Lancet
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Caesarean delivery rates continue to increase worldwide. Our aim was to assess the association between caesarean delivery and pregnancy outcome at the institutional level, adjusting for the pregnant population and institutional characteristics. ⋯ High rates of caesarean delivery do not necessarily indicate better perinatal care and can be associated with harm.
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This review is the second in a series on Indigenous health, covering different regions and issues. We look briefly at the current state of Indigenous health in Latin America and the Caribbean, a region with over 400 different indigenous groups and a total population of 45 to 48 million people. ⋯ We discuss the importance of Indigenous health systems and medicines, and look at changing political environments in the region. The paper concludes with a discussion of the changing political and legislative environment in Latin American countries.
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Indigenous Australians do not have the high standard of health that Australians in general have, and have worse outcomes for several diseases such as cancer. However, few comparative data exist to prove this disparity. We assessed differences in disease stage at cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survival between these two populations in Queensland. ⋯ Non-Indigenous cancer patients survive longer than Indigenous ones, even after adjustment for stage at diagnosis, cancer treatment, and greater comorbidity in Indigenous cases. We believe that better understanding of cultural differences in attitudes to cancer and its treatment could translate into meaningful public-health and clinical interventions to improve cancer survival in Indigenous Australians.