In Europe alone, over 70 million people experience tinnitus; for seven million people, it creates a debilitating condition. Despite its enormous socioeconomic relevance, progress in successfully treating the condition is somewhat limited. The European Union has approved funding to create a pan-European tinnitus research collaboration network (2014-2018). The goal of one working group is to establish an international standard for outcome measurements in clinical trials of tinnitus. Importantly, this would enhance tinnitus research by informing sample-size calculations, enabling meta-analyses, and facilitating the identification of tinnitus subtypes, ultimately leading to improved treatments. The first meeting followed a workshop on \"Agreed Standards for Measurement: An International Perspective\" with invited talks on clinimetrics and existing international initiatives to define core sets for outcome measurements in hearing loss (International classification of functioning, disability, and health core sets for hearing loss) and eczema (Harmonizing outcome measures for eczema). Both initiatives have taken an approach that clearly distinguishes the specification of what to measure from that of how to measure it. Meeting delegates agreed on taking a step-wise roadmap for which the first output would be a consensus on what outcome domains are essential for all trials. The working group seeks to embrace inclusivity and brings together clinicians, tinnitus researchers, experts on clinical research methodology, statisticians, and representatives of the health industry. People who experience tinnitus are another important participant group. This meeting report is a call to those stakeholders across the globe to actively participate in the initiative.

The 1996 publication of \"The Guidelines for Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Nigeria,\" a result of collaboration between SIECUS and Nigerian organizations, is a major step toward incorporating sex education into current reproductive health and population initiatives. A National Task Force of 20 key Nigerian agencies and institutions working in the area of adolescent health, education, and development prepared the document with technical assistance from SIECUS. Days before the document\'s public release, a workshop was held for members of the mass media to increase their understanding of adolescent reproductive and sexual health in Nigeria. 70% of males and 50% of females attending secondary school are sexually active before the age of 20 years; by the time they leave school, one out of every five Nigerian girls has terminated an unwanted pregnancy. The Guidelines seek to help Nigerian youth to acquire knowledge and develop responsible behavior to reduce high rates of unwanted pregnancy, complications from unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

This article, written by the Head of the department responsible for preparing the 1999 Russian census, first summarizes current demographic trends in the country. The main emphasis is on initiating a debate on methodological issues concerning the upcoming census, particularly on topics such as migration, households and families, ethnic and national groups, age and sex composition, and labor force activities. The paper is followed by a discussion of these topics (pp. 24-30). (SUMMARY IN ENG)

India\'s guidelines for voluntary sterilization from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, March 18, 1986 to all Health Secretaries of States contains the following for vasectomy and tubal ligation: the following important guidelines should determine the eligibility of persons undergoing sterilization: 1) the age of the husband should not ordinarily be less than 25 years; 2) the age of the wife should not be less than 20 years nor more than 45 years; 3) if the couple has 2 or more living children, the lower limit of age for the husband and wife may be relaxed at the discretion of the operating surgeon; 4) sterilization services may be provided to couples with at least 2 living children irrespective of the age of the second child; 5) as a general rule, very old and very young persons should not be sterilized unless there are other reasons justifying such an operation, in case of old people the age of the wife should be one of the considerations for performing the operation; and 6) before selecting a person for a sterilization operation, the operating surgeon must interview the person to assess if the person concerned is suffering from psychiatric instability and is fully convinced and motivated about getting the operation performed. The application form is to be signed by the Medical Officer who will state the age of the applicant by their appearance. These instructions may be given wide publicity.

This document, developed by the Panel on Clinical Practices for Treatment of HIV Infection, contains recommendations for the clinical use of antiretroviral agents in the treatment of HIV-infected adults and adolescents. The recommendations are presented in the context of and with references to the Principles of Therapy. However, these recommendations are not intended to substitute for the judgement of a physician who is expert in the care of HIV-infected individuals. For every recommendation, there is an accompanying letter, which signifies the strength of the recommendation, based on the opinion of the panel. There is also a roman numeral rating which reflects the nature of the evidence from this recommendation. This document addresses: 1) the use of testing for plasma HIV ribonucleic acid levels (viral load) and CD4+ T cell count; 2) considerations for initiating therapy in asymptomatic HIV patient; 3) special considerations for therapy in patient with advanced stage disease; 4) interruption of therapy and considerations for changing therapy and available therapeutic options; 5) the treatment of acute HIV infection; and 6) considerations for antiretroviral therapy in pregnant women.

Population organizations have a particular interest in adolescents\' reproductive health, with emphasis on the prevention of early pregnancy. It is essential that information, education, and communication (IEC) and service personnel have a clear picture of the persons most affected by them. 1) The group that is easiest to identify is made up of adolescents who are in school. One obvious way to reach them is through the school system. This particular group may be subdivided again, into those who are at risk of early pregnancy and those who are not. Adolescents who are in school and at risk of pregnancy will need special attention. In addition to class work, individual counseling may have an impact. Appropriate school personnel and peer counsellors will be needed in order to enhance communication with adolescents who need guidance. Also, health services should provide contraceptives, sexually transmitted diseases/HIV and other reproductive-related screening and treatment as well as prenatal care for those adolescents who are pregnant. 2) A second major subgrouping is made up of married adolescents. The health risks associated with young maternal age are present whether or not the young mother is married. 3) Those couples who are living together without a marriage license pose a more formidable challenge than the other two groups because they are less easy to identify. Outreach workers can also work with couples in union, especially difficult-to-reach unmarried, out-of-school adolescents. 4) Others sexually active may be students and street children. Each of these four main categories of adolescents offers an entry point for IEC. Two types of data are needed: one to give an overview of the number of births to adolescents and/or ages-specific fertility rate; the second, to physically locate the individuals/couples in need of attention through clinic records, community surveys, or censuses.

In April, 1994, at UN headquarters in New York, delegates from almost 200 countries and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) negotiated a Programme of Action to be ratified following more debate at the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in September. A sizable consensus emerged for this Preparatory Committee III (PrepCom) meeting. It has an expanded view of population policy that centers more on meeting individual needs and less on achieving strict demographic goals. Thus, it focuses on the unmet need for reproductive health services (family planning, basic women\'s health care, and services linked to sexually transmitted diseases). It considers women\'s status and female education as being important themselves as well as key determinants of fertility rates. Disagreement over access to abortion services and reproductive health services for adolescents remain. Unlike earlier world conferences, most of the world is working towards a consensus, while the Vatican and just a few small countries (Benin, Malta, Honduras, and Nicaragua) object to these services. Some topics that US National Conference of Catholic Bishops did not want in the Programme of Action were references to reducing the incidence of unsafe abortion, promoting condom use to prevent HIV/AIDS, and even safe motherhood. The US and Japan have committed sizable increases in population assistance. Some European countries are concerned about how their contributions would be allocated. US Undersecretary for Global Affairs and a mostly female 23-member US delegation attended PrepCom III. Most of the US delegates were from NGOs. Many country delegates were women. Many countries accepted recommendations of the women\'s caucus. The US\'s priorities are promotion of universal access to the full range of high quality family planning and reproductive health services; increasing women\'s status; child survival promotion; serving adolescent needs; augmenting the role and responsibility of men in reproductive health; strengthening the family; and sustainable development.

At least 3 aspects of fertility should be studied in relation to the health needs of a population: the impact of fertility on the population, the level of fertility, and the age structure of fertility. The required indicators are the birth rate, the total fertility rate, and the age specific fertility rates. If the birth rates and mortality rates are both known, the natural increase rate of the population can be calculated. A rapid rate of increase means that resource requirements for health care will also rise even if maintenance of the current level of care is the only objective. The size and structure of the population must be known in order to gauge halth care requirements. The number of births must be known to predict changes in health service requirements. The total fertility rate is indipendent of population size and structure. High values are associated with such factors as a low educational level and low female activity rates. Age specific fertility rates are related to social norms and behavior. High fertility in the extremes of the fertile period may indicate greater likelihood of health problems for mothers or their infants. Sources of data for calculating the proposed indicators depend on available statistics. Vital statistics data and midyear population estimates, survey data, or vital statistics data and population estimates complemented by survey data may be used. If vital statistics data and midyear population estimates are available, data can be obtained on live births registered during the year by age of mother, estimated underregistration of live births that year, the total estimated population as of June 30, and the female population aged 15-49 years by 5-year cohorts estimated as of June 30. The adjustment procedure in cases of underregistration depends on whether information is available on subregistration by maternal age. The principal indicators may then be obtained by using a few simple formulas. If vital statistics data are not available, information should be gathered in a sample survey. The minimum data requirements are age in completed years, sex and total number of live born children, and children born in the preceding 12 months to women aged 15-49. The principal indicators can then be calculated according to the appropriate formulas. More refined estimates of the total fertility rate can be made using Brass\'s method.

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This article reports the issues discussed during the 10th African AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) conference in Abidjan. The conference focuses on the gender gap in providing HIV/AIDS preventive measures and it passes certain recommendations on how to disclose the subject. During the discussion, the participants identified special problems of women that place them at risk for HIV/AIDS. Also, the meeting came up with four areas that need immediate action: 1) more services for women of reproductive age at STD, family planning, and maternal clinics; more voluntary testing; more partner counseling; 2) education and information for very young girls (and boys) before the onset of sexual activity; 3) it was agreed that the constructive and supportive involvement of men has to be sought by all means; and 4) the economic condition of women and families affected by HIV must be improved by access to credit. The main recommendations approved by the UNFPA/UNAIDS workshops are: 1) create greater equality (especially in program implementation); 2) review of educational programs; 3) better prevention and care; and 4) improve the economic status of women and HIV-infected families.