventions are easy and cost-effective. For example, a simple mixture of water, salt, and sugar, or a single dose of a common vaccine, can mean the difference between life and death for many children who live and die in developing or lesser-developed nations. Given the high numbers of children who die before reaching their fifth birthday, there s no question this is a legitimate news story. But is this global health tragedy being reported in the media? And how does it compare to coverage of a hot topic like (choose from a current hot health issue like Ebola, the Zika virus, or something similar). (Source: UNICEF, Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed, September 2015, p. 9 publications/files/apr_2015_8_sep_15.pdf ) Assignment *Note: If desired, choose another health topic in current news and modify the following directions accordingly. 1. GO TO GOOGLE NEWS AT NEWS.GOOGLE.COM 2. SEARCH RECENT HEALTH ARTICLES to determine the current worldwide death toll from the health issue you selected, as well as the current death tolls from the other issues listed in the chart. You can also visit the World Health Organization for current updates. 3. NOTE THE DATES of the first recorded deaths of the health issue you selected. For example, the first recorded deaths due to Ebola occurred in March Calculate the number of weeks between the first week of April 2014 and today s date. Divide the current death toll from Ebola by the number of weeks to get the average number of deaths per week. Record this in your chart. 4. ENTER THE HEALTH ISSUES from the Google Search column in the chart below into the search field. Choose Past Week or Past Month from the list on the left. Note the number of articles that come up for each issue, and record this in the chart. 5. DETERMINE THE RATIO of the number of articles published per deaths for each of the four health issues. Divide the total number of articles per week by the number of deaths per week to get the article per death ratio. LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS 183

4 Global Child Health in the Media (continued) 6. SKIM A FEW OF THE ARTICLES you pulled up with your Google searches.» What conclusions can you draw from your observations about your Google News searches and calculations?» Why are global child health issues not as widely and frequently covered as issues like the Ebola or Zika viruses?» Which health issue do you think deserves more of your attention? Why? GOOGLE SEARCH e.g. the Ebola or Zika viruses NUMBER OF ARTICLES/WEEK NUMBER OF DEATHS/WEEK e.g. 125,000 e.g. 100 ARTICLE/DEATH RATE 125,000/100 = 1,250 articles per death Ebola (or the name of the health issue you selected) Under-Five Mortality Pneumonia + Child Diarrheal Disease + Child Malaria + Child Handout Global Child Health in the Media: Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc. 184 LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS

5 Fact Sheet: Pneumonia PNEUMONIA IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CHILDREN. About 920,000 children under the age of 5 die each year from this acute respiratory infection. Pneumonia affects children and families everywhere, but it is most prevalent in South Asia and sub-saharan Africa. POVERTY IS A FACTOR. More than 75 percent of all new pneumonia infections each year occur in children under the age of 5 living in developing countries. CHILDREN WITH WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEMS ARE AT GREATEST RISK. Infants and children who are malnourished or suffering from other illnesses, such as AIDS or measles, are more likely to develop pneumonia. Age is a factor too. Infants are particularly vulnerable: more than 80 percent of deaths from pneumonia happen in the first two years. PNEUMONIA CAN BE PREVENTED. Immunization, good nutrition, and the addressing of environmental factors, such as overcrowded living conditions or poor air quality from indoor cooking fires, can decrease the chances of contracting the disease. A pneumonia vaccine for children is available, but in the past its cost of $50 per dose it is out of reach for most people in the developing world. Progress is being made to reduce this cost. MOST CASES OF PNEUMONIA ARE TREATABLE. Antibiotics can be used in the most severe cases, which are often a result of bacterial pathogens. However, a high level of resistance to antibiotic treatment is a problem in many parts of the world, and only one third of children with pneumonia receive the antibiotics they need. EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS CRITICAL. Pneumonia is treatable only if caught in time. Even though it is the number-one killer of children in the developing world, only one in five parents know the tell-tale symptoms of pneumonia, such as fast or difficult breathing. Educating parents to recognize the early symptoms helps to ensure that children receive prompt medical care. Afghanistan: Immunization and Education Twelve years ago, Ghulam Sahee Mohammadi s 8-month-old daughter fell ill with pneumonia. The ruling Taliban would not let a male pediatric specialist examine her because she was a girl. She died soon after. Mohammadi works as a vaccinator in the city of Karokh, in Herat province. I was the first to work in immunization in Karokh. That was even before the Taliban, he recalls. When we started, there was no electricity here. No radio. No newspapers. No education. We had only a small broken fridge, and almost no stock of medicines. The desperate situation of women and children in Afghanistan is ranked among the worst in the world: worst infant mortality; second-worst maternal mortality; third-worst child mortality; and fifth-worst neonatal mortality. A project in Herat Province is helping community-based health workers deliver timed counseling messages for mothers at each stage of the birth cycle, from birth preparedness to infant feeding and immunization. LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS 185

6 Fact Sheet: Pneumonia (continued) We talk about the benefits of vaccinations with the women, says Mohammadi s daughter Paristu, also a vaccinator the good results they ll see for their child s future. I hope in 20 years we will have succeeded in increasing the immunization level of women and children in the community eradicating diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, polio, TB, measles, hepatitis, and influenza. Research, Think, Debate RESEARCH: The difference between waterborne and vector-borne diseases and treatments. THINK: If you had limited access to good water or sanitation facilities, how would your daily life be affected? DEBATE: Providing access to safe water and sanitation is/is not the most important intervention for reducing child mortality. (Sources: WHO Fact Sheet (2016) pdfs/journals/lancet/piis (13) pdf; Resource Fact Sheet: Pneumonia: Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc. 186 LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS

7 Fact Sheet: Diarrheal Diseases DIARRHEAL DISEASES ARE THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AFTER PNEUMONIA. Diarrheal diseases caused by pathogens such as rotovirus, cholera, e. coli, and salmonella result in an estimated 760,000 child deaths every year, making this the second biggest killer of children under 5. DEATHS FROM DIARRHEA DISPROPORTIONATELY TARGET THE POOR. Children in developing countries are at greatest risk of diarrheal disease as a result of malnourishment, lack of access to clean water, poor environmental sanitation, limited parental education, and poor healthcare. Children who survive persistent diarrhea generally suffer from stunted growth and learning difficulties. Children under two are the most vulnerable: more than 72 percent of deaths from diarrheal disease happen in the first two years. DEHYDRATION CAN BE DEADLY. Water and food contaminated by fecal matter or disease-causing bacteria, viruses, or parasites contain microscopic organisms that multiply in the intestines and release toxins that cause vomiting and diarrhea. Left untreated, the resulting loss of water and electrolyte minerals such as sodium, potassium, and chloride can lead to severe dehydration and death. ORT IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR DIARRHEAL DISEASES. Considered one of the most important public health breakthroughs of the 20th century, oral rehydration therapy (ORT) has saved the lives of millions of children. This simple solution of common ingredients salt, sugar, and water restores hydration levels and prevents death from diarrhea. CHILD DEATHS DUE TO DIARRHEA ARE PREVENTABLE. Improved access to safe water and proper sanitation, good hygiene practices such as hand washing, educating mothers on the benefits of breastfeeding for infant health, oral rehydration therapy, distributing zinc and vitamin A supplements, and providing the rotavirus vaccine are all ways to stop diarrhea-related child deaths. Singing a Public Health Message In Singida, Tanzania, children in school health clubs at Kisaki Primary School have fun learning about sanitation through songs, games, and drama. Cholera and diarrheal diseases can mean days of missed school for sick children. School health clubs provide a way for children to educate their families and communities about good sanitation practices. A simple change in behavior washing hands with soap and water can reduce the incidence of diarrheal diseases by 40 percent. Simple songs such as this one are saving lives: We can prevent diseases like cholera, bilharzia, and diarrhea. We have to get rid of them completely and wipe them out. We should not walk barefoot by water. We should boil water before drinking it. We should wash our hands after going to the latrine and before eating. Don t wash at the waterpoint. We can get rid of diarrhea. LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS 187

8 Fact Sheet: Diarrheal Diseases (continued) Research, Think, Debate RESEARCH: Find interesting examples of public health campaigns. THINK: In what ways does having access to public health education improve health? DEBATE: Public health education is/is not the most important solution in fighting diarrheal disease. (Sources: WHO Fact Sheet (2016) journals/lancet/piis (13) pdf; Institute for One World Health; PATH, Diarrheal Disease: Solutions to Defeat a Global Killer; PBS, Rx for Survival: Diarrheal Diseases, 2006) Resource Fact Sheet: Diarrheal Diseases: Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc. 188 LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS

9 Fact Sheet: Malaria MALARIA HAS A MIDDLE MAN. In the late 1890s, it was discovered that malaria is caused by the plasmodia parasite that lives inside mosquitoes. The parasite is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Worldwide, malaria kills 429,000 people a year. CHILDREN UNDER 5 ACCOUNT FOR 70% OF ALL MALARIA DEATHS. More than 800 children under 5 die from malaria each day. That s one child every two minutes. UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE. An estimated 57 percent of malaria deaths are attributable to underlying malnutrition. MALARIA THREATENS THE HEALTH OF PREGNANT MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS. Malaria is a prime cause of low birth weight, anemia, and infant deaths. MALARIA IS PREVENTABLE. Preventing the mosquito bite prevents the disease. Approximately 99 percent of mosquitoes carrying the malaria-causing parasite bite at night. Sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net and spraying insecticide inside homes is a simple, effective way to prevent malaria. Yet 100 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa are not using one of these nets. MALARIA IS TREATABLE. The proper combination of drugs can effectively treat malaria. However, treatment efforts are being undermined by counterfeit drugs and growing drug resistance. Additionally, many communities lack the health facilities and access to drugs needed to treat malaria. LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS 189

10 Fact Sheet: Malaria (continued) Zeinabou s Story: Safe with Bed Nets Zeinabou, 14, lives in Niger and has five brothers and sisters. She used to have six. Zeinabou, the eldest, helps care for her younger siblings. She teaches them how to draw and solve math problems. She helps her mother fetch water, clean clothes, and sweep the house. But she will never forget that someone is missing. One of my brothers died. He died from malaria a long time ago, she says. Zeinabou s brother, Issakou, was 3 years old when he died from malaria. With a high fever and spreading infection, help couldn t come fast enough for his small body. Zeinabou knows what malaria feels like. I feel cold. I feel fever, she explains. I can t sleep because I get a headache. When I was sick, others helped carry me to the clinic and bought medicine for me. Her family has received other gifts from charities: food, goats, clothes, school supplies, and two mosquito nets to protect the entire family. Zeinabou s mother says, There is a change [since] before we got mosquito nets and now. When we didn t have mosquito nets, mosquitoes used to bite us, but now that we have them, they don t. Our health is better. Now Zeinabou sleeps easier knowing she and her siblings are protected. It makes me happy, she says. Research, Think, Debate RESEARCH: The ban on DDT in industrialized countries. What makes DDT an effective insecticide? THINK: If global warming leads to malaria cases in the U.S., should DDT be reintroduced to control mosquito populations? Why or why not? DEBATE: Spraying of DDT should/should not be used to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes in affected areas. (Sources: World Health Organization, Malaria 2016 press release malaria-control-africa/en/; UNICEF, Achieving the Malaria MDG Target; UNICEF, Progress for Children-Beyond Averages: Learning from the MDGs, June 2015, page 37, Children_No._11_22June15.pdf) Resource Fact Sheet: Malaria: Permission to reproduce is granted World Vision, Inc. 190 LESSONS FOR GLOBAL CITIZENS