46 CFR 385.39 - Socio-economic and environmental policies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Socio-economic and environmental policies. 385.39... DEVELOPMENT GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS REGULATIONS General Policies § 385.39 Socio-economic and environmental policies. A number of socio-economic and environmental policies of the Federal Government are...

46 CFR 385.39 - Socio-economic and environmental policies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 8 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Socio-economic and environmental policies. 385.39... DEVELOPMENT GRANT AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS REGULATIONS General Policies § 385.39 Socio-economic and environmental policies. A number of socio-economic and environmental policies of the Federal Government are...

Management of corporate socio-economic policy by the energy corporations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Simpson, R.E. Jr.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the energy corporations in the mitigation of the socio-economic impacts of rapid development. The study employed an exploratory descriptive research design. The sample was limited to an in-depth study of the socio-economic managerial processes at the Standard Oil Company (Indiana) and the Standard Oil Company of California, two of the nation's largest and wealthiest energy corporations. Findings demonstrated that division managers believe that socio-economic expenses are a normal cost of doing business and can, in fact, lead to cost savings for the corporation. The study confirmed other research findingsmore » that corporate executive management has a further role to play in the design of administrative systems that govern the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of socio-economic policy. The study recommended the development of specific centralized corporate socio-economic policies for energy-impact development, decentralization of policy implementation, integration of trained socio-economic project managers into the formal authority hierarchy, inclusion of specific socio-economic criterion in the formal performance-evaluation system, incorporation of socio-economic expenses into the operating budget format, and the development of a formal corporate-level socio-economic policy-evaluation committee.« less

Decline in alcohol consumption in Estonia: combined effects of strengthened alcohol policy and economic downturn.

PubMed

Lai, Taavi; Habicht, Jarno

2011-01-01

To describe alcohol policy changes in parallel to consumption changes in 2005-2010 in Estonia, where alcohol consumption is among the highest in Europe. Review of pertinent legislation and literature. Alcohol consumption decreased since 2008, while alcohol excise tax, sales time restrictions and ad bans have increased since 2005. An economic downturn started in 2008. The precise roles of policy changes and the economic downturn in the decline of alcohol consumption, and whether the decrease will be sustained, are still unclear.

Addressing tuberculosis patients' medical and socio-economic needs: a comprehensive programmatic approach.

PubMed

Contreras, Carmen C; Millones, Ana K; Santa Cruz, Janeth; Aguilar, Margot; Clendenes, Martin; Toranzo, Miguel; Llaro, Karim; Lecca, Leonid; Becerra, Mercedes C; Yuen, Courtney M

2017-04-01

For a cohort of patients with tuberculosis in Carabayllo, Peru, we describe the prevalence of medical comorbidities and socio-economic needs, the efforts required by a comprehensive support programme ('TB Cero') to address them and the success of this programme in linking patients to care. Patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in Carabayllo underwent evaluations for HIV, diabetes, mental health and unmet basic needs. For patients initiating treatment during 14 September, 2015-15 May, 2016, we abstracted data from evaluation forms and a support request system. We calculated the prevalence of medical comorbidities and the need for socio-economic support at the time of tuberculosis diagnosis, as well as the proportion of patients successfully linked to care or support. Of 192 patients, 83 (43%) had at least one medical comorbidity other than tuberculosis. These included eight (4%) patients with HIV, 12 (6%) with diabetes and 62 (32%) deemed at risk for a mental health condition. Of patients who required follow-up for a comorbidity, 100% initiated antiretroviral therapy, 71% attended endocrinology consultations and 66% attended psychology consultations. Of 126 (65%) patients who completed the socio-economic evaluation, 58 (46%) reported already receiving food baskets from the municipality, and 79 (63%) were given additional support, most commonly food vouchers and assistance in accessing health care. Carabayllo tuberculosis patients face many challenges in addition to tuberculosis. A collaborative, comprehensive treatment support programme can achieve high rates of linkage to care for these needs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The relationship between socio-economic inequalities, intimate partner violence and economic abuse: a national study of women in the Philippines.

PubMed

Antai, Diddy; Antai, Justina; Anthony, David Steven

2014-01-01

Economic abuse against women has for too long remained a relatively 'unseen' part of interpersonal violence, in spite of intimate partner violence (IPV) being a public health problem. Most studies on economic abuse derive especially from the USA and amongst women in shelters, and their findings are not easily generalisable to low-middle-income countries. Socio-economic inequalities render women vulnerable to control and risk of abuse. We investigated the role of socio-economic inequalities in the association between IPV and economic abuse. Logistic regression analyses were performed on cross-sectional data from a nationally representative sample of 8478 women aged 15-49 years in the 2008 Philippines Demographic and Health Surveys. Results indicated strong positive associations between both physical IPV and emotional IPV and all four forms of economic abuse. Measures of socio-economic inequalities and other covariates such as no education, primary education, unemployment and justifying wife beating were also statistically significant. Findings suggest the increased need for health care practitioners to include economic abuse during the assessment of and response to IPV, the implementation of a multidimensional approach to providing tangible support and women-centred responses in reported cases of economic abuse, as well as measures that enhance socio-economic equality and increase economic opportunities for women.

ICT reuse in socio-economic enterprises.

PubMed

Ongondo, F O; Williams, I D; Dietrich, J; Carroll, C

2013-12-01

In Europe, socio-economic enterprises such as charities, voluntary organisations and not-for-profit companies are involved in the repair, refurbishment and reuse of various products. This paper characterises and analyses the operations of socio-economic enterprises that are involved in the reuse of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment. Using findings from a survey, the paper specifically analyses the reuse activities of socio-economic enterprises in the U.K. from which Europe-wide conclusions are drawn. The amount of ICT products handled by the reuse organisations is quantified and potential barriers and opportunities to their operations are analysed. By-products from reuse activities are discussed and recommendations to improve reuse activities are provided. The most common ICT products dealt with by socio-economic enterprises are computers and related equipment. In the U.K. in 2010, an estimated 143,750 appliances were reused. However, due to limitations in data, it is difficult to compare this number to the amount of new appliances that entered the U.K. market or the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment generated in the same period. Difficulties in marketing products and numerous legislative requirements are the most common barriers to reuse operations. Despite various constraints, it is clear that organisations involved in reuse of ICT could contribute significantly to resource efficiency and a circular economy. It is suggested that clustering of their operations into "reuse parks" would enhance both their profile and their products. Reuse parks would also improve consumer confidence in and subsequently sales of the products. Further, it is advocated that industrial networking opportunities for the exchange of by-products resulting from the organisations' activities should be investigated. The findings make two significant contributions to the current literature. One, they provide a detailed insight into the reuse operations

Socio-economic inequalities in health services utilization: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ranjbar Ezzatabadi, Mohammad; Khosravi, Ameneh; Bahrami, Mohammad Amin; Rafiei, Sima

2018-02-12

Purpose Developing country workers mainly face important challenges when examining equality in health services utilization among the population and identifying influential factors. The purpose of this paper us to: understand health service use among households with different socio-economic status in Isfahan province; and to investigate probable inequality determinants in service utilization. Design/methodology/approach Almost 1,040 households living in Isfahan province participated in this cross-sectional study in 2013. Data were collected by a questionnaire with three sections: demographic characteristics; socio-economic status; and health services utilization. The concentration index was applied to measure inequality. Analysts used STATA 11. Findings Economic status, educational level, insurance coverage and household gender were the most influential factors on health services utilization. Those with a high socio-economic level were more likely to demand and use such services; although self-medication patterns showed an opposite trend. Practical implications Female-headed families face with more difficulties in access to basic human needs including health. Supportive policies are needed to meet their demands. Originality/value The authors used principle component analysis to assess households' economic situation, which reduced the variables into a single index.

Socio-economic benefits of electric power

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clemente, F.

1979-01-01

Empirical evidence and actual experience strongly demonstrate that the socio-economic benefits of electric power have received less than adequate attention. In terms of the reliability issue, so much emphasis has been placed on the cost of having electricity that the cost of not having reliable power has been ignored. Apart from a few comments on jobs or taxes, the Environmental Impact Statements submitted by utilities generally ignore the broad range of socio-economic (quality of life) benefits the proposed facility will have for the local community, the region, and society at large. The author feels strongly that electric utilities should notmore » look askance at the soft sciences, but should begin to utilize them. Sociology, social welfare, and macroeconomics remain fertile ground for the electric-power industry. The techniques and concepts of the social sciences can be readily utilized to identify and document many heretofore unarticulated socio-economic benefits of electric power.« less

Perceived discrimination amongst young people in socio-economically disadvantaged communities: Parental support and community identity buffer (some) negative impacts of stigma.

PubMed

Bradshaw, Daragh; Jay, Sarah; McNamara, Namh; Stevenson, Clifford; Muldoon, Orla T

2016-06-01

There is increasing acceptance that children are not unaware of when they are targets of discrimination. However, discrimination as a consequence of socio-economic disadvantage remains understudied. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of perceived discrimination on well-being, perceptions of safety and school integration amongst children growing up within socio-economically disadvantaged communities in Limerick, Ireland. Mediation analysis was used to explore these relationships and to examine the potential role of parental support and community identity in boys and girls in the 6th to 9th year of compulsory education (N = 199). Results indicate perceived discrimination contributed to negative outcomes in terms of school integration, perceptions of safety and levels of well-being. Age and gender differences were observed which disadvantaged boys and younger children. All negative outcomes were buffered by parental support. Community identity also protected young people in terms of feelings of school integration and risk but not in terms of psychological well-being. Findings are discussed in terms of the different role of family and community supports for children negotiating negative social representations of their community. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Families' Social Backgrounds Matter: Socio-Economic Factors, Home Learning and Young Children's Language, Literacy and Social Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartas, Dimitra

2011-01-01

Parental support with children's learning is considered to be one pathway through which socio-economic factors influence child competencies. Utilising a national longitudinal sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, this study examined the relationship between home learning and parents' socio-economic status and their impact on young children's…

Childhood and adulthood socio-economic position and midlife depressive and anxiety disorders.

PubMed

Stansfeld, Stephen A; Clark, Charlotte; Rodgers, Bryan; Caldwell, Tanya; Power, Chris

2008-02-01

This paper investigates how childhood socio-economic position influences the risk for midlife depressive and anxiety disorders at 45 years of age, assessed by the Clinical Interview Schedule in 9377 participants of the 1958 British Birth Cohort. Socio-economic position was measured by Registrar General Social Class in childhood and adulthood. The association of paternal manual socio-economic position with any diagnosis at 45 years of age was accounted for after adjustment for adult socio-economic position. Manual socio-economic position in women at 42 years of age was associated with midlife depressive disorder and any diagnosis; these associations were diminished by adjustment for childhood psychological disorders. Effects of childhood socio-economic position on adult depressive disorders may be mediated through adult socio-economic position.

The incidence and survival of acute de novo leukaemias in Estonia and in a well-defined region of western Sweden during 1982-1996: a survey of patients aged > or =65 years.

PubMed

Luik, E; Palk, K; Everaus, H; Varik, M; Aareleid, T; Wennström, L; Juntikka, E-L; Safai-Kutti, S; Stockelberg, D; Holmberg, E; Kutti, J

2004-07-01

To compare the incidence and survival of acute de novo leukaemias with particular reference to political/socio-economic and environmental factors in two neighbouring countries over the three 5-year periods (1982-1996). The present report covers only patients diagnosed when aged > or =65 years. A well-defined area of Sweden, the so-called Western Swedish Health Care Region and Estonia. Population-wise, the western Swedish Region and Estonia are very similar; area-wise they are also well comparable. The number of acute de novo leukaemias was quite dissimilar in the two countries (Estonia, n = 137, Sweden, n = 354). The age standardized incidence rates regarding the total number of acute de novo leukaemias was 5.31 per 100,000 inhabitants/year for Estonia and 7.99 for Sweden, this difference being statistically significant. However, the difference was merely attributable to incidence rates as regards acute myeloblastic leukaemias (AML); on the contrary, differences as regards acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALL) and non-classifiable, undifferentiated or biphenotypic acute leukaemias (uAL) were negligible. The relative survival for the total material of patients was significantly higher for Swedish when compared with Estonian patients (P < 0.001). Thus, the relative survival for the total material of patients aged > or =65 years in Estonia at 1 year was 8.5% and at 3 years 3.5% respectively. The corresponding figures for the Swedish patients were considerably higher, 22.7 and 7.7% respectively. This difference, however, applied only for patients with AML (P < 0.001), whereas the results for patients with ALL and uAL were equally dismal. The results clearly reflect how political and socio-economic factors may influence the survival of acute leukemia patients in two neighbouring countries.

Efficiency Assessment of Support Mechanisms for Wood-Fired Cogeneration Development in Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkova, Anna; Siirde, Andres

2010-01-01

There are various support mechanisms for wood-fired cogeneration plants, which include both support for cogeneration development and stimulation for increasing consumption of renewable energy sources. The efficiency of these mechanisms is analysed in the paper. Overview of cogeneration development in Estonia is given with the focus on wood-fired cogeneration. Legislation acts and amendments, related to cogeneration support schemes, were described. For evaluating the efficiency of support mechanisms an indicator - fuel cost factor was defined. This indicator includes the costs related to the chosen fuel influence on the final electricity generation costs without any support mechanisms. The wood fuel cost factors were compared with the fuel cost factors for peat and oil shale. For calculating the fuel cost factors, various data sources were used. The fuel prices data were based on the average cost of fuels in Estonia for the period from 2000 till 2008. The data about operating and maintenance costs, related to the fuel type in the case of comparing wood fuel and oil shale fuel were taken from the CHP Balti and Eesti reports. The data about operating and maintenance costs used for peat and wood fuel comparison were taken from the Tallinn Elektrijaam reports. As a result, the diagrams were built for comparing wood and its competitive fuels. The decision boundary lines were constructed on the diagram for the situation, when no support was provided for wood fuels and for the situations, when various support mechanisms were provided during the last 12 years.

Accessibility and socio-economic development of human settlements.

PubMed

Hasan, Samiul; Wang, Xiaoming; Khoo, Yong Bing; Foliente, Greg

2017-01-01

Access to facilities, services and socio-economic opportunities plays a critical role in the growth and decline of cities and human settlements. Previous attempts to explain changes in socio-economic indicators by differences in accessibility have not been convincing as countries with highly developed transport infrastructure have only seen marginal benefits of infrastructure improvements. Australia offers an ideal case for investigating the effects of accessibility on development since it is seen as home to some of the most liveable cities in the world while, at the same time, it also has some of the most isolated settlements. We investigate herein the connectivity and accessibility of all 1814 human settlements (population centers exceeding 200 persons) in Australia, and how they relate to the socio-economic characteristics of, and opportunities in, each population center. Assuming population as a proxy indicator of available opportunities, we present a simple ranking metric for a settlement using the number of population and the distance required to access all other settlements (and the corresponding opportunities therein). We find a strikingly unequal distribution of access to opportunities in Australia, with a marked prominence of opportunities in capital cities in four of the eight states. The two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne have a dominant position across all socio-economic indicators, compared to all the other cities. In general, we observe across all the settlements that a decrease in access to opportunities is associated with relatively greater socio-economic disadvantage including increased median age and unemployment rate and decreased median household income. Our methodology can be used to better understand the potential benefits of improved accessibility based on infrastructure development, especially for remote areas and for cities and towns with many socio-economically disadvantaged population.

Accessibility and socio-economic development of human settlements

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoming; Khoo, Yong Bing; Foliente, Greg

2017-01-01

Access to facilities, services and socio-economic opportunities plays a critical role in the growth and decline of cities and human settlements. Previous attempts to explain changes in socio-economic indicators by differences in accessibility have not been convincing as countries with highly developed transport infrastructure have only seen marginal benefits of infrastructure improvements. Australia offers an ideal case for investigating the effects of accessibility on development since it is seen as home to some of the most liveable cities in the world while, at the same time, it also has some of the most isolated settlements. We investigate herein the connectivity and accessibility of all 1814 human settlements (population centers exceeding 200 persons) in Australia, and how they relate to the socio-economic characteristics of, and opportunities in, each population center. Assuming population as a proxy indicator of available opportunities, we present a simple ranking metric for a settlement using the number of population and the distance required to access all other settlements (and the corresponding opportunities therein). We find a strikingly unequal distribution of access to opportunities in Australia, with a marked prominence of opportunities in capital cities in four of the eight states. The two largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne have a dominant position across all socio-economic indicators, compared to all the other cities. In general, we observe across all the settlements that a decrease in access to opportunities is associated with relatively greater socio-economic disadvantage including increased median age and unemployment rate and decreased median household income. Our methodology can be used to better understand the potential benefits of improved accessibility based on infrastructure development, especially for remote areas and for cities and towns with many socio-economically disadvantaged population. PMID:28636630

The recent economic recession and self-rated health in Estonia, Lithuania and Finland: a comparative cross-sectional study in 2004-2010.

PubMed

Reile, Rainer; Helakorpi, Satu; Klumbiene, Jurate; Tekkel, Mare; Leinsalu, Mall

2014-11-01

The late-2000s financial crisis had a severe impact on the national economies on a global scale. In Europe, the Baltic countries were among those most affected with more than a 20% decrease in per capita gross domestic product in 2008-2009. In this study, we explored the effects of economic recession on self-rated health in Estonia and Lithuania using Finland, a neighbouring Nordic welfare state, as a point of reference. Nationally representative cross-sectional data for Estonia (n=10 966), Lithuania (n=7249) and Finland (n=11 602) for 2004-2010 were analysed for changes in age-standardised prevalence rates of less-than-good self-rated health and changes in health inequalities using logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of less-than-good self-rated health increased slightly (albeit not statistically significantly) in all countries during 2008-2010. This was in sharp contrast to the statistically significant decline in the prevalence of less-than-good health in 2004-2008 in Estonia and Lithuania. Health disparities were larger in Estonia and Lithuania when compared to Finland, but decreased in 2008-2010 (in men only). In Finland, both the prevalence of less-than-good health and health disparities remained fairly stable throughout the period. Despite the rapid economic downturn, the short-term health effects in Estonia and Lithuania did not differ from those in Finland, although the recession years marked the end of the previous positive trend in self-rated health. The reduction in health disparities during the recession indicates that different socioeconomic groups were affected disproportionately; however, the reasons for this require further research. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

A Socio-Economic and Environmental Information Needs Knowledge Base (SEE-IN KB) in Support of SDG Implementation and Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plag, H. P.; Jules-Plag, S.

2016-12-01

The UN Agenda 2030 has seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be reach by 2030, which are detailed in 170 Targets. A monitioring framework of 240 SDG Indicators provides the metrics to measure progress towards these targets. The SDG Indicators are report cards for the progress towards the targets and a measure to assess potential impacts of policies and other means in support of SDG implementation. The Socio-Economic and Environmental Information Needs Knowledge Base (SEE-IN KB) collects information on objects such as user types, applications, observational requirements, a number of needs, societal goals and targets, indicators and indices, models, services, and datasets, as well as the interconnections between these objects, including links to Essential Variables (EVs). This enables gap analyses, prioritizations of Earth observations, and discovery of products and services meeting the information needs. "What if?" questions supports knowledge creation supporting the development of policies and activities to make progress towards the SDGs. Increasingly, user types, applications and requirements are linked to actual persons, models and datasets, respectively, and this allows both the social networking of providers and users and the execution of business processes. A core function of the SEE-IN KB is to facilitate the linkage of societal goals, targets, and indicators to EVs that need to be monitored in order to measure progress towards the targets. Applying a goal-based approach used to identify the EVs to the SDG Indicators revealed that some SDG Indicators require traditional Earth observations for quantification, while many of the EVs are related to the built environment. For many of the SDG Indicators, integration of socio-economic statistical data with environmental data, including in situ observations, is of importance. The goal-based approach was also applied to the SDG Targets, and this analysis showed that many of the Targets would benefit from

[Intelligence and the explanation for socio-economic inequalities in health].

PubMed

Huisman, M; Mackenbach, J P

2007-05-12

Attention is increasingly being paid to the role of cognitive ability to explain socio-economic inequalities in health. The universal socio-economic gradient in health, where each rung lower on the socio-economic ladder implies worse health, has still not been satisfactorily explained scientifically. Because cognitive ability is related to a multitude of social outcomes in a similarly graded manner, hypothesising that cognitive ability plays a major role in health inequalities by socio-economic status is appealing. Recent empirical studies have shown that at least part of socio-economic health inequalities can indeed be explained by differences in cognitive ability. However, this does not imply that we should be pessimistic about future attempts to break the chain that links socio-economic status and cognitive ability with health. During some life stages, environmental factors may be able to influence cognitive ability. Interventions may therefore be targeted in order to optimize these effects. In addition, there is evidence that cognitive ability is correlated with health-related behaviours such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and obesity. Therefore, another opportunity for reducing health inequalities related to cognitive ability and socio-economic status would be to develop tailored interventions to improve health-related behaviours in disadvantaged groups. However, the first priority is to further investigate the role of cognitive ability in health inequalities by examining various health outcomes, different age groups and variations across the life course.

Coexisting Disadvantages in later Life: Demographic and Socio-Economic Inequalities.

PubMed

Heap, Josephine; Fors, Stefan; Lennartsson, Carin

2017-01-01

In this study, we aimed to identify which of certain demographic and socio-economic groups in the oldest part of the population that have an increased probability of experiencing simultaneous disadvantages in different life domains - here termed coexisting disadvantages. To do so, we compared analyses of coexisting disadvantages, measured as two or more simultaneous disadvantages, with analyses of single disadvantages and specific combinations of disadvantages. Indicators of physical health problems, ADL limitations, psychological health problems, limited financial resources, and limited social resources were included. We used nationally representative data from 2011 on people aged 76 and older in Sweden ( n  = 765). Results showed that coexisting disadvantages were associated with specific demographic and socio-economic groups, particularly certain marital status groups. Moreover, the differences between the demographic and socio-economic groups were only found for those who reported coexisting disadvantages, and not for those who reported only one disadvantage, which suggests that demographic and social factors become more important as disadvantages compound. Further, we analysed pairwise combinations of disadvantages. We found that different combinations of disadvantages tended to be associated with different groups, information useful from a social planning perspective since different combinations of disadvantages may imply different needs for help and support.

Socio-economic differences in predictors of frequent dairy food consumption among Australian adolescents: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Stephens, Lena D; McNaughton, Sarah A; Crawford, David; Ball, Kylie

2015-12-01

Sufficient dairy food consumption during adolescence is necessary for preventing disease. While socio-economically disadvantaged adolescents tend to consume few dairy foods, some eat quantities more in line with dietary recommendations despite socio-economic challenges. Socio-economic variations in factors supportive of adolescents' frequent dairy consumption remain unexplored. The present study aimed to identify cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between intrapersonal, social and environmental factors and adolescents' frequent dairy consumption at baseline and two years later across socio-economic strata, and to examine whether socio-economic position moderated observed effects. Online surveys completed at baseline (2004-2005) and follow-up (2006-2007) included a thirty-eight-item FFQ and questions based on social ecological models examining intrapersonal, social and environmental dietary influences. Thirty-seven secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. Australian adolescents (n 1201) aged 12-15 years, drawn from a sub-sample of 3264 adolescents (response rate=33%). While frequent breakfast consumption was cross-sectionally associated with frequent dairy consumption among all adolescents, additional associated factors differed by socio-economic position. Baseline dairy consumption longitudinally predicted consumption at follow-up. No further factors predicted frequent consumption among disadvantaged adolescents, while four additional factors were predictive among advantaged adolescents. Socio-economic position moderated two predictors; infrequently eating dinner alone and never purchasing from school vending machines predicted frequent consumption among advantaged adolescents. Nutrition promotion initiatives aimed at improving adolescents' dairy consumption should employ multifactorial approaches informed by social ecological models and address socio-economic differences in influences on eating behaviours; e.g., selected intrapersonal factors among all

Socio-economic position and common mental disorders. Longitudinal study in the general population in the UK.

PubMed

Skapinakis, Petros; Weich, Scott; Lewis, Glyn; Singleton, Nicola; Araya, Ricardo

2006-08-01

Individuals in lower socio-economic groups have an increased prevalence of common mental disorders. To investigate the longitudinal association between socio-economic position and common mental disorders in a general population sample in the UK. Participants (n=2406) were assessed at two time points 18 months apart with the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule. The sample was stratified into two cohorts according to mental health status at baseline. None of the socio-economic indicators studied was significantly associated with an episode of common mental disorder at follow-up after adjusting for baseline psychiatric morbidity. The analysis of separate diagnostic categories showed that subjective financial difficulties at baseline were independently associated with depression at follow-up in both cohorts. These findings support the view that apart from objective measures of socio-economic position, more subjective measures might be equally important from an aetiological or clinical perspective.

Correlates of socio-economic inequalities in women's television viewing: a study of intrapersonal, social and environmental mediators.

PubMed

Teychenne, Megan; Ball, Kylie; Salmon, Jo

2012-01-20

Socio-economically disadvantaged women are at a greater risk of spending excess time engaged in television viewing, a behavior linked to several adverse health outcomes. However, the factors which explain socio-economic differences in television viewing are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of intrapersonal, social and environmental factors to mediating socio-economic (educational) inequalities in women's television viewing. Cross-sectional data were provided by 1,554 women (aged 18-65) who participated in the 'Socio-economic Status and Activity in Women study' of 2004. Based on an ecological framework, women self-reported their socio-economic position (highest education level), television viewing, as well as a number of potential intrapersonal (enjoyment of television viewing, preference for leisure-time sedentary behavior, depression, stress, weight status), social (social participation, interpersonal trust, social cohesion, social support for physical activity from friends and from family) and physical activity environmental factors (safety, aesthetics, distance to places of interest, and distance to physical activity facilities). Multiple mediating analyses showed that two intrapersonal factors (enjoyment of television viewing and weight status) and two social factors (social cohesion and social support from friends for physical activity) partly explained the educational inequalities in women's television viewing. No physical activity environmental factors mediated educational variations in television viewing. Acknowledging the cross-sectional nature of this study, these findings suggest that health promotion interventions aimed at reducing educational inequalities in television viewing should focus on intrapersonal and social strategies, particularly providing enjoyable alternatives to television viewing, weight-loss/management information, increasing social cohesion in the neighborhood and promoting friend support for activity.

The importance of social support in the associations between psychological distress and somatic health problems and socio-economic factors among older adults living at home: a cross sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Little is known of the importance of social support in the associations between psychological distress and somatic health problems and socio-economic factors among older adults living at home. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the associations of social support, somatic health problems and socio-economic factors with psychological distress. We also examined changes in the association of somatic health problems and socio-economic factors with psychological distress after adjusting for social support. Methods A random sample of 4,000 persons aged 65 years or more living at home in Oslo was drawn. Questionnaires were sent by post, and the total response was 2,387 (64%). Psychological distress was assessed using Hopkins Symptom Checklist (HSCL-10) and social support with the Oslo-3 Social Support Scale (OSS-3). A principal component analysis (PCA) included all items of social support and psychological distress. Partial correlations were used, while associations were studied by logistic regression. Results After adjusting for socio-demographics and somatic health problems, we reported a statistically significant association between psychological distress and social support: “Number of close friends”, OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.47-0.80; “Concern and interest”, OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.55-0.84. A strong association between lack of social support and psychological distress, irrespective of variables adjusted for, indicated a direct effect. The associations between psychological distress and physical impairments were somewhat reduced when adjusted for social support, particularly for hearing, whereas the associations between somatic diagnoses and psychological distress were more or less eliminated. Income was found to be an independent determinant for psychological distress. Conclusions Lack of social support and somatic health problems were associated with psychological distress in elders. Social support acted as a mediator, implying that the

Incentive schemes in development of socio-economic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grachev, V. V.; Ivushkin, K. A.; Myshlyaev, L. P.

2018-05-01

The paper is devoted to the study of incentive schemes when developing socio-economic systems. The article analyzes the existing incentive schemes. It is established that the traditional incentive mechanisms do not fully take into account the specifics of the creation of each socio-economic system and, as a rule, are difficult to implement. The incentive schemes based on the full-scale simulation approach, which allow the most complete information from the existing projects of creation of socio-economic systems to be extracted, are proposed. The statement of the problem is given, the method and algorithm of the full-scale simulation study of the efficiency of incentive functions is developed. The results of the study are presented. It is shown that the use of quadratic and piecewise linear functions of incentive allows the time and costs for creating social and economic systems to be reduced by 10%-15%.

Social support, socio-economic status, health and abuse among older people in seven European countries.

PubMed

Melchiorre, Maria Gabriella; Chiatti, Carlos; Lamura, Giovanni; Torres-Gonzales, Francisco; Stankunas, Mindaugas; Lindert, Jutta; Ioannidi-Kapolou, Elisabeth; Barros, Henrique; Macassa, Gloria; Soares, Joaquim F J

2013-01-01

Social support has a strong impact on individuals, not least on older individuals with health problems. A lack of support network and poor family or social relations may be crucial in later life, and represent risk factors for elder abuse. This study focused on the associations between social support, demographics/socio-economics, health variables and elder mistreatment. The cross-sectional data was collected by means of interviews or interviews/self-response during January-July 2009, among a sample of 4,467 not demented individuals aged 60-84 years living in seven European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden). Multivariate analyses showed that women and persons living in large households and with a spouse/partner or other persons were more likely to experience high levels of social support. Moreover, frequent use of health care services and low scores on depression or discomfort due to physical complaints were indicators of high social support. Low levels of social support were related to older age and abuse, particularly psychological abuse. High levels of social support may represent a protective factor in reducing both the vulnerability of older people and risk of elder mistreatment. On the basis of these results, policy makers, clinicians and researchers could act by developing intervention programmes that facilitate friendships and social activities in old age.

Social Support, Socio-Economic Status, Health and Abuse among Older People in Seven European Countries

PubMed Central

Melchiorre, Maria Gabriella; Chiatti, Carlos; Lamura, Giovanni; Torres-Gonzales, Francisco; Stankunas, Mindaugas; Lindert, Jutta; Ioannidi-Kapolou, Elisabeth; Barros, Henrique; Macassa, Gloria; Soares, Joaquim F. J.

2013-01-01

Background Social support has a strong impact on individuals, not least on older individuals with health problems. A lack of support network and poor family or social relations may be crucial in later life, and represent risk factors for elder abuse. This study focused on the associations between social support, demographics/socio-economics, health variables and elder mistreatment. Methods The cross-sectional data was collected by means of interviews or interviews/self-response during January-July 2009, among a sample of 4,467 not demented individuals aged 60–84 years living in seven European countries (Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden). Results Multivariate analyses showed that women and persons living in large households and with a spouse/partner or other persons were more likely to experience high levels of social support. Moreover, frequent use of health care services and low scores on depression or discomfort due to physical complaints were indicators of high social support. Low levels of social support were related to older age and abuse, particularly psychological abuse. Conclusions High levels of social support may represent a protective factor in reducing both the vulnerability of older people and risk of elder mistreatment. On the basis of these results, policy makers, clinicians and researchers could act by developing intervention programmes that facilitate friendships and social activities in old age. PMID:23382989

Socio-economic modifications of the Universal Soil Loss Equation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erol, A.; Koşkan, Ö.; Başaran, M. A.

2015-06-01

While social scientists have long focused on socio-economic and demographic factors, physical modelers typically study soil loss using physical factors. In the current environment, it is becoming increasingly important to consider both approaches simultaneously for the conservation of soil and water, and the improvement of land use conditions. This study uses physical and socio-economic factors to find a coefficient that evaluates the combination of these factors. It aims to determine the effect of socio-economic factors on soil loss and, in turn, to modify the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The methodology employed in this study specifies that soil loss can be calculated and predicted by comparing the degree of soil loss in watersheds, with and without human influence, given the same overall conditions. A coefficient for socio-economic factors, therefore, has been determined based on adjoining watersheds (WS I and II), employing simulation methods. Combinations of C and P factors were used in the USLE to find the impact of their contributions on soil loss. The results revealed that these combinations provided good estimation of soil loss amounts for the second watershed, i.e. WS II, from the adjoining watersheds studied in this work. This study shows that a coefficient of 0.008 modified the USLE to reflect the socio-economic factors as settlement influencing the amount of soil loss in the watersheds studied.

Socio-economic disparities in health system responsiveness in India.

PubMed

Malhotra, Chetna; Do, Young Kyung

2013-03-01

To assess the magnitude of socio-economic disparities in health system responsiveness in India after correcting for potential reporting heterogeneity by socio-economic characteristics (education and wealth). Data from Wave 1 of the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (2007-2008) involving six Indian states were used. Seven health system responsiveness domains were considered for a respondent's last visit to an outpatient service in 12 months: prompt attention, dignity, clarity of information, autonomy, confidentiality, choice and quality of basic amenities. Hierarchical ordered probit models (correcting for reporting heterogeneity through anchoring vignettes) were used to assess the association of socio-economic characteristics with the seven responsiveness domains, controlling for age, gender and area of residence. Stratified analysis was also conducted among users of public and private health facilities. Our statistical models accounting for reporting heterogeneity revealed socio-economic disparities in all health system responsiveness domains. Estimates suggested that individuals from the lowest wealth group, for example, were less likely than individuals from the highest wealth group to report 'very good' on the dignity domain by 8% points (10% vs 18%). Stratified analysis showed that such disparities existed among users of both public and private health facilities. Socio-economic disparities exist in health system responsiveness in India, irrespective of the type of health facility used. Policy efforts to monitor and improve these disparities are required at the health system level.

Dynamic motifs in socio-economic networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Shao, Shuai; Stanley, H. Eugene; Havlin, Shlomo

2014-12-01

Socio-economic networks are of central importance in economic life. We develop a method of identifying and studying motifs in socio-economic networks by focusing on “dynamic motifs,” i.e., evolutionary connection patterns that, because of “node acquaintances” in the network, occur much more frequently than random patterns. We examine two evolving bi-partite networks: i) the world-wide commercial ship chartering market and ii) the ship build-to-order market. We find similar dynamic motifs in both bipartite networks, even though they describe different economic activities. We also find that “influence” and “persistence” are strong factors in the interaction behavior of organizations. When two companies are doing business with the same customer, it is highly probable that another customer who currently only has business relationship with one of these two companies, will become customer of the second in the future. This is the effect of influence. Persistence means that companies with close business ties to customers tend to maintain their relationships over a long period of time.

Educational inequalities in self-rated health: whether post-socialist Estonia and Russia are performing better than 'Scandinavian' Finland.

PubMed

Vöörmann, Rein; Helemäe, Jelena

2015-03-01

The aim of the study is to analyse relationship between self-rated health (SRH) and education in post-socialist countries (Estonia and Russia) and in Finland, a Scandinavian country. Data from the 5th wave of the European Social Survey (ESS) carried out in 2010 were used. In particular, we used a sub-sample of the 25-69 years old. Two-step analysis was carried out: descriptive overview of relationship between SRH and education to assess the knowledge-related impact of education on SRH in pooled model for all three countries; and logistic regression analysis to evaluate separate models in each country. The prevalence of at-least-good health was the highest in Finland, Estonia occupied the second position and Russia the third. Knowledge-related educational inequalities were lower in Russia compared to Finland, while they were of similar magnitude in Estonia and Finland. Our expectations that knowledge-based inequalities are lower in post-socialist countries compared to a Scandinavian country turn to be true in case of Russia, not Estonia. Possible reasons for the expectations might be a lack of attention paid to educational inequalities in terms of access to social resources, competitiveness in the labour market and to what extent education provide a tool against uncertainty (preventing work- and unemployment-related stress). Series of comparative studies revealing links between certain institutional packages and (socio-economic and knowledge-related) educational inequalities seem to be of special relevance.

[Smoking and low socio-economic status].

PubMed

Haustein, K-O

2005-01-01

People of lower socio-economic strata increasingly use legal as well as illegal drugs. Tobacco and alcohol are legal drugs that cause particular concern. Both drugs are widely abused in Germany by people attempting to escape their everyday problems. For decades it has been known that tobacco and alcohol use are more prevalent in lower socio-economic strata of society (those with low educational achievement, compared to people with further or higher education qualifications). Tobacco and alcohol abuse is particularly high among the unemployed, either temporarily or longterm, as well as among persons living alone. Children and women are more concerned about smoking than men. Male loneliness, often accompanied by the appearance of depressive reactions or of depression, increases the likelihood of cigarette smoking. Poor people spend up to 20 % of their income on tobacco. In many industrialised countries, the age of onset of smoking is becoming younger and younger, increasing the risk of development of avoidable tobacco-related illnesses at an earlier age. This means that young smokers who develop chronic tobacco-related illnesses require medical care for many years, increasing the cost of treating tobacco-related disease. Within the next few years, effective prevention programmes against smoking must be developed, particularly for the lower socio-economic populations, to prevent the cost of health care systems spiralling during the next few decades.

The role of socio-economic disadvantage in the development of comorbid emotional and conduct problems in children with ADHD.

PubMed

Flouri, Eirini; Midouhas, Emily; Ruddy, Alexandra; Moulton, Vanessa

2017-06-01

Previous research shows that, compared to children without ADHD, children with ADHD have worse socio-emotional outcomes and more experience of socio-economic disadvantage. In this study, we explored if and how the increased emotional and behavioural difficulties faced by children with ADHD may be accounted for by their more disadvantaged socio-economic circumstances. Our study, using data from 180 children (149 boys) with ADHD from the Millennium Cohort Study, had two aims. First, to examine the role of socio-economic disadvantage in the trajectories of emotional and conduct problems in children with ADHD at ages 3, 5, 7 and 11 years. Second, to explore the roles of the home environment (household chaos) and parenting (quality of emotional support, quality of the parent-child relationship and harsh parental discipline) in mediating any associations between socio-economic disadvantage and child emotional and conduct problems. Using growth curve models, we found that socio-economic disadvantage was associated with emotional and conduct problems but neither the home environment nor parenting attenuated this association. Lower quality of the parent-child relationship and harsher discipline were associated with more conduct problems. It appears that socio-economic disadvantage and parenting contribute independently to the prediction of comorbid psychopathology in children with ADHD.

Institutional Strategies for Capturing Socio-Economic Impact of Academic Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scoble, Rosa; Dickson, Keith; Hanney, Steve; Rodgers, G. J.

2010-01-01

Evaluation of socio-economic impact is an emerging theme for publicly-funded academic research. Within this context, the paper suggests that the concept of institutional research capital be expanded to include the capture and evaluation of socio-economic impact. Furthermore, it argues that understanding the typology of impacts and the tracking…

Gender and socio-economic inequalities in health and living conditions among co-resident informal caregivers: a nationwide survey in Spain.

PubMed

Abajo, María; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Malmusi, Davide; Salvador, María; Borrell, Carme

2017-03-01

To explore the associations between social determinants, caregiver's network support, burden of care and their consequences in health and living conditions of informal caregivers. The socio-demographic trends regarding population ageing and changes in family models trigger an increased demand for care. Cross-sectional study based on the 2008 edition of the National Disability, Independence and Dependency Situations Survey (DIDSS-2008) conducted by the National Statistics Institute in Spain. Analyses focused on persons identified as primary caregivers who co-reside with the dependent person. The associations between social determinants of caregivers, burden of care, support network and problems attributed to informal care (impaired health, depression, professional, economic and personal issues) were estimated by fitting robust Poisson regression models. Analyses were conducted separately for women and men. The study sample included 6923 caregivers, 73% of women and 27% of men. Gender and socio-economic inequalities were found in assumption of responsibilities and burden of caring for dependents, which tend to fall more on women and persons of lower socio-economic level, who in turn have less access to formal support. These aspects translate into a higher prevalence of health, professional, economic and personal problems. The study highlights gender and socio-economic inequalities in informal caregiving and its negative consequences. These findings may be useful in the design of policies and support programmes targeting the most affected groups of informal caregivers. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Socio-economic life course and obesity among adults in Florianopolis, southern Brazil.

PubMed

Wagner, Katia Jakovljevic Pudla; Bastos, João Luiz; Navarro, Albert; Boing, Antonio Fernando

To estimate the association between socio-economic life course and body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and general and abdominal obesity in adults. A cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study of 1,222 adults (aged 22-63) from Florianopolis, southern Brazil. The socio-economic life course was analysed using the educational level of participants and their parents. Height, weight and WC were measured by specially trained staff. Linear and logistic regressions were used with adjustment for confounding factors, and data were stratified according to sex. Mean BMI and WC were about 2kg/m 2 (95% CI: -3.3 to -0.7) and 6cm (95% CI: -9.7 to -2.9) lower in women with a high socio-economic position, while the association was reversed in men with a high socio-economic position, with WC being about 4cm higher (95% CI: 0.1 to 7.5). In addition, women who had always been in a high socio-economic position were less likely to have abdominal obesity (OR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.76) while no such association was found in men. Socio-economic life course influences BMI, WC and obesity, with differences between males and females, thereby indicating that public policies that contemplate a socio-economic life course approach can be effective for controlling obesity. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic differences in HIV/AIDS mortality in South Africa.

PubMed

Probst, Charlotte; Parry, Charles D H; Rehm, Jürgen

2016-07-01

To quantify socio-economic differences in the risk of HIV/AIDS mortality in South Africa for different measures of socio-economic status. Systematic literature search in Web of Knowledge and PubMed. Measures of relative risk (RR) were pooled separately for education, income, assets score and employment status as measures of socio-economic status, using inverse-variance weighted DerSimonian-Laird random effects meta-analyses. Ten studies were eligible for inclusion comprising over 175 000 participants and 6700 deaths. For income (RR 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.09), assets score (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.12-2.36) and employment status (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.21-1.92), persons of low socio-economic status had an over 50% higher risk of dying from HIV/AIDS. The RR of 1.10 for education was not significant (95% CI 0.74-1.65). Future research should identify effective strategies to reduce HIV/AIDS mortality and alleviate the consequences of HIV/AIDS deaths, particularly for poorer households. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

International Business Education in Estonia--from Socialism to Capitalism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palm, Thomas

1995-01-01

Issues in reform of international business and economics education at Tartu University (Estonia) are discussed, including need for faculty development, faculty reallocation, and redistribution of resources within the country's new social and economic context. It is argued that reform depends on effective integration of foreign experts with more…

Eliminating Rabies in Estonia

PubMed Central

Cliquet, Florence; Robardet, Emmanuelle; Must, Kylli; Laine, Marjana; Peik, Katrin; Picard-Meyer, Evelyne; Guiot, Anne-Laure; Niin, Enel

2012-01-01

The compulsory vaccination of pets, the recommended vaccination of farm animals in grazing areas and the extermination of stray animals did not succeed in eliminating rabies in Estonia because the virus was maintained in two main wildlife reservoirs, foxes and raccoon dogs. These two species became a priority target therefore in order to control rabies. Supported by the European Community, successive oral vaccination (OV) campaigns were conducted twice a year using Rabigen® SAG2 baits, beginning in autumn 2005 in North Estonia. They were then extended to the whole territory from spring 2006. Following the vaccination campaigns, the incidence of rabies cases dramatically decreased, with 266 cases in 2005, 114 in 2006, four in 2007 and three in 2008. Since March 2008, no rabies cases have been detected in Estonia other than three cases reported in summer 2009 and one case in January 2011, all in areas close to the South-Eastern border with Russia. The bait uptake was satisfactory, with tetracycline positivity rates ranging from 85% to 93% in foxes and from 82% to 88% in raccoon dogs. Immunisation rates evaluated by ELISA ranged from 34% to 55% in foxes and from 38% to 55% in raccoon dogs. The rabies situation in Estonia was compared to that of the other two Baltic States, Latvia and Lithuania. Despite regular OV campaigns conducted throughout their territory since 2006, and an improvement in the epidemiological situation, rabies has still not been eradicated in these countries. An analysis of the number of baits distributed and the funding allocated by the European Commission showed that the strategy for rabies control is more cost-effective in Estonia than in Latvia and Lithuania. PMID:22393461

Negotiation Support System’s Impact on the Socio-Emotional Environment: A Research Design Framework

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

conflict environment and develop some proposed effects that Negotiation Support Systems (NSS) have on the socio- emotional climate. This introduction of...assessment of current NSS structure, processes and capabilities. Section IV provides a theoretical discussion of conflict and the socio- emotional environment ...model. First, strict economic rationalization does not take into account social/normative issues present --n the negotiation environment . Thus, in an

Socio-Demographic and Economic Correlates of Overweight Status in Chinese Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xie, Bin; Chou, Chih-Ping; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Reynolds, Kim; Clark, Florence; Palmer, Paula H.; Gallaher, Peggy; Sun, Ping; Guo, Qian; Johnson, C. Anderson

2007-01-01

Objective: To investigate overweight prevalence and socio-demographic and economic correlates in Chinese adolescents. Methods: Weight, height, waist circumference, and socio-demographic and economic variables of 6863 middle and high school students were measured. Results: 10% of girls and 17% of boys were overweight. Waist circumference and…

Socio-economic factors & longevity in a cohort of Kerala State, India.

PubMed

Sauvaget, Catherine; Ramadas, Kunnambath; Fayette, Jean-Marie; Thomas, Gigi; Thara, Somanathan; Sankaranarayanan, Rengaswamy

2011-05-01

Even though Kerala State is well-known for its egalitarian policies in terms of healthcare, redistributive actions and social reforms, and its health indicators close to those of high-resource countries despite a poor per-capita income, it is not clear whether socio-economic disparities in terms of life expectancy are observed. This study was therefore carried out to study the impact of socio-economic level on life expectancy in individuals living in Kerala. A cohort of 1,67,331 participants aged 34 years and above in Thiruvananthapuram district, having completed a lifestyle questionnaire at baseline in 1995, was followed up for mortality and cause of death until 2005. Survival estimates were based on the participants' vital status and death rates were calculated separately for men and women and for several socio-economic factors, stratified by age. At 40 years, men and women were expected to live another 34 and 37 years, respectively. Life expectancy varied across the participants' different socio-economic categories: those from high income households with good housing conditions, materially privileged households and small households, had a 2-3 years longer life expectancy as compared to the deprived persons. Also, those who went to college lived longer than the illiterates. The gaps between categories were wider in men than in women. Socio-economic disparity in longevity was observed: wealthy people from Kerala State presented a longer life expectancy.

[Socio-economic aspects of epidemiology of helicobateriosis].

PubMed

Fedichkina, T P; Solenova, L G; Zykova, I E; German, S V; Modestova, A V; Kislitsyn, V A; Rakhmanin, Yu A; Bobrovnitsky, I P

There are considered special social and economic aspects of the epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori. These aspects acquired the particular importance for the last time due to the fact that the provision of the people with pure water has been becoming the focus of the attention of geopolitical and socio-economic interests in a number of countries. The availability ofpure drinking water serves a marker of the socio-economic state of the territory and the population living there. In Russia where different climatic conditions are deposited by considerable regional differences in the conditions of communal services caused both by various level of the socio-economic development of the territory, the supplementation with pure drinking water serves as the social determinant of the ecological conditions of the population’s life. This particularly has impact on the unfeasible technical state of the water distribution systems, microorganism ecology of which can substantially affect public health. The performed by authors a specialized screening ofpresented at the official web site of the joint-stock company «Mosvodokanal» current data concerning the quality of drinking water consumed by 2500 Moscovites, tested for the Helicobacter pylori infection revealed no deviations from the sanitary standards in the water received by the consumers. Along with that, the comparison of the map documents of the distribution of the Helicobacter pylori infection in Moscow with the distribution of citizens’ complaints of the decline of the quality of tap water has revealed a territorial fastening of the high values of the population infection rate of n^ylori and the urban sites with the greatest number of complaints. In the microbial ecology of water-distribution systems there are tightly aligned problems of their epidemiological safety, technical state and economic damage caused by corrosion as a result of microbiotic activity. In contrast to acute bacterial and viral infections which

Parental and Community Involvement in Schools: Does Socio-Economic Status Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeter-Twilley, Rhonda; Legum, Harry; Norton, Frank

2007-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine if there was a relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and parental/community involvement in elementary schools, and if there is a significantly significant difference between low SES schools and high SES schools with regard to parental/community involvement. Socio-economic status was measured by…

Associations between forest characteristics and socio-economic development: a case study from Portugal.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Sónia Carvalho; Lovett, Andrew

2009-07-01

The integration of socio-economic and environmental objectives is a major challenge in developing strategies for sustainable landscapes. We investigated associations between socio-economic variables, landscape metrics and measures of forest condition in the context of Portugal. The main goals of the study were to 1) investigate relationships between forest conditions and measures of socio-economic development at national and regional scales, 2) test the hypothesis that a systematic variation in forest landscape metrics occurs according to the stage of socio-economic development and, 3) assess the extent to which landscape metrics can inform strategies to enhance forest sustainability. A ranking approach and statistical techniques such as Principal Component Analysis were used to achieve these objectives. Relationships between socio-economic characteristics, landscape metrics and measures of forest condition were only significant in the regional analysis of municipalities in Northern Portugal. Landscape metrics for different tree species displayed significant variations across socio-economic groups of municipalities and these differences were consistent with changes in characteristics suggested by the forest transition model. The use of metrics also helped inform place-specific strategies to improve forest management, though it was also apparent that further work was required to better incorporate differences in forest functions into sustainability planning.

Education Policy as Normative Discourse and Negotiated Meanings: Engaging the Holocaust in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevick, E. Doyle

2010-01-01

This article uses a socio-cultural approach to analyze the formation and implementation of Estonia's Holocaust Day Policy, a day of both commemoration for victims of the Holocaust and other crimes against humanity, and education about the Holocaust. It investigates both the multi-level development of the policy in light of external pressure (from…

Economics, socio-ecological resilience and ecosystem services.

PubMed

Farley, Joshua; Voinov, Alexey

2016-12-01

The economic process transforms raw materials and energy into economic products and waste. On a finite planet, continued economic growth threatens to surpass critical socio-ecological thresholds and undermine ecosystem services upon which humans and all other species depend. For most systems, whether such thresholds exist, where they lie and whether they are reversible cannot be known with certainty until they are crossed. We argue that our central economic challenge is to maintain the resilience of the current socio-ecological regime. We must reduce net impacts of economic activity to avoid critical ecological thresholds while ensuring economic necessities. Conventional economists pursue continuous growth as the central goal of economic activity, and assume that the price mechanism and technological breakthroughs ensure system resilience. Unfortunately, the price mechanism fails to address ecological thresholds because it ignores unowned ecosystem services, and fails to address economic thresholds because it ignores the needs of the poorest individuals, who live on the edge of them. Panarchy theory suggests that systems go through a cycle of growth, conservation, release and renewal. Managing a subsystem too long for growth or conservation-which many consider to be the goal of sustainability-actually threatens to collapse the higher-level system upon which that subsystem depends. Black Swan theory suggests we should seek to reduce the risk of catastrophic thresholds and promote the likelihood of technological breakthroughs. Economic degrowth, or planned release, is required to avoid catastrophic collapse. At the same time, publicly funded, open source information can help stimulate the technological breakthroughs economists count on to ensure resilience. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Contribution of spoken language and socio-economic background to adolescents' educational achievement at age 16 years.

PubMed

Spencer, Sarah; Clegg, Judy; Stackhouse, Joy; Rush, Robert

2017-03-01

were particularly relevant to all three GCSE outcomes. Socio-economic background only remained important for English Language, once language assessment scores and demographic information were considered. Language ability, and in particular vocabulary, plays an important role for educational achievement. Results confirm a need for ongoing support for spoken language ability throughout secondary education and a potential role for speech and language therapy provision in the continuing drive to reduce the gap in educational attainment between groups from differing socio-economic backgrounds. © 2016 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Socio-Economic Diversity and Mathematical Competences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiel, Oliver

2012-01-01

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) has proved that in Germany the impact that socio-economic background has on 15-year-old pupils' achievement is stronger than in other countries. The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) showed that the correlation is less with 10-year-old children, but is still apparent.…

An Integrated Decision Support System with Hydrological Processes and Socio-economic Assessments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yang; Disse, Markus; Yu, Ruide

2017-04-01

. DSS is the main outcome of SuMaRiO. The overall goal of the DSS is to integrate all crucial research results of SuMaRiO, also including stakeholder perspectives, into a model based decision support system, which allows a Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) within regional planning. This SIA will take into account the perspectives of all relevant actors in the problem field of land and water management in the Tarim River Basin, to understand ecosystem services (ESS) and integrating them into land and water management. Under scenario assumptions, possible actions and their impacts are estimated in a semi-quantitative way with the help of sustainable indicators, which includes climate indicators, socio-economic Indicators, management Indicators, and ESS Indicators. A user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI) was developed to assist the decision-makers and common users, with Chinese and English versions available at the moment.

Socio-economic determinants of life expectancy in Nigeria (1980 - 2011).

PubMed

Sede, Peter I; Ohemeng, Williams

2015-01-01

Attainment of 70 years life expectancy by 2020 is one of the millennium development goals in Nigeria. This study examined the socio-economic determinants of life expectancy in Nigeria using data from 1980-2011. Judging from the endogeneity feature of the variables, A VAR and VECM frameworks were employed. Socio-economic features were proxy by secondary school enrolment, government expenditure on health, per capita income, unemployment rate and the Naira foreign exchange rate. It was found that, the conventional socio-economic variables such as per capita income, education and government expenditure on health considered to be highly effective in determining life expectancy of developing countries are not significant in the case of Nigeria. The study however suggests that, life expectancy in Nigeria could be improved if attention is given to quality of government health expenditure, unemployment and measures to halt the depreciation of the Nigerian Naira against major foreign currency.

Health, Aging and Childhood Socio-Economic Conditions in Mexico

PubMed Central

Grimard, Franque; Laszlo, Sonia; Lim, Wilfredo

2015-01-01

We investigate the long-term effect of childhood socio-economic conditions on the health of the elderly in Mexico. We utilize a panel of individuals aged 50 and above from the Mexican Health and Aging Survey and find that the conditions under which the individual lived at the age of 10 affect health in old age, even accounting for education and income. This paper contributes to the literature of the long-term effects of childhood socio-economic status by being the first, to our knowledge, to consider exclusively the case of the elderly in a developing country. PMID:20688405

Towards sustainable consumption: A socio-economic analysis of household waste recycling outcomes in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lo, Alex Y; Liu, Shuwen

2018-05-15

Many high-density cities struggle to find space for disposing municipal solid waste. Hong Kong is one of these cities, seeking to scale up waste recovery efforts as an alternative to disposal. However, territory-wide recovery initiatives do not account for socio-economic variations across place, leading to mixed outcomes among diverse communities. This study aims to investigate socio-economic effects on recycling behavior in a sample of subsidized rental housing estates. It constitutes an improvement from previous studies by using the entire estate as a unit of analysis and analyzing actual recycling outcomes, which have received limited attention from researchers. The analysis focused on the volume of recyclables collected from 158 public housing estates in Hong Kong, with an average population of 12,285. Results suggest that recycling outcomes vary with a limited set of socio-economic factors. Housing estates managed by a private property management company and populated by better off households collected more recyclables from their residents. Measures of absolute and relative recycling intensity achieved similar results. The findings will be useful for identifying residential communities requiring additional support for promoting waste separation and recycling. Differentiated policies for economically disadvantaged communities are warranted. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coastal vulnerability assessment with the use of environmental and socio-economic indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrakis, George; Petrakis, Stelios; Vousdoukas, Mixalis; Ghionis, George; Hatziyanni, Eleni; Kampanis, Nikolaos

2014-05-01

Climate change has significant repercussions on the natural environment, triggering obvious changes in the natural processes that have a severe socio-economic impact on the coastal zone; where a great number of human activities are concentrated. So far, the estimation of coastal vulnerability was based primarily on the natural processes and less on socio-economic variables, which would assist in the identification of vulnerable areas. The present investigation proposes a methodology to examine the vulnerability of a highly touristic area in the Island of Crete to an expected sea level rise of up to ~40 cm by the year 2100, according to the A1B scenario of IPCC 2007. The methodology includes the combination of socio-economic indicators into a GIS-based coastal vulnerability index for wave-induced erosion. This approach includes three sub-indices that contribute equally to the overall index. The sub-indices refer to coastal forcing, socio-economic and coastal characteristics. All variables are ranked on a 1-5 scale with 5 indicating higher vulnerability. The socio-economic sub-index includes, as indicators, the population of the study area, cultural heritage sites, transport networks, land use and protection measures. The coastal forcing sub-index includes the frequency of extreme events, while the Coastal Vulnerability Index includes the geological variables (coastal geomorphology, historical coastline changes, and regional coastal slope) and the variables representing the marine processes (relative sea level rise, mean significant wave height, and tidal range). The main difficulty for the estimation of the index lies in assessing and ranking the socio-economic indicators. The whole approach was tested and validated through field and desktop studies, using as a case study the Elouda bay, Crete Isl., an area of high cultural and economic value, which combines monuments from ancient and medieval times, with a very high touristic development since the 1970s.

[Intelligence, socio-economic status and hospital admissions of young adults].

PubMed

Bosma, H; Traag, T; Berger-van Sijl, M; van Eijk, J; Otten, F

2007-05-12

To determine whether socio-economic differences in hospital admissions of adolescents and young adults are related to differences in intelligence. . Retrospective cohort study. The data were derived from a group of 10,231 young adults and adolescents who were followed for a total of 47,212 person years with regard to their hospital admissions. Intelligence was measured in the first year of secondary school by 2 non-verbal intelligence tests for fluid intelligence. Data from hospital admissions were matched to a large-scale educational and occupational cohort. Data were analysed with Cox proportional hazards analysis. Intelligence was not found to be related to hospital admissions. However, a low occupational and educational level of the young adults or their parents, was strongly related to heightened risk for hospital admissions. In particular, the low socio-economic status of a respondent was associated with heightened risk for hospital admissions due to accidents (relative risk: 3.49; 95% confidence interval: 1.91-6.39). The small extent to which the socio-economic differences in hospital admissions seem to be based upon fluid intelligence, at least in adolescents and young adults, as well as the heightened risks of hospital admissions in lower socio-economic status groups and the associated high costs for health care legitimise further study of the determinants of these differences.

Cultural investment and urban socio-economic development: a geosocial network approach.

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao; Hristova, Desislava; Noulas, Anastasios; Mascolo, Cecilia; Sklar, Max

2017-09-01

Being able to assess the impact of government-led investment onto socio-economic indicators in cities has long been an important target of urban planning. However, owing to the lack of large-scale data with a fine spatio-temporal resolution, there have been limitations in terms of how planners can track the impact and measure the effectiveness of cultural investment in small urban areas. Taking advantage of nearly 4 million transition records for 3 years in London from a popular location-based social network service, Foursquare, we study how the socio-economic impact of government cultural expenditure can be detected and predicted. Our analysis shows that network indicators such as average clustering coefficient or centrality can be exploited to estimate the likelihood of local growth in response to cultural investment. We subsequently integrate these features in supervised learning models to infer socio-economic deprivation changes for London's neighbourhoods. This research presents how geosocial and mobile services can be used as a proxy to track and predict socio-economic deprivation changes as government financial effort is put in developing urban areas and thus gives evidence and suggestions for further policymaking and investment optimization.

Cultural investment and urban socio-economic development: a geosocial network approach

PubMed Central

Hristova, Desislava; Noulas, Anastasios; Mascolo, Cecilia; Sklar, Max

2017-01-01

Being able to assess the impact of government-led investment onto socio-economic indicators in cities has long been an important target of urban planning. However, owing to the lack of large-scale data with a fine spatio-temporal resolution, there have been limitations in terms of how planners can track the impact and measure the effectiveness of cultural investment in small urban areas. Taking advantage of nearly 4 million transition records for 3 years in London from a popular location-based social network service, Foursquare, we study how the socio-economic impact of government cultural expenditure can be detected and predicted. Our analysis shows that network indicators such as average clustering coefficient or centrality can be exploited to estimate the likelihood of local growth in response to cultural investment. We subsequently integrate these features in supervised learning models to infer socio-economic deprivation changes for London’s neighbourhoods. This research presents how geosocial and mobile services can be used as a proxy to track and predict socio-economic deprivation changes as government financial effort is put in developing urban areas and thus gives evidence and suggestions for further policymaking and investment optimization. PMID:28989752

Optimizing cultivation of agricultural products using socio-economic and environmental scenarios.

PubMed

RaheliNamin, Behnaz; Mortazavi, Samar; Salmanmahiny, Abdolrassoul

2016-11-01

The combination of degrading natural conditions and resources, climate change, growing population, urban development, and competition in a global market complicate optimization of land for agricultural products. The use of pesticides and fertilizers for crop production in the agricultural fields has become excessive in the recent years and Golestan Province of Iran is no exception in this regard. For this, effective management with an efficient and cost-effective practice should be undertaken, maintaining public service at a high level and preserving the environment. Improving the production efficiency of agriculture, efficient use of water resources, decreasing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, improving farmer revenue, and conservation of natural resources are the main objectives of the allocation, ranking, and optimization of agricultural products. The goal of this paper is to use an optimization procedure to lower the negative effects of agriculture while maintaining a high production rate, which is currently a gap in the study area. We collected information about fertilizer and pesticide consumption and other data in croplands of eastern Golestan Province through face-to-face interviews with farmers to optimize cultivation of the agricultural products. The toxicity of pesticides according to LD50 was also included in the optimization model. A decision-support software system called multiple criteria analysis tool was used to simultaneously minimize consumption of water, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides and maximize socio-economic returns. Three scenarios for optimization of agricultural products were generated that alternatively emphasized on environmental and socio-economic goals. Comparing socio-economic and environmental performance of the optimized agricultural products under the three scenarios illustrated the conflict between social, economic, and environmental objectives. Of the six crops studied (wheat, barley, rice, soybeans, oilseed rape

Health Economic Data in Reimbursement of New Medical Technologies: Importance of the Socio-Economic Burden as a Decision-Making Criterion.

PubMed

Iskrov, Georgi; Dermendzhiev, Svetlan; Miteva-Katrandzhieva, Tsonka; Stefanov, Rumen

2016-01-01

Assessment and appraisal of new medical technologies require a balance between the interests of different stakeholders. Final decision should take into account the societal value of new therapies. This perspective paper discusses the socio-economic burden of disease as a specific reimbursement decision-making criterion and calls for the inclusion of it as a counterbalance to the cost-effectiveness and budget impact criteria. Socio-economic burden is a decision-making criterion, accounting for diseases, for which the assessed medical technology is indicated. This indicator is usually researched through cost-of-illness studies that systematically quantify the socio-economic burden of diseases on the individual and on the society. This is a very important consideration as it illustrates direct budgetary consequences of diseases in the health system and indirect costs associated with patient or carer productivity losses. By measuring and comparing the socio-economic burden of different diseases to society, health authorities and payers could benefit in optimizing priority setting and resource allocation. New medical technologies, especially innovative therapies, present an excellent case study for the inclusion of socio-economic burden in reimbursement decision-making. Assessment and appraisal have been greatly concentrated so far on cost-effectiveness and budget impact, marginalizing all other considerations. In this context, data on disease burden and inclusion of explicit criterion of socio-economic burden in reimbursement decision-making may be highly beneficial. Realizing the magnitude of the lost socio-economic contribution resulting from diseases in question could be a reasonable way for policy makers to accept a higher valuation of innovative therapies.

Soliton sustainable socio-economic distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dresvyannikov, M. A.; Petrova, M. V.; Tshovrebov, A. M.

2017-11-01

In the work presented, from close positions, we consider: 1) the question of the stability of socio-economic distributions; 2) the question of the possible mechanism for the formation of fractional power-law dependences in the Cobb/Douglas production function; 3) the introduction of a fractional order derivative for a general analysis of a fractional power function; 4) bringing in a state of mutual matching of the interest rate and the production function of Cobb/Douglas.

Temperament Influences on Parenting and Child Psychopathology: Socio-Economic Disadvantage as Moderator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flouri, Eirini

2008-01-01

Despite calls for research on how the socio-economic environment may be related to temperament, we still do not know enough about the relationship between temperament and socio-economic disadvantage (SED). A particularly under-researched question in temperament research is how SED may moderate the temperament-parenting and the temperament-child…

Socio-economic factors and suicide rates in European Union countries.

PubMed

Ferretti, Fabio; Coluccia, Anna

2009-04-01

Are socio-economic factors valid determinants of suicide? The modern sociological theory of suicide is based on Durkheim's studies. In addition to these fundamental social determinants, modern theorists have put more attention on economic factors. The purpose of the research is to determine the relationship between suicide rates and socio-economic factors, such as demography, economic development, education, healthcare systems, living conditions and labour market. All data were collected from a Eurostat publication and they concern 25 European Union countries. In order to test this relationship, a discriminant analysis was performed using an ordinal dependent variable and a set of independent variables concerning socio-economic factors. A dataset of 37 independent variables was used. We estimated a model with five variables: annual growth rates for industry, people working in S&T (% of total employment), at-risk-of-poverty rate, all accidents (standardized rates), and healthcare expenditures (% of GDP). Highly significant values of Wilk's Lambda assess a good discriminating power of the model. The accuracy too is very high: all cases are correctly classified by the model. Countries with high suicide rate levels are marked by high levels of at-risk-of-poverty rates, high annual growth rates for industry and low healthcare expenditures.

Using GeoRePORT to report socio-economic potential for geothermal development

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Young, Katherine R.; Levine, Aaron

The Geothermal Resource Portfolio Optimization and Reporting Tool (GeoRePORT, http://en.openei.org/wiki/GeoRePORT) was developed for reporting resource grades and project readiness levels, providing the U.S. Department of Energy a consistent and comprehensible means of evaluating projects. The tool helps funding organizations (1) quantitatively identify barriers, (2) develop measureable goals, (3) objectively evaluate proposals, including contribution to goals, (4) monitor progress, and (5) report portfolio performance. GeoRePORT assesses three categories: geological, technical, and socio-economic. Here, we describe GeoRePORT, then focus on the socio-economic assessment and its applications for assessing deployment potential in the U.S. Socio-economic attributes include land access, permitting, transmission, and market.

Socio-economic, dietary, activity, nutrition and body weight transitions in South Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Soo-Kyung; Sobal, Jeffery

2003-10-01

Socio-economic development influences many factors that affect health, especially diet and nutrition. This investigation proposes that a system of transitions occur as societies develop, with socio-economic, physical activity, dietary, nutrition and body weight transitions operating in relationship with each other. This model of transitions was examined empirically using South Korea as an example of a nation that has undergone considerable changes. Data were drawn from published government reports: the Korean National Nutrition Survey and annual reports at the national level for the years between 1969 and 1993. The socio-economic transition was assessed by gross national product. The physical activity transition was assessed using annual proportions of the population involved in primary, secondary and tertiary industries, as well as the number of cars and driver's licences. The dietary transition was measured by plant and animal food consumption. The nutrition transition was assessed by percentages of energy from carbohydrate, protein and fat. The body weight transition was measured by body mass index calculated from the average height and weight of adolescents. Results revealed that the transitions were highly correlated as expected, with the socio-economic transition exhibiting major changes. South Koreans tended to decrease their physical activity and plant food consumption, and to increase animal food consumption, percentage of energy from dietary fat and body weight, in relationship to the socio-economic transition. Examining a system of transitions on a national level in one country that has undergone rapid economic development may provide a strategy for examining how such transitions operate in other nations.

Life course socio-economic position and quality of life in adulthood: a systematic review of life course models

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A relationship between current socio-economic position and subjective quality of life has been demonstrated, using wellbeing, life and needs satisfaction approaches. Less is known regarding the influence of different life course socio-economic trajectories on later quality of life. Several conceptual models have been proposed to help explain potential life course effects on health, including accumulation, latent, pathway and social mobility models. This systematic review aimed to assess whether evidence supported an overall relationship between life course socio-economic position and quality of life during adulthood and if so, whether there was support for one or more life course models. Methods A review protocol was developed detailing explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria, search terms, data extraction items and quality appraisal procedures. Literature searches were performed in 12 electronic databases during January 2012 and the references and citations of included articles were checked for additional relevant articles. Narrative synthesis was used to analyze extracted data and studies were categorized based on the life course model analyzed. Results Twelve studies met the eligibility criteria and used data from 10 datasets and five countries. Study quality varied and heterogeneity between studies was high. Seven studies assessed social mobility models, five assessed the latent model, two assessed the pathway model and three tested the accumulation model. Evidence indicated an overall relationship, but mixed results were found for each life course model. Some evidence was found to support the latent model among women, but not men. Social mobility models were supported in some studies, but overall evidence suggested little to no effect. Few studies addressed accumulation and pathway effects and study heterogeneity limited synthesis. Conclusions To improve potential for synthesis in this area, future research should aim to increase study

Study for urbanization corresponding to socio-economic activities in Savannaket, Laos using satellite remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimijiama, S.; Nagai, M.

2014-06-01

In Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS), economic liberalization and deregulation facilitated by GMS Regional Economic Corporation Program (GMS-ECP) has triggered urbanization in the region. However, the urbanization rate and its linkage to socio-economic activities are ambiguous. The objectives of this paper are to: (a) determine the changes in urban area from 1972 to 2013 using remote sensing data, and (b) analyse the relationships between urbanization with respect to socio-economic activities in central Laos. The study employed supervised classification and human visible interpretation to determine changes in urbanization rate. Regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation between the urbanization rate and socio-economic variables. The result shows that the urban area increased significantly from 1972 to 2013. The socio-economic variables such as school enrollment, labour force, mortality rate, water source and sanitation highly correlated with the rate of urbanization during the period. The study concluded that identifying the highly correlated socio-economic variables with urbanization rate could enable us to conduct a further urbanization simulation. The simulation helps in designing policies for sustainable development.

The Importance of Socio-Economic Versus Environmental Risk Factors for Reported Dengue Cases in Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Wijayanti, Siwi P M; Porphyre, Thibaud; Chase-Topping, Margo; Rainey, Stephanie M; McFarlane, Melanie; Schnettler, Esther; Biek, Roman; Kohl, Alain

2016-09-01

Dengue is a major mosquito-borne viral disease and an important public health problem. Identifying which factors are important determinants in the risk of dengue infection is critical in supporting and guiding preventive measures. In South-East Asia, half of all reported fatal infections are recorded in Indonesia, yet little is known about the epidemiology of dengue in this country. Hospital-reported dengue cases in Banyumas regency, Central Java were examined to build Bayesian spatial and spatio-temporal models assessing the influence of climatic, demographic and socio-economic factors on the risk of dengue infection. A socio-economic factor linking employment type and economic status was the most influential on the risk of dengue infection in the Regency. Other factors such as access to healthcare facilities and night-time temperature were also found to be associated with higher risk of reported dengue infection but had limited explanatory power. Our data suggest that dengue infections are triggered by indoor transmission events linked to socio-economic factors (employment type, economic status). Preventive measures in this area should therefore target also specific environments such as schools and work areas to attempt and reduce dengue burden in this community. Although our analysis did not account for factors such as variations in immunity which need further investigation, this study can advise preventive measures in areas with similar patterns of reported dengue cases and environment.

Mother's education is the most important factor in socio-economic inequality of child stunting in Iran.

PubMed

Emamian, Mohammad Hassan; Fateh, Mansooreh; Gorgani, Neman; Fotouhi, Akbar

2014-09-01

Malnutrition is one of the most important health problems, especially in developing countries. The present study aimed to describe the socio-economic inequality in stunting and its determinants in Iran for the first time. Cross-sectional, population-based survey, carried out in 2009. Using randomized cluster sampling, weight and height of children were measured and anthropometric indices were calculated based on child growth standards given by the WHO. Socio-economic status of families was determined using principal component analysis on household assets and social specifications of families. The concentration index was used to calculate socio-economic inequality in stunting and its determinants were measured by decomposition of this index. Factors affecting the gap between socio-economic groups were recognized by using the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method. Shahroud District in north-eastern Iran. Children (n 1395) aged <6 years. The concentration index for socio-economic inequality in stunting was -0·1913. Mother's education contributed 70 % in decomposition of this index. Mean height-for-age Z-score was -0·544 and -0·335 for low and high socio-economic groups, respectively. Mother's education was the factor contributing most to the gap between these two groups. There was a significant socio-economic inequality in the studied children. If mother's education is distributed equally in all the different groups of Iranian society, one can expect to eliminate 70 % of the socio-economic inequalities. Even in high socio-economic groups, the mean height-for-age Z-score was lower than the international standards. These issues emphasize the necessity of applying new interventions especially for the improvement of maternal education.

Development of Probabilistic Socio-Economic Emissions Scenarios (2012)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of this analysis is to help overcome these limitations through the development of a publically available library of socio-economic-emissions projections derived from a systematic examination of uncertainty in key underlying model parameters, w

Impact of reproductive health on socio-economic development: a case study of Nigeria.

PubMed

Adinma, J I B; Adinma, E D

2011-03-01

The link between reproductive health, sexual and reproductive right, and development was highlighted at the International Conference on Population and Development held in Egypt. Developmental disparities are related to socio-economic differences which have led to the identification of distinct socio-economic classifications of nations. Human development represents the socioeconomic standing of any nation, in addition to literacy status and life expectancy. Africa accounts for 25% of the world's landmass but remains the world's poorest continent. Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has policies and programmes geared towards the improvement of its socio-economic standing and overal development, with little positive result. Reproductive health is a panacea towards reversing the stalled socio-economic growth of Nigeria as evident from the linkage between reproductive health and development, highlighted in Millennium Development Goals 3, 4, 5 and 6. Fast tracking Nigeria's development requires implementation of reproductive health policies and programmes targeted on women and children.

The Associate Program in Ethnobiology, Socio-Economic Value Assessment and Community Based Conservation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-10-01

impact on the improvement of health and resource development in both countries. 3. Socio-Economic Value Assessment Studies 3.1. Overview The...biodiversity in a sustainable manner. The ICBG is currently supporting two students in phytochemistry, one student in in vivo cancer screen studies and...funds only for the purposes outlined in its charter viz: conservation, drug development and socioeconomic well being of rural communities. The FIRD-TM

The Socio-Economic Dimensions of ICT-Driven Educational Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Jorg; Sancho Gil, Juana M.; Hernandez, Fernando; Giro, Xavier; Bosco, Alejandra

2007-01-01

This paper analyses the varied socio-economic implications of ICT-based educational change. Drawing from a rich, 3-year long research project with 20 secondary schools throughout Europe, the social, human, professional, institutional, and economic costs for building the school of tomorrow in close alliance with ICT are discussed. The aim of this…

Growth of children living in the outskirts of Ankara: impact of low socio-economic status.

PubMed

Gültekin, Timur; Hauspie, Roland; Susanne, Charles; Güleç, Erksin

2006-01-01

Most studies of the growth of Turkish schoolchildren are limited to large cities and to subjects from high socio-economic background. Very little is known about growth and development of rural, suburban and low socio-economic children in Turkey. The purpose of this study is to compare height and weight of school-aged children of low socio-economic background with available growth data from high socio-economic strata, and to verify the possible influences of three socio-demographic parameters on their growth. The sample consisted of 1,052 girls and 1,223 boys, aged between 7-17 years, living in the outskirts of Ankara, a suburban area of poor socio-economic background. Centile distributions for height and weight were estimated by the LMS-method. ANOVA and Student's t-test were used to compare mean z-scores for height and weight among the various categories of the socio-demographic parameters. Children living in the outskirts of Ankara have lower mean values for height and weight when compared with growth data of upper socio-economic strata children. The differences were most pronounced during adolescence. Skinfolds were higher in girls than in boys at all ages (largest p = 0.007). There was no clear relationship between growth and the number of siblings, the number of rooms in the house, the mother's and father's education, and the father's professional status (p > 0.05), except for the height of girls (p < 0.05). It is suggested that the lower growth status of children living in the outskirts of Ankara is attributable to the poor socio-economic status of this suburban population, which has not changed over the past decades. It is postulated that the growth impairment during adolescence might be due to a reduced tempo of growth in these children.

Socio-Economic Determinants of the Need for Dental Care in Adults.

PubMed

Trohel, Gilda; Bertaud-Gounot, Valérie; Soler, Marion; Chauvin, Pierre; Grimaud, Olivier

2016-01-01

Oral health has improved in France. However, there are still inequalities related to the socio-economic status. The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of dental care needs in an adult population and to identify the demographic, socio-economic and behavioral variables that may explain variations in this parameter. A cross-sectional analysis of the French SIRS cohort (n = 2,997 adults from the Paris region; 2010 data) was carried out to determine the prevalence of self-reported dental care needs relative to demographic, socio-economic and behavioral variables. A logistic regression model was used to identify the variables that were most strongly associated with the level of need. In 2010, the prevalence of the need for dental care in the SIRS cohort was 35.0% (95% CI [32.3-37.8]). It was lower in people with higher education levels (31.3% [27.9-34.6]), without immigrant background (31.3% [28.0-34.6]) and with comprehensive health insurance (social security + complementary health cover; 32.8% [30.2-35.4]). It decreased as the socio-economic status increased, but without following a strict linear change. It was also lower among individuals who had a dental check-up visit in the previous two years. In multivariate analyses, the socioeconomic variables most strongly associated with the need for dental care were: educational attainment (OR = 1.21 [1.02-1.44]), income level (OR = 1.66 [1.92-2.12]) and national origin (OR = 1.53 [1.26-1.86]). These results confirm that the prevalence of dental care needs is higher among adults with low socio-economic status. Education level, income level and also national origin were more strongly associated with the need for dental care than insurance cover level.

Socio-economic patterning of tobacco use in Indian states

PubMed Central

Karan, A.; Selvaraj, S.; Bhan, N.; Subramanian, S. V.; Millett, C.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Studies in India have identified marked variations in overall tobacco use between socio-economic groups. We examined whether associations between socio-economic status (SES) and tobacco use varied across individual Indian states by tobacco type. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of 100 855 households in 24 Indian states and Union Territories conducted in 2009–2010. Outcome measures were household tobacco consumption by type. Logistic and linear regression models were used to examine associations at the household level between education, income and use and volume of tobacco consumed. RESULTS: Overall, 52% of households used any form of tobacco product; the predominant form was smokeless tobacco (22%), followed by bidi (17%) and cigarettes (4%). Increasing household income and higher education level were associated with a higher likelihood of cigarette use but a lower likelihood of bidi and smokeless tobacco use in some Indian states. Increasing household income was associated with higher volumes of cigarette and bidi use among consuming households; however, association between educational level and volume of tobacco consumption was inconsistent. CONCLUSION: SES has a varying impact on different types of tobacco use in Indian states. Policy makers should consider socio-economic patterning of tobacco use when designing, implementing and evaluating tobacco control interventions in different states of India. PMID:23827038

[Helicobacter pylori infection in children and socio-economic factors].

PubMed

Maciorkowska, Elzbieta; Cieśla, Justyna Maria; Kaczmarski, Maciej

2006-01-01

The aim of the study was to find a correlation between the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection in children and their accommodation and socio-economic conditions. The results of questionnaire studies were analyzed and levels of IgG specific antibodies against H. pylori were assessed in children randomly chosen in the north-east of Poland at the level of a district, county and province city. The incidence of H. pylori infection in the studied children was varied and depended on the living place. The highest percentage of the infected was revealed in a district (40.4%) and the lowest in a province city (19.0%). There was a correlation between H. pylori infection and socio-economic conditions. The highest percentage of the infected children (59.7%) was found in families whose income was within the first income tax group. The incidence of the infection was also determined by the type of a flat, the number of members in a family, water intake and personal hygiene. 1) the highest incidence of H. pylori infection in children was found in a county, the lowest in a province city. 2) environmental and socio-economic conditions influence the presence of H. pylori infection in children.

A Study on Relationship between Personality and Socio Economic Status of Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Srinivasan, Prakash; Xavier, Amaladoss

2015-01-01

Personality covers the whole nature of the individual. Socio Economic Status refers to the position that an individual and family occupies with reference to prevailing average standards, cultural possession and participation in group activity of community. This paper reports on relationship between Personality and Socio Economic Status of student…

Towards improved socio-economic assessments of ocean acidification's impacts.

PubMed

Hilmi, Nathalie; Allemand, Denis; Dupont, Sam; Safa, Alain; Haraldsson, Gunnar; Nunes, Paulo A L D; Moore, Chris; Hattam, Caroline; Reynaud, Stéphanie; Hall-Spencer, Jason M; Fine, Maoz; Turley, Carol; Jeffree, Ross; Orr, James; Munday, Philip L; Cooley, Sarah R

2013-01-01

Ocean acidification is increasingly recognized as a component of global change that could have a wide range of impacts on marine organisms, the ecosystems they live in, and the goods and services they provide humankind. Assessment of these potential socio-economic impacts requires integrated efforts between biologists, chemists, oceanographers, economists and social scientists. But because ocean acidification is a new research area, significant knowledge gaps are preventing economists from estimating its welfare impacts. For instance, economic data on the impact of ocean acidification on significant markets such as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism are very limited (if not non-existent), and non-market valuation studies on this topic are not yet available. Our paper summarizes the current understanding of future OA impacts and sets out what further information is required for economists to assess socio-economic impacts of ocean acidification. Our aim is to provide clear directions for multidisciplinary collaborative research.

Strategic considerations in Indian space programme—Towards maximising socio-economic benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridhara Murthi, K. R.; Madhusudan, H. N.

2008-07-01

Strategic thinking and planning have been the hallmarks of Indian space programme, whose objectives are sharply focused on deriving socio-economic benefits of space technology. The purpose of this paper is to identify various strategies, which played a role in different phases of the programme, contributing to social and economic outcomes and effectiveness. While self-reliant development of technological capacity and evaluation of applications with involvement of users formed the backbone of strategy in the initial phase of the programme, subsequent strategies were centred on development of organisational culture and systems, industry role and promotion of spin offs. Other strategies dealt with the response to challenges inherent in space endeavours in terms of risk management, sustainability, investments and long-term commitments, judicious make or buy decisions, safeguard of sensitive technologies, space commerce and finally harmonising international cooperation with national objectives. The strategies in the programme were consistently driven by a clear-cut vision and objectives to develop and use space technology in diverse areas where space systems become relevant for socio-economic development such as telecommunications and broadcasting, meteorology, disaster management support, remote sensing of natural and anthropogenic phenomena, and positioning and navigation services. This paper synthesises various studies and experiences in India in order to analyse strategies in the face of changes in technology, application needs and international policies. It also examines the effectiveness of these strategies in terms of economic and social costs and benefits. Based on the above analysis, a typical conceptual model for use of space for development is suggested.

The relationship between socio-economic status and cancer detection at screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor-Phillips, Sian; Ogboye, Toyin; Hamborg, Tom; Kearins, Olive; O'Sullivan, Emma; Clarke, Aileen

2015-03-01

It is well known that socio-economic status is a strong predictor of screening attendance, with women of higher socioeconomic status more likely to attend breast cancer screening. We investigated whether socio-economic status was related to the detection of cancer at breast screening centres. In two separate projects we combined UK data from the population census, the screening information systems, and the cancer registry. Five years of data from all 81 screening centres in the UK was collected. Only women who had previously attended screening were included. The study was given ethical approval by the University of Warwick Biomedical Research Ethics committee reference SDR-232-07- 2012. Generalised linear models with a log-normal link function were fitted to investigate the relationship between predictors and the age corrected cancer detection rate at each centre. We found that screening centres serving areas with lower average socio-economic status had lower cancer detection rates, even after correcting for the age distribution of the population. This may be because there may be a correlation between higher socio-economic status and some risk factors for breast cancer such as nullparity (never bearing children). When applying adjustment for age, ethnicity and socioeconomic status of the population screened (rather than simply age) we found that SDR can change by up to 0.11.

Socio-Economic Inequalities in the Use of Postnatal Care in India

PubMed Central

Singh, Abhishek; Padmadas, Sabu S.; Mishra, Udaya S.; Pallikadavath, Saseendran; Johnson, Fiifi A.; Matthews, Zoe

2012-01-01

Objectives First, our objective was to estimate socio-economic inequalities in the use of postnatal care (PNC) compared with those in the use of care at birth and antenatal care. Second, we wanted to compare inequalities in the use of PNC between facility births and home births and to determine inequalities in the use of PNC among mothers with high-risk births. Methods and Findings Rich–poor ratios and concentration indices for maternity care were estimated using the third round of the District Level Household Survey conducted in India in 2007–08. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the socio-economic inequalities associated with use of PNC after adjusting for relevant socio-economic and demographic characteristics. PNC for both mothers and newborns was substantially lower than the care received during pregnancy and child birth. Only 44% of mothers in India at the time of survey received any care within 48 hours after birth. Likewise, only 45% of newborns received check-up within 24 hours of birth. Mothers who had home births were significantly less likely to have received PNC than those who had facility births, with significant differences across the socio-economic strata. Moreover, the rich-poor gap in PNC use was significantly wider for mothers with birth complications. Conclusions PNC use has been unacceptably low in India given the risks of mortality for mothers and babies shortly after birth. However, there is evidence to suggest that effective use of pregnancy and childbirth care in health facilities led to better PNC. There are also significant socio-economic inequalities in access to PNC even for those accessing facility-based care. The coverage of essential PNC is inadequate, especially for mothers from economically disadvantaged households. The findings suggest the need for strengthening PNC services to keep pace with advances in coverage for care at birth and prenatal services in India through targeted policy interventions. PMID

Socio-economic differences in outdoor food advertising in a city in Northern England.

PubMed

Adams, Jean; Ganiti, Ellie; White, Martin

2011-06-01

To explore differences in the prevalence of outdoor food advertising, and the type and nutritional content of advertised foods, according to an area-based marker of socio-economic position (SEP) in a city in Northern England. All outdoor advertisements in the city were identified during October-December 2009, their size (in m2) estimated and their location determined using a global positioning system device. Advertisements were classified as food or non-food. Food advertisements were classified into one of six food categories. Information on the nutritional content of advertised foods was obtained from packaging and manufacturer's websites. An area-based marker of SEP was assigned using the location of each advertisement, grouped into three affluence tertiles for analysis. A city in Northern England. None. In all, 1371 advertisements were identified; 211 (15 %) of these were for food. The advertisements covered 6765 m2, of which 1326 m2 (20 %) was for food. Total advertising and food advertising space was largest in the least affluent tertile. There was little evidence of socio-economic trends in the type or nutritional content of advertised foods. Despite an absence of socio-economic differences in the type and nutritional content of advertised foods, there were socio-economic differences in food advertising space. There may also be socio-economic differences in exposure to outdoor food advertising.

Estonia Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2015-01-01

Since restoring its independence in 1991, Estonia has fully liberalized its electricity and gas markets. The strengthening of the Baltic electricity market, integration with the Nordic market, and the establishment of a regional gas market are priorities for Estonia.

The prevalence of domestic violence within different socio-economic classes in Central Trinidad.

PubMed

Nagassar, R P; Rawlins, J M; Sampson, N R; Zackerali, J; Chankadyal, K; Ramasir, C; Boodram, R

2010-01-01

Domestic violence is a medical and social issue that often leads to negative consequences for society. This paper examines the association between the prevalence of domestic violence in relation to the different socio-economic classes in Central Trinidad. The paper also explores the major perceived causes of physical abuse in Central Trinidad. Participants were selected using a two-stage stratified sampling method within the Couva district. Households, each contributing one participant, were stratified into different socioeconomic classes (SES Class) and each stratum size (or its share in the sample) was determined by the portion of its size in the sampling frame to the total sample; then its members were randomly selected. The sampling method attempted to balance and then minimize racial, age, cultural biases and confounding factors. The participant chosen had to be older than 16-years of age, female and a resident of the household. If more than one female was at home, the most senior was interviewed. The study found a statistically significant relationship between verbal abuse (p = 0.0017), physical abuse (p = 0.0012) and financial abuse (p = 0.001) and socio-economic class. For all the socio-economic classes considered, the highest prevalence of domestic violence occurred amongst the working class and lower middle socio-economic classes. The most prominent reasons cited for the physical violence was drug and alcohol abuse (37%) and communication differences (16.3%). These were the other two main perceived causes of the violence. The power of the study was 0.78 and the all strata prevalence of domestic violence was 41%. Domestic violence was reported within all socio-economic class groupings but it was most prevalent within the working class and lower middle socio-economic classes. The major perceived cause of domestic violence was alcohol/drug abuse.

The Importance of Socio-Economic Versus Environmental Risk Factors for Reported Dengue Cases in Java, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Chase-Topping, Margo; Rainey, Stephanie M.; McFarlane, Melanie; Schnettler, Esther; Biek, Roman; Kohl, Alain

2016-01-01

Background Dengue is a major mosquito-borne viral disease and an important public health problem. Identifying which factors are important determinants in the risk of dengue infection is critical in supporting and guiding preventive measures. In South-East Asia, half of all reported fatal infections are recorded in Indonesia, yet little is known about the epidemiology of dengue in this country. Methodology/Principal findings Hospital-reported dengue cases in Banyumas regency, Central Java were examined to build Bayesian spatial and spatio-temporal models assessing the influence of climatic, demographic and socio-economic factors on the risk of dengue infection. A socio-economic factor linking employment type and economic status was the most influential on the risk of dengue infection in the Regency. Other factors such as access to healthcare facilities and night-time temperature were also found to be associated with higher risk of reported dengue infection but had limited explanatory power. Conclusions/Significance Our data suggest that dengue infections are triggered by indoor transmission events linked to socio-economic factors (employment type, economic status). Preventive measures in this area should therefore target also specific environments such as schools and work areas to attempt and reduce dengue burden in this community. Although our analysis did not account for factors such as variations in immunity which need further investigation, this study can advise preventive measures in areas with similar patterns of reported dengue cases and environment. PMID:27603137

Revisiting Free School Meal Eligibility as a Proxy for Pupil Socio-Economic Deprivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilie, Sonia; Sutherland, Alex; Vignoles, Anna

2017-01-01

Whether someone has ever had free school meal (FSM) eligibility over a six-year period is the measure of socio-economic disadvantage currently used in the English school system. It is used to monitor the socio-economic gap in achievement in the education system, to identify particular children at risk of low achievement and to direct funding to…

Integrating socio-economic and infrastructural dimension to reveal hazard vulnerability of coastal districts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazumdar, Jublee; Paul, Saikat

2015-04-01

Losses of life and property due to natural hazards have intensified in the past decade, motivating an alteration of disaster management away from simple post event resettlement and rehabilitation. The degree of exposure to hazard for a homogeneous population is not entirely reliant upon nearness to the source of hazard event. Socio-economic factors and infrastructural capability play an important role in determining the vulnerability of a place. This study investigates the vulnerability of eastern coastal states of India from tropical cyclones. The record of past hundred years shows that the physical vulnerability of eastern coastal states is four times as compared to the western coastal states in terms of frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones. Nevertheless, these physical factors played an imperative role in determining the vulnerability of eastern coast. However, the socio-economic and infrastructural factors influence the risk of exposure exponentially. Inclusion of these indicators would provide better insight regarding the preparedness and resilience of settlements to hazard events. In this regard, the present study is an effort to develop an Integrated Vulnerability Model (IVM) based on socio-economic and infrastructural factors for the districts of eastern coastal states of India. A method is proposed for quantifying the socio-economic and infrastructural vulnerability to tropical cyclone in these districts. The variables included in the study are extracted from Census of India, 2011 at district level administrative unit. In the analysis, a large number of variables are reduced to a smaller number of factors by using principal component analysis that represents the socio-economic and infrastructure vulnerability to tropical cyclone. Subsequently, the factor scores in socio-economic Vulnerability Index (SeVI) and Infrastructure Vulnerability Index (InVI) are standardized from 0 to 1, indicating the range from low to high vulnerability. The factor

Socio-economic determinants and inequities in coverage and timeliness of early childhood immunisation in rural Ghana.

PubMed

Gram, Lu; Soremekun, Seyi; ten Asbroek, Augustinus; Manu, Alexander; O'Leary, Maureen; Hill, Zelee; Danso, Samuel; Amenga-Etego, Seeba; Owusu-Agyei, Seth; Kirkwood, Betty R

2014-07-01

To assess the extent of socio-economic inequity in coverage and timeliness of key childhood immunisations in Ghana. Secondary analysis of vaccination card data collected from babies born between January 2008 and January 2010 who were registered in the surveillance system supporting the ObaapaVita and Newhints Trials was carried out. 20 251 babies had 6 weeks' follow-up, 16 652 had 26 weeks' follow-up, and 5568 had 1 year's follow-up. We performed a descriptive analysis of coverage and timeliness of vaccinations by indicators for urban/rural status, wealth and educational attainment. The association of coverage with socio-economic indicators was tested using a chi-square-test and the association with timeliness using Cox regression. Overall coverage at 1 year of age was high (>95%) for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), all three pentavalent diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus-haemophilus influenzae B-hepatitis B (DPTHH) doses and all polio doses except polio at birth (63%). Coverage against measles and yellow fever was 85%. Median delay for BCG was 1.7 weeks. For polio at birth, the median delay was 5 days; all other vaccine doses had median delays of 2-4 weeks. We found substantial health inequity across all socio-economic indicators for all vaccines in terms of timeliness, but not coverage at 1 year. For example, for the last DPTHH dose, the proportion of children delayed more than 8 weeks were 27% for urban children and 31% for rural children (P < 0.001), 21% in the wealthiest quintile and 41% in the poorest quintile (P < 0.001), and 9% in the most educated group and 39% in the least educated group (P < 0.001). However, 1-year coverage of the same dose remained above 90% for all levels of all socio-economic indicators. Ghana has substantial health inequity across urban/rural, socio-economic and educational divides. While overall coverage was high, most vaccines suffered from poor timeliness. We suggest that countries achieving high coverage should include timeliness

Socio-economic inequalities in overweight among adults in Turkey: a regional evaluation.

PubMed

Ergin, Isil; Hassoy, Hur; Kunst, Anton

2012-01-01

Patterns of socio-economic inequalities in obesity and overweight have not been documented for Turkey. The present study aimed to describe educational and wealth-related inequalities for overweight in Turkey, taking a regional perspective. Cross-sectional self-reported data of the World Health Survey 2002 for Turkey were used. BMI ≥ 25·00 kg/m2 was considered as overweight. Respondents were classified according to education years and a wealth score derived from the availability of household assets. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the relationship between overweight and socio-economic factors. Analyses were stratified by sex and region (West, Mediterranean, Middle, Black Sea and East). Turkey. Among the respondents 20 years and older, 3790 women and 4057 men had data on self-reported height and weight. Age-adjusted overweight prevalence was 48·4 % for women and 46·1 % for men. For men, education was not systematically related to overweight while overweight was significantly increased among the highest wealth groups. For women, the prevalence of overweight was highest for low-educated and middle-wealth groups. The size of the inequalities in overweight showed only small regional variations. In the East, however, overweight prevalence was more related to higher socio-economic position than in the other regions. Socio-economic inequalities for overweight in Turkey are at a similar level as in most European countries, and especially comparable to Southern Europe. The smaller inequalities in the East correspond to the low level of socio-economic development in this part of the country. Prevention of overweight should focus on lower educational groups throughout the entire country and especially on low-educated women.

Water scarcity in the Arabian Peninsula and socio-economic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odhiambo, George O.

2017-09-01

The Arabian Gulf, one of the driest parts of the world, is already passing the water scarcity line as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). The scarcity of renewable water resources and the growing discrepancy between demand and supply of water is a major challenge. Water scarcity is further worsened by rapidly growing demands due to rapid population growth, unsustainable consumption, climate change and weak management institutions and regulations. Water scarcity erodes the socio-economic sustainability of the communities that depend on the depleting storage. In this paper, an analysis of the water security situation within the Arabian Gulf region and the consequent socio-economic implications is presented.

Socio-economic determinants of HIV testing and counselling: a comparative study in four African countries.

PubMed

Obermeyer, Carla Makhlouf; Neuman, Melissa; Hardon, Anita; Desclaux, Alice; Wanyenze, Rhoda; Ky-Zerbo, Odette; Cherutich, Peter; Namakhoma, Ireen

2013-09-01

Research indicates that individuals tested for HIV have higher socio-economic status than those not tested, but less is known about how socio-economic status is associated with modes of testing. We compared individuals tested through provider-initiated testing and counselling (PITC), those tested through voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and those never tested. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted at health facilities in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda, as part of the Multi-country African Testing and Counselling for HIV (MATCH) study. A total of 3659 clients were asked about testing status, type of facility of most recent test and socio-economic status. Two outcome measures were analysed: ever tested for HIV and mode of testing. We compared VCT at stand-alone facilities and PITC, which includes integrated facilities where testing is provided with medical care, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) facilities. The determinants of ever testing and of using a particular mode of testing were analysed using modified Poisson regression and multinomial logistic analyses. Higher socio-economic status was associated with the likelihood of testing at VCT rather than other facilities or not testing. There were no significant differences in socio-economic characteristics between those tested through PITC (integrated and PMTCT facilities) and those not tested. Provider-initiated modes of testing make testing accessible to individuals from lower socio-economic groups to a greater extent than traditional VCT. Expanding testing through PMTCT reduces socio-economic obstacles, especially for women. Continued efforts are needed to encourage testing and counselling among men and the less affluent. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Socio-economic determinants of micronutrient intake and status in Europe: a systematic review.

PubMed

Novaković, Romana; Cavelaars, Adriënne; Geelen, Anouk; Nikolić, Marina; Altaba, Iris Iglesia; Viñas, Blanca Roman; Ngo, Joy; Golsorkhi, Mana; Medina, Marisol Warthon; Brzozowska, Anna; Szczecinska, Anna; de Cock, Diederik; Vansant, Greet; Renkema, Marianne; Majem, Lluís Serra; Moreno, Luis Aznar; Glibetić, Maria; Gurinović, Mirjana; van't Veer, Pieter; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2014-05-01

To provide the evidence base for targeted nutrition policies to reduce the risk of micronutrient/diet-related diseases among disadvantaged populations in Europe, by focusing on: folate, vitamin B12, Fe, Zn and iodine for intake and status; and vitamin C, vitamin D, Ca, Se and Cu for intake. MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched to collect original studies that: (i) were published from 1990 to 2011; (ii) involved >100 subjects; (iii) had assessed dietary intake at the individual level; and/or (iv) included best practice biomarkers reflecting micronutrient status. We estimated relative differences in mean micronutrient intake and/or status between the lowest and highest socio-economic groups to: (i) evaluate variation in intake and status between socio-economic groups; and (ii) report on data availability. Europe. Children, adults and elderly. Data from eighteen publications originating primarily from Western Europe showed that there is a positive association between indicators of socio-economic status and micronutrient intake and/or status. The largest differences were observed for intake of vitamin C in eleven out of twelve studies (5-47 %) and for vitamin D in total of four studies (4-31 %). The positive association observed between micronutrient intake and socio-economic status should complement existing evidence on socio-economic inequalities in diet-related diseases among disadvantaged populations in Europe. These findings could provide clues for further research and have implications for public health policy aimed at improving the intake of micronutrients and diet-related diseases.

A feasibility study of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash utilisation in Estonia.

PubMed

Berber, Hakan; Frey, Ruedi; Voronova, Viktoria; Koroljova, Arina

2017-09-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the alternative environmental management options for the utilisation of municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration fly ash (FA), which is generated at Iru Power Plant where MSW is incinerated in Estonia. To determine sustainable and economically feasible environmental management options for MSW incineration FA in Estonia, CO 2 sequestration with a further carbonation process was examined. A partial Cost & Benefit Analysis has been conducted to compare the carbonation process to the current situation. Two carbonation options were developed. Option 1 is to use carbonated FA in any other processes based on the waste-to-product principle. Option 2 is to send carbonated FA to the non-hazardous landfill in Tallinn, Estonia. Important parameters, such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) and Break Even Point (BEP), have been calculated for carbonation options and the current case. In addition, a sensitivity analysis has been conducted to examine its robustness. The results showed that the best option is carbonation Option 1 with NPV of 9,209,662 EUR, IRR of 43%, BCR of 2.63 and BEP between 2018 and 2019. Both Options 1 and 2 constitute more sustainable and environmentally friendly management options compared to the current situation. It can be concluded that this preliminary feasibility study showed that running a carbonation plant may be profitable and sustainable for Estonia. Currently, there is no treatment technology for MSW incineration FA in Estonia and FA is sent to a neighbouring country for further utilisation. This is the first study to demonstrate FA management options with economic and environmental benefits.

Socio-economic inequalities in the incidence of four common cancers: a population-based registry study.

PubMed

Tweed, E J; Allardice, G M; McLoone, P; Morrison, D S

2018-01-01

To investigate the relationship between socio-economic circumstances and cancer incidence in Scotland in recent years. Population-based study using cancer registry data. Data on incident cases of colorectal, lung, female breast, and prostate cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2012 were obtained from a population-based cancer registry covering a population of approximately 2.5 million people in the West of Scotland. Socio-economic circumstances were assessed based on postcode of residence at diagnosis, using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). For each cancer, crude and age-standardised incidence rates were calculated by quintile of SIMD score, and the number of excess cases associated with socio-economic deprivation was estimated. 93,866 cases met inclusion criteria, comprising 21,114 colorectal, 31,761 lung, 23,757 female breast, and 15,314 prostate cancers. Between 2001 and 2006, there was no consistent association between socio-economic circumstances and colorectal cancer incidence, but 2006-2012 saw an emerging deprivation gradient in both sexes. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) for colorectal cancer between most deprived and least deprived increased from 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91-1.16) to 1.24 (95% CI 1.11-1.39) during the study period. The incidence of lung cancer showed the strongest relationship with socio-economic circumstances, with inequalities widening across the study period among women from IRR 2.66 (95% CI 2.33-3.05) to 2.91 (95% CI 2.54-3.33) in 2001-03 and 2010-12, respectively. Breast and prostate cancer showed an inverse relationship with socio-economic circumstances, with lower incidence among people living in more deprived areas. Significant socio-economic inequalities remain in cancer incidence in the West of Scotland, and in some cases are increasing. In particular, this study has identified an emerging, previously unreported, socio-economic gradient in colorectal cancer incidence among women as well as men. Actions

Rapid land use change after socio-economic disturbances: the collapse of the Soviet Union versus Chernobyl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hostert, Patrick; Kuemmerle, Tobias; Prishchepov, Alexander; Sieber, Anika; Lambin, Eric F.; Radeloff, Volker C.

2011-10-01

Land use change is a principal force and inherent element of global environmental change, threatening biodiversity, natural ecosystems, and their services. However, our ability to anticipate future land use change is severely limited by a lack of understanding of how major socio-economic disturbances (e.g., wars, revolutions, policy changes, and economic crises) affect land use. Here we explored to what extent socio-economic disturbances can shift land use systems onto a different trajectory, and whether this can result in less intensive land use. Our results show that the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 caused a major reorganization in land use systems. The effects of this socio-economic disturbance were at least as drastic as those of the nuclear disaster in the Chernobyl region in 1986. While the magnitudes of land abandonment were similar in Ukraine and Belarus in the case of the nuclear disaster (28% and 36% of previously farmed land, respectively), the rates of land abandonment after the collapse of the Soviet Union in Ukraine were twice as high as those in Belarus. This highlights that national policies and institutions play an important role in mediating effects of socio-economic disturbances. The socio-economic disturbance that we studied caused major hardship for local populations, yet also presents opportunities for conservation, as natural ecosystems are recovering on large areas of former farmland. Our results illustrate the potential of socio-economic disturbances to revert land use intensification and the important role institutions and policies play in determining land use systems' resilience against such socio-economic disturbances.

Socio-Economic Status and Peritonitis in Australian Non-Indigenous Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

PubMed Central

Tang, Wen; Grace, Blair; McDonald, Stephen P.; Hawley, Carmel M.; Badve, Sunil V.; Boudville, Neil C.; Brown, Fiona G.; Clayton, Philip A.; Johnson, David W.

2015-01-01

♦ Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis. ♦ Methods: Associations between area SES and peritonitis risk and outcomes were examined in all non-indigenous patients who received PD in Australia between 1 October 2003 and 31 December 2010 (peritonitis outcomes). SES was assessed by deciles of postcode-based Australian Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), including Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD), Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD), Index of Economic Resources (IER) and Index of Education and Occupation (IEO). ♦ Results: 7,417 patients were included in the present study. Mixed-effects Poisson regression demonstrated that incident rate ratios for peritonitis were generally lower in the higher SEIFA-based deciles compared with the reference (decile 1), although the reductions were only statistically significant in some deciles (IRSAD deciles 2 and 4 – 9; IRSD deciles 4 – 6; IER deciles 4 and 6; IEO deciles 3 and 6). Mixed-effects logistic regression showed that lower probabilities of hospitalization were predicted by relatively higher SES, and lower probabilities of peritonitis-associated death were predicted by less SES disadvantage status and greater access to economic resources. No association was observed between SES and the risks of peritonitis cure, catheter removal and permanent hemodialysis (HD) transfer. ♦ Conclusions: In Australia, where there is universal free healthcare, higher SES was associated with lower risks of peritonitis-associated hospitalization and death, and a lower risk of peritonitis in some categories. PMID:24497587

Socio-Economic Development and Gender Inequality in India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razvi, Meena; Roth, Gene L.

2004-01-01

Gender discrimination in India affects poor women's socio-economic development. This paper describes and interprets recurrent themes indicating that the Indian government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other international human rights organizations show growing concerns regarding gender inequality in India. As it is not within the…

Trade-offs Between Socio-economic Development and Ecosystem Health under Changing Water Availability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazemi, A.; Hassanzadeh, E.; Elshorbagy, A. A.; Wheater, H. S.; Gober, P.; Jardine, T.; Lindenschmidt, K. E.

2017-12-01

Natural and human water systems at regional scales are often developed around key characteristics of streamflow. As a result, changes in streamflow regime can affect both socio-economic activities and freshwater ecosystems. In addition to natural variability and/or climate change, extensive water resource management to support socio-economic growth has also changed streamflow regimes. This study aims at understanding the trade-offs between agricultural expansion in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, and alterations in the ecohydrological characteristics of the Saskatchewan River Delta (SRD) located downstream. Changes in climate along with extensive water resource management have altered the upstream flow regime. Moreover, Saskatchewan is investigating the possible expansion of irrigated agriculture to boost the provincial economy. To evaluate trade-offs across a range of possible scenarios for streamflow changes, the potential increase in provincial net benefit versus potential vulnerability of the SRD was assessed using perturbed flow realizations along with scenarios of irrigation expansion as input to an integrated water resource system model. This study sheds light on the potential variability in trade-offs between economic benefits and ecosystem health under a range of streamflow conditions, with the aim of informing decisions that can benefit both natural and human water systems.

Socio-Economic Wellbeing in Australian Mining Towns: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tonts, Matthew; Plummer, Paul; Lawrie, Misty

2012-01-01

Understanding the links between resource dependence and socio-economic wellbeing has long been a subject of interest amongst social scientists in North America. By contrast, relatively few Australian studies exist on this topic. This is despite the significant role of resource industries in shaping Australia's economic and social geography. Where…

Socio-economic indicators are independently associated with intake of animal foods in French adults.

PubMed

Méjean, Caroline; Si Hassen, Wendy; Lecossais, Christelle; Allès, Benjamin; Péneau, Sandrine; Hercberg, Serge; Castetbon, Katia

2016-12-01

The specific role of major socio-economic indicators (education, occupation, income) in influencing consumer choice of animal foods (AF) intake could reveal distinct socio-economic facets, thus enabling elucidation of mechanisms leading to social inequalities in health. We investigated the independent association of each indicator with intake of different AF and their effect modification. Cross-sectional study. AF intake was estimated using three 24 h dietary records. Associations between socio-economic factors and AF intake and interactions between socio-economic indicators were assessed using ANCOVA adjusted for age and energy intake. Analyses were performed separately for men and women, since gender interactions were found. France. Adults (n 92 036) participating in the NutriNet-Santé Study. Low educated persons had higher intake of red meat (+9-12 g/d), processed meat (+6-9 g/d) and poultry (for men, +7 g/d) than those with a higher education level. Percentage of fish consumers was lower in individuals of the lowest income class compared with those in higher classes. Manual workers had a higher intake of cream desserts (for men, +14 g/d) than managerial staff. Few significant interactions were found. In stratified analyses, persons with the highest income consumed more yoghurt than those who had lower income, only in low educated individuals. Socio-economic disparities in AF intake varied according to the socio-economic indicator, suggesting the specific influence of each indicator on AF intake. In particular, lower education was associated with higher intake of red and processed meats and cream desserts, and had an effect modification on the relationship between income and AF intake.

Women's relative immunity to the socio-economic health gradient: artifact or real?

PubMed Central

Phillips, Susan P.; Hamberg, Katarina

2015-01-01

Background Individual and area socio-economic status (SES) are significant predictors of morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. However, the span in health from poorest to richest, that is, the socio-economic gradient, appears steeper for men than women. Objective Our aim is to understand women's apparent immunity to the health harms of the SES gradient. Design Findings from a non-systematic search of Medline for population-based, SES gradient studies reporting results for both men and women and with health outcomes of morbidity, mortality or self-rated health (SRH) were reflectively analyzed. Results The 36 papers reviewed generally showed women to be relatively immune to the SES gradient for all but cardiovascular health outcomes. However, addressing the interconnected nature of socio-economic circumstances, exploring whether some measures of SES had ambiguous meanings for either women or men, including modifiers of SES such as household circumstances, social capital or area gender equity, or using indicators of area SES that were contextual rather than aggregates of individual, compositional measures increased the SES gradient for women. Outcome measures that combined mental and physical health, accounted for gender differences in SRH and adjusted for sex-specific differences in causes of mortality also explained some of the observed amelioration of the SES gradient among women. Conclusions Socio-economic circumstances have a real and sustained impact on individual health. The SES gradient appears stronger for men than for women for all health outcomes other than heart disease. However, some of the observed variability between men and women may be an artifact of biased methodology. Considering webs of causation rather than individual markers of SES along with other sources of gender bias can explain much of women's blunted socio-economic gradient and deepen understanding of the pathways from SES to morbidity and mortality overall. PMID

Modelling regional cropping patterns under scenarios of climate and socio-economic change in Hungary.

PubMed

Li, Sen; Juhász-Horváth, Linda; Pintér, László; Rounsevell, Mark D A; Harrison, Paula A

2018-05-01

Impacts of socio-economic, political and climatic change on agricultural land systems are inherently uncertain. The role of regional and local-level actors is critical in developing effective policy responses that accommodate such uncertainty in a flexible and informed way across governance levels. This study identified potential regional challenges in arable land use systems, which may arise from climate and socio-economic change for two counties in western Hungary: Veszprém and Tolna. An empirically-grounded, agent-based model was developed from an extensive farmer household survey about local land use practices. The model was used to project future patterns of arable land use under four localised, stakeholder-driven scenarios of plausible future socio-economic and climate change. The results show strong differences in farmers' behaviour and current agricultural land use patterns between the two regions, highlighting the need to implement focused policy at the regional level. For instance, policy that encourages local food security may need to support improvements in the capacity of farmers to adapt to physical constraints in Veszprém and farmer access to social capital and environmental awareness in Tolna. It is further suggested that the two regions will experience different challenges to adaptation under possible future conditions (up to 2100). For example, Veszprém was projected to have increased fallow land under a scenario with high inequality, ineffective institutions and higher-end climate change, implying risks of land abandonment. By contrast, Tolna was projected to have a considerable decline in major cereals under a scenario assuming a de-globalising future with moderate climate change, inferring challenges to local food self-sufficiency. The study provides insight into how socio-economic and physical factors influence the selection of crop rotation plans by farmers in western Hungary and how farmer behaviour may affect future risks to agricultural

Socio-economic status and physical activity among adolescents: the mediating role of self-esteem.

PubMed

Veselska, Z; Madarasova Geckova, A; Reijneveld, S A; van Dijk, J P

2011-11-01

Physical activity is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle in adolescence. Previous studies have shown physical activity to be associated with socio-economic status and self-esteem; the latter association may mediate the former, but evidence on this is lacking. The aim of this study was to explore the associations of socio-economic status and the self-esteem of adolescents with physical activity, and their joint effects. A sample of 3694 elementary-school students from Slovakia (mean age 14.3 years, 49% boys) completed the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale and answered questions about the frequency of their physical activity and their parents' educational level. Adolescents with higher socio-economic status were significantly more likely to report physical activity on ≥5 days/week and to report higher self-esteem. In logistic regression, the association between socio-economic status and physical activity decreased after including self-esteem, suggesting that at least a part of this association is mediated by self-esteem. To conclude, youths from lower socio-economic groups have already been identified as a target group, for intervention. These findings suggest that it is important for promotion programmes to focus not only on the enhancement of their physical activity, but also on their self-esteem as a possible mediator. Copyright © 2011 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Explaining the Socio-Economic Status School Completion Gap

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polidano, Cain; Hanel, Barbara; Buddelmeyer, Hielke

2013-01-01

Relatively low rates of school completion among students from low socio-economic backgrounds is a key driver of intergenerational inequality. Linking data from the Programme for International Student Assessment with data from the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Youth, we use a decomposition framework to explain the gap in school completion rates…

[The influence of socio-economic conditions in renal posttransplant infection].

PubMed

Ianhez, L E; Sampaio, M; Chocair, P R; Fonseca, J A; Sabbaga, E

1993-01-01

Two hundred and four patients who underwent renal transplantation were followed up as outpatients with a minimum of four years. They were divided into two socio-economic levels: group I - 104 patients who underwent transplantation in a private hospital and 120 patients (group II) with a lower socio-economic standard, treated in a public hospital. In both groups urinary infections and hepatitis were excluded. The incidence of infection in group I was 24% and in group II, 50% (p = 0.0002). There was no difference in relation to viral infection in either groups. However, bacterial infection and infection by opportunistic agents were significantly higher in group II (p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0282). The number of hospitalizations and the number of infections of patients were higher in group II. There was a tendency for an increase in mortality owing to infection in group II. There was no difference in the two groups as the parameters of: age, sex, type of donor, primary disease, number of rejections crises, level of serum creatinine and number of patients with ciclosporine. On the other hand, the dose of azathioprine and prednisone was mildly higher in those patients of group II. Low level of socio-economic conditions is a risk factor in renal transplant patients.

Public and Private Schools: How Management and Funding Relate to Their Socio-Economic Profile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing (NJ1), 2012

2012-01-01

In most PISA-participating countries and economies, the average socio-economic background of students who attend privately managed schools is more advantaged than that of those who attend public schools. Yet in some countries, there is little difference in the socio-economic profiles between public and private schools. Why? An analysis of PISA…

Investigating socio-economic inequity in access to and expenditures on routine immunization services in Anambra state.

PubMed

Sibeudu, Florence T; Uzochukwu, Benjamin S C; Onwujekwe, Obinna E

2017-02-01

Addressing existing inequities in the utilization of priority health services such as routine immunization is a current public health priority. Increasing access to routine immunization from the current low levels amongst all socio-economic status groups in Nigeria is challenging. However, little is known on the level of SES inequity in utilization of routine immunization services and such information which will inform the development of strategies for ensuring equitable provision of routine immunization services in the country. The study was a cross sectional household survey, which was undertaken in two randomly selected communities in Anambra State, southeast Nigeria. A pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data on levels of access to RI by children under-2 years from randomly selected households. In each household, data was collected from the primary care givers or their representative (in their absence). The relationship between access to routine immunization and socio-economic status of households and other key variables was explored in data analysis. Households from high socio-economic status (well-off) groups utilized routine immunization services more than those that belong to low socio-economic status (poor) groups (X 2  = 9.97, p < 0.002). It was found that higher percentage of low socio-economic status households compared to the high socio-economic status households received routine immunization services at public health facilities. Households that belong to low socio-economic status groups had to travel longer distance to get to health facilities consequently incurring some transportation cost. The mean expenditures on service charge for routine immunization services (mostly informal payments) and transportation were US$1.84 and US$1.27 respectively. Logistic regression showed that access to routine immunization was positively related to socio-economic status and negatively related to distant of a household to a

A socio-economic impact assessment of the European launcher sector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monte, Luca del; Scatteia, Luigi

2017-08-01

In a context where the economic strains are challenging European policies as well as the very fabric of governmental contributions to public life, innovation and efficacy of public policy in research are called upon to support growth in Europe and to sustain employment and entrepreneurial capacities. Governments need evidence that the investments in space, while providing strategic tools to implement sovereign policies, create jobs and build the competitive European economy of the future. This is particularly true when the decisions at stake have a potential bearing on the future of the European space sector for at least the next 30 years, as it has been the case for the ESA Council at ministerial level meeting in December 2014. On that occasion, Ministers took the decision to start the development of a new Ariane 6 launcher and Vega evolutions having a critical bearing on the Member States' strategic industrial capabilities and on the sustainability of the European guaranteed access to space. Given the importance of the subject, and following similar studies undertaken in the past for e.g. the Ariane 1-4 programme, the Agency has requested an independent consulting team to perform a dedicated study to assess ex-post the direct, indirect and induced socio-economic impacts of the Ariane 5 programme (mid-term evaluation) and of the Vega programme (early evaluation) globally, at European level, and within the economies and industries of each ESA Member State. This paper presents the assessment of the socio-economic impacts allowing the evaluation of the return on public investments in launchers through ESA in a wider perspective, going beyond the purely economic terms. The scope of the assessment covered in total approximately 25 ESA programmatic and activity lines and 30,000 commitments from 1986 to end 2012. In the framework of the study, the economic impact of the European launcher programmes is measured through a GDP impact defined as the straight economic

Housing as a socio-economic determinant of health: findings of a national needs, gaps and opportunities assessment.

PubMed

Dunn, James R; Hayes, Michael V; Hulchanski, J David; Hwang, Stephen W; Potvin, Louise

2006-01-01

In 2002-2003, a Needs, Gaps and Opportunities Assessment (NGOA) was conducted to investigate relationships between socio-economic dimensions of housing and health. Recent reviews of the literature point to a dearth of research on the socio-economic dimensions of housing and health, despite its potential for promoting health. The NGOA sought to identify research needs and gaps, and future opportunities for research in housing, socio-economic status and health. The methods used included a literature scan, a scan of research capacity, eight regional stakeholder workshops across Canada, and an open-ended e-mail survey of stakeholders. In this paper, we report the findings of the stakeholder consultations. The main finding of the NGOA was that there is a significant dearth of research on housing as a socio-economic determinant of health but enormous potential for conducting high-impact, longitudinal and quasi-experimental research in the area. Of particular interest to stakeholder participants in the NGOA were the economic aspects of housing and health; the impact of housing on health for vulnerable subgroups (e.g., Aboriginal peoples, immigrants, children, seniors); the role of socio-economically and ethnically mixed communities; and the interaction between socio-economic aspects of housing and biophysical hazards in the home. The NGOA demonstrated that there is a substantial audience eager for knowledge on housing as a socio-economic determinant of health and that such knowledge could make an immediate impact on policy decision-making and program operation. Although knowledge gaps are substantial, the NGOA clearly identifies opportunities for high-impact, longitudinal and quasi-experimental research. Recently signed federal-provincial funding agreements for housing make the findings of the NGOA timely. Moreover, the NGOA results demonstrate how research on housing as a socio-economic determinant of health could be a strategy for improving our understanding of the

The role of hardship in the association between socio-economic position and depression.

PubMed

Butterworth, Peter; Olesen, Sarah C; Leach, Liana S

2012-04-01

It is well established that socio-economic position is associated with depression. The experience of financial hardship, having to go without the essentials of daily living due to limited financial resources, may explain the effect. However, there are few studies examining the link between financial hardship and diagnosable depression at a population level. The current paper addresses this gap and also evaluates the moderating effect of age. Data were from 8841 participants aged 16-85 years in Australia's 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. The 12-month prevalence of depressive episode was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Measures of socio-economic position included: financial hardship, education, labour-force status, occupational skill, household income, main source of income, and area-level disadvantage. Financial hardship was more strongly associated with depression than other socio-economic variables. Hardship was more strongly associated with current depression than with prior history of depression. The relative effect of hardship was strongest in late adulthood but the absolute effect of hardship was greatest in middle age. The results demonstrate the critical role of financial hardship in the association between socio-economic disadvantage and 12-month depressive episode, and suggest that social and economic policies that address inequalities in living standards may be an appropriate way to reduce the burden attributable to depression.

Utilisation of general practitioner services by socio-economic disadvantage and geographic remoteness.

PubMed

Turrell, Gavin; Oldenburg, Brian F; Harris, Elizabeth; Jolley, Damien

2004-04-01

To examine the association between socio-economic status (SES) and GP utilisation across Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) that differed in their geographic remoteness, and to assess whether Indigenous status and GP availability modified the association. Retrospective analysis of Medicare data for all unreferred GP consultations (1996/97) for 952 SLAs comprising the six Australian States. Geographic remoteness was ascertained using the Area Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA), and SES was measured by grouping SLAs into tertiles based on their Index of Relative Socioeconomic Disadvantage score. Age/sex standardised rates of GP utilisation for each SLA. In SLAs classified as 'highly accessible', rates of GP use were 10.8% higher (95% CI 5.7-16.0) in the most socio-economically disadvantaged tertile after adjustment for Indigenous status and GP availability. A very different pattern of GP utilsation was found in 'remote/very remote' SLAs. After adjustment, rates of GP use in the most socio-economically disadvantaged tertile were 25.3% lower (95% CI 5.9-40.7) than in the most advantaged tertile. People in socio-economically disadvantaged metropolitan SLAs have higher rates of GP utilisation, as would be expected due to their poorer health. This is not true for people living in disadvantaged remote/very remote SLAs: in these areas, those most in need of GP services are least likely to receive them. Australia may lay claim to having a primary health care system that provides universal coverage, but we are still some way from having a system that is economically and geographically accessible to all.

Socio-economic transformation of Akan funeral rites in Ghana: the changing process.

PubMed

Boateng, Alice

2012-01-01

Cultural traditions at the end of life solidify societal members. As the world becomes more globalized, socio-economic factors affect how traditional practices are expressed, and the role and toll they make on modern societies. This article examines the contemporary Akan funeral practices in Ghana. Akan lineage members, from birth through puberty, marriage, maturity, old age, go through various rites of passage that bond them culturally and spiritually to others in society. One such ritual is funeral celebration. Funeral celebration, an old practice, has always been at the heart of public social events of Akan people. However, the changes in Ghanaian Akan funerals over the past 4 decades, and their impact on the people, make this an important topic. The article describes the Akan belief of life after death, the respect accorded to the dead, the prestige associated with successful funeral celebrations, and socio-economic factors that continue to shape Akan funeral practices. Socio-economic impact and the resulting challenges are discussed.

Investigating and comparing energy and macronutrient intake in female aerobic athletes in two different socio-economic regions

PubMed Central

Darvishi, Leila; Rabbani, Zahra; Goodarzy, Sima; Askari, Gholamreza; Shiranian, Afshin; Salehi, Mohammad; Borzooe, Azam; Ghiasvand, Reza

2012-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess nutritional intakes of female aerobic athletes in two different socio-economic classes in city of Isfahan. Materials and Methods: The participants of this analytical study were 99 female aerobic athletes aged between 15 and 50 years old who were randomly sampled (50 females in low economic region and 49 females in high economic region). The demographic details were collected by a questionnaire, and anthropometric indexes including height, weight, and waste circumference were measured using a tape measure and a scale. They filled out the 24-hour food recall questionnaire for two consecutive days in order to obtain their nutritional information. To analyze the data, Nutritionist 4 and SPSS18 software were used. Results: The means of energy intake in high and low regions were 1479.19 ± 561.86 and 1300.68 ± 498.354 kcal, respectively. There was no significant difference in terms of energy intake between these two groups (P = 0.98). The means of protein intake in low and high socio-economic classes were 17.41 ± 5.85 and 54.48 ± 6.62, respectively, and no significant differences were observed between these two regions (P = 0/606). The means of carbohydrate intake were 61.85 ± 9.76 and 54.48 ± 6.62 in the low and high socio-economic classes with a significant difference between them (P < 0.001). The mean of carbohydrate intake in the low socio-economic class was considerably higher than that in the high socio-economic class. The means of fat intake were 23.88 ± 8.24% and 30.07 ± 6.68% in the low and high socio-economic classes, respectively, and the means of fat intake in the high socio-economic region was significantly higher than that in the low socio-economic region (P < 0/001). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the intakes of fat and carbohydrate were significantly different in the two different socio-economic regions in city of Isfahan. This difference could be attributed to different

Socio-economic factors and tuberculosis: a district-based ecological analysis in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Leung, C C; Yew, W W; Tam, C M; Chan, C K; Chang, K C; Law, W S; Wong, M Y; Au, K F

2004-08-01

Relatively little is known about the impact of socio-economic factors on tuberculosis in a metropolitan city with high disease incidence. District-specific tuberculosis notification rates for 1995--1997 and 2000--2002 were indirectly sex- and age-adjusted and compared with the socio-economic characteristics in the 1996 by-census and 2001 census. The differences between the 18 districts persisted after 3-year averaging and indirect standardisation. Only the percentage of population born locally, the percentage of the population widowed or divorced and the percentage of households residing in rooms or bedsits were consistently associated with the standardised notification ratios (SNR) for both periods, the first being negatively so (all P < 0.05). In a combined analysis with a general linear model for both periods, birth in China, residence <7 years, speaking other Asian languages, being married and in a single household were also significantly associated with the SNR (all P < 0.05). Using a backward conditional approach, only local birth, being married, and residing in rooms or bedsits were independent predictors of SNR (all P < 0.05). There was no significant association between SNR and socio-economic indices on education, occupation, unemployment and income. Socio-economic factors other than simple poverty are affecting the district-specific tuberculosis rates in Hong Kong.

Tuberculosis inequalities and socio-economic deprivation in Portugal.

PubMed

Apolinário, D; Ribeiro, A I; Krainski, E; Sousa, P; Abranches, M; Duarte, R

2017-07-01

To analyse the geographical distribution of tuberculosis (TB) in Portugal and estimate the association between TB and socio-economic deprivation. An ecological study at the municipality level using TB notifications for 2010-2014 was conducted. Spatial Bayesian models were used to calculate smoothed standardised notification rates, identify high- and low-risk areas and estimate the association between TB notification and the European Deprivation Index (EDI) for Portugal and its component variables. Standardised notification rates ranged from 4.41 to 76.44 notifications per 100 000 population. Forty-one high-risk and 156 low-risk municipalities were identified. There was no statistically significant association between TB notification rate and the EDI, but some of its variables, such as the proportion of manual workers and the percentage unemployed, were significantly and directly associated with TB notification, whereas the variable 'proportion of residents with low education level' showed an inverse relationship. Wide inequalities in TB notification rates were observed, and some areas continued to exhibit high TB notification rates. We found significant associations between TB and some socio-economic factors of the EDI.

Environmental and socio-economic methodologies and solutions towards integrated water resources management.

PubMed

Friesen, Jan; Rodriguez Sinobas, Leonor; Foglia, Laura; Ludwig, Ralf

2017-03-01

Semi-arid regions are facing the challenge of managing water resources under conditions of increasing scarcity and drought. These are recently pressured by the impact of climate change favoring the shifting from using surface water to groundwater without taking sustainability issues into account. Likewise, water scarcity raises the competition for water among users, increasing the risk of social conflicts, as the availability of fresh water in sufficient quality and quantity is already one of the major factors limiting socio-economic development. In terms of hydrology, semi-arid regions are characterized by very complex hydro- and hydrogeological systems. The complexity of the water cycle contrasts strongly with the poor data availability, (1) which limits the number of analysis techniques and methods available to researchers, (2) limits the accuracy of models and predictions, and (3) consequently challenges the capabilities to develop appropriate management measures to mitigate or adapt the environment to scarcity and drought conditions. Integrated water resources management is a holistic approach to focus on both environmental as well as on socio-economic factors influencing water availability and supply. The management approaches and solutions adopted, e.g. in form of decision support for specific water resources systems, are often highly specific for individual case studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic differences in takeaway food consumption among adults.

PubMed

Miura, Kyoko; Giskes, Katrina; Turrell, Gavin

2012-02-01

To examine socio-economic differences in the frequency and types of takeaway foods consumed. A cross-sectional postal survey. Participants were asked about their usual consumption of overall takeaway food (<4 times/month or ≥4 times/month) and of twenty-two specific takeaway food items (<1 time/month or ≥1 time/month); these latter foods were grouped into 'healthy' and 'less healthy' choices. Socio-economic position was measured on the basis of educational level and equivalised household income, and differences in takeaway food consumption were assessed by calculating prevalence ratios using log binomial regression. Adults aged 25-64 years from Brisbane, Australia, were randomly selected from the electoral roll (n 903; 63·7 % response rate). Compared with their more educated counterparts, the least educated were more regular consumers of overall takeaway food and fruit or vegetable juice and less regular consumers of sushi. For the 'less healthy' items, the least educated more regularly consumed potato chips, savoury pies, fried chicken and non-diet soft drinks; however, the least educated were less likely to consume curry. Household income was not associated with overall takeaway consumption. The lowest-income group was a more regular consumer of fruit or vegetable juice compared with the highest-income group. Among the 'less healthy' items, the lowest-income group was a more regular consumer of fried fish, ice cream and milk shakes, whereas curry was consumed less regularly. The frequency and types of takeaway foods consumed by socio-economically disadvantaged groups may contribute to inequalities in overweight or obesity and to chronic disease.

Integrating global socio-economic influences into a regional land use change model for China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xia; Gao, Qiong; Peng, Changhui; Cui, Xuefeng; Liu, Yinghui; Jiang, Li

2014-03-01

With rapid economic development and urbanization, land use in China has experienced huge changes in recent years; and this will probably continue in the future. Land use problems in China are urgent and need further study. Rapid land-use change and economic development make China an ideal region for integrated land use change studies, particularly the examination of multiple factors and global-regional interactions in the context of global economic integration. This paper presents an integrated modeling approach to examine the impact of global socio-economic processes on land use changes at a regional scale. We develop an integrated model system by coupling a simple global socio-economic model (GLOBFOOD) and regional spatial allocation model (CLUE). The model system is illustrated with an application to land use in China. For a given climate change, population growth, and various socio-economic situations, a global socio-economic model simulates the impact of global market and economy on land use, and quantifies changes of different land use types. The land use spatial distribution model decides the type of land use most appropriate in each spatial grid by employing a weighted suitability index, derived from expert knowledge about the ecosystem state and site conditions. A series of model simulations will be conducted and analyzed to demonstrate the ability of the integrated model to link global socioeconomic factors with regional land use changes in China. The results allow an exploration of the future dynamics of land use and landscapes in China.

The contribution of three components of nutrition knowledge to socio-economic differences in food purchasing choices.

PubMed

McKinnon, Loretta; Giskes, Katrina; Turrell, Gavin

2014-08-01

To assess socio-economic differences in three components of nutrition knowledge, i.e. knowledge of (i) the relationship between diet and disease, (ii) the nutrient content of foods and (iii) dietary guideline recommendations; furthermore, to determine if socio-economic differences in nutrition knowledge contribute to inequalities in food purchasing choices. The cross-sectional study considered household food purchasing, nutrition knowledge, socio-economic and demographic information. Household food purchasing choices were summarised by three indices, based on self-reported purchasing of sixteen groceries, nineteen fruits and twenty-one vegetables. Socio-economic position (SEP) was measured by household income and education. Associations between SEP, nutrition knowledge and food purchasing were examined using general linear models adjusted for age, gender, household type and household size. Brisbane, Australia in 2000. Main household food shoppers (n 1003, response rate 66·4 %), located in fifty small areas (Census Collectors Districts). Shoppers in households of low SEP made food purchasing choices that were less consistent with dietary guideline recommendations: they were more likely to purchase grocery foods comparatively higher in salt, sugar and fat, and lower in fibre, and they purchased a narrower range of fruits and vegetables. Those of higher SEP had greater nutrition knowledge and this factor attenuated most associations between SEP and food purchasing choices. Among nutrition knowledge factors, knowledge of the relationship between diet and disease made the greatest and most consistent contribution to explaining socio-economic differences in food purchasing. Addressing inequalities in nutrition knowledge is likely to reduce socio-economic differences in compliance with dietary guidelines. Improving knowledge of the relationship between diet and disease appears to be a particularly relevant focus for health promotion aimed to reduce socio-economic

Modelling the impact of future socio-economic and climate change scenarios on river microbial water quality.

PubMed

Islam, M M Majedul; Iqbal, Muhammad Shahid; Leemans, Rik; Hofstra, Nynke

2018-03-01

Microbial surface water quality is important, as it is related to health risk when the population is exposed through drinking, recreation or consumption of irrigated vegetables. The microbial surface water quality is expected to change with socio-economic development and climate change. This study explores the combined impacts of future socio-economic and climate change scenarios on microbial water quality using a coupled hydrodynamic and water quality model (MIKE21FM-ECOLab). The model was applied to simulate the baseline (2014-2015) and future (2040s and 2090s) faecal indicator bacteria (FIB: E. coli and enterococci) concentrations in the Betna river in Bangladesh. The scenarios comprise changes in socio-economic variables (e.g. population, urbanization, land use, sanitation and sewage treatment) and climate variables (temperature, precipitation and sea-level rise). Scenarios have been developed building on the most recent Shared Socio-economic Pathways: SSP1 and SSP3 and Representative Concentration Pathways: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 in a matrix. An uncontrolled future results in a deterioration of the microbial water quality (+75% by the 2090s) due to socio-economic changes, such as higher population growth, and changes in rainfall patterns. However, microbial water quality improves under a sustainable scenario with improved sewage treatment (-98% by the 2090s). Contaminant loads were more influenced by changes in socio-economic factors than by climatic change. To our knowledge, this is the first study that combines climate change and socio-economic development scenarios to simulate the future microbial water quality of a river. This approach can also be used to assess future consequences for health risks. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic circumstances and food habits in Eastern, Central and Western European populations.

PubMed

Boylan, Sinéad; Lallukka, Tea; Lahelma, Eero; Pikhart, Hynek; Malyutina, Sofia; Pajak, Andrzej; Kubinova, Ruzena; Bragina, Oksana; Stepaniak, Urszula; Gillis-Januszewska, Aleksandra; Simonova, Galina; Peasey, Anne; Bobak, Martin

2011-04-01

To assess the relationship between several socio-economic indicators and frequency of consumption of seven predefined healthy foods (consumption of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread, vegetable-fat spread, vegetable cooking fat, low-fat milk and low-fat cheese) in populations from Eastern, Central and Western Europe. Analysis of baseline data collected in two cross-sectional cohort studies between 2000 and 2005: the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors In Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study and the Finnish Helsinki Health Study (HHS). Urban populations in the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland and Finland. In the HAPIEE study, random samples of men and women aged 45-69 years were drawn from population registers and electoral lists of selected cities. In the HHS, men and women aged 40-60 years employed by the City of Helsinki were recruited. Data on 21,326 working subjects from both cohorts were analysed. Healthy food habits were, in general, positively associated with higher education, occupational position and fewer economic difficulties, but there were differences in the strength of the gradient by food and country. Fruit consumption showed the most consistent gradients, especially in relation to socio-economic status among men (country-specific relative index of inequality (RII)=2.02-5.17) and women (RII=2.09-3.57). The associations between socio-economic indicators and healthy food habits showed heterogeneity between countries. Future studies of dietary behaviours should consider multiple measures of socio-economic position.

Socio-economic appraisal of fishing community in Pulicat lagoon, south east coast of India: case study.

PubMed

Devi, V Vandhana; Krishnaveni, M

2012-10-01

Assessment of socio-economic issues of fishing community is an important aspect in framing a strategy for the preservation of eco-systems which leads to sustainable lagoon management. The present investigation analyses the current potential socio-economic status of the fishing community of Pulicat lagoon, the second largest lagoon in India. The socio-economic indicators considered in the study include demography, economic aspects, social aspects and occupation details. The relevant details were collected from 300 fisher folk family by conducting field survey through a well prepared questionnaire in the villages around Pulicat lagoon. The data analysis was done using Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS) to assess the adequacy and precision of the collected data. The important and encouraging socio-economic indicators identified from the field survey for effective lagoon management includes significant presence of younger generation in the region; affinity and self-belongingness of fisher folk towards the lake; better economic status and moderate education level; appreciable fishing income and affinity towards fishing profession. It is emphasized to motivate the fisher folk to improve their work attitude for betterment in economic status. The pertinent lagoon issues, comprising seasonal variation, local fishing issues, pollution from industries, water intake to thermal power plant which directly or indirectly affects the socio-economic status of fishing community, also need much emphasis while proposing sustainable lagoon management system. The information and observation from this study will be very helpful in formulating management policies on the conservation of the Pulicat lagoon ecosystem.

Participatory Approach to Long-Term Socio-Economic Scenarios as Building Block of a Local Vulnerability and Risk Assessment Tool - The Case Study Lienz (East-Tyrol)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Ina; Eder, Brigitte; Hama, Michiko; Leitner, Markus

2016-04-01

Risks associated with climate change are mostly still understood and analyzed in a sector- or hazard-specific and rarely in a systemic, dynamic and scenario-based manner. In addition, socio-economic trends are often neglected in local vulnerability and risk assessments although they represent potential key determinants of risk and vulnerability. The project ARISE (Adaptation and Decision Support via Risk Management Through Local Burning Embers) aims at filling this gap by applying a participatory approach to socio-economic scenario building as building block of a local vulnerability assessment and risk management tool. Overall, ARISE aims at developing a decision support system for climate-sensitive iterative risk management as a key adaptation tool for the local level using Lienz in the East-Tyrol as a test-site City. One central building block is participatory socio-economic scenario building that - together with regionalized climate change scenarios - form a centrepiece in the process-oriented assessment of climate change risks and vulnerability. Major vulnerabilities and risks may stem from the economic performance, the socio-economic or socio-demographic developments or changes in asset exposition and not from climate change impacts themselves. The IPCC 5th assessment report underlines this and states that for most economic sectors, the impact of climate change may be small relative to the impacts of other driving forces such as changes in population growth, age, income, technology, relative prices, lifestyle, regulation, governance and many other factors in the socio-economy (Arent et al., 2014). The paper presents the methodology, process and results with respect to the building of long-term local socio-economic scenarios for the City of Lienz and the surrounding countryside. Scenarios were developed in a participatory approach using a scenario workshop that involved major stakeholders from the region. Participatory approaches are increasingly recognized as

The Socio-Economic Scene in the Seventies and its Relevance to Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adiseshiah, Malcolm S.

1973-01-01

Comments on the constituents of the socio-economic scene in India: removal of poverty, economic self-reliance, democratic political order, balanced regional development and spread of the institutions, values and attitudes of a free and just society. (Author/PG)

Lung function in children in relation to ethnicity, physique and socio-economic factors

PubMed Central

Lum, Sooky; Bountziouka, Vassiliki; Sonnappa, Samatha; Wade, Angie; Cole, Tim J; Harding, Seeromanie; Wells, Jonathan CK; Griffiths, Chris; Treleaven, Philip; Bonner, Rachel; Kirkby, Jane; Lee, Simon; Raywood, Emma; Legg, Sarah; Sears, Dave; Cottam, Philippa; Feyeraband, Colin; Stocks, Janet

2015-01-01

Question Can ethnic differences in spirometry be attributed to differences in physique and socio-economic factors? Methods Assessments were undertaken in 2171 London primary school-children on two occasions a year apart whenever possible, as part of the Size and Lung function In Children study. Measurements included spirometry, detailed anthropometry, 3-D photonic scanning for regional body shape, body composition, information on ethnic ancestry, birth and respiratory history, socio-economic circumstances and tobacco smoke exposure. Results Technically acceptable spirometry was obtained from 1901 children (mean age: 8.3yrs (range: 5.2-11.8yrs), 46% boys, 35% White; 29% Black-African origin; 24% South-Asian; 12% Other/mixed) on 2767 test occasions. After adjusting for sex, age and height, FEV1 was 1.32, 0.89 and 0.51 z-score units lower in Black, South-Asian and Other ethnicity children respectively, when compared with White children, with similar decrements for FVC (p<0.001 for all). Although further adjustment for sitting height and chest width reduced differences attributable to ethnicity by up to 16%, significant differences persisted after adjusting for all potential determinants including socio-economic circumstances. Answer Ethnic differences in spirometric lung function persist despite adjusting for a wide range of potential determinants, including body physique and socio-economic circumstances, emphasising the need to use ethnic-specific equations when interpreting results. PMID:26493801

Soybean Trade: Balancing Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of an Intercontinental Market

PubMed Central

Boerema, Annelies; Peeters, Alain; Swolfs, Sanne; Vandevenne, Floor; Jacobs, Sander; Staes, Jan; Meire, Patrick

2016-01-01

The trade in soybean, an important animal feed product, exemplifies the environmental and socio-economic impact of global markets and global agricultural policy. This paper analyses the impact of increasing production of soybean in the exporting countries (deforestation and grassland conversion) as well as in importing regions (decrease in permanent grassland by substitution of grass as feed). Ecosystem services monetary values were used to calculate the environmental and socio-economic impact of observed land use changes. This is balanced against the economic value of the global soybean trade. The results prove that consumption choices in one region have real effects on the supply of ecosystem services at a large spatial scale. Conclusively, solutions to make this global market more sustainable are discussed. PMID:27244079

Soybean Trade: Balancing Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of an Intercontinental Market.

PubMed

Boerema, Annelies; Peeters, Alain; Swolfs, Sanne; Vandevenne, Floor; Jacobs, Sander; Staes, Jan; Meire, Patrick

2016-01-01

The trade in soybean, an important animal feed product, exemplifies the environmental and socio-economic impact of global markets and global agricultural policy. This paper analyses the impact of increasing production of soybean in the exporting countries (deforestation and grassland conversion) as well as in importing regions (decrease in permanent grassland by substitution of grass as feed). Ecosystem services monetary values were used to calculate the environmental and socio-economic impact of observed land use changes. This is balanced against the economic value of the global soybean trade. The results prove that consumption choices in one region have real effects on the supply of ecosystem services at a large spatial scale. Conclusively, solutions to make this global market more sustainable are discussed.

Socio-economic influences on gender inequalities in child health in rural Bangladesh.

PubMed

Rousham, E K

1996-08-01

To investigate gender inequalities in child growth and nutritional status in relation to socio-economic status in Bangladesh. A 16-month longitudinal study of child growth measuring anthropometric and socio-economic status. A rural area of Jamalpur district, northern Bangladesh. 1366 children from 2 to 6 years of age. Child height and weight were measured monthly. Morbidity, food intake and health-seeking behaviours were assessed fortnightly. Multivariable analyses were performed on the growth and nutritional status of male and female children in relation to socio-economic factors including father's occupation, parental education, birth order and family size. There was no evidence of gender bias in farming and trading/employee households but landless female children had significantly poorer height-for-age (P < 0.001) and weight-for-age (P < 0.001) than their male counterparts. During a period of natural disaster, a statistically significant interaction was observed between father's occupation and sex (P < 0.05) such that the combination of being female and being landless was more detrimental to nutritional status than either variable alone. Over the following 16-months, catch-up-growth was apparent in landless female children who grew significantly more in height-for-age (P < 0.001) and weight-for-age (P < 0.001) than their male counterparts. Gender inequalities in health in Bangladesh varied significantly according to occupational status, such that the effect of sex was dependent upon occupation. These effects were statistically significant during the period of natural disaster but became insignificant as local conditions improved. This demonstrates both temporal and socio-economic variation in gender inequalities in health.

Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Automated Transit Information Systems Technology

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-03-01

This report is the final product of a program to assess the socio-economic impacts of automated transit information system (ATIS) technology deployments on the transit industry's telephone information/marketing function. In the course of this program...

Socio-economic and ecological impacts of global protected area expansion plans

PubMed Central

Visconti, Piero; Bakkenes, Michel; Smith, Robert J.; Joppa, Lucas; Sykes, Rachel E.

2015-01-01

Several global strategies for protected area (PA) expansion have been proposed to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi target 11 as a means to stem biodiversity loss, as required by the Aichi target 12. However, habitat loss outside PAs will continue to affect habitats and species, and PAs may displace human activities into areas that might be even more important for species persistence. Here we measure the expected contribution of PA expansion strategies to Aichi target 12 by estimating the extent of suitable habitat available for all terrestrial mammals, with and without additional protection (the latter giving the counterfactual outcome), under different socio-economic scenarios and consequent land-use change to 2020. We found that expanding PAs to achieve representation targets for ecoregions under a Business-as-usual socio-economic scenario will result in a worse prognosis than doing nothing for more than 50% of the world's terrestrial mammals. By contrast, targeting protection towards threatened species can increase the suitable habitat available to over 60% of terrestrial mammals. Even in the absence of additional protection, an alternative socio-economic scenario, adopting progressive changes in human consumption, leads to positive outcomes for mammals globally and to the largest improvements for wide-ranging species. PMID:26460136

Socio-economic and ecological impacts of global protected area expansion plans.

PubMed

Visconti, Piero; Bakkenes, Michel; Smith, Robert J; Joppa, Lucas; Sykes, Rachel E

2015-11-05

Several global strategies for protected area (PA) expansion have been proposed to achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity's Aichi target 11 as a means to stem biodiversity loss, as required by the Aichi target 12. However, habitat loss outside PAs will continue to affect habitats and species, and PAs may displace human activities into areas that might be even more important for species persistence. Here we measure the expected contribution of PA expansion strategies to Aichi target 12 by estimating the extent of suitable habitat available for all terrestrial mammals, with and without additional protection (the latter giving the counterfactual outcome), under different socio-economic scenarios and consequent land-use change to 2020. We found that expanding PAs to achieve representation targets for ecoregions under a Business-as-usual socio-economic scenario will result in a worse prognosis than doing nothing for more than 50% of the world's terrestrial mammals. By contrast, targeting protection towards threatened species can increase the suitable habitat available to over 60% of terrestrial mammals. Even in the absence of additional protection, an alternative socio-economic scenario, adopting progressive changes in human consumption, leads to positive outcomes for mammals globally and to the largest improvements for wide-ranging species. © 2015 The Author(s).

Understanding, creating, and managing complex techno-socio-economic systems: Challenges and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helbing, D.; Balietti, S.; Bishop, S.; Lukowicz, P.

2011-05-01

This contribution reflects on the comments of Peter Allen [1], Bikas K. Chakrabarti [2], Péter Érdi [3], Juval Portugali [4], Sorin Solomon [5], and Stefan Thurner [6] on three White Papers (WP) of the EU Support Action Visioneer (www.visioneer.ethz.ch). These White Papers are entitled "From Social Data Mining to Forecasting Socio-Economic Crises" (WP 1) [7], "From Social Simulation to Integrative System Design" (WP 2) [8], and "How to Create an Innovation Accelerator" (WP 3) [9]. In our reflections, the need and feasibility of a "Knowledge Accelerator" is further substantiated by fundamental considerations and recent events around the globe. newpara The Visioneer White Papers propose research to be carried out that will improve our understanding of complex techno-socio-economic systems and their interaction with the environment. Thereby, they aim to stimulate multi-disciplinary collaborations between ICT, the social sciences, and complexity science. Moreover, they suggest combining the potential of massive real-time data, theoretical models, large-scale computer simulations and participatory online platforms. By doing so, it would become possible to explore various futures and to expand the limits of human imagination when it comes to the assessment of the often counter-intuitive behavior of these complex techno-socio-economic-environmental systems. In this contribution, we also highlight the importance of a pluralistic modeling approach and, in particular, the need for a fruitful interaction between quantitative and qualitative research approaches. newpara In an appendix we briefly summarize the concept of the FuturICT flagship project, which will build on and go beyond the proposals made by the Visioneer White Papers. EU flagships are ambitious multi-disciplinary high-risk projects with a duration of at least 10 years amounting to an envisaged overall budget of 1 billion EUR [10]. The goal of the FuturICT flagship initiative is to understand and manage complex

Socio-economic dietary inequalities in UK adults: an updated picture of key food groups and nutrients from national surveillance data.

PubMed

Maguire, Eva R; Monsivais, Pablo

2015-01-14

Socio-economic differences in diet are a potential contributor to health inequalities. The present study provides an up-to-date picture of socio-economic differences in diet in the UK, focusing on the consumption of three food groups and two nutrients of public health concern: fruit and vegetables; red and processed meat; oily fish; saturated fats; non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES). We analysed data for 1491 adults (age ≥ 19 years) from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2008-2011. Socio-economic indicators were household income, occupational social class and highest educational qualification. Covariate-adjusted estimates for intakes of fruit and vegetables, red and processed meat, and both nutrients were estimated using general linear models. Covariate-adjusted OR for oily fish consumption were derived with logistic regression models. We observed consistent socio-economic gradients in the consumption of the three food groups as estimated by all the three indicators. Contrasting highest and lowest levels of each socio-economic indicator, we observed significant differences in intakes for the three food groups and NMES. Depending on the socio-economic indicator, highest socio-economic groups consumed up to 128 g/d more fruit and vegetables, 26 g/d less red and processed meat, and 2·6% points less NMES (P< 0·05 for all). Relative to lowest socio-economic groups, highest socio-economic groups were 2·4 to 4·0 times more likely to eat oily fish. No significant patterns in saturated fat consumption were apparent. In conclusion, socio-economic differences were identified in the consumption of food groups and one nutrient of public health importance. Aligning dietary intakes with public health guidance may require interventions specifically designed to reduce health inequalities.

Does parents' socio-economic status matter in intentions of vaccinating against human papillomavirus for adolescent daughters?

PubMed

Pan, Frank; Shu, Hui-Gan

2015-03-01

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination provides substantial protection, and it is best to be taken before the age of twelve. Taiwan approved HPV vaccines since 2006. However, very few female adolescent have been vaccinated until now. To examine whether the parents' socio-economic status matters in deciding to purchase HPV vaccination for their daughters based on the theory of planned behavior. A structured questionnaire to collect 394 responses from parents of adolescent girls in Taiwan. Data was coded to categorize relevant socio-economic classes, and was analyzed with SPSS. The behavior intentions of parents with low (mean= 5.28) and high (5.01) socio-economic status are significantly stronger than the moderate (4.56) in deciding to purchase the HPV vaccination. Socio-economic factor has a slightly negative impact (B= -0.08), and attitude (0.68), subjective norms (0.16), and behavior control (0.32) have positive impacts on the parents' intention. Major impacts on the decision to purchase an HPV vaccination for their adolescent was not due to the parents' socio-economic status but the parent's attitude. As the major predictor of a less complicated decision, attitudes toward the HPV vaccination should be reinforced through continuous communications between service providers and patient-advocate groups.

The Socio-Economic Gradient in Children's Reading Skills and the Role of Genetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jerrim, John; Vignoles, Anna; Lingam, Raghu; Friend, Angela

2015-01-01

By the time children leave primary school there is a large socio-economic gap in their reading proficiency. There are a number of potential explanations for this socio-economic gap and in this paper we investigate the role of three particular genes and gene-environment interactions in determining children's reading skills, using the Avon…

Socio-economic analysis: a tool for assessing the potential of nanotechnologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brignon, Jean-Marc

2011-07-01

Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) has a long history, especially in the USA, of being used for the assessment of new regulation, new infrastructure and more recently for new technologies. Under the denomination of Socio-Economic Analysis (SEA), this concept is used in EU safety and environmental regulation, especially for the placing of chemicals on the market (REACh regulation) and the operation of industrial installations (Industrial Emissions Directive). As far as REACh and other EU legislation apply specifically to nanomaterials in the future, SEA might become an important assessment tool for nanotechnologies. The most important asset of SEA regarding nanomaterials, is the comparison with alternatives in socio-economic scenarios, which is key for the understanding of how a nanomaterial "socially" performs in comparison with its alternatives. "Industrial economics" methods should be introduced in SEAs to make industry and the regulator share common concepts and visions about economic competitiveness implications of regulating nanotechnologies, SEA and Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) can complement each other : Socio-Economic LCA are increasingly seen as a complete assessment tool for nanotechnologies, but the perspective between Social LCA and SEA are different and the respective merits and limitations of both approaches should be kept in mind. SEA is a "pragmatic regulatory impact analysis", that uses a cost/benefit framework analysis but remains open to other disciplines than economy, and open to the participation of stakeholders for the construction of scenarios of the deployment of technologies and the identification of alternatives. SEA is "pragmatic" in the sense that it is driven by the purpose to assess "what happens" with the introduction of nanotechnology, and uses methodologies such as Life Cycle Analysis only as far as they really contribute to that goal. We think that, being pragmatic, SEA is also adaptative, which is a key quality to handle the novelty of

A Manner of Being: Body Languages of Socio-Economic Development.

PubMed

Antohin, Alexandra

2016-07-01

This article proposes to move forward analytical work on the human aspect of socio-economic development, by featuring how personal decisions about physical appearance in effect negotiate socio-ethnic positions and desired economic aims that arise from new technologies of living. By envisioning how the body can serve as a conduit of consciousness-making, tattoos work as one cultural practice that produces an interplay between traditional precedents and contemporary trends and permits reflecting on how the categorizations of rural/urban can behave as a dialectical medium for internal anxieties and debates regarding social transformation. This is particularly salient for Ethiopia as a country with one of the most gradual village to city migrations in the continent, which inspires thinking about how such cultural shifts are as much about maintaining historical relationships to identity formation as it is about attaining new subjectivities.

Impact of socio-economic class on colorectal cancer patient outcomes in Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, Malaysia.

PubMed

Kong, Chee-Kwan; Roslani, April Camilla; Law, Chee-Wei; Law, Suk-Chin Diana; Arumugam, Kulenthran

2010-01-01

Research over the past several decades has indicated that low socioeconomic class has a direct effect on health outcomes. In Malaysia, class distribution may differ with the region. The objective of this study was to compare the presentation and survival of colorectal cancer patients in two dissimilar cities, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, Sarawak. All patients diagnosed with a malignancy of the colon or rectum in Sarawak General Hospital and University of Malaya Medical Center from 1st Jan 2000-31st Dec 2006 were recruited. Data on presentation, socio-economic class and survival were obtained. The survival duration was categorized into more than three years or three years and less. Testing for significance was performed using the chi-square test, with p values less than 0.05 considered statistically significant. A total of 565 patients in UMMC and 642 patients in SGH had a new diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma. Patients in Kuching had a longer duration of symptoms and more advanced stage at presentation, but this was not statistically significant. Lower socio-economic class was a significant factor for late and more advanced stage at diagnosis, as well as poorer three and five year survival rates. However, survival was lower for patients in Kuching compared to Kuala Lumpur, even after matching for socio-economic class. There is near-zero awareness of colorectal cancer screening in Malaysia. These findings support reaching out to communities of lower socioeconomic backgrounds to improve the colorectal cancer survival rates.

Socio-Economic Factors, Food Habits and Phosphorus Levels in Patients on Hemodialysis.

PubMed

Santoro, Domenico; Ingegnieri, Maria Teresa; Vita, Giuseppe; Lucisano, Silvia; Zuppardo, Carmelo; Canale, Valeria; Savica, Vincenzo; Buemi, Michele

2015-07-01

Hyperphosphoremia is one of the most important risk factors for morbidity and mortality for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, and also, for the general population. Excessive dietary intake of phosphate (P) is one of the key factors. In particular, P in its inorganic form, which is contained in food additives, is more readily absorbed. Unfortunately, these food additives are mostly present in convenience so called "fast foods" (pre-cooked), soft drinks, which represent the typical food consumed by our hemodialysis (HD) population, composed by elderly people, mostly low-socio economic class, who often live alone. We performed an observational retrospective multicenter study to find any association between social, cultural and economic situation, as well as food habits, and P levels in a cohort of patients on HD. Secondarily; we also examined the association between the fast food consumption and increased P levels, as well as patient compliance for P binding products. To explore the association between socio-economic factors and serum P levels, we enrolled 100 patients on periodic HD treatment from three different units. Information on social, cultural, economic, diet habits, therapy for hyperphosphoremia and hematological and clinical parameters had been collected through specific questionnaires, administered by a physician. Results showed serum P level was reduced in patients who live alone compared to patients in family (P = 0.04), in self-sufficient (P = 0.05) and in patients belonging to middle-upper class, versus low-class (P = 0.003). Fast foods intake correlates with increase in P serum levels (P = 0.002), whilst the same correlation was not found for cheese intake. Our data show that socio-economic status and food habits are useful predictors of P serum levels. In conclusion, dietary counseling of patients on HD is mandatory. Interventions that consider the socio-economic situation allow delivering important messages on foods with the least amount of P

Socio-economic and schooling status of dental undergraduates from six French universities.

PubMed

Hennequin, M; Tubert, S; Devillers, A; Müller, M; Michaïlesco, P; Peli, J F; Pouëzat, J

2002-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the socio-economic status of French undergraduate dental students. A 46-item questionnaire was completed by the dental students of six universities between 1992 and 1995. Subjects related to family background, housing, schooling, income, expenditure and participation in student life were investigated. A total of 1192 out of 1207 questionnaires were returned. Both genders had equal access to dental training. The average overall cost of the four last years of the dental course was 30,302 French francs and varied greatly between faculties, as did the number of hours spent at the faculty for lectures, tutorials and practicals, and clinical work. Overall, the majority of students came from a well off social background, and had a relatively high quality of life while a small minority received no support from their families. Thirty-four per cent of students had never worked. One third of students smoked and one third regularly consumed medication of some sort. A third did not participate in any sport. Only 25% students bought dental text books and 42% of the students reported using the library regularly. This study offers an accurate description of the socio-economic status of French dental students that could be used as a reference for comparable studies in other European countries.

[Power generation and ecology: socio-economic collision].

PubMed

Belonogova, M V; Davydov, B I

1999-01-01

The authors make analysis of the socio-economic collision between power generation and ecology. Russia enters the world market in the period of global and local ecological ill-being. The following eight dimensions of the problem have been reviewed: uncontrolled growth of population, limited earth resources, life standards and ecological crisis, national/ecological interests and power safety, eco- and power regionalism, religion and ethnoses (demography and energy reserves), eco-sitting of power installations, sanitary guidelines and standards and the reality.

Environmental, Human Health and Socio-Economic Effects of Cement Powders: The Multicriteria Analysis as Decisional Methodology.

PubMed

Moretti, Laura; Di Mascio, Paola; Bellagamba, Simona

2017-06-16

The attention to sustainability-related issues has grown fast in recent decades. The experience gained with these themes reveals the importance of considering this topic in the construction industry, which represents an important sector throughout the world. This work consists on conducting a multicriteria analysis of four cement powders, with the objective of calculating and analysing the environmental, human health and socio-economic effects of their production processes. The economic, technical, environmental and safety performances of the examined powders result from official, both internal and public, documents prepared by the producers. The Analytic Hierarchy Process permitted to consider several indicators (i.e., environmental, human health related and socio-economic parameters) and to conduct comprehensive and unbiased analyses which gave the best, most sustainable cement powder. As assumed in this study, the contribution of each considered parameter to the overall sustainability has a different incidence, therefore the procedure could be used to support on-going sustainability efforts under different conditions. The results also prove that it is not appropriate to regard only one parameter to identify the 'best' cement powder, but several impact categories should be considered and analysed if there is an interest for pursuing different, often conflicting interests.

Evaluation of resources and environment carrying capacity and socio-economic pressure in typical ecological regions, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiusen, Huang; Xinyi, Xu

2017-04-01

Since the reform and opening up, the socio-economic pressures have led to increasingly tight resource constraints and serious environmental pollution problems in China, especially for typical ecological regions. The ecological system is under a severe situation and resource and environmental issues have become the bottleneck of economic development. Taking the Chen Barag Banner which has been considered as typical ecological regions as an example, the evaluation indexes system of resources and environment carrying capacity was divided into three subsystems: natural driving force, socio-economic pressure and ecological health. On the basis of the indexes system and related data of Chen Barag Banner in 2014, the evaluation model of resources and environment carrying capacity based on spring model were proposed to analysis the state of resources and environment carrying, and an assessment of influence of socio-economic pressure on the resources and environment system has been conducted by using the discretization method of socio-economic data. The results showed that:(1) The resources and environment system of Baorixile Town, Huhenuoer Town and Bayankuren Town were overloaded among the ten towns, the values of Resources and Environment Carrying Capacity(RECC) / Resources and Environment Carrying State(RECS) were 9.86, 1.37 and 1.22, respectively;(2) The natural driving force index of Xiwuzhuer Town, Hadatu state-owned farm and Bayanhada Town were 0.40, 0.42 and 0.43, respectively, which were lower than others and indicated that the natural conditions in these areas were better than others;(3) The situation of ecological environment Ewenke Town, Hadatu state-owned farm and Tenihe state-owned farm were the best due to the result that the ecological health index of these three towns were 0.21, 0.22 and 0.26, respectively, which were lower than others;(4) The influence of socio-economic pressure on the system of resources and environment in Baorixile Town, Hadatu state

Can Social Cognitive Theory Constructs Explain Socio-Economic Variations in Adolescent Eating Behaviours? A Mediation Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, K.; MacFarlane, A.; Crawford, D.; Savige, G.; Andrianopoulos, N.; Worsley, A.

2009-01-01

Adolescents of low socio-economic position (SEP) are less likely than those of higher SEP to consume diets in line with current dietary recommendations. The reasons for these SEP variations remain poorly understood. We investigated the mechanisms underlying socio-economic variations in adolescents' eating behaviours using a theoretically derived…

Portrait of socio-economic inequality in childhood morbidity and mortality over time, Québec, 1990-2005.

PubMed

Barry, Mamadou S; Auger, Nathalie; Burrows, Stephanie

2012-06-01

To determine the age and cause groups contributing to absolute and relative socio-economic inequalities in paediatric mortality, hospitalisation and tumour incidence over time. Deaths (n= 9559), hospitalisations (n= 834,932) and incident tumours (n= 4555) were obtained for five age groupings (<1, 1-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 years) and four periods (1990-1993, 1994-1997, 1998-2001, 2002-2005) for Québec, Canada. Age- and cause-specific morbidity and mortality rates for males and females were calculated across socio-economic status decile based on a composite deprivation score for 89 urban communities. Absolute and relative measures of inequality were computed for each age and cause. Mortality and morbidity rates tended to decrease over time, as did absolute and relative socio-economic inequalities for most (but not all) causes and age groups, although precision was low. Socio-economic inequalities persisted in the last period and were greater on the absolute scale for mortality and hospitalisation in early childhood, and on the relative scale for mortality in adolescents. Four causes (respiratory, digestive, infectious, genito-urinary diseases) contributed to the majority of absolute inequality in hospitalisation (males 85%, females 98%). Inequalities were not pronounced for cause-specific mortality and not apparent for tumour incidence. Socio-economic inequalities in Québec tended to narrow for most but not all outcomes. Absolute socio-economic inequalities persisted for children <10 years, and several causes were responsible for the majority of inequality in hospitalisation. Public health policies and prevention programs aiming to reduce socio-economic inequalities in paediatric health should account for trends that differ across age and cause of disease. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2011 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Kon-Tiki: Spatio-Temporal Maps for Socio-Economic Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahamer, Gilbert

2014-01-01

Purpose: The overall purpose of this paper is to detect spatial, temporal, sectoral, thematic and other patterns or transitions in techno-socio-economic evolution that are likely to co-determine future development and allow the steering of it. The development of a "Global Change Data Base" (GCDB) promises a graphically and geographically…

The Relationship between Socio-Economic Status and Lexical Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Esther; Peppe, Sue; Gibbon, Fiona

2008-01-01

The British Picture Vocabulary Scale, second edition (BPVS-II), a measure of receptive vocabulary, is widely used by speech and language therapists and researchers into speech and language disorders, as an indicator of language delay, but it has frequently been suggested that receptive vocabulary may be more associated with socio-economic status.…

The Relationship between Mathematics Achievement and Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez, Marilys

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between the mathematics scores of public middle school students in Miami-Dade County on Florida's standardized test, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) 2.0, and students' socio-economic status. The study found that SES had a strong correlation with the standardized test mathematics scores (r =…

The Effect of Socio-Economic Predictors of Chronic Diseases in Ghana: Results of a Nationwide Survey

PubMed Central

Saeed, Bashiru I. I.; Abdul-Aziz, A. R.; Blay, Samuel Nguah; Zhao, Xicang

2013-01-01

Socio-economic predictors of chronic diseases in Ghana are not well understood and their influence has been relatively overlooked. This paper seeks to examine the influence of socio-economic predictors of chronic diseases in Ghanaians three different age groups. The data employed in the study were drawn from Global Ageing and Adult Health survey conducted in Ghana by SAGE and was based on the design for the World Health Survey. The survey was conducted in 2007 and collected data on socio-economic characteristics and other variables of the individuals interviewed. The overall results suggest that chronic diseases in relatively older Ghanaians reflects social and economic exposures with the differentials observed only partially explained by current social and economic conditions. Our results were by and large very much expected from the current medical knowledge available. PMID:23985113

Risk factors in road crossing among elderly pedestrians and readiness to adopt safe behavior in socio-economic comparison.

PubMed

Rosenbloom, Tova; Sapir-Lavid, Yael; Perlman, Amotz

2016-08-01

This research examines the Health Promotion Behavior (HPB) models regarding elderly pedestrians' behaviors and attitudes. We studied cognitive-psychological variables, such as risk estimation, self-efficacy and demographic variables and compared elderly pedestrians' attitudes and behaviors in a city with higher socio-economic level (Tel Aviv) versus a city with low socio-economic level (Beer Sheva). We expected to find more problematic behaviors among elderly pedestrians in the low socio-economic city compared to the high socio-economic city, and also less feeling of self-efficacy, and lessened awareness of the risks, that leads to lessened willingness to adopt preventive behaviors. The research was conducted in two studies. The first study was based on observations on 2591 pedestrians in six similar crosswalks in both cities. It revealed that pedestrians in the high socio-economic city demonstrated safer road crossing patterns than in the low socio-economic city and that elderly pedestrians reveal safer crossing patterns than younger pedestrians. We found an interaction of location and age due to greater gap of safe behaviors of elderly and young pedestrians in the high socio-economic city than in the low socio-economic city. In Tel Aviv elderly adhere to the crossing rules much more than the young while in Beer Sheva elderly and young people are almost similar in their crossing patterns. The second study used questionnaires that have been completed by 143 elderly in both cities. The questionnaires referred to (a) demographic variables such as gender, age, marital status, education, socio-economic level, (b) variables related to the affiliation to the main culture such as migration, date of migration, knowledge in Hebrew (local language) and connectivity to media and (c) cognitive as well as psychological variables related to the decline to adopt healthy behaviors based on Schwarzer and Fuchs (1995). This part also indicated that elderly in Tel Aviv have higher

After the MV Estonia ferry disaster A Swedish nationwide survey of the relatives of the MV Estonia victims

PubMed Central

Brandänge, Kristina; Gustavsson, J. Petter

2000-01-01

Just after midnight on the 28th of September 1994, the Estonian-flagged ro-ro passenger ferry MV Estonia was shipwrecked on its route between Tallinn and Stockholm. Out of about 1000 persons on board only 137 survived. This paper describes the work that the Psychiatric Clinic at Ersta Hospital performed with the relatives of the MV Estonia victims after the disaster, in addition, we present data from seven consecutive Swedish nationwide surveys based on a questionnaire, which started as a correspondence between the hospital and the relatives of the Estonia victims. Findings concerning the care relatives received and issues regarding their collaboration with the decisionmaking authorities are presented. The importance of inviting the relatives to participate in discussions concerning the Estonia victims is stressed. PMID:22034392

Socio-Economic Indexes in Surveys for Comparisons between Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batista-Foguet, J. M.; Fortiana, J.; Currie, C.; Villalbi, J. R.

2004-01-01

The study of socio-economic inequalities from a cross-national perspective has been hampered by the lack of adequate common indices of socioeconomic status that can be used in a self-report survey instrument. This paper examines the construction and the properties of global social indexes in general, and of the Family Affluence Scale (henceforth…

Development of an international scale of socio-economic position based on household assets.

PubMed

Townend, John; Minelli, Cosetta; Harrabi, Imed; Obaseki, Daniel O; El-Rhazi, Karima; Patel, Jaymini; Burney, Peter

2015-01-01

The importance of studying associations between socio-economic position and health has often been highlighted. Previous studies have linked the prevalence and severity of lung disease with national wealth and with socio-economic position within some countries but there has been no systematic evaluation of the association between lung function and poverty at the individual level on a global scale. The BOLD study has collected data on lung function for individuals in a wide range of countries, however a barrier to relating this to personal socio-economic position is the need for a suitable measure to compare individuals within and between countries. In this paper we test a method for assessing socio-economic position based on the scalability of a set of durable assets (Mokken scaling), and compare its usefulness across countries of varying gross national income per capita. Ten out of 15 candidate asset questions included in the questionnaire were found to form a Mokken type scale closely associated with GNI per capita (Spearman's rank rs = 0.91, p = 0.002). The same set of assets conformed to a scale in 7 out of the 8 countries, the remaining country being Saudi Arabia where most respondents owned most of the assets. There was good consistency in the rank ordering of ownership of the assets in the different countries (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96). Scores on the Mokken scale were highly correlated with scores developed using principal component analysis (rs = 0.977). Mokken scaling is a potentially valuable tool for uncovering links between disease and socio-economic position within and between countries. It provides an alternative to currently used methods such as principal component analysis for combining personal asset data to give an indication of individuals' relative wealth. Relative strengths of the Mokken scale method were considered to be ease of interpretation, adaptability for comparison with other datasets, and reliability of imputation for even quite

The retail availability of tobacco in Tasmania: evidence for a socio-economic and geographical gradient.

PubMed

Melody, Shannon M; Martin-Gall, Veronica; Harding, Ben; Veitch, Mark Gk

2018-03-19

To describe the retail availability of tobacco and to examine the association between tobacco outlet density and area-level remoteness and socio-economic status classification in Tasmania. Ecological cross-sectional study; analysis of tobacco retail outlet data collected by the Department of Health and Human Services (Tasmania) according to area-level (Statistical Areas Level 2) remoteness (defined by the Remoteness Structure of the Australian Statistical Geographical Standard) and socio-economic status (defined by the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage). Tobacco retail outlet density per 1000 residents. On 31 December 2016, there were 1.54 tobacco retail outlets per 1000 persons. The density of outlets was 79% greater in suburbs or towns in outer regional, remote and very remote Tasmania than in inner regional Tasmania (rate ratio [RR], 1.79; 95% confidence Interval [CI], 1.29-2.50; P < 0.001). Suburbs or towns in Tasmania with the greatest socio-economic disadvantage had more than twice the number of tobacco outlets per 1000 people as areas of least disadvantage (RR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.32-4.21; P = 0.014). A disproportionate concentration of tobacco retail outlets in regional and remote Tasmania and in areas of lowest socio-economic status is evident. Our findings are consistent with those of analyses in New South Wales and Western Australia. Progressive tobacco retail restrictions have been proposed as the next frontier in tobacco control. However, the intended and unintended consequences of such policies need to be investigated, particularly for socio-economically deprived and rural areas.

Acculturation Profiles of Russian-Speaking Immigrants in Belgium and Their Socio-Economic Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigoryev, Dmitry; van de Vijver, Fons

2017-01-01

This article presents the results of a study on the relationship of acculturation profiles of Russian-speaking immigrants in Belgium, the duration of their stay, and their socio-economic adaptation. The data came from a socio-psychological survey of 132 Russian-speaking immigrants in Belgium (first generation) and were processed using latent…

Abortion trends from 1996 to 2011 in Estonia: special emphasis on repeat abortion

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The study aimed to describe the overall and age-specific trends of induced abortions from 1996 to 2011 with an emphasis on socio-demographic characteristics and contraceptive use of women having had repeat abortions in Estonia. Methods Data were retrieved from the Estonian Medical Birth and Abortion Registry and Statistics Estonia. Total induced abortion numbers, rates, ratios and age-specific rates are presented for 1996–2011. The percentage change in the number of repeat abortions within selected socio-demographic subgroups, contraception use and distribution of induced abortions among Estonians and non-Estonians for the first, second, third, fourth and subsequent abortions were calculated for the periods 1996–2003 and 2004–2011. Results Observed trends over the 16-year study period indicated a considerable decline in induced abortions with a reduction in abortion rate of 57.1%, which was mainly attributed to younger cohorts. The percentage of women undergoing repeat abortions fell steadily from 63.8% during 1996–2003 to 58.0% during 2004–2011. The percentage of women undergoing repeat abortions significantly decreased over the 16 years within all selected socio-demographic subgroups except among women with low educational attainment and students. Within each time period, a greater percentage of non-Estonians than Estonians underwent repeat abortions and obtained third and subsequent abortions. Most women did not use any contraceptive method prior to their first or subsequent abortion. Conclusion A high percentage of women obtaining repeat abortions reflects a high historical abortion rate. If current trends continue, a rapid decline in repeat abortions may be predicted. To decrease the burden of sexual ill health, routine contraceptive counselling, as standard care in the abortion process, should be seriously addressed with an emphasis on those groups - non-Estonians, women with lower educational attainment, students and women with children

Estonia--Going Home Again: Returning to the Roots.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pedak-Kari, Maria

This paper provides background on The National Library of Estonia (NLE), discusses a fellowship project for developing the National Library, and presents the impressions of the author, an Estonian American, who traveled to Estonia. The NLE looks to the West for automation, information, and institutional modeling. The NLE is Estonia's equivalent of…

Marginal socio-economic effects of an employer's efforts to improve the work environment.

PubMed

Rezagholi, Mahmoud

2018-01-01

Workplace health promotion (WHP) strongly requires the employer's efforts to improve the psychosocial, ergonomic, and physical environments of the workplace. There are many studies discussing the socio-economic advantage of WHP intervention programmes and thus the internal and external factors motivating employers to implement and integrate such programmes. However, the socio-economic impacts of the employer's multifactorial efforts to improve the work environment need to be adequately assessed. Data were collected from Swedish company Sandvik Materials Technology (SMT) through a work environment survey in April 2014. Different regression equations were analysed to assess marginal effects of the employer's efforts on overall labour effectiveness (OLE), informal work impairments (IWI), lost working hours (LWH), and labour productivity loss (LPL) in terms of money. The employer's multifactorial efforts resulted in increasing OLE, decreasing IWI and illness-related LWH, and cost savings in terms of decreasing LPL. Environmental factors at the workplace are the important determinant factor for OLE, and the latter is where socio-economic impacts of the employer's efforts primarily manifest.

Socio-economic inequality in multiple health complaints among adolescents: international comparative study in 37 countries.

PubMed

Holstein, Bjørn E; Currie, Candace; Boyce, Will; Damsgaard, Mogens T; Gobina, Inese; Kökönyei, Gyöngyi; Hetland, Jørn; de Looze, Margaretha; Richter, Matthias; Due, Pernille

2009-09-01

To use comparable data from many countries to examine 1) socio-economic inequality in multiple health complaints among adolescents, 2) whether the countries' absolute wealth and economic inequality was associated with symptom load among adolescents, and 3) whether the countries' absolute wealth and economic inequality explained part of the individual level socio-economic variation in health complaints. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) international study from 2005/06 provided data on 204,534 11-, 13- and 15-year old students from nationally random samples of schools in 37 countries in Europe and North America. The outcome measure was prevalence of at least two daily health complaints, measured by the HBSC Symptom Check List. We included three independent variables at the individual level (sex, age group, family affluence measured by the Family Affluence Scale FAS) and two macro level measures on the country's economic situation: wealth measured by Gross National Product (GNP) and distribution of income measured by the Gini coefficient. There was a significant socio-economic variation in health complaints in 31 of the 37 countries. The overall OR (95 % CI) for 2+ daily health complaints for all countries was 1.31 (1.27-1.36) in the medium versus high FAS group and 2.07 (2.00-2.14) in the low versus high FAS group. This socio-economic gradient in health complaints attenuated somewhat in the multilevel models which included macro level data. There was no association between GNP and health complaints. The OR for high symptom load was 1.35 (1.08-1.69) per 10 % increase in Gini coefficient. The socio-economic gradient in health complaints at the individual level was somewhat attenuated in the multilevel models which included macro level data. There was a significant association between low FAS and high level of health complaints in 30 of 37 countries. Health complaints increased significantly by increasing income inequality in the country.

Short communication: Persistent socio-economic inequality in frequent headache among Danish adolescents from 1991 to 2014.

PubMed

Holstein, B E; Andersen, A; Denbaek, A M; Johansen, A; Michelsen, S I; Due, P

2018-05-01

The association between socio-economic status (SES) and headache among adolescents is an understudied issue, and no study has examined whether such an association changes over time. The aim was to examine trends in socio-economic inequality in frequent headache among 11- to 15-year-olds in Denmark from 1991 to 2014, using occupational social class (OSC) as indicator of SES. The study applies data from the Danish part of the international Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. HBSC includes nationally representative samples of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds. This study combines data from seven data survey years from 1991 to 2014, participation rate 88.6%, n = 31,102. We report absolute inequality as per cent difference in frequent headache between high and low OSC and relative inequality as odds ratio for frequent headache by OSC. In the entire study population, 10.4% reported frequent headache. There was a significant increase in frequent headache from 8.0% in 1991 to 12.9% in 2014, test for trend, p < 0.0001. This increasing trend was significant in all OSCs. The prevalence of frequent headache was significantly higher in low than high OSC, OR = 1.50 (95% CI: 1.34-1.67). This socio-economic inequality in frequent headache was persistent from 1991 to 2014. There was a significant and persistent socio-economic inequality, i.e. increasing prevalence of frequent headache with decreasing OSC. The association between socio-economic position and headache did not significantly change over time, i.e. the statistical interaction between OSC and survey year was insignificant. The prevalence of frequent headache among adolescents increases with decreasing SES. This socio-economic inequality has been persistent among adolescents in Denmark from 1991 to 2014. Clinicians should be aware of this social inequality. © 2018 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Spatialization of Brazilian pig production: relationship between productive, physical, environmental, and socio-economic variables.

PubMed

da Silva, Isabel C M; Bremm, Bárbara; Teixeira, Jennifer L; Costa, Nathalia S; Barcellos, Júlio O J; Braccini, José; Cesconeto, Robson J; McManus, Concepta

2017-06-01

Brazilian pig production spans over a large territory encompassing regions of different climatic and socio-economic realities. Production, physical, socio-economic, and environmental data were used to characterize pig production in the country. Multivariate analysis evaluated indices including number productivity, production levels, and income from pigs, together with the average area of pig farm and socio-economic variables such as municipal human development index, technical guidance received from agricultural cooperatives and industrial companies, number of family farms, and offtake; and finally, environmental variables: latitude, longitude, annual temperature range, solar radiation index, as well as temperature and humidity index. The Southern region has the largest herd, number of pigs sold/sow, and offtake rate (p < 0.05), followed by the Midwest and Southeast. No significant correlations were seen between production rates and productivity with the socio-economic and environmental variables in the regions of Brazil. Production indexes, productivity, and offtake rate discriminated Northeast and Midwest and Northeast and Southeast regions. The Northern region, with a large area, has few and far-between farms that rear pigs for subsistence. The Northeast region has large herds, but low productivity. Number of slaughtered pigs has been variable over the past three decades, with few states responsible for maintaining high production in Brazil. However, the activity can be effective in any region of the country with technology and technical assistance adapted to regional characteristics.

Predicting trends of invasive plants richness using local socio-economic data: An application in North Portugal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Santos, Mario, E-mail: mgsantoss@gmail.com; Freitas, Raul, E-mail: raulfreitas@portugalmail.com; Crespi, Antonio L., E-mail: aluis.crespi@gmail.com

2011-10-15

This study assesses the potential of an integrated methodology for predicting local trends in invasive exotic plant species (invasive richness) using indirect, regional information on human disturbance. The distribution of invasive plants was assessed in North Portugal using herbarium collections and local environmental, geophysical and socio-economic characteristics. Invasive richness response to anthropogenic disturbance was predicted using a dynamic model based on a sequential modeling process (stochastic dynamic methodology-StDM). Derived scenarios showed that invasive richness trends were clearly associated with ongoing socio-economic change. Simulations including scenarios of growing urbanization showed an increase in invasive richness while simulations in municipalities with decreasingmore » populations showed stable or decreasing levels of invasive richness. The model simulations demonstrate the interest and feasibility of using this methodology in disturbance ecology. - Highlights: {yields} Socio-economic data indicate human induced disturbances. {yields} Socio-economic development increase disturbance in ecosystems. {yields} Disturbance promotes opportunities for invasive plants.{yields} Increased opportunities promote richness of invasive plants.{yields} Increase in richness of invasive plants change natural ecosystems.« less

Relationship between Socio-Economic Values and Wellbeing: An Overview Research in Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trung, Nguyen Ngoc; Cheong, Kimoon; Nghi, Pham Thanh; Kim, Won Joong

2013-01-01

This paper investigates ten Asian nations to consider how socio-economic values affect happiness and satisfaction. Moreover, it considers whether economic factors can strongly affect wellbeing under certain conditions. Males in Asia are said they have more opportunities to obtain higher happiness and satisfaction but it does not happen in the…

Socio-economic and climate change impacts on agriculture: an integrated assessment, 1990–2080

PubMed Central

Fischer, Günther; Shah, Mahendra; N. Tubiello, Francesco; van Velhuizen, Harrij

2005-01-01

A comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate change on agro-ecosystems over this century is developed, up to 2080 and at a global level, albeit with significant regional detail. To this end an integrated ecological–economic modelling framework is employed, encompassing climate scenarios, agro-ecological zoning information, socio-economic drivers, as well as world food trade dynamics. Specifically, global simulations are performed using the FAO/IIASA agro-ecological zone model, in conjunction with IIASAs global food system model, using climate variables from five different general circulation models, under four different socio-economic scenarios from the intergovernmental panel on climate change. First, impacts of different scenarios of climate change on bio-physical soil and crop growth determinants of yield are evaluated on a 5′×5′ latitude/longitude global grid; second, the extent of potential agricultural land and related potential crop production is computed. The detailed bio-physical results are then fed into an economic analysis, to assess how climate impacts may interact with alternative development pathways, and key trends expected over this century for food demand and production, and trade, as well as key composite indices such as risk of hunger and malnutrition, are computed. This modelling approach connects the relevant bio-physical and socio-economic variables within a unified and coherent framework to produce a global assessment of food production and security under climate change. The results from the study suggest that critical impact asymmetries due to both climate and socio-economic structures may deepen current production and consumption gaps between developed and developing world; it is suggested that adaptation of agricultural techniques will be central to limit potential damages under climate change. PMID:16433094

Understanding socio-economic inequalities in food choice behaviour: can Maslow's pyramid help?

PubMed

van Lenthe, Frank J; Jansen, Tessa; Kamphuis, Carlijn B M

2015-04-14

Socio-economic groups differ in their material, living, working and social circumstances, which may result in different priorities about their daily-life needs, including the priority to make healthy food choices. Following Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, we hypothesised that socio-economic inequalities in healthy food choices can be explained by differences in the levels of need fulfilment. Postal survey data collected in 2011 (67·2 % response) from 2903 participants aged 20-75 years in the Dutch GLOBE (Gezondheid en Levens Omstandigheden Bevolking Eindhoven en omstreken) study were analysed. Maslow's hierarchy of human needs (measured with the Basic Need Satisfaction Inventory) was added to age- and sex-adjusted linear regression models that linked education and net household income levels to healthy food choices (measured by a FFQ). Most participants (38·6 %) were in the self-actualisation layer of the pyramid. This proportion was highest among the highest education group (47·6 %). Being in a higher level of the hierarchy was associated with a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables as well as more healthy than unhealthy bread, snack and dairy consumption. Educational inequalities in fruit and vegetable intake (B= -1·79, 95 % CI -2·31, -1·28 in the lowest education group) were most reduced after the hierarchy of needs score was included (B= -1·57, 95 % CI - ·09, -1·05). Inequalities in other healthy food choices hardly changed after the hierarchy of needs score was included. People who are satisfied with higher-level needs make healthier food choices. Studies aimed at understanding socio-economic inequalities in food choice behaviour need to take differences in the priority given to daily-life needs by different socio-economic groups into account, but Maslow's pyramid offers little help.

Quantifying socio-economic indicators in developing countries from mobile phone communication data: applications to Côte d’Ivoire

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mao, Huina; Shuai, Xin; Ahn, Yong -Yeol

The widespread adoption of mobile devices that record the communications, social relations, and movements of billions of individuals in great detail presents unique opportunities for the study of social structures and human dynamics at very large scales. This is particularly the case for developing countries where social and economic data can be hard to obtain and is often too sparse for real-time analytics. In this paper, we leverage mobile call log data from Côte d’Ivoire to analyze the relations between its nation-wide communications network and the socio-economic dynamics of its regional economies. We introduce the CallRank indicator to quantify themore » relative importance of an area on the basis of call records, and show that a region’s ratio of in- and out-going calls can predict its income level. We detect a communication divide between rich and poor regions of Côte d’Ivoire, which corresponds to existing socio-economic data. Our results demonstrate the potential of mobile communication data to monitor the economic development and social dynamics of low-income developing countries in the absence of extensive econometric and social data. Finally, our work may support efforts to stimulate sustainable economic development and to reduce poverty and inequality.« less

Quantifying socio-economic indicators in developing countries from mobile phone communication data: applications to Côte d’Ivoire

DOE PAGES

Mao, Huina; Shuai, Xin; Ahn, Yong -Yeol; ...

2015-10-13

The widespread adoption of mobile devices that record the communications, social relations, and movements of billions of individuals in great detail presents unique opportunities for the study of social structures and human dynamics at very large scales. This is particularly the case for developing countries where social and economic data can be hard to obtain and is often too sparse for real-time analytics. In this paper, we leverage mobile call log data from Côte d’Ivoire to analyze the relations between its nation-wide communications network and the socio-economic dynamics of its regional economies. We introduce the CallRank indicator to quantify themore » relative importance of an area on the basis of call records, and show that a region’s ratio of in- and out-going calls can predict its income level. We detect a communication divide between rich and poor regions of Côte d’Ivoire, which corresponds to existing socio-economic data. Our results demonstrate the potential of mobile communication data to monitor the economic development and social dynamics of low-income developing countries in the absence of extensive econometric and social data. Finally, our work may support efforts to stimulate sustainable economic development and to reduce poverty and inequality.« less

Delivery of primary health care to persons who are socio-economically disadvantaged: does the organizational delivery model matter?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

models. In Ontario, capitation-based remuneration is age and sex adjusted only. Patients of low socio-economic status had fewer additional visits compared to those with high socio-economic status under the Capitation model. This raises the concern that Capitation may not support the provision of additional care for more vulnerable groups. Regions undertaking primary care model reforms need to consider the potential impact of the changes on the more vulnerable populations. PMID:24341530

Delivery of primary health care to persons who are socio-economically disadvantaged: does the organizational delivery model matter?

PubMed

Dahrouge, Simone; Hogg, William; Ward, Natalie; Tuna, Meltem; Devlin, Rose Anne; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Tugwell, Peter; Pottie, Kevin

2013-12-17

-based remuneration is age and sex adjusted only. Patients of low socio-economic status had fewer additional visits compared to those with high socio-economic status under the Capitation model. This raises the concern that Capitation may not support the provision of additional care for more vulnerable groups. Regions undertaking primary care model reforms need to consider the potential impact of the changes on the more vulnerable populations.

Patient satisfaction with the healthcare system: Assessing the impact of socio-economic and healthcare provision factors.

PubMed

Xesfingi, Sofia; Vozikis, Athanassios

2016-03-15

Patient satisfaction is an important measure of healthcare quality as it offers information on the provider's success at meeting clients' expectations and is a key determinant of patients' perspective behavioral intention. The aim of this paper is first to assess the degree of patient satisfaction, and second, to study the relationship between patient satisfaction of healthcare system and a set of socio-economic and healthcare provision indicators. This empirical analysis covers 31 countries for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012. The dependent variable, the satisfaction index, is defined as the patient satisfaction of their country's health system. We first construct an index of patient satisfaction and then, at a second stage, this index is related to socio-economic and healthcare provision variables. Our findings support that there is a strong positive association between patient satisfaction level and healthcare provision indicators, such as nurses and physicians per 100,000 habitants, with the latter being the most important contributor, and a negative association between patient satisfaction level and number of hospital beds. Among the socio-economic variables, public health expenditures greatly shape and positive relate to patient satisfaction, while private spending on health relates negatively. Finally, the elder a patient is, the more satisfied with a country's healthcare system appears to be. We conclude that there is a strong positive association between patient satisfaction and public health expenditures, number of physicians and nurses, and the age of the patient, while there is a negative evidence for private health spending and number of hospital beds.

Variation in supermarket exposure to energy-dense snack foods by socio-economic position.

PubMed

Cameron, Adrian J; Thornton, Lukar E; McNaughton, Sarah A; Crawford, David

2013-07-01

The present study aimed to examine the availability of energy-dense,nutrient-poor snack foods (and fruits and vegetables) in supermarkets located insocio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Cross-sectional supermarket audit. Melbourne, Australia. Measures included product shelf space and number of varieties for soft drinks, crisps, chocolate, confectionery and fruits and vegetables, as well as store size. Thirty-five supermarkets (response 83 %) from neighbourhoods in the lowest and highest quintile of socio-economic disadvantage. Shelf space allocated to soft drinks (23?6m v. 17?7m, P50?006), crisps (16?5m v. 13?0m, P50?016), chocolate (12?2m v. 10?1m, P50?022) and confectionery (6?7m v. 5?1m, P50?003) was greater in stores from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. After adjustment for store size (stores in disadvantaged areas being larger), shelf space for confectionery (6?3m v. 5?6m, P50?024) and combined shelf space for all energy-dense foods and drinks (55?0m v. 48?9m, P50?017) remained greater in stores from socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The ratio of shelf space allocated to fruits and vegetables to that for energy-dense snack foods also varied by socio-economic disadvantage after adjustment for store size (most disadvantaged v. least disadvantaged: 1?7 v. 2?1, P50?025). Varieties of fruits and vegetables and chocolate bars were more numerous in less disadvantaged areas (P,0?05). Exposure to energy-dense snack foods and soft drinks in supermarketswas greater in socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Thismay impact purchasing, consumption and cultural norms related to eatingbehaviours and may therefore work against elimination of the known socioeconomicgradient in obesity levels. Reform of supermarket stocking practicesmay represent an effective means of obesity prevention.

The impact of socio-economic factors on treatment choice and mortality in chronic myeloid leukaemia.

PubMed

Larfors, Gunnar; Sandin, Fredrik; Richter, Johan; Själander, Anders; Stenke, Leif; Lambe, Mats; Höglund, Martin

2017-04-01

To evaluate the influence of socio-economic variables on treatment selection and survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Using information available in population-based Swedish registries, we evaluated indices of health, education and economy from the 980 patients in the Swedish CML register diagnosed between 2002 and 2012. Apart from internal comparisons, five age-, gender- and region-matched control subjects per patient served as control cohort. Median follow-up time from CML diagnosis was 4.8 years. Among patients with CML, low personal or household income, short education, living alone, poor performance status and high age (>60 years) were significantly associated with an inferior survival (in univariate analyses). However, similar findings were noted also in the matched control group, and in comparisons adjusted for calendar year, age and performance status, socio-economic variables were not significantly associated with CML survival. Meanwhile, both education and income were independently linked to TKI treatment overall and to upfront treatment with second-generation TKIs. In conclusion, socio-economic conditions were associated with survival in the studied CML cohort but these associations could be explained by differences at baseline. Meanwhile, socio-economic conditions appeared to influence treatment choice. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Environmental, Human Health and Socio-Economic Effects of Cement Powders: The Multicriteria Analysis as Decisional Methodology

PubMed Central

Moretti, Laura; Di Mascio, Paola; Bellagamba, Simona

2017-01-01

The attention to sustainability-related issues has grown fast in recent decades. The experience gained with these themes reveals the importance of considering this topic in the construction industry, which represents an important sector throughout the world. This work consists on conducting a multicriteria analysis of four cement powders, with the objective of calculating and analysing the environmental, human health and socio-economic effects of their production processes. The economic, technical, environmental and safety performances of the examined powders result from official, both internal and public, documents prepared by the producers. The Analytic Hierarchy Process permitted to consider several indicators (i.e., environmental, human health related and socio-economic parameters) and to conduct comprehensive and unbiased analyses which gave the best, most sustainable cement powder. As assumed in this study, the contribution of each considered parameter to the overall sustainability has a different incidence, therefore the procedure could be used to support on-going sustainability efforts under different conditions. The results also prove that it is not appropriate to regard only one parameter to identify the ‘best’ cement powder, but several impact categories should be considered and analysed if there is an interest for pursuing different, often conflicting interests. PMID:28621754

The social costs of alcohol misuse in Estonia.

PubMed

Saar, Indrek

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the social costs of alcohol misuse in Estonia in 2006. Using a prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach, both direct and indirect costs were considered, including tangible costs associated with health care, criminal justice, rescue services, damage to property, premature mortality, incarceration, incapability of working due to illnesses, and lower labor productivity. The results show that alcohol misuse cost Estonia more than EUR 200 million in 2006. The costs involved are estimated to represent 1.6% of the gross domestic product (GDP), which is relatively high in comparison with many other countries. In addition, the state receives less receipts from the alcohol excise tax than the costs that it incurs as a consequence of alcohol misuse, which points to the existence of economic inefficiency with respect to the alcohol market. The results of this study suggest that there is definitely a need for further cost-benefit analysis to reach a conclusion regarding the possible utility of government intervention. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Parents' Involvement in Homework: Practices and Perceptions from Eight Johannesburg Public Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndebele, Misheck

2015-01-01

This paper examines socio-economic factors influencing parental involvement in homework at the Foundation Phase in eight Johannesburg public primary schools. The research was conducted among over 600 parents from schools in different geographical and socio-economic areas such as the inner city, suburban and township. Two primary schools were…

Socio-economic factors, cultural values, national personality and antibiotics use: A cross-cultural study among European countries.

PubMed

Gaygısız, Ümmügülsüm; Lajunen, Timo; Gaygısız, Esma

There are considerable cross-national differences in public attitudes towards antibiotics use, use of prescribed antibiotics, and self-medication with antibiotics even within Europe. This study was aimed at investigating the relationships between socio-economic factors, cultural values, national personality characteristics and the antibiotic use in Europe. Data included scores from 27 European countries (14 countries for personality analysis). Correlations between socio-economic variables (Gross National Income per capita, governance quality, life expectancy, mean years of schooling, number of physicians), Hofstede's cultural value dimensions (power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, indulgence), national personality characteristic (extraversion, neuroticism, social desirability) and antibiotic use were calculated and three regression models were constructed. Governance quality (r=-.51), mean years of schooling (r=-.61), power distance (r=.59), masculinity (r=.53), and neuroticism (r=.73) correlated with antibiotic use. The highest amount of variance in antibiotic use was accounted by the cultural values (65%) followed by socio-economic factors (63%) and personality factors (55%). Results show that socio-economic factors, cultural values and national personality characteristics explain cross-national differences in antibiotic use in Europe. In particular, governance quality, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and neuroticism were important factors explaining antibiotics use. The findings underline the importance of socio-economic and cultural context in health care and in planning public health interventions. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Building Lectures and Building Bridges with Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Peter; Loch, Birgit

2011-01-01

This paper is an empirical analysis of the first stage of an ongoing effort to introduce technology to enhance student learning in introductory corporate finance within a multi-campus and multi-mode regional Australian University. The engagement and performance of low socio-economic status (SES) students is of particular interest because…

Career Development Needs of Low Socio-Economic Status University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doyle, Erin

2011-01-01

With increased funding from the Australian federal government to improve the enrolments of students with low socio-economic status into university, identifying the career needs of this student cohort is of utmost importance, if indeed they are different from other university students. This will ensure career services offer comprehensive and…

Socio-economic status and geographies of psychiatric inpatient service use. Places, provision, power and well-being.

PubMed

Curtis, Sarah

2007-01-01

This editorial briefly summarises some aspects of research on socio-economic status and use of mental health services that have particular relevance for the theme of this issue of Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale. This discussion takes a view from the perspective of health geography, which examines how the relationships between individuals and their social and physical environment result in variations in health and health care use. Three particular issues are considered here. First, the geographical distribution and organisation of psychiatric services may interact with social and economic factors in ways that are important for service use. Second, increasingly sophisticated ecological modelling strategies have elucidated the associations between socio-economic factors and service use at the population level. Third, more intensive, qualitative research complements these statistical analyses and encouraged reflection on the socio-economic processes, within psychiatric care settings, as well as in wider society, which influence service use.

Restrictions to Pharmacy Ownership and Vertical Integration in Estonia-Perception of Different Stakeholders.

PubMed

Gross, Marit; Volmer, Daisy

2016-04-19

From 2020, the ownership of community pharmacies in Estonia will be limited to the pharmacy profession, and the vertical integration of wholesale companies and community pharmacies will not be allowed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of different stakeholders in primary healthcare toward the new regulations of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia. A qualitative electronic survey was distributed to the main stakeholders in primary healthcare and higher education institutions providing pharmacy education ( n = 40) in May 2015. For data analysis, the systematic text condensation method was used. The study participants described two opposing positions regarding the development of community pharmacies in the future. Reform supporters emphasized increased professional independence and more healthcare-oriented operation of community pharmacies. Reform opponents argued against these ideas as community pharmacists do not have sufficient practical experience and finances to ensure sustainable development of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia. Based on the current perception of all respondents, the future operation of the community pharmacy sector in Estonia is unclear and there is urgent need for implementation criteria for the new regulations.

Effect of socio-economic status on sleep.

PubMed

Seo, Won Hee; Kwon, Jung Hyun; Eun, So-Hee; Kim, Gunha; Han, Kyungdo; Choi, Byung Min

2017-06-01

Sufficient sleep is an important factor in physical and mental health. Sleep duration can be affected by socio-economic status (SES). This study aimed to examine the association between sleep duration and SES in Korean adolescents. This study was conducted with 1608 adolescents aged 12-18 years, based on data from the 2010 to 2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Sleep duration was self-reported in hours and three SES indicators were used: household income, basic livelihood security programmes and type of health insurance. Confounding factors in this study were age, mental health and physical activity. Participants' average age was 15.6 ± 0.05 years and average sleep duration was 7.04 ± 0.05 h. There was a strong association between sleep duration and household income (P < 0.05) rather than other socio-economic indicators. In addition, it showed that sleep duration was significantly associated with age, body mass index (P < 0.05) and low mood is associated with short sleep and long sleep (>9 h/night). We found similar results in both genders, that is, that the highest income group had shorter sleep duration than the lowest income group. This study shows that the SES, particularly household income, is an important factor in short sleep duration in Korean adolescents. Our findings suggest that, in future investigations of the adolescent's sleep problem, attention should be paid to household income. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

The cost of independence : socio-economic profiles of independent truck drivers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-01-01

Nearly 50,000 or one in five (22%) Canadian truck drivers on the road in 1998 were independent truckers or "owner-operators". However, similar to other forms of self-employment, the net-earnings and socio-economic characteristics of owner-operators h...

Television and the behaviour of adolescents: does socio-economic status moderate the link?

PubMed

Chowhan, James; Stewart, Jennifer M

2007-10-01

This paper examines the relationship between adolescent behaviour, television viewing and family socio-economic status (SES) using the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). The effect of television viewing on adolescents' behaviour, ranging from pro-social to aggressive, and whether this effect is moderated by family socio-economic status is investigated. An adolescent fixed effects model is used to estimate the effect of television viewing on behaviour. The results indicate that the effect of television viewing varies between males and females. Family SES has a role in the effect of television on adolescents' behaviour, although the results do not distinguish between the two proposed hypotheses.

Socio-economic and gender differences in nutritional content of foods advertised in popular UK weekly magazines.

PubMed

Adams, Jean; White, Martin

2009-04-01

Advertising in magazines contributes to nutritional knowledge and social norms and may play a role in food choice and adiposity. In contrast to food advertising on television, that in magazines has received little research attention. We describe the type and nutritional content of foods advertised in popular UK weekly magazines and explore variations in these according to the socio-economic and gender profile of readers. Four consecutive issues of 30 popular UK weekly magazines were obtained. Food advertisements were categorized into one of eight food groups. Manufacturer's data on the nutritional content of advertised foods was used to determine the nutritional content of advertised foods. Socio-economic and gender profile of magazines was determined from national readership statistics. Four hundred forty three advertisements for food products were identified. The most common categories of foods advertised were meals, combination foods, soups and sauces (26%) and foods containing fat/sugar (23%). Advertised foods had a lower percentage of energy from carbohydrate (43%), lower fibre density (2 g/MJ), but higher percentage of energy from sugars (24%) and higher sodium density (0.5 g/MJ) than a diet recommended to avoid diet-related disease. There were variations in the type of foods advertised according to the socio-economic profile of readers and in the nutritional content of advertised foods according to the socio-economic and gender profile of readers. Food advertising reflects, and may reinforce, socio-economic and gender variations in food choice and adiposity. Producers of more healthy food may need help from policy makers and health promoters to effectively market their products.

Socio-economic position as a moderator of 9-13-year-old children's non-core food intake.

PubMed

Zarnowiecki, Dorota M; Parletta, Natalie; Dollman, James

2016-01-01

There is limited understanding as to why children of low socio-economic position (SEP) consume poorer diets than children of high SEP. Evidence suggests that determinants of dietary intake may differ between SEP groups. The present study aimed to determine if SEP moderated associations of personal and environmental predictors with children's non-core food and sweetened drink intakes and unhealthy dietary behaviours. Children completed online questionnaires and parents completed computer-assisted telephone interviews to assess intrapersonal and environmental dietary predictors. Dietary intake was measured using an FFQ. Parents reported demographic information for maternal education, occupation and employment, and household income. Twenty-six primary schools in South Australia, Australia. Children aged 9-13 years and their parents (n 395). Multiple personal and home environment factors predicted non-core food and sweetened drink intakes, and these associations were moderated by SEP. Maternal education moderated associations of girls' sweetened drink intake with self-efficacy, cooking skills and pressure to eat, and boys' non-core food intake with monitoring, parent's self-efficacy and home environment. Maternal occupation and employment moderated associations of sweetened drink intake with attitudes, self-efficacy, pressure to eat and food availability, and non-core food intake with parents' self-efficacy and monitoring. Income moderated associations with pressure to eat and home environment. Identifying differences in dietary predictors between socio-economic groups informs understanding of why socio-economic gradients in dietary intake may occur. Tailoring interventions and health promotion to the particular needs of socio-economically disadvantaged children may produce more successful outcomes and reduce socio-economic disparities in dietary intake.

Impact of socio-economic growth on desalination in the US.

PubMed

Ziolkowska, Jadwiga R; Reyes, Reuben

2016-02-01

In 2013, around 1336 desalination plants in the United States (US) provided purified water mainly to municipalities, the industry sector and for power generation. In 2013 alone, ∼200 million m(3) of water were desalinated; the amount that could satisfy annual municipal water consumption of more than 1.5 million people in the US. Desalination has proven to be a reliable water supply source in many countries around the world, with the total global desalination capacity of ∼60 million m(3)/day in 2013. Desalination has been used to mitigate water scarcity and lessen the pressure on water resources. Currently, data and information about desalination are still limited, while extensive socio-economic analyses are missing. This paper presents an econometric model to fill this gap. It evaluates the impact of selected socio-economic variables on desalination development in the US in the time span 1970-2013. The results show that the GDP and population growth have significantly impacted the desalination sector over the analyzed time period. The insights into the economics of desalination provided with this paper can be used to further evaluate cost-effectiveness of desalination both in the US and in other countries around the world. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of environmental and socio-economic domains of vulnerability to flood hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leidel, M.; Kienberger, S.; Lang, S.; Zeil, P.

2009-04-01

Socio-economic and environmental based vulnerability models have been developed within the research context of the FP6 project BRAHMATWINN. The conceptualisation of vulnerability has been defined in the project and is characterised as a function of sensitivity and adaptive capacity, where sensitivity is used to refer to systems that are susceptible to the impacts of environmental stress. Adaptive capacity is used to refer to systems or resources available to communities that could help them adapt or cope with the adverse consequences of environmental stresses in the recovery phase. In a wider context the approach reflects the wider objective and conceptualizations of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) framework, where vulnerability is characterized as a component of overall risk. A methodology has been developed which delineates spatial units of vulnerability (VULNUS). These units share a specific common characteristic and allow the independent spatial modelling of a complex phenomena independent from administrative units and raster based approaches. An increasing detail of spatial data and complex decision problems require flexible means for scaled spatial representations, for mapping the dynamics and constant changes, and delivering the crucial information. Automated techniques of object-based image analysis (OBIA, Lang & Blaschke, 2006), capable of integrating a virtually unlimited set of spatial data sets, try to match the information extraction with our world view. To account for that, a flexible concept of manageable units is required. The term geon was proposed by Lang (2008) to describe generic spatial objects that are homogenous in terms of a varying spatial phenomena under the influence of, and partly controlled by, policy actions. The geon concept acts as a framework for the regionalization of continuous spatial information according to defined parameters of homogeneity. It is flexible in terms of a certain perception of a problem

Impact of medical student origins on the likelihood of ultimately practicing in areas of low vs high socio-economic status.

PubMed

Puddey, Ian B; Playford, Denese E; Mercer, Annette

2017-01-05

Medical schools are in general over-represented by students from high socio-economic status backgrounds. The University of Western Australia Medical School has been progressively widening the participation of students from a broader spectrum of the community both through expanded selection criteria and quota-based approaches for students of rural, indigenous and other socio-educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. We proposed that medical students entering medical school from such backgrounds would ultimately be more likely to practice in areas of increased socio-economic disadvantage. The current practice address of 2829 medical students who commenced practice from 1980 to 2011 was ascertained from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) Database. Logistic regression was utilised to determine the predictors of the likelihood of the current practice address being in the lower 8 socio-economic deciles versus the top 2 socio-economic deciles. Those who were categorised in the lower 8 socio-economic deciles at entry to medical school had increased odds of a current practice address in the lower 8 socio-economic deciles 5 or more years after graduation (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.72, 2.45, P < 0.001). Other positive univariate predictors included age at medical degree completion (for those 25 years or older vs those 24 years or younger OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.27, 1.84, P < 0.001), being female (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.07, 1.48, P = 0.005) and having a general practice versus specialist qualification (OR 4.16, 95% CI 3.33, 5.19, P < 0.001). Negative predictors included having attended an independent school vs a government school (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.64, 0.92, P < 0.001) or being originally from overseas vs being born in Oceania (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67, 0.96, P = 0.017). After adjustment for potential confounders in multivariate logistic regression, those in the lower 8 socio-economic deciles at entry to medical school still had increased odds of

Participation in medical research as a resource-seeking strategy in socio-economically vulnerable communities: call for research and action.

PubMed

Ravinetto, Raffaella M; Afolabi, Muhammed O; Okebe, Joseph; Van Nuil, Jennifer Ilo; Lutumba, Pascal; Mavoko, Hypolite Muhindo; Nahum, Alain; Tinto, Halidou; Addissie, Adamu; D'Alessandro, Umberto; Grietens, Koen Peeters

2015-01-01

The freedom to consent to participate in medical research is a complex subject, particularly in socio-economically vulnerable communities, where numerous factors may limit the efficacy of the informed consent process. Informal consultation among members of the Switching the Poles Clinical Research Network coming from various sub-Saharan African countries, that is Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Rwanda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Benin, seems to support the hypothesis that in socio-economical vulnerable communities with inadequate access to health care, the decision to participate in research is often taken irrespectively of the contents of the informed consent interview, and it is largely driven by the opportunity to access free or better quality care and other indirect benefits. Populations' vulnerability due to poverty and/or social exclusion should obviously not lead to exclusion from medical research, which is most often crucially needed to address their health problems. Nonetheless, to reduce the possibility of exploitation, there is the need to further investigate the complex links between socio-economical vulnerability, access to health care and individual freedom to decide on participation in medical research. This needs bringing together clinical researchers, social scientists and bioethicists in transdisciplinary collaborative research efforts that require the collective input from researchers, research sponsors and funders. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A multilevel study of area socio-economic status and food purchasing behaviour.

PubMed

Turrell, Gavin; Bentley, Rebecca; Thomas, Lyndal R; Jolley, Damien; Subramanian, Sv; Kavanagh, Anne M

2009-11-01

The present study examined the association between area socio-economic status (SES) and food purchasing behaviour. Data were collected by mail survey (64.2 % response rate). Area SES was indicated by the proportion of households in each area earning less than $AUS 400 per week, and individual-level socio-economic position was measured using education, occupation and household income. Food purchasing was measured on the basis of compliance with dietary guideline recommendations (for grocery foods) and variety of fruit and vegetable purchase. Multilevel regression analysis examined the association between area SES and food purchase after adjustment for individual-level demographic (age, sex, household composition) and socio-economic factors. Melbourne city, Australia, 2003. Residents of 2564 households located in fifty small areas. Residents of low-SES areas were significantly less likely than their counterparts in advantaged areas to purchase grocery foods that were high in fibre and low in fat, salt and sugar; and they purchased a smaller variety of fruits. There was no evidence of an association between area SES and vegetable variety. In Melbourne, area SES was associated with some food purchasing behaviours independent of individual-level factors, suggesting that areas in this city may be differentiated on the basis of food availability, accessibility and affordability, making the purchase of some types of foods more difficult in disadvantaged areas.

Using pattern recognition as a method for predicting extreme events in natural and socio-economic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Intriligator, M.

2011-12-01

Vladimir (Volodya) Keilis-Borok has pioneered the use of pattern recognition as a technique for analyzing and forecasting developments in natural as well as socio-economic systems. Keilis-Borok's work on predicting earthquakes and landslides using this technique as a leading geophysicist has been recognized around the world. Keilis-Borok has also been a world leader in the application of pattern recognition techniques to the analysis and prediction of socio-economic systems. He worked with Allan Lichtman of American University in using such techniques to predict presidential elections in the U.S. Keilis-Borok and I have worked together with others on the use of pattern recognition techniques to analyze and to predict socio-economic systems. We have used this technique to study the pattern of macroeconomic indicators that would predict the end of an economic recession in the U.S. We have also worked with officers in the Los Angeles Police Department to use this technique to predict surges of homicides in Los Angeles.

Socio-economic position and cardiovascular risk in rural Indian adolescents: evidence from the Andhra Pradesh children and parents study (APCAPS).

PubMed

Kinra, S; Johnson, M; Kulkarni, B; Rameshwar Sarma, K V; Ben-Shlomo, Y; Smith, G D

2014-09-01

This study examined association between socio-economic position and cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents to investigate whether childhood socio-economic position is a risk factor for future cardiovascular disease, independently of adult behaviours. Participants (n = 1128, 46% girls, aged 13-18 years) were members of a birth cohort (Andhra Pradesh Children and Parents Study or APCAPS) established to investigate long-term effects of a pregnancy and childhood nutritional supplementation trial conducted in 29 villages near Hyderabad in South India. Cross-sectional associations between socio-economic position and cardiovascular risk factors were examined using linear regression models. The mean BMI was 16.7 kg/m(2) for boys and 17.8 kg/m(2) for girls. Socio-economic position was positively associated with fat mass index (0.15 kg/m(2); 95% CI: 0.05-0.25) and inversely associated with central-peripheral skinfold ratio (-0.04; 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.01) and, in boys, fasting triglycerides (-0.05; 95% CI: -0.09 to -0.01). Association of socio-economic position with other risk factors (blood pressure, arterial stiffness, fasting glucose, insulin and cholesterol) was weak and inconsistent, and did not persist after adjustment for potential confounders, including age, sex, pubertal stage, height, adiposity and nutrition supplementation. The study thus showed that lower socio-economic position may be associated with greater central adiposity and higher triglyceride levels in these settings. Socio-economic gradient in cardiovascular risk may strengthen in future with later economic and lifestyle changes. Cardiovascular disease prevention strategies should therefore focus on the youth from the low income group. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A place-based model for assessing the coherence of the flash floods and socio-economic vulnerability across the Contiguous United States (CONUS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khajehei, S.; Moradkhani, H.

2017-12-01

Understanding socio-economic characteristics involving natural hazards potential, vulnerability, and resilience is necessary to address the damages to economy and loss of life from extreme natural hazards. The vulnerability to flash floods is dependent on both biophysical and socio-economic factors. Although the biophysical characteristics (e.g. climate, vegetation, and land use) are informative and useful for predicting spatial and temporal extent of flash floods, they have minimal bearing on predicting when and where flash floods are likely to influence people or damage valuable assets and resources. The socio-economic factors determine spatial and temporal scales of the regions affected by flash floods. In this study, we quantify the socio-economic vulnerability to flash floods across the Contiguous United States (CONUS). A socio-economic vulnerability index was developed, employing Bayesian principal components for each state in the CONUS. For this purpose, extensive sets of social and economic variables from US Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis were used. We developed maps presenting the coincidence of socio-economic vulnerability and the flash floods records. This product can help inform flash flood prevention, mitigation and recovery planning, as well as reducing the flash flood hazards affecting vulnerable places and population.

Effects of nutritional stress and socio-economic status on maternal mortality in six German villages, 1766-1863.

PubMed

Scalone, Francesco

2014-01-01

We examined the effects of nutritional stress on maternal mortality arising from short-term economic crises in eighteenth-century and nineteenth-century Germany, and how these effects might have been mitigated by socio-economic status. Historical data from six German villages were used to assess how socio-economic conditions and short-term economic crises following poor harvests may have affected maternal mortality. The results show that 1 year after an increase in grain prices the risk of maternal death increased significantly amongst the wives of those working outside the agricultural sector, and more so than for the wives of those working on farms. Nutritional crises seem to have had a significantly stronger impact on maternal mortality in the period 2-6 weeks after childbirth, when mothers were most prone to infections and indirect, obstetrical causes of maternal death. The findings indicate that both nutritional stress and socio-economic factors contributed to maternal mortality.

The Nigerian State and Global Economic Crises: Socio-Political Implications and Policy Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olaopa, O. R.; Ogundari, I. O.; Akindele, S. T.; Hassan, O. M.

2012-01-01

This article discusses how economic reforms, as a reaction to the effects of the global financial crises, have intensified popular unrests and redefined the composition, interests, and socio-economic and political attitudes of Nigeria's increasingly complex social strata. We relied basically on secondary data to analyze some of the fundamental…

Socio-economic factors related to moral reasoning in childhood and adolescence: the missing link between brain and behavior

PubMed Central

Caravita, Simona C. S.; Giardino, Simona; Lenzi, Leonardo; Salvaterra, Mariaelena; Antonietti, Alessandro

2012-01-01

Neuroscientific and psychological research on moral development has until now developed independently, referring to distinct theoretical models, contents, and methods. In particular, the influence of socio-economic and cultural factors on morality has been broadly investigated by psychologists but as yet has not been investigated by neuroscientists. The value of bridging these two areas both theoretically and methodologically has, however, been suggested. This study aims at providing a first connection between neuroscientific and psychological literature on morality by investigating whether socio-economic dimensions, i.e., living socio-geographic/economic area, immigrant status and socio-economic status (SES), affect moral reasoning as operationalized in moral domain theory (a seminal approach in psychological studies on morality) and in Greene et al. (2001) perspective (one of the main approaches in neuroethics research). Participants were 81 primary school (M = 8.98 years; SD = 0.39), 72 middle school (M = 12.14 years; SD = 0.61), and 73 high school (M = 15.10 years; SD = 0.38) students from rural and urban areas. Participants' immigrant status (native vs. immigrant) and family SES level were recorded. Moral reasoning was assessed by means of a series of personal and impersonal dilemmas based on Greene et al. (2001) neuroimaging experiment and a series of moral and socio-conventional rule dilemmas based on the moral domain theory. Living socio-geographic/economic area, immigrant status and SES mainly affected evaluations of moral and, to a higher extent, socio-conventional dilemmas, but had no impact on judgment of personal and impersonal dilemmas. Results are mainly discussed from the angle of possible theoretical links and suggestions emerging for studies on moral reasoning in the frameworks of neuroscience and psychology. PMID:23015787

Longitudinal Models of Socio-Economic Status: Impact on Positive Parenting Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Azad, Gazi; Blacher, Jan; Marcoulides, George

2014-01-01

Parenting research is frequently conducted without a thorough examination of socio-economic characteristics. In this study, longitudinal observations of positive parenting were conducted across six time points. Participants were 219 mothers of children with and without developmental delays. Mothers' positive parenting increased during early and…

Declining reliance on marine resources in remote South Pacific societies: ecological versus socio-economic drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, R. A.; Cakacaka, A.; Graham, N. A. J.; Polunin, N. V. C.; Pratchett, M. S.; Stead, S. M.; Wilson, S. K.

2007-12-01

Degraded coral reef ecosystems yield limited goods and services, which is expected to have significant socio-economic impacts on isolated tropical island communities with strong reliance on coral reefs. This study investigates socio-economic changes, specifically in fresh fish consumption and fishing activities, associated with environmental degradation at five fishing grounds ( qoliqoli) in the Lau Islands (Fiji). Semi-structured interviews with fishers and senior household members revealed that the importance of fishing was low relative to other occupations, and consumption of fresh fish has declined over the last decade. Reduced fishing and choice of fresh fish is largely attributable to an increased need to derive income as well as new income-generating opportunities. A possible consequence of reduced reliance on marine resources was limited awareness of recent environmental degradation caused by climate-induced coral bleaching and outbreaks of coral-feeding crown-of-thorns starfish. Limited use and reduced awareness of the local marine environment in the short term may erode social memory and local ecological knowledge, reducing opportunities to fall back on marine resources. This may also compromise long-term economic and social stability. Conversely, low reliance on marine resources may confer greater flexibility to adapt to future ecological change in the marine environment. Importantly, changes in fish consumption and exploitation of marine resources were linked to socio-economic factors rather than a consequence of recent degradation of marine environments. Greater knowledge of the dynamics driving change in marine resource use is necessary to understand how societies respond to ecological and socio-economic change, and to identify opportunities for adaptive sustainable ecosystem management.

Predictors of resilience among adolescents of low socio-economic status in India.

PubMed

Narayanan, Annalakshmi

2015-01-01

This study examined the predictors of resilience among adolescents of low socio-economic status (SES). Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1451 adolescent students (girls = 718) of low SES aged 14 to 19 years in rural public schools. Students completed a set of self-report measures relating to temperament familiar in Indian culture (sattvic, rajasic and tamasic gunas), intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations, academic aspiration, and perceived school environment. Resilience was operationalized as a composite derived from academic grades and scores on the Subjective Well-Being Inventory. Regression analysis revealed that sattvic, rajasic and tamasic self-concepts were significant predictors of resilience. Resilience was negatively predicted by both rejection experienced in the school environment and extrinsic aspirations. The findings have implications for policy and intervention for adolescent students in rural schools of low socio-economic backgrounds.

Investigating Male Tobacco Use and Expenditure Patterns across Socio-Economic Groups in Nigeria

PubMed Central

Uguru, Nkoli P.; Mbachu, Chinyere; Ibe, Ogochukwu P.; Uguru, Chibuzo C.; Odukoya, Oluwakemi; Okwuosa, Chinenye; Onwujekwe, Obinna

2015-01-01

The magnitude of variation in economic costs of tobacco consumption among socio-economic status (SES) groups in Nigeria is unclear. Understanding the factors that influence tobacco use and expenditure among different socio-economic groups would inform decisions on interventions for tobacco control in Nigeria. Secondary data was obtained from the 2008 National demographic and health survey. Information on tobacco use and expenditure in households and individual males were extracted from the database. A total of 34,070 households and 15,846 individual males were sampled. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analysis. Information on wealth index obtained were categorized into socio-economic quintile groups (Q1 to Q5), representing poorest to richest socio-economic groups. To estimate expenditure on cigarettes, the average cost of a stick of cigarette was obtained and multiplied with the number of sticks smoked per day. The proportion of households that use tobacco in Nigeria is 5.25% with a greater percentage (89.6%) residing in the rural areas. Prevalence of cigarette smoking in individual males is 8.59%, and the poorer SES group smoked more cigarettes (20.9%) and spent more (0.60–1.19USD) than the richest SES group. Low education level, traditional beliefs, literacy levels, SES and employment status all influence cigarette smoking in adult males. Although poor people smoked more and spent more of their income on cigarettes, other factors like educational level and traditional beliefs were found to influence practice of cigarette smoking in men. This implies that tobacco control legislation through increased taxes alone may not effectively reduce the use of tobacco and its products in Nigeria. A consolidated approach that includes behavioral change procedures, enforcing bans on tobacco advertisement and the use of strong graphic anti-tobacco messages targeted at both the poor and rich as well as the educated and uneducated

Socio-Economic Resilience to Floods in 90 Countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallegatte, S.; Bangalore, M.; Vogt-Schilb, A.

2015-12-01

Global losses from floods are increasing, with renewed calls for action to reduce their impact. In each country, region or city, many actions can protect the population and help rebuild and recover: building dikes and restoring mangroves; land-use planning; early warning and evacuation; insurance and social safety nets. What should be the priorities? How to build a comprehensive strategy? Is progress being made? We propose a tool - a national-level scorecard based on welfare economics - to assess a country's socio-economic resilience to river floods and identify the most promising policy options in different contexts to reduce the impact of floods on well-being. The tool is applied to 90 countries using open databases, and can serve as a starting point for designing policies and more in-depth local studies.

How does Socio-Economic Factors Influence Interest to Go to Vocational High Schools?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utomo, N. F.; Wonggo, D.

2018-02-01

This study is aimed to reveal the interest of the students of junior high schools in Sangihe Islands, Indonesia, to go to vocational high schools and the affecting factors. This study used the quantitative method with the ex-post facto approach. The population consisted of 332 students, and the sample of 178 students was established using the proportional random sampling technique applying Isaac table’s 5% error standard. The results show that family’s socio-economic condition positively contributes 26% to interest to go to vocational high schools thus proving that family’s socio-economic condition is influential and contribute to junior high school students’ interest to go to vocational high schools.

Extreme precipitation and floods in the Iberian Peninsula and its socio-economic impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, A. M.; Pereira, S.; Trigo, R. M.; Zêzere, J. L.

2017-12-01

Extreme precipitation events in the Iberian Peninsula can induce floods and landslides that have often major socio-economic impacts. The DISASTER database gathered the basic information on past floods and landslides that caused social consequences in Portugal for the period 1865-2015. This database was built under the assumption that social consequences of floods and landslides are sufficient relevant to be reported by newspapers, that provide the data source. Three extreme historical events were analysed in detail taking into account their associated wide socio-economic impacts. The December 1876 record precipitation and flood event leading to an all-time record flow in two large international rivers (Tagus and Guadiana). As a direct consequence, several Portuguese and Spanish towns and villages located in the banks of both rivers suffered serious flood damage on 7 December 1876. The 20-28 December 1909 event recorded the highest number of flood and landslide cases that occurred in Portugal in the period 1865-2015, having triggered the highest floods in 200 years at the Douro river's mouth and causing 89 fatalities in both Portugal and Spain northern regions. More recently the deadliest flash-flooding event affecting Portugal since, at least, the early 19th century, took place on the 25 and 26 November 1967 causing more than 500 fatalities in the Lisbon region. We provide a detailed analysis of each of these events, including their human impacts, precipitation analyses based on historical datasets and the associated atmospheric circulation conditions from reanalysis datasets. Acknowledgements: This work was supported by the project FORLAND - Hydrogeomorphologic risk in Portugal: driving forces and application for land use planning [PTDC / ATPGEO / 1660/2014] funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Portugal. A. M. Ramos was also supported by a FCT postdoctoral grant (FCT/DFRH/ SFRH/BPD/84328/2012). The financial support for attending

Financing Estonia's unemployment insurance system: problems and prospects.

PubMed

Paas, T; Scannell, N J

2000-01-01

In recent years, favorable media coverage of the glowing employment situation in the United States has been the norm. History, for one, won't permit us, however, to become complacent with what appears on the books to be a rosy economic picture for the nation. Moreover, the mounting recognition that the U.S. economy is inextricably tied to those of other nations--large and small--serves to keep us vigilant. This paper allows us a comparative exploration of the employment conditions in Estonia and the problems and prospects of financing its unemployment insurance program.

Astronomy in the society and culture of Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leedjärv, Laurits

2011-06-01

History and present state of astronomy in a small North-Eastern European country are considered. There is a rather big number (about 35) of professional astronomers in Estonia, including 21 IAU members. Through some outstanding persons, astronomy in Estonia has significant relations with the society. The same can be said about the culture. Well-developed astronomy has contributed into the cooperation of Estonia with the European Space Agency, and thus, has an indirect effect to the country's economy.

Time trends in socio-economic inequalities for women and men with disabilities in Australia: evidence of persisting inequalities.

PubMed

Kavanagh, Anne M; Krnjacki, Lauren; Beer, Andrew; Lamontagne, Anthony D; Bentley, Rebecca

2013-08-29

The socio-economic circumstances and health of people with disabilities has been relatively ignored in public health research, policy and practice in Australia and internationally. This is despite emerging evidence that the socio-economic circumstances that people with disabilities live in contributes to their poorer health. Compared to other developed countries, Australians with disabilities are more likely to live in disadvantaged circumstances, despite being an economically prosperous country; it is therefore likely that the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by Australians with disabilities makes a significant contribution to their health. Despite the importance of this issue Australia does not routinely monitor the socio-economic inequalities for people with disabilities. This paper addresses this gap by describing time trends in socio-economic conditions for Australians with and without disabilities according to the severity of the disability and sex. Cross-sectional analyses of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers were carried out at three time points (1998, 2003 and 2009) to estimate the proportions of women and men (aged between 25 and 64 years) who were living on low incomes, had not completed year 12, were not in paid work, living in private rental and experiencing multiple disadvantage (three or more of the indicators). People with disabilities are less likely to have completed year 12, be in paid work and are more likely to be living on low incomes and experiencing multiple disadvantage. These conditions worsened with increasing severity of disability and increased or persisted over time, with most of the increase between 1998 and 2003. While women with milder disabilities tended to fare worse than men, the proportions were similar for those with moderate and severe/profound disabilities. People with disabilities experience high levels of socio-economic disadvantage which has increased or persisted over time

Time trends in socio-economic inequalities for women and men with disabilities in Australia: evidence of persisting inequalities

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction The socio-economic circumstances and health of people with disabilities has been relatively ignored in public health research, policy and practice in Australia and internationally. This is despite emerging evidence that the socio-economic circumstances that people with disabilities live in contributes to their poorer health. Compared to other developed countries, Australians with disabilities are more likely to live in disadvantaged circumstances, despite being an economically prosperous country; it is therefore likely that the socio-economic disadvantage experienced by Australians with disabilities makes a significant contribution to their health. Despite the importance of this issue Australia does not routinely monitor the socio-economic inequalities for people with disabilities. This paper addresses this gap by describing time trends in socio-economic conditions for Australians with and without disabilities according to the severity of the disability and sex. Methods Cross-sectional analyses of the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers were carried out at three time points (1998, 2003 and 2009) to estimate the proportions of women and men (aged between 25 and 64 years) who were living on low incomes, had not completed year 12, were not in paid work, living in private rental and experiencing multiple disadvantage (three or more of the indicators). Results People with disabilities are less likely to have completed year 12, be in paid work and are more likely to be living on low incomes and experiencing multiple disadvantage. These conditions worsened with increasing severity of disability and increased or persisted over time, with most of the increase between 1998 and 2003. While women with milder disabilities tended to fare worse than men, the proportions were similar for those with moderate and severe/profound disabilities. Conclusion People with disabilities experience high levels of socio-economic disadvantage

Socio-economic inequality and HIV in South Africa.

PubMed

Wabiri, Njeri; Taffa, Negussie

2013-11-04

The linkage between the socio-economic inequality and HIV outcomes was analysed using data from a population-based household survey that employed multistage-stratified sampling. The goal is to help refocus attention on how HIV is linked to inequalities. A socio-economic index (SEI) score, derived using Multiple Correspondence Analysis of measures of ownership of durable assets, was used to generate three SEI groups: Low (poorest), Middle, and Upper (no so poor). Distribution of HIV outcomes (i.e. HIV prevalence, access to HIV/AIDS information, level of stigma towards HIV/AIDS, perceived HIV risk and sexual behaviour) across the SEI groups, and other background characteristics was assessed using weighted data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the covariates of the HIV outcomes across the socio-economic groups. The study sample include 14,384 adults 15 years and older. More women (57.5%) than men (42.3%) were found in the poor SEI [P<0.001]. HIV prevalence was highest among the poor (20.8%) followed by those in the middle (15.9%) and those in the upper SEI (4.6%) [P<0.001]. It was also highest among women compared to men (19.7% versus 11.4% respectively) and among black Africans (20.2%) compared to other races [P<0.001]. Individuals in the upper SEI reported higher frequency of HIV testing (59.3%) compared to the low SEI (47.7%) [P< 0.001]. Only 20.5% of those in poor SEI had "good access to HIV/AIDS information" compared to 79.5% in the upper SEI (P<0.001). A higher percentage of the poor had a stigmatizing attitude towards HIV/AIDS (45.6%) compared to those in the upper SEI (34.8%) [P< 0.001]. There was a high personal HIV risk perception among the poor (40.0%) and it declined significantly to 10.9% in the upper SEI. Our findings underline the disproportionate burden of HIV disease and HIV fear among the poor and vulnerable in South Africa. The poor are further disadvantaged by lack of access to HIV information and HIV

Socio-economic inequality and HIV in South Africa

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The linkage between the socio-economic inequality and HIV outcomes was analysed using data from a population-based household survey that employed multistage-stratified sampling. The goal is to help refocus attention on how HIV is linked to inequalities. Methods A socio-economic index (SEI) score, derived using Multiple Correspondence Analysis of measures of ownership of durable assets, was used to generate three SEI groups: Low (poorest), Middle, and Upper (no so poor). Distribution of HIV outcomes (i.e. HIV prevalence, access to HIV/AIDS information, level of stigma towards HIV/AIDS, perceived HIV risk and sexual behaviour) across the SEI groups, and other background characteristics was assessed using weighted data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the covariates of the HIV outcomes across the socio-economic groups. The study sample include 14,384 adults 15 years and older. Results More women (57.5%) than men (42.3%) were found in the poor SEI [P<0.001]. HIV prevalence was highest among the poor (20.8%) followed by those in the middle (15.9%) and those in the upper SEI (4.6%) [P<0.001]. It was also highest among women compared to men (19.7% versus 11.4% respectively) and among black Africans (20.2%) compared to other races [P<0.001]. Individuals in the upper SEI reported higher frequency of HIV testing (59.3%) compared to the low SEI (47.7%) [P< 0.001]. Only 20.5% of those in poor SEI had “good access to HIV/AIDS information” compared to 79.5% in the upper SEI (P<0.001). A higher percentage of the poor had a stigmatizing attitude towards HIV/AIDS (45.6%) compared to those in the upper SEI (34.8%) [P< 0.001]. There was a high personal HIV risk perception among the poor (40.0%) and it declined significantly to 10.9% in the upper SEI. Conclusions Our findings underline the disproportionate burden of HIV disease and HIV fear among the poor and vulnerable in South Africa. The poor are further disadvantaged by lack of

Socio-economic development and emotion-health connection revisited: a multilevel modeling analysis using data from 162 counties in China.

PubMed

Yu, Zonghuo; Wang, Fei

2016-03-12

Substantial research has shown that emotions play a critical role in physical health. However, most of these studies were conducted in industrialized countries, and it is still an open question whether the emotion-health connection is a "first-world problem". In the current study, we examined socio-economic development's influence on emotion-health connection by performing multilevel-modeling analysis in a dataset of 33,600 individuals from 162 counties in China. Results showed that both positive emotions and negative emotions predicted level of physical health and regional Gross Domestic Product Per Capita (GDPPC) had some impact on the association between emotion and health through accessibility of medical resources and educational status. But these impacts were suppressed, and the total effects of GDPPC on emotion-health connections were not significant. These results support the universality of emotion-health connection across levels of GDPPC and provide new insight into how socio-economic development might affect these connections.

Biobank Finances: A Socio-Economic Analysis and Review.

PubMed

Gee, Sally; Oliver, Rob; Corfield, Julie; Georghiou, Luke; Yuille, Martin

2015-12-01

This socio-economic study is based on the widely held view that there is an inadequate supply of human biological samples that is hampering biomedical research development and innovation (RDI). The potential value of samples and the associated data are thus not being realized. We aimed to examine whether the financing of biobanks contributes to this problem and then to propose a national solution. We combined three methods: a qualitative case study; literature analysis; and informal consultations with experts. The case study enabled an examination of the complex institutional arrangements for biobanks, with a particular focus on cost models. For the purposes of comparison, a typology for biobanks was developed using the three methods. We found that it is not possible to apply a standard cost model across the diversity of biobanks, and there is a deficit in coordination and sustainability and an excess of complexity. We propose that coordination across this diversity requires dedicated resources for a national biobanking distributed research infrastructure. A coordination center would establish and improve standards and support a national portal for access. This should be financed centrally by public funds, possibly supplemented by industrial funding. We propose that: a) sample acquisition continues to be costed into projects and project proposals to ensure biobanking is driven by research needs; b) core biobanking activities and facilities be supported by central public funds distributed directly to host public institutions; and c) marginal costs for access be paid for by the user.

Neighbourhood deprivation and adolescent self-esteem: exploration of the 'socio-economic equalisation in youth' hypothesis in Britain and Canada.

PubMed

Fagg, James H; Curtis, Sarah E; Cummins, Steven; Stansfeld, Stephen A; Quesnel-Vallée, Amélie

2013-08-01

Material deprivation is an important determinant of health inequalities in adults but there remains debate about the extent of its importance for adolescent wellbeing. Research has found limited evidence for an association between adolescent health and socio-economic status, leading authors to suggest that there is an 'equalisation' of health across socio-economic groups during the adolescent stage of the life-course. This paper explores this 'equalisation' hypothesis for adolescent psychological wellbeing from a geographical perspective by investigating associations between neighbourhood deprivation and self-esteem in Britain and Canada. Data from the British Youth Panel (BYP) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) on adolescents aged 11-15 for the time period 1994-2004 were used to estimate variations in low self-esteem between neighbourhoods using multilevel logistic regression. Models were extended to estimate associations between self-esteem and neighbourhood deprivation before and after adjustment for individual and family level covariates. Moderation by age, sex, urban/rural status, household income and family structure was investigated. There were no significant differences in self-esteem between the most deprived and most affluent neighbourhoods (Canada unadjusted OR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.76, 1.33; Britain unadjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI 0.74, 2.13). The prevalence of low self-esteem was higher (in Canada) for boys in the least deprived neighbourhoods compared to other neighbourhoods. No other interactions were observed. The results presented here offer some (limited) support for the socio-economic equalisation in youth hypothesis from a geographical perspective: with specific reference to equalisation of the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and self-esteem and psychological health in early adolescence. This contrasts with previous research in the United States but supports related work from Britain. The lack of

Adolescent physical activity predicts high education and socio-economic position in adulthood.

PubMed

Koivusilta, Leena K; Nupponen, Heimo; Rimpelä, Arja H

2012-04-01

Based on the knowledge on beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) on health and fitness, we hypothesized that PA in adolescence is related to high education and socio-economic position (SEP) in adulthood. Improved school performance may mediate the hypothesized relationship. The Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Surveys (AHLS), collected biennially in 1981-89 (baseline) and representing 14- and 16-year-old Finns were individually linked with national registries of the highest educational level and SEP. Of the sample, 10 498 (78%) responded the surveys and were followed till the end of 2001 (age group of 28-38 years). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to study the associations between the outcomes (highest attained educational level, SEP) and PA (sports clubs, spontaneous, intensity). Participating in sports club or spontaneous PA and practicing with high intensity in adolescence were associated with higher educational levels and SEP in adulthood. Childhood socio-economic background only slightly influenced the associations and largely, PA predicted the outcomes independently of background. Particularly among girls, school performance partly accounted for the associations between PA and the highest educational level and the highest SEP. Participation in PA in adolescence and particularly its high intensity, predicts higher educational levels and SEP in early middle age. School performance to some degree mediates the impact of PA. PA behaviours in adolescence-or possibilities to participate in PA-are a potential mechanism in generating better health of higher socio-economic and educational groups in adult age.

Socio economic community mapping around Dumai Timur (case study: Tanjung Palas Village)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilham, Ami; Putra, M. Umar Maya

2018-03-01

This study aimed to analyze the socio economic community mapping around Dumai Timur Sub District with a case study: Tanjung Palas Village. The problem in this research is to analyze community needs and potential contained there. The data used are primary data that have been obtained to do data entry based on the guidance from the actors concerned, there is a transfer in the form of qualitative data into quantitative measurement techniques reference instrument of socio economic mapping activities. From the results of this study indicate that the necessary empowerment of social management in which short-term policy for the addition of water discharge, training on the concept of raising entrepreneurial innovation. For the long term necessary to make a business innovation and sustainability development pattern with operational assistance in the form of seeds, the manufacture of cages and chicken feed.

Family support and ease of access link socio-economic status and sports club membership in adolescent girls: a mediation study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Much research has been conducted into the determinants of physical activity (PA) participation among adolescent girls. However, the more specific question of what are the determinants of particular forms of PA participation, such as the link between participation through a sports club, has not been investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between participation in a sports club and socio-economic status (SES), access to facilities, and family and peer support, for female adolescents. Methods A survey of 732 female adolescent school students (521 metropolitan, 211 non-metropolitan; 489 Year 7, 243 Year 11) was conducted. The survey included demographic information (living arrangements, ethnicity indicators, and indicators of SES such as parental education and employment status and locality); access to facilities; and family and peer support (travel, encouragement, watching, praise, joint participation). For each characteristic, sports club participants and non-participants were compared using chi-square tests. Multiple mediation analyses were used to investigate the role of access, family and peer support in the link between SES and sport participation. Results There were significant associations (p<0.05) between sports club participation and: all demographic characteristics; all measures of family and peer support; and access to sport-related facilities. Highest levels of participation were associated with monolingual Australian-born families, with two parents, at least one of whom was well-educated, with both parents employed, and high levels of parental assistance, engagement and support. Participation in club sport among both younger and older adolescent girls was significantly positively associated with the SES of both their neighbourhoods and their households, particularly in metropolitan areas. These associations were most strongly mediated by family support and by access to facilities. Conclusions To

Family support and ease of access link socio-economic status and sports club membership in adolescent girls: a mediation study.

PubMed

Eime, Rochelle M; Harvey, Jack T; Craike, Melinda J; Symons, Caroline M; Payne, Warren R

2013-04-25

Much research has been conducted into the determinants of physical activity (PA) participation among adolescent girls. However, the more specific question of what are the determinants of particular forms of PA participation, such as the link between participation through a sports club, has not been investigated. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between participation in a sports club and socio-economic status (SES), access to facilities, and family and peer support, for female adolescents. A survey of 732 female adolescent school students (521 metropolitan, 211 non-metropolitan; 489 Year 7, 243 Year 11) was conducted. The survey included demographic information (living arrangements, ethnicity indicators, and indicators of SES such as parental education and employment status and locality); access to facilities; and family and peer support (travel, encouragement, watching, praise, joint participation). For each characteristic, sports club participants and non-participants were compared using chi-square tests. Multiple mediation analyses were used to investigate the role of access, family and peer support in the link between SES and sport participation. There were significant associations (p<0.05) between sports club participation and: all demographic characteristics; all measures of family and peer support; and access to sport-related facilities. Highest levels of participation were associated with monolingual Australian-born families, with two parents, at least one of whom was well-educated, with both parents employed, and high levels of parental assistance, engagement and support. Participation in club sport among both younger and older adolescent girls was significantly positively associated with the SES of both their neighbourhoods and their households, particularly in metropolitan areas. These associations were most strongly mediated by family support and by access to facilities. To facilitate and promote greater

Association of an adult obesity, blood pressure adulthood socio-economic position.

PubMed

Siadat, Zahra Dana; Abdoli, Aminreza; Shahsanaee, Armindokht

2012-03-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate an effect of childhood and adulthood socio-economic position on selected cardiovascular risk factors including obesity, blood pressure level and smoking behavior. This is a cross-sectional study performed on 479 individuals, randomly selected by random clustered sampling from men and women aged 30-50 years, living in Esfahan. Their demographic characteristics, education, occupation and smoking behavior were questioned. Their weight, height and blood pressure were also measured, and their BMI (Body Mass Index) was calculated. The data were analyzed by SPSS 19 software. In men, the odds ratio for ever smoking to never smoking at higher levels of education in comparison with the lower levels was 6.08 (2.65-14.11). For manual occupation to non-manual occupation, it was 3.55 (1.88-6.68). The odds ratio for obesity and overweight vs no overweight, for manual occupation to non-manual occupation was 3.12 (1.81-5.40) in men and for father's occupation it was 2.03 (1.10-3.74). In women, their education with the odds ratio of 2.11 (1.17-3.82) and father's occupation with the odds ratio of 6.63 (3.50-12.58) altered their chance of being obese or overweight. Also, in women, the mean systolic blood pressure was significantly lower at higher educational levels and in those whose fathers' occupation were manual but lower in manual workers. The current socio-economic position in individuals is associated with an obesity and smoking behavior, particularly in men. Childhood socio-economic position increases the chance of an obesity and higher blood pressure, particularly in women.

Human health risks and socio-economic perspectives of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh: A scoping review.

PubMed

Rahman, M Azizur; Rahman, A; Khan, M Zaved Kaiser; Renzaho, Andre M N

2018-04-15

Arsenic contamination of drinking water, which can occur naturally or because of human activities such as mining, is the single most important public health issue in Bangladesh. Fifty out of the 64 districts in the country have arsenic concentration of groundwater exceeding 50µgL -1 , the Bangladeshi threshold, affecting 35-77 million people or 21-48% of the total population. Chronic arsenic exposure through drinking water and other dietary sources is an important public health issue worldwide affecting hundreds of millions of people. Consequently, arsenic poisoning has attracted the attention of researchers and has been profiled extensively in the literature. Most of the literature has focused on characterising arsenic poisoning and factors associated with it. However, studies examining the socio-economic aspects of chronic exposure of arsenic through either drinking water or foods remain underexplored. The objectives of this paper are (i) to review arsenic exposure pathways to humans; (ii) to summarise public health impacts of chronic arsenic exposure; and (iii) to examine socio-economic implications and consequences of arsenicosis with a focus on Bangladesh. This scoping review evaluates the contributions of different exposure pathways by analysing arsenic concentrations in dietary and non-dietary sources. The socio-economic consequences of arsenicosis disease in Bangladesh are discussed in this review by considering food habits, nutritional status, socio-economic conditions, and socio-cultural behaviours of the people of the country. The pathways of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh include drinking water, various plant foods and non-dietary sources such as soil. Arsenic affected people are often abandoned by the society, lose their jobs and get divorced and are forced to live a sub-standard life. The fragile public health system in Bangladesh has been burdened by the management of thousands of arsenicosis victims in Bangladesh. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc

The socio-economic distribution of health-related occupational stressors among wage-earners in a Post-Fordist labour market

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Unequal exposure to occupational stressors is a central pathway towards socio-economic health inequalities in working populations. This paper assesses the differential exposure of such stressors within the population of Flemish wage-earners. Our focus is on differences in gender, age, skill levels, occupational and social class positions. Method The analyses are based on the "Flemish Quality of Labour Monitor 2004" (Vlaamse Werkbaarheidsmonitor 2004), a cross-sectional representative sample (N = 11,099) of 16- to 65-year-old wage-earners, living in Flanders. The investigated health-related working conditions are: high quantitative, emotional and physical demands, frequent repetitive movements, atypical work schedules, frequent overtime work and schedule changes, low job autonomy, task variation and superior-support, high job insecurity and exposure to bullying. The distribution of the working conditions is assessed by means of standard logistic regression analyses. Also gender specific analyses are performed. Results At least two clusters of health-related occupational stressors can be identified. On the one hand, high physical demands, atypical schedules, low control over the work environment and high job insecurity are more common in manual, unskilled and subordinate workers. On the other hand, high quantitative and emotional demands, as well as schedule unpredictability are characteristic of higher skilled, professional and managerial employees. Conclusion Since little empirical information on the socio-economic distribution of various health-related occupational stressors is available for Flanders, our results are important for obtaining more insight into the pathways linking occupational health risks to socio-economic health inequalities in the Flemish wage-earning population.

Socio-Economic Status, Parenting Practices and Early Learning at French Kindergartens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tazouti, Youssef; Jarlégan, Annette

2014-01-01

The present research tests the hypothesis that parental values and educational practices are intermediary variables between the socio-economic status (SES) of families and early learning in children. Our empirical study was based on 299 parents with children in their final year at eight French kindergartens. We constructed an explanatory…

The socio-economics dynamics of Dam on Rural Communities: A case study of Oyan Dam, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayeni, Amidu; Ojifo, Lawrence

2018-06-01

Dams construction and operations have many benefits, nevertheless, they have also led to lots of negative social, health and human impacts. It is based on this that this study assesses the potential and socio-economics dynamics of Oyan dam between 1980 and 2016. The data used for this study include water level and discharge records of the dam between 2007 and 2016, Landsat imageries of 1984 and 2016 and socio-economic datasets for the period. Analysis of the dam potentials (water supply, agriculture and hydropower) and socio-economic impacts of the dam were carried out using basic statistical tools, land use change anaysis and field survey using questionnaire, structured interview with major stakeholders and personal observation. The results revealed that the water level and storage of the Oyan dam had a relative reduction of about 2 % as well as non-stationarity pattern of water abstraction and production for the period. The landuse classes show all classes decreased in extent except the cultivated landuse that acrued an increased of 19.9 % between 1984 and 2016. Furthermore, commercial water supply varied significantly between 2010 and 2016 while irrigation scheme is grossly under-utilized from the inception in 1983 to 2016. Finally, the result of socio-economic impacts revealed that majority of the selected communities' members are actually not benefiting from the dam and their livelihoods are not from the dam.

Can Social Policy Influence Socio-Economic Disparities? Korean War GI Bill Eligibility and Markers of Depression

PubMed Central

Vable, Anusha M.; Canning, David; Glymour, M. Maria; Kawachi, Ichiro; Jimenez, Marcia P.; Subramanian, S. V.

2017-01-01

Background The Korean War GI Bill provided socio-economic benefits to veterans, however its association with health is unclear; we hypothesize GI Bill eligibility is associated with fewer depressive symptoms and smaller disparities. Methods Data from 246 Korean War GI Bill eligible veterans and 240 non-veterans from the Health and Retirement Study were matched on birth year, southern birth, race, height, and childhood health using coarsened exact matching. Number of depressive symptoms in 2010 (average age=78) were assessed using a modified, validated Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, dichotomized to reflect elevated depressive symptoms. Regression analyses were stratified into low (at least one parent < 8 years schooling / missing data, N=167) or high (both parents ≥ 8 years schooling, N=319) childhood socio-economic status (cSES) groups. Results Korean War GI Bill eligibility predicted fewer depressive symptoms among individuals from low cSES backgrounds [β=-0.64, 95% Confidence Interval (CI):(-1.18, -0.09), p=0.022]. Socio-economic disparities were smaller among veterans than non-veterans for number of depressive symptoms [β=-0.76, 95% (CI):(-1.33, -0.18), P = 0.010] and elevated depressive symptoms [β=-11.7, 95%CI:(-8.2, -22.6), P = 0.035]. Conclusions Korean War GI Bill eligibility predicted smaller socio-economic disparities in depression markers. PMID:26778285

Socio-economic deprivation associated with acute rheumatic fever. A hospital-based case-control study in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Zaman, M M; Yoshiike, N; Chowdhury, A H; Jalil, M Q; Mahmud, R S; Faruque, G M; Rouf, M A; Haque, K M; Tanaka, H

1997-07-01

There are few studies on the relationship between socio-economic factors and rheumatic fever (RF) in the populations where the burden of both socio-economic deprivation and RF is still very high. The aim of this study is to assess the association between some socio-economic factors and RF by examining data available from a RF hospital in Bangladesh. We have reviewed the medical records of patients presenting with manifestations suggestive of RF during a 1-year period. From the patients who showed group A beta-haemolytic streptococcal upper respiratory infection (ABHS infection), 44 RF cases defined by the Jones criteria and 86 control subjects, who did not satisfy the criteria, were identified for analysis. The median age was 12 years and 60% were female. RF was significantly associated with low income (odds ratio [OR] 2.37; P = 0.04); poor living conditions: substandard (kacha) house (OR 2.93, P = 0.02); and poor nutritional status: low height for age (OR 2.68, P = 0.02). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed an increased OR for kacha house (OR 3.18, P = 0.02) but the same estimate for low height for age (OR 2.68; P = 0.04). Our analysis shows that, among the patients presenting to the RF hospital with proven ABHS infection, acute RF is associated with socio-economic deprivation.

The differential effect of socio-economic status, birth weight and gender on body mass index in Australian Aboriginal Children.

PubMed

Kim, S; Macaskill, P; Baur, L A; Hodson, E M; Daylight, J; Williams, R; Kearns, R; Vukasin, N; Lyle, D M; Craig, J C

2016-07-01

Adult Aboriginal Australians have 1.5-fold higher risk of obesity, but the trajectory of body mass index (BMI) through childhood and adolescence and the contribution of socio-economic factors remain unclear. Our objective was to determine the changes in BMI in Australian Aboriginal children relative to non-Aboriginal children as they move through adolescence into young adulthood, and to identify risk factors for higher BMI. A prospective cohort study of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal school children commenced in 2002 across 15 different screening areas across urban, regional and remote New South Wales, Australia. Socio-economic status was recorded at study enrolment and participants' BMI was measured every 2 years. We fitted a series of mixed linear regression models adjusting for age, birth weight and socio-economic status for boys and girls. In all, 3418 (1949 Aboriginal) participants were screened over a total of 11 387 participant years of follow-up. The prevalence of obesity was higher among Aboriginal children from mean age 11 years at baseline (11.6 vs 7.6%) to 16 years at 8 years follow-up (18.6 vs 12.3%). The mean BMI increased with age and was significantly higher among Aboriginal girls compared with non-Aboriginal girls (P<0.01). Girls born of low birth weight had a lower BMI than girls born of normal birth weight (P<0.001). Socio-economic status and low birth weight had a differential effect on BMI for Aboriginal boys compared with non-Aboriginal boys (P for interaction=0.01). Aboriginal boys of highest socio-economic status, unlike those of lower socio-economic status, had a higher BMI compared with non-Aboriginal boys. Non-Aboriginal boys of low birth weight were heavier than Aboriginal boys. Socio-economic status and birth weight have differential effects on BMI among Aboriginal boys, and Aboriginal girls had a higher mean BMI than non-Aboriginal girls through childhood and adolescence. Intervention programs need to recognise the differential risk

State and business co-operation in settling socio-economic issues: forward to sustainable development of ecologically unfavorable regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bashkirova, N. N.; Lessovaia, S. N.

2018-01-01

The complexity of socio-economic issues of mono-cities located in the ecologically unfavorable regions of Eurasia was disclosed. The economically strategic role of city-forming mining enterprises and their impact on ecological situation was revealed. The general conception of settling the socio-economic problems of mono-cities located in ecologically unfavorable regions was worked out. Various approached to the concentration of financial resources for economic and ecological sustainable development of the regions located on the north of Eurasia holding nature protection actions were submitted. Based on performed critical analysis of the positive international experience of ecological taxation some approaches to reforming current Russian system of ecological taxation were suggested. It was revealed that increasing the social responsibilities of business in the field of waste recycling, environmental protection and monitoring of ecological conditions of territories and state and business co-operation are the most efficient opportunities in settling socio-economic issues of ecologically unfavorable regions.

A globalization-oriented perspective on health, inequality and socio-economic development.

PubMed

Tausch, Arno

2012-01-01

There has been an attention to inequality as a causal factor for deficient health in the medical journals over the last decades (Richard G. Wilkinson et al. and Schnell et al.); however, the reasons for inequality and the interactions of the underlying causes of inequality at the level of the world economy have not yet been properly explored in this kind of literature. The aim of this article is to provide a new, globalization-oriented, multi-disciplinary perspective on life expectancy, under-five mortality, inequality and socio-economic development in the world system, compatible with the advances in international sociological research on the subject over the last three decades. Taking up the traditions of quantitative sociology to study the effects of multinational corporation (MNC) penetration as a key determining variable for development outcomes such as socio-economic inequality and infant mortality, this article analyzes from the perspective of quantitative political science and economics this particular role of MNC penetration as the key variable for the determination of health, inequality and socio-economic development in 183 countries of the world system, using international social science standard data. As correctly predicted by quantitative sociology, but largely overlooked by the medical profession, the development style, implied by a high MNC penetration of their host countries, reflects the oligopolistic power, which transnational corporations wield over local economies. We took up an idea from Austro-American economist Joseph Alois Schumpeter (1883-1950), which states that the long-term effects of oligopolistic power are negative and lead toward economic and social stagnation. Our data show that although MNC penetration indeed led to certain short-term growth effects after 1990, today, social polarization and stagnation increase as a consequence of the development model, based on high MNC penetration. There is a negative trade-off between MNC

Identifying solutions to increase participation in physical activity interventions within a socio-economically disadvantaged community: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Cleland, Claire L; Hunter, Ruth F; Tully, Mark A; Scott, David; Kee, Frank; Donnelly, Michael; Prior, Lindsay; Cupples, Margaret E

2014-05-23

There is an urgent need to increase population levels of physical activity, particularly amongst those who are socio-economically disadvantaged. Multiple factors influence physical activity behaviour but the generalisability of current evidence to such 'hard-to-reach' population subgroups is limited by difficulties in recruiting them into studies. Also, rigorous qualitative studies of lay perceptions and perceptions of community leaders about public health efforts to increase physical activity are sparse. We sought to explore, within a socio-economically disadvantaged community, residents' and community leaders' perceptions of physical activity (PA) interventions and issues regarding their implementation, in order to improve understanding of needs, expectations, and social/environmental factors relevant to future interventions. Within an ongoing regeneration project (Connswater Community Greenway), in a socio-economically disadvantaged community in Belfast, we collaborated with a Community Development Agency to purposively sample leaders from public- and voluntary-sector community groups and residents. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 leaders. Residents (n = 113), of both genders and a range of ages (14 to 86 years) participated in focus groups (n = 14) in local facilities. Interviews and focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic framework. Three main themes were identified: awareness of PA interventions; factors contributing to intervention effectiveness; and barriers to participation in PA interventions. Participants reported awareness only of interventions in which they were involved directly, highlighting a need for better communications, both inter- and intra-sectoral, and with residents. Meaningful engagement of residents in planning/organisation, tailoring to local context, supporting volunteers, providing relevant resources and an 'exit strategy' were perceived as important factors

Mobile phone call data as a regional socio-economic proxy indicator.

PubMed

Šćepanović, Sanja; Mishkovski, Igor; Hui, Pan; Nurminen, Jukka K; Ylä-Jääski, Antti

2015-01-01

The advent of publishing anonymized call detail records opens the door for temporal and spatial human dynamics studies. Such studies, besides being useful for creating universal models for mobility patterns, could be also used for creating new socio-economic proxy indicators that will not rely only on the local or state institutions. In this paper, from the frequency of calls at different times of the day, in different small regional units (sub-prefectures) in Côte d'Ivoire, we infer users' home and work sub-prefectures. This division of users enables us to analyze different mobility and calling patterns for the different regions. We then compare how those patterns correlate to the data from other sources, such as: news for particular events in the given period, census data, economic activity, poverty index, power plants and energy grid data. Our results show high correlation in many of the cases revealing the diversity of socio-economic insights that can be inferred using only mobile phone call data. The methods and the results may be particularly relevant to policy-makers engaged in poverty reduction initiatives as they can provide an affordable tool in the context of resource-constrained developing economies, such as Côte d'Ivoire's.

Mobile Phone Call Data as a Regional Socio-Economic Proxy Indicator

PubMed Central

Šćepanović, Sanja; Mishkovski, Igor; Hui, Pan; Nurminen, Jukka K.; Ylä-Jääski, Antti

2015-01-01

The advent of publishing anonymized call detail records opens the door for temporal and spatial human dynamics studies. Such studies, besides being useful for creating universal models for mobility patterns, could be also used for creating new socio-economic proxy indicators that will not rely only on the local or state institutions. In this paper, from the frequency of calls at different times of the day, in different small regional units (sub-prefectures) in Côte d'Ivoire, we infer users' home and work sub-prefectures. This division of users enables us to analyze different mobility and calling patterns for the different regions. We then compare how those patterns correlate to the data from other sources, such as: news for particular events in the given period, census data, economic activity, poverty index, power plants and energy grid data. Our results show high correlation in many of the cases revealing the diversity of socio-economic insights that can be inferred using only mobile phone call data. The methods and the results may be particularly relevant to policy-makers engaged in poverty reduction initiatives as they can provide an affordable tool in the context of resource-constrained developing economies, such as Côte d'Ivoire's. PMID:25897957

Racial and Ethnic Infant Mortality Gaps and the Role of Socio-Economic Status

PubMed Central

Elder, Todd E.; Goddeeris, John H.; Haider, Steven J.

2016-01-01

We assess the extent to which differences in socio-economic status are associated with racial and ethnic gaps in a fundamental measure of population health: the rate at which infants die. Using micro-level Vital Statistics data from 2000 to 2004, we examine mortality gaps of infants born to white, black, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Asian, and Native American mothers. We find that between-group mortality gaps are strongly and consistently (except for Mexican infants) associated with maternal marital status, education, and age, and that these same characteristics are powerful predictors of income and poverty for new mothers in U.S. Census data. Despite these similarities, we document a fundamental difference in the mortality gap for the three high mortality groups: whereas the black-white and Puerto Rican-white mortality gaps mainly occur at low birth weights, the Native American-white gap occurs almost exclusively at higher birth weights. We further examine the one group whose IMR is anomalous compared to the other groups: infants of Mexican mothers die at relatively low rates given their socio-economic disadvantage. We find that this anomaly is driven by lower infant mortality among foreign-born mothers, a pattern found within many racial/ethnic groups. Overall, we conclude that the infant mortality gaps for our six racial/ethnic groups exhibit many commonalities, and these commonalities suggest a prominent role for socio-economic differences. PMID:27695196

The effect of maternal socio-economic status throughout the lifespan on infant birthweight.

PubMed

Astone, Nan Marie; Misra, Dawn; Lynch, Courtney

2007-07-01

The objective of this study was to investigate whether maternal socio-economic status during childhood and at the time of pregnancy each have unique associations with infant birthweight when biological determinants of birthweight are controlled. The data are from a three-generation study which contains information on the mothers and grandmothers of 987 singleton infants, collected over a period of 25 years. We used simple and multivariable regression to assess the association between indicators of a woman's socio-economic status and her offspring's birthweight. Women who grew up in poor households had smaller babies than those who did not, and a unit increase in the income/needs ratio (analogous to the poverty index), in non-poor households only, was associated with a 185 g [95% CI 70, 200] increase in infant birthweight. Maternal age at the index infant's birth had a positive association with birthweight that diminished as women reached their mid-twenties. Among mothers with low education, high grandmaternal education was associated with a 181 g [95% CI 71, 292] increase in infant birthweight, while high grandmaternal education had no effect among infants whose mothers were relatively well-educated. This interaction between grandmaternal and maternal education is consistent with claims that cumulative stress is an important mechanism connecting maternal socio-economic status and infant health.

Cultural, Socio-Economic and Political Influences on Special Education in Nigeria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obiakor, Festus E.

The paper describes the present state of education in Nigeria with emphasis on the cultural, socio-economic, and political influences affecting special education. After a brief summary of education in Nigeria since independence (1960), the paper looks at problems identified in special education and at Section 8, that portion of the National Policy…

Socio-Economic Status and Enrollment in Higher Education: Do Costs Matter?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Declercq, Koen; Verboven, Frank

2015-01-01

We study the impact of socio-economic status on enrollment and study decisions in higher education. We use a discrete choice approach to distinguish between three channels. First, students from disadvantaged backgrounds may be more sensitive to the costs of education. Second, they may have lower preferences for education. Third, they may have…

Socio-Economic Affects of Floods on Female Teachers in Jampur (Pakistan)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buzdar, Muhammad Ayub; Ali, Akhtar

2011-01-01

Women are major affected segment of society in any disaster in under developed countries. Floods of 2010, in Pakistan, affected more than 17 million people. Ultimately, it created several social, psychological and financial problems for affected females. The current paper aimed to study the socio-economic affects of floods on female teachers of…

Mass Media Campaign Improves Cervical Screening across All Socio-Economic Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Jenny O.; Mullins, Robyn M.; Siahpush, Mohammad; Spittal, Matthew J.; Wakefield, Melanie

2009-01-01

Low socio-economic status (SES) has been associated with lower cervical screening rates. Mass media is one known strategy that can increase cervical screening participation. This study sought to determine whether a mass media campaign conducted in Victoria, Australia, in 2005 was effective in encouraging women across all SES groups to screen. Data…

Socio-economic factors associated with a healthy diet: results from the E3N study.

PubMed

Affret, Aurélie; Severi, Gianluca; Dow, Courtney; Rey, Grégoire; Delpierre, Cyrille; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Fagherazzi, Guy

2017-06-01

To identify individual and contextual socio-economic factors associated with a healthy diet. Dietary data from a large cohort study were used to derive two mutually exclusive dietary patterns through a latent class analysis. Associations between dietary patterns and socio-economic factors were studied with logistic regression. E3N, a French prospective cohort study composed of women recruited from a national health insurance plan covering people working in the national education system. E3N participants (n 73 031) with dietary and socio-economic data available. The 'Healthy' pattern was characterized by a large consumption of fruits and vegetables and the 'Less Healthy' pattern by a large consumption of pizza and processed meat. When all socio-economic factors were analysed together, all of the individual factors considered were associated with a healthy diet (e.g. women with three or more children were less likely to follow a healthy diet v. women with no children, OR (95 % CI): 0·70 (0·66, 0·75)) while the contextual factors associated with a healthy diet included the size of the agglomeration of residence and the area of birth and residence (e.g. women living in the West of France were less likely to follow a healthy diet v. those living in the South of France: 0·78 (0·72, 0·83)). We demonstrated that individual and contextual factors are both associated with diet. Rather than focusing only on individual factors, we recommend future studies or public health and nutritional strategies on diet to consider both types of factors.

The impact of socio-economic deprivation on burn injury: A nine-year retrospective study of 6441 patients.

PubMed

Marsden, N J; Battle, C E; Combellack, E J; Sabra, A; Morris, K; Dickson, W A; Whitaker, I S; Evans, P A

2016-03-01

Low socio-economic status is thought to be associated with increased burn risk, however the significance and generalisability across different populations and cultures has been questioned. A nine-year retrospective study of burn presentations to a large teaching hospital (2005-2014) was performed to investigate the association between socio-economic status and burns. Demographic and injury data was collected via the trust 'Information portal'. The Welsh Index of Multiple: Deprivation 2011 was used to score for socio-economic status. Chi-squared test and Odds Ratios were calculated and statistical significance defined as p<0.05 throughout. 6441 burns were identified, with 755 (11.7%) admitted. Overall incidence rates were the highest published in the UK (0.35/1000/year) with sub group analysis showing the highest rates in under fives and males. Significant relationships between both age and burn mechanism and gender and burn mechanism (p=0.0005) were identified. Scald (67.1%) was the most common mechanism with the upper limb (48%) most commonly burned. Chi square analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between socio-economic deprivation, age and burn incidence (p≤0.0005), with a disproportionately high number of burns in patients under the age of 16 in the most deprived quintile (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.06-1.44). This study specifically highlights patients under the age of 16 living in poorer socio-economic areas as the most at risk of suffering burns receiving hospital attention. This study demonstrates burns as a significant public health issue, and the results should aid in designing specific burn prevention strategies to target high-risk groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Maternal life course socio-economic position and offspring body composition at birth in a multi-ethnic population.

PubMed

Sletner, Line; Jenum, Anne Karen; Mørkrid, Kjersti; Vangen, Siri; Holme, Ingar M; Birkeland, Kåre I; Nakstad, Britt

2014-09-01

Size and body composition at birth may affect long-term health. Mean birthweight and body composition differ between ethnic groups living in Europe. We wanted to explore if this relates to differences in socio-economic conditions in country of origin and over the maternal life course. This is a population-based cohort study of healthy pregnant women living in Oslo, Norway. Data on maternal early life and present socio-economic position (SEP) were collected in early gestation, and SEP scores were extracted through two separate principal components analyses. The associations between maternal present SEP and four different offspring anthropometric measures at birth were assessed separately, stratified by maternal early life SEP (dichotomised score) and Human Development Index (HDI, a country-level socio-economic indicator) in the country of origin [high HDI (Reference), n = 287 and low HDI, n = 250]. A strong positive association between maternal present SEP and offspring birthweight was observed if maternal early life SEP was high, but not if maternal early life SEP was low (P < 0.001 for the interaction term). This interactional effect was observed in both HDI groups. Maternal life course SEP affected offspring birthweight mainly through an effect on length and sum of skin folds. Offspring of mothers with origin from low HDI countries had smaller abdominal circumference, possibly indicating less fat-free mass, regardless of maternal life course SEP. Our results suggest that there are transgenerational effects of maternal past socio-economic conditions on offspring size and body composition at birth that modify the associations with present socio-economic factors. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Socio-economic correlates of relapsed patients admitted in a Nigerian mental health institution.

PubMed

Gbiri, Caleb A; Badru, Fatai A; Ladapo, Harry T O; Gbiri, Adefolakemi A

2011-03-01

Relapse in psychiatric disorders is highly distressing, costly and engenders burn-out syndrome among mental-health workers. To study the socio-economic factors associated with relapse in individual admitted with psychiatric disorders and the pattern of socio-economic impact of relapse in those groups. A cross-sectional survey of all relapsed patients without cognitive deficit admitted into the federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria between June and October 2007 was conducted using a self-validated Structured Interview Schedule (Relapse Socio-economic Impact Interview Schedule) and Key Informant Interview Guide. Secondary data were elicited from the patient folders, case notes, ward admission registers and nominal rolls. Data were summarised using mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentiles. Pearson's moment correlation coefficient was used to test the association among variables. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the pre-morbid and the post-morbid states. This study involved 102 respondents. Their mean age was 36.5 ± 9.8 years, mainly of male gender (72.5%) suffering from schizophrenic disorder (37.8%). Relapse and re-admission ranged between 2 and 12. Unemployment rate, marital separation and divorce increased more than 5-fold from pre-morbid to morbid states. Few (4.9%) could still settle their hospital/drug bills on their own, while most (95.1%) depended on family, philanthropist and government/waivers to pay for their bills. Their social relationships were negatively influenced with most of them expressing social isolation and low quality of life. There were significant relationships (P<0.05) between age, sex, number of relapses, number of admissions, pre-morbid marital status, morbid state marital status, pre-morbid state occupational status and morbid state occupational status. There was significant change (P= 0.00) in the quality of life, societal integration/acceptability, economic status, employment status and marital status

Mitigation of negative ecological and socio-economic impacts of the Diama dam on the Senegal River Delta wetland (Mauritania), using a model based decision support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duvail, S.; Hamerlynck, O.

socio-economic data. Hydraulic modelling was developed as a tool to support stakeholder negotiations on the desired characteristics of the managed flood releases. Initially, a water balance model was developed. The data were then integrated into a one-dimensional hydraulic model, MIKE 11 (DHI, 2000). When associated with a Digital Elevation Model and a Geographic Information System, (Arc View), the model provided a dynamic description of floods. Flood extent, water depth and flood duration data were combined with ecological and socio-economic data. The water requirements of the different stakeholders were converted to flood scenarios and the benefits and constraints analysed. A consensus scenario was reached through a participatory process. The volume of flood release required to restore the delta does not affect hydro-power generation, navigation or intensive irrigation, for which the dams in the basin were constructed. Hydraulic modelling provided useful inputs to stakeholder discussions and allows investigation of untested flood scenarios.

The socio-economic effects of tropical diseases in Nigeria.

PubMed

Umeh, J C; Amali, O; Umeh, E U

2004-06-01

Urinary schistosomiasis is the most prevalent of the endemic tropical diseases: 48% of the population is afflicted in the study area. The socio-economic, environmental and health-seeking behavioural characteristics of the population are conducive to the spread of urinary schistosomiasis. The attitudes considered include knowledge of what causes the disease and how to control it, attitude toward the disease, care of oneself, hygiene and sanitation. The effect of such social variables as stigmatisation, and environmental variables such as water source is also considered. We find that a unit increase in the hygiene/sanitation index for adult males and adult females lead to a reduction of about 7.3 and 4.0 eggs S. haematobium in 10 ml urine sample, respectively. Thus, simple hygienic activities such as keeping the immediate environment of the household free from human wastes contribute substantially to disease control. Furthermore, prevalence of the disease is higher among males. Losses from work attributed to urinary schistosomiasis are high. Average values of key socio-economic variables-labour flow for land clearing, farm size and cash income-computed for farm families with high urinary schistosomiasis intensity in the sample are 1085 h, 1.4 ha and N 1,432 (US dollars 65) respectively. The corresponding figures for farm families free from the disease are significantly higher: 1325 h, 1.9 ha and N 3,759 (US dollars 171), respectively.

A global water scarcity assessment under Shared Socio-economic Pathways - Part 1: Water use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanasaki, N.; Fujimori, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Yoshikawa, S.; Masaki, Y.; Hijioka, Y.; Kainuma, M.; Kanamori, Y.; Masui, T.; Takahashi, K.; Kanae, S.

2013-07-01

A novel global water scarcity assessment for the 21st century is presented in a two-part paper. In this first paper, water use scenarios are presented for the latest global hydrological models. The scenarios are compatible with the socio-economic scenarios of the Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSPs), which are a part of the latest set of scenarios on global change developed by the integrated assessment, the IAV (climate change impact, adaptation, and vulnerability assessment), and the climate modeling community. The SSPs depict five global situations based on substantially different socio-economic conditions during the 21st century. Water use scenarios were developed to reflect not only quantitative socio-economic factors, such as population and electricity production, but also key qualitative concepts such as the degree of technological change and overall environmental consciousness. Each scenario consists of five factors: irrigated area, crop intensity, irrigation efficiency, and withdrawal-based potential industrial and municipal water demands. The first three factors are used to estimate the potential irrigation water demand. All factors were developed using simple models based on a literature review and analysis of historical records. The factors are grid-based at a spatial resolution of 0.5° × 0.5° and cover the whole 21st century in five-year intervals. Each factor shows wide variation among the different global situations depicted: the irrigated area in 2085 varies between 2.7 × 106 and 4.5 × 106 km2, withdrawal-based potential industrial water demand between 246 and 1714 km3 yr-1, and municipal water between 573 and 1280 km3 yr-1. The water use scenarios can be used for global water scarcity assessments that identify the regions vulnerable to water scarcity and analyze the timing and magnitude of scarcity conditions.

Multi-temporal analysis of forest fire risk driven by environmental and socio-economic change in the Republic of Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. J.; Lim, C. H.; Kim, G. S.; Lee, W. K.

2017-12-01

Analysis of forest fire risk is important in disaster risk reduction (DRR) since it provides a way to manage forest fires. Climate and socio-economic factors are important in the cause of forest fires, and the role of the socio-economic factors in prevention and preparedness of forest fires is increasing. As most of the forest fires in the Republic of Korea are highly related to human activities, both environmental factors and socio-economic factors were considered into the analysis of forest fire risk. In this study, the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model was used to predict the potential geographical distribution and probability of forest fire occurrence spatially and temporally from 1980s to the 2010s in the Republic of Korea by multi-temporal analysis and analyze the relationship between forest fires and the factors. As a result of the risk analysis, there was an overall increasing trend in forest fire risk from the 1980s to the 2000s, and socio-economic factors were highly correlated with the occurrence of forest fires. The study demonstrates that the socio-economic factors considered as human activities can increase the occurrence of forest fires. The result implies that managing human activities are significant to prevent forest fire occurrence. In addition, timely forest fire prevention and control is necessary as drought index such as Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) also affected forest fires.

Socio-economic inequalities in low-birth weight, full-term babies from singleton pregnancies in Taiwan.

PubMed

Li, C Y; Sung, F C

2008-03-01

This study investigated the chronological trend of low-birth weight in full-term babies (TLBW) in Taiwan in the 1980s and 1990s when the nation experienced a rapid economic advancement, and assessed the association between TLBW and parental education and marital status. Data from liveborn singletons from Taiwan's birth registry, born between 1978 and 1997, were used to calculate overall and socio-economic factor-specific rates of TLBW for every 2-year interval in this 20-year period. Logistic regression models were used to assess the trend of TLBW rates, and the interaction between secular time, selected demographic factors and other predictors. Among 6,159,070 full-term, liveborn singletons, 208,729 were TLBW. The average annual rate of TLBW was 3.39% in the study period. The period-specific TLBW declined monotonically from 4.41% in 1978-1979 to 2.49% in 1996-1997, representing a 43% deduction. Multiple logistic regression demonstrated persistent declining trends irrespective of the educational level or marital status of the parents. However, the decline was slower for populations of lower socio-economic status, such as less-educated parents and unmarried mothers, which enhanced the inequalities of TLBW risk across populations. The TLBW risk ratios of the least-educated mothers to the most-educated mothers increased from 1.43 in 1978-1979 to 2.05 in 1996-1997. Unmarried status was an independent predictor of elevated risk of TLBW. The association between socio-economic inequality and the risk of TLBW infants was sustained over the 1980s and 1990s in Taiwan. Interventions are necessary to promote antenatal care and educational attainment, particularly for lower socio-economic and socially deprived populations in Taiwan.

Analysing Relationships Between Urban Land Use Fragmentation Metrics and Socio-Economic Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sapena, M.; Ruiz, L. A.; Goerlich, F. J.

2016-06-01

Analysing urban regions is essential for their correct monitoring and planning. This is mainly accounted for the sharp increase of people living in urban areas, and consequently, the need to manage them. At the same time there has been a rise in the use of spatial and statistical datasets, such as the Urban Atlas, which offers high-resolution urban land use maps obtained from satellite imagery, and the Urban Audit, which provides statistics of European cities and their surroundings. In this study, we analyse the relations between urban fragmentation metrics derived from Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) data from the Urban Atlas dataset, and socio-economic data from the Urban Audit for the reference years 2006 and 2012. We conducted the analysis on a sample of sixty-eight Functional Urban Areas (FUAs). One-date and two-date based fragmentation indices were computed for each FUA, land use class and date. Correlation tests and principal component analysis were then applied to select the most representative indices. Finally, multiple regression models were tested to explore the prediction of socio-economic variables, using different combinations of land use metrics as explanatory variables, both at a given date and in a dynamic context. The outcomes show that demography, living conditions, labour, and transportation variables have a clear relation with the morphology of the FUAs. This methodology allows us to compare European FUAs in terms of the spatial distribution of the land use classes, their complexity, and their structural changes, as well as to preview and model different growth patterns and socio-economic indicators.

Environmental and socio-economic risk modelling for Chagas disease in Bolivia.

PubMed

Mischler, Paula; Kearney, Michael; McCarroll, Jennifer C; Scholte, Ronaldo G C; Vounatsou, Penelope; Malone, John B

2012-09-01

Accurately defining disease distributions and calculating disease risk is an important step in the control and prevention of diseases. Geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies, with maximum entropy (Maxent) ecological niche modelling computer software, were used to create predictive risk maps for Chagas disease in Bolivia. Prevalence rates were calculated from 2007 to 2009 household infection survey data for Bolivia, while environmental data were compiled from the Worldclim database and MODIS satellite imagery. Socio-economic data were obtained from the Bolivian National Institute of Statistics. Disease models identified altitudes at 500-3,500 m above the mean sea level (MSL), low annual precipitation (45-250 mm), and higher diurnal range of temperature (10-19 °C; peak 16 °C) as compatible with the biological requirements of the insect vectors. Socio-economic analyses demonstrated the importance of improved housing materials and water source. Home adobe wall materials and having to fetch drinking water from rivers or wells without pump were found to be highly related to distribution of the disease by the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) (0.69 AUC, 0.67 AUC and 0.62 AUC, respectively), while areas with hardwood floors demonstrated a direct negative relationship (-0.71 AUC). This study demonstrates that Maxent modelling can be used in disease prevalence and incidence studies to provide governmental agencies with an easily learned, understandable method to define areas as either high, moderate or low risk for the disease. This information may be used in resource planning, targeting and implementation. However, access to high-resolution, sub-municipality socio-economic data (e.g. census tracts) would facilitate elucidation of the relative influence of poverty-related factors on regional disease dynamics.

Neighbourhood deprivation and adolescent self-esteem: Exploration of the ‘socio-economic equalisation in youth’ hypothesis in Britain and Canada

PubMed Central

Fagg, James H.; Curtis, Sarah E.; Cummins, Steven; Stansfeld, Stephen A.; Quesnel-Vallée, Amélie

2013-01-01

Material deprivation is an important determinant of health inequalities in adults but there remains debate about the extent of its importance for adolescent wellbeing. Research has found limited evidence for an association between adolescent health and socio-economic status, leading authors to suggest that there is an ‘equalisation’ of health across socio-economic groups during the adolescent stage of the life-course. This paper explores this ‘equalisation’ hypothesis for adolescent psychological wellbeing from a geographical perspective by investigating associations between neighbourhood deprivation and self-esteem in Britain and Canada. Data from the British Youth Panel (BYP) and the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) on adolescents aged 11–15 for the time period 1994–2004 were used to estimate variations in low self-esteem between neighbourhoods using multilevel logistic regression. Models were extended to estimate associations between self-esteem and neighbourhood deprivation before and after adjustment for individual and family level covariates. Moderation by age, sex, urban/rural status, household income and family structure was investigated. There were no significant differences in self-esteem between the most deprived and most affluent neighbourhoods (Canada unadjusted OR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.76, 1.33; Britain unadjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI 0.74, 2.13). The prevalence of low self-esteem was higher (in Canada) for boys in the least deprived neighbourhoods compared to other neighbourhoods. No other interactions were observed. The results presented here offer some (limited) support for the socio-economic equalisation in youth hypothesis from a geographical perspective: with specific reference to equalisation of the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and self-esteem and psychological health in early adolescence. This contrasts with previous research in the United States but supports related work from Britain. The

Education, socio-economic status and age-related macular degeneration in Asians: the Singapore Malay Eye Study.

PubMed

Cackett, P; Tay, W T; Aung, T; Wang, J J; Shankar, A; Saw, S M; Mitchell, P; Wong, T Y

2008-10-01

Low socio-economic status is increasingly being identified as a risk marker for chronic diseases, but few studies have investigated the link between socio-economic factors and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The present study aimed to assess the association between socio-economic status and the prevalence of AMD. A population-based cross-sectional study of 3280 (78.7% response rate) Malay adults aged 40-80 years residing in 15 south-western districts of Singapore. AMD was graded from retinal photographs at a central reading centre using the modified Wisconsin AMD scale. Early and late AMD signs were graded from retinal photographs following the Wisconsin grading system. Socio-economic status including education, housing type and income were determined from a detailed interview. Of the participants, 3265 had photographs of sufficient quality for grading of AMD. Early AMD was present in 168 (5.1%) and late AMD in 21 (0.6%). After adjusting for age, gender, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and body mass index, participants with lower educational levels were significantly more likely to have early AMD (multivariate OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.0). This association was stronger in persons who had never smoked (multivariate OR 3.6, 95% confidence CI 1.4 to 9.4). However, no association with housing type or income was seen. Low educational level is associated with a higher prevalence of early AMD signs in our Asian population, independent of age, cardiovascular risk factors and cigarette smoking.

Interactions between traditional regional determinants and socio-economic status on dietary patterns in a sample of French men.

PubMed

Perrin, Anne-Elisabeth; Dallongeville, Jean; Ducimetière, Pierre; Ruidavets, Jean-Bernard; Schlienger, Jean-Louis; Arveiler, Dominique; Simon, Chantal

2005-01-01

The aim of the present study was to assess the respective contributions of regional and socio-economic factors to dietary pattern. We used the data from the final MONICA (MONItoring of trends and determinants in Cardiovascular disease) population survey conducted in the three French centres in 1995-7 among a representative sample of 976 men aged 45-64 years. Dietary intake was assessed using a 3-d record method. Dietary patterns were identified by a factor analysis, based on fifteen food items. An analysis of variance was then used to study their relationship with regional and socio-economic determinants. Two major dietary patterns were identified: a 'Western diet', characterized by high intakes of sugar and sweets, grains, butter, added fats, eggs, potatoes and cheese; a 'prudent diet', mainly distinguished by high intakes of fruit, vegetables, olive oil and fish and low intakes of alcohol, high-fat meat and potatoes. Strong associations were mostly observed with the 'prudent diet' pattern, with a significant relationship with region, educational and income-tax levels, leisure-time physical activity and smoking status. There was also a statistically significant interaction between region and educational level (P=0.05), and between region and income-tax level (P=0.03), indicating that the influence of socio-economic factors is different among regions. In conclusion, these results indicate large regional and socio-economic differences in the dietary patterns of this French male population. When considering the 'prudent diet' pattern, they also suggest that traditional regional influences may now be overcome by socio-economic determinants.

Socio-economic factors associated with maternal health-seeking behaviours among women from poor households in rural Egypt.

PubMed

Benova, Lenka; Campbell, Oona M R; Sholkamy, Hania; Ploubidis, George B

2014-11-25

Socio-economic inequalities in basic maternal health interventions exist in Egypt, yet little is known about health-seeking of poor households. This paper assesses levels of maternal health-seeking behaviours in women living in poor households in rural Upper Egypt, and compares these to national averages. Secondly, we construct innovative measures of socio-economic resourcefulness among the rural poor in order to examine the association between the resulting variables and the four dimensions of maternal health-seeking behaviour. We analysed a cross-sectional survey conducted in Assiut and Sohag governorates in 2010-2011 of 2,242 women in households below the poverty line in 65 poorest villages in Egypt. The associations between four latent socio-economic constructs (socio-cultural resourcefulness, economic resourcefulness, dwelling quality and woman's status) and receipt of any antenatal care (ANC), regular ANC (four or more visits), facility delivery and private sector delivery for women's most recent pregnancy in five years preceding survey were assessed using multivariate logistic regression. In the sample, 58.5% of women reported using any ANC and 51.1% facility delivery, lower than national coverage (74.2% and 72.4%, respectively). The proportion of ANC users receiving regular ANC was lower (67%) than nationally (91%). Among women delivering in facilities, 18% of women in the poor Upper Egypt sample used private providers (63% nationally). In multivariate analysis, higher economic resourcefulness was associated with higher odds of receiving ANC but with lower odds of facility delivery. Socio-cultural resourcefulness was positively associated with receiving any ANC, regular ANC and facility delivery, whereas it was not associated with private delivery care. Dwelling quality was positively associated with private delivery facility use. Woman's status was not independently associated with any of the four behaviours. Coverage of basic maternal health interventions

Health inequities: lower socio-economic conditions and higher incidences of intestinal parasites

PubMed Central

Östan, İpek; Kilimcioğlu, Ali A; Girginkardeşler, Nogay; Özyurt, Beyhan C; Limoncu, M Emin; Ok, Ülgen Z

2007-01-01

Background Intestinal parasitic infections affect child health and development and slow down growth, while reducing adults' productivity and work capacity. The aim of the present study was to determine and compare the incidences of intestinal parasitic infections and the socio-economic status of two near primary school children in Manisa, a western city of Turkey. Methods A total of 352 children were involved a questionnaire study from a private school (Ülkem Primary School – ÜPS, 116 children) and a community-based school (Şehzadeler Primary School – ŞPS, 236 children). Of these, stool samples could be obtained from a total of 294 students; 97 (83.6%) from ÜPS, and 197 (83.5%) from ŞPS. The wet mount preparations of the stool samples were examined; samples were also fixed in polyvinyl alcohol and examined with modified formalin ethyl acetate sedimentation and trichrome staining techniques. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 10.0. The chi-squared test was used for the analytic assessment. Results The percentages of the students found to be infected with intestinal parasites, were 78 (39.6%) and 13 (13.4%) in ŞPS and ÜPS, respectively. Totally 91 (31.0%) of the students from both schools were found to be infected with at least one intestinal parasite. Giardia lamblia was found to be the most common pathogenic intestinal parasite and Blastocystis hominis was prevalent independently from the hygienic conditions. The factors which significantly (p < 0.05) increase the incidence of intestinal parasites were uneducated and unemployed mother, lower social status of father, living in crowded houses with insufficient indoor spaces, using the tap water as drinking water, and living at shanty areas. Conclusion Intestinal parasitic infections in school children were found to be a public health problem that increased due to lower socio-economic conditions. We conclude that organization of education seminars including the topics such as prevention of

Supermarket and fast-food outlet exposure in Copenhagen: associations with socio-economic and demographic characteristics.

PubMed

Svastisalee, Chalida M; Nordahl, Helene; Glümer, Charlotte; Holstein, Bjørn E; Powell, Lisa M; Due, Pernille

2011-09-01

To investigate whether exposure to fast-food outlets and supermarkets is socio-economically patterned in the city of Copenhagen. The study was based on a cross-sectional multivariate approach to examine the association between the number of fast-food outlets and supermarkets and neighbourhood-level socio-economic indicators. Food business addresses were obtained from commercial and public business locators and geocoded using a geographic information system for all neighbourhoods in the city of Copenhagen (n 400). The regression of counts of fast-food outlets and supermarkets v. indicators of socio-economic status (percentage of recent immigrants, percentage without a high-school diploma, percentage of the population under 35 years of age and average household income in Euros) was performed using negative binomial analysis. Copenhagen, Denmark. The unit of analysis was neighbourhood (n 400). In the fully adjusted models, income was not a significant predictor for supermarket exposure. However, neighbourhoods with low and mid-low income were associated with significantly fewer fast-food outlets. Using backwise deletion from the fully adjusted models, low income remained significantly associated with fast-food outlet exposure (rate ratio = 0·66-0·80) in the final model. In the city of Copenhagen, there was no evidence of spatial patterning of supermarkets by income. However, we detected a trend in the exposure to fast-food outlets, such that neighbourhoods in the lowest income quartile had fewer fast-food outlets than higher-income neighbourhoods. These findings have similarities with studies conducted in the UK, but not in the USA. The results suggest there may be socio-economic factors other than income associated with food exposure in Europe.

Climate impacts on agricultural land use in the USA: the role of socio-economic scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mu, Jianhong E.; Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Abatzoglou, John T.; Antle, John M.

2017-01-01

We examine the impacts of climate on net returns from crop and livestock production and the resulting impact on land-use change across the contiguous USA. We first estimate an econometric model to project effects of weather fluctuations on crop and livestock net returns and then use a semi-reduced form land-use share model to study agricultural land-use changes under future climate and socio-economic scenarios. Estimation results show that crop net returns are more sensitive to thermal and less sensitive to moisture variability than livestock net returns; other agricultural land uses substitute cropland use when 30-year averaged degree-days or precipitation are not beneficial for crop production. Under future climate and socio-economic scenarios, we project that crop and livestock net returns are both increasing, but with crop net returns increasing at a higher rate; cropland increases with declines of marginal and pastureland by the end of the twenty-first century. Projections also show that impacts of future climate on agricultural land uses are substantially different and a larger variation of land-use change is evident when socio-economic scenarios are incorporated into the climate impact analysis.

The influence of socio-economic status on adolescent attitude to social noise and hearing protection.

PubMed

Widén, S E Olsen; Erlandsson, S I

2004-01-01

The focus of the present study, of 1285 adolescents, was young people's attitudes towards noise and their use of hearing protection at discos and pop concerts. Comparisons were made between adolescents from different age groups, and with different socio-economic status. Logistic regressions indicated that "worry before attending noisy activities" and "hearing symptoms" such as tinnitus and noise sensitivity could, to some degree, explain the use of hearing protection in noisy environments. Another conclusion to be drawn from this study was that adolescents' attitudes and behaviours regarding hearing protection use differed between levels of socio-economic status. Individuals with high SES expressed more negative attitudes and used ear protection to a greater extent than those with lower SES. This result might indicate differences in the development of future auditory problems among individuals with different levels of socio-economic status. The cause of hearing impairment and tinnitus may not be restricted merely to noise exposure. Psychological aspects, such as attitudes towards noisy environments and the individual's behaviour regarding the use of hearing protection may be considered as important factors in the understanding of why the prevalence of hearing related problems has increased among adolescents.

Investigating the Visual-Motor Integration Skills of 60-72-Month-Old Children at High and Low Socio-Economic Status as Regard the Age Factor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ercan, Zülfiye Gül; Ahmetoglu, Emine; Aral, Neriman

2011-01-01

This study aims to define whether age creates any differences in the visual-motor integration skills of 60-72 months old children at low and high socio-economic status. The study was conducted on a total of 148 children consisting of 78 children representing low socio-economic status and 70 children representing high socio-economic status in the…

Differences in the socio-economic distribution of inflammatory bowel disease and microscopic colitis.

PubMed

Sonnenberg, A; Turner, K O; Genta, R M

2017-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and microscopic colitis are characterized by different geographical distributions across the USA. In this cross-sectional study we utilized demographic and socio-economic information associated with individual ZIP codes to further delineate the epidemiological characteristics of the two diseases. A total of 813 057 patients who underwent colonoscopy between 2008 and 2014 were extracted from an electronic database of histopathology reports. The prevalence of patients with IBD or microscopic colitis was expressed as percentage of the population associated with specific demographic (age, sex, ethnicity) and socio-economic characteristics (population size, housing value, annual income, tertiary education). Both diseases were more common among subjects from ZIP codes with predominantly White residents and less common among subjects from ZIP codes with predominantly non-White residents such as Black, Hispanic and Asian. These ethnic variations were more pronounced in microscopic colitis than IBD. Markers of affluence, such as average residential house value and annual income, were positively associated with IBD and negatively with microscopic colitis. The prevalence of both diseases was positively correlated with tertiary education. The occurrence of both IBD and microscopic colitis is influenced by environmental risk factors. The differences in the demographic, ethnic and socio-economic distributions of the two diseases suggest that different sets of risk factors affect the two diseases and that their aetiology is unrelated. Published [2016]. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Socio-Economic and Cultural Determinants of Human African Trypanosomiasis at the Kenya – Uganda Transboundary

PubMed Central

Rutto, Jane Jemeli; Osano, Odipo; Thuranira, Elias Gitonga; Kurgat, Richard Kiptum; Odenyo, Victor Agab Omondi

2013-01-01

Background Kenya and Uganda have reported different Human African Trypanosomiasis incidences in the past more than three decades, with the latter recording more cases. This cross-sectional study assessed the demographic characteristics, tsetse and trypanosomiasis control practices, socio-economic and cultural risk factors influencing Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (T.b.r.) infection in Teso and Busia Districts, Western Kenya and Tororo and Busia Districts, Southeast Uganda. A conceptual framework was postulated to explain interactions of various socio-economic, cultural and tsetse control factors that predispose individuals and populations to HAT. Methods A cross-sectional household survey was conducted between April and October 2008. Four administrative districts reporting T.b.r and lying adjacent to each other at the international boundary of Kenya and Uganda were purposely selected. Household data collection was carried out in two villages that had experienced HAT and one other village that had no reported HAT case from 1977 to 2008 in each district. A structured questionnaire was administered to 384 randomly selected household heads or their representatives in each country. The percent of respondents giving a specific answer was reported. Secondary data was also obtained on socio-economic and political issues in both countries. Results Inadequate knowledge on the disease cycle and intervention measures contributed considerable barriers to HAT, and more so in Uganda than in Kenya. Gender-associated socio-cultural practices greatly predisposed individuals to HAT. Pesticides-based crop husbandry in the 1970's reportedly reduced vector population while vegetation of coffee and banana's and livestock husbandry directly increased occurrence of HAT. Livestock husbandry practices in the villages were strong predictors of HAT incidence. The residents in Kenya (6.7%) applied chemoprophylaxis and chemotherapeutic controls against trypanosomiasis to a larger extent than

Comparison between DMSP-OLS and S-NPP Day-Night Band in Correlating with Regional Socio-economic Variables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, X.; Shao, X.; Cao, C.; Fu, X.

2013-12-01

Night-time light imagery offers a unique view of the Earth's surface. In the past, the nighttime light data collected by the DMSP-OLS sensors have been used as efficient means to correlate with the global socio-economic activities. With the launch of Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) satellite in October 2011, the Day Night Band (DNB) of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard S-NPP represents a major advancement in night time imaging capabilities because it surpassed its predecessor DMSP-OLS in radiometric accuracy, spatial resolution, and geometric quality. In this paper, we compared the performance of DNB image and DMSP image in correlating regional socio-economic activities and analyzed the leading causes for the differences. The correlation coefficients between the socio-economic variables such as population, regional GDP etc. and the characteristic variables derived from the night time light images of DNB and DMSP at provincial level in China were computed as performance metrics for comparison. In general, the correlation between DNB data and socio-economic data is better than that of DMSP data. To explain the difference in the correlation, we further analyzed the effects of several factors such as radiometric saturation and quantization of DMSP data, low spatial resolution, different data acquisition times between DNB and DMSP images, and difference in the transformation used in converting digital number (DN) value to radiance.

Prevention measures and socio-economic development result in a decrease in malaria in Hainan, China.

PubMed

Wang, Shan-Qing; Li, Yu-Chun; Zhang, Zhi-Ming; Wang, Guang-Ze; Hu, Xi-Min; Qualls, Whitney A; Xue, Rui-De

2014-09-15

Historically, the incidence of malaria in the Hainan Province, China has been high. However, since 2001 the malaria incidence in Hainan has decreased due to large-scale, public educational, promotional campaigns and the adoption of preventative measures against malaria following the fast growth of socio-economic development. The present study analysed the correlation between prevention measures and social economic development on the incidence of malaria in Hainan from 2001 to 2013. The data of malaria preventative measures and socio-economic development were collected from various cities and counties in Hainan Province from 2001 to 2013 and analysed by the grey correlation analysis system. Seasonal preventive medication and local fiscal revenue increases are significantly related to the reduction of malaria incidence from 2001 to 2013 (R1 = 0.751677; R5 = 0.764795). Malaria prevention and control measures and local economic development in Hainan decreased malaria incidence from 2001 to 2013.

A Systematic Scoping Study of the Socio-Economic Impact of Rift Valley Fever: Research Gaps and Needs.

PubMed

Peyre, M; Chevalier, V; Abdo-Salem, S; Velthuis, A; Antoine-Moussiaux, N; Thiry, E; Roger, F

2015-08-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a severe mosquito-borne disease affecting humans and domestic ruminants. RVF virus has been reported in most African countries, as well as in the Arabic Peninsula. This paper reviews the different types of socio-economic impact induced by RVF disease and the attempts to evaluate them. Of the 52 papers selected for this review, 13 types of socio-economic impact were identified according to the sector impacted, the level and temporal scale of the impact. RVF has a dramatic impact on producers and livestock industries, affecting public and animal health, food security and the livelihood of the pastoralist communities. RVF also has an impact on international trade and other agro-industries. The risk of introducing RVF into disease-free countries via the importation of an infected animal or mosquito is real, and the consequent restriction of access to export markets may induce dramatic economic consequences for national and local economies. Despite the important threat of RVF, few studies have been conducted to assess the socio-economic impact of the disease. The 17 studies identified for quantitative analysis in this review relied only on partial cost analysis, with limited reference to mid- and long-term impact, public health or risk mitigation measures. However, the estimated impacts were high (ranging from $5 to $470 million USD losses). To reduce the impact of RVF, early detection and rapid response should be implemented. Comprehensive disease impact studies are required to provide decision-makers with science-based information on the best intervention measure to implement ensuring efficient resource allocation. Through the analysis of RVF socio-economic impact, this scoping study proposes insights into the mechanisms underpinning its often-underestimated importance. This study highlights the need for comparative socio-economic studies to help decision-makers with their choices related to RVF disease management. © 2014 The Authors

What is the impact of socio-economic inequalities on the use of mental health services?

PubMed

Amaddeo, Francesco; Jones, Julia

2007-01-01

Amartya Sen, who received the Nobel Prize for Economics, has demonstrated that the incidence of deprivation, in terms of capability, can be surprisingly high even in the most developed countries of the world. The study of socio-economic inequalities, in relation to the utilisation of health services, is a priority for epidemiological research. Socio-economic status (SES) has no universal definition. Within the international research literature, SES has been related to social class, social position, occupational status, educational attainment, income, wealth and standard of living. Existing research studies have shown that people from a more deprived social background, with a lower SES, are more likely to have a higher psychiatric morbidity. Many studies show that SES influences psychiatric services utilization, however the real factors linking SES and mental health services utilisation remain unclear. In this editorial we discuss what is currently known about the relationship between SES and the use of mental health services. We also make an argument for why we believe there is still much to uncover in this field, to understand fully how individuals are influenced by their personal socio-economic status, or the neighbourhood in which they live, in terms of their use of mental health services. Further research in this area will help clarify what interventions are required to provide greater equality in access to mental health services.

Socio-economics effect of the use of space distribution in the coastal of Kampung Nelayan Belawan Medan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O. Y Marpaung, Beny; Widyasari, Mutiara

2018-03-01

Kampung Nelayan Belawan Medan is one of the unplanned settlements located in the coastal area. The social life of society such as livelihood, activity, and behavior can be said still traditional. It is also supported by the lack of public facilities in this area. In addition, the economic life of people in this region is far below standard. This is seen from the low-income people, so it can affect the use of space in coastal areas. This study aims to examine and find socio economic impacts on communities on the distribution of land use and dissemination of activities in coastal areas. This research uses quantitative and qualitative descriptive method. Researchers collected data by observation and distributed questionnaires. Then, the researchers relate the theory of the interpreted data. This study finds the social and economic situation and its effect on the distribution of space usage in Kampung Nelayan Belawan Medan.

Socio-economic status and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among Chinese women.

PubMed

Song, L; Shen, L; Li, H; Liu, B; Zheng, X; Zhang, L; Xu, S; Wang, Y

2017-10-01

The relationship between socio-economic status and gestational diabetes mellitus has received little attention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between socio-economic status and risk of gestational diabetes. Data were obtained from the ongoing Healthy Baby Cohort study in Hubei Province, China, in 2012-2014. Information on educational level and household income was collected using standard questionnaires during face-to-face interviews. Gestational diabetes was defined based on the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group's criteria. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for gestational diabetes in relation to socio-economic status. Among 6886 participants, 1005 (14.6%) pregnant women were diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Higher educational level was inversely associated with risk of gestational diabetes (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.58, 0.95 for high school and OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50, 0.76 for college or above). After adjustment for potential confounders, the ORs for gestational diabetes were 0.77 (95% CI, 0.59, 1.00) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.51, 0.83) for women with high school and college or above education, respectively, compared with women with less than high school education. No significant association between household income and gestational diabetes was observed after adjustment for potential confounders. Subgroup analysis showed that the reduced risk of gestational diabetes with higher educational level was more evident among women with a pre-pregnancy BMI < 24 kg/m 2 (P for interaction = 0.022). Our findings suggested that educational level was a more robust predictor of gestational diabetes than household income among Chinese women. © 2017 Diabetes UK.

The Potential of Solar as Alternative Energy Source for Socio-Economic Wellbeing in Rural Areas, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Rashidah Zainal; Siwar, Chamhuri; Ludin, Norasikin Ahmad

Malaysia's energy sector is highly dependent on fossil fuels as a primary energy source. Economic growth and socio-economic wellbeing also rely on the utilization of energy in daily life routine. Nevertheless, the increasing cost for electricity and declining fossil fuels resources causes various negative impacts to the people and environment especially in rural areas. This prompted Malaysia to shift towards alternative energy sources such as solar energy to ensure social, economic and environmental benefits. The solar energy is one of the potential renewable energy sources in tropical countries particularly in Malaysia. The paper attempts to analyze the benefits and advantages related to energy efficiency of solar for sustainable energy use and socio economic wellbeing in rural areas, Malaysia. The paper uses secondary sources of data such as policies, regulations and research reports from relevant ministries and agencies to attain the objectives. As a signatory country to the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, Malaysia has taken initiatives for decreasing energy dependence on oil to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) for sustainable development. The paper shows solar energy becomes one of the promising alternative energy sources to alleviate energy poverty in Malaysia for rural areas. Finally, solar energy has increased socio-economic wellbeing and develops green potential and toward achieving energy efficiency in energy sector of Malaysia by preserving environment as well as reducing carbon emission.

Students' Choice of Post-Compulsory Science: In Search of Schools that Compensate for the Socio-Economic Background of Their Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderhag, Per; Emanuelsson, Patrik; Wickman, Per-Olof; Hamza, Karim Mikael

2013-01-01

It is commonly argued that socio-economic inequalities can explain many of the differences in achievement and participation in science education that have been reported among countries and among schools within a country. We addressed this issue by examining (a) the relationship between variables associated with socio-economic background and…

Future Discounting in Congo Basin Hunter-Gatherers Declines with Socio-Economic Transitions.

PubMed

Salali, Gul Deniz; Migliano, Andrea Bamberg

2015-01-01

Humans have a tendency to discount the future; that is we value small, short-term rewards over larger, long-term rewards. The degree of future discounting, however, changes in response to socio-ecological factors. Here, we study Mbendjele BaYaka hunter-gatherers of northern Congo and their farmer neighbours to investigate adaptations in inter-temporal preferences in humans. We argue that in immediate-return systems, where food storage is absent and egalitarianism is enforced through levelling mechanisms, future discounting is an adaptive strategy to prevent wealth accumulation and the emergence of hierarchies. This ensures food sharing and allows for survival in unpredictable environments where there is risk of an energy shortfall. On the other hand, when food storage is made possible by the emergence of agriculture or as seen in some delayed-return hunter-gatherer populations, wealth accumulation, hierarchies and lower discount rates become the adaptive strategy. Therefore, individuals in immediate-return, egalitarian societies will discount the future more than those in non-egalitarian, delayed-return societies. Consistent with the predictions we found that market integration and socio-economic transitions decrease the future discounting in Mbendjele hunter-gatherers. Our measures of socio-economic differences marked this transition in hunter-gatherers living in a logging town. The degree of future-discounting was the same between more market-integrated hunter-gatherers and their farmer neighbours.

Rich do not rise early: spatio-temporal patterns in the mobility networks of different socio-economic classes

PubMed Central

Hurtado, Rafael G.; Floría, Luis Mario

2016-01-01

We analyse the urban mobility in the cities of Medellín and Manizales (Colombia). Each city is represented by six mobility networks, each one encoding the origin-destination trips performed by a subset of the population corresponding to a particular socio-economic status. The nodes of each network are the different urban locations whereas links account for the existence of a trip between two different areas of the city. We study the main structural properties of these mobility networks by focusing on their spatio-temporal patterns. Our goal is to relate these patterns with the partition into six socio-economic compartments of these two societies. Our results show that spatial and temporal patterns vary across these socio-economic groups. In particular, the two datasets show that as wealth increases the early-morning activity is delayed, the midday peak becomes smoother and the spatial distribution of trips becomes more localized. PMID:27853531

Onset of disability and life satisfaction: evidence from the German Socio-Economic Panel.

PubMed

Pagán-Rodríguez, Ricardo

2010-10-01

This paper analyses the effect of the onset of disability on the well-being of individuals. In particular, we are interested in studying whether people can adapt to disability over time after its onset. Using longitudinal data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP) for the period 1984-2006, we estimate life satisfaction equations using a fixed-effects model for working-age males (aged 21-58). The results show that disability has a significant negative effect on life satisfaction, but, in time, hedonic adaptation will return disabled males to life satisfaction levels registered by those who have not become disabled. These findings contribute to supporting the idea within psychology literature that individuals bounce back from painful events or adversities (such as the onset of disability) to achieve initial life satisfaction scores.

Snakebite and Its Socio-Economic Impact on the Rural Population of Tamil Nadu, India

PubMed Central

Vaiyapuri, Sakthivel; Vaiyapuri, Rajendran; Ashokan, Rajesh; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan; Nattamaisundar, Kameshwaran; Jeyaraj, Anburaj; Chandran, Viswanathan; Gajjeraman, Prabu; Baksh, M. Fazil; Gibbins, Jonathan M.; Hutchinson, E. Gail

2013-01-01

Background Snakebite represents a significant health issue worldwide, affecting several million people each year with as many as 95,000 deaths. India is considered to be the country most affected, but much remains unknown about snakebite incidence in this country, its socio-economic impact and how snakebite management could be improved. Methods/Principal Findings We conducted a study within rural villages in Tamil Nadu, India, which combines a household survey (28,494 people) of snakebite incidence with a more detailed survey of victims in order to understand the health and socio-economic effects of the bite, the treatments obtained and their views about future improvements. Our survey suggests that snakebite incidence is higher than previously reported. 3.9% of those surveyed had suffered from snakebite and the number of deaths corresponds to 0.45% of the population. The socio-economic impact of this is very considerable in terms of the treatment costs and the long-term effects on the health and ability of survivors to work. To reduce this, the victims recommended improvements to the accessibility and affordability of antivenom treatment. Conclusions Snakebite has a considerable and disproportionate impact on rural populations, particularly in South Asia. This study provides an incentive for researchers and the public to work together to reduce the incidence and improve the outcomes for snake bite victims and their families. PMID:24278244

Understanding socio-economic impacts of geohazards aided by cyber-enabled systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, C. D.; Webersik, C.

2008-12-01

Due to an increase in the volume of geohazards worldwide, not only are impoverished regions in less developed countries such as Haiti, vulnerable to risk but also low income regions in industrialized countries, e.g. USA, as well. This has been exemplified once again by Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike and the impact on the Caribbean countries during the summer of 2008. To date, extensive research has been conducted to improve the monitoring of human-nature coupled systems. However, there is little emphasis on improving and developing methodologies to a) interpret multi-dimensional and complex data and b) validate prediction and modeling results. This presentation tries to motivate more research initiatives to address the aforementioned issues, bringing together two academic disciplines, earth and social sciences, to research the relationship between natural and socio-economic processes. Results are presented where cyber-enabled methods based on artificial intelligence are applied to different geohazards and regions in the world. They include 1) modeling of public health risks associated with volcanic gas hazards, 2) prediction and validation of potential areas of mining-triggered earthquakes, and 3) modeling of socio-economic risks associated with tropical storms in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Mass media campaign improves cervical screening across all socio-economic groups.

PubMed

Anderson, Jenny O; Mullins, Robyn M; Siahpush, Mohammad; Spittal, Matthew J; Wakefield, Melanie

2009-10-01

Low socio-economic status (SES) has been associated with lower cervical screening rates. Mass media is one known strategy that can increase cervical screening participation. This study sought to determine whether a mass media campaign conducted in Victoria, Australia, in 2005 was effective in encouraging women across all SES groups to screen. Data were obtained from the Victorian Cervical Cytology Registry for each Pap test registered during 2005 and categorized into SES quintiles using the Index of Socio-Economic Advantage/Disadvantage. Negative binomial regression was used to determine the impact of the campaign on the weekly number of Pap tests and whether the media campaign had a differential effect by SES, after adjusting for the number of workdays per week, age group and time since previous test. Cervical screening increased 27% during the campaign period and was equally effective in encouraging screening across all SES groups, including low-SES women. Mass media campaigns can prompt increased rates of cervical screening among all women, not just those from more advantaged areas. Combining media with additional strategies targeted at low-SES women may help lessen the underlying differences in screening rates across SES.

Water scarcity under various socio-economic pathways and its potential effects on food production in the Yellow River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Yuanyuan; Tang, Qiuhong; Liu, Xingcai; Zhang, Xuejun

2017-02-01

Increasing population and socio-economic development have put great pressure on water resources of the Yellow River (YR) basin. The anticipated climate and socio-economic changes may further increase water stress. Many studies have investigated the changes in renewable water resources under various climate change scenarios, but few have considered the joint pressure from both climate change and socio-economic development. In this study, we assess water scarcity under various socio-economic pathways with emphasis on the impact of water scarcity on food production. The water demands in the 21st century are estimated based on the newly developed shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) and renewable water supply is estimated using the climate projections under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. The assessment predicts that the renewable water resources would decrease slightly then increase. The domestic and industrial water withdrawals are projected to increase in the next a few decades and then remain at the high level or decrease slightly during the 21st century. The increase in water withdrawals will put the middle and lower reaches in a condition of severe water scarcity beginning in the next a few decades. If 40 % of the renewable water resources were used to sustain ecosystems, a portion of irrigated land would have to be converted to rain-fed agriculture, which would lead to a 2-11 % reduction in food production. This study highlights the links between water, food and ecosystems in a changing environment and suggests that trade-offs should be considered when developing regional adaptation strategies.

Food shopping transition: socio-economic characteristics and motivations associated with use of supermarkets in a North African urban environment.

PubMed

Tessier, Sophie; Traissac, Pierre; Bricas, Nicolas; Maire, Bernard; Eymard-Duvernay, Sabrina; El Ati, Jalila; Delpeuch, Francis

2010-09-01

In the context of the nutrition transition and associated changes in the food retail sector, to examine the socio-economic characteristics and motivations of shoppers using different retail formats (large supermarkets (LSM), medium-sized supermarkets (MSM) or traditional outlets) in Tunisia. Cross-sectional survey (2006). Socio-economic status, type of food retailer and motivations data were collected during house visits. Associations between socio-economic factors and type of retailer were assessed by multinomial regression; correspondence analysis was used to analyse declared motivations. Peri-urban area around Tunis, Tunisia, North Africa. Clustered random sample of 724 households. One-third of the households used LSM, two-thirds used either type of supermarket, but less than 5 % used supermarkets only. Those who shopped for food at supermarkets were of higher socio-economic status; those who used LSM were much wealthier, more often had a steady income or owned a credit card, while MSM users were more urban and had a higher level of education. Most households still frequently used traditional outlets, mostly their neighbourhood grocer. Reasons given for shopping at the different retailers were most markedly leisure for LSM, while for the neighbourhood grocer the reasons were fidelity, proximity and availability of credit (the latter even more for lower-income customers). The results pertain to the transition in food shopping practices in a south Mediterranean country; they should be considered in the context of growing inequalities in health linked to the nutritional transition, as they differentiate use and motivations for the choice of supermarkets v. traditional food retailers according to socio-economic status.

Association between individual-level and community-level socio-economic status and blood pressure among Inuit in Greenland.

PubMed

Riva, Mylène; Larsen, Christina Viskum Lytken; Bjerregaard, Peter

2016-01-01

Despite abundant evidence that socio-economic status (SES) is a fundamental determinant of health, there is a dearth of research examining association between SES, measured at the individual and community levels, and cardiovascular risk factors and morbidity among indigenous populations. To examine the influence of individual-level and community-level SES on systolic and diastolic blood pressure among Greenlandic Inuit. Multilevel analysis of cross-sectional data from the Inuit Health in Transition - Greenland Survey, to which 3,108 Greenlandic Inuit aged 18 years and older participated. Blood pressure is measured using an automatic device, according to standardized protocol. Individual SES is measured by education. Community socio-economic conditions are measured using combined information on average disposable household income and settlement type. Education was not significantly associated with blood pressure. There was an inverse U-shape association between community socio-economic conditions and blood pressure with significantly lower SBP and DBP among participants living in remote traditional villages characterized by lower average disposable household income and in affluent more urbanized towns. Sex-stratified analyses demonstrate the salience of community conditions for men. The association observed between blood pressure and community-level socio-economic conditions suggests that public health and social policies, programmes and interventions aiming to improve living conditions might improve cardiovascular health in Greenland. Studies are required to further examine social gradients in cardiovascular risk factors and morbidity among indigenous populations using different measures of SES.

The digital traces of bubbles: feedback cycles between socio-economic signals in the Bitcoin economy.

PubMed

Garcia, David; Tessone, Claudio J; Mavrodiev, Pavlin; Perony, Nicolas

2014-10-06

What is the role of social interactions in the creation of price bubbles? Answering this question requires obtaining collective behavioural traces generated by the activity of a large number of actors. Digital currencies offer a unique possibility to measure socio-economic signals from such digital traces. Here, we focus on Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has experienced periods of rapid increase in exchange rates (price) followed by sharp decline; we hypothesize that these fluctuations are largely driven by the interplay between different social phenomena. We thus quantify four socio-economic signals about Bitcoin from large datasets: price on online exchanges, volume of word-of-mouth communication in online social media, volume of information search and user base growth. By using vector autoregression, we identify two positive feedback loops that lead to price bubbles in the absence of exogenous stimuli: one driven by word of mouth, and the other by new Bitcoin adopters. We also observe that spikes in information search, presumably linked to external events, precede drastic price declines. Understanding the interplay between the socio-economic signals we measured can lead to applications beyond cryptocurrencies to other phenomena that leave digital footprints, such as online social network usage. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The digital traces of bubbles: feedback cycles between socio-economic signals in the Bitcoin economy

PubMed Central

Garcia, David; Tessone, Claudio J.; Mavrodiev, Pavlin; Perony, Nicolas

2014-01-01

What is the role of social interactions in the creation of price bubbles? Answering this question requires obtaining collective behavioural traces generated by the activity of a large number of actors. Digital currencies offer a unique possibility to measure socio-economic signals from such digital traces. Here, we focus on Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency. Bitcoin has experienced periods of rapid increase in exchange rates (price) followed by sharp decline; we hypothesize that these fluctuations are largely driven by the interplay between different social phenomena. We thus quantify four socio-economic signals about Bitcoin from large datasets: price on online exchanges, volume of word-of-mouth communication in online social media, volume of information search and user base growth. By using vector autoregression, we identify two positive feedback loops that lead to price bubbles in the absence of exogenous stimuli: one driven by word of mouth, and the other by new Bitcoin adopters. We also observe that spikes in information search, presumably linked to external events, precede drastic price declines. Understanding the interplay between the socio-economic signals we measured can lead to applications beyond cryptocurrencies to other phenomena that leave digital footprints, such as online social network usage. PMID:25100315

Why is a "Good Abortion Law" Not Enough? The Case of Estonia.

PubMed

Oja, Liiri

2017-06-01

There are various ways to critically discuss abortion. Constructing or finding the most suitable analytical framework-whether rooted in legal formalism, socio-legal considerations, or comparativism-always depends on the country of subject and whether the analysis is for litigation, advocacy, or more theoretical purposes. This paper offers a model for analyzing abortion in Estonia in order to connect it as a thought-provoking case study to the ongoing transnational abortion discussions. I set out by describing the Estonian Abortion Act as a "good abortion law": a regulation that guarantees in practice women's legal access to safe abortion. Despite this functioning law, I carve a space for criticism by expanding the conversation to the broader power relations and gender dynamics present in Estonian society. Accordingly, I explain the state of the Estonian feminist movement and gender research, the local legal community's minimal engagement with the reproductive rights discourse, and the lingering Soviet-era narratives of reproduction and health, which were not fully extinguished by the combination of human rights commitments and neoliberalism upon restoration of independence in the early 1990s. I consequently show that Estonia's liberal abortion regulation is not grounded in a sufficiently deep understanding of human rights-based approaches to reproductive health, therefore leaving the door open for micro-aggressions toward women and for conservative political winds to gain ground.

Exacerbated vulnerability of coupled socio-economic risk in complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xin; Feng, Ling; Berman, Yonatan; Hu, Ning; Stanley, H. Eugene

2016-10-01

The study of risk contagion in economic networks has most often focused on the financial liquidities of institutions and assets. In practice the agents in a network affect each other through social contagion, i.e., through herd behavior and the tendency to follow leaders. We study the coupled risk between social and economic contagion and find it significantly more severe than when economic risk is considered alone. Using the empirical network from the China venture capital market we find that the system exhibits an extreme risk of abrupt phase transition and large-scale damage, which is in clear contrast to the smooth phase transition traditionally observed in economic contagion alone. We also find that network structure impacts market resilience and that the randomization of the social network of the market participants can reduce system fragility when there is herd behavior. Our work indicates that under coupled contagion mechanisms network resilience can exhibit a fundamentally different behavior, i.e., an abrupt transition. It also reveals the extreme risk when a system has coupled socio-economic risks, and this could be of interest to both policy makers and market practitioners.

Elementary Students' Scientific Epistemological Beliefs in Relation to Socio-Economic Status and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozkal, Kudret; Tekkaya, Ceren; Sungur, Semra; Cakiroglu, Jale; Cakiroglu, Erdinc

2010-01-01

This study investigated students' scientific epistemological beliefs in relation to socio-economic status (SES) and gender. Data were obtained from 1,152 eight grade Turkish elementary school students using Scientific Epistemological Beliefs instrument. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that students with a working mother and educated…

The Relationship between Parental Literacy Involvement, Socio-Economic Status and Reading Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemmerechts, Kenneth; Agirdag, Orhan; Kavadias, Dimokritos

2017-01-01

In this article, we explore the relationship between parental literacy activities with the child, socio-economic status (SES) and reading literacy. We draw upon the Bourdieusian theory of habitus development to explore this relationship. Multilevel analyses of a survey of 43,870 pupils (with an average age of 10 years) in 10 Western European…

Enhancing forest carbon sequestration in China: toward an integration of scientific and socio-economic perspectives.

PubMed

Chen, J M; Thomas, S C; Yin, Y; Maclaren, V; Liu, J; Pan, J; Liu, G; Tian, Q; Zhu, Q; Pan, J-J; Shi, X; Xue, J; Kang, E

2007-11-01

This article serves as an introduction to this special issue, "China's Forest Carbon Sequestration", representing major results of a project sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. China occupies a pivotal position globally as a principle emitter of carbon dioxide, as host to some of the world's largest reforestation efforts, and as a key player in international negotiations aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emission. The goals of this project are to develop remote sensing approaches for quantifying forest carbon balance in China in a transparent manner, and information and tools to support land-use decisions for enhanced carbon sequestration (CS) that are science based and economically and socially viable. The project consists of three components: (i) remote sensing and carbon modeling, (ii) forest and soil assessment, and (iii) integrated assessment of the socio-economic implications of CS via forest management. Articles included in this special issue are highlights of the results of each of these components.

Do socio-economic factors influence supermarket content and shoppers' purchases?

PubMed

Vinkeles Melchers, Natalie V S; Gomez, Maria; Colagiuri, Ruth

2009-12-01

Obesity is at crisis proportions. Individuals of low socio-economic status (SES) are more likely to consume higher energy dense diets than their high socio-economic status counterparts. The contribution of supermarket purchases of energy dense, nutrient poor foods has not been well-researched and has largely depended on unverified self-report. We estimated the proportion of supermarket shelf space dedicated to non-core foods in nine supermarkets (in five high and four low SES areas) in metropolitan Sydney. We analysed 204 shoppers' dockets (102 from high and 102 from low SES areas) for purchases of confectionery; sugar sweetened, carbonated beverages and cordials, sweet biscuits and cakes, and crisps and popcorn. After adjusting for the number of people shopped for, low SES shoppers purchased significantly more non-core foods than high SES shoppers (p=0.039), especially chips and sugar sweetened, carbonated beverages and cordials. There was no difference in the shelf space dedicated to non-core foods, or between non-core foods purchased and the proportion of shelf space occupied by them in either low or high SES areas. Increased purchase of non-core foods by low SES shoppers who are already at higher risk of obesity than high SES shoppers is cause for concern. Further research is required to explore underlying reasons for this association.

Socio-economic predictors of stillbirths in Nepal (2001-2011)

PubMed Central

Ghimire, Pramesh Raj; Agho, Kingsley Emwinyore; Renzaho, Andre; Christou, Aliki; Nisha, Monjura Khatun; Dibley, Michael; Raynes-Greenow, Camille

2017-01-01

Introduction Stillbirth has a long-lasting impact on parents and families. This study examined socio-economic predictors associated with stillbirth in Nepal for the year 2001, 2006 and 2011. Methods The Nepalese Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data for the period (2001–2011) were pooled to estimate socio-economic predictors associated with stillbirths in Nepal using binomial logistic regression while taking clustering and sampling weights into account. Results A total of 18,386 pregnancies of at least 28 weeks gestation were identified. Of these pregnancies, 335 stillbirths were reported. Stillbirth increased significantly among women that lived in the hills ecological zones (aRR 1.38, 95% CI 1.02, 1.87) or in the mountains ecological zones (aRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.10, 2.66). Women with no schooling (aRR 1.72, 95% CI 1.10, 2.69), women with primary education (aRR 1.81, 95% CI 1.11, 2.97); open defecation (aRR 1.48, 95% CI 1.00, 2.18), and those whose major occupation was agriculture (aRR 1.80, 95% CI 1.16, 2.78) are more likely to report higher stillbirth. Conclusions Low levels of education, ecological zones and open defecation were found to be strong predictors of stillbirth. Access to antenatal care services and skilled birth attendants for women in the mountainous and hilly ecological zones of Nepal is needed to further reduce stillbirth and improved services should also focus on women with low levels of education. PMID:28704548

Links between Socio-Economic Circumstances and Changes in Smoking Behavior in the Mexican Population: 2002–2010

PubMed Central

Beltrán-Sánchez, HIRAM; Thomas, DUNCAN; Teruel, GRACIELA; Wheaton, FELICIA; Crimmins, EILEEN M.

2013-01-01

While deleterious consequences of smoking on health have been widely publicized, in many developing countries, smoking prevalence is high and increasing. Little is known about the dynamics underlying changes in smoking behavior. This paper examines socio-economic and demographic characteristics associated with smoking initiation and quitting in Mexico between 2002 and 2010. In addition to the influences of age, gender, education, household economic resources and location of residence, changes in marital status, living arrangements and health status are examined. Drawing data from the Mexican Family Life Survey, a rich population-based longitudinal study of individuals, smoking behavior of individuals in 2002 is compared with their behavior in 2010. Logistic models are used to examine socio-demographic and health factors that are associated with initiating and quitting smoking. There are three main findings. First, part of the relationship between education and smoking reflects the role of economic resources. Second, associations of smoking with education and economic resources differ for females and males. Third, there is considerable heterogeneity in the factors linked to smoking behavior in Mexico indicating that the smoking epidemic may be at different stages in different population subgroups. Mexico has recently implemented fiscal policies and public health campaigns aimed at reducing smoking prevalence and discouraging smoking initiation. These programs are likely to be more effective if they target particular socio-economic and demographic sub-groups. PMID:23888371

Species-richness patterns of the living collections of the world's botanic gardens: a matter of socio-economics?

PubMed

Golding, Janice; Güsewell, Sabine; Kreft, Holger; Kuzevanov, Victor Y; Lehvävirta, Susanna; Parmentier, Ingrid; Pautasso, Marco

2010-05-01

The botanic gardens of the world are now unmatched ex situ collections of plant biodiversity. They mirror two biogeographical patterns (positive diversity-area and diversity-age relationships) but differ from nature with a positive latitudinal gradient in their richness. Whether these relationships can be explained by socio-economic factors is unknown. Species and taxa richness of a comprehensive sample of botanic gardens were analysed as a function of key ecological and socio-economic factors using (a) multivariate models controlling for spatial autocorrelation and (b) structural equation modelling. The number of plant species in botanic gardens increases with town human population size and country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person. The country flora richness is not related to the species richness of botanic gardens. Botanic gardens in more populous towns tend to have a larger area and can thus host richer living collections. Botanic gardens in richer countries have more species, and this explains the positive latitudinal gradient in botanic gardens' species richness. Socio-economic factors contribute to shaping patterns in the species richness of the living collections of the world's botanic gardens.

Physical-Socio-Economic Modeling of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chamberlain, R. G.; Vatan, F.

2008-12-01

Because of the global nature of climate change, any assessment of the effects of plans, policies, and response to climate change demands a model that encompasses the entire Earth System, including socio- economic factors. Physics-based climate models of the factors that drive global temperatures, rainfall patterns, and sea level are necessary but not sufficient to guide decision making. Actions taken by farmers, industrialists, environmentalists, politicians, and other policy makers may result in large changes to economic factors, international relations, food production, disease vectors, and beyond. These consequences will not be felt uniformly around the globe or even across a given region. Policy models must comprehend all of these considerations. Combining physics-based models of the Earth's climate and biosphere with societal models of population dynamics, economics, and politics is a grand challenge with high stakes. We propose to leverage our recent advances in modeling and simulation of military stability and reconstruction operations to models that address all these areas of concern. Following over twenty years' experience of successful combat simulation, JPL has started developing Minerva, which will add demographic, economic, political, and media/information models to capabilities that already exist. With these new models, for which we have design concepts, it will be possible to address a very wide range of potential national and international problems that were previously inaccessible. Our climate change model builds on Minerva and expands the geographical horizon from playboxes containing regions and neighborhoods to the entire globe. This system consists of a collection of interacting simulation models that specialize in different aspects of the global situation. They will each contribute to and draw from a pool of shared data. The basic models are: the physical model; the demographic model; the political model; the economic model; and the media

Socio-Cultural and Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services Provided by Mediterranean Mountain Agroecosystems

PubMed Central

Bernués, Alberto; Rodríguez-Ortega, Tamara; Ripoll-Bosch, Raimon; Alfnes, Frode

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to elucidate the socio-cultural and economic value of a number of ecosystem services delivered by mountain agroecosystems (mostly grazing systems) in Euro-Mediterranean regions. We combined deliberative (focus groups) and survey-based stated-preference methods (choice modelling) to, first, identify the perceptions of farmers and other citizens on the most important ecosystem services and, second, to value these in economic terms according to the willingness to pay of the local (residents of the study area) and general (region where the study area is located) populations. Cultural services (particularly the aesthetic and recreational values of the landscape), supporting services (biodiversity maintenance) and some regulating services (particularly fire risk prevention) were clearly recognized by both farmers and citizens, with different degrees of importance according to their particular interests and objectives. The prevention of forest fires (≈50% of total willingness to pay) was valued by the general population as a key ecosystem service delivered by these agroecosystems, followed by the production of specific quality products linked to the territory (≈20%), biodiversity (≈20%) and cultural landscapes (≈10%). The value given by local residents to the last two ecosystem services differed considerably (≈10 and 25% for biodiversity and cultural landscape, respectively). The Total Economic Value of mountain agroecosystems was ≈120 € person−1 year−1, three times the current level of support of agro-environmental policies. By targeting and quantifying the environmental objectives of the European agri-environmental policy and compensating farmers for the public goods they deliver, the so-called “green” subsidies may become true Payments for Ecosystems Services. PMID:25036276

Socio-cultural and economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by Mediterranean mountain agroecosystems.

PubMed

Bernués, Alberto; Rodríguez-Ortega, Tamara; Ripoll-Bosch, Raimon; Alfnes, Frode

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to elucidate the socio-cultural and economic value of a number of ecosystem services delivered by mountain agroecosystems (mostly grazing systems) in Euro-Mediterranean regions. We combined deliberative (focus groups) and survey-based stated-preference methods (choice modelling) to, first, identify the perceptions of farmers and other citizens on the most important ecosystem services and, second, to value these in economic terms according to the willingness to pay of the local (residents of the study area) and general (region where the study area is located) populations. Cultural services (particularly the aesthetic and recreational values of the landscape), supporting services (biodiversity maintenance) and some regulating services (particularly fire risk prevention) were clearly recognized by both farmers and citizens, with different degrees of importance according to their particular interests and objectives. The prevention of forest fires (≈50% of total willingness to pay) was valued by the general population as a key ecosystem service delivered by these agroecosystems, followed by the production of specific quality products linked to the territory (≈20%), biodiversity (≈20%) and cultural landscapes (≈10%). The value given by local residents to the last two ecosystem services differed considerably (≈10 and 25% for biodiversity and cultural landscape, respectively). The Total Economic Value of mountain agroecosystems was ≈120 € person(-1) year(-1), three times the current level of support of agro-environmental policies. By targeting and quantifying the environmental objectives of the European agri-environmental policy and compensating farmers for the public goods they deliver, the so-called "green" subsidies may become true Payments for Ecosystems Services.

How Socio-Economic Conditions Influence Forest Policy Development in Central and South-East Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vuletić, Dijana; Potočić, Nenad; Krajter, Silvija; Seletković, Ivan; Fürst, Christine; Makeschin, Franz; Galić, Zoran; Lorz, Carsten; Matijašič, Dragan; Zupanič, Matjaž; Simončič, Primož; Vacik, Harald

2010-12-01

In this article, several findings on socio-economic conditions derived from national reports and a web-based questionnaire are discussed and related to the changing role of forestry and the future forest policy development. A number of Central and South-eastern European countries taking part in a SEE-ERA-NET project ReForMan project ( www.reforman.de ) participated in data acquisition: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Serbia and Slovenia. The aim of the research was to illustrate the present structure of forestry sector, as well as investigate newly emerging topics in forestry of Central and South-eastern Europe. The results indicated certain patterns in attitudes and perceptions among stakeholders that can be related to socio-economic conditions defined for each country. Clear differences between member and non-member countries exist only in level of implementation of EU legislation. Results showed consensus on main threats to the forests among all countries, but also some country specifics in perceptions of factors influencing forestry, their importance and professional competencies. These results could be additionally explained by influence of historical conditions which shaped development of forest sector in SEE region especially in its organizational dimension as well as in perceived role of forestry expressed through recognition of main forest functions. The influence of European forest policy processes in the region is evident through adaptation of EU legislation and perceived implications of international processes on national levels. Based on this observation, two possible options for future development of the forestry sector can be foreseen: (i) focusing on the productive function of forests and fostering its' sustainable use; or (ii) putting an emphasis on environmental and social issues. In both cases supporting public

An Adapted Dialogic Reading Program for Turkish Kindergarteners from Low Socio-Economic Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ergül, Cevriye; Akoglu, Gözde; Sarica, Ayse D.; Karaman, Gökçe; Tufan, Mümin; Bahap-Kudret, Zeynep; Zülfikar, Deniz

2016-01-01

The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Adapted Dialogic Reading Program (ADR) on the language and early literacy skills of Turkish kindergarteners from low socio-economic (SES) backgrounds. The effectiveness of ADR was investigated across six different treatment conditions including classroom and home based implementations in various…

The influence of socio-demographic indicators economic determinants and social recognition on sport participation in Germany.

PubMed

Hallmann, Kirstin; Breuer, Christoph

2014-01-01

This article analyses sport participation using a demographic-economic model which was extended by the construct 'social recognition'. Social recognition was integrated into the model on the understanding that it is the purpose of each individual to maximise his or her utility. A computer-assisted telephone interview survey was conducted in the city of Rheinberg, Germany, producing an overall sample of n=1934. Regression analyses were performed to estimate the impact of socio-demographic, economic determinants, and social recognition on sport participation. The results suggest that various socio-economic factors and social recognition are important determinants of sport participation on the one hand, and on sport frequency on the other. Social recognition plays a significant yet different role for both sport participation and sport frequency. While friends' involvement with sport influences one's sport participation, parents' involvement with sport influences one's sport frequency.

Mental health symptoms in relation to socio-economic conditions and lifestyle factors--a population-based study in Sweden.

PubMed

Molarius, Anu; Berglund, Kenneth; Eriksson, Charli; Eriksson, Hans G; Lindén-Boström, Margareta; Nordström, Eva; Persson, Carina; Sahlqvist, Lotta; Starrin, Bengt; Ydreborg, Berit

2009-08-20

Poor mental health has large social and economic consequences both for the individual and society. In Sweden, the prevalence of mental health symptoms has increased since the beginning of the 1990 s. There is a need for a better understanding of the area for planning preventive activities and health care. The study is based on a postal survey questionnaire sent to a random sample of men and women aged 18-84 years in 2004. The overall response rate was 64%. The area investigated covers 55 municipalities with about one million inhabitants in central part of Sweden. The study population includes 42,448 respondents. Mental health was measured with self-reported symptoms of anxiety/depression (EQ-5D, 5th question). The association between socio-economic conditions, lifestyle factors and mental health symptoms was investigated using multivariate multinomial logistic regression models. About 40% of women and 30% of men reported that they were moderately or extremely anxious or depressed. Younger subjects reported poorer mental health than older subjects, the best mental health was found at ages 65-74 years. Factors that were strongly and independently related to mental health symptoms were poor social support, experiences of being belittled, employment status (receiving a disability pension and unemployment), economic hardship, critical life events, and functional disability. A strong association was also found between how burdensome domestic work was experienced and anxiety/depression. This was true for both men and women. Educational level was not associated with mental health symptoms. Of lifestyle factors, physical inactivity, underweight and risk consumption of alcohol were independently associated with mental health symptoms. Our results support the notion that a ground for good mental health includes balance in social relations, in domestic work and in employment as well as in personal economy both among men and women. In addition, physical inactivity, underweight

Induced abortion in Denmark: effect of socio-economic situation and country of birth.

PubMed

Rasch, Vibeke; Gammeltoft, Tine; Knudsen, Lisbeth B; Tobiassen, Charlotte; Ginzel, Annelie; Kempf, Lillan

2008-04-01

Equal access to health care is considered a key in Scandinavian healthcare policy. However, problematic differences between the socio-economic situation of immigrants and that of native Scandinavians are increasingly challenging this aspect of the Scandinavian welfare model. The present study focuses on how socio-economic characteristics and country of birth are associated with induced abortion. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information among 1351 women requesting abortion and a control group of 1306 women intending birth. The strongest factor associated with the decision to have an abortion was being single (OR 39.1; 23.8-64.2), followed by being aged 19 years or below (OR 29.6; 13.4-65.5), having two children or more (OR 7.05; 5.29-9.39) and being unskilled (OR 2.48; 1.49-4.10), student (OR 2.29; 1.52-3.43) or unemployed (OR 1.65; 1.11-2.46). When evaluating the effect of social exposure on abortion among Danish-born and foreign-born women, the higher rate of abortion among non-Westerners was found to be caused by the composition of non-Westerners more often being unemployed, having a low income and having two or more children rather than the fact that they are coming from a non-Western country. Immigrant women comprise a vulnerable group, with a poor socio-economic status. This situation exposes immigrant women to increased risk of induced abortion. In a society with an increasing heterogeneous population, the vulnerable situation of immigrant women has to be addressed, if equal access to health care is to be maintained.

Socio-economic inequalities in health and health service use among older adults in India: results from the WHO Study on Global AGEing and adult health survey.

PubMed

Brinda, E M; Attermann, J; Gerdtham, U G; Enemark, U

2016-12-01

The objectives of this study were to measure socio-economic inequalities in self-reported health (SRH) and healthcare visits and to identify factors contributing to health inequalities among older people aged 50-plus years. This study is based on a population-based, cross-sectional survey. We accessed data of 7150 older adults from the World Health Organization's Study on Global AGEing and adult health Indian survey. We used multivariate logistic regression to assess the correlates of poor SRH. We estimated the concentration index to measure socio-economic inequalities in SRH and healthcare visits. Regression-based decomposition analysis was employed to explore the correlates contributing to poor SRH inequality. About 19% (95% CI: 18%, 20%) reported poor health (n = 1368) and these individuals were significantly less wealthy. In total, 5134 (71.8%) participants made at least one health service visit. Increasing age, female gender, low social caste, rural residence, multimorbidity, absence of pension support, and health insurance were significant correlates of poor SRH. The standardized concentration index of poor SRH -0.122 (95% CI: -0.102; -0.141) and healthcare visits 0.364 (95% CI: 0.324, 0.403) indicated pro-poor and pro-rich inequality, respectively. Economic status (62.3%), pension support (11.5%), health insurance coverage (11.5%), social caste (10.7%) and place of residence (4.1%) were important contributors to inequalities in poor health. Socio-economic disparities in health and health care are major concerns in India. Achievement of health equity demand strategies beyond health policies, to include pro-poor, social welfare policies among older Indians. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TV Viewing and BMI by Race/Ethnicity and Socio-Economic Status

PubMed Central

Shuval, Kerem; Gabriel, Kelley Pettee; Leonard, Tammy

2013-01-01

Objective To assess the association between TV viewing and obesity by race/ethnicity and socio-economic status. Design Cross-sectional analysis of 5,087 respondents to the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a nationally representative sample of US adults. Multivariate regression models were computed to assess the association between quartiles of TV viewing and BMI, stratified by race/ethnicity, educational attainment, employment and health insurance status. Results Findings indicate that increased TV viewing was associated with higher odds for being overweight/obese in the entire sample, while adjusting for physical activity and other confounders. After stratification by race/ethnicity, increased odds for overweight/obesity in the 3rd and 4th quartiles of TV viewing (e.g., 3rd quartile- cumulative OR = 1.43, 95%CI 1.07–1.92) was observed in non-Hispanic whites, with statistical significance. In non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics, the odds were similar to whites, but did not reach statistical significance. Significant relations between greater TV viewing and increased BMI were observed in college graduates and non-graduates, those with health insurance and the employed. Conclusions This study extends previous research by examining potential inconsistencies in this association between various racial/ethnic groups and some socio-economic variables, which primarily were not found. PMID:23691070

The household-based socio-economic deprivation index in Setiu Wetlands, Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Syerrina; May, Chin Sin; Rahman, Nuzlinda Abdul

2017-08-01

Deprivation index usually used in public health study. At the same time, deprivation index can also use to measure the level of deprivation in an area or a village. These indices are also referred as the index of inequalities or disadvantage. Even though, there are many indices that have been built before. But it is believed to be less appropriate to use the existing indices to be applied in other countries or areas which had different socio-economic conditions and different geographical characteristics. The objective of this study is to construct the index based on the socio-economic factors in Setiu Wetlands (Jajaran Merang, Jajaran Setiu and Jajaran Kuala Besut) in Terengganu Malaysia which is defined as weighted household-based socioeconomic deprivation index. This study has employed the variables based on income level, education level and employment rate obtained from questionnaire which are acquired from 64 villages included 1024 respondents. The factor analysis is used to extract the latent variables or observed variables into smaller amount of components or factors. By using factor analysis, one factor is extracted from 3 latent variables. This factor known as socioeconomic deprivation index. Based on the result, the areas with a lower index values until high index values were identified.

A repeated cross-sectional study of socio-economic inequities in dietary sodium consumption among Canadian adults: implications for national sodium reduction strategies.

PubMed

McLaren, Lindsay; Heidinger, Shayla; Dutton, Daniel J; Tarasuk, Valerie; Campbell, Norman R

2014-06-05

In many countries including Canada, excess consumption of dietary sodium is common, and this has adverse implications for population health. Socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption seem likely, but research is limited. Knowledge of socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption is important for informing population-level sodium reduction strategies, to ensure that they are both impactful and equitable. We examined the association between socio-economic indicators (income and education) and sodium, using two outcome variables: 1) sodium consumption in mg/day, and 2) reported use of table salt, in two national surveys: the 1970/72 Nutrition Canada Survey and the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2. This permitted us to explore whether there were any changes in socio-economic patterning in dietary sodium during a time period characterized by modest, information-based national sodium reduction efforts, as well as to provide baseline information against which to examine the impact (equitable or not) of future sodium reduction strategies in Canada. There was no evidence of a socio-economic inequity in sodium consumption (mg/day) in 2004. In fact findings pointed to a positive association in women, whereby women of higher education consumed more sodium than women of lower education in 2004. For men, income was positively associated with reported use of table salt in 1970/72, but negatively associated in 2004. An emerging inequity in reported use of table salt among men could reflect the modest, information-based sodium reduction efforts that were implemented during the time frame considered. However, for sodium consumption in mg/day, we found no evidence of a contemporary inequity, and in fact observed the opposite effect among women. Our findings could reflect data limitations, or they could signal that sodium differs from some other nutrients in terms of its socio-economic patterning, perhaps reflecting very high prevalence of excess consumption

Convoys of Social Support in Mexico: Examining Socio-Demographic Variation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuller-Iglesias, Heather R.; Antonucci, Toni

2016-01-01

The Convoy Model suggests that at different stages of the lifespan the makeup of the social support network varies in step with developmental and contextual needs. Cultural norms may shape the makeup of social convoys as well as denote socio-demographic differences in social support. This study examines the social convoys of adults in Mexico.…

Climate change and socio-economic scenarios, land use modelling implications on water resources in an inner alpine area, Switzerland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rey, Emmanuel; Schneider, Flurina; Liniger, Hanspeter; Weingartner, Rolf; Herweg, Karl

2014-05-01

The MontanAqua project aims to study the water resources management in the region Sierre-Montana (Valais, Switzerland). Land use is known to have an influence on the water resources (soil moisture dynamic, soil sealing, surface runoff and deep percolation). Thus land use modelling is of importance for the water resources management. An actual land use map was produced using infrared imagery (Niklaus 2012, Fig.1). Land use changes are known to be mainly drived by socio-economic factors as well as climatic factors (Dolman et al. 2003). Potential future Land uses was separatly predicted according to 1-. socio-economic and 2-. climatic/abiotic drivers : 1. 4 socio-economic scenarios were developped with stakeholders (Schneider et al. 2013) between 2010 and 2012. We modeled those socio-economic scenarios into a GIS application using Python programming (ModelBuilder in ArcGIS 10) to get a cartographic transcription of the wishes of the stakeholders for their region in 2050. 2. Uncorrelated climatic and abiotic drivers were used in a BIOMOD2 (Georges et al. 2013) framework. 4 models were used: Maximum Entropy (MAXENT), Multiple Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Classification Tree Analysis (CTA) and the Flexible Discriminant Analysis (FDA) to predict grassland, alpine pasture, vineyards and forest in our study region. Climatic scenarios were then introduced into the models to predict potential land use in 2050 driven only by climatic and abiotic factors The comparison of all the outputs demonstrates that the socio-economic drivers will have a more important impact in the region than the climatic drivers (e.g. -70% grassland surface for the worst socio-economic scenario vs. -40% of grassland surface for the worst climatic models). Further analysis also brings out the sensitivity of the grassland/alpine pasture system to the climate change and to socio-economic changes. Future work will be to cross the different land use maps obtained by the two model types and to use

The Socio-Economic Impact of Student Loan Debt on African American Graduates of the University of Phoenix Residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Terrence D.

2017-01-01

Little is known about the long-term socio-economic impact of student loan debt on African-American graduates of the University of Phoenix who reside in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this case study is to examine the socio-economic impact of student loan debt on these students five years after receiving a degree from this for-profit…

Socio-economic status as an environmental factor - incidence of underweight, overweight and obesity in adolescents from less-urbanized regions of Poland.

PubMed

Długosz, Anna; Niedźwiedzka, Ewa; Długosz, Tomasz; Wądołowska, Lidia

2015-01-01

Under-nutrition, over-nutrition and obesity incidence in relation to environmental diversity and socio-economic influences in adolescents from less urbanized regions of Poland has not been widely studied. To determine the correlation between socio-economic status and incidence of underweight, overweight and obesity in adolescents located in less-urbanized regions of Poland. The study involved 553 adolescents aged 13-18 living in 2 less-urbanized regions of Poland (small towns and villages in the central and north-eastern regions). The sample was randomly chosen. The distinguishing determinants of socio-economic status (SES) included 6 features. The SES index (SESI) was calculated. Low, average and high SESI adolescents were distinguished. Using logistic regression, the odds ratio (OR) of underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m(2)), overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) incidence was calculated after BMI conversion using the international cut-off by Cole et al. (2000, 2007). The reference group were adolescents with low SESI (OR=1.00). 11% of the adolescents were underweight, 14% were overweight and 3% were obese. The odds ratio of underweight incidence for the average SESI adolescent was 0.33 (95%CI: 0.15, 0.73; p<0.01) and in high SESI adolescents - 1.05 (95%CI: 0.78, 1.42; p>0.05). The odds ratio of overweight incidence in the average SESI adolescent was 1.73 (95%CI: 0.93, 3.19; p>0.05) and in high SESI adolescents - 1.14 (95%CI: 0.83, 1.57; p>0.05). The odds ratio of obesity incidence in the average SESI adolescent was 0.70 (95%CI: 0.21, 2.34; p>0.05) and in high SESI adolescents - 0.76 (95%CI: 0.40, 1.44; p>0.05). Adjustments for gender, age or region of residence did not significantly change the ORs values or their interpretation. Underweight incidence in adolescents from less urbanized regions of Poland depended on socio-economic status. An adolescent with average socio-economic status was 3 times less likely to be underweight than an adolescent

The dynamics of socio-connective trust within support networks accessed by informal caregivers.

PubMed

Ray, Robin A; Street, Annette F

2011-03-01

This article introduces the concept of socio-connective trust, the synapse between the social structures and processes that underpin relationships in supportive care networks. Data from an ethnographic case study of 18 informal caregivers providing in-home care for people with life-limiting illness were analysed drawing on theoretical concepts from the work of Giddens and writings on social capital, as well as the construction of trust in the caregiving literature. While conceptions of trust were found to contribute to understanding supportive care relationships, they did not account for the dynamic nature of the availability and use of support networks. Instead, informal caregivers undertook ongoing reflexive negotiation of relationship boundaries in response to their own conception of the current situation and their perception of trust in their relationships with the various members of the support network. The concept of socio-connective trust describes the movement and flow of the flexible bonds that influence relationships among care networks and determine the type and range of support accessed by informal caregivers. Understanding the complexities of socio-connective trust in caregiving relationships will assist health and social care workers to mobilize relevant resources to support informal caregivers.

Birth dimensions in Melanesian and Indian Fijians and their relationships with maternal and socio-economic factors.

PubMed

Clegg, E J; Clegg, S D

1989-01-01

Fifty-nine Melanesian (MF) and 39 Indian (IF) Fijian full-term newborns were studied within 5 days of birth. Dimensions recorded included birthweight, length, crown-rump length, head circumference, upper limb length, bycondylar humeral and femoral diameters and four skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and thigh). Data from previous pregnancies of the presenting newborns' mothers were added to presenting birthweights, giving a total of 160 MF and 84 IF birthweights. In all birthweight and linear dimensions MFs were the bigger. Sex differences were significant in respect only of head circumference and the two bicondylar diameters. Multiple regression analysis showed dimensions in MF newborns to have few significant relationships with the maternal and socio-economic variables of age, parity, stature and years of education, but IFs had many more significant relationships. When covariance correction was made for the significant maternal and socio-economic variables (maternal age and parity) little effect on racial differences was seen. All linear dimensions except length could be subsumed into birthweight. MFs had greater triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses than IFs, a difference which was not much changed by covariance correction for significant maternal and socio-economic variables (maternal stature and years of education). Measurements of shape, expressed as ratios of linear dimensions, showed few racial differences but males had relatively broader limbs. For upper limb shape only, this difference was maintained after covariance correction for significant maternal and socio-economic variables (parity, stature and education). The greater size of MF infants at birth is associated with lower peri- and neonatal death rates. However this advantage is reversed during the remainder of the first year of life. It is suggested that better standards of infant care among IFs are responsible for this change.

Perceived Socio-Economic Status and Social Inclusion in School: Interactions of Disadvantages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veland, Jarmund; Midthassel, Unni Vere; Idsoe, Thormod

2009-01-01

This paper is based on a study of 7,372 students in grades 5-10 (aged 11-16) in a representative sample of Norwegian compulsory schools. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between students' reported socio-economic status (SES) and their perceived social inclusion (SI) in school in the whole sample. We also considered separately a…

Socialisation into Organised Sports of Young Adolescents with a Lower Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pot, Niek; Verbeek, Jan; van der Zwan, Joris; van Hilvoorde, Ivo

2016-01-01

Studies investigating sport socialisation often focussed on the barriers for youngsters from lower socio-economic status (SES) families to participate in sport. In the present study, the socialisation into sports of young adolescents from lower SES families that "do" participate in organised sports was investigated. A total of 9 girls…

The socio-economic patterning of survey participation and non-response error in a multilevel study of food purchasing behaviour: area- and individual-level characteristics.

PubMed

Turrell, Gavin; Patterson, Carla; Oldenburg, Brian; Gould, Trish; Roy, Marie-Andree

2003-04-01

To undertake an assessment of survey participation and non-response error in a population-based study that examined the relationship between socio-economic position and food purchasing behaviour. The study was conducted in Brisbane City (Australia) in 2000. The sample was selected using a stratified two-stage cluster design. Respondents were recruited using a range of strategies that attempted to maximise the involvement of persons from disadvantaged backgrounds: respondents were contacted by personal visit and data were collected using home-based face-to-face interviews; multiple call-backs on different days and at different times were used; and a financial gratuity was provided. Non-institutionalised residents of private dwellings located in 50 small areas that differed in their socio-economic characteristics. Rates of survey participation - measured by non-contacts, exclusions, dropped cases, response rates and completions - were similar across areas, suggesting that residents of socio-economically advantaged and disadvantaged areas were equally likely to be recruited. Individual-level analysis, however, showed that respondents and non-respondents differed significantly in their sociodemographic and food purchasing characteristics: non-respondents were older, less educated and exhibited different purchasing behaviours. Misclassification bias probably accounted for the inconsistent pattern of association between the area- and individual-level results. Estimates of bias due to non-response indicated that although respondents and non-respondents were qualitatively different, the magnitude of error associated with this differential was minimal. Socio-economic position measured at the individual level is a strong and consistent predictor of survey non-participation. Future studies that set out to examine the relationship between socio-economic position and diet need to adopt sampling strategies and data collection methods that maximise the likelihood of recruiting

Trends in self-rated health and association with socioeconomic position in Estonia: data from cross-sectional studies in 1996-2014.

PubMed

Põld, Mariliis; Pärna, Kersti; Ringmets, Inge

2016-12-08

Self-rated health (SRH) and socioeconomic position (SEP) as important determinants of health differences are associated with health and economic changes in society. The objectives of this paper were (1) to describe trends in SRH and (2) to analyze associations between SRH and SEP among adults in Estonia in 1996-2014. The study was based on a 25-64-year-old subsample (n = 18757) of postal cross-sectional surveys conducted every second year in Estonia during 1990-2014. SRH was measured using five-point scale and was dichotomized to good and less-than-good. Standardized prevalence of SRH was calculated for each study year. Poisson regression with likelihood ratio test was performed for testing trends of SRH over study years. Age, nationality, marital status, education, work status and income were used to determine SEP. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess association between SRH and SEP. The prevalence of dichotomized good self-rated health increased significantly over the whole study period with slight decrease in 2008-2010. Until 2002, good SRH was slightly more prevalent among men, but after that, among women. Good SRH was significantly associated with younger age, higher education and income and also with employment status among both, men and women. Good SRH was more prevalent among Estonian women and less prevalent among single men. There was a definite increase of good SRH over two decades in Estonia following economic downturn between 2008 and 2010. Good SRH was associated with higher SEP over the study period. Further research is required to study the possible reasons behind increase of good SRH, and it's association with SEP among adults in Estonia.

Referral patterns and proximity to palliative care inpatient services by level of socio-economic disadvantage. A national study using spatial analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A range of health outcomes at a population level are related to differences in levels of social disadvantage. Understanding the impact of any such differences in palliative care is important. The aim of this study was to assess, by level of socio-economic disadvantage, referral patterns to specialist palliative care and proximity to inpatient services. Methods All inpatient and community palliative care services nationally were geocoded (using postcode) to one nationally standardised measure of socio-economic deprivation – Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA; 2006 census data). Referral to palliative care services and characteristics of referrals were described through data collected routinely at clinical encounters. Inpatient location was measured from each person’s home postcode, and stratified by socio-economic disadvantage. Results This study covered July – December 2009 with data from 10,064 patients. People from the highest SEIFA group (least disadvantaged) were significantly less likely to be referred to a specialist palliative care service, likely to be referred closer to death and to have more episodes of inpatient care for longer time. Physical proximity of a person’s home to inpatient care showed a gradient with increasing distance by decreasing levels of socio-economic advantage. Conclusion These data suggest that a simple relationship of low socioeconomic status and poor access to a referral-based specialty such as palliative care does not exist. Different patterns of referral and hence different patterns of care emerge. PMID:23176397

Tuberculosis knowledge among injecting drug users visiting syringe exchange programme in Tallinn, Estonia.

PubMed

Rüütel, Kristi; Parker, R David; Sobolev, Igor; Loit, Helle-Mai

2012-12-01

The purpose of the current study was to describe tuberculosis (TB) knowledge, beliefs, and experience with TB services among injecting drug users. Participants for this anonymous, cross-sectional study were recruited from a community based syringe exchange programme in Tallinn, Estonia. A structured questionnaire was completed and included information on socio-demographics, health history, drug use, and knowledge about TB and HIV. The study included 407 people (79% male, mean age 27.9 years, mean injection drug use 9.4 years). 32.9% of participants reported HIV infection and 1.7% lifetime history of TB. 26.4% participants (n=106) reported symptoms suggestive of TB. 93% of participants recognized correctly that TB is air-borne infection and 91% that HIV is a risk factor for TB. Only 40% of the participants knew that TB diagnostics and treatment in Estonia are free of charge for everybody and 58% reported they knew where to get health care services in case they suspected that they had TB. TB transmission and treatment adherence knowledge was better among those in contact with either health care or harm reduction services, e.g the community based syringe exchange programme. Similar to HIV services, TB prevention and education should be integrated into harm reduction and drug treatment programmes to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment of TB among injecting drug users.

Agro-ecosystem and socio-economic role of homegarden agroforestry in Jabithenan District, North-Western Ethiopia: implication for climate change adaptation.

PubMed

Linger, Ewuketu

2014-01-01

Homegarden agroforestry is believed to be more diverse and provide multiple services for household than other monocropping system and this is due to the combination of crops, trees and livestock. The aim of this study was to assess socio-economic and agro-ecological role of homegardens in Jabithenan district, North-western Ethiopia. Two sites purposively and two villages randomly from each site were selected. Totally 96 households; in which 48 from homegarden agroforestry user and 48 from non-tree based garden user were selected for this study. Socio-economic data and potential economic and agro-ecosystem role of homegarden agroforestry over non-tree based garden were collected by using semi-structured and structured questionnaires to the households. Homegarden agroforestry significantly (P < 0.05) improved the farmers cash income than non-tree based garden. With insignificant garden size; homegarden agroforestry practice provides good socio-economical and agro-ecological service for farmers which have a higher implication for climate change adaptation than non-tree based garden.

Socio-economic Correlates of Malnutrition among Married Women in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Mostafa Kamal, S M; Md Aynul, Islam

2010-12-01

This paper examines the prevalence and socio-economic correlates of malnutrition among ever married non-pregnant women of reproductive age of Bangladesh using a nationally representative weighted sample of 10,145. Body mass index was used to measure nutritional status. Both bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were employed to assess the relationship between socio-economic characteristics and women's nutritional status. Overall, 28.5% of the women were found to be underweight. The fixed effect multivariate binary logistic regression analysis yielded significantly increased risk of underweight for the young, currently working, non-Muslim, rural residents, widowed, divorced or separated women. Significant wide variations of malnourishment prevailed in the administrative regions of the country. Wealth index and women's education were the most important determinants of underweight. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of being underweight was almost seven times higher (OR=6.76, 95% CI=5.20-8.80) among women with no formal education as compared to those with higher education and the likelihood of underweight was significantly (p<0.001) 5.2 times (OR=5.23, 95% CI=4.51-6.07) in the poorest as compared to their richest counterparts. Poverty alleviation programmes should be strengthened targeting the poor. Effective policies, information and health education programmes for women are required to ensure adequate access to health services and for them to understand the components of a healthy diet.

Socio-economic effects of khat chewing in north eastern Kenya.

PubMed

Aden, A; Dimba, E A O; Ndolo, U M; Chindia, M L

2006-03-01

The khat habit is a widespread phenomenon which has in the past two decades spread to parts of Western Europe and North America from Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Although khat has been identified as one of the most commonly abused substances in Kenya, restrictions on cultivation, trade and usage have been non-existent since its legalisation in 1977. To describe the socio-economic effects of khat chewing in Ijara District in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Cross sectional study. Ijara District, North Eastern Kenya. Fifty respondents were interviewed. Eighty eight percent of the respondents were khat chewers, and the majority (80%) had family members who engaged in the khat habit. There was a general lack of education on the negative effects of khat chewing. Due to reported mood changes and withdrawal symptoms when not chewing khat, many respondents used more than half of their domestic budgets on khat, but few (28%) perceived this as a waste of resources. Fifty four percent of khat chewers typically started the habit during the day, implying a waste of time for productive work. However, only 40% of the persons interviewed admitted that the drug affected work performance negatively. The khat habit was associated with strain on family relationships, anti-social behaviour and health effects such as insomnia. In spite of the negative socio-economic impact of khat in Ijara District, khat consumption remains a widespread habit.

Background Study on Employment and Labour Market in Estonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eamets, Raul; Philips, Kaia; Annus, Tiina

During the years 1989-1997 in Estonia, employment has decreased; unemployment and inactivity have increased. Females have tended to move to inactivity while males have become unemployed. The wage patterns are very flat relative to those in market economies. Estonia has opted for very low levels of unemployment benefits, pensions, and a low minimum…

Socio-economic vulnerability to climate change in the central mountainous region of eastern Mexico.

PubMed

Esperón-Rodríguez, Manuel; Bonifacio-Bautista, Martín; Barradas, Víctor L

2016-03-01

Climate change effects are expected to be more severe for some segments of society than others. In Mexico, climate variability associated with climate change has important socio-economic and environmental impacts. From the central mountainous region of eastern Veracruz, Mexico, we analyzed data of total annual precipitation and mean annual temperature from 26 meteorological stations (1922-2008) and from General Circulation Models. We developed climate change scenarios based on the observed trends with projections to 2025, 2050, 2075, and 2100, finding considerable local climate changes with reductions in precipitation of over 700 mm and increases in temperature of ~9°C for the year 2100. Deforested areas located at windward were considered more vulnerable, representing potential risk for natural environments, local communities, and the main crops cultivated (sugarcane, coffee, and corn). Socio-economic vulnerability is exacerbated in areas where temperature increases and precipitation decreases.

Socio-economic, familial and perinatal factors associated with obesity in Sydney schoolchildren.

PubMed

Gopinath, Bamini; Baur, Louise A; Burlutsky, George; Robaei, Dana; Mitchell, Paul

2012-01-01

To examine associations between socio-economic, familial and perinatal factors with overweight/obesity in 6- and 12-year-old schoolchildren. Eligible year-1 (1765/2238, mean age 6.7 years) and year-7 students (2353/3144, mean age, 12.7 years) from a random cluster sample of 55 Sydney schools were examined during 2003-2005. Height, weight and body mass index were measured. Overweight or obesity was classified using International Obesity Task Force cut points. Information about each child's socio-demographic status, familial and perinatal information was sought in parental questionnaires. After multivariate adjustment, lower parental education was significantly associated with prevalent overweight and obesity in 6-year-old children, odds ratio (OR) 1.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-2.01) and OR 2.16 (CI 1.34-4.13), respectively. Smoking during pregnancy was associated with a higher likelihood of being obese among both 6- and 12-year-old children, OR 1.90 (CI 1.05-3.46) and OR 1.78 (CI 1.22-2.61). Population attributable risk estimates indicate that 14.9% and 10.1% of prevalent cases of obesity in 12-year-old children may be attributable to being: an only child or a heavy newborn, respectively. We show interdependent relationships between socio-economic, familial and perinatal factors and childhood weight status. Improved understanding of these pathways may help in developing childhood obesity prevention strategies. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2011 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Mobile Technologies & Socio-Economic Opportunities for Disadvantaged Women: A Study of Information Behavior in a Developing Nation Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potnis, Devendra Dilip

2010-01-01

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been championed by the United Nations and others as one of the key media to open up socio-economic opportunities for disadvantaged populations. Studies lead us to believe that after being introduced to ICTs, users' information behavior changes, enabling them to benefit from socio-economic…

How Do Schools Compensate for Socio-Economic Disadvantage? PISA in Focus No. 76

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

As educators know well, there are many barriers to learning that originate outside of school, such as those that arise from socio-economic disadvantage. In many education systems, the concentration of disadvantaged students in certain schools poses an additional challenge. Yet it is also true that schools with effective learning environments and…

Parental Socio-Economic Status as Correlate of Child Labour in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elegbeleye, O. S.; Olasupo, M. O.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between parental socio-economic status and child labour practices in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study employed survey method to gather data from 200 parents which constituted the study population. Pearson Product Moment Correlation and t-test statistics were used for the data analyses. The outcome of the study…

Overweight and obesity among adolescents in Norway: cultural and socio-economic differences.

PubMed

Grøholt, Else-Karin; Stigum, Hein; Nordhagen, Rannveig

2008-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate overweight and obesity among a representative population of 15,966 Norwegian 15-16 year olds and the associations with different socio-economic and cultural risk factors. Self-reported data were obtained from school-based surveys in six counties during 2000-04. Overweight and obesity were calculated using Cole's index. The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 11.8% and 2.4%, respectively, higher among boys. Logistic regression analyses revealed that adolescents in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark (the northernmost counties) were 70-90% more likely to be overweight and obese compared with adolescents in Oslo (the capital and southernmost county) (OR for overweight in Finnmark = 1.7, CI = 1.3, 2.3). Lower educational plans and poor family economy were both significantly associated with overweight and obesity. So was physical inactivity (OR = 1.2, CI = 1.1, 1.3 and OR = 1.6, CI = 1.2, 2.1, respectively). Eating breakfast was positively associated with not being overweight/obese. Overweight and obesity is associated with socio-economic factors and with factors related to food habits and nutrition, suggesting important areas for prevention.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN METABOLIC SYNDROME AND ITS COMPONENTS WITH SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN SHIRAZ, SOUTHERN IRAN.

PubMed

Bahrani, Robab; Chan, Yoke Mun; Khor, Geok Lin; Rahman, Hejar Abul; Esmailzadeh, Ahmad; Wong, Teck Wee

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and its individual components with socio-economic factors among 14-18 year-old adolescents in Shiraz, Iran. Using a multistage random sampling, a total of 538 (289 males and 249 females) adolescents consented to the study. Socio-economic status was obtained using a self-administered questionnaire while presence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components was ascertained using NCEP-ATP III criteria. The relationships between the participants' socio-economic status and metabolic syndrome and its components were determined using bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses. Approximately 6% of the adolescents had metabolic syndrome, with significantly more males than females (9.3% vs 2.4%, p < 0.001). The most commonly found abnormality was low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (42.4%), followed by hypertensive (16.3%). The prevalence rates of elevated triglycerides, abdominal obesity and high fasting plasma glucose were 15.6%, 8.6% and 3.1%, respectively. Metabolic syndrome was significantly more prevalent in obese participants (44.4%) than those with normal body weight (2.0%) or overweight (9.3%). There were positive associations between the components of metabolic syndrome and parental education, school location and household monthly income. Having a family history of obesity was associated with metabolic syndrome after controlling for other variables (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 0.9-5.2, p = 0.042). Overweight and obese subjects were approximately 8 times and 15 times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome, respectively (overweight: OR = 8.2; 95% CI: 3.6-17.2; obese: OR = 15.4; 95% CI: 4.8-43.7). In conclusion, a positive association exists between socio-economic status and metabolic syndrome and its individual components among the studied participants. An intervention program to prevent metabolic syndrome needs to be developed for this young generation, especially

Partial differential equation models in the socio-economic sciences.

PubMed

Burger, Martin; Caffarelli, Luis; Markowich, Peter A

2014-11-13

Mathematical models based on partial differential equations (PDEs) have become an integral part of quantitative analysis in most branches of science and engineering, recently expanding also towards biomedicine and socio-economic sciences. The application of PDEs in the latter is a promising field, but widely quite open and leading to a variety of novel mathematical challenges. In this introductory article of the Theme Issue, we will provide an overview of the field and its recent boosting topics. Moreover, we will put the contributions to the Theme Issue in an appropriate perspective. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic applications of finite state mean field games.

PubMed

Gomes, Diogo; Velho, Roberto M; Wolfram, Marie-Therese

2014-11-13

In this paper, we present different applications of finite state mean field games to socio-economic sciences. Examples include paradigm shifts in the scientific community or consumer choice behaviour in the free market. The corresponding finite state mean field game models are hyperbolic systems of partial differential equations, for which we present and validate different numerical methods. We illustrate the behaviour of solutions with various numerical experiments, which show interesting phenomena such as shock formation. Hence, we conclude with an investigation of the shock structure in the case of two-state problems. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Race/ethnicity and socio-economic differences in colorectal cancer surgery outcomes: analysis of the nationwide inpatient sample.

PubMed

Akinyemiju, Tomi; Meng, Qingrui; Vin-Raviv, Neomi

2016-09-05

The purpose of this study was to examine racial and socio-economic differences in the receipt of laparoscopic or open surgery among patients with colorectal cancer, and to determine if racial and socio-economic differences exist in post-surgical complications, in-hospital mortality and hospital length of stay among patients who received surgery. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of hospitalized patients with a primary diagnosis of colorectal cancer between 2007 and 2011 using data from Nationwide Inpatient Sample. ICD-9 codes were used to capture primary diagnosis, surgical procedures, and health outcomes during hospitalization. We used logistic regression analysis to determine racial and socio-economic predictors of surgery type, post-surgical complications and mortality, and linear regression analysis to assess hospital length of stay. A total of 122,631 patients were admitted with a primary diagnosis of malignant colorectal cancer between 2007 and 2011. Of these, 17,327 (14.13 %) had laparoscopic surgery, 70,328 (57.35 %) received open surgery, while 34976 (28.52 %) did not receive any surgery. Black (36 %) and Hispanic (34 %) patients were more likely to receive no surgery compared with Whites (27 %) patients. However, among patients that received any surgery, there were no racial differences in which surgery was received (laparoscopic versus open, p = 0.2122), although socio-economic differences remained, with patients from lower residential income areas significantly less likely to receive laparoscopic surgery compared with patients from higher residential income areas (OR: 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.70-0.78). Among patients who received any surgery, Black patients (OR = 1.07, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.13), and patients with Medicare (OR = 1.16, 95 % CI: 1.11-1.22) and Medicaid (OR = 1.15, 95 % CI: 1.07-1.25) insurance experienced significantly higher post-surgical complications, in-hospital mortality (Black OR = 1.18, 95 % CI: 1.00-1.39), and

The Development of Accounting Education and Practice in an Environment of Socio-Economic Transformation in the Middle East: The Case of Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsharari, Nizar Mohammad

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of accounting education and practice as influenced by the socio-economic transformation in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents an explanatory study of how accounting education and practice has developed in relation to socio-economic change in Jordan, using the…

Socio-economic variation in CT scanning in Northern England, 1990-2002

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Socio-economic status is known to influence health throughout life. In childhood, studies have shown increased injury rates in more deprived settings. Socio-economic status may therefore be related to rates of certain medical procedures, such as computed tomography (CT) scans. This study aimed to assess socio-economic variation among young people having CT scans in Northern England between 1990 and 2002 inclusive. Methods Electronic data were obtained from Radiology Information Systems of all nine National Health Service hospital Trusts in the region. CT scan data, including sex, date of scan, age at scan, number and type of scans were assessed in relation to quintiles of Townsend deprivation scores, obtained from linkage of postcodes with census data, using χ2 tests and Spearman rank correlations. Results During the study period, 39,676 scans were recorded on 21,089 patients, with 38,007 scans and 19,485 patients (11344 male and 8132 female) linkable to Townsend scores. The overall distributions of both scans and patients by quintile of Townsend deprivation scores were significantly different to the distributions of Townsend scores from the census wards included in the study (p < 0.0001). There was a significant association between type of scan and deprivation quintile (p < 0.0001), primarily due to the higher proportions of head scans in the three most deprived quintiles, and slightly higher proportions of chest scans and abdomen and pelvis scans in the least deprived groups. There was also a significant association (p < 0.0001) between the patient's age at the time of the CT scan and Townsend deprivation quintiles, with slightly increasing proportions of younger children with increasing deprivation. A similar association with age (p < 0.0001) was seen when restricting the data to include only the first scan of each patient. The number of scans per patient was also associated with Townsend deprivation quintiles (p = 0.014). Conclusions Social

Species-richness patterns of the living collections of the world's botanic gardens: a matter of socio-economics?

PubMed Central

Golding, Janice; Güsewell, Sabine; Kreft, Holger; Kuzevanov, Victor Y.; Lehvävirta, Susanna; Parmentier, Ingrid; Pautasso, Marco

2010-01-01

Background and Aims The botanic gardens of the world are now unmatched ex situ collections of plant biodiversity. They mirror two biogeographical patterns (positive diversity–area and diversity–age relationships) but differ from nature with a positive latitudinal gradient in their richness. Whether these relationships can be explained by socio-economic factors is unknown. Methods Species and taxa richness of a comprehensive sample of botanic gardens were analysed as a function of key ecological and socio-economic factors using (a) multivariate models controlling for spatial autocorrelation and (b) structural equation modelling. Key Results The number of plant species in botanic gardens increases with town human population size and country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person. The country flora richness is not related to the species richness of botanic gardens. Botanic gardens in more populous towns tend to have a larger area and can thus host richer living collections. Botanic gardens in richer countries have more species, and this explains the positive latitudinal gradient in botanic gardens' species richness. Conclusions Socio-economic factors contribute to shaping patterns in the species richness of the living collections of the world's botanic gardens. PMID:20237117

Is Socio-Economic Status a Determinant of HIV-Related Stigma Attitudes in Zimbabwe? Findings from Project Accept.

PubMed

Mateveke, Kudzanai; Singh, Basant; Chingono, Alfred; Sibanda, E; Machingura, Ian

2016-08-17

HIV related stigma and discrimination is a known barrier for HIV prevention and care. We aimed to assess the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and HIV related stigma in Zimbabwe. This paper uses data from Project Accept , which examined the impact of community-based voluntary counseling and testing intervention on HIV incidence and stigma. Total of 2522 eligible participants responded to a psychometric assessment tool, which assessed HIV related stigma and discrimination attitudes on 4 point Likert scale. The tool measured three components of HIV-related stigma: shame, blame and social isolation, perceived discrimination, and equity. Participants' ownership of basic assets was used to assess the socio-economic status. Shame, blame and social isolation component of HIV related stigma was found to be significantly associated with medium [odds ratio (OR)=1.73, P<0.01] and low SES (OR=1.97, P<0.01), indicating more stigmatizing attitudes by participants belonging to medium and low SES in comparison to high SES. For HIV related stigma and discrimination programs to be effective, they should take into account the socio-economic context of target population.

Influence of watershed topographic and socio-economic attributes on the climate sensitivity of global river water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Afed U.; Jiang, Jiping; Wang, Peng; Zheng, Yi

2017-10-01

Surface waters exhibit regionalization due to various climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities. Here we assess the impact of topographic and socio-economic factors on the climate sensitivity of surface water quality, estimated using an elasticity approach (climate elasticity of water quality (CEWQ)), and identify potential risks of instability in different regions and climatic conditions. Large global datasets were used for 12 main water quality parameters from 43 water quality monitoring stations located at large major rivers. The results demonstrated that precipitation elasticity shows higher sensitivity to topographic and socio-economic determinants as compared to temperature elasticity. In tropical climate class (A), gross domestic product (GDP) played an important role in stabilizing the CEWQ. In temperate climate class (C), GDP played the same role in stability, while the runoff coefficient, slope, and population density fuelled the risk of instability. The results implied that watersheds with lower runoff coefficient, thick population density, over fertilization and manure application face a higher risk of instability. We discuss the socio-economic and topographic factors that cause instability of CEWQ parameters and conclude with some suggestions for watershed managers to bring sustainability in freshwater bodies.

Assessment of environmental change and its socio-economic impacts in the mangrove ecological zone of the Niger Delta, Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Godstime Kadiri

The Niger Delta, located in the central part of Southern Nigeria, is endowed with immense Mangrove resources, estimated to be the fourth largest in the world. The term Mangrove refers to salt tolerant species of trees or shrubs that grow on shores and in estuaries located in the coastal tropics and sub-tropical regions of the world. They support highly productive marine food chains. However, Mangrove ecosystems are in serious decline around the world due to the rapid increase in maritime commerce and exploration of mineral resources in the last few decades. These pressures often have immediate consequences on sensitive coastal environments and can potentially impact future human use of coastal space and resources. This dynamic process presents unique opportunities for research to explore the nature and consequences of these pressures. This dissertation focused on the Mangrove ecological zone of the Niger Delta, where resource exploitation and indigenous use of the environment are in direct conflict with important socio-economic implications. Environmental accounting metrics derived from the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework were used to assess changes in the spatial extent of the Niger Delta Mangrove ecosystem and the socio-economic impacts of the observed changes. Landsat remotely sensed satellite data from the mid-1980s through 2003 was used to assess change in the spatial extent of the Mangrove vegetation in the region. A total of 21,340 hectares of Mangrove forest was determined to be lost over the study period. Field research in the region confirmed that this loss was primarily driven by urbanization and activities of the multinational oil and gas corporations operating in the region. To estimate the socio-economic impacts of the Mangrove loss in the region, neoclassical economic valuation and participatory social valuation approaches were adopted. Results from the economic valuation revealed that the net present value of future income

Blood pressure and other risk factors of cardiovascular disease in two communities with different socio-economic statuses: the Athens study.

PubMed

Adamopoulos, P N; Boutsicakis, J; Kodoyianis, S; Papamichael, C; Gatos, A; Makrilakis, K; Argyros, D; Adamopoulos, E; Argyros, G; Kostis, E

1990-08-01

Blood pressure and other risk factors of cardiovascular diseases were studied in two rural communities of 631 adults (greater than or equal to 18 years old) with different socio-economic statuses, populations A and B. Population A (n = 381) lived in a tourist village on an island, and population B (n = 250) in a remote mountain village. The socio-economic status of population A had improved considerably over the last decade but the physical environment, habits, culture and way of life had been disrupted. Blood pressure, prevalence of hypertension and other risk factors were higher than in population B where socio-economic status was lower but where there had been no disruption of the environment, traditional habits, culture or way of life. These findings might be due to the lack of preventive medicine services in the community.

Sexually transmitted infections in Estonia.

PubMed

Põder, A; Bingham, J S

1999-10-01

Estonia, one of the Baltic countries, regained its independence in 1991, after the collapse of the USSR. This process led to great changes in every sphere of life--in politics, in the economy and in medicine. The service providing care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was involved in the process of these changes, too. However, freedom was followed not only by great happiness, but also by social destabilization and transformation of the old moral norms, the most evident features of which were the dramatic rise in crime, a sexual revolution and public prostitution. These 2 great simultaneous transformations in the STI care system and public mores led to the rapid increase of STIs in Estonia in the first half of the 1990s. Now some stabilization, and even a fall in incidence has occurred.

The dynamics of household dissolution and change in socio-economic position: A survival model in a rural South Africa

PubMed Central

Sartorius, Kurt; Sartorius, Benn KD; Collinson, Mark A; Tollman, Stephen M

2014-01-01

This paper investigates household dissolution and changes in asset wealth (socio-economic position) in a rural South African community containing settled refugees. Survival analysis applied to a longitudinal dataset indicated that the covariates increasing the risk of forced household dissolution were a reduction in socio-economic position (asset wealth), adult deaths and the permanent outmigration of more than 40% of the household. Conversely, the risk of dissolution was reduced by bigger households, state grants and older household heads. Significant spatial clusters of former refugee villages also showed a higher risk of dissolution after 20 years of permanent residence. A discussion of the dynamics of dissolution showed how an outflow/inflow of household assets (socio-economic position) was precipitated by each of the selected covariates. The paper shows how an understanding of the dynamics of forced household dissolution, combined with the use of geo-spatial mapping, can inform inter-disciplinary policy in a rural community. PMID:25937697

The dynamics of household dissolution and change in socio-economic position: A survival model in a rural South Africa.

PubMed

Sartorius, Kurt; Sartorius, Benn Kd; Collinson, Mark A; Tollman, Stephen M

2014-11-02

This paper investigates household dissolution and changes in asset wealth (socio-economic position) in a rural South African community containing settled refugees. Survival analysis applied to a longitudinal dataset indicated that the covariates increasing the risk of forced household dissolution were a reduction in socio-economic position (asset wealth), adult deaths and the permanent outmigration of more than 40% of the household. Conversely, the risk of dissolution was reduced by bigger households, state grants and older household heads. Significant spatial clusters of former refugee villages also showed a higher risk of dissolution after 20 years of permanent residence. A discussion of the dynamics of dissolution showed how an outflow/inflow of household assets (socio-economic position) was precipitated by each of the selected covariates. The paper shows how an understanding of the dynamics of forced household dissolution, combined with the use of geo-spatial mapping, can inform inter-disciplinary policy in a rural community.

Socio-economic effect of seismic retrofit implemented on bridges in the Los Angeles highway network.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

This research studied socio-economic effect of the seismic retrofit implemented on bridges in Los Angeles Area : Freeway Network. Firstly, advanced FE (Finite Element) modeling and nonlinear time history analysis are carried out to : evaluate the sei...

Education Policy Outlook: Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraccola, Sylvain; Field, Simon; Figueroa, Diana Toledo; Peterka, Judith; Jankova, Bojana; Golden, Gillian

2016-01-01

This policy profile on education in Estonia is part of the "Education Policy Outlook" series, which presents comparative analysis of education policies and reforms across OECD countries. Building on the OECD's substantial comparative and sectoral knowledge base, the series offers a comparative outlook on education policy by providing…

Social pathways to health: On the mediating role of the social network in the relation between socio-economic position and health.

PubMed

Aartsen, Marja; Veenstra, Marijke; Hansen, Thomas

2017-12-01

Good health is one of the key qualities of life, but opportunities to be and remain healthy are unequally distributed across socio-economic groups. The beneficial health effects of the social network are well known. However, research on the social network as potential mediator in the pathway from socio-economic position (SEP) to health is scarce, while there are good reasons to expect a socio-economical patterning of networks. We aim to contribute to our understanding of socio-economic inequalities in health by examining the mediating role of structural and functional characteristics of the social network in the SEP-health relationship. Data were from the second wave of the Norwegian study on the life course, aging and generation study (NorLAG) and comprised 4534 men and 4690 women aged between 40 and 81. We applied multiple mediation models to evaluate the relative importance of each network characteristic, and multiple group analysis to examine differences between middle-aged and older men and women. Our results indicated a clear socio-economical patterning of the social network for men and women. People with higher SEP had social networks that better protect against loneliness, which in turn lead to better health outcomes. The explained variance in health in older people by the social network and SEP was only half of the explained variance observed in middle-aged people, suggesting that other factors than SEP were more important for health when people age. We conclude that it is the function of the network, rather than the structure, that counts for health.

Socio-Economic Status Affects Sentence Repetition, but Not Non-Word Repetition, in Chilean Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balladares, Jaime; Marshall, Chloë; Griffiths, Yvonne

2016-01-01

Sentence repetition and non-word repetition tests are widely used measures of language processing which are sensitive to language ability. Surprisingly little previous work has investigated whether children's socio-economic status (SES) affects their sentence and non-word repetition accuracy. This study investigates sentence and non-word…

Cardiovascular disease risk factors and socio-economic position of Africans in transition: the THUSA study

PubMed Central

Vorster, HH; Kruger, A; Venter, CS; Margetts, BM; Macintyre, UE

2007-01-01

Summary Summary In many developing countries with advanced stages of the nutrition transition, the burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) has shifted from the rich to the poor. In South Africa, it is mainly the African population that is experiencing rapid urbanisation and the nutrition transition. It is not clear where the burden of CAD lies in this population group. We tried to answer this question by comparing CAD risk factors within African groups of different socio-economic positions (characterised by total household income and education level) that participated in the THUSA study from 1996 to 1998. The THUSA study was a cross-sectional population-based epidemiological study that examined the influence of urbanisation and related changes in lifestyle and eating patterns on health and disease risk. A total of 1 854 apparently healthy African volunteers were recruited from 37 randomly chosen sites in rural and urban areas of the North-West Province. The results indicated that although the group with the highest socio-economic position had significantly lower serum glucose levels, systolic blood pressures, higher micronutrient intakes and fewer smokers, their sustained increases in total and saturated fat intakes and higher serum total and LDL cholesterol levels, as well as increased body mass indices in men suggested that at that point in time and possibly in the foreseeable future, the burden of CAD will be carried by those Africans with higher socio-economic positions. PMID:17957323

A repeated cross-sectional study of socio-economic inequities in dietary sodium consumption among Canadian adults: implications for national sodium reduction strategies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction In many countries including Canada, excess consumption of dietary sodium is common, and this has adverse implications for population health. Socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption seem likely, but research is limited. Knowledge of socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption is important for informing population-level sodium reduction strategies, to ensure that they are both impactful and equitable. Methods We examined the association between socio-economic indicators (income and education) and sodium, using two outcome variables: 1) sodium consumption in mg/day, and 2) reported use of table salt, in two national surveys: the 1970/72 Nutrition Canada Survey and the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2. This permitted us to explore whether there were any changes in socio-economic patterning in dietary sodium during a time period characterized by modest, information-based national sodium reduction efforts, as well as to provide baseline information against which to examine the impact (equitable or not) of future sodium reduction strategies in Canada. Results There was no evidence of a socio-economic inequity in sodium consumption (mg/day) in 2004. In fact findings pointed to a positive association in women, whereby women of higher education consumed more sodium than women of lower education in 2004. For men, income was positively associated with reported use of table salt in 1970/72, but negatively associated in 2004. Conclusions An emerging inequity in reported use of table salt among men could reflect the modest, information-based sodium reduction efforts that were implemented during the time frame considered. However, for sodium consumption in mg/day, we found no evidence of a contemporary inequity, and in fact observed the opposite effect among women. Our findings could reflect data limitations, or they could signal that sodium differs from some other nutrients in terms of its socio-economic patterning, perhaps reflecting very

Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in Young People of Differing Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Non-Eleri; Cooper, Stephen-Mark; Williams, Simon P.; Baker, Julien S.; Davies, Bruce

2005-01-01

This study determined the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors in young people of differing socio-economic status (SES). A cohort of 100 boys and 108 girls, aged 12.9, SD 0.3 years drawn of differing SES were assessed for CHD risk factors. Measurements included indices of obesity, blood pressure, aerobic fitness, diet, blood…

Socio-economic gradients in psychological distress: a focus on women, social roles and work-home characteristics.

PubMed

Matthews, Sharon; Power, Chris

2002-03-01

A focus in the literature on determinants of women's health is the cost and benefit of occupying multiple roles as employee, spouse, and mother, yet little attention has been given to the work and home characteristics of different roles for women in paid and unpaid work. The impact of work-home factors on socio-economic gradients in health has also tended to be overlooked. This paper assesses the contribution of work-home factors on socio-economic differences in psychological distress among women, using data from the 1958 British birth cohort. Outcome measures include psychological distress and social class at age 33. Work-home measures include: (1) roles--employment, marital status, domestic responsibility and parental status (2) work characteristics--psychosocial job strain, insecurity, unsocial working hours, and (3) home characteristics youngest child's age, total number of children, childcare responsibilities and having an older adult in the household (over 70 years). A social gradient in psychological distress exists: the odds ratio (OR) for classes IV and V versus. I and II was 3.02, adjusting for prior psychological distress reduces this to 2.36. Whilst, work and home factors were associated separately with distress and social class, the combined effect of work and home factors did not account for the class gradient in distress. This surprising result therefore implicates factors beyond adult social roles examined here in the development of socio-economic gradients.

A bridge between liquids and socio-economic systems: the key role of interaction strengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roehner, Bertrand M.

2005-03-01

One distinctive and pervasive aspect of social systems is the fact that they involve several kinds of agents. Thus, in order to draw parallels with physical systems one is led to consider binary (or multi-component) compounds. Recent views about the mixing of liquids in solutions gained from neutron and X-ray scattering show these systems to have a number of similarities with socio-economic systems. It appears that such phenomena as rearrangement of bonds in a solution, gas condensation, and selective evaporation of molecules can be transposed in a natural way to some socio-economic phenomena. These connections provide with a novel perspective for looking at social systems which we illustrate through examples. For instance, we interpret suicide as an escape phenomenon and in order to test this interpretation we consider social systems characterized by very low levels of social interaction. For these systems suicide rates are found to be 10 to 100 times higher than in the general population. Another interesting parallel concerns the phase transition that occurs when locusts gather together to form swarms which may contain several billion insects. What hinders the thorough investigation of such cases from the standpoint of collective phenomena that we advocate is the lack or inadequacy of statistical data; up to now socio-economic data were collected for completely different purposes. Most essential, for further progress, are the statistics which would permit to estimate the strength of social ties and interactions. Once adequate data become available, rapid advancement may be expected. At the end of the paper, we will discuss whether or not the ergodic principle applies to social systems.

A fuzzy stochastic framework for managing hydro-environmental and socio-economic interactions under uncertainty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subagadis, Yohannes Hagos; Schütze, Niels; Grundmann, Jens

2014-05-01

An amplified interconnectedness between a hydro-environmental and socio-economic system brings about profound challenges of water management decision making. In this contribution, we present a fuzzy stochastic approach to solve a set of decision making problems, which involve hydrologically, environmentally, and socio-economically motivated criteria subjected to uncertainty and ambiguity. The proposed methodological framework combines objective and subjective criteria in a decision making procedure for obtaining an acceptable ranking in water resources management alternatives under different type of uncertainty (subjective/objective) and heterogeneous information (quantitative/qualitative) simultaneously. The first step of the proposed approach involves evaluating the performance of alternatives with respect to different types of criteria. The ratings of alternatives with respect to objective and subjective criteria are evaluated by simulation-based optimization and fuzzy linguistic quantifiers, respectively. Subjective and objective uncertainties related to the input information are handled through linking fuzziness and randomness together. Fuzzy decision making helps entail the linguistic uncertainty and a Monte Carlo simulation process is used to map stochastic uncertainty. With this framework, the overall performance of each alternative is calculated using an Order Weighted Averaging (OWA) aggregation operator accounting for decision makers' experience and opinions. Finally, ranking is achieved by conducting pair-wise comparison of management alternatives. This has been done on the basis of the risk defined by the probability of obtaining an acceptable ranking and mean difference in total performance for the pair of management alternatives. The proposed methodology is tested in a real-world hydrosystem, to find effective and robust intervention strategies for the management of a coastal aquifer system affected by saltwater intrusion due to excessive groundwater

Childhood socio-economic status, school failure and drug abuse: a Swedish national cohort study.

PubMed

Gauffin, Karl; Vinnerljung, Bo; Fridell, Mats; Hesse, Morten; Hjern, Anders

2013-08-01

To investigate whether socio-economic status (SES) in childhood and school failure at 15 years of age predict illicit drug abuse in youth and young adulthood. Register study in a Swedish national cohort born 1973-88 (n = 1,405,763), followed from age 16 to 20-35 years. Cox regression analyses were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for any indication of drug abuse. Our outcomes were hospital admissions, death and criminality associated with illicit drug abuse. Data on socio-demographics, school grades and parental psychosocial problems were collected from censuses (1985 and 1990) and national registers. School failure was defined as having mean school grades from the final year in primary school lower than -1 standard deviation and/or no grades in core subjects. School failure was a strong predictor of illicit drug abuse with an HR of 5.87 (95% CI: 5.76-5.99) after adjustment for age and sex. Childhood SES was associated with illicit drug abuse later in life in a stepwise manner. The lowest stratum had a HR of 2.28 (95% CI: 2.20-2.37) compared with the highest stratum as the reference, when adjusted for other socio-demographic variables. In the fully adjusted model, the effect of SES was greatly attenuated to an HR of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.19-1.28) in the lowest SES category, while the effect of school failure remained high with an HR of 4.22 (95% CI: 4.13-4.31). School failure and childhood socio-economic status predict illicit drug abuse independently in youth and young adults in Sweden. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

How does the social "get under the gums"? The role of socio-economic position in the oral-systemic health link.

PubMed

Gomaa, Noha; Nicolau, Belinda; Siddiqi, Arjumand; Tenenbaum, Howard; Glogauer, Michael; Quiñonez, Carlos

2017-09-14

To evaluate the extent of association between systemic inflammation and periodontal disease in American adults, and to assess whether socio-economic position mediated this relationship. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES IV) (2001-2010). Systemic inflammation was defined by individual and aggregate (cumulative inflammatory load) biomarkers (C-reactive protein, white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio). Loss of attachment and bleeding on probing were used to define periodontal disease. Poverty:income ratio and education were indicators of socio-economic position. Covariates included age, sex, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol, and attendance for dental treatment. Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were constructed to assess the relationships of interest. In a total of 2296 respondents, biomarkers of systemic inflammation and cumulative inflammatory load were significantly associated with periodontal disease after adjusting for age, sex, and behavioural factors. Socio-economic position attenuated the association between markers of systemic inflammation and periodontal disease in the fully adjusted model. Socio-economic position partly explains how systemic inflammation and periodontal disease are coupled, and may thus have a significant role in the mechanisms linking oral and non-oral health conditions. It is of critical importance that the social and living conditions are taken into account when considering prevention and treatment strategies for inflammatory diseases, given what appears to be their impactful effect on disease processes.

Back to the Basics: Socio-Economic, Gender, and Regional Disparities in Canada's Educational System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edgerton, Jason D.; Peter, Tracey; Roberts, Lance W.

2008-01-01

This study reassessed the extent to which socio-economic background, gender, and region endure as sources of educational inequality in Canada. The analysis utilized the 28,000 student Canadian sample from the data set of the OECD's 2003 "Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)". Results, consistent with previous findings,…

How Do Some Students Overcome Their Socio-Economic Background? PISA in Focus. No. 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

Are socio-economically disadvantaged students condemned to perpetuate an intergenerational cycle of poor academic achievement, poor job prospects and poverty? Not if they attend schools that provide them with more regular classes. Resilient students in the 2006 and 2009 PISA surveys displayed high levels of academic achievement despite the fact…

Socio-economic factors associated with infant mortality in Italy: an ecological study.

PubMed

Dallolio, Laura; Di Gregori, Valentina; Lenzi, Jacopo; Franchino, Giuseppe; Calugi, Simona; Domenighetti, Gianfranco; Fantini, Maria Pia

2012-08-16

One issue that continues to attract the attention of public health researchers is the possible relationship in high-income countries between income, income inequality and infant mortality (IM). The aim of this study was to assess the associations between IM and major socio-economic determinants in Italy. Associations between infant mortality rates in the 20 Italian regions (2006-2008) and the Gini index of income inequality, mean household income, percentage of women with at least 8 years of education, and percentage of unemployed aged 15-64 years were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Univariate linear regression and multiple stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to determine the magnitude and direction of the effect of the four socio-economic variables on IM. The Gini index and the total unemployment rate showed a positive strong correlation with IM (r = 0.70; p < 0.001 and r = 0.84; p < 0.001 respectively), mean household income showed a strong negative correlation (r = -0.78; p < 0.001), while female educational attainment presented a weak negative correlation (r = -0.45; p < 0.05). Using a multiple stepwise linear regression model, only unemployment rate was independently associated with IM (b = 0.15, p < 0.001). In Italy, a high-income country where health care is universally available, variations in IM were strongly associated with relative and absolute income and unemployment rate. These results suggest that in Italy IM is not only related to income distribution, as demonstrated for other developed countries, but also to economic factors such as absolute income and unemployment. In order to reduce IM and the existing inequalities, the challenge for Italian decision makers is to promote economic growth and enhance employment levels.

Socio-economic factors associated with infant mortality in Italy: an ecological study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Introduction One issue that continues to attract the attention of public health researchers is the possible relationship in high-income countries between income, income inequality and infant mortality (IM). The aim of this study was to assess the associations between IM and major socio-economic determinants in Italy. Methods Associations between infant mortality rates in the 20 Italian regions (2006–2008) and the Gini index of income inequality, mean household income, percentage of women with at least 8 years of education, and percentage of unemployed aged 15–64 years were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Univariate linear regression and multiple stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to determine the magnitude and direction of the effect of the four socio-economic variables on IM. Results The Gini index and the total unemployment rate showed a positive strong correlation with IM (r = 0.70; p < 0.001 and r = 0.84; p < 0.001 respectively), mean household income showed a strong negative correlation (r = −0.78; p < 0.001), while female educational attainment presented a weak negative correlation (r = −0.45; p < 0.05). Using a multiple stepwise linear regression model, only unemployment rate was independently associated with IM (b = 0.15, p < 0.001). Conclusions In Italy, a high-income country where health care is universally available, variations in IM were strongly associated with relative and absolute income and unemployment rate. These results suggest that in Italy IM is not only related to income distribution, as demonstrated for other developed countries, but also to economic factors such as absolute income and unemployment. In order to reduce IM and the existing inequalities, the challenge for Italian decision makers is to promote economic growth and enhance employment levels. PMID:22898293

Multinomial Logistic Regression Predicted Probability Map To Visualize The Influence Of Socio-Economic Factors On Breast Cancer Occurrence in Southern Karnataka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhu, B.; Ashok, N. C.; Balasubramanian, S.

2014-11-01

Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to develop statistical model that can predict the probability of breast cancer in Southern Karnataka using the breast cancer occurrence data during 2007-2011. Independent socio-economic variables describing the breast cancer occurrence like age, education, occupation, parity, type of family, health insurance coverage, residential locality and socioeconomic status of each case was obtained. The models were developed as follows: i) Spatial visualization of the Urban- rural distribution of breast cancer cases that were obtained from the Bharat Hospital and Institute of Oncology. ii) Socio-economic risk factors describing the breast cancer occurrences were complied for each case. These data were then analysed using multinomial logistic regression analysis in a SPSS statistical software and relations between the occurrence of breast cancer across the socio-economic status and the influence of other socio-economic variables were evaluated and multinomial logistic regression models were constructed. iii) the model that best predicted the occurrence of breast cancer were identified. This multivariate logistic regression model has been entered into a geographic information system and maps showing the predicted probability of breast cancer occurrence in Southern Karnataka was created. This study demonstrates that Multinomial logistic regression is a valuable tool for developing models that predict the probability of breast cancer Occurrence in Southern Karnataka.

Predictive global trends in the incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer based on geographic location, socio-economic status, and demographic shift.

PubMed

Are, Chandrakanth; Chowdhury, Sanjib; Ahmad, Humera; Ravipati, Advaitaa; Song, Tianqiang; Shrikandhe, Shailesh; Smith, Lynette

2016-11-01

Pancreatic Cancer (PC) is a lethal malignancy that accounts for about 4% of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The aim of this study is to describe the influence of geography (based on WHO regions), socio-economic development (based on Human Development Index [HDI]) and demographic shift on the temporal trends in global incidence and mortality of PC. Data (2012-2030) relating to the incidence, mortality of PC and demographic shifts based on WHO regions and HDI areas were extracted from GLOBOCAN 2012. Linear regression was used to evaluate trends in total incidence and mortality. We noted a definite association between PC and higher socio-economic status. Advanced age (age ≥65) contributed to the rising burden in all socio-economic regions of the world except in the Low Human Development (LHD) countries where the disease predominantly affected population <65 years of age. The global burden of PC is expected to rise significantly over the next few decades regardless of geographic location, socio-economic development, age and gender. Advance knowledge of this data can help formulate strategies to specifically target countries and populations that promote public health policy to tackle this lethal disease on the global stage. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:736-742. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Contextual Specificity in the Relationship between Maternal Autonomy Support and Children's Socio-emotional Development: A Longitudinal Study from Preschool to Preadolescence.

PubMed

Matte-Gagné, Célia; Harvey, Brenda; Stack, Dale M; Serbin, Lisa A

2015-08-01

The benefits of an autonomy supportive environment have been established as a key component in children's development at various ages. Nonetheless, research examining the outcomes of early autonomy supportive environments has largely neglected socio-emotional development. The first objective of the present longitudinal study was to examine the socio-emotional outcomes associated with maternal autonomy support during the preschool period. Second, we explored the contextual specificity of the relationships between maternal autonomy support and children's later socio-emotional outcomes. Finally, we investigated the indirect effect of maternal autonomy support on children's later socio-emotional outcomes through earlier children's socio-emotional outcomes. Sixty-six mothers and their pre-school aged children (41 girls) were followed during preschool (Time 1), elementary school (Time 2) and preadolescence (Time 3). Maternal autonomy support (Time 1) was measured in two contexts (free-play and interference task) using observational coding. Furthermore, the children's internalizing and externalizing problems as well as their social competence were measured at Times 2 and 3. The results revealed the importance of maternal autonomy support during preschool for children's later socio-emotional development, especially during challenging contexts, and the mediating role of children's socio-emotional outcomes during elementary school in the link between maternal autonomy support during the preschool years and children's later socio-emotional outcomes during preadolescence. The results highlight the contextual specificity of the relationship between maternal autonomy support and children's later socio-emotional development and reveal one of the mechanisms through which the effect of early childhood parental autonomy support on children's later socio-emotional development is carried forward over time.

The Effects of Psycho-Emotional and Socio-Economic Support for Tuberculosis Patients on Treatment Adherence and Treatment Outcomes – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

van Hoorn, Rosa; Jaramillo, Ernesto; Collins, David; Gebhard, Agnes; van den Hof, Susan

2016-01-01

Background There is uncertainty about the contribution that social support interventions (SSI) can have in mitigating the personal, social and economic costs of tuberculosis (TB) treatment on patients, and improving treatment outcomes. Objective To identify psycho-emotional (PE) and socio-economic (SE) interventions provided to TB patients and to assess the effects of these interventions on treatment adherence and treatment outcomes. Search strategy We searched PubMed and Embase from 1 January 1990–15 March 2015 and abstracts of the Union World Conference on Lung Health from 2010–2014 for studies reporting TB treatment adherence and treatment outcomes following SSI. Selection criteria Studies measuring the effects of PE or SE interventions on TB treatment adherence, treatment outcomes, and/or financial burden. Data collection and analysis Two reviewers independently assessed titles and abstracts for inclusion of articles. One reviewer reviewed full text articles and the reference list of selected studies. A second reviewer double checked all extracted information against the articles. Main results Twenty-five studies were included in the qualitative analysis; of which eighteen were included in the meta-analysis. Effects were pooled from 11 Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs), including 9,655 participants with active TB. Meta-analysis showed that PE support (RR 1.37; CI 1.08–1.73), SE support (RR 1.08; CI 1.03–1.13) and combined PE and SE support (RR 1.17; CI 1.12–1.22) were associated with a significant improvement of successful treatment outcomes. Also PE support, SE support and a combination of these types of support were associated with reductions in unsuccessful treatment outcomes (PE: RR 0.46; CI 0.22–0.96, SE: RR 0.78; CI 0.69–0.88 and Combined PE and SE: RR 0.42; CI 0.23–0.75). Evidence on the effect of PE and SE interventions on treatment adherence were not meta-analysed because the interventions were too heterogeneous to pool. No evidence

Psycho-socio-economic outcomes in acoustic neuroma patients and their carers related to tumour size.

PubMed

Pritchard, C; Clapham, L; Davis, A; Lang, D A; Neil-Dwyer, G

2004-08-01

The objective was to explore psycho-socio-economic outcomes of a 2-year cohort of patients having surgery for an acoustic neuroma, and carers and their relationship to tumour size after surgery. The Wessex Patient Carer Questionnaire was designed in conjunction with Patients and Carers, to determine psycho-socio-economic outcomes. The results were juxtaposed against clinical profiles. The House-Brackman (HB) scale was used to assess facial function at 6 and 12 months after operation. The cohort contained 102 patients. There were 87% effective responders. Half were aged below 54 years and 30% had school-aged children. The majority (93%) of patients were operated via the translabyrinthine approach. Patients with large tumours, i.e. greater than 3 cm (28%), had most post-treatment physical problems, including hearing and balance difficulties, and 42% reported difficulty eating in public. Thirty-four per cent felt 'stressed' and 18%'depressed'. After 6 months, facial function was recorded as HB scale 5/6 in 21% of patients but by 1 year only 8% of patients were HB 5/6. Patients and carers were generally very satisfied with their in-patient neurosurgical care, but significantly dissatisfied with post-discharge care - particularly the shortcoming of the community services. The majority of families felt 'unsupported' and only 20% of patients had confidence in their General Practitioner's knowledge. Families faced severe socio-economic disruption and patients"time-off-work' was estimated to cost pound 954,000. Carers carried considerable post-discharge psychological burdens and costs to the public purse were calculated to be pound 52,000.

The Economic Impact of Adaptive Responses to Future Scenarios of Socio-Economic and Ecological Change in the Tonle Sap Ecosystem, Cambodia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teh, L.; Bond, N.; KC, K. B.; Fraser, E. D. G.; Seng, R.; Sumaila, R.

2016-12-01

The livelihoods of people dependent on the Tonle Sap floodplain ecosystem in Cambodia are expected to be affected by future socio-economic, policy, ecological, and climate change. To investigate the economic impact of these changes on fishing dependent communities, we compare the net income from individuals' current livelihoods to that derived from reallocating their livelihood activities under 4 different scenarios depicting future change. Under current conditions, we find that the group of individuals who do not participate in fishing had the lowest net income. In contrast, individuals who participated in fishing only had comparatively higher average net income than those with multiple livelihoods, suggesting that there may be current gains from livelihood specialisation. When presented with scenarios of future ecological and socio-economic change, the majority of respondents chose to retain their current livelihood strategy under all future scenarios. Of those who did change their livelihood allocation, less than 10% actually experienced a gain in economic benefits. Overall, a loss in net income was expected under all future scenarios, with those engaged in single livelihoods being the most vulnerable because they were likely to experience the largest losses (7 - 29% loss vs. 1 - 17% for multi-livelihoods) across all 4 scenarios while having the least capacity to adapt. Respondents' choices generated the best economic outcome under the scenario depicting the status quo, indicating that they were capable of coping with current conditions, but were unlikely to make appropriate decisions when faced with future scenarios that they were unfamiliar with. By quantifying the consequences of low adaptive capacity in terms of income loss, this study provides an economic argument for addressing the social and economic factors that currently inhibit the capacity of Tonle Sap inhabitants to adapt to future change. It also emphasises the need for sustainable management of

Child restraint use in low socio-economic areas of urban Sydney during transition to new legislation.

PubMed

Keay, Lisa; Hunter, Kate; Brown, Julie; Bilston, Lynne E; Simpson, Judy M; Stevenson, Mark; Ivers, Rebecca Q

2013-01-01

Child restraints protect a young child against injury in crashes but best practice child restraint use is low in Australia, particularly among lower socio-economic groups. We investigated factors associated with restraint use to inform the development of education and distribution programmes to support new Australian legislation on child passengers among families in low socio-economic areas of metropolitan Sydney. We interviewed a parent or carer of 1160 children aged 2-5 years enrolled at one of 28 early childhood centres in low socio-economic areas of urban Sydney. Appropriate child restraint use was defined as a forward facing child restraint (FFCR) for 2-3 year olds and a FFCR or booster seat for children aged 4 years or more. Predictors of self-reported appropriate use were explored using logistic regression. Analysis was conducted on one child from each family in the target age range (2-5 years): 586 (51%) were male and the mean age was 3.5 (Standard Deviation 0.8) years. There were 432 (45%) families with annual income below $60,000, 248 (22%) spoke a language other than English at home and 360 (33%) had 3 or more children. Fifty-four percent of carers indicated that their 2-3 year old children travelled in a FFCR. Inappropriate use among children in this age group was more likely when the carer was <36 years (odds ratio (OR) 1.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-2.45), in families with ≥3 children (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.10-2.44) and when the carer believed that a booster seat was just as safe as a FFCR (OR 2.98, 2.05-4.32). Eight-eight percent of carers of 4-5 year olds reported use of a booster seat or FFCR. Non-use was associated with low household income (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.67-5.75), in families with ≥3 children (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.09-3.76) and families where a language other than English is spoken at home (OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.10-5.21). Non-English speaking families had less awareness of the new law and poorer knowledge of safety benefits of child

Using Level 1 E-Learning to Support Socio-Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmundson, Andrea

2007-01-01

The most developed, progressive, and economically stable countries in the world are those that are technologically advanced. Technological change and the building of human capabilities are interrelated: each requires the development of the other for success and the "rethinking [of] educational systems to meet the new challenges of…

Analysis of the methods for assessing socio-economic development level of urban areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popova, Olga; Bogacheva, Elena

2017-01-01

The present paper provides a targeted analysis of current approaches (ratings) in the assessment of socio-economic development of urban areas. The survey focuses on identifying standardized methodologies to area assessment techniques formation that will result in developing the system of intelligent monitoring, dispatching, building management, scheduling and effective management of an administrative-territorial unit. This system is characterized by complex hierarchical structure, including tangible and intangible properties (parameters, attributes). Investigating the abovementioned methods should increase the administrative-territorial unit's attractiveness for investors and residence. The research aims at studying methods for evaluating socio-economic development level of the Russian Federation territories. Experimental and theoretical territory estimating methods were revealed. Complex analysis of the characteristics of the areas was carried out and evaluation parameters were determined. Integral indicators (resulting rating criteria values) as well as the overall rankings (parameters, characteristics) were analyzed. The inventory of the most widely used partial indicators (parameters, characteristics) of urban areas was revealed. The resulting criteria of rating values homogeneity were verified and confirmed by determining the root mean square deviation, i.e. divergence of indices. The principal shortcomings of assessment methodologies were revealed. The assessment methods with enhanced effectiveness and homogeneity were proposed.

Alone on the range: Exploring first-generation ranchers: Adaptations to socio-economic challenges in California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

California’s ranching landscape is shifting as new ranchers enter, often with differing socio-economic backgrounds and goals. In contrast to multi-generational ranchers (MGRs), research suggests that first-generation farmers and ranchers (FGRs) are more likely to be younger, highly educated, non-Whi...

The association of socio-economic position across the life course and age at menopause: the British Women's Heart and Health Study.

PubMed

Lawlor, Debbie A; Ebrahim, Shah; Smith, George Davey

2003-12-01

To assess the association of indicators of adverse socio-economic position from across the life course with age at menopause. Cross sectional study as part of the British Women's Heart and Health Study. 23 British towns. Three thousand and five hundred and thirteen women aged 60-79 years from a total cohort of 4286. Women who underwent a hysterectomy or oophorectomy prior to their 'natural' menopause or who were taking hormone replacement therapy around the perimenopausal period and for whom a biological age at menopause could not be calculated were excluded from this study. Age at menopause. Most of the 10 indicators of adverse socio-economic position from childhood through to adulthood were linearly associated with a younger age at menopause. In age adjusted analyses, women from manual social classes in childhood began their menopause on average 0.68 years (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.11, 1.3) earlier than those from non-manual social classes. Those who lived in a house as a child without a bathroom began their menopause 0.47 years (95% CI 0.12, 0.82) earlier than those with a bathroom. Those who shared a bedroom began 0.36 years (95% CI 0.03, 0.70) earlier than those who had their own bedroom and finally those who lived in a household with no access to a car as a child began their menopause 0.47 years (95% CI 0.02, 0.95) earlier than those with access to a car. Adult indicators of adverse socio-economic position were similarly associated with earlier age at menopause. Age at completing full time education was not substantively associated with age at menopause. The inverse associations between each of the indicators of both childhood and adult socio-economic position and age at menopause were not importantly affected by adjustment for other reproductive factors but they attenuated by between 6% and 21% with adjustment for adult smoking and body mass index. The inverse associations between each of the childhood indicators of socio-economic position only and age

Bushfires in the Krachi District: the Socio-Economic and Environmental Implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusimi, J. M.; Appati, J. W.

2012-07-01

Bushfires are becoming one of the environmental challenges confronting Ghana and increasingly it has become difficult for the Government to control it because this activity is deeply rooted in the socio-cultural and economic systems of the people. The effects of bushfire on rural livelihoods and on the ecosystem in Ghana are extensive and damaging. Bushfires have accelerated environmental degradation especially in the fragile savannah ecosystem, yet there is very little in the form of public education, published data and information concerning the frequency, intensity, duration and effects of bushfire on the environment and human welfare in Ghana. The study did a change detection of biomass cover using pre and post fire normalized burnt ratio of Landsat TM+ imageries of 2002 and 2003 to determine fire severity on vegetative cover. The socio-economic impact of this disaster was collected using social survey approaches such as interviews and focus group meetings. Some of the consequences of the bushfire include the burning of food stuffs, houses as well as domestic animals. The environmental impacts of these bushfires have been very devastating and these involve the lost of biodiversity (plants and animals) and the depletion of organic matter of the soil thus impoverishing the soils. The research found out that, the continuous prevalence of this activity was due to the laxity in the implementation of bye-laws regulating bushfire burning due to the lack of personnel and logistics to state agencies in the District to combat the problem.

Geography Olympiads in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liiber, Ulle; Roosaare, Juri

2007-01-01

The Olympiad movement has a long history in Estonia, and the national system developed several decades ago. The first Olympiad for gifted and talented students was held in mathematics in 1950. Now there are more than 20 different fields of competition for basic school and gymnasium students. In 2005/2006, Estonian teams participated in 18…

Neighbourhood Socio Economic Disadvantage Index’s Analysis of the Flood Disasters Area at East Jakarta in 1996 and 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranti Ristiani, Christina; Rokhmatuloh; Hernina, Revi

2017-12-01

Flood is one of natural disasters that have often happened in East Jakarta. Flood can give several negative impacts and it can affect all aspects of society lives such as economics, political, cultural, socials and others. East Jakarta is an urban area which continuously grows and establishes to become a rapid area. It can be seen from the highest population density in East Jakarta (BPS, 2016) and categorized into a region prone to flooding based on data Prone Flood Map in 1996 and 2016. The higher population exists in East Jakarta, the bigger possibility of the negative effects of disaster it gets. The negative impacts of flood disaster can affect societies especially with socio-economic disadvantage. One of the index to measure socio-economic disadvantage is NSDI (Neighbourhood socio-economic disadvantage index). However, to adjust indicators used in NSDI with Indonesia statistical data compatibility, it needs further assessment and evaluation. Therefore, this paper evaluates previous main indicators used in previous NSDI studies and improves with indicators which more suitable with statistical records in Indonesia. As a result, there will be improved 19 indicators to be used in NSDI, but the groups of indicators remain the same as previous namely; income, education, occupation, housing, and population.

Growth pattern in Ethiopian infants - the impact of exposure to maternal HIV infection in relation to socio-economic factors.

PubMed

König Walles, John; Balcha, Taye Tolera; Winqvist, Niclas; Björkman, Per

2017-01-01

Infants exposed to maternal HIV infection who remain HIV-uninfected (HIV-exposed/uninfected; HIV-EU) may be at increased risk of growth retardation, which could be due both to directly HIV-related effects and to socio-economic factors overrepresented among HIV-positive women. To investigate growth development at 9-12 months of age in HIV-EU infants participating in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) care compared to HIV unexposed (HIV-U) infants in relation to socio-economic conditions. Anthropometric and socio-economic data were collected retrospectively from PMTCT registers (for HIV-EU infants), with HIV-U controls recruited at measles vaccination at public health facilities in Ethiopia. Growth was compared with regard to HIV exposure and socio-economic variables in multivariate regression analysis. The following growth measurements were found for 302 HIV-EU and 358 HIV-U infants at 9-12 months of age, respectively: mean weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) 0.04 and -0.21, p < 0.001 (proportion underweight 5.7% and 6.7%, p = 0.60); median length-for-age z-score (LAZ) -0.92 and -0.91, p = 0.53 (proportion stunted 25.1% and 20.5%, p = 0.17). In multivariate analysis, lower WAZ was associated with male sex (p = 0.021), lower maternal education (p < 0.001), presence of siblings (p < 0.01) and HIV-U (p < 0.01). Underweight was associated with male sex (p = 0.017) and absence of maternal education (p = 0.019). Lower LAZ was associated with male sex (p < 0.001), presence of siblings (p < 0.001) and poor maternal education (p < 0.01), while stunting was associated with male sex (p < 0.001), presence of siblings (p < 0.001), few rooms in the home (p < 0.01), access to running water (p = 0.026) and low level of maternal education (p = 0.014). At 9-12 months of age, HIV-EU infants had non-inferior growth and higher mean WAZ than HIV-U controls. Poor growth development was associated with socio-economic factors. This suggests

Demographic and socio-economic patterns of hospitalization for infectious diseases in Israel.

PubMed

Ellencweig, A Y; Slater, P E

1986-06-01

Hospitalization rates in Israel for five common enteric communicable diseases were computed according to age, sex, religion, origin and place of residence. Higher rates were found for non-Jews of both sexes and males of all origins. Higher rates were also found for settlements inhabited by new immigrants of low socio-economic classes. These findings suggest that more emphasis should be placed upon sanitary improvements and education for better health, rather than on merely improving the health delivery system.

A socio-economic hypothesis for lower birth sex ratios at racial, national and global levels.

PubMed

Grech, Victor

2018-01-01

The sex ratio at birth may be depressed by a variety of events or conditions due to an excess of male foetal losses. Evidence is accumulating that observed differences in this ratio between races, nations and even at regional global level, may be due to socio-economic stress. This review summarises findings pertaining to Blacks in the United States, and to a global United Nations dataset, as well as to other smaller studies. Extant evidence reinforces the theory that chronic socio-economic stress may be the reason for a lower birth sex ratio at racial, national and global levels. While innate periconceptual and gestational (e.g. hormonal) racial differences have been cited as possible causes for these M/T differences, this may be a mechanism/pathway and not the actual cause for lower M/T. Stress may, however, act by using hormonal pathways to effect the observed M/T disparities. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Unpacking socio-economic risks for reading and academic self-concept in primary school: Differential effects and the role of the preschool home learning environment.

PubMed

Crampton, Alexandria; Hall, James

2017-09-01

Uncertainty remains concerning how children's reading and academic self-concept are related and how these are differentially affected by social disadvantage and home learning environments. To contrast the impacts of early socio-economic risks and preschool home learning environments upon British children's reading abilities and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years. n = 3,172 British children aged 3-10 years and their families. A secondary analysis of the nationally representative UK EPPE database. Multilevel structural equation modelling calculated the direct, indirect, and total impacts of early socio-economic risks (0-3 years) and preschool home learning environments (3-5 years) upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept between 7 and 10 years. Early socio-economic risk had different effects upon children's reading ability and academic self-concept. Early socio-economic risks affected children's reading at ages 7 and 10 both directly and indirectly via effects upon preschool home learning environments. By contrast, early socio-economic risks had only indirect effects upon children's academic self-concept via less stimulating home learning environments in the preschool period and by limiting reading abilities early on in primary school. Although the impacts of early socio-economic risks are larger and more easily observed upon reading than upon academic self-concept, they can impact both by making it less likely that children will experience enriching home learning environments during the preschool period. This has implications for social policymakers, early educators, and interventionists. Intervening early and improving preschool home learning environments can do more than raise children's reading abilities; secondary benefits may also be achievable upon children's self-concept. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Migration and health: a study of effects of early life experiences and current socio-economic situation on mortality of immigrants in Sweden.

PubMed

Klinthäll, Martin; Lindström, Martin

2011-12-01

Previous research has demonstrated mortality differences between immigrants and natives living in Sweden. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of early life conditions in the country of birth and current socio-economic conditions in adult life in Sweden on cardiovascular, cancer, all other cause and total mortality among immigrants and natives in Sweden. The cohort data concerning individual demographic characteristics and socio-economic conditions stems from the Swedish Longitudinal Immigrant Database (SLI), a register-based representative database, and consists of individuals from 11 countries of birth, born between 1921 and 1939, who were residents in Sweden between 1980 and 2001. The associations between current socio-economic conditions as well as infant mortality rates (IMR) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita in the year and country of birth, and total, cardiovascular, cancer and 'all other' mortality in 1980-2001 were calculated by survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate hazard rate ratios. The effects of current adult life socio-economic conditions in Sweden on mortality are both stronger and more straightforward than the effects of early life conditions in the sense that higher socio-economic status is significantly associated with lower mortality in all groups of diagnoses; however, we find associations between infant mortality rates (IMR) in the year and country of birth, and cancer mortality among men and women in the final model. Socioeconomic conditions in Sweden are more strongly associated with mortality than early life indicators IMR and GDP per capita in the year of birth in the country of origin. This finding has health policy and other policy implications.

International Students' Perceptions of Race and Socio-Economic Status in an American Higher Education Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritter, Zachary S.

2016-01-01

International students add a great deal of cultural and intellectual diversity to college campuses, but they also bring racial stereotypes and socio-economic status hierarchies that can affect campus climate. Forty-seven interviews with Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean international students were conducted. Results indicated that a majority of…

76 FR 16611 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Socio-Economic Surveys of Vessel Owners, Permit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-24

... through an ongoing research project. For the owners/permit holders' survey, NOAA is considering in-person... considered. For the crew survey, research is being conducted to determine the most appropriate method of... Collection; Comment Request; Socio-Economic Surveys of Vessel Owners, Permit Holders, and Crew in New England...

Clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and socio-economic burden of COPD in Bulgaria.

PubMed

Kamusheva, Maria; Dimitrova, Maria; van Boven, Job F M; Postma, Maarten J; van der Molen, Thys; Kocks, Janwillem W H; Mitov, Konstantin; Doneva, Miglena; Petrova, Daniela; Georgiev, Ognyan; Petkova, Valentina; Petrova, Guenka

2017-05-01

While the impact of COPD in Western-Europe is known, data from Eastern-Europe is scarce. This study aimed to evaluate clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and the socio-economic burden of COPD in Eastern-Europe, taking Bulgaria as a reference case. A representative sample of Bulgarian patients with COPD was randomly chosen by pulmonologists, based on the following inclusion criteria: COPD diagnosis with at least 1 year of living with COPD, ≥40 years of age, and use of COPD medication. Patient characteristics, treatment, quality-of-life, healthcare resource use, and costs were systematically assessed. A total of 426 COPD patients were enrolled. Approximately 69% were male, 40% had occupational risk factors, 45% had severe and 11% had very severe COPD. Mean CAT scores were 13.80 (GOLD A), 21.80 (GOLD B), 17.35 (GOLD C), and 26.70 (GOLD D). Annual per-patient costs of healthcare utilization were €579. Yearly pharmacotherapy costs were €693. Indirect costs (reduced and lost work productivity) outnumbered direct costs three times. Bulgaria has relatively high percentages of (very) severe COPD patients, resulting in considerable socio-economic burden. High smoking rates, occupational risk factors, air pollution, and a differential health system may be related to this finding. Eastern-European COPD strategies should focus on prevention, risk-factor awareness, and early detection.

A Conceptual Framework for Electronic Socio-Emotional Support for People with Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shpigelman, Carmit-Noa; Reiter, Shunit; Weiss, Patrice L.

2009-01-01

In recent years an increasing number of people under psychological distress turn to computer-mediated communication for support. A related development is the increasing number of computer-mediated support groups in which people meet, share interests, and exchange socio-emotional support through text-based messages on computer networks. To date, a…

Temporal trends in BMI in Argentina by socio-economic position and province-level economic development, 2005-2009.

PubMed

Christine, Paul J; Diez Roux, Ana V; Wing, Jeffrey J; Alazraqui, Marcio; Spinelli, Hugo

2015-04-01

We investigated temporal trends in BMI, and assessed hypothesized predictors of trends including socio-economic position (SEP) and province-level economic development, in Argentina. Using multivariable linear regression, we evaluated cross-sectional patterning and temporal trends in BMI and examined heterogeneity in these associations by SEP and province-level economic development with nationally representative samples from Argentina in 2005 and 2009. We calculated mean annual changes in BMI for men and women to assess secular trends. Women, but not men, exhibited a strong cross-sectional inverse association between SEP and BMI, with the lowest-SEP women having an average BMI 2.55 kg/m(2) greater than the highest-SEP women. Analysis of trends revealed a mean annual increase in BMI of 0.19 kg/m(2) and 0.15 kg/m(2) for women and men, respectively, with slightly greater increases occurring in provinces with greater economic growth. No significant heterogeneity in trends existed by individual SEP. BMI is increasing rapidly over time in Argentina irrespective of various sociodemographic characteristics. Higher BMI remains more common in women of lower SEP compared with those of higher SEP.

Socio-economic and environmental effects influencing the development of leprosy in Bahia, north-eastern Brazil.

PubMed

Cabral-Miranda, William; Chiaravalloti Neto, Francisco; Barrozo, Ligia V

2014-12-01

To investigate spatial clusters and possible associations between relative risks of leprosy with socio-economic and environmental factors, taking into account diagnosed cases in children under 15 years old. An ecological study was conceived using data aggregated by municipality to identify possible spatial clusters of leprosy from 2005 to 2011. Relative risks were calculated accounting for the respective covariate gender. The second stage of the analysis consisted of verifying possible associations between the relative risks of leprosy as a dependent variable, and socio-economic and environmental variables as independent. This was performed using a multivariate regression analysis according to a previously defined conceptual framework. Overall rates have decreased from 0.88/10 000 in 2005 to 0.52 in 2011. Spatial scan statistics identified 4 high-risk and 6 low-risk clusters. In the regression model, after allowing for spatial dependence, relative risks were associated with higher percentage of water bodies, higher Gini index, higher percentage of urban population, larger average number of dwellers by permanent residence and smaller percentage of residents born in Bahia. Although relative risks of leprosy in Bahia have been decreasing, they remain very high. The association between relative risks of leprosy and water bodies in the proposed geographic scale indicates that hypothesis linking M. leprae and humid environments cannot be discarded. Socio-economic conditions such as inequality, a greater number of dwellers by residence and migration are derived from the urbanisation process carried out in this State. Precarious settlements and poor living conditions in the cities would favour the continuity of leprosy transmission. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Poor socio-economic status in 47,XXX --an unexpected effect of an extra X chromosome.

PubMed

Stochholm, Kirstine; Juul, Svend; Gravholt, Claus H

2013-06-01

One of the most common sex chromosomal abnormalities in females is 47,XXX syndrome, which is characterized by tall stature and reduced IQ, but with a variable phenotype. In order to elaborate on the characteristics of this syndrome, we undertook an investigation in all diagnosed 47,XXX females at risk in Denmark and compared their socio-economic status with an age-matched cohort of the female background population as well as with all Danes diagnosed with Turner syndrome. We focused on cohabitation, motherhoods, income, education, retirement and convictions. Furthermore, we investigated whether some of these parameters influenced the increased mortality identified previously. Thus, socio-economic data were retrieved in 108 47,XXX persons, 10,297 controls, and 831 with Turner syndrome. Comparing the 47,XXX persons with their controls, we identified significantly decreased numbers of first partnership, number of mothers, and number of persons with an education in 47,XXX persons. Significantly more 47,XXX persons retired. In the younger age groups an increased number had income below the median among controls. The increased mortality identified previously was not explained by the reduced number of partnerships or the reduced number of persons with an education. Comparing the 47,XXX persons with Turner syndrome persons, we identified increased number of first partnership, number of mothers, and reduced level of education. We hypothesize that the significantly decreased number of 47,XXX persons becoming mothers could be due to hypogonadism in some. The affected socio-economic status suggests that the presence of an extra X chromosome has more detrimental effects than previously appreciated. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Analysis of caries status development in relation to socio-economic variables using a case-based system.

PubMed

Swedberg, Y; Norén, J G

2001-01-01

The aim of this study was to detect, using case-based reasoning (CBR) induction methods in time series analysis, how measurable socio-economical adjustments were related to the caries status development. The study concerned the year classes leaving the organised dental care for the time period 1987-95, and had received dental care at the Public Dental Service of Göteborg. The results, as presented by a caries incidence index, indicated that at least one socioeconomical factor, individuals seeking employment, was of importance for the caries status development, a factor with an increase of considerable proportions since 1990. The findings indicated that the other socio-economic variables used did not have the same importance for the caries status development. One feasible explanation is that these factors reflect more upon the social family situation than the economical. If the caries status reflects the social situation of the individual more than the economical, this argument will elucidate the reasoning. Using CBR for the analysis of relationships between oral disease and parameters possibly influencing health development has proven to be a valuable tool and complement to more traditional statistical methods. The analysis can make relationships explicit through the hierarchic knowledge trees and also show redundant information, attributes not appearing in the trees.

Healthy travel and the socio-economic structure of car commuting in Cambridge, UK: a mixed-methods analysis.

PubMed

Goodman, Anna; Guell, Cornelia; Panter, Jenna; Jones, Natalia R; Ogilvie, David

2012-06-01

Car use is associated with substantial health and environmental costs but research in deprived populations indicates that car access may also promote psychosocial well-being within car-oriented environments. This mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) study examined this issue in a more affluent setting, investigating the socio-economic structure of car commuting in Cambridge, UK. Our analyses involved integrating self-reported questionnaire data from 1142 participants in the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study (collected in 2009) and in-depth interviews with 50 participants (collected 2009-2010). Even in Britain's leading 'cycling city', cars were a key resource in bridging the gap between individuals' desires and their circumstances. This applied both to long-term life goals such as home ownership and to shorter-term challenges such as illness. Yet car commuting was also subject to constraints, with rush hour traffic pushing drivers to start work earlier and with restrictions on, or charges for, workplace parking pushing drivers towards multimodal journeys (e.g. driving to a 'park-and-ride' site then walking). These patterns of car commuting were socio-economically structured in several ways. First, the gradient of housing costs made living near Cambridge more expensive, affecting who could 'afford' to cycle and perhaps making cycling the more salient local marker of Bourdieu's class distinction. Nevertheless, cars were generally affordable in this relatively affluent, highly-educated population, reducing the barrier which distance posed to labour-force participation. Finally, having the option of starting work early required flexible hours, a form of job control which in Britain is more common among higher occupational classes. Following a social model of disability, we conclude that socio-economic advantage can make car-oriented environments less disabling via both greater affluence and greater job control, and in ways manifested across the full socio-economic

Healthy travel and the socio-economic structure of car commuting in Cambridge, UK: A mixed-methods analysis

PubMed Central

Goodman, Anna; Guell, Cornelia; Panter, Jenna; Jones, Natalia R.; Ogilvie, David

2012-01-01

Car use is associated with substantial health and environmental costs but research in deprived populations indicates that car access may also promote psychosocial well-being within car-oriented environments. This mixed-method (quantitative and qualitative) study examined this issue in a more affluent setting, investigating the socio-economic structure of car commuting in Cambridge, UK. Our analyses involved integrating self-reported questionnaire data from 1142 participants in the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study (collected in 2009) and in-depth interviews with 50 participants (collected 2009–2010). Even in Britain's leading ‘cycling city’, cars were a key resource in bridging the gap between individuals' desires and their circumstances. This applied both to long-term life goals such as home ownership and to shorter-term challenges such as illness. Yet car commuting was also subject to constraints, with rush hour traffic pushing drivers to start work earlier and with restrictions on, or charges for, workplace parking pushing drivers towards multimodal journeys (e.g. driving to a ‘park-and-ride’ site then walking). These patterns of car commuting were socio-economically structured in several ways. First, the gradient of housing costs made living near Cambridge more expensive, affecting who could ‘afford’ to cycle and perhaps making cycling the more salient local marker of Bourdieu's class distinction. Nevertheless, cars were generally affordable in this relatively affluent, highly-educated population, reducing the barrier which distance posed to labour-force participation. Finally, having the option of starting work early required flexible hours, a form of job control which in Britain is more common among higher occupational classes. Following a social model of disability, we conclude that socio-economic advantage can make car-oriented environments less disabling via both greater affluence and greater job control, and in ways manifested across

Socio-Pedagogical Complex as a Pedagogical Support Technology of Students' Social Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadovaya, Victoriya V.; Simonova, Galina I.

2016-01-01

The relevance of the problem stated in the article is determined by the need of developing technological approaches to pedagogical support of students' social adaptation. The purpose of this paper is to position the technological sequence of pedagogical support of students' social adaptation in the activities of the socio-pedagogical complex. The…

Food loss reduction from an environmental, socio-economic and consumer perspective - The case of the Swiss potato market.

PubMed

Willersinn, Christian; Mouron, Patrik; Mack, Gabriele; Siegrist, Michael

2017-01-01

Potatoes are one of the commodities with the highest loss shares along the entire supply chain. In the present study, we analyzed six potential loss reduction scenarios concerning their environmental-socio-economic sustainability compared with the current situation by using the "SustainOS" methodology. For this purpose, life cycle assessments, full-cost calculations and an online consumer survey were conducted. Environmental improvements through loss reduction were rather small and did not cross limits of significance, but the socio-economic performance of the entire supply chain can be improved considerably. Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression analyses were used to predict the influence of specific subjective items like the intention to avoid food loss, knowledge related to food loss and consumers' price sensitivity on the assigned preference. Results show that perceived risks, perceived inconvenience and the general acceptance of loss-reducing instruments influence consumers' preferences. Altogether, only three out of six tested scenarios seem realistic: selling unwashed potatoes in a lightproof box, selling unpacked potatoes, and improved quality sorting at farms. For two of the other scenarios, consumers significantly indicated their refusal even if losses decreased considerably, whereas the sixth scenario was unfavorable from a socio-economic perspective. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship of family formation characteristics with unsafe abortion: is it confounded by women's socio-economic status? - A case-control study from Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Arambepola, Carukshi; Rajapaksa, Lalini C; Attygalle, Deepika; Moonasinghe, Loshan

2016-06-17

Literature shows that choice for unsafe abortion is often driven by poverty. However, factors related to the family formation behaviour of women are also implied as determinants of this decision. This study assessed which family formation characteristics of women are associated with the risk of unsafe abortion, without being confounded by their low socio-economic status among Sri Lankan women admitted to hospital following post-abortion complications. An unmatched case-control study was conducted in nine hospitals in eight districts in Sri Lanka among 171 women with post-abortion complications following unsafe abortion (Cases) and 600 postpartum mothers admitted to same hospitals during the same period for delivery of term unintended pregnancies (Controls). Interviewer-administered-questionnaires obtained demographic, socio-economic and family formation related characteristics. Risk factors of abortion were assessed by odds-ratio (OR), adjusted for their socio-economic status in logistic regression analysis. Low socio-economic status, characterised by low-education (adjusted OR = 1.5; 95 % CI = 1.1-2.4) and less/unskilled occupations (2.3; 1.4-3.6) was a significant risk factor for unsafe abortion. Independent of this risk, being unmarried (9.3; 4.0-21.6), failure in informed decisions about desired family size (2.2; 1.4-3.5), not having a girl-child (2.2; 1.4-3.4) and longer average birth intervals (0.7 years; 0.6-0.8) signified the vulnerability of women for unsafe abortion. Cases were as fast as the controls in their family completion (4.3 versus 4.5 years; p = 0.4), but were at increased risk for abortion, if their average birth intervals (including the last one) were longer. Previous contraceptive use, age at reproductive events or partners' characteristics did not impart any risk for abortion. Low socio-economic status is not the most influencing risk factor for unsafe abortions leading to complications, but many other factors in relation to

Quantitative Effectiveness Analysis of Solar Photovoltaic Policies, Introduction of Socio-Feed-in Tariff Mechanism (SocioFIT) and its Implementation in Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustafaoglu, Mustafa Sinan

Some of the main energy issues in developing countries are high dependence on non-renewable energy sources, low energy efficiency levels and as a result of this high amount of CO2 emissions. Besides, a common problem of many countries including developing countries is economic inequality problem. In the study, solar photovoltaic policies of Germany, Japan and the USA is analyzed through a quantitative analysis and a new renewable energy support mechanism called Socio Feed-in Tariff Mechanism (SocioFIT) is formed based on the analysis results to address the mentioned issues of developing countries as well as economic inequality problem by using energy savings as a funding source for renewable energy systems. The applicability of the mechanism is solidified by the calculations in case of an implementation of the mechanism in Turkey.

Socio-Economic Background and Access to Internet as Correlates of Students' Achievement in Agricultural Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adegoke, Sunday Paul; Osokoya, Modupe M.

2015-01-01

This study investigated access to internet and socio-economic background as correlates of students' achievement in Agricultural Science among selected Senior Secondary Schools Two Students in Ogbomoso South and North Local Government Areas. The study adopted multi-stage sampling technique. Simple random sampling was used to select 30 students from…

Socio-economic effects on meeting PA guidelines: comparisons among 32 countries

PubMed Central

Borraccino, A; Lemma, P; Iannotti, R; Zambon, A; Dalmasso, P; Lazzeri, G; Giacchi, M; Cavallo, F

2008-01-01

Purpose This study examined the relationship between age and gender with physical activity (PA) and how meeting of PA guidelines (PAGL) is related to socio-economic-status. Methods Data were collected from 11-, 13-, and 15-y.o. students in 32 countries participating in the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey 2001/2002. A self-completed questionnaire assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for the past seven days and MVPA for a typical week. Socio-economic status (SES) was assessed using the Family Affluence Scale (FAS). Results None of the countries averaged enough MVPA to meet PAGL. The pattern of MVPA across gender and age was consistent among all countries. In all countries girls were significantly less active than boys (mean hours/week of MVPA 3.52 ±1.88 vs 4.13 ±1.95) and were more likely to not meet the PAGL; older children were less active when compared to the youngest. SES was significantly associated with the amount of reported MVPA. SES and PAGL were significantly related in seven countries and a significant decrease in the influence of age was observed in these countries compared to other countries. Conclusions Levels of MVPA during adolescence showed consistent patterns across countries in relation to age, gender and social-class. The limited effect of age on PA in countries where the influence of social class was less strong, suggesting the possibility of a moderating effect of context in the development of habits acquired in childhood PMID:19276860

The Socio-economic Impact of Stroke on Households in Livingstone District, Zambia: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Mapulanga, M; Nzala, S; Mweemba, C

2014-07-01

Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability. Stroke, which affects mostly the productive age group, leaves about 65% of its victims disabled, leads to increased loss of manpower both at individual and national levels. Little is known about the socio-economic burden of the disease in terms of its impacts on the individual, family and community both directly and indirectly in Sub-Sahara Africa region and Zambia at large. The study was aimed at assessing the socio-economic impact of stroke households in Livingstone district, Zambia. A total of 50 households were randomly selected from the registers of Livingstone General Hospital. Self-administered questionnaires and focus group discussions were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 16 (IBM Corporation) and content analysis. Chi-square test was used to make associations between variables. The social impacts on the victim were depression, difficult to get along with, resentfulness, apathy, needy, separation, divorce, general marital problems, neglect on the part of the victim and fear. The economic impacts were loss of employment, reduced business activity and loss of business on the part of the victim. Economic activities such as food provision, payment of school fees, accommodation were affected as a result of stroke and this led to financial insecurities in households with lost incomes in form of salaries and businesses. The activities forgone by stroke households were food provision, housing and education. The study also revealed an association between period of stroke and relationship changes (P < 0.001). Gender and family relationship changes were highly associated (P < 0.00), as more females than males experienced relationship changes. The results of the present study show that stroke has considerable socio-economic impact on households in Livingstone district, which can deter the victims' development as

Modelling impacts of climate change and socio-economic change on the Ganga, Brahmaputra, Meghna, Hooghly and Mahanadi river systems in India and Bangladesh.

PubMed

Whitehead, Paul G; Jin, Li; Macadam, Ian; Janes, Tamara; Sarkar, Sananda; Rodda, Harvey J E; Sinha, Rajiv; Nicholls, Robert J

2018-09-15

The Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) River System, the associated Hooghly River and the Mahanadi River System represent the largest river basins in the world serving a population of over 780 million. The rivers are of vital concern to India and Bangladesh as they provide fresh water for people, agriculture, industry, conservation and support the Delta System in the Bay of Bengal. Future changes in both climate and socio-economics have been investigated to assess whether these will alter river flows and water quality. Climate datasets downscaled from three different Global Climate Models have been used to drive a daily process based flow and water quality model. The results suggest that due to climate change the flows will increase in the monsoon period and also be enhanced in the dry season. However, once socio-economic changes are also considered, increased population, irrigation, water use and industrial development reduce water availability in drought conditions, threatening water supplies and posing a threat to river and coastal ecosystems. This study, as part of the DECCMA (Deltas, vulnerability and Climate Change: Migration and Adaptation) project, also addresses water quality issues, particularly nutrients (N and P) and their transport along the rivers and discharge into the Delta System. Climate will alter flows, increasing flood flows and changing pollution dilution factors in the rivers, as well as other key processes controlling water quality. Socio-economic change will affect water quality, as water diversion strategies, increased population and industrial development alter the water balance and enhance fluxes of nutrients from agriculture, urban centers and atmospheric deposition. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Socio-economic inequalities in malnutrition among children and adolescents in Colombia: the role of individual-, household- and community-level characteristics.

PubMed

Garcia, Sandra; Sarmiento, Olga L; Forde, Ian; Velasco, Tatiana

2013-09-01

To examine socio-economic inequalities in malnutrition among Colombian children and adolescents, and to assess the contribution of individual-, household- and community-level factors to those inequalities. Cross-sectional data were used from two sources: 2005 Colombian Demographic and Health Survey and 2005 Colombian census. Malnutrition outcomes included stunting and overweight. Multilevel Poisson models were used to estimate the association between individual, household and contextual characteristics and malnutrition. Changes in prevalence ratios of the poorest quintile (v. richest) were compared to assess the contribution of different characteristics to inequalities in malnutrition. Population-based, representative of Colombia. Children and adolescents <18 years of age (n 30 779) from the Colombian Demographic and Health Survey. Children and adolescents living in the poorest households were close to five times more likely to be stunted, while those from the richest households were 1.3–2.8 times more likely than their poorest counterparts to be overweight. Care practices and household characteristics, particularly mother’s education, explained over one-third of socio-economic inequalities in stunting. The proportion explained by access to services was not negligible (between 6% and 14 %). Access to sanitation was significantly associated with a lower prevalence of stunting for all age groups. Between 14% and 32% of socio-economic disparities in overweight were explained by maternal and household characteristics. Mother’s overweight was positively associated with overweight of the child. Socio-economic inequalities in stunting and overweight coexist among children and adolescents in Colombia. Malnutrition inequalities are largely explained by household characteristics, suggesting the need for targeted interventions.

Assessing the Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining on the Livelihoods of Communities in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in Ghana.

PubMed

Obiri, Samuel; Mattah, Precious A D; Mattah, Memuna M; Armah, Frederick A; Osae, Shiloh; Adu-kumi, Sam; Yeboah, Philip O

2016-01-26

Gold mining has played an important role in Ghana's economy, however the negative environmental and socio-economic effects on the host communities associated with gold mining have overshadowed these economic gains. It is within this context that this paper assessed in an integrated manner the environmental and socio-economic impacts of artisanal gold mining in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality from a natural and social science perspective. The natural science group collected 200 random samples on bi-weekly basis between January to October 2013 from water bodies in the study area for analysis in line with methods outlined by the American Water Works Association, while the social science team interviewed 250 residents randomly selected for interviews on socio-economic issues associated with mining. Data from the socio-economic survey was analyzed using logistic regression with SPSS version 17. The results of the natural science investigation revealed that the levels of heavy metals in water samples from the study area in most cases exceeded GS 175-1/WHO permissible guideline values, which are in tandem with the results of inhabitants' perceptions of water quality survey (as 83% of the respondents are of the view that water bodies in the study area are polluted). This calls for cost-benefits analysis of mining before new mining leases are granted by the relevant authorities.

Assessing the Environmental and Socio-Economic Impacts of Artisanal Gold Mining on the Livelihoods of Communities in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality in Ghana

PubMed Central

Obiri, Samuel; Mattah, Precious A. D.; Mattah, Memuna M.; Armah, Frederick A.; Osae, Shiloh; Adu-kumi, Sam; Yeboah, Philip O.

2016-01-01

Gold mining has played an important role in Ghana’s economy, however the negative environmental and socio-economic effects on the host communities associated with gold mining have overshadowed these economic gains. It is within this context that this paper assessed in an integrated manner the environmental and socio-economic impacts of artisanal gold mining in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality from a natural and social science perspective. The natural science group collected 200 random samples on bi-weekly basis between January to October 2013 from water bodies in the study area for analysis in line with methods outlined by the American Water Works Association, while the social science team interviewed 250 residents randomly selected for interviews on socio-economic issues associated with mining. Data from the socio-economic survey was analyzed using logistic regression with SPSS version 17. The results of the natural science investigation revealed that the levels of heavy metals in water samples from the study area in most cases exceeded GS 175-1/WHO permissible guideline values, which are in tandem with the results of inhabitants’ perceptions of water quality survey (as 83% of the respondents are of the view that water bodies in the study area are polluted). This calls for cost-benefits analysis of mining before new mining leases are granted by the relevant authorities. PMID:26821039

Socio-economic status and maternal BMI are associated with duration of breast-feeding of Norwegian infants.

PubMed

Bjørset, Vilde K; Helle, Christine; Hillesund, Elisabet R; Øverby, Nina C

2018-06-01

To explore whether there is an association between socio-economic status and maternal BMI and duration of any breast-feeding/exclusive breast-feeding among Norwegian infants at 4 and 5 months of age in 2016. Cross-sectional design. Baseline data from a randomized controlled trial. Data concerning breast-feeding were collected by FFQ. Recruitment was done at child health-care centres and through Facebook in 2016. In total, 960 infants/parents registered for participating in the study Early Food for Future Health. A total of 715 infant/mother dyads completed the questionnaire when the child was between 5 and 6 months old. At 5 months of age, 81·0 % of infants were breast-fed and 16·4 % were exclusively breast-fed. Infants of highly educated mothers had higher odds of being breast-fed at 5 months compared with infants of mothers with less education. Infants of multiparous mothers had higher odds of being exclusively breast-fed for the first 5 months compared with infants of mothers with one child. Infants of mothers with overweight/obesity had reduced odds of both being breast-fed at all and being exclusively breast-fed at 4 months of age compared with infants of mothers with normal BMI. Our results show that duration of breast-feeding varies with socio-economic status and maternal BMI in Norway. Targeting groups with low socio-economic status and mothers with overweight or obesity is important, as they are less likely to breast-feed according to recommendations.

Influence of socio-economic status on access to different components of SCI management across Indian population.

PubMed

Chhabra, H S; Bhalla, A M

2015-11-01

To assess the influence of financial constraints on access to different components of spinal cord injury (SCI) management in various socio-economic strata of the Indian population. Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC). One hundred fifty SCI individuals who came for follow-up at ISIC between March 2009 and March 2013 with at least 1 year of community exposure after discharge were included in the study. Socio-economic classification was carried out according to the Kuppuswamy scale, a standard scale for the Indian population. A self-designed questionnaire was administered. No sample was available from the lower group. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) for the levels of difficulty perceived by different socio-economic groups in accessing different components of SCI management. Aided upper lower group was dependent on welfare schemes for in-hospital treatment but could not access other components of management once discharged. Unaided upper lower group either faced severe difficulty or could not access management. Majority of lower middle group faced severe difficulty. Upper middle group was equally divided into facing severe, moderate or no difficulty. Most patients in the upper group faced no difficulty, whereas some faced moderate and a small number of severe difficulty. Financial constraints affected all components of SCI management in all except the upper group. The results of the survey suggest that a very large percentage of the Indian population would find it difficult to access comprehensive SCI management and advocate extension of essential medical coverage to unaided upper lower, lower middle and upper middle groups.

Council tax valuation band predicts breast feeding and socio-economic status in the ALSPAC study population.

PubMed

Beale, Norman; Kane, Gill; Gwynne, Mark; Peart, Carole; Taylor, Gordon; Herrick, David; Boyd, Andy

2006-01-11

Breast-feeding rates in the UK are known to vary by maternal socio-economic status but the latter function is imperfectly defined. We test if CTVB (Council Tax Valuation Band - a categorical assessment of UK property values and amenities governing local tax levies) of maternal address predicts, in a large UK regional sample of births, (a) breast-feeding (b) personal and socio-economic attributes of the mothers. Retrospective study of a subset (n.1390 selected at random) of the ALSPAC sample (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), a large, geographically defined cohort of mothers followed from early pregnancy to 8 weeks post-delivery. Outcome measures are attitudes to breast-feeding prior to delivery, breast-feeding intention and uptake, demographic and socio-economic attributes of the mothers, CTVB of maternal home address at the time of each birth. Logistic regression analysis, categorical tests. 1360 women divided across the CTVBs--at least 155 in any band or band aggregation. CTVB predicted only one belief or attitude--that bottle-feeding was more convenient for the mother. However only 31% of 'CTVB A infants' are fully breast fed at 4 weeks of life whereas for 'CTVB E+ infants' the rate is 57%. CTVB is also strongly associated with maternal social class, home conditions, parental educational attainment, family income and smoking habit. CTVB predicts breast-feeding rates and links them with social circumstances. CTVB could be used as the basis for accurate resource allocation for community paediatric services: UK breast-feeding rates are low and merit targeted promotion.

Subjective measures of socio-economic position and the wealth index: a comparative analysis.

PubMed

Howe, Laura D; Hargreaves, James R; Ploubidis, George B; De Stavola, Bianca L; Huttly, Sharon R A

2011-05-01

The wealth index is a commonly-used measure of socio-economic position (SEP) in low- and middle-income settings, but there is concern that it is strongly influenced by community-level as well as household-level factors. Subjective SEP indicators are infrequently used in health research. We use data from 11 280 households included in the Malawi Integrated Household Survey 2004/5. We compare the wealth index with four subjective measures of SEP: perceived food consumption adequacy, perceived overall consumption adequacy, an economic ladder question, and perceived income sufficiency. The wealth index is compared with each subjective SEP measure in terms of: (i) agreement of classification of households, (ii) targeting accuracy with respect to US$1-a-day poverty based on consumption expenditure, and (iii) the socio-economic processes (household- and community-level) giving rise to the SEP scores. Each subjective SEP indicator resulted in considerable differential classification of households compared with the wealth index. Three measures of subjective SEP (perceived food consumption adequacy, economic ladder question, and perceived income sufficiency) identified a higher proportion of dollar-a-day poor households as poor than the wealth index. The wealth index was strongly influenced by community infrastructure, but all subjective SEP indicators were free from strong community-level influence. The strengths and limitations of any measure of SEP depend on the context and purpose for which it is being used. In these data, the wealth index was strongly influenced by community infrastructure, whereas the subjective SEP measures were not, perhaps allowing analyses using them to disentangle household and community influences. Several subjective measures also corresponded to dollar-a-day poverty more strongly than the wealth index. Subjective measures may therefore be preferable to the wealth index in some circumstances, although they have their own set of potential biases.

Socio-economic disadvantage, quality of medical care and admission for acute severe asthma.

PubMed

Kolbe, J; Vamos, M; Fergusson, W

1997-06-01

In asthma, socio-economic and health care factors may operate by a number of mechanisms to influence asthma morbidity and mortality. To determine the quality of medical care including the patient perception of the doctor-patient relationship, and the level of socio-economic disadvantage in patients admitted to hospital with acute severe asthma. One hundred and thirty-eight patients (15-50 years) admitted to hospital (general ward or intensive care unit) with acute asthma were prospectively assessed using a number of previously validated instruments. The initial subjects had severe asthma on admission (pH = 7.3 +/- 0.2, PaCO2 = 7.1 +/- 5.0 kPa, n = 90) but short hospital stay (3.7 +/- 2.6 days). Although having high morbidity (40% had hospital admission in the last year and 60% had moderate/severe interference with sleep and/or ability to exercise), they had indicators of good ongoing medical care (96% had a regular GP, 80% were prescribed inhaled steroids, 84% had a peak flow meter, GP measured peak flow routinely in 80%, 52% had a written crisis plan and 44% had a supply of steroids at home). However, they were severely economically disadvantaged (53% had experienced financial difficulties in the last year, and for 35% of households the only income was a social security benefit). In the last year 39% had delayed or put off GP visit because of cost. Management of the index attack was compromised by concern about medical costs in 16% and time off work in 20%. Patients admitted to hospital with acute asthma have evidence of good quality on-going medical care, but are economically disadvantaged. If issues such as financial barriers to health care are not acknowledged and addressed, the health care services for asthmatics will not be effectively utilised and the current reductions in morbidity and mortality may not be maintained.

Updating the Theoretical Content of Teacher Preparation Pertaining to Educational Subjects: Some Recent Developments in Estonia. Reprints and Miniprints No. 754.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krull, Edgar

Fifty years of Soviet occupation in Estonia has damaged social and economic life. One issue for further development of Estonian society is the need to reform teacher education programs. This paper outlines some of the main problems concerning the content of theoretical preparation of future teachers in educational subjects at Tartu University…

Attitudes towards the Euro: An Empirical Study Based on the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isengard, Bettina; Schneider, Thorsten

2007-01-01

This paper investigates changing attitudes towards the euro over time in Germany using longitudinal micro-data from the German Socio Economic Panel Study. We observe that a large part of the German population was worried about the new currency both before and after its introduction. Social psychological theories provide insight into these…

Socio-Economic Determinants of Inter-State Student Mobility in India: Implications for Higher Education Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jha, Shashiranjan; Kumar, Sumit

2017-01-01

This article analyzes the socio-economic determinants of student mobility in India and evaluates the factors that hinder and promote higher educational mobility. It is argued that despite the mass expansion of higher education in India in recent times, student mobility is directed towards developed educational regions. India is a unique case…

Inequalities in mortality by marital status during socio-economic transition in Lithuania.

PubMed

Kalediene, R; Petrauskiene, J; Starkuviene, S

2007-05-01

To analyse the changes in mortality inequalities by marital status over the period of socio-economic transition in Lithuania and to estimate the contribution of major causes of death to marital-status differences in overall mortality. A survey based on routine mortality statistics and census data for 1989 and 2001 for the entire country. The proportion of married population has declined over the past decade. Widowed men and never married women were found to be at highest risk of mortality throughout the period under investigation. Although inequalities have not grown considerably, mortality rates have increased significantly for divorced populations and for never married men, widening the mortality gap. Cardiovascular diseases contributed most to excess mortality of never married and divorced men, as well as all unmarried groups of women. The excess mortality of widowed men from external causes was greatest in 2001. Marriage can be considered as a health protecting factor, particularly in relation to mortality from cardiovascular diseases and external causes. Local and national policies aimed at health promotion must focus primarily on improving the position of unmarried groups and providing psychological support.

Impact of socio-economic status on ear health and behaviour in children: A cross-sectional study in the capital of India.

PubMed

Gupta, Divya; Gulati, Achal; Gupta, Umang

2015-11-01

Socio-economic differences in the society have been a major cause for the discrepancy in disease and behavioural patterns in society. With 360 million people (32 million children) in the world suffering from disabling hearing losses, it is imperative to gain an insight into the impact of differences in socio-economic strata on children's ear health issues, their knowledge of ear ailments and attitude towards ear health so as to suggest policies addressing ear health issues. The study was carried out in two different school types namely government schools and private schools which represent wide difference in the socio-economic status of the students studying there. A questionnaire was administered to students aged 10 to 13 years to assess the current ear care practices, knowledge regarding ear ailments, attitude towards hearing and their adaptability to reform. The children belonging to higher socio-economic status were found to have lesser incidence of ear diseases and ear abuse, more referrals for ear ailments, lesser indulgence in risky ear health behaviours, better knowledge pool, positive attitude towards ear health and hearing and were more adaptable to change for better hearing. Structures of social disparity are essential determinants of ear health acting both independently and through their influence on behavioural determinants of health. Increasing awareness of ear health issues at the school level itself should be one of the goals of health care providers. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Infant mortality gap in the Baltic region - Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania - in relation to macroeconomic factors in 1996-2010.

PubMed

Ebela, Inguna; Zile, Irisa; Ebela, Danute Razuka; Rozenfelde, Ingrida Rumba

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE. A constant gap has appeared in infant mortality among the 3 Baltic States - Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania - since the restoration of independence in 1991. The aim of the study was to compare infant mortality rates in all the 3 Baltic countries and examine some of the macro- and socioeconomic factors associated with infant mortality. MATERIAL AND METHODS. The data were obtained from international databases, such as World Health Organization and EUROSTAT, and the national statistical databases of the Baltic States. The time series data sets (1996-2010) were used in the regression and correlation analysis. RESULTS. In all the 3 Baltic States, a strong and significant correlation was found: Latvia (r=-0.81, P<0.01), Lithuania (r=-0.93, P<0.01), and Estonia (r=-0.91, P<0.01). There was also a correlation between infant mortality and healthcare expenditure in local currency per capita: Latvia (r=-0.81, P<0.01); Lithuania (r=-0.90, P<0.01) and Estonia (r=-0.88, P<0.01). In Latvia (r=0.87, P<0.01) and Estonia (r=0.70; P<0.01), a significant correlation between infant mortality and unemployment levels was observed from 1996 to 2008, whereas the statistical significance disappeared in the period from 1996 to 2010. In Lithuania, the relationship was not significant. CONCLUSIONS. Higher infant mortality rates and a less stable decreasing tendency in Latvia are apparently explained by less successful adaptation to a new political and economic situation and limited skills in adjusting the healthcare system to the reality of life.

An investigation into the protective factors for overweight among low socio-economic status children.

PubMed

Boshoff, Kobie; Dollman, Jim; Magarey, Anthea

2007-08-01

In light of the current obesity epidemic, this study aimed to expand the knowledge base about the factors involved and the characteristics of children of low socio-economic status (SES) who display healthy behaviours in their eating and physical activity. This project was conducted in two phases: a non-experimental, quantitative design was used in phase one to assess the characteristics of a sample of children in a low SES community. This phase identified children who displayed healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. Phase two used interpretive qualitative methods to investigate the perceptions of these children and their parents about the protective factors involved. Focus groups with children and interviews with their mothers were conducted. In phase one, 45 of 227 children assessed met a priori criteria set for healthy eating and physical activity behaviours. Central themes identified in phase two include: the influence of perceived health benefits; parental and child values regarding healthy eating and physical activity; the sense of enjoyment that children experience; the impact of child preferences and choice; and social influences. The study illustrated the complexity of factors involved in physical activity and healthy eating among children in a low socio-economic community.

Socio-economic status and lifestyle factors are associated with achalasia risk: A population-based case-control study

PubMed Central

Coleman, Helen G; Gray, Ronan T; Lau, Kar W; McCaughey, Conall; Coyle, Peter V; Murray, Liam J; Johnston, Brian T

2016-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the association between various lifestyle factors and achalasia risk. METHODS: A population-based case-control study was conducted in Northern Ireland, including n = 151 achalasia cases and n = 117 age- and sex-matched controls. Lifestyle factors were assessed via a face-to-face structured interview. The association between achalasia and lifestyle factors was assessed by unconditional logistic regression, to produce odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Individuals who had low-class occupations were at the highest risk of achalasia (OR = 1.88, 95%CI: 1.02-3.45), inferring that high-class occupation holders have a reduced risk of achalasia. A history of foreign travel, a lifestyle factor linked to upper socio-economic class, was also associated with a reduced risk of achalasia (OR = 0.59, 95%CI: 0.35-0.99). Smoking and alcohol consumption carried significantly reduced risks of achalasia, even after adjustment for socio-economic status. The presence of pets in the house was associated with a two-fold increased risk of achalasia (OR = 2.00, 95%CI: 1.17-3.42). No childhood household factors were associated with achalasia risk. CONCLUSION: Achalasia is a disease of inequality, and individuals from low socio-economic backgrounds are at highest risk. This does not appear to be due to corresponding alcohol and smoking behaviours. An observed positive association between pet ownership and achalasia risk suggests an interaction between endotoxin and viral infection exposure in achalasia aetiology. PMID:27099443

Demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors affecting fertility differentials in Nepal.

PubMed

Adhikari, Ramesh

2010-04-28

Traditionally Nepalese society favors high fertility. Children are a symbol of well-being both socially and economically. Although fertility has been decreasing in Nepal since 1981, it is still high compared to many other developing countries. This paper is an attempt to examine the demographic, socio-economic, and cultural factors for fertility differentials in Nepal. This paper has used data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2006). The analysis is confined to ever married women of reproductive age (8,644). Both bivariate and multivariate analyses have been performed to describe the fertility differentials. The bivariate analysis (one-way ANOVA) was applied to examine the association between children ever born and women's demographic, socio-economic, and cultural characteristics. Besides bivariate analysis, the net effect of each independent variable on the dependent variable after controlling for the effect of other predictors has also been measured through multivariate analysis (multiple linear regressions). The mean numbers of children ever born (CEB) among married Nepali women of reproductive age and among women aged 40-49 were three and five children, respectively. There are considerable differentials in the average number of children ever born according to women's demographic, socio-economic, and cultural settings. Regression analysis revealed that age at first marriage, perceived ideal number of children, place of residence, literacy status, religion, mass media exposure, use of family planning methods, household headship, and experience of child death were the most important variables that explained the variance in fertility. Women who considered a higher number of children as ideal (beta = 0.03; p < 0.001), those who resided in rural areas (beta = 0.02; p < 0.05), Muslim women (beta = 0.07; p < 0.001), those who had ever used family planning methods (beta = 0.08; p < 0.001), and those who had a child-death experience (beta = 0.31; p < 0

Same Landscape, Different Lens: Variations in Young People's Socio-Economic Experiences and Perceptions in Their Disadvantaged Working-Class Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brann-Barrett, Mary Tanya

2011-01-01

In this paper, I compare socio-economic experiences and community perceptions expressed by socially and economically disadvantaged young people with those of university students living in the same post-industrial community. I consider markers of distinction among these young people in relation to their family and educational experiences. I also…

School Neighbourhood Socio-Economic Status and Teachers' Work Commitment in Finland: Longitudinal Survey with Register Linkage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linnansaari-Rajalin, Terhi; Kivimäki, Mika; Ervasti, Jenni; Pentti, Jaana; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2015-01-01

The extent to which school neighbourhood affects teachers' work commitment is poorly known. In the current study, we investigated whether school neighbourhood socio-economic characteristics predicted teachers' organizational and professional commitment. Primary school teachers (n?=?1042) responded to surveys in 2000-2001 (baseline) and 2004…

Relative importance of climatic, geographic and socio-economic determinants of malaria in Malawi

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Malaria transmission is influenced by variations in meteorological conditions, which impact the biology of the parasite and its vector, but also socio-economic conditions, such as levels of urbanization, poverty and education, which impact human vulnerability and vector habitat. The many potential drivers of malaria, both extrinsic, such as climate, and intrinsic, such as population immunity are often difficult to disentangle. This presents a challenge for the modelling of malaria risk in space and time. Methods A statistical mixed model framework is proposed to model malaria risk at the district level in Malawi, using an age-stratified spatio-temporal dataset of malaria cases from July 2004 to June 2011. Several climatic, geographic and socio-economic factors thought to influence malaria incidence were tested in an exploratory model. In order to account for the unobserved confounding factors that influence malaria, which are not accounted for using measured covariates, a generalized linear mixed model was adopted, which included structured and unstructured spatial and temporal random effects. A hierarchical Bayesian framework using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation was used for model fitting and prediction. Results Using a stepwise model selection procedure, several explanatory variables were identified to have significant associations with malaria including climatic, cartographic and socio-economic data. Once intervention variations, unobserved confounding factors and spatial correlation were considered in a Bayesian framework, a final model emerged with statistically significant predictor variables limited to average precipitation (quadratic relation) and average temperature during the three months previous to the month of interest. Conclusions When modelling malaria risk in Malawi it is important to account for spatial and temporal heterogeneity and correlation between districts. Once observed and unobserved confounding factors are allowed for

[Selected family socio-economic factors as predictors of peer violence among school children in Poland].

PubMed

Stalmach, Magdalena; Tabak, Izabela; Radiukiewicz, Katarzyna

2014-01-01

Analyses concerning peer violence among girls and boys aged 13-17 years, in the context of socio- -economic characteristics of the family: family structure, parental employment status and perceived family wealth. Preliminary data from the recent HBSC studies conducted in 12 voivodeships in Poland in 2013 was used. The analyzes concerned 2300 students aged 13-17 years (45% boys) and focused on the following types of violence: being a perpetrator and a victim of bullying, participation in fights and cyberbullying. Chi-square test analysis and multivariate logistic regression models were used. Significantly more boys than girls experienced bullying (28% vs. 22%) and was perpetrators of violence in the school (39% vs. 25%). The youth from single-parent families significantly more often than students from two-parent families, participated in fights and was the perpetrators of violence in the school. Being a perpetrator and a victim of violence concerned mostly students from poor families and boys, whose father was unemployed. The following risk factors was identified- among boys: low economic status of the family (victims of bullying) and single-parent family (victims of cyberbullying), father's unemployment (the perpetrator of bullying) and age 13-14 years (victims and perpetrators of bullying, participation in fights) and among girls: low economic status of the family (cyberbullying), mother's unemployment and age 13-14 years (victims of violence). The family socio-economic factors, gender and age determine the type and the prevalence of peer violence. Low economic status of the family and single-parent family increases the risk of experiencing violence. For the prevention of bullying the educational role of the father and his commitment to family budget are important.

Socio-economic variables influencing mean age at marriage in Karnataka and Kerala.

PubMed

Prakasam, C P; Upadhyay, R B

1985-01-01

"In this paper an attempt was made to study the influence of certain socio-economic variables on the male and the female age at marriage in Karnataka and Kerala [India] for the year 1971. Step-wise regression method has been used to select the predictor variables influencing mean age at marriage. The results reveal that percent female literate...and percent female in labour force...are found to influence female mean age at marriage in Kerala, while the variables for Karnataka were percent female literate..., percent male literate..., and percent urban male population...." excerpt

Convoys of social support in Mexico: Examining socio-demographic variation.

PubMed

Fuller-Iglesias, Heather R; Antonucci, Toni

2016-07-01

The Convoy Model suggests that at different stages of the lifespan the makeup of the social support network varies in step with developmental and contextual needs. Cultural norms may shape the makeup of social convoys as well as denote socio-demographic differences in social support. This study examines the social convoys of adults in Mexico. Specifically, it examines whether social network structure varies by age, gender, and education level, thus addressing the paucity of research on interpersonal relations in Mexico. A sample of 1,202 adults (18-99 years of age) was drawn from the Study of Social Relations and Well-being in Mexico. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated older adults had larger, more geographically proximate networks with a greater proportion of kin but less frequent contact. Women had larger, less geographically proximate networks with less frequent contact. Less educated individuals had smaller, more geographically proximate networks with more frequent contact and a greater proportion of kin. Age moderated gender and education effects indicated that younger women have more diverse networks and less educated older adults have weaker social ties. This study highlights socio-demographic variation in social convoys within the Mexican context, and suggests implications for fostering intergenerational relationships, policy, and interventions. Future research on Mexican convoys should further explore sources of support, and specifically address implications for well-being.

Convoys of social support in Mexico: Examining socio-demographic variation

PubMed Central

Fuller-Iglesias, Heather R.; Antonucci, Toni

2015-01-01

The Convoy Model suggests that at different stages of the lifespan the makeup of the social support network varies in step with developmental and contextual needs. Cultural norms may shape the makeup of social convoys as well as denote socio-demographic differences in social support. This study examines the social convoys of adults in Mexico. Specifically, it examines whether social network structure varies by age, gender, and education level, thus addressing the paucity of research on interpersonal relations in Mexico. A sample of 1,202 adults (18–99 years of age) was drawn from the Study of Social Relations and Well-being in Mexico. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated older adults had larger, more geographically proximate networks with a greater proportion of kin but less frequent contact. Women had larger, less geographically proximate networks with less frequent contact. Less educated individuals had smaller, more geographically proximate networks with more frequent contact and a greater proportion of kin. Age moderated gender and education effects indicated that younger women have more diverse networks and less educated older adults have weaker social ties. This study highlights socio-demographic variation in social convoys within the Mexican context, and suggests implications for fostering intergenerational relationships, policy, and interventions. Future research on Mexican convoys should further explore sources of support, and specifically address implications for well-being. PMID:27340310

Mapping Socio-Economic Vulnerability During Extreme Events (flash floods) in The Himalayan Region: A Case Study Of Bhagirathi Basin, Uttarakhand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisha, N.; Punia, M.

2016-12-01

Mountain stratigraphic system cannot be claimed as the extraordinarily fragile but a greater range of vulnerability to disturbance than many landscape, in the physical space leading to disturbance in social space, makes it special eco-sensitive zone with greater degree of fragility. The present study furnishes socio-economic vulnerability mapping of the Bhagirathi basin through computation of the Socio vulnerability Index (SoVI). SoVI correlates vulnerability to natural or anthropogenic disasters to socio - economic development and illustrates how developmental parameters alter equation of potential effect and recovery in event of a natural catastrophe in the study region. Use of time-series datasets from different sources, including the optical remote sensing data and the use of social and/or economic data to quantify the vulnerabilities during extreme events is attempted. From the analysis it has been found that the areas with high social vulnerability index are might prone to disaster than low index area. However, the analysis of social vulnerability not only helps to identify flood risk area but also raises the question how the key drivers trigger flood and controlled by the governments and local authorities.

Trends in socio-economic inequalities in the Scottish diet: 2001-2009.

PubMed

Barton, Karen L; Wrieden, Wendy L; Sherriff, Andrea; Armstrong, Julie; Anderson, Annie S

2015-11-01

To explore the association between diet and socio-economic position for 2007-2009 and investigate trends in socio-economic inequalities in the Scottish diet between 2001 and 2009. UK food purchase data (collected annually from 2001 to 2009) were used to estimate household-level consumption data. Population mean food consumption, nutrient intakes and energy density were estimated by quintiles of an area-based index of multiple deprivation. Food and nutrient intakes estimated were those targeted for change in Scotland and others indicative of diet quality. The slope and relative indices of inequality were used to assess trends in inequalities in consumption over time. Scotland. Scottish households (n 5020). Daily consumption of fruit and vegetables (200 g, 348 g), brown/wholemeal bread (17 g, 26·5 g), breakfast cereals (16 g, 27 g) and oil-rich (21 g, 40 g) and white fish (77 g, 112 g) were lowest, and that of total bread highest (105 g, 91·5 g) in the most deprived compared with the least deprived households, respectively, for the period 2007-2009. With regard to nutrients, there was no association between deprivation and the percentage of food energy from total fat and saturated fat; however, non-milk extrinsic sugar intakes (15·5%, 14·3%) and energy density (741 kJ/100 g, 701 kJ/100 g) were significantly higher in the most deprived households. The slope and relative indices of inequality showed that inequalities in intakes between 2001 and 2009 have changed very little. There was no evidence to suggest that the difference in targeted food and nutrient intakes between the least and most deprived has decreased compared with previous years.

Do alcohol excise taxes affect traffic accidents? Evidence from Estonia.

PubMed

Saar, Indrek

2015-01-01

This article examines the association between alcohol excise tax rates and alcohol-related traffic accidents in Estonia. Monthly time series of traffic accidents involving drunken motor vehicle drivers from 1998 through 2013 were regressed on real average alcohol excise tax rates while controlling for changes in economic conditions and the traffic environment. Specifically, regression models with autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) errors were estimated in order to deal with serial correlation in residuals. Counterfactual models were also estimated in order to check the robustness of the results, using the level of non-alcohol-related traffic accidents as a dependent variable. A statistically significant (P <.01) strong negative relationship between the real average alcohol excise tax rate and alcohol-related traffic accidents was disclosed under alternative model specifications. For instance, the regression model with ARIMA (0, 1, 1)(0, 1, 1) errors revealed that a 1-unit increase in the tax rate is associated with a 1.6% decrease in the level of accidents per 100,000 population involving drunk motor vehicle drivers. No similar association was found in the cases of counterfactual models for non-alcohol-related traffic accidents. This article indicates that the level of alcohol-related traffic accidents in Estonia has been affected by changes in real average alcohol excise taxes during the period 1998-2013. Therefore, in addition to other measures, the use of alcohol taxation is warranted as a policy instrument in tackling alcohol-related traffic accidents.

An assessment of long term ecosystem research activities across European socio-ecological gradients.

PubMed

Metzger, M J; Bunce, R G H; van Eupen, M; Mirtl, M

2010-06-01

Integration of European long term ecosystem research (LTER) would provide important support for the management of the pan-European environment and ecosystems, as well as international policy commitments. This does require appropriate coverage of Europe and standardised frameworks and research methods between countries. Emerging interest in socio-ecological systems prompted the present assessment of the distribution of LTER activities across European socio-ecological gradients. This paper presents a European stratification with a 1 km(2) resolution, delineating 48 broad socio-ecological regions. The dataset is based on an existing biogeophysical stratification constructed using multivariate clustering of mainly climatic variables and a newly developed socio-economic stratification based on an economic density indicator. The coverage of European LTER facilities across the socio-ecological gradients is tested using this dataset. The analysis shows two strong biases in the present LTER effort. Firstly, urban and disturbed regions are consistently under-represented, illustrating a bias for traditional ecological research away from human activity. Secondly, the Mediterranean, for which some of the most extreme global change impacts are projected, is receiving comparatively little attention. Both findings can help guide future investment in the European LTER network - and especially in a Long Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) component- to provide a more balanced coverage. This will provide better scientific understanding of pan-European environmental concerns and support the management of natural resources and international policy commitments in the European Union. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Socio-Psycho-Pedagogical Support of Migrant Children Adjustment in Educational Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konkina, Evgeniya Vladimirovna; Lutovina, Ekaterina Emeljanovna; Anatolievna, Nikolaev? Natalia; Egorova, Yulia Nikolaevna; Thyssen, Petr Pavlovich

2015-01-01

The article deals with the problem of migration, the formation of cultural identity and the establishment of intercultural dialogue at various levels of adjustive interaction from the perspective of the need to implement the socio-psycho-pedagogical support to migrant children when adjusting in educational institutions. Analysis of foreign and…

Council tax valuation band predicts breast feeding and socio-economic status in the ALSPAC study population

PubMed Central

Beale, Norman; Kane, Gill; Gwynne, Mark; Peart, Carole; Taylor, Gordon; Herrick, David; Boyd, Andy

2006-01-01

Background Breast-feeding rates in the UK are known to vary by maternal socio-economic status but the latter function is imperfectly defined. We test if CTVB (Council Tax Valuation Band – a categorical assessment of UK property values and amenities governing local tax levies) of maternal address predicts, in a large UK regional sample of births, (a) breast-feeding (b) personal and socio-economic attributes of the mothers. Methods Retrospective study of a subset (n.1390 selected at random) of the ALSPAC sample (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children), a large, geographically defined cohort of mothers followed from early pregnancy to 8 weeks post-delivery. Outcome measures are attitudes to breast-feeding prior to delivery, breast-feeding intention and uptake, demographic and socio-economic attributes of the mothers, CTVB of maternal home address at the time of each birth. Logistic regression analysis, categorical tests. Results Study sample: 1360 women divided across the CTVBs – at least 155 in any band or band aggregation. CTVB predicted only one belief or attitude – that bottle-feeding was more convenient for the mother. However only 31% of 'CTVB A infants' are fully breast fed at 4 weeks of life whereas for 'CTVB E+ infants' the rate is 57%. CTVB is also strongly associated with maternal social class, home conditions, parental educational attainment, family income and smoking habit. Conclusion CTVB predicts breast-feeding rates and links them with social circumstances. CTVB could be used as the basis for accurate resource allocation for community paediatric services: UK breast-feeding rates are low and merit targeted promotion. PMID:16405729

The Affective Dimension of Religion and Personal Happiness among Students in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Leslie J.; Elken, Ahto; Robbins, Mandy

2012-01-01

A sample of 150 students in Estonia (119 from a secular university and 31 from a Lutheran theological institute) completed the Oxford Happiness Measure and the Francis Scale of Attitude toward Christianity. The data show no significant correlation between these two variables; thus the findings challenge the generalizability to Estonia of the…

Country report: Estonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaasik, Helle

2015-12-01

The situation of women in education, work, and research in Estonia is relatively good. Nevertheless, science (especially engineering) remains a male-dominated field. The total number of female scientists and engineers in the workforce is about two-thirds that of males. Moreover, the gender imbalance in the researcher population increases with age. Significant pay-gap and power imbalances between the genders remain both in Estonian society in general and in the fields of science and technology. In many practical situations, behavior of both men and women is still guided by gender stereotypes.

The socio-economic burden of snakebite in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Kasturiratne, Anuradhani; Pathmeswaran, Arunasalam; Wickremasinghe, A Rajitha; Jayamanne, Shaluka F; Dawson, Andrew; Isbister, Geoff K; de Silva, Hithanadura Janaka; Lalloo, David G

2017-07-01

Snakebite is a major problem affecting the rural poor in many of the poorest countries in the tropics. However, the scale of the socio-economic burden has rarely been studied. We undertook a comprehensive assessment of the burden in Sri Lanka. Data from a representative nation-wide community based household survey were used to estimate the number of bites and deaths nationally, and household and out of pocket costs were derived from household questionnaires. Health system costs were obtained from hospital cost accounting systems and estimates of antivenom usage. DALYs lost to snakebite were estimated using standard approaches using disability weights for poisoning. 79% of victims suffered economic loss following a snakebite with a median out of pocket expenditure of $11.82 (IQR 2-28.57) and a median estimated loss of income of $28.57 and $33.21 for those in employment or self-employment, respectively. Family members also lost income to help care for patients. Estimated health system costs for Sri Lanka were $ 10,260,652 annually. The annual estimated total number of DALYS was 11,101 to 15,076 per year for envenoming following snakebite. Snakebite places a considerable economic burden on the households of victims in Sri Lanka, despite a health system which is accessible and free at the point of care. The disability burden is also considerable, similar to that of meningitis or dengue, although the relatively low case fatality rate and limited physical sequelae following bites by Sri Lankan snakes means that this burden may be less than in countries on the African continent.

Spatial analysis and socio-economic burden of road crashes in south-western Nigeria.

PubMed

Ipingbemi, Olusiyi

2008-06-01

Road traffic accidents are a major health problem in Nigeria. Death and injuries resulting from road crashes in the country have been on the increase over the years. For instance, fatality rate rose from 5.3 in 1970 to 5.8 in 2005. The purpose of the paper is to assess the pattern and socio-economic burden of road crashes on road accident victims in south-western Nigeria. The study relied on the administration of 438 questionnaires to road accident victims in both public and private hospitals in south-western Nigeria. The data were presented using descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that more than 70% of the accident victims were within the productive age group of between 15-45 years, with over 60% of them living below the poverty line. Motorcycles and buses accounted for 70% of the vehicles while about 40% of the victims were pedestrians. Each victim on average spent a minimum of US$17 per day on medical expenses and had at least one person attached to him/her throughout the period of admission. This has grave implications on the welfare of the families and the socio-economic development of the country. The paper calls for the use of preventive methods and post-crash management initiatives in order to reduce the magnitude and burden of road crashes on members of the society in south-western Nigeria.

Socio-economic factors of bacillary dysentery based on spatial correlation analysis in Guangxi Province, China.

PubMed

Nie, Chengjing; Li, Hairong; Yang, Linsheng; Zhong, Gemei; Zhang, Lan

2014-01-01

In the past decade, bacillary dysentery was still a big public health problem in China, especially in Guangxi Province, where thousands of severe diarrhea cases occur every year. Reported bacillary dysentery cases in Guangxi Province were obtained from local Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control. The 14 socio-economic indexes were selected as potential explanatory variables for the study. The spatial correlation analysis was used to explore the associations between the selected factors and bacillary dysentery incidence at county level, which was based on the software of ArcGIS10.2 and GeoDA 0.9.5i. The proportion of primary industry, the proportion of younger than 5-year-old children in total population, the number of hospitals per thousand persons and the rates of bacillary dysentery incidence show statistically significant positive correlation. But the proportion of secondary industry, per capital GDP, per capital government revenue, rural population proportion, popularization rate of tap water in rural area, access rate to the sanitation toilets in rural, number of beds in hospitals per thousand persons, medical and technical personnel per thousand persons and the rate of bacillary dysentery incidence show statistically significant negative correlation. The socio-economic factors can be divided into four aspects, including economic development, health development, medical development and human own condition. The four aspects were not isolated from each other, but interacted with each other.

Does IQ explain socio-economic differentials in total and cardiovascular disease mortality? Comparison with the explanatory power of traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors in the Vietnam Experience Study.

PubMed

Batty, G David; Shipley, Martin J; Dundas, Ruth; Macintyre, Sally; Der, Geoff; Mortensen, Laust H; Deary, Ian J

2009-08-01

The aim of this study was to examine the explanatory power of intelligence (IQ) compared with traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in the relationship of socio-economic disadvantage with total and CVD mortality, that is the extent to which IQ may account for the variance in this well-documented association. Cohort study of 4289 US male former military personnel with data on four widely used markers of socio-economic position (early adulthood and current income, occupational prestige, and education), IQ test scores (early adulthood and middle-age), a range of nine established CVD risk factors (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total blood cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, body mass index, smoking, blood glucose, resting heart rate, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s), and later mortality. We used the relative index of inequality (RII) to quantify the relation between each index of socio-economic position and mortality. Fifteen years of mortality surveillance gave rise to 237 deaths (62 from CVD and 175 from 'other' causes). In age-adjusted analyses, as expected, each of the four indices of socio-economic position was inversely associated with total, CVD, and 'other' causes of mortality, such that elevated rates were evident in the most socio-economically disadvantaged men. When IQ in middle-age was introduced to the age-adjusted model, there was marked attenuation in the RII across the socio-economic predictors for total mortality (average 50% attenuation in RII), CVD (55%), and 'other' causes of death (49%). When the nine traditional risk factors were added to the age-adjusted model, the comparable reduction in RII was less marked than that seen after IQ adjustment: all-causes (40%), CVD (40%), and 'other' mortality (43%). Adding IQ to the latter model resulted in marked, additional explanatory power for all outcomes in comparison to the age-adjusted analyses: all-causes (63%), CVD (63%), and 'other' mortality (65%). When we utilized IQ in early

The Ecology of Young Children's Behaviour and Social Competence: Child Characteristics, Socio-Economic Factors and Parenting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartas, Dimitra

2011-01-01

Using a longitudinal, UK representative sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, the present study examined the effects of socio-economic factors on mother- and teacher-rated behaviour, and the unique and cumulative contribution of both risk and protective factors inherent in children's proximal and distal influences to behaviour during the…

Elementary Students' Self-Efficacy Beliefs in Science: Role of Grade Level, Gender, and Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karaarslan, Guliz; Sungur, Semra

2011-01-01

This study examined grade level and gender difference with respect to elementary students' science and technology self-efficacy. Additionally, relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and self-efficacy was examined. A total of 145 elementary students participated in the study. Self efficacy towards Science and Technology Scale was used to…

Promoting Low Socio-Economic Participation in Higher Education: A Comparison of Area-Based and Individual Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dockery, Alfred M.; Seymour, Richard; Koshy, Paul

2016-01-01

As with other countries, Australia has been grappling with the identification, measurement and impact of disadvantage in higher education. In particular, the measurement of socio-economic status (SES) has been of central concern. The immediate solution in Australia has been the introduction of an "area" measure in which students' SES is…

The Impact of Socio-Economic Status on Parental Involvement in Turkish Primary Schools: Perspective of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellibas, Mehmet Sukru; Gumus, Sedat

2013-01-01

This exploratory qualitative study investigates the effects of socio-economic status on parental involvement in public primary schools in Turkey. The study aims to examine how teachers in these schools present the scope of current parental involvement, to what factors teachers ascribe the barriers to parental involvement, and whether teachers'…

Parents' Socio-Economic Status as Predictor of Secondary School Students' Academic Performance in Ekiti State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdu-Raheem, B. O.

2015-01-01

This paper investigated parents' socio-economic status on secondary school students' academic performance in Ekiti State. Descriptive research design of the survey type was adopted. The population for the study comprised all Junior Secondary School students in Ekiti State. The sample consisted of 960 students from 20 secondary schools randomly…

Does a Change Over All Equal a Change in All? Testing for Polarized Alcohol Use Within and Across Socio-Economic Groups in Germany.

PubMed

Gomes de Matos, Elena; Kraus, Ludwig; Pabst, Alexander; Piontek, Daniela

2015-11-01

This study aimed at testing whether drinking volume and episodic heavy drinking (EHD) frequency in Germany are polarizing between consumption levels over time. Polarization is defined as a reduction in alcohol use among the majority of the population, while a subpopulation with a high intake level maintains or increases its drinking or its EHD frequency. The polarization hypothesis was tested across and within socio-economic subgroups. Analyses were based on seven cross-sectional waves of the Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse (ESA) conducted between 1995 and 2012 (n = 7833-9084). Overall polarization was estimated based on regression models with time by consumption level interactions; the three-way interaction with socio-economic status (SES) was consecutively introduced to test the stability of effects over socio-economic strata. Interactions were interpreted by graphical inspection. For both alcohol use indicators, declines over time were largest in the highest consumption level. This was found within all SES groups, but was most pronounced at low and least pronounced at medium SES. The results indicate no polarization but convergence between consumption levels. Socio-economic status groups differ in the magnitude of convergence which was lowest in medium SES. The overall decline was strongest for the highest consumption level of low SES. © The Author 2015. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Is suicide mortality associated with meteorological and socio-economic factors? An ecological study in a city in Taiwan with a high suicide rate.

PubMed

Wu, Ya Wen; Chen, Chih Ken; Wang, Liang Jen

2014-06-01

Keelung City has the highest suicide rate in Taiwan. This study aimed to determine whether meteorological and socio-economic factors are associated with suicide mortality in Keelung City, by gender and by means of suicide. Data on suicides between January 2006 and December 2010 were provided by the Department of Health, Keelung City Government. The suicide victims were categorized into non-violent and violent groups, based on the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision. Meteorological data were obtained from the Central Weather Bureau of Taiwan. Socio-economic data were gathered from the Accounting and Statistics Office, Keelung City Government. Multiple linear regression analysis with backward elimination was performed to determine the model that was most effective in predicting dependent variables. During the 5-year study period, the overall suicide mortality rate was negatively associated with ambient temperature. Male suicide mortality was positively correlated with unemployment, and negatively correlated with ambient temperature, barometric pressure, rainy days, family income and number of holidays. Female suicide mortality and violent suicide mortality were not significantly correlated with any meteorological or socio-economic factors. Non-violent suicide mortality was positively correlated with unemployment, and negatively correlated with ambient temperature, barometric pressure and family income. Suicide is a complex psychopathological phenomenon. Further studies with individual data are warranted to confirm how meteorological and socio-economic conditions influence ones' suicidal behaviour.

Mediating pathways in the socio-economic gradient of child development

PubMed Central

Attanasio, Orazio; Grantham-McGregor, Sally

2016-01-01

Research has previously shown a gap of near 0.5 of a standard deviation (SD) in cognition and language development between the top and bottom household wealth quartile in children aged 6–42 months in a large representative sample of low- and middle-income families in Bogota, using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. The gaps in fine motor and socio-emotional development were about half that size. Developmental deficits increased with age. The current study explored the associations amongst child development, household socio-economic status (SES), and a set of potential mediating variables—parental characteristics, child biomedical factors, and the quality of the home environment—in this sample. We ran mediation tests to quantify the contribution of these variables to the SES gap, and explored the role of age as a moderator. Parental education, particularly maternal education, and the quality of the home environment mediated the SES gap in all outcomes examined. Height-for-age mediated a small amount of the deficit in language scales only. More educated mothers provided better home stimulation than less educated mothers and the home environment partly mediated the effect of maternal education. These results suggested that in interventions aimed at promoting child development, those focusing on the quality of the home environment should be effective. PMID:27885311

Innovative Socio-Technical Environments in Support of Distributed Intelligence and Lifelong Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, G; Konomi, S.

2007-01-01

Individual, unaided human abilities are constrained. Media have helped us to transcend boundaries in thinking, working, learning and collaborating by supporting "distributed intelligence". Wireless and mobile technologies provide new opportunities for creating novel socio-technical environments and thereby empowering humans, but not without…

Modeling future flows of the Volta River system: Impacts of climate change and socio-economic changes.

PubMed

Jin, Li; Whitehead, Paul G; Appeaning Addo, Kwasi; Amisigo, Barnabas; Macadam, Ian; Janes, Tamara; Crossman, Jill; Nicholls, Robert J; McCartney, Matthew; Rodda, Harvey J E

2018-10-01

As the scientific consensus concerning global climate change has increased in recent decades, research on potential impacts of climate change on water resources has been given high importance. However in Sub-Saharan Africa, few studies have fully evaluated the potential implications of climate change to their water resource systems. The Volta River is one of the major rivers in Africa covering six riparian countries (mainly Ghana and Burkina Faso). It is a principal water source for approximately 24 million people in the region. The catchment is primarily agricultural providing food supplies to rural areas, demonstrating the classic water, food, energy nexus. In this study an Integrated Catchment Model (INCA) was applied to the whole Volta River system to simulate flow in the rivers and at the outlet of the artificial Lake Volta. High-resolution climate scenarios downscaled from three different Global Climate Models (CNRM-CM5, HadGEM2-ES and CanESM2), have been used to drive the INCA model and to assess changes in flow by 2050s and 2090s under the high climate forcing scenario RCP8.5. Results show that peak flows during the monsoon months could increase into the future. The duration of high flow could become longer compared to the recent condition. In addition, we considered three different socio-economic scenarios. As an example, under the combined impact from climate change from downscaling CNRM-CM5 and medium+ (high economic growth) socio-economic changes, the extreme high flows (Q5) of the Black Volta River are projected to increase 11% and 36% at 2050s and 2090s, respectively. Lake Volta outflow would increase +1% and +5% at 2050s and 2090s, respectively, under the same scenario. The effects of changing socio-economic conditions on flow are minor compared to the climate change impact. These results will provide valuable information assisting future water resource development and adaptive strategies in the Volta Basin. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Socio-economic and lifestyle parameters associated with diet quality of children and adolescents using classification and regression tree analysis: the DIATROFI study.

PubMed

Yannakoulia, Mary; Lykou, Anastasia; Kastorini, Christina Maria; Saranti Papasaranti, Eirini; Petralias, Athanassios; Veloudaki, Afroditi; Linos, Athena

2016-02-01

To explore factors affecting children's and adolescents' diet quality, in the framework of a food aid and promotion of healthy nutrition programme implemented in areas of low socio-economic status of Greece, during the current financial crisis. From a total of 162 schools participating in the programme during 2012-2013, we gathered 15 897 questionnaires recording sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle parameters and dietary habits of children and their families. As a measure of socio-economic status, the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) was used; whereas for the assessment of diet quality, the KIDMED score was computed. Associations between KIDMED and FAS, physical activity and socio-economic parameters were examined using regression and classification-regression tree analysis (CART). The higher the FAS score, the greater the percentage of children and adolescents who reported to consume, on a daily basis, fruits and vegetables, dairy products and breakfast (P<0·001). Results from CART showed that children and adolescents in the medium or high FAS groups had higher KIDMED score, compared with those in the low FAS group. For those in the low FAS group, KIDMED score is expected to increase by 12·4 % when they spend more than 0·25 h/week in sports activities. The respective threshold for the medium and high FAS groups is 1·75 h/week, while education of the mother and father affected KIDMED score significantly as well. Diet quality is strongly influenced by socio-economic parameters in children and adolescents living in economically disadvantaged areas of Greece, so that lower family affluence is associated with worse diet quality.

[Health and socio-economic condition of certified Minamata disease patients, 1999].

PubMed

Ushijima, Kayo; Kitano, Takao; Futatsuka, Makoto

2003-09-01

To clarify the needs and to consider establishing a social support system for patients with Minamata disease (MD), or methylmercury poisoning, by investigating their health and socioeconomic conditions. The total number of people certified as having MD in May 1999 by the Kumamoto and Kagoshima Prefecture Government Committees on MD was 2265. We sent two questionnaires to 917 individuals who were surviving at that time, which corresponded to 40.5% of the total number of MD patients. The first survey sought information on the individual's health-seeking behavior, and the second survey was about their socio-economic conditions and requirements for welfare and medical care in the future. The average age among male patients was 68.0 +/- 13.2 yrs (n = 477) and that among female patients was 71.2 +/- 13.0 yrs (n = 440). The response rates were 45.7% (n = 416) for the first questionnaire and 38.6% (n = 354) for the second questionnaire. Among the MD patients, 71.7% judged their health condition to be 'bad' or 'very bad', and 97.4% received medical treatments that included acupuncture or moxacautery and massage. Regarding the activity of daily living (ADL), which includes 'communicating', 'walking', 'eating', 'use of toilet', 'dressing' and 'taking a bath', the rates of 'independent' were relatively low among those under 49 yrs and those over 75 yrs compared with the other age groups. Many individuals emphasized that they had anxiety about their health and health care in the future. We concluded that the quality of life (QOL) of MD patients was low. It is important to consider developing a social support system for MD patients.

Rethinking Initial Teacher Education: Preparing Teachers for Schools in Low Socio-Economic Communities in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grudnoff, Lexie; Haigh, Mavis; Hill, Mary; Cochran-Smith, Marilyn; Ell, Fiona; Ludlow, Larry

2016-01-01

Differential student achievement has particular significance in New Zealand as it has one of the largest gaps between high and low achievers among all OECD countries. Students from low socio-economic status (SES) communities, who are often Maori and Pasifika, are heavily over-represented in the low achieving group, while students from wealthier…

Children's Environmental Learning, Knowledge, and Interactions under Conditions of Socio-Economic Transformation: The Possibilities of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Cindi R.

This paper argues that the socio-economic transformation caused by the 1971 Suki Agricultural project in central eastern Sudan has had contradictory effects on children. The Suki Agricultural Project was expected to transform the rural economy from production for consumption to production for exchange and profit. Ten years after the project's…

The Influence of Gender, School Location and Socio-Economic Status on Students' Academic Achievement in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alordiah, Caroline Ochuko; Akpadaka, Grace; Oviogbodu, Christy Oritseweyimi

2015-01-01

The study investigated the influence of gender, school location, and socio-economic status (SES) on students' academic achievement in mathematics. The study was an ex-post factor design in which the variables were not manipulated nor controlled. Four research questions and three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The stratified random…

Traffic, Air Pollution, Minority and Socio-Economic Status: Addressing Inequities in Exposure and Risk

PubMed Central

Pratt, Gregory C.; Vadali, Monika L.; Kvale, Dorian L.; Ellickson, Kristie M.

2015-01-01

Higher levels of nearby traffic increase exposure to air pollution and adversely affect health outcomes. Populations with lower socio-economic status (SES) are particularly vulnerable to stressors like air pollution. We investigated cumulative exposures and risks from traffic and from MNRiskS-modeled air pollution in multiple source categories across demographic groups. Exposures and risks, especially from on-road sources, were higher than the mean for minorities and low SES populations and lower than the mean for white and high SES populations. Owning multiple vehicles and driving alone were linked to lower household exposures and risks. Those not owning a vehicle and walking or using transit had higher household exposures and risks. These results confirm for our study location that populations on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum and minorities are disproportionately exposed to traffic and air pollution and at higher risk for adverse health outcomes. A major source of disparities appears to be the transportation infrastructure. Those outside the urban core had lower risks but drove more, while those living nearer the urban core tended to drive less but had higher exposures and risks from on-road sources. We suggest policy considerations for addressing these inequities. PMID:25996888

Personality, Socio-Economic Status and Inflammation: Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Millar, Keith; Lloyd, Suzanne M.; McLean, Jennifer S.; Batty, G. David; Burns, Harry; Cavanagh, Jonathan; Deans, Kevin A.; Ford, Ian; McConnachie, Alex; McGinty, Agnes; Mõttus, Réne; Packard, Chris J.; Sattar, Naveed; Shiels, Paul G.; Velupillai, Yoga N.; Tannahill, Carol

2013-01-01

Background Associations between socio-economic status (SES), personality and inflammation were examined to determine whether low SES subjects scoring high on neuroticism or hostility might suffer relatively higher levels of inflammation than affluent subjects. Methods In a cross-sectional design, 666 subjects were recruited from areas of high (most deprived – “MD”) and low (least deprived – “LD”) deprivation. IL-6, ICAM-1, CRP and fibrinogen were measured along with demographic and health-behaviour variables, and personality traits of neuroticism, extraversion and psychoticism (hostility). Regression models assessed the prediction of inflammation as a function of personality, deprivation and their interaction. Results Levels of CRP and IL-6 were an increasing function of neuroticism and extraversion only in LD subjects opposite trends were seen in MD subjects. The result was ascribed parsimoniously to an inflammatory ceiling effect or, more speculatively, to SES-related health-behaviour differences. Psychoticism was strongly associated with ICAM-1 in both MD and LD subjects. Conclusions The association between neuroticism, CRP and IL-6 may be reduced in MD subjects confirming speculation that the association differs across population sub-groups. The association between psychoticism and ICAM-1 supports evidence that hostility has adverse effects upon the endothelium, with consequences for cardiovascular health. Health interventions may be more effective by accounting for personality-related effects upon biological processes. PMID:23516457

Socio-Economic Concerns and Essential Elements in Estuary Management Strategies; Haliç Case, Istanbul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpar, Bedri; Isil Cetin, Basak

2016-04-01

Estuaries are transitional areas between the land and sea and home to a large and growing proportion of the world's population. They are highly productive ecosystems which create jobs, and boosts local economic growth with a higher percentage of collective and private enterprises and a larger share of production. They serve many important socio-economic functions and therefore receive untreated urban wastes and riverine inputs and concentrate various pollutants coming from inland domestic, agricultural and industrial activities. Therefore such kinds of complex systems are highly vulnerable because they are usually the sink for the hinterlands. Due to serious environmental problems felt more intensively day by day, central and local governments must adopt an integrated policy and decision making process to promote a balance of uses. As surrounded by many historical attractions, heritage sites, buzzing cultural scenes and other natural resources, the Haliç (the Golden Horn estuary) offers great opportunities and has a vitality fed by widespread economic and cultural factors. The typical landscape of the estuary, its bridges, geomorphic features, oceanographic and hydrodynamic features of its waters, sea bottom characteristics, environmental pollution, make this estuary a critical marine environment which impacts to economy, environment and community. However, rapid urban growth and uncontrolled industrial development (1950-1985) led to a severe increase in pollution levels of its water and cohesive sediments. The siltation due to liquid and solid waste dumped by two streams caused anaerobic decomposition problems. In addition, the ecological processes occurring in the Haliç are rather complex as they are interacted with the socio-economic system. This study focuses on the essential elements of integrated coastal zone management for the Haliç, and its probable impacts to economy, environment and community. All objectives and probable impacts need to be integrated

Food consumption, physical activity and socio-economic status related to BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio in adolescents.

PubMed

Abreu, Sandra; Santos, Rute; Moreira, Carla; Santos, Paula Clara; Mota, Jorge; Moreira, Pedro

2014-08-01

To examine the association between obesity and food group intakes, physical activity and socio-economic status in adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2008. Cole's cut-off points were used to categorize BMI. Abdominal obesity was defined by a waist circumference at or above the 90th percentile, as well as a waist-to-height ratio at or above 0·500. Diet was evaluated using an FFQ, and the food group consumption was categorized using sex-specific tertiles of each food group amount. Physical activity was assessed via a self-report questionnaire. Socio-economic status was assessed referring to parental education and employment status. Data were analysed separately for girls and boys and the associations among food consumption, physical activity, socio-economic status and BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio were evaluated using logistic regression analysis, adjusting the results for potential confounders. Public schools in the Azorean Archipelago, Portugal. Adolescents (n 1209) aged 15-18 years. After adjustment, in boys, higher intake of ready-to-eat cereals was a negative predictor while vegetables were a positive predictor of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity. Active boys had lower odds of abdominal obesity compared with inactive boys. Boys whose mother showed a low education level had higher odds of abdominal obesity compared with boys whose mother presented a high education level. Concerning girls, higher intake of sweets and pastries was a negative predictor of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity. Girls in tertile 2 of milk intake had lower odds of abdominal obesity than those in tertile 1. Girls whose father had no relationship with employment displayed higher odds of abdominal obesity compared with girls whose father had high employment status. We have found that different measures of obesity have distinct associations with food group intakes, physical activity and socio-economic status.

Active versus passive transportation to school-differences in screen time, socio-economic position and perceived environmental characteristics in adolescent girls.

PubMed

Mota, Jorge; Gomes, Helena; Almeida, Mariana; Ribeiro, José Carlos; Carvalho, Joana; Santos, Maria Paula

2007-01-01

The aims of this study were (1) to assess the relationships between transport to and from school (active vs. passive), sedentary behaviours, measures of socio-economic position and perceived environmental variables, and (2) to determine which, if any, variables were predictors of active transportation. The sample comprised 705 girls with mean age of 14.7 (SD = 1.6) years old. Questionnaires were used to describe travel mode to school and to estimate weekly television and computer use (screen time). Girls were assigned to active transportation (AT) or passive transportation (PT) groups depending on whether they walked or bicycled (AT) to and from school or travelled by car or bus (PT). Screen time was determined by the number of hours they reported watching television and using computers in the week preceding the examination, including weekends. Socio-economic position was established by parental occupation and educational level. A questionnaire assessed Perceived Neighbourhood Environments. No statistically significant differences were seen for screen time between travel groups. Occupational status of both mother (r = -0.17) and father (r = -0.15) and father's educational level (r = -0.10) were significantly and negatively associated with AT, while street connectivity (r = 0.10) was positively and significantly associated with AT. Logistic regression analysis showed that the likelihood of active commuting decreased by around 50% with increasing father's occupation (odds ratio (OR) = 0.51; p socio-economic position groups. Further, the data showed that girls who agreed that 'there are many four-way intersections in my neighbourhood' were more likely to be active (OR = 1.63; p socio-economic position is associated with active commuting to school and that street connectivity is a predictor of active transportation in adolescent girls.

Pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions: Birth cohorts and the socio-economic gradient.

PubMed

Roos, Leslie L; Dragan, Roxana; Schroth, Robert J

2017-09-14

This study examines the socio-economic gradient in utilization and the risk factors associated with hospitalization for four pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions (dental conditions, asthma, gastroenteritis, and bacterial pneumonia). Dental conditions, where much care is provided by dentists and insurance coverage varies among different population segments, present special issues. A population registry, provider registry, physician ambulatory claims, and hospital discharge abstracts from 28 398 children born in 2003-2006 in urban centres in Manitoba, Canada were the main data sources. Physician visits and hospitalizations were compared across neighbourhood income groupings using rank correlations and logistic regressions. Very strong relationships between neighbourhood income and utilization were highlighted. Additional variables - family on income assistance, mother's age at first birth, breastfeeding - helped predict the probability of hospitalization. Despite the complete insurance coverage (including visits to dentists and physicians and for hospitalizations) provided, receiving income assistance was associated with higher probabilities of hospitalization. We found a socio-economic gradient in utilization for pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions, with higher rates of ambulatory visits and hospitalizations in the poorest neighbourhoods. Insurance coverage which varies between different segments of the population complicates matters. Providing funding for dental care for Manitobans on income assistance has not prevented physician visits or intensive treatment in high-cost facilities, specifically treatment under general anesthesia. When services from one type of provider (dentist) are not universally insured but those from another type (physician) are, using rates of hospitalization to indicate problems in the organization of care seems particularly difficult.

Explaining socio-economic differences in intention to smoke among primary school children

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Smoking prevalence is higher among low socio-economic status (LSES) groups, and this difference may originate from a higher intention to smoke in childhood. This study aims to identify factors that explain differences in intention to smoke between children living in high socio-economic status (HSES) and LSES neighbourhoods. Methods Cross-sectional data were derived from the baseline assessment of a smoking prevention intervention study. Dutch primary school children, aged 10 – 11 years (N = 2,612), completed a web-based questionnaire about their attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy expectations, modelling and intention to smoke. Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to assess potential individual cognitive (attitude, subjective norm and self-efficacy) and social environmental (modelling) mediators between SES and intention to smoke. Results Multiple mediation models indicated that modelling mediated the association between SES (B = -0.09 (p < 0.01)) and intention to smoke (B = 1.06 (p < 0.01)). Mainly the father, mother and other family members mediated this association. Gender did not moderate the association between SES and intention to smoke and the potential mediators indicating that there are no differences in mediating factors between boys and girls. Conclusions This study indicates that future smoking prevention studies may focus on the social environment to prevent smoking onset. However, replication of this study is warranted. Trial registration This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Atrium-Orbis-Zuyd Hospital (NL32093.096.11 / MEC 11-T-25) and registered in the Dutch Trial Register (NTR3116). PMID:24555819

Stable prevalence of obesity in Swedish schoolchildren from 2008 to 2013 but widening socio-economic gap in girls.

PubMed

Moraeus, Lotta; Lissner, Lauren; Sjöberg, Agneta

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to follow the 5-year prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness in 7- to 9-year-old children in West Sweden and to investigate whether trends differed according to gender and socio-economic status. Cross-sectional anthropometric measurements of three cohorts in grades one and two were performed in 3492 7- to 9-year-old children in 2008, 2010 and 2013. For body mass index classification, the IOTF/Cole and WHO 2007 references were used. Percentage of inhabitants with high education in the school area was used for socio-economic classification. Between 2008, 2010 and 2013, the overall time-trends in overweight 17.7%, 19.3% and 18.8%, obesity 3.2%, 3.3% and 3.1%, and thinness 6.5%, 4.7% and 6.9%, respectively, were fairly stable using the IOTF/Cole references. Thinness defined by the Cole reference increased in girls. The socio-economic gradient for overweight and obesity was clear by both references, but using the IOTF reference, the gap increased for obesity among girls (p = 0.024). No significant trends were observed with the WHO reference. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was stable over 5 years, but we detected growing inequality in obesity and increasing prevalence of thinness in girls. With these regionally representative data, we can draw conclusions about West Sweden, despite an absence of continued national surveillance. ©2014 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Burnout among women: associations with demographic/socio-economic, work, life-style and health factors.

PubMed

Soares, J J F; Grossi, G; Sundin, O

2007-01-01

This study examined the occurrence of low/high burnout among women and the demographic/socio-economic, work, life-style, and health "correlates" of high burnout. The sample consisted of 6.000 randomly selected women from the general population, of which 3.591 participated. The design was cross-sectional. The univariate analyses showed that about 21% of the women had high burnout, and compared to those with low burnout, they were more often younger, divorced, blue-collar workers, lower educated, foreigners, on unemployment/retirement/sick-leave, financially strained, used more medication and cigarettes, reported higher work demands and lower control/social support at work, more somatic problems (e.g. pain) and depression. The regression analysis showed that only age, sick-leave, financial strain, medication, work demands, depression and somatic ailments were independently associated with high burnout. Thus, women with high burnout were apparently faring poorly financially, emotionally and physically. Considering our findings, interventions to alleviate their problems may be necessary. We may have provided new insights into women's burnout experiences, but longitudinal studies are warranted to firmly identify "determinants" of burnout.

Demographic and socio-economic determinants of post-neonatal deaths in a special project area of rural northern India.

PubMed

Kabir, Zubair

2003-07-01

The demographic and socio-economic determinants of post-neonatal deaths (n = 475) in a special project area of rural northern India (Ballabgarh) were ascertained from 1991 to 1999 using the electronic database system of the project area for data extraction, and were compared with the eligible living children of the same age using a matched population-based case-control study design. Similar determinants were also ascertained in neonatal deaths (n = 212) using the same study design. After controlling for the potential confounders using conditional logistic regression analyses, lower caste (a proxy measure for low socio-economic conditions in rural India) was found to be significantly associated with higher post-neonatal deaths (OR = 2.21). Higher maternal age (>30 years) and fathers' lower educational levels were significantly associated with higher neonatal deaths, in addition to higher post-neonatal deaths in the same area.

HYPEST study: profile of hypertensive patients in Estonia

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background More than one third of adult population in Estonia has problems with elevated blood pressure (BP). The Hypertension in Estonia (HYPEST) study represents the country's first hypertension-targeted sample collection aiming to examine the epidemiological and genetic determinants for hypertension (HTN) and related cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Estonian population. The HYPEST subjects (n = 1,966) were recruited across Estonia between 2004-2007 including clinically diagnosed HTN cases and population-based controls. The present report is focused on the clinical and epidemiological profile of HYPEST cases, and gender-specific effects on the pathophysiology of hypertension. Methods Current analysis was performed on 1,007 clinically diagnosed HTN patients (617 women and 390 men) aged 18-85 years. The hypertensives were recruited to the study by BP specialists at the North Estonia Medical Center, Centre of Cardiology, Tallinn or at the Cardiology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Estonia. Longitudinal BP data was extracted retrospectively from clinical records. Current and retrospective data of patient's medical history, medication intake and lifestyle habits were derived from self-administrated questionnaire and each variable was examined separately for men and women. Eleven biochemical parameters were measured from fasting serum samples of 756 patients. Results The distribution of recruited men and women was 39% and 61% respectively. Majority of Estonian HTN patients (85%) were overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and a total of 79% of patients had additional complications with cardiovascular system. In men, the hypertension started almost 5 years earlier than in women (40.5 ± 14.5 vs 46.1 ± 12.7 years), which led to earlier age of first myocardial infarction (MI) and overall higher incidence rate of MI among male patients (men 21.2%, women 8.9%, P < 0.0001). Heart arrhythmia, thyroid diseases, renal tubulo-intestinal diseases and hyperlipidemia were more prevalent

HIV and risk behaviors of persons of low socio-economic status, Popayan-Colombia (2008-2009)

PubMed Central

Pinzón, María Virgínia; Tello, Ines Constanza; Rincón-Hoyos, Hernan Gilberto; Galindo, Jaime

2013-01-01

Abstract Objetive: To determine HIV presence and risk behaviors of persons of low socio-economic status in the city of Popayan-Colombia. Methods: Cross-sectional study; between 2008 and 2009, 363 participants of Popayan signed informed consent and received pre and post HIV test counseling. Socio-demographic characteristics and history of STDs, risk behaviors and previous HIV testing were assessed. Descriptive statistics, correlations and multivariate logistic regression were calculated. Results: Mean age 33.5±10,2; 66 %women. Frequency of HIV-positive patients was 3.86 % (95% CI:1.87-5.85), greater in men (7.38%; p= 0.013). Greater frequency of HIV-positive patients was observed in people age 29-37, those without a stable partner, and those with history of risky alcohol consumption (more than five drinks in 2 h). Conclusions: HIV-positive patients frequency in this population was greater than national estimate for general population, aged 15-49 in Colombia, with even greater frequency in men. This study suggests that characteristics associated with low socioeconomic status, in economically active population, without a stable partner and with risky alcohol use, can potentially increase risk of HIV infection. PMID:24892315

HIV and risk behaviors of persons of low socio-economic status, Popayan-Colombia (2008-2009).

PubMed

Mueses, Hector Fabio; Pinzón, María Virgínia; Tello, Ines Constanza; Rincón-Hoyos, Hernan Gilberto; Galindo, Jaime

2013-01-01

To determine HIV presence and risk behaviors of persons of low socio-economic status in the city of Popayan-Colombia. Cross-sectional study; between 2008 and 2009, 363 participants of Popayan signed informed consent and received pre and post HIV test counseling. Socio-demographic characteristics and history of STDs, risk behaviors and previous HIV testing were assessed. Descriptive statistics, correlations and multivariate logistic regression were calculated. Mean age 33.5±10,2; 66 %women. Frequency of HIV-positive patients was 3.86 % (95% CI:1.87-5.85), greater in men (7.38%; p= 0.013). Greater frequency of HIV-positive patients was observed in people age 29-37, those without a stable partner, and those with history of risky alcohol consumption (more than five drinks in 2 h). HIV-positive patients frequency in this population was greater than national estimate for general population, aged 15-49 in Colombia, with even greater frequency in men. This study suggests that characteristics associated with low socioeconomic status, in economically active population, without a stable partner and with risky alcohol use, can potentially increase risk of HIV infection.

Dairy Cows Productivity and Socio-Economic Profile of Dairy Smallholder’s Communities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widyobroto, B. P.; Rochijan; Noviandi, C. T.; Astuti, A.

2018-02-01

The objective of this field questionnaire survey was to describe the dairy cow productivity and socio-economic profile of dairy cattle farmers in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta smallholder farming communities which have been targeted dairy development policy. The study was conducted on 190 Friesian Holstein (FH) cows maintained under smallholder’s management system in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A total of 83 farmers were randomly selected and interviewed with structured questionnaire to assess the socio-economic dairy farmer and productivity performance of dairy cows. The number of dairy productivity performance within the normal. Shortages as well as high cost of feed, occurrence of disease, scarce information about feeding and high medicament cost were the main constraints which might have contributed considerably to delayed age at first service, late age at first calving, long calving interval, short lactation length and low milk production. Therefore, strategies designed to solve the existing problem should be important by involving all stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of improvement strategiesor dairy development policy was being implemented and necessary respect to environmental factors affecting agricultural activities such as a constraint on land use and access to water resources.

Feasibility of cohort studies in Estonia

PubMed Central

Innos, K.; Rahu, M.; Rahu, K.

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To describe the methodology and feasibility of follow up for vital status in retrospective cohort studies in Estonia. METHODS: A cohort of 7412 workers who had been employed at two factories in Tallinn between 1946 and 1988 was followed up for vital status from the date of first employment until death, emigration, or the end of the study, 31 December 1995, whichever occurred first. The cohort was electronically linked with the National Population Registry of Estonia that was created in 1992 and includes personal identification numbers of Estonian citizens and residents, and the Mortality Database that contains information from death certificates issued in 1983-95. A manual search was carried out on several non-computerised population data sources and archives. RESULTS: By 31 December 1995, the vital status of 6780 (91.5%) subjects could be traced (4495 (60.6%) subjects were alive, 1993 (26.9%) had died, and 292 (3.9%) had emigrated). Analysis by calendar period of leaving work showed that the proportion of subjects traced was lowest in the group of workers who had left work between 1946 and 1955 (58.4%), especially those whose age at leaving work was < 30 (53.2%) or > 60 years (42.3%). Among subjects who left work in 1956-65, 1966-75, and 1976-88, the follow up rate was 84.7%, 94.6%, and 98.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The findings, which are especially important for occupational epidemiology, confirm the feasibility of conducting retrospective cohort studies in Estonia. Most of the issues discussed in the paper apply to other former Soviet countries.   PMID:10472323

Decomposing socio-economic inequality in colorectal cancer screening uptake in England.

PubMed

Solmi, Francesca; Von Wagner, Christian; Kobayashi, Lindsay C; Raine, Rosalind; Wardle, Jane; Morris, Stephen

2015-06-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second largest cause of cancer death in the UK. Since 2010, CRC screening based on Faecal Occult Blood testing has been offered by the NHS in England biennially to all persons age 60-69 years. Several studies have demonstrated a gradient in uptake using area-level markers of socio-economic status (SES), but few have examined the individual-level contributors to the gradient. We aimed to quantify the extent of SES inequality in CRC screening uptake in England using individual-level data, and to identify individual factors associated with this inequality. We used data from 1833 participants (aged 61-69) in Wave 5 (collected in years 2010/11) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) eligible for having been sent at least one CRC screening invitation. Uptake was defined by self-report of ever having been screened as part of the National Screening Programme. We assessed socio-economic inequality using the corrected concentration index of uptake against SES rank, which was derived by regressing a range of SES markers against net non-pension household wealth. Other demographic and health-related variables were included in the analysis. Factors associated with inequality were measured using concentration index decomposition. There was a significant pro-rich gradient in screening uptake (concentration index: 0.16, 95% CI:0.11-0.22), mostly explained within our model by differences in non-pension wealth (38.7%), partner screening status (15.9%), sickness/disability (13.5%), and health literacy (8.5%). Interventions aimed at reducing inequalities in CRC screening uptake should focus on improving acceptability of screening in populations with low levels of education and literacy barriers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study of the influence of socio-economic factors in the international expansion of Spanish franchisors to Latin American countries.

PubMed

Ramírez-Hurtado, José M; Berbel-Pineda, Juan M; Palacios-Florencio, Beatriz

2018-01-01

The saturation of the domestic market is one of the factors which drive firms to expand their business to other markets. Franchising is one of the formats adopted by companies when establishing their internationalization strategy. Spain is a country where franchising is strongly consolidated. This degree of maturity means that many chains seek other countries in which to operate. This work's specific aims are, on the one hand, to offer a general view of the current situation of Spanish franchisors in Latin American countries and, on the other hand, to analyze which the socio-economic or external factors are that determine the presence of Spanish franchisors in this market. Canonical-correlation analysis is used to do so. The results show that Spanish franchisors focus on the market's potential and size, and the per capita income, while they do not take into account its unemployment level, the country risk or the competitiveness there. This work shows that there is a series of socio-economic factors which influence the final choice of the destination country. However, this decision is not solely based on this country's socio-economic aspects, but also on the structure of the franchising firm itself and on its export experience in other markets. This study therefore complements other research and helps franchisors in their difficult decision of choosing the destination for their internationalization.

Study of the influence of socio-economic factors in the international expansion of Spanish franchisors to Latin American countries

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The saturation of the domestic market is one of the factors which drive firms to expand their business to other markets. Franchising is one of the formats adopted by companies when establishing their internationalization strategy. Spain is a country where franchising is strongly consolidated. This degree of maturity means that many chains seek other countries in which to operate. This work’s specific aims are, on the one hand, to offer a general view of the current situation of Spanish franchisors in Latin American countries and, on the other hand, to analyze which the socio-economic or external factors are that determine the presence of Spanish franchisors in this market. Canonical-correlation analysis is used to do so. The results show that Spanish franchisors focus on the market’s potential and size, and the per capita income, while they do not take into account its unemployment level, the country risk or the competitiveness there. This work shows that there is a series of socio-economic factors which influence the final choice of the destination country. However, this decision is not solely based on this country’s socio-economic aspects, but also on the structure of the franchising firm itself and on its export experience in other markets. This study therefore complements other research and helps franchisors in their difficult decision of choosing the destination for their internationalization. PMID:29293596

A Global Evaluation of Coral Reef Management Performance: Are MPAs Producing Conservation and Socio-Economic Improvements?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hargreaves-Allen, Venetia; Mourato, Susana; Milner-Gulland, Eleanor Jane

2011-04-01

There is a consensus that Marine Protected Area (MPA) performance needs regular evaluation against clear criteria, incorporating counterfactual comparisons of ecological and socio-economic performance. However, these evaluations are scarce at the global level. We compiled self-reports from managers and researchers of 78 coral reef-based MPAs world-wide, on the conservation and welfare improvements that their MPAs provide. We developed a suite of performance measures including fulfilment of design and management criteria, achievement of aims, the cessation of banned or destructive activities, change in threats, and measurable ecological and socio-economic changes in outcomes, which we evaluated with respect to the MPA's age, geographical location and main aims. The sample was found to be broadly representative of MPAs generally, and suggests that many MPAs do not achieve certain fundamental aims including improvements in coral cover over time (in 25% of MPAs), and conflict reduction (in 25%). However, the large majority demonstrated improvements in terms of slowing coral loss, reducing destructive uses and increasing tourism and local employment, despite many being small, underfunded and facing multiple large scale threats beyond the control of managers. However spatial comparisons suggest that in some regions MPAs are simply mirroring outside changes, with demonstrates the importance of testing for additionality. MPA benefits do not appear to increase linearly over time. In combination with other management efforts and regulations, especially those relating to large scale threat reduction and targeted fisheries and conflict resolution instruments, MPAs are an important tool to achieve coral reef conservation globally. Given greater resources and changes which incorporate best available science, such as larger MPAs and no-take areas, networks and reduced user pressure, it is likely that performance could further be enhanced. Performance evaluation should test for

Assessing the socio-economic and demographic impact on health-related quality of life: evidence from Greece.

PubMed

Pappa, Evelina; Kontodimopoulos, Nick; Papadopoulos, Angelos A; Niakas, Dimitris

2009-01-01

The impact of socioeconomic status on health has been extensively studied and studies have shown that low socio-economic status is related to lower values of various health and quality-of-health measures. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of demographic and socio-economic factors on health- related quality of life (HRQoL). A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2003 using a representative sample of a Greek general population (n = 1007, 18+ years old), living in Athens area. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the influence of socio-demographic and economic variables on HRQoL, measured by eight scales of the SF-36. Interaction effects between socioeconomic status (SES) and demographic variables were also performed. Females and elderly people were associated with impaired HRQoL in all SF-36 scales. Disadvantaged SES i. e. primary education and low total household income was related to important decline in HRQoL and a similar relation was identified among men and women. Only the interaction effects between age and SES was statistically significant for some SF-36 scales. Multiple regression analyses produced models explaining significant portions of the variance in SF-36 scales, especially physical functioning. The analysis presented here gives evidence of a relationship existing between SES and HRQoL similar to what has been found elsewhere. In order to protect people from the damaging effects of poverty in health it is important to formulate health promotion educational programs or to direct policies to empower the disposable income etc. Helping people in disadvantaged SES to achieve the good health that people in more advantaged SES attained would help to prevent the widening of health inequalities.

The Political Response of Spanish Youth to the Socio-Economic Crisis: Some Implications for Citizenship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jover, Gonzalo; Belando-Montoro, María R.; Guío, Yolanda

2014-01-01

This article discusses the effects of the current socio-economic crisis on Spanish youth and their political response to it. It does so in three consecutive stages. In the first, it analyses the repercussion of the crisis on young people using information from certain social indicators (employment, mobility and education). It then outlines the…

Relative controls of natural and socio-economic drivers on water availability over India: an exploratory modelling analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshmukh, A.; Singh, R.; Kumar, R.

2017-12-01

India, a water stressed nation with an estimated per capita water availability of 1500m3/year/person, is projected to surpass China in population to become the most populous country by 2022. This increasing population will further exacerbate the water stress, which will also vary due to climate and land use change. Here, we quantify the relative controls on per capita water availability from climatic, non-climatic and socio-economic factors. We achieve this by using several definitions of per capita water availability and accounting for virtual water trade transfer. Our exploratory analysis employs the recently developed probabilistic Budyko framework modified to account for inter-regional virtual water trade. We find that the Indo-Gangetic plains and Southeastern parts of India emerge as vulnerable regions where a growing population will lead to a drastic reduction in per capita water availability. The proposed framework can serve as a prototype for understanding the relative importance of socio-economic interventions versus water infrastructure or demand reduction investments.

The Impact of Socio-Economic Status on Self-Rated Health: Study of 29 Countries Using European Social Surveys (2002–2008)

PubMed Central

Alvarez-Galvez, Javier; Rodero-Cosano, Maria Luisa; Motrico, Emma; Salinas-Perez, Jose A.; Garcia-Alonso, Carlos; Salvador-Carulla, Luis

2013-01-01

Studies show that the association between socio-economic status (SES) and self-rated health (SRH) varies in different countries, however there are not many country-comparisons that examine this relationship over time. The objective of the present study is to determine the effect of three SES measures on SRH in 29 countries according to findings in European Social Surveys (2002–2008), in order to study how socio-economic inequalities can vary our subjective state of health. In line with previous studies, income inequalities seem to be greater not only in Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian countries, but especially in Eastern European countries. The impact of education is greater in Southern countries, and this effect is similar in Eastern and Scandinavian countries, although occupational status does not produce significant differences in southern countries. This study shows the general relevance of socio-educational factors on SRH. Individual economic conditions are obviously a basic factor contributing to a good state of health, but education could be even more relevant to preserve it. In this sense, policies should not only aim at reducing income inequalities, but should also further the education of people who are in risk of social exclusion. PMID:23439514

Simulating climate change and socio-economic change impacts on flows and water quality in the Mahanadi River system, India.

PubMed

Jin, Li; Whitehead, Paul G; Rodda, Harvey; Macadam, Ian; Sarkar, Sananda

2018-10-01

Delta systems formed by the deposition of sediments at the mouths of large catchments are vulnerable to sea level rise and other climate change impacts. Deltas often have some of the highest population densities in the world and the Mahanadi Delta in India is one of these, with a population of 39 million. The Mahanadi River is a major river in East Central India and flows through Chattisgarh and Orissa states before discharging into the Bay of Bengal. This study uses an Integrated Catchment Model (INCA) to simulate flow dynamics and water quality (nitrogen and phosphorus) and to analyze the impacts of climate change and socio-economic drivers in the Mahanadi River system. Future flows affected by large population growth, effluent discharge increases and changes in irrigation water demand from changing land uses are assessed under shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs). Model results indicate a significant increase in monsoon flows under the future climates at 2050s (2041-2060) and 2090s (2079-2098) which greatly enhances flood potential. The water availability under low flow conditions will be worsened because of increased water demand from population growth and increased irrigation in the future. Decreased concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus are expected due to increased flow hence dilution. Socio-economic scenarios have a significant impact on water quality but less impact on the river flow. For example, higher population growth, increased sewage treatment discharges, land use change and enhanced atmospheric deposition would result in the deterioration of water quality, while the upgrade of the sewage treatment works lead to improved water quality. In summary, socio-economic scenarios would change future water quality of the Mahanadi River and alter nutrient fluxes transported into the delta region. This study has serious implications for people's livelihoods in the deltaic area and could impact coastal and Bay of Bengal water ecology. Copyright © 2018

Crises and Collective Socio-Economic Phenomena: Simple Models and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchaud, Jean-Philippe

2013-05-01

Financial and economic history is strewn with bubbles and crashes, booms and busts, crises and upheavals of all sorts. Understanding the origin of these events is arguably one of the most important problems in economic theory. In this paper, we review recent efforts to include heterogeneities and interactions in models of decision. We argue that the so-called Random Field Ising model ( rfim) provides a unifying framework to account for many collective socio-economic phenomena that lead to sudden ruptures and crises. We discuss different models that can capture potentially destabilizing self-referential feedback loops, induced either by herding, i.e. reference to peers, or trending, i.e. reference to the past, and that account for some of the phenomenology missing in the standard models. We discuss some empirically testable predictions of these models, for example robust signatures of rfim-like herding effects, or the logarithmic decay of spatial correlations of voting patterns. One of the most striking result, inspired by statistical physics methods, is that Adam Smith's invisible hand can fail badly at solving simple coordination problems. We also insist on the issue of time-scales, that can be extremely long in some cases, and prevent socially optimal equilibria from being reached. As a theoretical challenge, the study of so-called "detailed-balance" violating decision rules is needed to decide whether conclusions based on current models (that all assume detailed-balance) are indeed robust and generic.

Beyond Words: Dance and Movement Sessions with Young People with Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties in Estonia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodgame, Jenna

2007-01-01

This article details an experimental project in Estonian schools, using therapeutic dance and movement as a basis to explore beyond the boundaries of language in supporting young people to develop their creative expression. The author visited three residential schools in different areas of Estonia in September 2006 to lead sessions with groups of…

The association between objective walkability, neighborhood socio-economic status, and physical activity in Belgian children.

PubMed

D'Haese, Sara; Van Dyck, Delfien; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Deforche, Benedicte; Cardon, Greet

2014-08-23

Objective walkability is an important correlate of adults' physical activity. Studies investigating the relation between walkability and children's physical activity are scarce. However, in order to develop effective environmental interventions, a profound investigation of this relation is needed in all age groups. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between objective walkability and different domains of children's physical activity, and to investigate the moderating effect of neighborhood socio-economic status in this relation. Data were collected between December 2011 and May 2013 as part of the Belgian Environmental Physical Activity Study in children. Children (9-12 years old; n = 606) were recruited from 18 elementary schools in Ghent (Belgium). Children together with one of their parents completed the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire and wore an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days. Children's neighborhood walkability was calculated using geographical information systems. Multilevel cross-classified modeling was used to determine the relationship between children's PA and objectively measured walkability and the moderating effect of neighborhood SES in this relation. In low SES neighborhoods walkability was positively related to walking for transportation during leisure time (β = 0.381 ± 0.124; 95% CI = 0.138, 0.624) and was negatively related to sports during leisure time (β = -0.245 ± 0.121; 95% CI = -0.482, -0.008). In high socio-economic status neighborhoods, walkability was unrelated to children's physical activity. No relations of neighborhood walkability and neighborhood socio-economic status with cycling during leisure time, active commuting to school and objectively measured moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity were found. No univocal relation between neighborhood walkability and physical activity was found in 9-12 year old children. Results from international adult studies

Socio-economic inequalities in Norwegian health care utilization over 3 decades: the HUNT Study.

PubMed

Vikum, Eirik; Bjørngaard, Johan Håkon; Westin, Steinar; Krokstad, Steinar

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate socio-economic inequalities in health care utilization from the 1980s and through the last 3 decades in a Norwegian county population. Altogether, 166 758 observations of 97 251 individuals during surveys in 1984-86 (83% eligible responses), 1995-97 (51% eligible responses) and 2006-08 (50% eligible responses) of the total population of adults (≥ 20 years) from Nord-Trøndelag county in Norway were included. Health care utilization was measured as at least one visit to general practitioner (GP), hospital outpatient services and inpatient care in the past year. Socio-economy was measured by both education and income and rescaled to measure relative indexes of inequality (RII). Relative and absolute inequalities were estimated from multilevel logistic regression. Estimates were adjusted for age, sex, municipality size and self-reported health. GP utilization was higher among individuals with higher education in 1984-86. Among men the RII was 0.54 (CI: 0.48-0.62), and among women RII was 0.67 (CI: 0.58-0.77). In 2006-08, the corresponding RII was 1.31 (CI: 1.13-1.52) for men and 1.00 (CI: 0.85-1.18) for women, indicating higher or equal GP utilization among those with lower education, respectively. The corresponding RIIs for outpatient consultations were 0.58 (CI: 0.49-0.68) for men and 0.40 (CI: 0.34-0.46) for women in 1984-86, and 0.53 (CI: 0.46-0.62) for men and 0.47 (CI: 0.41-0.53) for women in 2006-08. Through the last 3 decades, the previous socio-economic differences in GP utilization have diminished. Despite this, highly educated people were more prone to utilize hospital outpatient consultations throughout the period 1984-2008.

Exploring the effects of drastic institutional and socio-economic changes on land system dynamics in Germany between 1883 and 2007

PubMed Central

Niedertscheider, Maria; Kuemmerle, Tobias; Müller, Daniel; Erb, Karl-Heinz

2014-01-01

Long-term studies of land system change can help providing insights into the relative importance of underlying drivers of change. Here, we analyze land system change in Germany for the period 1883–2007 to trace the effect of drastic socio-economic and institutional changes on land system dynamics. Germany is an especially interesting case study due to fundamentally changing economic and institutional conditions: the two World Wars, the separation into East and West Germany, the accession to the European Union, and Germany's reunification. We employed the Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production (HANPP) framework to comprehensively study long-term land system dynamics in the context of these events. HANPP quantifies biomass harvests and land-use-related changes in ecosystem productivity. By comparing these flows to the potential productivity of ecosystems, HANPP allows to consistently assess land cover changes as well as changes in land use intensity. Our results show that biomass harvest steadily increased while productivity losses declined from 1883 to 2007, leading to a decline in HANPP from around 75%–65% of the potential productivity. At the same time, decreasing agricultural areas allowed for forest regrowth. Overall, land system change in Germany was surprisingly gradual, indicating high resilience to the drastic socio-economic and institutional shifts that occurred during the last 125 years. We found strikingly similar land system trajectories in East and West Germany during the time of separation (1945–1989), despite the contrasting institutional settings and economic paradigms. Conversely, the German reunification sparked a fundamental and rapid shift in former East Germany's land system, leading to altered levels of production, land use intensity and land use efficiency. Gradual and continuous land use intensification, a result of industrialization and economic optimization of land use, was the dominant trend throughout the observed period

Digoxin: use pattern in Estonia and bioavailability of the local market leader.

PubMed

Pähkla, R; Irs, A; Oselin, K; Rootslane, L

1999-10-01

In comparison with neighbouring Scandinavian countries, the use of digoxin in Estonia is high. The present study was carried out to determine the use pattern of digoxin in Estonia and bioavailability of the local market leader preparation in comparison with Lanoxin. Drug use data were evaluated from the annual reports of wholesale companies. For the bioequivalence study, a single-blind cross-over randomised two-way single-dose comparative bioavailability study was performed using 14 healthy volunteers. Digoxin concentrations in serum samples and urine were measured by chemiluminescent competitive immunoassay. The use of digoxin in Estonia has increased by 35% during the period 1994-97. The steady market leader was the local generic drug. No statistically significant differences were found in any pharmacokinetic parameter between the generic preparation and Lanoxin. All parameters showed considerable variability. The total amount of drug excreted was the parameter with lowest inter- individual variation. The present study indicates that the generic digoxin preparation studied is bioequivalent to Lanoxin. The increasing use of digoxin in Estonia is not caused by low bioavailability of the local market leader but by therapeutic traditions.

Socio-Economic Factors of Bacillary Dysentery Based on Spatial Correlation Analysis in Guangxi Province, China

PubMed Central

Nie, Chengjing; Li, Hairong; Yang, Linsheng; Zhong, Gemei; Zhang, Lan

2014-01-01

Background In the past decade, bacillary dysentery was still a big public health problem in China, especially in Guangxi Province, where thousands of severe diarrhea cases occur every year. Methods Reported bacillary dysentery cases in Guangxi Province were obtained from local Centers for Diseases Prevention and Control. The 14 socio-economic indexes were selected as potential explanatory variables for the study. The spatial correlation analysis was used to explore the associations between the selected factors and bacillary dysentery incidence at county level, which was based on the software of ArcGIS10.2 and GeoDA 0.9.5i. Results The proportion of primary industry, the proportion of younger than 5-year-old children in total population, the number of hospitals per thousand persons and the rates of bacillary dysentery incidence show statistically significant positive correlation. But the proportion of secondary industry, per capital GDP, per capital government revenue, rural population proportion, popularization rate of tap water in rural area, access rate to the sanitation toilets in rural, number of beds in hospitals per thousand persons, medical and technical personnel per thousand persons and the rate of bacillary dysentery incidence show statistically significant negative correlation. The socio-economic factors can be divided into four aspects, including economic development, health development, medical development and human own condition. The four aspects were not isolated from each other, but interacted with each other. PMID:25036182

Children's Perspective on Learning: An International Study in Denmark, Estonia, Germany and Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandberg, Anette; Broström, Stig; Johansson, Inge; Frøkjaer, Thorleif; Kieferle, Christa; Seifert, Anja; Roth, Angela; Tuul, Maire; Ugaste, Aino; Laan, Meeli

2017-01-01

This article explores how some children in Denmark, Estonia, Germany and Sweden describe their perspective on learning. The aim of the international study is to gain knowledge of how preschool children in Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Germany reflect and perceive their learning in preschool and other surrounding social contexts. The results are…

Socio-economic Impact Analysis for Near Real-Time Flood Detection in the Lower Mekong River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oddo, P.; Ahamed, A.; Bolten, J. D.

2017-12-01

Flood events pose a severe threat to communities in the Lower Mekong River Basin. The combination of population growth, urbanization, and economic development exacerbate the impacts of these flood events. Flood damage assessments are frequently used to quantify the economic losses in the wake of storms. These assessments are critical for understanding the effects of flooding on the local population, and for informing decision-makers about future risks. Remote sensing systems provide a valuable tool for monitoring flood conditions and assessing their severity more rapidly than traditional post-event evaluations. The frequency and severity of extreme flood events are projected to increase, further illustrating the need for improved flood monitoring and impact analysis. In this study we implement a socio-economic damage model into a decision support tool with near real-time flood detection capabilities (NASA's Project Mekong). Surface water extent for current and historical floods is found using multispectral Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250-meter imagery and the spectral Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) signatures of permanent water bodies (MOD44W). Direct and indirect damages to populations, infrastructure, and agriculture are assessed using the 2011 Southeast Asian flood as a case study. Improved land cover and flood depth assessments result in a more refined understanding of losses throughout the Mekong River Basin. Results suggest that rapid initial estimates of flood impacts can provide valuable information to governments, international agencies, and disaster responders in the wake of extreme flood events.

Adolescent smoking and tertiary education: opposing pathways linking socio-economic background to alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Green, Michael J; Leyland, Alastair H; Sweeting, Helen; Benzeval, Michaela

2016-08-01

If socio-economic disadvantage is associated with more adolescent smoking, but less participation in tertiary education, and smoking and tertiary education are both associated with heavier drinking, these may represent opposing pathways to heavy drinking. This paper examines contextual variation in the magnitude and direction of these associations. Comparing cohort studies. United Kingdom. Participants were from the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS58; n = 15 672), the British birth cohort study (BCS70; n = 12 735) and the West of Scotland Twenty-07 1970s cohort (T07; n = 1515). Participants self-reported daily smoking and weekly drinking in adolescence (age 16 years) and heavy drinking (> 14/21 units in past week) in early adulthood (ages 22-26 years). Parental occupational class (manual versus non-manual) indicated socio-economic background. Education beyond age 18 was coded as tertiary. Models were adjusted for parental smoking and drinking, family structure and adolescent psychiatric distress. Respondents from a manual class were more likely to smoke and less likely to enter tertiary education (e.g. in NCDS58, probit coefficients were 0.201 and -0.765, respectively; P < 0.001 for both) than respondents from a non-manual class. Adolescent smokers were more likely to drink weekly in adolescence (0.346; P < 0.001) and more likely to drink heavily in early adulthood (0.178; P < 0.001) than adolescent non-smokers. Respondents who participated in tertiary education were more likely to drink heavily in early adulthood (0.110 for males, 0.182 for females; P < 0.001 for both) than respondents with no tertiary education. With some variation in magnitude, these associations were consistent across all three cohorts. In Britain, young adults are more likely to drink heavily both if they smoke and participate in tertiary education (college and university) despite socio-economic background being associated in opposite directions with these risk

Environmental and socio-economic determinants associated with the occurrence of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the northeast of Colombia.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Juan D; Martínez-Vega, Ruth; Ramoni-Perazzi, Josefa; Diaz-Quijano, Fredi A; Gutiérrez, Reinaldo; Ruiz, Freddy J; Botello, Hector A; Gil, María; González, Juan; Palencia, Mario

2017-12-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne disease that is widely distributed in most tropical regions. Colombia has experienced an important increase in its incidence during the last decade. There are CL transmission foci in the Colombian departments of Santander and Norte de Santander. To identify environmental and socio-economic variables associated with CL incidence in the municipalities of the northeast of Colombia between 2007 and 2016. This was an ecological study of CL cases aggregated by municipality. The cases reported during the study period were analyzed with a negative binomial regression to obtain the adjusted incident rate ratio for environmental and socio-economic variables. During the study period, 10 924 cases of CL were reported, and 110 (86.6%) municipalities reported at least one CL case. The coverages of forest (aIRR 1.05, 95% CI 1.03-1.07), heterogeneous agricultural zones (aIRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.06) and permanent crops (aIRR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.12) were associated with a higher incidence of CL. Conversely, urban functionality (aIRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.92-0.96), minimal-altitude above sea level (aIRR 0.84, 95% CI 0.79-0.90) and shrub coverage (aIRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.95-1.0) were negatively associated with the incidence of CL in the municipality. Our results confirm the importance of environmental determinants, such as height above sea level, and coverage of forest, permanent crops and heterogeneous agricultural zones, for the occurrence of CL; these findings also suggest the importance of shrub coverage. Furthermore, urban functionality was a socio-economic determinant independently associated with CL incidence.

Combined impacts of climate and socio-economic scenarios on irrigation water availability for a dry Mediterranean reservoir.

PubMed

Nunes, João Pedro; Jacinto, Rita; Keizer, Jan Jacob

2017-04-15

The impacts of climate and associated socio-economic changes on water availability, including supply and demand, quality, and storage volume, were evaluated for the Vale do Gaio reservoir in southern Portugal, located in a dry Mediterranean climate and already under drought stress. The SWAT model was applied with 6 scenarios for 2071-2100, involving two storylines (A1B and B1) with individual changes in climate (-9% rainfall, increasing in winter by +28 to +30%), socio-economic conditions (an increase in irrigation demand by 11%, and a replacement of cereals and pastures by sunflower), and a combination of both. Most future scenarios resulted in lower water availability, due to lower supply (-19 to -27%) combined with higher irrigation demand (+3 to +21%). This resulted in more years with limited irrigation supplies (presently: 28%; scenarios: 37 to 43%), although limitations were mitigated by lower losses to excess discharge. Land-use changes also decreased quality by increasing P concentrations (+29 to +93%). Impacts were more severe in scenario A1B than in B1, and in combined changes than in climate or socio-economic changes only. Water availability was resilient to climate change, as impacts led only to a moderate aggravation of present-day conditions. Lower future water availability could be addressed by supply and demand management strategies and, in the most extreme scenario, by water transfers from regional water reserves; water quality issues could be addressed through land-use policies. Results also highlighted the importance of taking the characteristics of water supply systems into account when designing adaptation measures for future changes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

District-level variations in childhood immunizations in India: The role of socio-economic factors and health infrastructure.

PubMed

Rammohan, Anu; Awofeso, Niyi

2015-11-01

Routine childhood immunizations against measles and DPT are part of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) set up in 1974, with the aim of reducing childhood morbidity and mortality. Despite this, immunization rates are sub-optimal in developing countries such as India, with wide heterogeneity observed across districts and socio-economic characteristics. The aim of this paper is to examine district-level variations in the propensity to vaccinate a child in India for measles and DPT3, and analyse the extent to which these immunizations are given age-inappropriately, either prematurely or delayed. The present study uses data from the Indian District Level Household Survey (DLHS-3) collected in 2008, and the final sample contains detailed information on 42157 children aged between 12 and 60 months, across 549 Indian districts for whom we have complete information on immunization history. Our empirical study analyses: (i) the district-level average immunization rates for measles and DPT3, and (ii) the extent to which these immunizations have been given age-appropriately. A key contribution of this paper is that we link the household-level data at the district level to data on availability and proximity to health infrastructure and district-level socio-economic factors. Our results show that after controlling for an array of socio-economic characteristics, across all our models, the district's income per capita is a strong predictor of better immunization outcomes for children. Mother's education level at the district-level has a statistically significant and positive influence on immunization outcomes across all our models. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A randomized-controlled trial focusing on socio-economic status for promoting vegetable intake among adults using a web-based nutrition intervention programme: study protocol.

PubMed

Nakamura, Saki; Inayama, Takayo; Arao, Takashi

2017-01-13

Web-based nutritional education programmes appear to be comparable to those delivered face-to-face. However, no existing web-based nutrition education or similar programme has yet been evaluated with consideration of socio-economic status. The objective of a nutritional education programme of promoting vegetable intake designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the results of intervention and to determine how socio-economic status influences the programme effects. Participants will be randomly sampled individuals (aged 30-59) stratified according national population statistics for sex, age, and household income. Participants were consented to survey participation (n = 1500), and will be randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention period is 5 weeks with one step of diet-related education per week. The main outcome of the programme is dietary behaviour as eating vegetable (350 g per day, five small bowl). To encourage behavioural changes, the programme contents are prepared using behavioural theories and techniques tailored to the assumed group stages of behavioural change. In the first step, we employ the health belief model to encourage a shift from the pre-contemplative to the contemplative phase; in the second and third steps, social cognitive theory is used to encourage transition to the preparatory phase; in the fourth step, social cognitive theory and strengthening social support are used to promote progression to the execution phase; finally, in the fifth step, strengthening social capital and social support are used to promote the shift to the maintenance phase. The baseline, post intervention and follow-up survey was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. For process evaluation, we use five items relating to programme participation and satisfaction. A follow-up survey of participants will be carried out 3 months after intervention completion. The fact that this study is an RCT with an established

Socio-economic and Climate Factors Associated with Dengue Fever Spatial Heterogeneity: A Worked Example in New Caledonia.

PubMed

Teurlai, Magali; Menkès, Christophe Eugène; Cavarero, Virgil; Degallier, Nicolas; Descloux, Elodie; Grangeon, Jean-Paul; Guillaumot, Laurent; Libourel, Thérèse; Lucio, Paulo Sergio; Mathieu-Daudé, Françoise; Mangeas, Morgan

2015-12-01

Understanding the factors underlying the spatio-temporal distribution of infectious diseases provides useful information regarding their prevention and control. Dengue fever spatio-temporal patterns result from complex interactions between the virus, the host, and the vector. These interactions can be influenced by environmental conditions. Our objectives were to analyse dengue fever spatial distribution over New Caledonia during epidemic years, to identify some of the main underlying factors, and to predict the spatial evolution of dengue fever under changing climatic conditions, at the 2100 horizon. We used principal component analysis and support vector machines to analyse and model the influence of climate and socio-economic variables on the mean spatial distribution of 24,272 dengue cases reported from 1995 to 2012 in thirty-three communes of New Caledonia. We then modelled and estimated the future evolution of dengue incidence rates using a regional downscaling of future climate projections. The spatial distribution of dengue fever cases is highly heterogeneous. The variables most associated with this observed heterogeneity are the mean temperature, the mean number of people per premise, and the mean percentage of unemployed people, a variable highly correlated with people's way of life. Rainfall does not seem to play an important role in the spatial distribution of dengue cases during epidemics. By the end of the 21st century, if temperature increases by approximately 3 °C, mean incidence rates during epidemics could double. In New Caledonia, a subtropical insular environment, both temperature and socio-economic conditions are influencing the spatial spread of dengue fever. Extension of this study to other countries worldwide should improve the knowledge about climate influence on dengue burden and about the complex interplay between different factors. This study presents a methodology that can be used as a step by step guide to model dengue spatial

Socio-economic and Climate Factors Associated with Dengue Fever Spatial Heterogeneity: A Worked Example in New Caledonia

PubMed Central

Teurlai, Magali; Menkès, Christophe Eugène; Cavarero, Virgil; Degallier, Nicolas; Descloux, Elodie; Grangeon, Jean-Paul; Guillaumot, Laurent; Libourel, Thérèse; Lucio, Paulo Sergio; Mathieu-Daudé, Françoise; Mangeas, Morgan

2015-01-01

Background/Objectives Understanding the factors underlying the spatio-temporal distribution of infectious diseases provides useful information regarding their prevention and control. Dengue fever spatio-temporal patterns result from complex interactions between the virus, the host, and the vector. These interactions can be influenced by environmental conditions. Our objectives were to analyse dengue fever spatial distribution over New Caledonia during epidemic years, to identify some of the main underlying factors, and to predict the spatial evolution of dengue fever under changing climatic conditions, at the 2100 horizon. Methods We used principal component analysis and support vector machines to analyse and model the influence of climate and socio-economic variables on the mean spatial distribution of 24,272 dengue cases reported from 1995 to 2012 in thirty-three communes of New Caledonia. We then modelled and estimated the future evolution of dengue incidence rates using a regional downscaling of future climate projections. Results The spatial distribution of dengue fever cases is highly heterogeneous. The variables most associated with this observed heterogeneity are the mean temperature, the mean number of people per premise, and the mean percentage of unemployed people, a variable highly correlated with people's way of life. Rainfall does not seem to play an important role in the spatial distribution of dengue cases during epidemics. By the end of the 21st century, if temperature increases by approximately 3°C, mean incidence rates during epidemics could double. Conclusion In New Caledonia, a subtropical insular environment, both temperature and socio-economic conditions are influencing the spatial spread of dengue fever. Extension of this study to other countries worldwide should improve the knowledge about climate influence on dengue burden and about the complex interplay between different factors. This study presents a methodology that can be used as a

Comparing antibiotic self-medication in two socio-economic groups in Guatemala City: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ramay, Brooke M; Lambour, Paola; Cerón, Alejandro

2015-04-27

Self-medication with antibiotics may result in antimicrobial resistance and its high prevalence is of particular concern in Low to Middle Income Countries (LMIC) like Guatemala. A better understanding of self-medication with antibiotics may represent an opportunity to develop interventions guiding the rational use of antibiotics. We aimed to compare the magnitude of antibiotic self-medication and the characteristics of those who self-medicate in two pharmacies serving disparate socio-economic communities in Guatemala City. We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study in one Suburban pharmacy and one City Center pharmacy in Guatemala City. We used a questionnaire to gather information about frequency of self-medication, income and education of those who self-medicate. We compared proportions between the two pharmacies, using two-sample z-test as appropriate. Four hundred and eighteen respondents completed the survey (221 in the Suburban pharmacy and 197 in the City Center pharmacy). Most respondents in both pharmacies were female (70%). The reported monthly income in the suburban pharmacy was between $1,250.00-$2,500.00, the city-center pharmacy reported a monthly income between $125.00- $625.00 (p < 0.01). Twenty three percent of Suburban pharmacy respondents and 3% in the City Center pharmacy completed high school (p < 0.01). Proportion of self-medication was 79% in the Suburban pharmacy and 77% in City Center pharmacy. In both settings, amoxicillin was reported as the antibiotic most commonly used. High proportions of self-medication with antibiotics were reported in two pharmacies serving disparate socio-economic groups in Guatemala City. Additionally, self-medicating respondents were most often women and most commonly self-medicated with amoxicillin. Our findings support future public health interventions centered on the regulation of antibiotic sales and on the potential role of the pharmacist in guiding prescription with antibiotics in Guatemala.

Impact of scale of aggregation on associations of cardiovascular hospitalization and socio-economic disadvantage

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background There are numerous studies that show an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease with increasing levels of socio-economic disadvantage. Exposures that might influence the relationship include elements of the built environment and social systems that shape lifestyle risk behaviors. In Canberra (the Australian capital city) there has been a particular housing policy to create ‘mixed-tenure’ neighborhoods so that small pockets of disadvantage are surrounded by more affluent residences (known as a ‘salt-and-pepper’ pattern). This may contribute to a scatter of higher incidence rates in very small areas in this population that may be obscured if aggregated data are used. This study explored the effect of changing the scale of the spatial units used in small area disease modelling, aiming to understand the impact of this issue and the implications for local public health surveillance. Methods The residence location of hospitalized individuals were aggregated to two differently scaled area units. First, the Australian Bureau of Statistics Statistical Area 2 (SA2) which is normally used as the basis for deidentification and release of health data. Second, these data were aggregated to a smaller level: the Statistical Area 1 (SA1). Generalized Additive Models with penalized regression splines were used to assess the association of age-sex-standardized rates for cardiovascular disease hospital admissions with disadvantage. Results The relationships observed were different between the two types of spatial units. The SA1 level exposure-response curve for rates against the disadvantage index extended in a linear fashion above the midrange level, while that found at SA2-level suggested a curvilinear form with no evidence that rates increased with higher disadvantage beyond the midrange. Conclusion Our result supports findings of other work that has found disadvantage increases risk of cardiovascular disease. The shape of the curves suggest a difference in

Learning to (Dis)Engage? The Socialising Experiences of Young People Living in Areas of Socio-Economic Disadvantage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Carolynne; Cremin, Hilary; Warwick, Paul; Harrison, Tom

2011-01-01

Young people are increasingly required to demonstrate civic engagement in their communities and help deliver the aspirations of localism and Big Society. Using an ecological systems approach this paper explores the experiences of different groups of young people living in areas of socio-economic disadvantage. Using volunteering as an example of…