Ethno-regional Groups Research Articles

Sex differences in dementia risk and risk factors: Individual-participant data analysis using 21 cohorts across six continents from the COSMIC consortium.

Sex differences in dementia risk, and risk factor (RF) associations with dementia, remain uncertain across diverse ethno-regional groups. A total of 29,850 participants (58% women) from 21 cohorts across six continents were included in an individual participant data meta-analysis. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs), and women-to-men ratio of hazard ratios (RHRs) for associations between RFs and all-cause dementia were derived from mixed-effect Cox models. Incident dementia occurred in 2089 (66% women) participants over 4.6 years (median). Women had higher dementia risk (HR, 1.12 [1.02, 1.23]) than men, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income economies. Associations between longer education and former alcohol use with dementia risk (RHR, 1.01 [1.00, 1.03] per year, and 0.55 [0.38, 0.79], respectively) were stronger for men than women; otherwise, there were no discernible sex differences in other RFs. Dementia risk was higher in women than men, with possible variations by country-level income settings, but most RFs appear to work similarly in women and men.

Harmonizing Ethno-Regionally Diverse Datasets to Advance the Global Epidemiology of Dementia.

Understanding dementia and cognitive impairment is a global effort needing data from multiple sources across diverse ethno-regional groups. Methodological heterogeneity means that these data often require harmonization to make them comparable before analysis. We discuss the benefits and challenges of harmonization, both retrospective and prospective, broadly and with a focus on data types that require particular sorts of approaches, including neuropsychological test scores and neuroimaging data. Throughout our discussion, we illustrate general principles and give examples of specific approaches in the context of contemporary research in dementia and cognitive impairment from around the world.

ОСОЗНАННАЯ САМОРЕГУЛЯЦИЯ КАК РЕСУРС ПРЕОДОЛЕНИЯ СТРЕССА И ДОСТИЖЕНИЯ СУБЪЕКТИВНОГО БЛАГОПОЛУЧИЯ: ЭТНОРЕГИОНАЛЬНАЯ СПЕЦИФИКА

Background. Th e problem of maintaining subjective well-being in situations of uncertainty becomes extremely relevant in the context of the global challenges of modern society. Th e signifi cant role of conscious self-regulation (SR) in achieving subjective well-being has been shown in samples of students at various levels of education, but has not yet been considered in samples of young people from various ethno-regional groups. Th e study of cross-cultural aspects of SR infl uence on subjective well-being in conditions of uncertainty is intended to supplement this section of psychological knowledge and is in demand by modern psychological practice in the regions characterized by ethnocultural diversity. Objective. Th e study had its purpose to reveal ethno-regional specifi cs in the relationship of conscious self-regulation, tolerance to uncertainty, levels of stress, aggression, and subjective well-being. Methods. The diagnostic complex included V.I. Morosanova’s questionnaire “Style of self-regulation of behavior, SSPM-2020”, the questionnaire for diagnosing the subjective well-being of a person by R.M. Shamionov, T.V. Beskova; the questionnaire of tolerance / intolerance to uncertainty by T.V. Kornilova and M.A. Chumakova, the q uestionnaire of perceived stress by T. Young, the questionnaire for diagnosing aggression by S.N. Enikolopov, N.P. Tsibulsky. Sample. Th e study involved 1099 respondents aged 16 to 35 years (679 women) from the Karachay-Circassian Republic, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, the Stavropol Territory, Moscow and the Moscow Region. Results. A path analysis of the connection between conscious self-regulation and subjective well-being was carried out for 7 ethno-regional groups of respondents. Th is allowed for establishing both direct and indirect (through reduction of stress and aggression) eff ect of the SR component “persistence” on the subjective well-being of participants. Along with general patterns, the study revealed the ethno-regional specifi city of the resource role of conscious SR in achieving subjective well-being. For the dominant ethnic groups, SR components “modeling”, “persistence”, and “reliability” serve as the resources of subjective well-being. Intolerance to uncertainty turned toь be a predictor of their subjective well-being. For the non-dominant ethnic groups, SR components “planning”, “persistence”, and “reliability” serve as the resources of subjective well-being. Tolerance to uncertainty is predicting their subjective well-being. Conclusion. Th e study provides empirical evidence of the direct and indirect influence of the conscious SR components on the level of subjective well-being of the young people in various ethno-regional groups.

Combattants and Baswahili: Beyond Ethno-regional Tensions among Congolese Immigrants of Cape Town, South Africa

This paper focuses on the combattants (French for “fighters”), a diaspora group from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and their activities in Cape Town, South Africa. While the combattants publicly identify as socio-political activists, for ordinary Congolese (especially eastern Congolese) they are simply a Congolese gang because of the violence that characterises their modus operandi. This research focuses on understanding the combattants’ antagonism toward eastern Congolese, especially in the last term of President Joseph Kabila in office. While acknowledging that the politics of the DRC largely shape the everyday lives of Congolese migrants in South Africa, this paper looks more into the role played by the host country—South Africa—in intra-Congolese migrants’ identity conflicts and the formation of gang-like groups such as the combattants. This paper stresses the links between the South African migration system that favours some Congolese ethno-regional groups (mainly those from the war zones—the eastern region/Kivu) over others (from the relatively peaceful western region that Kinshasa incarnates) and the hatred the combattants have towards eastern Congolese. Focusing roughly on the period between 2011 and 2018, the paper argues that feuds between the combattants (from western Congo) and eastern Congolese are also a struggle between the “winners” and the “losers” produced and reproduced through South African migration laws and policies.

Radical Islam and Insurgency in Northern Nigeria: Tensions and Challenges

Located within a broad appraisal of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, this paper examined the roots and triggers of radical Islam and religious extremism in Northern Nigeria. It also investigated its implication in the region through the lenses of religion and politics. Since 1804, a tradition of jihadist Islam in the north, introduced by Sheikh Uthman dan Fodio, has shaped not only the politics of the region but has festered into modern-day insurgency. This radicalism enthroned an intolerant, anti-Western and violent Islamic ideology used against minorities within and against other religions, ethno-regional groups, and political blocs in Nigeria. What exactly are the triggers of religious violence in today’s Northern Nigeria? Furthermore, if any, what are the implications for this region? Drawing on archival materials and secondary sources, findings reveal deep-seated, anti-southern sentiments in the north, complicated by religious, cultural, and economic suspicions, whipped up at political intersections. Evidence also indicates significant leadership failures. This internal complexity holds back Northern Nigeria’s overall economic and social modernisation pace. This paper recommends state-sponsored awareness campaigns that emphasise diversity, integration and unity. To overcome insurgency, politics must deliver dividends of democracy to all. Governance must become a means to economic ends and not an end in itself.

Comprehensive analysis of the 5-HTTLPR allelic polymorphism effect on behavioral and neurophysiological indicators of executive control in people from different ethnic groups in Siberia

The allelic polymorphism of the serotonin transporter's gene 5-HTTLPR is considered as one of the factors determining an individual genetic predisposition to the development of a wide range of affective disorders, including depression. Many studies have shown that the climatic and social conditions of people's life can have a significant impact on the connections of 5-HTTLPR with the risk of depression. The stop-signal paradigm (SSP) is an experimental method allowing evaluating an individual ability to the self-control of behavior in a changing environment. In the SSP experiment, a subject should either press one of several buttons quickly after the appearance of the target stimuli or suppress the already started movement if an inhibitory signal follows the target stimulus. The aim of this study is a research of associations between the allelic the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and the individual scores of the personal anxiety level, as well as the behavioral and neurophysiological indicators of the ability to self-control over motor reactions in the SSP. The study was conducted among people from three ethno-regional groups: healthy Caucasoids from Novosibirsk, the Mongoloid groups of the indigenous population of the Tuva Republic and Sakha Republic (Yakutia). Genetic, ethnographic, and psychological influences on an individual's ability to control motor responses were compared. The amplitude of the premotor peak of the evoked brain potential was used as a neurophysiological marker of the person's readiness to the execution of target-directed activity. It was revealed that the frequency of the S-allele polymorphism 5-HTTLPR was significantly higher for both mongoloid groups compared to the Caucasoids. The S/S genotype was associated with an increased level of personal anxiety and at the same time with a better ability to the self-control of behavior in the SSP experiment. Anxiety level, participants' sex, ethnicity, and allelic polymorphism 5-HTTLPR had a statistically significant effect on the amplitude of the premotor readiness potential recorded under the SSP conditions in the frontal and parietal-occipital cortical regions. Our data support the hypothesis that the S/S genotype of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism may be associated with more success in adapting to the climatic conditions connected with high life risk in comparison to L/L and L/S genotypes.

Factors associated with odour identification in older Indonesian and white Australian adults.

Among older adults, olfactory dysfunction is associated with cognitive impairment, lower quality of life, and increased mortality. While age is a risk factor for olfactory dysfunction, other risk factors are less well understood, and may vary between ethno-regional groups. This study investigated how associations between odour identification (OI) and various risk factors, as well as cognition and language ability, differed or were similar in two distinct ethno-regional groups of older adults. This cross-sectional study used data from two cohorts: 470 Indonesians (aged 67.4 ± 7.4years) and 819 white Australians (aged 78.7 ± 4.8years). Univariate and multivariate analyses explored whether OI test scores were associated with age, sex, education, cholesterol levels, apolipoprotein E ε4 status, smoking, diabetes, hypertension and depression scale scores, or with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and language test performance. Univariate analyses identified some factors associated with OI scores in both Indonesians and white Australians, including older age and smoking with lower scores, and MMSE and language test performance with higher scores. Multivariate analyses yielded different and mutually exclusive patterns of associations in the two ethno-regional groups, with language test scores significantly associated with higher OI scores in Indonesians, and age, being male, smoking, having diabetes and higher depression scale scores significantly associated with lower OI scores in white Australians. Ethno-regional differences may need consideration in the attempt to fully understand associations between OI and negative outcomes like dementia and mortality, and interventions for olfactory dysfunction might need to be tailored to specific ethno-regional groups. However, the difference in mean age between cohorts is a limitation of this study, and future studies should aim to compare populations with similar age distributions.

Profile of and risk factors for poststroke cognitive impairment in diverse ethnoregional groups.

ObjectiveTo address the variability in prevalence estimates and inconsistencies in potential risk factors for poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) using a standardized approach and individual participant data (IPD) from international cohorts in the Stroke and Cognition Consortium (STROKOG) consortium.MethodsWe harmonized data from 13 studies based in 8 countries. Neuropsychological test scores 2 to 6 months after stroke or TIA and appropriate normative data were used to calculate standardized cognitive domain scores. Domain-specific impairment was based on percentile cutoffs from normative groups, and associations between domain scores and risk factors were examined with 1-stage IPD meta-analysis.ResultsIn a combined sample of 3,146 participants admitted to hospital for stroke (97%) or TIA (3%), 44% were impaired in global cognition and 30% to 35% were impaired in individual domains 2 to 6 months after the index event. Diabetes mellitus and a history of stroke were strongly associated with poorer cognitive function after covariate adjustments; hypertension, smoking, and atrial fibrillation had weaker domain-specific associations. While there were no significant differences in domain impairment among ethnoracial groups, some interethnic differences were found in the effects of risk factors on cognition.ConclusionsThis study confirms the high prevalence of PSCI in diverse populations, highlights common risk factors, in particular diabetes mellitus, and points to ethnoracial differences that warrant attention in the development of prevention strategies.

Determinants of cognitive performance and decline in 20 diverse ethno-regional groups: A COSMIC collaboration cohort study

Determinants of cognitive performance and decline in 20 diverse ethno-regional groups: A COSMIC collaboration cohort study

Abstract IA10: Cancer: A Hispanic historical perspective

Abstract US Hispanics/Latinos are an extremely diverse population. This diversity stems from Spanish settlements in the US in the 1400s to late 1700s, and also major immigration patterns into the US from the early 1800s to present. This means US Hispanics/Latinos differ greatly in regards to their genetic ancestry, creating variability in genetic make-up, cultural values, degree of assimilation to U.S. lifestyle, and socio-demographics. Due to the cancer health disparities that affect US Hispanics/Latinos in diverse ways, there is a tremendous need to conduct cancer research that considers US Hispanics/Latinos as a highly heterogenous population with as much diversity within, as across other ethnic groups. Certain cancer health disparities affect certain US Hispanics/Latinos ethno-regional groups differently, such as Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, South Americans, and Central Americans. This presentation will briefly introduce data and statistics on the diversity among the US Hispanics/Latinos population and how they vary in cancer rates and cancer knowledge and attitudes, as well as emerging research. Citation Format: Amelie G. Ramirez. Cancer: A Hispanic historical perspective. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Ninth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2016 Sep 25-28; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2017;26(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA10.

Managing Constitutional Change in the Nigerian Federation

Since making the transition from military to civilian rule in 1999, Nigeria has witnessed intensive, but largely unfulfilled, pressures for comprehensive federal constitutional change. This article analyzes the multiple ethno-political drivers and institutional themes of Nigeria’s constitutional struggles, the conflicting approaches to federal reform by governmental, civic, and ethno-regional groups, and potential pathways to a more effective governance of the country’s constitutional challenges. The article contends that incremental constitutional change and non-constitutional renewal, including benign constitutional transgressions and creative legislative and judicial interventions, offer the most feasible path to federal accommodation and development in Nigeria in the absence of national consensus on the desirability and modality of wholesale, mega-constitutional reform.

Oil Bunkering in Nigeria's Post-amnesty Era: An Ethnopolitical Settlement Analysis

This article seeks to explain the recent surge in oil theft in Nigeria from the viewpoint of ethnopolitical settlement. It argues that while persistent oil theft has been a means of facilitating and maintaining a predatory and exclusionary ‘social order’, it has also (and more so now) been a tool for confronting the establishment. The sharp rise after 2009 is attributed to the failure of government to take advantage of the amnesty programme to address the core issues at the root of the conflict in the region. These have become even more fundamental in the light of recent events in the country, such as the unintended publicity given to illegal mining in other regions, the discovery of and advanced efforts at oil-prospecting in other states of the federation, a disturbing publication on actual ownership of oil wells in the country, and some provocative statements on the current resource wealth-sharing formula by influential personalities from other ethnoregional groups. The situation is compounded by the presence of a very large number of youths who feel marginalized or excluded by the Jonathan administration, public revelation of massive corruption in the nation's oil sector, and developments in the political sphere that appear to be threatening the unity of the country. The paper proposes a political settlement that provides incentives for the ordinary citizen and host communities in the Niger delta to be actively interested in protecting the nation's oil and gas resources and infrastructures.

The challenges of ethnonationalism for the Nigerian State

Whereas present day socio-economic realities tend to favour globalization and universalism, what is happening in Nigeria is rather a rise in ethnonationalism (Obi 2001). In fact, since the present democratic dispensation in Nigeria in 1999, ethnonationalist sentiments have become so trenchant and divisive that the country’s political, social and economic bear nay future is largely threatened. Thus Ochonma plausibly observes “ethnic nationalism has become a stubborn obstacle to the socio-economic and political advancement of Nigeria and the realization of national consciousness by people. The Nigerian nation must therefore conquer it, or it will conquer the Nigerian nation” (Ochonma 2011). This paper, using the historical and analytical approaches, examines the conditions that underlie contemporary ethnonationalism in Nigeria, the different ways in which contemporary ethnonationalism manifests, and the ways in which negative ethnonationalism can be fruitfully addressed. It argues that contemporary ethnonationalism in Nigeria stems from the grievances of the different ethno-regional groups in Nigeria which grievances relate to control of or access to state power and patronage and distribution of government revenue including budgetary allocations. The surge in ethnonationalist sentiments and violence in Nigeria thus reflects the failure of federal institutions to accommodate ethnic demands as well as the failure of the elite to provide effective people-oriented governance. The paper thus seeks to demonstrate how a rise above official hypocrisy and insincerity will pave the way for checking negative ethnonationalism in Nigeria. Key words: Ethnonationalism, democratic governance.

Mineral production, territory, and ethnic rebellion: The role of rebel constituencies

Several possible relationships between natural resources and civil conflict have been hypothesized and tested in the literature. The impact of resources on conflict should depend on the circumstances of the group that (potential) rebels see themselves as representing and depend upon for support. While ‘lootable’ resources such as alluvial diamonds have been shown to increase the likelihood of insurgency, among territorially concentrated ethnic groups looting by rebels recruiting from the group is counterproductive because it imposes negative externalities on the rebel constituency. However, local mineral abundance could encourage rebellion indirectly, by promoting the development of secessionist objectives, since autonomy or independence would allow the rebel constituency to enjoy a larger share of the benefits flowing from mineral revenues. On the other hand, mineral abundance could encourage the government to exercise greater surveillance and control over potentially restive minority populations. On balance, then, mineral abundance should affect ethnoregional conflict primarily by encouraging ethnic rebels to adopt limited, territorial-autonomy objectives as opposed to governmental objectives. This hypothesis is tested with a new, global dataset of substate mineral production. Local mineral resource abundance is indeed negatively associated with governmental conflict among ethnoregional groups and positively related to secessionist or territorial conflict. Moreover, it is the total value of mineral production that matters, not specific types of minerals such as oil or diamonds. The net effect of mineral abundance on the total risk of intrastate conflict onset among ethnoregions is essentially zero.

Education, horizontal inequalities and ethnic relations in Nigeria

Abstract The article focuses on the role of higher education in generating or mitigating inequality among ethno-regional groups and its impact on ethnic relations with evidence from Nigeria. It shows that access to education in Nigeria has been politicised. This is because of the perceived role of education in engendering political and socio-economic inequalities. It assesses the intervention mechanisms of successive Nigerian governments at federal and state levels to expand access to and enhance equity in educational opportunities as well as the responses of the different publics to such programmes. The article shows that although educational inequalities persist, state policies have enhanced the ability of the different ethno-regional groups to produce qualified personnel to occupy critical public service positions. Thus, conflicts that were historically traced to the domination of the public sector of some regions by personnel from other regions have been averted. The Nigerian case study therefore suggests that while policies aimed at equalising access to education may create incentives for ethno-regional mobilisations, they are nevertheless necessary to prevent violent conflicts that arise from perceived ethno-regional domination of the public sector.

The Paradox of Power Reconsidered: A Theory of Political Regimes in Africa

A typical pattern of wealth redistribution seems to prevail, in some African countries, between rich and poor ethno-regional groups. A contract-theoretic model is presented for shedding some light on this phenomenon. The government promises a transfer to its potential opponent in return for not engaging in a civil war. The latter may break out because of the imperfect credibility of the government's commitment. This increases the cost of the required transfer of wealth, and may make it unfeasible. The model determines whether a military regime or a redistributive state prevails in a peaceful equilibrium. This depends on two parameters: (i) the relative fighting efficiency and (ii) the relative productivity of the two groups. The social cost of the different regimes is then compared, and their implications for aid policy are discussed.

Cancer risk factors among men of diverse Hispanic or Latino origins

Background: Personal health behaviors play a fundamental role in premature cancer morbidity and mortality. However, routine risk factor data on Latino groups are lacking. Knowledge of cancer risk prevalence by ethnoregional groups is particularly important for development of effective prevention and control strategies. Methods: Using the diverse populations and sites involved in the National Hispanic Leadership Initiative on Cancer (NHLIC): En Acción, this paper examines prevalence of six cancer risk factors among Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Central American adult males in eight U.S. cities. Data were collected through two telephone surveys. The 1993–1994 sample consisted of 4170 males (2041 <40 years and 2120 ≥40 years). The 1997–1998 sample consisted of 4486 males (2286 <40 years and 2200 ≥40 years). Results: Clear differences exist in risk factor prevalence among Latino subgroups. Overall, riskiest behaviors were found among Mexican American men in Texas, more of whom smoked, engaged in acute alcohol drinking, and had poorer diets and higher obesity levels than other Latino men. Conclusions: Root causes of these ethnoregional differences are likely due to both economic and cultural factors. Cancer prevention and control strategies and programs should be tailored to address specific needs of each population group.

Looting and Conflict between Ethnoregional Groups

A game-theoretic model is analyzed for discussing the determination of looting and fighting activity during a civil war between two ethnoregional groups. The Nash equilibrium of this game emphasizes population size, production capacity and productivity, and access to external funding as the main determinants of the size of the armies and the intensity of looting activity. The Nash equilibrium of the game between the two warlords involves an excessive level of looting. Some lessons are drawn from this framework to bring out the minimum redistribution of resources between groups that must take place in a peaceful equilibrium.

The cultural foundations of Ukrainian national identity

This article examines the importance of intra- and inter-state cultural comparisons in the construction of national identity in a multi-ethnic country. A theoretical discussion first explores two dimensions of the underdeveloped concept of national identity: content and strength. It is argued that perceptions of cultural similarity among a country's ethnic and ethno-regional groups, and perceptions of both cultural similarity and difference between these groups and the populations of other countries, shape and promote these dimensions of national identity. The argument is evaluated using the case of Ukraine. Qualitative analysis of writings by Ukrainians and quantitative analysis of an elite survey distributed in the cities of Lviv and Donetsk examine how cultural comparisons between Ukraine's main ethno-regions and perceptions of the differences and similarities among European, Russian and Ukrainian culture condition national unity in Ukraine.