Place Of Residence Research Articles

Utilisation of Radiation Oncology Services by Patients with Head and Neck Malignancies in a Nigerian Tertiary Care Hospital: A 5-Year Retrospective Study

Abstract Background: Radiation oncology services are luxuries in resource-challenged settings that should not be underutilised; however, no studies are available on their utilisation. Objectives: To determine the rate and pattern of utilisation of radiation oncology services in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Materials and Methods: All cases of head and neck cancers diagnosed and referred to the Department of Radiation Oncology, of a Nigerian Tertiary Care Hospital, from January 2018 to December 2023 were retrospectively analysed. Data were extracted from the case notes of the patients. Those patients with incomplete information were excluded. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Demographic data included were age, sex, religion, and place of residence, while the clinical data were regional location of cancer, nature of the tumour, origin of tumour, histological type and grade of tumour, and referring department. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were determined. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 23.0 software (IBM, Armonk, New York). A value of P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 13,690 patients presented for the radiation oncology treatment, of which 1777 patients were treated for head and neck cancer, giving a prevalence of 0.56%. The age 18 range was 20–78 years with a mean age of 49.4 ± 13.7 years. More than half (77%) of the patients were older than 60 years. Two-thirds (74%) of the patients were males. Most (46.8%) of the lesions were on the oral region, which was followed by the nasal region (25%), while the least (6.5%) were observed on the cervical region. More than two-thirds (87%) originated from epithelial cells. In the same vein, the majority (88.3%) were non-odontogenic in origin. More than half (51.9%) were squamous cell carcinomas. Most (51.9%) of the patients were referred from the Department Of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Ethnicity significantly affected the nature of the tumour (P < 0.05), as did the histological types (P < 0.05) of head and neck cancers. Religion was associated with the type of referring departments (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The utilisation of radio-oncological services was high. There was significant distribution of referrals, histological types and types of tumours according to religion and ethnicity.

Menstrual-related symptoms as red flags for school absenteeism among Norwegian adolescents (MINA): A cross-sectional study.

Severe dysmenorrhea is prevalent among adolescents, yet it remains undertreated, potentially leading to substantial absenteeism from social and academic activities. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of severe dysmenorrhea among Norwegian adolescents, as well as associations between severe dysmenorrhea and academic or social absenteeism. Moreover, the study sought to assess the prevalence of accompanying symptoms and their potential as red flags for absenteeism, thus providing healthcare workers a more robust tool for identifying students for intensified treatment and/or referral. Furthermore, differences in the prevalence of severe dysmenorrhea, accompanying symptoms, and absenteeism based on ethnicity and place of residence were evaluated. This cross-sectional study utilized a digital questionnaire comprising 67 questions divided into three categories: "demographics," "dysmenorrhea-related complaints," and "consequences and actions related to complaints." Data were analyzed using Chi-square tests and a multivariate logistic regression model. A total of 987 high school students completed the questionnaire and were included in the final analyses. Of them, 38.1% had scores of ≥8 on the Numeric Rating Scale, classified as severe dysmenorrhea. Participants with severe dysmenorrhea reported a significantly higher degree of absenteeism from both school (85.0% vs. 53.1%, p < 0.001) and social settings (84.3% vs. 53.9%, p < 0.001) than those with mild-to-moderate dysmenorrhea. Menorrhagia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.55, p = 0.012), dyschezia (OR = 1.63, p = 0.007), vomiting (OR = 1.97, p = 0.009), and fatigue (OR = 1.97, p = 0.026) were significant predictors of academic absenteeism in a logistic regression analysis. These can serve as relevant red flags for caretakers. Higher rates of social (74.4% vs. 57.0%, p < 0.001) and academic absenteeism (72.9% vs. 57.5%, p < 0.001) due to dysmenorrhea were observed among participants of non-Norwegian ethnicity. A high prevalence of severe dysmenorrhea and associated symptoms was observed among Norwegian adolescents, leading to a high degree of absenteeism from school and social activities. The highest prevalence of absenteeism was observed among participants of non-Norwegian ethnicity. Symptoms accompanying severe dysmenorrhea should serve as red flags for healthcare professionals caring for adolescents.

An Empirical Analysis of Loan Repayment Behavior and Default Rates on Digital Lending Platforms: Evidence from an Emerging Market

The rapid growth of digital lending platforms has revolutionized access to credit in emerging economies, providing financial opportunities to underserved individuals. Despite these advancements, high loan default rates remain a substantial challenge, threatening the sustainability of these lending platforms and the broader financial ecosystem. This study examines the determinants of loan default among users of mobile-based digital lending platforms in Kenya, a leading adopter of digital financial services. Employing a sample of 161 responses from borrowers, the analysis uses a probit regression model to identify primary predictors of loan default. The study focuses on borrower demographics like age and place of residence and loan characteristics, such as repayment term (period) and interest rates. The results reveal that older customers and those in rural areas are more likely to default on their loans, whereas longer repayment periods reduce the probability of default. Interestingly, the interest rate does not significantly affect default behavior, implying that borrowers prioritize access to credit over its cost. These results underscore the essence of tailoring digital lending practices to the diverse borrower needs and circumstances. By addressing the factors that drive loan defaults, digital platform lenders can improve risk assessment frameworks, enhance financial inclusion, and enhance the sustainability of digital lending platforms. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers, lenders, and other industry players seeking to mitigate default risks and foster a more robust digital financial ecosystem.

Temporariness in the Life Course of Multi‐local Residents: Processuality of Home

ABSTRACTIn late modern societies characterized by increasing mobility and individualization, temporary living and working arrangements are no longer a rare phenomenon. In many life biographies, temporary and multi‐local periods, with more than one place of residence, have become common. This paper adopts a life course perspective to explore how temporary experiences influence individuals’ perceptions of their current multi‐local arrangements and future aspirations. Moreover it investigates how multi‐local residents perceive and realize home in their life course. Based on biographical interviews with multi‐local residents in two German cities, Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig, this study aims to deepen our understanding of multi‐local living arrangement from a life course perspective and to examine its implications on the processuality of home.

Reconceptualizing menstrual health and hygiene among young women in India

This study advances the understanding of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) by integrating access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities and period product usage. Using a cross-sectional design and data from the National Family Health Survey-5 (n = 205,861 women aged 15–24 years), we examined factors associated with adequate MHH access and its geographical distribution across Indian districts via bivariate and multivariate logistic regression and Fairlie decomposition. We found substantial geographical disparities in access, ranging from 2.3% to 89.4%. Key predictors included household asset index, education, place of residence, and region. These factors, especially asset index, region, and urban/rural residence, explained a large portion of the observed disparities between high (top 25%)- and low-performing (bottom 25%) districts, indicating that socioeconomic disadvantage and geographical inequities significantly shape MHH access. These findings demonstrate the critical need for geographically targeted interventions promoting MHH in India, particularly by improving WASH infrastructure and affordability of products in socioeconomically marginalized areas.

The Attitudes of Secondary School Students Studying in Different School Types Towards Physical Education and Sports Lessons: Comparison of Village and City

The main aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of secondary school students towards physical education and sports lessons by making comparisons according to settlement and school types. In selecting the study group, the stratified purposeful sampling method, which is a type of purposive sampling method and one of the non-random sampling methods, was adopted. The data were collected and evaluated using a personal information form and BES course attitude scale. SPSS statistical program was used to analyze the data and the significance value was accepted as .05. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the data were normally distributed and t-test was used for pairwise comparisons, Post-Hoc Tukey and One-Way Variance Analysis (ANOVA) were used for more than two comparisons. According to the results of the research, no significant differences were found in the mean scores of the students' attitudes towards the BES course according to variables such as gender, residence in the city center or rural area, mother's occupation, father's education level, school type and place of residence. However, significant differences were found in the mean scores of the students' attitudes towards the BES course in terms of factors such as being on the school team, gym status, class levels, transportation to school, location of the school, father's occupation, mother's education level.

Inequalities in total fertility rate in Sierra Leone, 2008–2019

BackgroundTotal fertility rate measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her reproductive age (typically 15-49 years). Despite the national decline in Sierra Leone, significant disparities in total fertility rates persist across socioeconomic and geographic lines. This study investigated the inequalities in total fertility rate among women in Sierra Leone between 2008 and 2019.MethodsWe utilized data from the three rounds of the Sierra Leone Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2008, 2013, and 2019. The World Health Organization’s Health Equity Assessment Toolkit was employed to calculate various inequality measures, including simple difference, ratio, population attributable risk, and population attributable fraction. The assessment focused on inequality across four stratifiers: economic status, level of education, place of residence, and sub-national province.ResultsThe total fertility rate declined in Sierra Leone throughout the period, dropping from 5.0 births per woman in 2008 to 4.3 births per woman in 2019. Economic disparity among women in the richest quintile compared with those in the poorest quintile increased from 3.0 births per woman in 2008 to 3.1 births per woman in 2019. The ratio between women in the richest quintile compared with those in the poorest quintile also increased from 1.9 in 2008 to 2.1 in 2019; the confidence interval suggest inequality, with women in the poorest quintile disproportionately affected. Inequality in education among women with secondary education or higher compared with those with no education decreased from 2.7 births per woman in 2008 to 1.9 births per woman in 2019. The ratio between women with secondary education or higher compared with those with no education decreased from 1.9 in 2008 to 1.6 in 2019, and the confidence interval suggest an inequality with women with no education disporportionately affected. Provincial inequality among women who resided in Western area compared with those in Eastern province decreased slightly from 2.3 births per woman in 2008 to 2.2 births per woman in 2019. The ratio between women who resided in Western province compared with those in Eastern province increased from 1.6 in 2008 to 1.7 in 2019 and indicate an inequality among women in the provinces.ConclusionThe results indicate substantial socioeconomic and geographical disparities in total fertility rate among women in Sierra Leone that require targeted policy interventions. The persistent and widening economic gap between women in the richest and poorest quintiles suggests that poverty reduction strategies and economic empowerment programs for low-income women need strengthening. While the decreasing educational inequality is encouraging, the continued disadvantage faced by women with no education indicates a need for enhanced educational access and adult literacy programs. The provincial disparities between Western and Eastern provinces point to a need for balanced provincial development policies and improved resource distribution, particularly in the Eastern province, where women face greater disadvantages. These implications collectively suggest that policymakers should adopt an integrated approach that combines economic empowerment, educational initiatives, and provincial development strategies to address these intersecting inequalities in TFR effectively.

A Monte Carlo simulation and meta-analysis of health risk due to formaldehyde exposure at different seasons of the year in various indoor environments.

Formaldehyde is considered as a significant contaminant. This study aimed to perform comprehensive research with systematic review, health risk estimation, meta-analysis, and Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate exposure to formaldehyde at different seasons of the year in various indoor environments. A systematic literature review was initially performed. The essential information was extracted and associated health risks were calculated. Subsequently, the data were analyzed. The values for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks in 96.97% and 78.79% of studies conducted in residential areas exceeded the permissible limits, respectively. Additionally, these values in 16.67% of studies performed in educational settings were higher than the permissible limits. No studies in vehicles reported values above the acceptable thresholds. Also, the risk values in residential and educational places in summer were higher compared to other seasons. While in vehicles, these values in winter were greater. In the meta-analysis, the maximum pooled non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were 3.69 and 2.02×10-4 in residential areas, 0.69 and 1.51×10-5 in educational places, and 0.29 and 2.72×10-5 in vehicles, respectively. In the Monte Carlo simulation, the highest mean values of non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks were 4.40 and 2.41×10-4 in residential places, 3.16 and 6.93×10-5 in educational places, and 0.29 and 2.78×10-5 in vehicles during winter, respectively. Formaldehyde exposure in indoor microenvironments is a crucial health effect globally. Some protective measures include using safe building materials, installing air purification systems, ensuring proper ventilation, maintaining a low to moderate temperature, and delaying occupancy for at least six months following renovation.

Help-seeking behaviors among survivors of intimate partner violence during pregnancy in 54 low- and middle-income countries: evidence from Demographic and Health Survey data

BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is a global issue of public health importance. Due to the low rates of help-seeking in response to IPV, research on survivors’ help-seeking behaviors is scarce, particularly within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The present study provides a cross-national evidence of informal and formal help-seeking patterns among pregnant women experiencing IPV.MethodsThis study made use of population-based data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Program from 54 LMICs, collected between 2005 and 2020 (N = 359,027). Applying bivariate and multivariable analyses, the present study examined IPV survivors’ help-seeking distributions and associations with individual, partner, family, and community factors.ResultsOnly half of survivors sought help in response to IPV during pregnancy with wide regional and national variations, mainly from informal support networks (including family, neighbors, and friends), and rarely from formal institutions (including legal, socio-cultural, and medical services). Evidence shows that help-seeking behaviors were associated with IPV survivors’ age and educational attainment, survivors’ employment status and earnings compared to their partners, survivors’ consumption of mass media, intimate partner’s age and education, spouse’s alcohol consumption and controlling behaviors, survivors’ wealth index, place of residence, and health-seeking barriers, among others.ConclusionPractitioners are encouraged to consider the study’s outcomes when designing interventions and support for survivors seeking help in response to IPV during pregnancy. Strong advocacy and action are needed, including fostering survivors’ educational attainment, diminishing pregnant women’s social and financial dependencies on their intimate partners, promoting pre- and peri-natal health care, informing survivors about help, and increasing gender equality by engaging women and men equally within the whole community.

Women's Lives and Birth Experiences Are Important! Evaluation of Women's Perceptions of Respectful Maternal Care: The Mother-Friendly Hospital Difference.

The aim of this study is to determine women's perceptions of respectful maternity care, the effect of giving birth in a mother-friendly hospital on this perception and other factors affecting this perception. The philosophy of a mother-friendly hospital includes respectful maternity care. Few quantitative studies have been conducted in Turkey to assess the prevalence of respectful maternity care during childbirth and none have examined the difference between respectful maternity care in mother-friendly and nonmother-friendly hospitals. This descriptive and comparative study was conducted between December 2023 and September 2024 with 319 primiparous women who applied to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Outpatient Clinic of a mother-friendly and a nonmother-friendly hospital in Turkey for postpartum follow-up. The data were collected face-to-face using the Descriptive Characteristics Form and Women's Perception of Respectful Maternity Care Scale. For data analysis, χ2 and independent samples t test methods were used in SPSS 26 program. In the study, a significant difference was obtained between the Perception of Respectful Maternity Care Scale scores of women according to the type of hospital where the birth was performed and the level of education (p < 0.05). The mean scale scores of women who gave birth in a mother-friendly hospital and whose educational level was secondary education and above were higher than other women (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the scale scores of women according to the variables of age, employment status, place of residence, number of pregnancies and the last pregnancy being planned (p > 0.05). It was determined that women's perception of respectful maternity care was highly positive, and the factors affecting this perception were delivery in a mother-friendly hospital and educational level. The current study may contribute to the development of policies for the dissemination of mother-friendly practices and the provision of respectful birth services, and may also support efforts to improve the quality of care.

Height self-selection of internal migrants in Italy in the second half of the twentieth century.

This paper examines internal migrant selection in Italy using individual height data from the 1951 and 1980 birth cohorts of military conscripts. Information on both place of birth and residence of conscripts allows us to compare migrants' heights to the height distributions of their non-migrant peers at the national level and to their populations of origin. Results suggest that migrants from southern Italy were negatively selected at the national level, while a positive selection in height emerged if compared to conscripts who remained in their macro-area of origin. Additionally, we found that migrants from shorter and economically disadvantaged southern regions exhibited a more positive self-selection in terms of education, occupation and health status. These findings remained consistent when using body mass index as an alternative anthropometric outcome or accounting for the North-South return migration in the more recent birth cohort of conscripts.

Psychosocial and mental health status among older adults in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic. During the virus's spread and subsequent lockdowns, older adults faced heightened risks and significant mental health challenges. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shandong Province, China, using a custom-designed demographic questionnaire, a COVID-19-related survey, and the Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90-R). Correspondence analysis and multiple linear regression models were employed to examine factors influencing the mental health of older adults. Among 3363 older adults, the total SCL-90-R score was 153.11±36.98, with an average score of 1.70±0.41. Both scores were lower than the Chinese norm and pre-pandemic levels. Factors significantly affecting older adults' mental health included place of residence, age, educational attainment, marital status, fear of COVID-19, understanding of COVID-19 transmission routes, and awareness of preventive measures. Greater attention is needed to address the mental health of older adult males, individuals of advanced age, employed individuals, those with lower educational backgrounds, and those without a spouse. Policymakers should implement targeted policies and interventions to enhance mental health support for older adults.

Gendered Perspectives on Fish Consumption: A Comparative Analysis of Women and Men in Kerala, India

The study conducted in Kerala, India aimed to assess consumption and perception differences among women and men fish consumers regarding health, safety, and quality issues. Using a purposive random sampling method, 263 women and 137 men fish consumers from coastal districts (Ernakulam and Kozhikode) and inland districts (Kottayam and Palakkad) of Kerala were surveyed. The sample represented a diverse range of socio-demographic characteristics, including gender, age, family size, education, occupation, and place of residence. Per capita fish consumption was estimated at 2.9kg/month with a household consumption of 11.6kg/month. Consumer perceptions reveal significant concerns about fish quality and safety and inefficiency of government mechanism in enforcement. The study found that women had a significantly higher perception than men regarding the nutrition and health benefits of fish, highlighting their efforts to meet the nutritional needs of their families. The findings suggest that while men may benefit from more customized information about the health advantages of fish, women may require tailored information on quality and safety risks associated with fish consumption. The study underscores the importance of customized scientific communication regarding the nutrition and health benefits of fish, specifically tailored for both genders.

Level of and trends in women’s empowerment inequalities in antenatal care services in Ethiopia: further analysis of the Ethiopia demographic and health surveys, 2000-16

BackgroundMaternal health care services and women’s empowerment have received attention in the Sustainable Development Goals. Limited evidence exists on the extent of distribution of antenatal care services across the ladder of women’s empowerment in Ethiopia. In this study, we sought to shed light on whether and how such disparities changed over time.MethodsData for the study came from the 2000 and 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys. The outcome variables were three measures of antenatal care services: quality antenatal care, early antenatal care, and four or more antenatal care services. Women’s empowerment was measured through a newly developed index, SWPER Global. Specifically, we used two domains of the measure: attitude to violence and social independence. Disparities in antenatal care services were measured using the Erreygers concentration index, Relative Index of Inequality, Average marginal effect, and second difference of the average marginal effects. We decomposed the concentration index to study the contributions of different factors to the empowerment disparities in the services in 2000 and 2016 as well as to the over-time change in the disparities. The Oaxaca-type decomposition technique was applied to investigate social determinants’ role on the change in the disparities between 2000 and 2016. A generalized linear regression model was used for the analyses.ResultsAccording to the concentration index, women’s empowerment disparities in the utilization of antenatal care services existed in both surveys, where the services were disproportionately concentrated among women with better levels of empowerment. By the measure of average marginal effect, there were disparities favoring empowered women based mainly on the point estimates, except that the attitude toward violence disparity in 2016 occurred to the advantage of poorly empowered women. However, the confidence intervals suggest mixed findings. The concentration indices showed that disparities mostly increased in 2016 and the change was underpinned by the changes in the inequalities of various factors and sensitivities of antenatal care services with respect to these variables, such as wealth, maternal education, media exposure, place of residence, and women’s empowerment itself. Overall, the results of the second difference showed no large change in the disparities between 2000 and 2016. However, relative disparities decreased substantially during the same time.ConclusionsWhile concentration index-based absolute inequalities increased, relative inequalities decreased, suggesting the importance of using both absolute and relative measures in a study. The decomposition analyses suggest that working on the equitable distribution of social determinants could improve empowerment disparities in antenatal care services.

Prevalence of helicopter parenting among adolescents in a selected school, Thiruvananthapuram

Gaining independence from various restriction set by parents is overjoy for adolescent. However, it does not always happen as it planned. The current study was aimed to assess “Prevalence of Helicopter parenting among adolescents” in a selected school, Thiruvananthapuram. The objectives of the study were to assess the prevalence of Helicopter Parenting among adolescents, to assess the prevalence of Helicopter Parenting of fathers of adolescents, to assess the prevalence of Helicopter Parenting of mothers of adolescents, to find out the association between prevalence of Helicopter Parenting of father’s and selected socio-personal variables and to find out the association between prevalence of Helicopter Parenting of mother’s and selected socio-personal variables. The sample size consists of 209 adolescents in a selected school Thiruvananthapuram. The tool used was structured questionnaire with 2 sections, section A consists of socio-personal variables such as age, gender, class of study, birth order, religion, place of residence, annual income, occupation of mother and father, parenting style of mother and father and section B consists of standardized Helicopter Parenting Instrument which consists of 15 statements that is rated by a 5-point Likert scale. The data was analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics by using SPSS. The result of the present study revealed that there is moderate prevalence of helicopter parenting practice in adolescents. Both parents exhibit helicopter parenting behavior and among that, majority of fathers (74.6%) showed helicopter parenting styles than the mothers (74.2%).

Peranan Bidang DATUN Dalam Memberi Pendampingan Hukum Tentang Ganti Rugi Pengadaan Tanah Untuk Kepentingan Umum (Studi Kejaksaan Tinggi Sumatera Utara)

Land is one of the most important sources of life for humans, and one of its main functions is to be used as a place of residence, namely to build houses. In this case, to prevent land resolution from causing problems between government agencies and the community, the Indonesian Attorney General's Office, particularly the High Prosecutor's Office of North Sumatra in the field of Civil and State Administrative Law (DATUN), has fully utilized the authority of state attorneys in civil matters, granted by law and by delegation from a power of attorney. This includes legal assistance, law enforcement, legal considerations, legal services, and other actions. The role of the state attorney is to provide legal assistance to the government and the community in resolving land acquisition for public benefit. Land resolution related to land acquisition for public benefit can be carried out in two ways, namely by forcibly extinguishing rights and through consent. The purpose of this writing is to explain how the Civil and State Administrative Law sectors, specifically the State Attorney, act as legal advisors in the matter of land acquisition for public interest. This includes issues of compensation for land that will be used for public purposes.

Health system financing fragmentation and maternal mortality transition in Mexico, 2000–2022

ObjectiveTo analyze the temporal and territorial relationship between health system financing fragmentation and maternal mortality in the last two decades in Mexico.MethodsWe conducted an ecological-longitudinal study of the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the 32 states of Mexico during the period 2000–2022. Annual MMRs were estimated at the national and state levels according to health insurance. We compared the distribution of individual attributes and place of residence between deceased women with and without social security to identify overrepresented demographic profiles. Finally, we mapped state disparities in MMR by health insurance for the last four political administrations.FindingsMMR in Mexico decreased from 59.3 maternal deaths per hundred thousand live births in 2000 to 47.3 in 2018. However, from 2019 onwards, MMR increased from 48.7 in 2019 to 72.4 in 2022. Seven out of ten maternal deaths occurred in the population without social security from 2000 to 2018, then decreasing to six out of ten from 2020. Maternal deaths in the population without social security were more frequent among younger women, with less schooling, unmarried, and residing in rural areas, with higher Indigenous presence and greater social marginalization. From 2019 onwards, the MMR was higher in the population with social security.ConclusionThe results of this study confirm the close relationship between maternal mortality and social inequalities, and suggest that affiliation with social security has ceased to be a differentiating factor in recent years. Understanding the evolution of maternal mortality between the population with and without social security in Mexico allows us to quantify the gap in maternal deaths attributed to inequalities in access to maternal health services, which can contribute to the design of policies that mitigate these gaps.

Exploring socio-demographic determinants of obesity in Jordanian women of reproductive age: insights from a nationwide survey

BackgroundIn Jordan, obesity has emerged as a significant public health concern, particularly among females, with a prevalence of 43.1%. This rising trend, exacerbates the burden of non-communicable diseases and places increasing strain on the healthcare system.AimWe aimed to explore the predictors associated with obesity among adult ever-married Jordanian women aged 20–49 years based on the Jordanian Population and Family Health Survey (JPFHS).MethodOur study analyzed data from the JPFHS conducted in 2017-18, which initially included 14,689 ever-married women. We performed multivariable analyses to determine the socio-demographic predictors of obesity among these women.ResultWe included 4,339 Jordanian women in our study, of whom 2,189 were classified as obese and 2,150 had a normal body mass index (BMI). Multivariable analysis indicated that increasing age and living in Tafilahwere significantly associated with higher odds of developing obesity (p < 0.05). Conversely, factors such as being in the wealthiest category, residing in Ma’an and Aqaba, and smoking every day were significantly linked to reduced odds of obesity (p < 0.05). Additionally, no significant associations were found between obesity development and variables such as the type of place of residence, educational level, frequency of reading newspapers or magazines, radio listening, television watching, or internet use in the past month (p > 0.05).ConclusionAppropriate and targeted interventions should be developed for Jordanian women to address obesity and its related health issues. Policymakers should adopt a multilevel approach that focuses on high-risk subgroups, including older women, and those living in Tafilh. Efforts should be made to raise awareness and provide preventative measures tailored to these groups to effectively reduce obesity and its associated complications.

Calculation of doses to the public in contact with patients underwent radiopharmaceutical therapy with 177Lu: model multi-factor study

INTRODUCTION: Associated with the development of radiopharmaceutical therapy with 177Lu (177Lu-DOTA-TATE, 177Lu-PSMA-617), the issue of radiation protection of the public becomes important. Nowadays, national regulatory and methodological documents on radiation safety do not contain release criteria of patients after radiopharmaceutical therapy with 177Lu. Existing approaches to determining the release criteria after radiopharmaceutical therapy do not consider radiation exposure from the patient during long-term contact with the patient (up to several days in a confined space) and possible of generation of biological waste containing 177Lu in public transport during the first hours and days after release. In order to choose an optimal approach to determine release criteria, it is necessary to assess the radiation exposure from the patient on different categories of people from the public.OBJECTIVE: Estimation of radiation exposure of people from public from patient after radiopharmaceutical therapy with 177Lu considering the radioactive biological waste containing 177Lu.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The time of patient release from the hospital was determined upon reaching the previously proposed release criteria based on the patient dose rate. The ambient dose equivalent rate for the patient after therapy with 177Lu labeled radiopharmaceuticals were determined based on the experimental data available in the literature. Various scenarios of exposure of individuals in contact with the patient after release from the hospital were developed; effective doses after contact with the patient were estimated based on the developed scenarios. The activity of 177Lu generated in patient biological waste after therapy was determined as well. Based on the assessments, activity concentration of 177Lu was determined in wastewater of residential sewage systems and in transport during patient traveling to the place of residence. Using specialized MCNP software, the doses of public exposure in transport from 177Lu generated in wastewater in tanks of transport biotoilets were modeled and estimated.RESULTS: Doses to some categories of people from the public after the contact with a patient released immediately after administration of a radiopharmaceutical with 177Lu may exceed the dose limit of 1 mSv, but release in 4–6 hours after therapy when the release criterion is reached, established in accordance with the approach of NRB-99/2009, will not lead to dose limit exceedance. The activity concentration of 177Lu, generated in transport biotoilet tanks after the patient with 177Lu travelling, exceeds the limit value for classifying liquid waste as radioactive (0.025 kBq/g). Doses to passengers and crew members may be higher than 100 μSv. Doses from a patient may be higher than 1 mSv after release of patient in 4–6 hours in the case of a long-distance travel (several days on a train).DISCUSSION: Exceeding the dose limit to the public is unacceptable and therefore the patient cannot be released immediately after 177Lu administration. Due to the likelihood of exceeding passenger and crew dose limits in transport during long-distance travel of a patient with administered 177Lu, it is necessary to limit the travel of patients by long-distance trains.CONCLUSION: To ensure radiation safety of the public, the optimal approach is the previously used approach when establishing release criteria in NRB-99/2009 for other radionuclides. According to this approach, the value of the release criterion for the dose rate at 1 meter from the patient after therapy with 177Lu is 29 μSv/h. The greatest questions in terms of radiation safety arise when releasing non-residence patients who will have to get to their place of residence in distant regions. Thus, it is reasonable to limit the patient traveling after radiopharmaceutical therapy with 177Lu using long-distance trains (instead of it is recommended to use air transport).

P-1990. Out-of-Hospital Care Setting in a Febrile Emergency Unit of Suspected Covid 19 Patients

Abstract Background In 2019, a new infection was reported in China. This coronavirus was named SARS-COV-2, causative of the 21st-century pandemic, COVID-19. Health systems adopted different strategies to cope with it. Objective to describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 in children seen at an Emergency Febril Unit (UFU). Demographic and epidemiological characteristics of children treated at EFU of Pedro de Elizalde Children's Hospital (n = 952) Methods Cross-sectional study in patients under 18 years of age tested for SARS-COV-2 between April 1 and June 30, 2020. All epidemiological records made at the time of consultation and the result of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test of these patients, either by suspicion of COVID-19 or epidemiological isolation criteria, were included. Patients whose samples had been taken for SARS-COV-2 determination outside the initial time of consultation or whose epidemiological records were incomplete or did not meet the established inclusion criteria were excluded. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was made using the PCR technique for SARS-COV-2 in nasopharyngeal secretions obtained by nasopharyngeal swab or aspirate. The following variables were recorded: age, gender, place of residence, history of close contact, history of history of close contacts, travel history and comorbidities, history of institutionalization and PCR result. Presentation of symptoms: Frequency Results 1,104 patients were admitted to the UFU and tested due to suspected COVID-19. 152 patients had to be excluded due to insufficient data. Of the 952 patients tested, 22.6% had a detectable result, and 71.2% of them reported close contact with confirmed cases. The mean age was 5.9 years. The 55.4% were male and 99.3% lived in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires. 72.8% of the patients tested had symptoms. The time of delay in consultation was 2.17 days. 25% of the children had comorbidities. Conclusion The availability of the UFU facilitated access and optimized the care circuit in response to demand. Children with a history of close contact and those symptomatic showed more frequently a detectable result for SARS-COV-2. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures