Science journals take on poverty

Science journals take on poverty

October 25, 2007 -- The Council of Science Editors (CSE) organized a Global Theme Issue on poverty and human development on Oct. 22, with 235 science journals from 37 countries simultaneously publishing more than 750 articles on the topic.

"The goal of the CSE Global Theme Issue is to stimulate interest and research in poverty and human development and disseminate the results of this research as widely as possible," according to a press release by the Council of Science Editors.

Several dental journals participated in the effort. A guest editorial in the Journal of Dental Research highlighted the dental problems plaguing the poor.

"Caries in adults and children, acute oral viral infections and noma, oral lesions of HIV/AIDS, periodontal diseases, craniofacial and dental developmental defects, and oropharyngeal/salivary gland neoplasms occur largely unchecked in resource-poor nations," the editorial noted. "It is clear that much of the global burden of oral disease affects the poor and neglected segments of humanity in both rich and poor countries."