Digital Commons Network^™

In Our Own Hands: Swaa-Ghana Champions The Female Condom, Kathleen Cravero, Michelle Skaer, Victoria Ebin, Martha Brady

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This issue of Quality/Calidad/Qualité describes the vital role played by the Ghana branch of the Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) in introducing the female condom, the only female-controlled method for protection from HIV. By addressing issues of gender inequity and communication within relationships, SWAA used the female condom to empower women to regain control of their bodies. Also in this issue are profiles of three other approaches to programming for the female condom from Brazil, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

Providing New Opportunities To Adolescent Girls In Socially Conservative Settings: The Ishraq Program In Rural Upper Egypt [Arabic], Martha Brady, Ragui Assaad, Barbara L. Ibrahim, Abeer Salem, Rania Salem, Nadia Zibani

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In the absence of intervention, poor, rural, unschooled girls in conservative and low-income communities throughout West Asia and North Africa, and indeed elsewhere, are destined to a life of poverty, illiteracy, early marriage, high fertility, and poor health. This report describes Ishraq, a well-designed, multidimensional skill-building program, that has altered this scenario in Upper Egypt by intervening early (around the time of puberty). The challenge for Ishraq is to link these girls, their families, and communities to the widening opportunities and rights structures of their countries through political participation, strong partnerships, and effective links among civil society, local and national …

Spending, Saving And Borrowing: Perceptions And Experiences Of Girls In Gujarat, Shveta Kalyanwala, Jennefer Sebstad

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Recognizing that a better understanding of the savings patterns and potential of adolescent girls and young women is an essential prerequisite for shaping the design of appropriate savings options and services for this group, SEWA, a leading micro-credit nongovernmental organization in India, in partnership with the Population Council, conducted research among adolescent girls and young women who held accounts in one or more of SEWA’s savings schemes. The study aimed to assess their access to money, their savings and spending behaviors, their experiences as holders of savings accounts, and their preferences with regard to savings products for the young. Findings …

She Knew Only When The Garland Was Put Around Her Neck': Findings From An Exploratory Study On Early Marriage In Rajasthan, K.G. Santhya, Nicole Haberland, Ajay Kumar Singh

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council undertook an exploratory, qualitative study in two districts in Rajasthan, India to understand the extent of implementation of various policies and programs intended to prevent early marriage, and the extent to which such efforts have found acceptability among parents and the community. Findings show that adolescent girls had a clear desire to marry after the age of 18 and that they were well aware of what they would have to give up with marriage—their education, childhood, health, and opportunities to explore other interests. Some parents also noted these disadvantages of early marriage, suggesting that beliefs may be …

Tap And Reposition Youth (Try): Prestar Apoio Social E Oportunidades De Microcrédito E De Poupanças A Mulheres Jovens Em Áreas Com Uma Prevalência De Vih Elevada, Annabel Erulkar, Judith Bruce, Erica Chong, Aleke Dondo, Jennefer Sebstad, James K. Matheka, Arjmand Banu Khan, Anne Gathuku

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Nairobi, no Quénia, acolhe uma dos maiores populações de bairros pobres na África subsariana. Os adolescentes que vivem nesses bairros, especialmente as jovens, stão privadas dos ambientes potencialmente seguros das suas escolas e famílias e não têm oportunidades económicas seguras. O desemprego é uma enorme preocupação para as jovens adolescentes e as circunstâncias desesperantes obriga-as a sobreviver conforme podem: 21% das jovens sexualmente activas entre os 15–19 anos de idade admitiram que têm relações sexuais em troca de dinheiro ou ofertas. Essa vulnerabilidade acrescida reflecte-se nas taxas da infecção pelo VIH. Em resposta a essas circunstâncias, o Population Council e …

Marriage And Childbirth As Factors In School Exit: An Analysis Of Dhs Data From Sub-Saharan Africa, Cynthia B. Lloyd, Barbara Mensch

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This paper explores the potential importance of marriage and childbirth as determinants of school-leaving in sub-Saharan Africa and identifies some of the common underlying factors that contribute to premature school-leaving and early marriage and childbearing. Results suggests that the reproductive health community should see early marriage as a central area of concern for adolescent reproductive health. Policies that inform parents about the value of starting their children in school on time are likely to have beneficial effects both for grade attainment and for adolescent reproductive health regardless of school quality.

The Frustrations Of Families: Henry Lynch, Heredity, And Cancer Control, 1962–1975, David Cantor

United States Public Health Resources

When Henry T Lynch thought that he had discovered the existence of hereditary cancers among Nebraskan families in the 1960s, his hope was that it would lead to more effective means of cancer control. Lynch argued that the identification of such cancers offered tremendous opportunities for improving detection and treatment. If cancer ran in families, he claimed, the discovery of a hereditary cancer in one family member should be an alert to the possibility of cancer in others, and so prompt careful scrutiny for any signs that might indicate the presence of the disease in ‘‘healthy’’ individuals. Lynch hoped that …

Sensitivity Of Second-Generation Enzyme Immunoassay For Detection Of Hepatitis C Virus Infection Among Oncology Patients, Alexandre Macedo De Oliveira, Kathryn L. White, Brady D. Beecham, Dennis P. Leschinsky, Brett P. Foley, Janel Dockter, Cristina Giachetti, Thomas J. Safranek

United States Public Health Resources

Background: The second-generation hepatitis C virus (HCV) enzyme immunoassay (EIA 2), an antibody-detection test, has high sensitivity and is one of the recommended screening tests for detecting HCV infection in the United States. However, its sensitivity among oncology patients is unknown.
Objective: Assess the EIA 2 sensitivity among a group of oncology patients at a Nebraska clinic where an HCV outbreak occurred during 2000–2001 using nucleic acid testing (NAT) and recombinant immunoblot assay (RIBA) as the gold standards.
Study design: Serum specimens were collected from patients 16 months after transmission had stopped. We tested the specimens using EIA 2 (Abbott …

West Nile Virus Quantification In Feces Of Experimentally Infected American And Fish Crows, Aaron Kipp, Jennifer Lehman, Richard Bowen, Patricia Fox, Michael Stephens, Kaci Klenk, Nicholas Komar, Michel Bunning

United States Public Health Resources

To better understand the potential environmental health risk presented by West Nile virus (WNV)- contaminated feces, we quantified the amount of WNV present in the feces of experimentally infected American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) and fish crows (Corvus ossifragus). Peak fecal titers ranged from 10^3.5 to 10^8.8 plaque-forming units (PFU)/g for 10 American crows and from 10^2.3 to 10^6.4 PFU/g for 10 fish crows. The presence of infectious WNV in bird feces indicates a potential for direct transmission of WNV. Thus, handlers of sick or dead birds should take appropriate precautions to avoid …

Barriers To The Dissemination Of Four Harm Reduction Strategies: A Survey Of Addiction Treatment Providers In Ontario, Karen L. Hobden, John A. Cunningham

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

A sample of service providers at addictions agencies' in Ontario were interviewed by telephone to assess attitudes toward, anticipated internal and external barriers to implementing, and expected benefits of four harm reduction strategies: needle exchange, moderate drinking goals, methadone treatment, and provision of free condoms to clients. Respondents were also asked to define harm reduction, list its most important elements, and describe what they find most troubling and most appealing about harm reduction. Attitudes toward harm reduction in general and the services provided at each agency were also assessed. Results indicated that the service providers surveyed had positive attitudes …

Predictors Of Self-Rated Health: A 12-Month Prospective Study Of It And Media Workers, Dan Hasson, Bengt B. Arnetz, Tã¶Res Theorell, Ulla Anderberg

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the present study was to determine health-related risk and salutogenic factors and to use these to construct prediction models for future self-rated health (SRH), i.e. find possible characteristics predicting individuals improving or worsening in SRH over time (0–12 months).

Methods

A prospective study was conducted with measurements (physiological markers and self-ratings) at 0, 6 and 12 months, involving 303 employees (187 men and 116 women, age 23–64) from four information technology and two media companies.

Results

There were a multitude of statistically significant cross-sectional correlations (Spearman's Rho) between SRH and other self-ratings as well as …

Horizontal Subsurface Flow Constructed Wetlands For On-Site Wastewater Treatment, Boyd C. Hoddinott

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SSFCWs) are being used worldwide to treat wastewater from a variety of sources. An extensive literature review was conducted to update the current state of scientific knowledge on the performance of SSFCWs for domestic wastewater treatment. This review documented good treatment efficiency for the five commonly measured parameters (TSS, BOD, nitrogen, phosphorus, and fecal coliforms).

An attempt at a Meta analysis turned up a myriad of problems preventing a proper statistical review. These include lack of adherence to standard methods for effluent analysis, varying metrics for reporting treatment efficiency, variability in the nitrogen species which …

Drying Of Post-Harvest Rough Rice With Silica Gel: A Preliminary Investigation, Stephen J. O'Brien, Terry J. Siebenmorgen

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Rice drying operations can encounter problems of over drying and losses in head rice yield (HRY) through the formation of fissures. Typical rice drying methods also utilize large volumes of expensive fossil fuels to dry the kernels. Drying of rice with a solid desiccant such as silica gel has several potential advantages that avoid some of these problems. Two cultivars of long-grain rough rice, ‘Cheniere’ and ‘Wells’ with harvest moisture contents of 17.8% and 22.0%, respectively, were dried over a 48-h period with various ratios of rough rice-to-silica gel. It was found that an intimate mixture of 3:1 rough rice …

Molecular Epidemiology Of Antibiotic Resistant Salmonella Enterica Strains From Different Animal And Human Sources In Ireland, David George Lee

Theses

In this study, 176 isolates of Salmonella were collected from different laboratories in Ireland. All isolates were confirmed to be of the genus Salmonella by performing bacteriological and biochemical tests. Briefly, all isolates were cultured onto XLD agar after which pure cultures were verified and stocked at this institute. Definitive identification was carried out using the API 20-E system and a separate urease test was also performed on all isolates. After confirmation of the genus, all isolates were prepared for antibiotic susceptibility testing and r-types were determined using sixteen antibiotics. Depending on the antibiotic resistance profiles, isolates were selected for …

Are Residents' Extended Shifts Associated With Adverse Events, Mariana Szklo-Coxe

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

First paragraph:

Heated debates and controversies surrounding the regulation of medical residents’ work hours have raged for over twenty years. In the wake of Libby Zion’s untimely death in 1984 and resulting recommendations by the Bell Commission, New York State enacted legislation (Code 405.4) governing residents’ working conditions and supervision [1]. Since then, there has been growing interest in regulating residents’ work hours, culminating recently (2003–2004) in national guidelines and legislation on duty-hour restrictions both in the United States and Europe [2,3].

Factors For Hiv /Aids Risk In Yunnan Province, China Near The Myanmar Border., Yan Xiao

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Contribution Of Non-Occupational Exposure Factors And Non-Noise Occupational Exposure To Loss Of Hearing Sensitivity Among Anniston Army Depot Worker., Katrina L. Wright

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

How To Conduct A Coverage Exercise: A Rapid Assessment Tool For Programs And Services, Carey Meyers, Solene Lardoux

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

A coverage exercise (CE) is a simple, low-cost, rapid assessment tool that can be used to profile who is reached by a given service or group of service providers or organizations with a common clientele operating within a particular geographic area. This tool was developed by the Population Council to assist programs servicing youth, but it can be used for other beneficiaries as well. A CE collects data on a variety of characteristics including gender, schooling status, living arrangements, work status, and marital status of those benefiting from a program or service. It also enables program staff and managers to …

Biruh Tesfa ('Bright Future'): A Program For Poor, Urban Girls At Risk Of Exploitation And Abuse In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Low-income and slum areas in urban sub-Saharan Africa attract large numbers of rural-urban migrants in search of work and educational opportunities. Many are adolescents from poor rural areas, who risk the hazards of life in the slums in hopes of carving out a better life. These girls arrive knowing little about life in dense urban centers, often with little or no education, and no family members or friends to turn to. Many new arrivals are initially absorbed into domestic work; some eventually drift into sex work either for lack of choice or in pursuit of better pay and fewer working …

Invertir Cuando Hacerlo Cuenta: Generando La Evidencia Base Para Politicas Y Programas Para Adolescentes Muy Jóvenes—Guía Y Juego De Herramientas, Erica Chong, Kelly Hallman, Martha Brady

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

No abstract provided.

Knowledge And Perceived Risk Of Tuberculosis: Us Racial And Regional Differences, Karen A. Kirtland, Ana Lopez-De Fede, Muriel Harris, Kevin C. Remington

Publications

The purpose of this study is to report the findings of the 2004 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) questions on tuberculosis (TB) knowledge and perceived risk of contracting TB. Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major health threat in the United States, but minimal effort is made on public education to increase knowledge about TB. Using data from the 2004 NHIS, this study examined knowledge and perceived risk of TB of 26,136 US respondents. Results showed that nationally, how much a respondent knew about tuberculosis, knowing someone with tuberculosis, being 18–34 years old, and being Black were most strongly associated …

Développement D'Un Outil D'Évaluation Des Mesures De Retenue Des Camions Aux Quais De Transbordement, François Gauthier, Laurent Giraud, Réal Bourbonnière, Sylvain Bournival, Jean-Guy Richard, Renaud Daigle, Serge Massé

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les entreprises qui utilisent des chariots élévateurs pour charger et décharger des camions aux quais de transbordement connaissent bien le principal danger associé à ce type d’activité, soit que le chariot tombe du quai si le camion s'en éloigne subitement. Cet éloignement peut être causé par plusieurs événements. Le départ inopiné du camion est l'exemple le plus souvent cité et se produit lorsque le camion quitte le quai avant la fin du transbordement. Dans le cas du glissement, le camion ou la semi-remorque peut glisser en raison de la force induite par le freinage du chariot. Lors du basculement d’une …

Détection Des Mouvements De Blocs Rocheux Par Imagerie Numérique, Michel Payeur, Robert Corthésy, Maria Helena Leite

Rapports de recherche scientifique

PRÉAMBULE

Ce rapport est un condensé du mémoire de maîtrise de Michel Payeur intitulé Détection des mouvements de blocs rocheux par imagerie numérique déposé à la bibliothèque de l’École Polytechnique. Ce travail de recherche a été réalisé sous la direction des professeurs Maria Helena Leite et Robert Corthésy du département des génies civil, géologique et des mines de l’École Polytechnique. Le mémoire comporte beaucoup d’informations qui n’ont pu être incluses dans ce rapport faute d’espace.

Le mémoire de maîtrise comporte aussi en annexe, un guide d’utilisation de la méthode qui permet à qui le souhaite, de traiter des paires d’images …

Évaluation Des Contraintes Physiques Associées Au Port De Différents Vêtements Individuels De Protection Des Pompiers, Denis Marchand, Guy Tremblay, Chantal Tellier

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Lors des interventions sur les lieux d’un incendie, les pompiers sont soumis à des astreintes physiques et physiologiques importantes (Baker et coll., 2000 ; Cloutier et Champoux, 2000 ; Ftaiti et coll., 2001 ; Griefahn et coll., 2003). Le travail des pompiers est souvent très exigeant pour le système cardiorespiratoire, car il implique des efforts physiques importants dans des conditions où la chaleur ambiante est très élevée. Selon la littérature existante, une bonne partie de la charge physique serait associée au port du vêtement individuel de protection (VIP) et à l’appareil de respiration autonome (ARA). Pour Ftaiti et coll. (2001), …

Les Effets D'Une Intervention De Counseling Sur La Réadaptation De Travailleurs Accidentés À Risque De Chronicité, Conrad Lecomte, Réginald Savard

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Cette recherche propose l’investigation des effets d’une intervention en counseling sur la réadaptation de travailleurs accidentés à risque de chronicité. À la suite d’une recension de la littérature pertinente portant sur les facteurs biopsychosociaux et la chronicité, les enjeux de l’intervention en réadaptation sont analysés. Soixante-deux travailleurs accidentés à risque de chronicité sont assignés au hasard à 19 conseillers regroupés en deux catégories, soit formés ou non formés au counseling de réadaptation et intervenant selon deux modalités, soit sur une base hebdomadaire ou selon les pratiques habituelles de la Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST). …

Analyse De L'Expectoration Induite Dans La Silicose Et L'Amiantose : Corrélation Avec La Fonction Pulmonaire, Louis-Philippe Boulet, Philippe Prince, Marc Desmeules

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Problématique de santé et sécurité du travail

L’amiantose et la silicose sont les pneumoconioses les plus fréquentes au Québec et sont souvent associées à une détérioration progressive de la fonction pulmonaire. Cependant, il est difficile de prédire qui, parmi les travailleurs, développera ces conditions ou, s’ils en sont atteints, quelle sera leur évolution clinique.

Objectifs

1. Évaluer le rôle de l’expectoration induite (EI), une technique non-invasive d’analyse des sécrétions bronchiques, en comparaison avec le lavage bronchoalvéolaire (LBA) dans l’évaluation de la sévérité de pneumoconioses.
2. Vérifier si certains marqueurs des processus inflammatoires ou de remodelage peuvent être mesurés dans l’EI et s’ils …

Portrait De L'Utilisation Des Produits À Base D'Acrylates En Milieux De Travail Québécois, Brigitte Roberge, Yves Cloutier, Jean-Luc Malo

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les produits à base d’acrylates sont très utilisés dans plusieurs secteurs d’activité économique à cause de leur propriété adhésive. Par contre, leur utilisation peut causer une sensibilisation allergique dont les manifestations cutanées ont été décrites dès les années 40. Ces produits sont considérés, depuis une quinzaine d’années, comme responsables de rhinoconjonctivite et d’asthme professionnels. Certains cas ont déjà été diagnostiqués au Québec. Des tests de provocation bronchique faits de façon réaliste ont parfois été utilisés.

L’utilisation des produits à base de substances de la famille des acrylates a été documentée à partir d’une revue de la littérature scientifique, de la …

Analyse D'Un Programme De Formation Visant La Prévention Primaire Des Maux De Dos Chez Le Personnel Soignant Des Centres Hospitaliers Du Québec, Diane Berthelette, Nicole Leduc, Henriette Bilodeau, Marie-Josée Durand, Cheikh Faye, Christine Loignon, Marie-Claude Lagacé

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Notre étude porte sur le programme Principes de déplacement sécuritaire des bénéficiaires (PDSB) régulier, développé par l’Association pour la santé et la sécurité du travail du secteur affaires sociales (ASSTSAS). Le PDSB est une intervention complexe, composée du programme de formation PDSB, dispensé par un formateur accrédité par l’ASSTSAS au personnel soignant de son établissement, de formation d’agents de suivi PDSB, et d’activités de prévention menées par les formateurs dans leur centre hospitalier respectif. Elle poursuit l’objectif ultime de prévenir les accidents causant les maux de dos.

Nous avons atteint les objectifs suivants : 1) décrire la théorie sous-jacente au …

Détermination De La Concentration D’Isocyanates Aéroportés Pendant La Dégradation Thermique De Peinture Automobile Dans Des Ateliers De Réparation De Carrosserie., Michel Boutin, Claude Ostiguy, André Dufresne, Martine Charette, Jacques Lesage

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les isocyanates sont grandement utilisés dans la formulation de la peinture automobile afin de former des polymères de polyuréthanes. Lors d’une dégradation thermique, ces systèmes polymériques peuvent régénérer une partie des isocyanates qui sont des agents sensibilisants puissants conduisant à l’asthme professionnel. Dans les ateliers de réparation de carrosseries, l’utilisation d’un procédé abrasif sur des peintures de polyuréthanes peut générer suffisamment de chaleur pour occasionner la libération d’isocyanates dans l’air ambiant.

Une campagne d’échantillonnage en milieu environnemental a été réalisée dans deux centres de formation professionnelle et dans un atelier de recyclage de pièces d’automobiles afin de valider la méthode …

Évaluation D’Un Système D’Évacuation Des Gaz D’Échappement Lors De L’Entretien Des Chariots Élévateurs Au Propane, Brigitte Roberge, Luc Ménard, Alain Turcotte, Yves Beaudet, Louis Lazure

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La problématique de l’exposition au monoxyde de carbone (CO) est une préoccupation constante pour les intervenants en santé et en sécurité du travail au Québec. Ce gaz incolore et inodore est une des causes d’exposition pouvant mener à une intoxication reliée au travail notamment des mécaniciens lors des travaux d’entretien de moteurs à combustion interne alimentée au propane de chariots élévateurs. Parmi les travaux d’entretien, l’ajustement des systèmes de carburation et d’allumage de ces véhicules peut entraîner une exposition sévère au CO des mécaniciens. De façon générale, ces travaux d’entretien sont souvent exécutés chez le client, sans accès à des …