Integrated vector management (IVM) is a rational decision-making process for optimal use of resources for vector control. The aim of the IVM approach is to contribute to achievement of the global targets set for vector-borne disease control, by making vector control more efficient, cost-effective, ecologically sound and sustainable. Use of IVM helps vector control programs to find and use more local evidence, to integrate interventions where appropriate and to collaborate within the health sector and with other sectors, as well as with households and communities. By reorientating to IVM, vector control programs will be better able to meet the growing challenges in the control of malaria, dengue and other vector-borne diseases in the face of dwindling public sector human and financial resources. This handbook presents an operational framework to guide managers and those implementing vector-borne disease control programs in designing more efficient, cost-effective systems. As a national IVM policy and an intersectoral steering committee are essential for establishing IVM as a national strategy, the handbook begins with the policy and institutional framework for IVM. Policy analysis is a means for identifying options for policy reform and suggesting instruments for implementing policy. IVM transforms the conventional system of vector control by making it more evidence-based, integrated and participative. This may require changes in roles, responsibilities and organizational links. The transition to IVM involves both reorientation of vector-borne disease control programs and embedding IVM within local health systems. Intersectoral partnerships and collaboration at both national and local levels will result in cost savings and benefits to other health services. Other relevant sectors, such as agriculture, environment, mining, industry, public works, local government and housing, should incorporate IVM and vector control into their own activities to prevent vector proliferation and disease transmission. Planning and implementing IVM involve assessing the epidemiological and vector situation at country level, analyzing the local determinants of disease, identifying and selecting vector control methods, assessing requirements and resources and designing locally appropriate implementation strategies. Solid evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions and their underlying parameters and a comprehensive vector surveillance system are essential for locally appropriate decision-making. Capacity-building, in particular human resource development, is a major challenge, because the IVM strategy requires skilled staff and adequate infrastructure at central and local levels. The handbook outlines the core functions and essential competence required for IVM at central and local levels, complementing a separate set of documents containing the Core structure for training curricula on integrated vector management and associated training materials. Like any new approach, IVM must be actively advocated and communicated in order to become established. The handbook lays out the elements and processes of IVM to enable policy-makers, donors and implementing partners to use it for vector-borne disease control. During the period of transition and consolidation of an IVM strategy, regular feedback is required on performance and impact in order to ensure continued support. The general public must also be made aware of the strategy and participate in its implementation. The communication tools for reaching the public are the media and various types of educational interventions to increase their knowledge and skills, which should lead to behavioral change and empowerment. The final section presents a comprehensive framework for monitoring and evaluation of IVM, covering aspects discussed in the previous sections. Indicators and methods for measuring process, outcomes and impact are proposed.

Community Based System Dynamics introduces researchers and practitioners to the design and application of participatory systems modeling with diverse communities. The book bridges community- based participatory research methods and rigorous computational modeling approaches to understanding communities as complex systems. It emphasizes the importance of community involvement both to understand the underlying system and to aid in implementation. Comprehensive in its scope, the volume includes topics that span the entire process of participatory systems modeling, from the initial engagement and conceptualization of community issues to model building, analysis, and project evaluation. Community Based System Dynamics is a highly valuable resource for anyone interested in helping to advance social justice using system dynamics, community involvement, and group model building, and helping to make communities a better place.

"The joint WHO and UN-HABITAT report, Hidden cities: unmasking and overcoming health inequities in urban settings, is being released at a turning point in human history. For the first time ever, the majority of the world's population is living in cities, and this proportion continues to grow. Putting this into numbers, in 1990 fewer than 4 in 10 people lived in urban areas. In 2010, more than half live in cities, and by 2050 this proportion will grow to 7 out of every 10 people. The number of urban residents is growing by nearly 60 million every year. This demographic transition from rural to urban, or urbanization, has far-reaching consequences. Urbanization has been associated with overall shifts in the economy, away from agriculture-based activities and towards mass industry, technology and service. High urban densities have reduced transaction costs, made public spending on infrastructure and services more economically viable, and facilitated generation and diffusion of knowledge, all of which have fuelled economic growth"--Page ix.

As populations throughout the world live longer, there is an increasing trend toward global commonality of health concerns. This trend mirrors a growing demand for health and access to new interventions to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. The knowledge base required to meet these needs is not only of a technical kind, deriving from experiments of researchers, but must also draw from the experiences of governments in allocating resources effectively and efficiently to improve human health. This report from the Board on International Health of the Institute of Medicine focuses on the interest of the United States in these global health transitions. The report argues that America has a vital and direct stake in the health of people around the globe, and that this interest derives from both America's long and enduring tradition of humanitarian concern and compelling reasons of enlightened self-interest.

This book aims to refocus urban planners on the implications of their work for human health and well-being. Provides practical advice on ways to integrate health and urban planning.

This is the 2024 update of the Compendium of WHO and other UN guidance on health and environment. The Compendium is a comprehensive collection of available WHO and other UN guidance for improving health by creating healthier environments. It provides an overview and easy access of more than 500 actions, and a framework for thinking about health and environment interventions. It covers a broad range of areas such as air pollution, water, sanitation and hygiene, climate change, chemicals, radiation, or food systems. Guidance is classified according to principal sectors involved, level of implementation (national, community, health care), the type of instrument (taxes, infrastructure etc.) and the category of evidence. The Compendium compiles existing guidance from hundreds of documents in a simple and systematized format. To ensure the most up-to-date information is provided to the end users, the Compendium is updated on a regular basis and incorporates the latest major WHO or other UN guidance on health and environment. The target audience includes any decision-makers with relevance to health and environment, and those assisting them (such as mayors, staff in ministries, UN country staff etc.). The Compendium has been prepared by WHO in cooperation with UN Environment, UNDP and UNICEF.