Nationality Groups Research Articles

Regional and ethnic factors of obesity and diabetes mellitus in women of re-productive age in the Pribaikal region

Introduction. Overweight is currently one of the leading global medical problems. Overweight and obesity contribute significantly to the development of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorder and can also cause premature death. Obesity has a negative impact on reproductive function; almost a quarter of women of childbearing age are overweight and about a third of them are obese.Aim. To study the characteristics of carbohydrate metabolism, hormonal indicators, and clinical-metabolic profiles, as well as to assess the potential risk of developing diabetes mellitus in women of fertile age with overweight and obesity residing in the Baikal region.Materials and methods. The study involved 60 overweight and obese women of reproductive age in the Pribaikalye region, including 33 women of Russian nationality (group 1) and 27 women of Buryat nationality (group 2). Anthropo-metric, sociodemographic and behavioural criteria were analysed, as well as questionnaires using the FINDRISC Scale. General clinical analyses of blood and urine were performed, lipid profile parameters, glucose, insulin, creatinine, transaminases, estradiol, thyroid hormone, leptin levels in blood plasma were studied. In addition, an oral glucose tolerance test was performed and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated.Results. In the group of Buryat women with lower body weight as compared to Russians, higher levels of leptin, HOMA- IR index, and larger waist circumference are observed. In Buryat women, low physical activity makes a significant contribution to the development of overweight and obesity, while for Russian women, excessive caloric intake is more important. In accordance with the results of the FINDRISC scale survey, the greatest contribution to the potential development of diabetes mellitus in the Russian group is body mass index (weight), and in the Buryat group, in addition to these indicators, waist circumference and reduced physical activity.Conclusions. The results of the study will be of great help in the development of pro-grammes for the prevention of diabetes and obesity, taking into account regional and ethnic differences among the population.

German minority in urban space of a textile manufacturing centre: the case of 19th century city of Łódź

German settlement in Poland has been the subject of numerous studies. The causes and determinants of migratory movements have been discussed extensively, while little attention has been paid to the spatial aspects of the phenomenon. The aim of this study, which is part of geographical and historical research, is to determine the size of the influx of migrants of German nationality into the rapidly developing textile production centre of Łódź in the 19th century, as well as the geographical origins and distribution of this nationality group in the urban space. These considerations are complemented by the identification of key issues related to the social integration and assimilation processes of the German minority. In the first half of the 19th century, the influx of skilled labour, almost entirely recruited from the German population, conditioned the development of the textile industry in Łódź. It also had a key influence on the demographic development of Łódź, which soon became the largest centre of textile production in Poland. In subsequent decades, there was a tendency among German immigrants towards separation in the sphere of professional and social activities, but already by the end of the 19th century the German community settled in Łódź was diverse in terms of the sense of nationality. In addition to a certain proportion of the immigrants who were already Polonised, there were persons declaring German nationality, as well as those undecided about the issue.

Anti-rubella seroprevalence assessment in an adult sample population in Italy.

Despite global immunization efforts, rubella remains a public health concern, particularly in high- and middle-income countries. This study focused on rubella seroprevalence in the province of Florence, Italy, aiming to identify susceptibility clusters, especially among women in their childbearing age. A cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2018 and December 2019, enrolling 430 adult subjects (age over 18 years). Serum samples were collected, and anti-rubella antibodies were quantified using the ELISA test. Data were analyzed descriptively and compared by sex, nationality, and age groups using statistical tests. The overall rubella seroprevalence was high (92.3%), with no significant differences between genders or nationalities. Among childbearing-age females (18-49 years), the highest seroprevalence was observed in the 30-39 age group (94.1%). However, susceptibility clusters exceeding the 5% threshold set by WHO were identified, especially in females aged 40-49 years (7.0%). Despite high overall seroprevalence, the study identified pockets of susceptibility, even in childbearing age women. Continuous monitoring, targeted immunization strategies, and public health interventions are recommended to maintain rubella elimination, emphasizing the importance of sustained vaccination efforts to protect vulnerable populations.

The domain-specific grammar grit questionnaire: a cross-cultural validation study

ABSTRACT This cross-cultural validation study aimed to develop and validate the Domain-Specific Grammar Grit Questionnaire (DSGGQ) among Iranian and Polish university students majoring in English. The DSGGQ was developed based on the L2 grit scale proposed by Teimouri, Plonsky and Tabandeh (2022. “L2 grit: Passion and perseverance for second-language learning.” Language Teaching Research 26 (5): 893–918. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168820921895) and administered to a total of 807 participants, 440 from Poland and 367 from Iran. The data underwent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the scale’s psychometric characteristics. The differences in the levels of grit between the Polish and Iranian students were also explored. The results demonstrated that the DSGGQ has satisfactory psychometric properties, and its structure proved to be invariant across nationality, gender, and age group. In addition, there were significant differences in grit levels between the two groups. Findings of this study suggest that the DSGGQ can be a useful tool for measuring grit in the domain of English grammar learning and can be applied in different cultural contexts.

FROM FORMATION TO REDEFINITION: EXPLORING THE PRINCIPLES OF CONSTITUENT UNIT BOUNDARY (UN)MAKING IN THE ETHIOPIAN FEDERATION

This article examined the principles underlied the (un)making of constituent unit boundaries of the Ethiopian federation from its inception in 1992 until its redefinition in 1994. It organized the data using various media reports, retrieved life experiences from seven purposely chosen Key Informant Interviews, and conducted a qualitative analysis of documents. Accordingly, it revealed eight (8) principles that were utilized in the establishment of interregional states’ boundaries in Ethiopia, including the “four principles” enshrined in the 1995 Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) Constitution and the principles of agreement among and/or between adjacent nationalities, ethnoterritoriality, ethnoculturality, and ethnolinguisticity. It also revealed historical considerations and informal agreements between officials. It was discovered that the political objectives of ethno-national groupings dictated the implementation of these principles. It is discovered that interregional state boundaries making of the 1992 had a paramount ramifications for nationality groups’ ability to safeguard, promote, and preserve the ethnonational groups’ identities.

Comparing social capital among Muslims, Immigrants, and Americans: Does origin and religious affiliation matter?

This study compares social capital, including community engagement and volunteering, among Muslim immigrants, non-Muslim immigrants, and Americans using nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey: Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement in 2017, 2019 and 2021. The study uses a non-experimental associational research design and conducts a binary logistic regression analysis with an overall sample size of 349,592 (3781 being Muslim immigrants). Results indicate that Muslim immigrants are less likely to get together with other people from their neighborhood or volunteer for an organization or association than non-Muslim immigrants and Americans. Muslim and non-Muslim immigrants are less likely to belong to any groups, organizations, or associations than Americans. There is no statistically significant difference between Muslim immigrants, non-Muslim immigrants, and Americans in regards to their likelihood of attending public meetings or interacting with people from a different racial, ethnic, or cultural background from theirs. This study contributes to the social capital literature by differentiating nationality groups based on religious affiliation and finding that stratification occurs for underprivileged country of origin groups. We recommend that resources be devoted towards Muslim immigrants for organizing civic organizations, joining mainstream civic organizations, and interventions by committed institutional agents to reduce stratification between Muslim immigrants, non-Muslim immigrants, and Americans.

Tipping the (Im)balance: Risk, Rehabilitation and Membership in Administrative Appeals Tribunal Decision Making for Convicted New Zealander Long Term Residents of Australia

New Zealanders are currently the largest nationality group of people deported from Australia. When a non-citizen has their visa cancelled on character grounds under Section 501 of the Migration Act (Cth) by a delegate of the Immigration Minister, they have the opportunity to appeal at the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT). AAT Members (decision makers) decide the fate of the applicant by weighing up the perceived risk of the individual to community safety against a series of mitigating factors that relate to the life the applicant has established in Australia. As a site of investigation into s501 visa cancellation decision making practice, this paper quantitatively and qualitatively examines a set of AAT visa cancellation decisions from 2015–2018 under Ministerial Direction No. 65, for 97 New Zealander long term residents. It focuses on how AAT decision makers considered and valued mitigating factors in a decision making process that is inherently imbalanced toward constructing non-citizens as a risk. Our analysis reveals that of all mitigating factors considered, evidence of rehabilitation and legal representation at the AAT hearing are associated with reduced perceptions of risk. When comparing two AAT decisions that are matched on all relevant factors but have different decision outcomes, we find that even where mitigating factors for reducing perceptions of risk are present, potential for inconsistencies in AAT decision making remains.

Data modeling COVID-19 patients in Thailand: data mining techniques

This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of COVID-19 patients in Thailand and develop a data model for analyzing these characteristics. A total of 1,888,941 cases from the Thailand Department of Disease Control website from January 12, 2020, to October 29, 2021, were analyzed, and 20,110 cases were selected for further analysis. The two-step cluster analysis method was used to cluster the data according to four variables: nationality, occupation, patient type, and risk groups. The results showed the presence of three groups of COVID-19 patients. Group 1 consisted of 5,883 workers in trade and service occupations who had contact with the public and were either Thai nationals or from abroad. Group 2 was the largest cluster, consisting of 7,420 migrant workers classified as foreigners and working in industrial settings. Group 3 consisted of 6,870 cases of indirect transmission, with individuals in this group infected through close contact with family members or individuals in the first two groups. This clustering approach offers valuable insights for pandemic management, aiding in identifying high-risk groups and developing tailored interventions. In future outbreaks with similar characteristics, such as airborne transmission, contact infection, or super spreader events, our model can serve as a valuable tool for devising effective management plans and countermeasures. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the significance of cluster analysis in understanding the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission and highlights its potential for informing effective pandemic management strategies. It also outlines promising avenues for further research to enhance our knowledge of COVID-19's impact on specific populations and inform future public health efforts.

Ensuring health and wellbeing of Ukrainian refugees in the UK: the role of initial health assessments and local authority involvement

Abstract Since the beginning of the crisis in Ukraine, local authorities in the UK have facilitated the resettlement of over 150,000 Ukrainian refugees (as of February 2023) to the country. In this presentation, Anna Deal will discuss a UK case study based on her recent research working closely with local authorities in London to conduct a health and wellbeing needs assessment, exploring the situation facing Ukrainians and other key nationality groups on arrival. This presentation will focus on identified health and social needs of Ukrainians and current healthcare provision, including initial health assessments and catch-up vaccination delivery, for Ukrainians on arrival and how this varies under different local authorities. It will conclude by summarising key challenges faced in delivery of services and recommendations and implications for improving service delivery, both in the UK and other European countries hosting Ukrainian refugees.

An Empirical Examination of the In-Prison Behaviors of Foreign-Born Individuals: Does Nationality Predict Misconduct?

The current study investigates how immigrants cope and adapt to the “pains of imprisonment” by examining a specific maladjustment outcome—disciplinary infractions. Like other groups (e.g., females, LGBTQ, elderly), immigrants are regarded as a special population in prison considering that they encounter a unique set of challenges that the typical incarcerated person does not. At the same time, immigrants are not a monolithic group, and there are reasons why misconduct may differ when we separate them by country of birth. To this end, we explore whether the frequency and probability for institutional misconduct varies across Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Haitians, Jamaicans, Mexicans, as well as immigrants from other countries. We also consider whether any nationality group exhibits a higher (or lower or similar) propensity for in-prison offending than the native-born. Our results reveal there are greater differences in disciplinary infractions among our foreign-born groups than between them and natives, a finding that is obscured when immigrants are lumped into a single measure (i.e., all foreign-born).

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND PARENTS’ COMMUNICATION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the mental health awareness and communication with parents among healthcare students (Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences) across three private universities in Selangor, Malaysia. The study hypothesized that healthcare students would have good mental health awareness and positive communication with parents about mental health. An online survey composed of 38 items was developed and distributed among the selected students. Results showed that 418 out of 575 participants completed the survey with an 85.7% response rate. The survey questions had high reliability (a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.876), and the factor analysis showed that the survey examined one construct. The findings revealed that there were no significant differences in mental health awareness among students with respect to gender, nationality, and year group, but significant differences were observed between religious groups (p=0.017) and only-child in the family (p=0.026). Male Malaysian students showed a significantly positive parent-student communication score compared to female students (p=0.004) and international students (p=0.040). This study shows positive growth in mental health awareness among students in health-related courses. Although parents’ communication about mental health is affected by factors such as gender and religion; students perceived their parents are supportive regarding mental health issues. Further studies are recommended to explore deep the factors that impact mental health communications.

Strangers in the city: Spacing and social boundaries among accountants in the global city

AbstractBy conducting in‐depth interviews with 40 migrant and local accountants living and working in Dubai, the paper demonstrates how individual accountants draw on the global city as they make sense of and reconstruct professional identities and social boundaries of inclusion/exclusion. The analysis builds on Zygmunt Bauman's three social spacing processes: cognitive, aesthetic, and moral. The findings from lived experiences show that through cognitive spacing, the construction of other nationality groups of accountants as “strangers” is essential to the construction of participants' professional identities. Boundaries between groups of accountants are constructed in professional spaces (e.g., offices, teams, departments, sectors, firms, senior positions) through stereotype‐based identity work, stigmatizing accountants from different nationalities, as well as constructing cultures and qualifications as suitable or unsuitable for these spaces. In aesthetic spacing, boundaries and identities are constructed around the extent of freedom to be mobile, travel, and live pleasurably. This gives rise to the “tourist” and “vagabond” categories of accountants, constructing boundaries around who should be included/excluded in senior positions, based on the transitional power of their passports. In moral spacing, some accountants reflect and use their agency to transcend and resist boundaries constructed in cognitive and aesthetic spaces. They enact a moral self, where relationships with “stranger” accountants are based on moral responsibility and care for the Other. Attention to spacing processes in the global city demonstrates how individual accountants are active agents in reconstructing inclusion/exclusion boundaries and divisions in the profession. The findings indicate that if we are to foster a more open and inclusive profession, there is a need to consider spatial/spacing dimensions in both the city and the profession.

Perceptions of police ineffectiveness and street codes by nationality in South Korea: an application of Anderson's code of the street framework

PurposeThis study explores the applicability of Anderson's (1999) code of the street framework to an Asian context by examining the relationship between residents' perceptions of police ineffectiveness, nationality, and street codes in foreigner-concentrated areas in South Korea.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used survey data from 1,865 residents of diverse nationalities living in 20 foreigner-concentrated areas in South Korea. Mixed-effects ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and moderation analysis were used to examine (1) the association between residents' perceptions of police ineffectiveness and their street codes and (2) how this association varies across nationality groups.FindingsThe study findings overall indicated that higher resident perceptions of police as ineffective tended to correspond with greater levels of street codes. However, the interaction analysis results found that this relationship was conditioned by nationality. Specifically, perceptions of police ineffectiveness were associated with greater levels of street codes among foreign residents, particularly Korean-Chinese residents, whereas this was not the case among Korean residents.Originality/valueThe relationship between perceptions of the police and street codes described by Anderson (1999) has primarily been examined in the context of the U.S. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to explore the link between residents' perceptions of the police and street codes by different nationality groups within an Asian setting.

Aligning the Ship Engine Cadets’ Skills to the 21st Century

The Philippines is one of the single largest nationality groups in the maritime and shipping sectors; as a result, the nation's efforts to modernize the skills of the engine cadets are significant. This study aimed to assess the engine cadets' skill level in relation to the requisite 21st-century skills while they were receiving shipboard training at TORM Shipping Philippines Inc. It used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. The paper used mean, standard deviation, and Mann-Whitney for comparing differences between two independent groups for the statistical treatment analyses of the quantitative data. Thematic analysis of the descriptive data provided by the interviewees involved coding and identifying common themes, patterns, and responses. The findings revealed that the engine cadets were competent in three (3) areas but needed to be more competent in the remaining area (inventive thinking). This signified that the engine cadets need supplemental training in the areas where they are less apt to improve their skills in all variables, especially 21st-century skills. The management of maritime schools and policymakers must address the common factors that prevent engine cadets from acquiring 21st-century skills, according to the study.

Social and clinical risk factors associated with hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Brussels's deprived and multiethnic areas.

In Belgium, the Brussels-Capital region was severely affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Various hypotheses were mentioned in order to explain Brussels' excess disease spreading and mortality rate, but socioeconomic risk factors are increasingly recognized. This study's objective was to analyze clinical and social profiles of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, by nationality groups, in two hospitals located in Brussels's deprived and multiethnic areas. Data covered hospitalized COVID-19 patients from two Brussels hospitals (n = 787) between the 1st of March 2020 and the 31st of June 2020. Social data was collected using hospital records, and clinical data was extracted from hospitals' COVID-19 databases. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) of the association between two outcomes (Intensive Care Unit admission and mortality) and risk factors (social and clinical). Patients from Sub-Saharan Africa were younger, had a higher prevalence of obesity, lacked health insurance, and had the highest proportion of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission (27.7%) but the lowest mortality rates than other nationality groups. Patients from North Africa had a higher prevalence of diabetes compared to other nationality groups and a high proportion of European patients came from nursing homes. Patients deprived of health insurance had a higher risk of ICU admission compared to those who had insurance (OR IC95%; 1,9 1.1-3.6, p = 0.03). Other risk factors as sex and obesity were significantly associated to ICU admission and, age and hypertension were significantly associated to mortality. Social and clinical profile of the patients differs between the nationality groups, and some risk factors for Intensive Care Unit admission and mortality were linked to more patients' precarious situation as the availability of health insurance. This study underlines the role of selected social health determinants and the importance of routinely collecting social along with clinical data.

Comparison of K-Means and Two-Step Cluster Analysis Methods for Clustering COVID-19 Data

This study compares the K-Means and two-step cluster analysis methods for clustering COVID-19 data. The dataset had 1,893,941 cumulative cases from January 2020 to October 2021. K-means clustering resulted in eight clusters, while two-step cluster analysis clustering resulted in three grouped cases by nationality, occupation, patient type, and risk group. These clusters were categorized based on age, gender, nationality, occupation, and region of infection. Group 1 had 5,883 workers infected in community settings, Group 2 had 7,420 foreign migrant workers infected in industrial settings or through direct contact with patients, and Group 3 had 6,870 cases of indirect transmission. The study recommends targeted interventions and continued monitoring and evaluation based on the clusters. The findings can help improve government policies, medical facilities, and treatment

Omertà in intragroup cheating: The role of ingroup identity in dishonesty and whistleblowing

Why are people willing to denounce or, contrarily, to keep silent on others’ misconduct? We hypothesized that people would be more likely to cheat, and consequently less likely to blow the whistle, when among an ingroup (vs. outgroup). In two experiments, participants witnessed a same nationality or a different nationality group member cheating during a group task. Participants either had the opportunity to cheat themselves before witnessing this cheating act (Experiments 1 and 2) or did not have this opportunity (Experiment 2). In the ingroup condition, participants cheated more and denounced others’ cheating less than in the outgroup condition (Experiments 1 and 2). However, when participants were not allowed to cheat themselves, they equally denounced ingroup and outgroup cheaters (Experiment 2). This provides evidence that cheating mediates the group effect on whistleblowing and is reminiscent of omertà, that is, the code of silence among criminals. We provide suggestions for future research.

A Retrospective Chart Review Evaluating Changes in 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels among Patients Attending the University Healthcare Centre during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

COVID-19-pandemic-related home confinement aids in limiting the spread of the virus but restricts exposure to sunlight, thereby possibly affecting 25(OH)D concentrations. This study aimed to investigate the effect of lockdown measures on 25(OH)D levels in outpatients visiting the healthcare centre over a period of two years. In this retrospective chart review, outpatients who visited a university healthcare centre for a health check-up over a period of two years were included. The patients' 25(OH)D serum levels and status were compared before, during, and after the lockdown periods. A total of 7234 patients were included in this study, with a mean age of 34.66 ± 16.78. The overall prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency, deficiency and sufficiency was 33.8%, 30.7% and 35.4%, respectively. The proportion of individuals with 25-(OH) D deficiency prior to lockdown was 29% and this proportion increased in the lockdown and post-lockdown periods to 31.1% and 32%, respectively. Although gender was less likely to have an impact on the 25 (OH) D level during the lockdown period (p = 0.630), we found an association between gender and 25 (OH) D status in the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Another association between nationality and 25 (OH)D levels was found before, during and after the lockdown periods (p < 0.001). In addition, the youngest population, aged between 1 and 14, was strongly affected by the home confinement. Age had a positive and significant (p < 0.05) effect on 25 (OH) D status regardless of the different periods. Moreover, in the pre-lockdown period, male outpatients had 1.56 chance of having a sufficient level of 25 (OH)D. However, during the lockdown period, this chance decreased to 0.85 and then increased to 0.99 after the lockdown period. We found no statistically significant difference in the mean serum concentrations or in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency when we compared values from before, during and immediately after the COVID-19 lockdown period. However, there was a generally increased prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in our study population. Another association between gender, nationality and age groups with 25(OH) D was found. Regular exposure to UVR is recommended for maintaining adequate vitamin D levels and to prevent vitamin D deficiency. Further research is needed to determine the best indications for vitamin D supplementation if confinement periods are extended and to consider the potential health consequences of prolonged confinement periods not only on vitamin D status but also on overall public health. The findings of this study may be considered by stakeholders for a targeted supplementation approach for risk groups.

All-cause and COVID-19 mortality in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectiveTo investigate all-cause mortality, COVID-19 mortality and all-cause non-COVID-19 mortality in Qatar during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA national, retrospective cohort analysis and national, matched, retrospective cohort studies were conducted between 5...

Co‐temporality and Sovremennost': Late Imperial and Early Soviet Photographs

Co‐temporality and <i>Sovremennost'</i>: Late Imperial and Early Soviet Photographs