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Spending, Saving And Borrowing: Perceptions And Experiences Of Girls In Gujarat, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Microfinance and savings programs that offer user-friendly and flexible savings schemes for women are increasingly being implemented in India, but such programs have been limited to adults. Although a number of programs have been implemented that aim to empower adolescent girls and young women, these have largely focused on enhancing life skills and awareness. The potential among young females to enhance control over resources through savings and use of other financial products in formal and informal banking institutions has rarely been addressed, either in research or through programs. As stated in this brief, the Council and the Self Employed Women's …

Marriage And Motherhood: An Exploratory Study Of The Social And Reproductive Health Status Of Married Young Women In Gujarat And West Bengal, F. Ram, Ranjana Sinha, S.K. Mohanty, Arup Das, Aruna Lakhani, Nicole Haberland, K.G. Santhya

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In India, sexual activity and childbearing among young women take place overwhelmingly within the context of marriage. Despite the high prevalence of early marriage, little is known about the lives of married young women, and few interventions have focused on supporting this group. In response, the Population Council, in partnership with Child In Need Institute in Kolkata (West Bengal) and Deepak Charitable Trust in Vadodara (Gujarat), initiated the First-Time Parents project aimed at developing and testing an integrated package of health and social interventions that would improve married young women’s reproductive and sexual health knowledge and practices, and expand their …

Formation Of Partnerships Among Young Women And Men In Pune District, Maharashtra, Mallika Alexander, Laila Garda, Savita Kanade, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, Bela Ganatra

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Young people in India face traditional age- and sex-stratified norms that espouse gender double standards. Premarital partnerships are taboo and anecdotal evidence suggests that in many settings in India, the hint of a romantic relationship or even social interaction between young girls and boys is sufficient to damage a family's reputation and/or result in accelerated arranged marriage, particularly for the girl. While there is a prevailing perception at the community level that in these circumstances, premarital partnerships are rare, there is a small body of literature that suggests that such partnerships are indeed formed and sexual relations experienced, among, typically, …

Need For Cognition And Message Complexity In Motivating Fruit And Vegetable Intake Among Callers To The Cancer Information Service, Pamela Williams-Piehota, Judith Pizarro, Stephanie A. Navarro Silvera, Linda Mowad, Peter Salovey

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

This field experiment examined the impact of an individual's need for cognition (NFC; the tendency to enjoy thinking deeply about issues), complex versus simple messages, and the interaction of NFC and message type on encouraging fruit and vegetable consumption. Callers to the Cancer Information Service of the National Cancer Institute (N = 517) were asked to participate in the experiment at the end of their call. Individual NFC was assessed, and participants were assigned randomly to receive a telephone message promoting fruit and vegetable consumption that was either complex and multifaceted or simple and straightforward. Similarly constructed brochures were mailed …

The Impact Of Immunization On The Association Between Poverty And Child Survival: Evidence From Kassena-Nankana District Of Northern Ghana, Ayaga A. Bawah, James F. Phillips, Martin Adjuik, Maya Vaughan-Smith, Bruce Macleod, Fred N. Binka

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Research conducted in Africa has demonstrated consistently that parental poverty and low educational attainment adversely affect child survival. Relative poverty has a pronounced effect on the survival of children, even in a setting where nearly all families are poor. Results from the research presented in the working paper lend strong support to the United Nations’ goal of reducing excess childhood mortality among the poor by directing a particular focus on immunization. Findings in this working paper show that the adverse effects of poverty disappear and that the effects of educational attainment are reduced in survival models that control for immunization …

Urban Versus Rural Mortality Among Older Adults In China, Zachary Zimmer, Toshiko Kaneda, Laura Spess

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

For some time, Chinese government policies have treated rural and urban areas very differently, and a by-product of China’s rapid development seems to be an even greater differentiation between urban and rural social and economic life. Over the next several decades, in part because of rapid fertility declines and in part as a result of mortality declines at older ages, China and other developing countries will experience enormous increases in the proportion of older adults and the proportion of the “oldest-old.” It is reasonable to expect that these age structure changes will alter the provision of health care, making an …

The Implications Of Changing Educational And Family Circumstances For Children's Grade Progression In Rural Pakistan: 1997-2004, Cynthia B. Lloyd, Cem Mete, Monica J. Grant

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This Population Council working paper assesses the effects of primary school characteristics, household characteristics, and recent household economic and demographic shocks on school dropout rates during the first eight grades in rural Punjab and North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. While grade retention has improved over the past six years, dropout rates for girls remain fairly high, particularly at the end of primary school (grade five). The results of this study show clearly the complementary nature of supply and demand factors in determining grade progression in rural Pakistan, particularly for girls. The results suggest that substantial improvement in the schooling environment …

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

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Out-of-school girls are among the most disadvantaged adolescents in rural Upper Egypt. Compared with girls attending school, they are more likely to be engaged in poorly paid farm work, more likely to be married early, and at greater risk for early childbearing and poor pregnancy outcomes. To respond to their situation, through the partnership of Caritas, the Center for Development and Population Activities, the Population Council, and Save the Children, the Ishraq program was designed: a holistic intervention to address the unmet needs of out-of-school adolescent girls. The pilot phase of Ishraq was launched in four rural villages of one …

Late Marriage And The Hiv Epidemic In Sub-Saharan Africa, John Bongaarts

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This Population Council working paper assesses the potential roles of late age at marriage and a long period of premarital sexual activity as population risk factors for HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa. The relationship between marital status and the prevalence and incidence of HIV is examined with ecological data from 33 countries in the region and with individual-level data from nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys in Kenya and Ghana in 2003. The ecological analysis finds a significant positive correlation between HIV prevalence and the median age at first marriage, and between HIV prevalence and the interval between first sex …

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 …

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 …