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Bangladesh - International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research

Map of Bangladesh with Dhaka, Bangladesh marked.

Center of Excellence

International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR, B)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Principal Investigator: Professor Alejandro Cravioto, M.D., Ph.D.
Center for Control of Chronic Diseases in Bangladesh

Center of Excellence Activity Site

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Developed Country Partner

Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Principal Investigator: David H. Peters, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.

Background

Chronic diseases are common precursors to poverty. The impact of chronic diseases can push the near-poor into poverty and push those already poor from a meager but sustainable existence into irreversible destitution.

Very little is known about how poor people manage some of the most common serious chronic conditions, such as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and the types of health services and providers that they use. Even less is known about how local providers respond to these conditions. In Bangladesh, the primary resources typically include drug vendors and a range of informal providers from traditional healers to semi-trained or untrained village doctors.

Objectives

Conduct new research into the epidemiologic, medical geography, social and health systems correlates of chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
Build capacity of researchers and provide educational opportunities to the next generation of chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases researchers.
Translate and communicate new information into workable, culturally appropriate policy recommendations.

Research Activities

Principal Investigator Professor
Alejandro Cravioto, M.D., Ph.D.

Examine the impact on household functioning and risk of impoverishment of having a household member with COPD or CVD; the health-seeking choices poor households make when faced with COPD and CVD and the factors which influence them; and the responses of providers when presented with these conditions.
Measure burden of disease data and prevalence of risk factors for COPD. Develop burden of disease data and prevalence of disease and risk factors as well as changes over time for hypertension in both rural and urban settings.
Determine the distribution of chronic diseases and chronic disease risk factors among different socioeconomic groups in rural Bangladesh and determine how chronic diseases affect the economic status of a household.

Training

Masters: New Master of Science in Public Health degree at the James T. Grant School for Public Health, BRAC University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Doctoral: Doctor of Public Health degree, for students committed to the study of chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. Enrollment of students scheduled to start September 2010.
Postdoctoral: Mentoring program for postdoctoral graduates.