In their first editorial since Dr. Larry Peiperl joined the journal as Chief Editor, the PLOS Medicine editors call for greater attention to the health of poor people in rich countries. The editors argue that income disparities in wealthy countries are a stronger determinant of health than country-level aggregate measures such as GDP or per capita income. As rich countries with wide income disparities, such as the United States, address the need to rein in health-care costs and at the same time improve health disparities, knowledge gained in resource-limited settings, regardless of the host country's overall wealth, gain increasingly global relevance. The universal availability of such knowledge in the peer-reviewed literature without subscription-fee or copyright barriers is essential to improving health. The editors conclude that, as part of a commitment to global issues in health, Open-Access medical journals should take the lead in prioritizing research on the health problems of lower-income people in high- as well as low-income countries. They note that "whether performed in poorer or richer countries, research on diseases that disproportionately affect poor people is increasingly relevant across all countries."
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Editorial
Poor Health in Rich Countries: A Role for Open Access Journals
PLOS Medicine: published October 29, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001543
Essay
Why We Must Provide Better Support for Pakistan's Female Frontline Health Workers
PLOS Medicine: published October 8, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001528
Perspectives
Modelling the Strategic Use of Antiretroviral Therapy for the Treatment and Prevention of HIV
PLOS Medicine: published October 22, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001535
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Policy Forums
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Methodological and Policy Limitations of Quantifying the Saving of Lives: A Case Study of the Global Fund's Approach
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Guidelines and Guidance
Complexity in Mathematical Models of Public Health Policies: A Guide for Consumers of Models
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Research Articles
Psychosocial Interventions for Perinatal Common Mental Disorders Delivered by Providers Who Are Not Mental Health Specialists in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
PLOS Medicine: published October 29, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001541
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Elimination of HIV in South Africa through Expanded Access to Antiretroviral Therapy: A Model Comparison Study
PLOS Medicine: published October 22, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001534
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PLOS Medicine: published October 22, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001538
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PLOS Medicine: published October 15, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001533
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Pregnancy Weight Gain and Childhood Body Weight: A Within-Family Comparison
PLOS Medicine: published October 1, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001521
Effect on Postpartum Hemorrhage of Prophylactic Oxytocin (10 IU) by Injection by Community Health Officers in Ghana: A Community-Based, Cluster-Randomized Trial
PLOS Medicine: published October 1, 2013 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001524