Rate In Pakistan Research Articles

Private Saving and Its Determinants: The Case of Pakistan

Despite a gradual increase over the past twenty years, the rate of private saving in Pakistan remains low as compared with many of the developing economies in Asia. Empirical analysis of the long-run behaviour of saving in Pakistan suggests that financial deepening, though still at a relatively early stage of development, accounted for much of the rise in private saving. In contrast with the experience in the economies of Southeast Asia, where the demographic structure of the population changed significantly over the past two decades, high rates of population growth have kept the age structure of Pakistan’s population virtually unchanged and appear to account for the disparity between the saving rates in Pakistan and Southeast Asia. Hence, an increase in the long-run rate of private saving will likely require further financial development and a decline in the growth rate of the population.

140 (PB-053) Poster - Contribution and performance of subsidized mammography and breast cancer detection rate in underserved populations of rural and urban areas of Sindh, Pakistan

Background: In Pakistan, breast cancer is an enormous public health concern as its mortality is the highest in any Asian population. It can be effectively detected in its early stage with screening mammography, offered to all eligible asymptomatic women. However, in Pakistan, there is no organized screening mammography program at the national level & screening practices are very low. That is why advanced-stage presentation is common in our population. It is important to assess the utility of subsidized screening mammography services in the early detection of breast cancer and reduction of mortality rates in Pakistan.

What has been learned about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan: Insights from a narrative review.

Vaccine hesitancy is not a new phenomenon to Pakistan. This is evidenced through the slow progress of previous vaccination campaigns and programs against MMR, BCG, and especially polio. This issue continues to persist and is therefore becoming the cause of low COVID-19 vaccination rates in Pakistan. To provide insights about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Pakistanis, and its potential harm on public health. Moreover, we aim provide recommendations to counter the factors limiting the COVID-19 vaccination in Pakistan. A Boolean search was conducted to find the literature in MEDLINE-PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases up till March 16, 2022. Specific keywords were used which comprised of "SARS-CoV-2,""COVID-19,""vaccine hesitancy,""vaccine acceptance,""intention to vaccinate," and "Pakistan,"with use of "OR" and "AND." Only free full-text original studies in English language were used to compare and contrast. As proven by various studies, COVID-19 vaccination rates are influenced by multiple factors, including inaccurate beliefs about COVID-19, hesitancy amongst healthcare workers, uncertainty regarding vaccine's efficacy and fear of side effects. Various conspiracy theories and lower testing rates among others also add up to impose a negative impact on the vaccination rates and public health of Pakistan. This may lead to newer strains of potentially harmful COVID-19, mental health deterioration, and prolonged lockdowns. Vaccine hesitancy is a global public health threat, and its impacts are pronounced in Pakistan. This is reflected in the COVID-19 pandemic; low vaccination rates in Pakistan may lead to future outbreaks of new, potentially harmful, strains of COVID-19 which can prolong lockdowns in the country and affect mental health of the population. To improve the current situations, it is imperative for the government, educational institutes, and healthcare systems to develop trust and continually use dialogue, communication, and education to address misconceptions to improve COVID-19 vaccination in Pakistan.

Trend and future of infant mortality in Pakistan

In South Asia, Pakistan is contributing to the highest childhood mortality, including infant mortality. Child mortality has been declined globally, but Pakistan is still struggling and far behind the targets of Sustainable Development Goals. There are several reasons behind high childhood mortality, including socioeconomic determinants and a lack of effective implementation of health-related policies, particularly in primary health care settings. In the present study, we use the stochastic univariate models to uncover the trend of infant mortality by using more than half of the century data from 1960-2017.The secondary data on infant mortality rate from 1960 to 2017 was extracted from World Bank Dataset. Descriptive and time series analysis were applied by using the programming language R. The median infant mortality rate was 109 per 1,000 live births, whereas a higher mortality rate (189.8/1000) was reported in 1960. A gradual decline in infant mortality rates is experienced every year. The mortality rate went down below 100/1,000 live births from 1993 and remained 61.2/1,000 in 2017. ARIMA (1, 2, 2) is an adequate forecasting model selected by using the Auto ARIMA function with a root mean square error is 0.1006. Five years ahead forecast is obtained and yielded that infant mortality rate is expected to remain in 2018 [59.54, C.I (59.34 - 59.73)], 2019 [57.93, C.I (57.47 - 58.40)], 2020 [56.39, C.I (55.48 - 57.30)], 2021 [54.90, C.I (53.35 - 56.45)] and 2022 [53.47, C.I (51.05 - 55.88)]. The decreasing trend is expected in the infant mortality rate in Pakistan.

Nonlinear and Asymmetric Impact of Oil Prices on Exchange Rates: Evidence from South Asia

Abstract The study analyses the asymmetric and nonlinear influence of oil price on exchange rates of South Asian countries in time–frequency framework using wavelet technique. For empirical analysis, monthly data are examined from July 1983 to June 2018. Wavelet coherence results show that the variables are in phase, i.e., oil prices and exchange rates are positively correlated. It suggests that oil price influences exchange rates positively. The study also investigates the causal association between oil price and exchange rates using a nonlinear causality test. The results of nonlinear causality show that there is bidirectional causality between oil price and exchange in Bangladesh and India and unidirectional causality from oil price to exchange rate in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The findings provide some important recommendations to investors and policy makers.

Incidence of Various Causes of Stillbirth in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Aim: The present study aims to explore different factors linked with this stillbirth rate in Pakistan, which are; sociodemographic factors, living experiences, and health-related factors related to this highest stillbirth rate, and reflect their relationship with the pregnancy, birth elements, and stillbirth in the context of tertiary healthcare setting in Pakistan. Study design: A cross-sectional study Place and Duration: This was a multicentric study which was conducted at Unit II Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Teaching Hospital Sukkur, Civil Hospital Quetta and Muhammad Medical and Dental College Mirpurkhas from March 2021 to March 2022. Methodology: This study gathered data related to respondent demographics and their clinical history. For the stillbirth data, this study uses fitted bi-variable and multivariable models with two options, yes/no, and three categories, i.e., mothers' livebirth/macerated/non-macerated stillbirth. This method explores and identifies their linkage with the respondents' demographic and clinical aspects. Results: Results show that there were, in total, 1999 neonates and 1927 mothers as the sample size. Findings show that the increased odds of stillbirth were linked with maternal inadequate education, distancing issue, people living in huts or cottages, hypertensive mothers, history of stillbirth, complexities with birth, increased time for labor, antepartum hemorrhage, long hours of labor or obstructed labor, vaginal breech at the time of delivery, cesarean in an emergency condition and signs of the trauma after birth to the neonate. Conclusion. The results show that some factors responsible for stillbirth can be used to develop interventions needed to improve Pakistan's public health conditions. Eventually, it will reduce preventable deaths and improve the condition of maternal health in that particular region. Keywords: Stillbirth, Maternal health, Avoidable death, universal health.

Does maternal empowerment improve dietary diversity of children? Evidence from Pakistan demographic and health survey 2017-18.

The role of maternal empowerment (ME) to improve child nutrition in patriarchal societies of developing countries remains ambiguous. This study provides empirical evidence about the impact of ME and some other factors selected under United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund theoretical framework, on dietary diversity of children (under 5years age) in Pakistan. Partial proportional odds model is estimated to obtain varying estimates of the parameters by using data of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18. Significant positive role of empowered mothers to improve child dietary diversity (CDD) is explored (OR=1.135; Confidence Interval [CI]=1.001-1.288). Moreover, positive association of maternal higher education on CDD (OR=1.329; 95% CI=1.085-1.628) supports the productive and allocative efficiency hypotheses of health economics. Maternal agricultural employment, paternal education, and paternal employment were not significantly associated with CDD. This requires further exploration. Positive association of household socioeconomic status with CDD (OR=1.768; 95% CI=1.314-2.380) and significance of some demographic variables call for social welfare programs. Positive association of mother's age and CDD demands for amendment in Child Marriage Restraint Act. The observed adverse association of family size with CDD induces effective family planning to control high birth rate in Pakistan. It may be concluded that ME and creation of awareness about nutrition security through maternal education are the important factors to overcome child malnutrition in Pakistan. Since, socioeconomic and cultural environment in South Asian countries is homogeneous, the analysis in this study might be relevant to the South Asian region. Moreover, the study provides evidence informing the debate on the role of ME to improve child nutrition in patriarchal societies.

`POVERTY REDUCTION THROUGH ISLAMIC CHARITY AND PHILANTHROPY

Poverty is an economic condition referring to the unavailability of basic necessities for the survival of human beings. It includes food, health, education, shelter, etc. to reduce Poverty is a long and difficult process. It is designed to decrease the economic deficiency level of groups, communities, regions, or countries. About 29% of the population lives under poverty rate in Pakistan. The government of Pakistan took loans from the World Bank, IMF, and other monitoring organizations to reduce poverty and provide job opportunities for the poor for the uplift of marginalized groups or communities. However, it does not work; the major reason is the corrupt system that does not deliver said services to poor people. Whereas Islam has the capacity to reduce poverty through Islamic philanthropy, which is a basic element in Islamic teaching. Philanthropy is effective because it is given to the poor without any personal liking or disliking, without even involving others or even identifying those groups and communities. Zakat is one of the types of Islamic philanthropy that contains "divine and moral" significance. It is an injunction from Allah Almighty that those, who pay the zakat are considering trade with Allah (SWT), and it has moral and humanitarian significance that an individual who pays zakat will reduce poverty and empathy with the poor. Keywords: Poverty, Socio-economic Condition, Islamic System, poverty reduction, Philanthropy

The Relationship between Unemployment and Inflation Rates in Pakistan

The Relationship between Unemployment and Inflation Rates in Pakistan

Detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus & West Nile Virus in Suspected Population in Pakistan

Objectives: To investigate the presence of IgM and IgG in the sera of patients screened for Dengue and Chikungunya during Dengue outbreak 2015-2019 in Karachi, Pakistan. 
 Methods: Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) are two neglected viral infections in Pakistan. A sero-survey was conducted to assess the exposure of the population to JEV and WNV in Pakistan. The patients screened negative for Dengue and Chikungunya but had acute undifferentiated febrile illness during Dengue outbreak 2015-19 in Karachi, Pakistan were included in the study. Total 115 human sera were subjected to ELISA for detection of IgM and IgG antibodies produced in response to West Nile virus and Japanese Encephalitis virus. 
 Results: Our results highlighted that the overall prevalence of Japanese Encephalitis and West Nile Virus in screened population was 76.52%. The sero-positivity for Japanese encephalitis virus was found in 50 samples whereas; the prevalence of West Nile virus (WNV) was detected in 38 samples. However, 21 samples with co-circulation were indicated in our results. 
 Conclusion: In conclusion, this is an alert for physicians to suspect WNV and JEV infection in patients with a dengue-like illness especially those patients who are dwelling or traveling to and from Pakistan. Therefore, there is a need of standardized diagnostic facilities and surveillance system at national level to avoid misdiagnosis and rule out the actual prevalence rate in Pakistan.

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF GUERRILLA MARKETING ON CUSTOMERS LOYALTY THROUGH BRAND TRUST

This study investigates effect of guerilla marketing on brand loyalty through brand trust as the mediator. A survey was conducted to confirm the study's hypotheses. The sample size of 250 and despite the average response rate in Pakistan, 400 questionnaires were sent out to e-banking customers, of which 230 were returned. Twelve incomplete responses were removed from further analysis, while 218 complete responses were subjected to statistical analysis. According to results of structural equation model, the influence of guerilla marketing on social media has an effect on customer’s loyalty. The model of this study evaluates brand attitude, security, website design as independent and brand trust consider as a mediating variable and outcome variables is customer loyalty. The results of this study indicated that there is a significant and positive relationship with customer loyalty and trust as a mediator has significant and positive relationship between observed variables. Outcomes provide theoretical information about guerrilla marketing. The research assists advertisers in understanding the factors that influence brand image effects of Guerilla marketing.

A Review of Public-Private Partnership for Elevating the Literacy Rate in Pakistan

Pakistan is a country facing lots of challenges related to human development. The field of education is no exception in the sense of development. To counter these problems, reforms and educational projects were introduced to bring educational development. This study analyzes Punjab education foundation (PEF) school reform programs to evaluate one such project. For that purpose, the data of PEF annual reports published by the Punjab government and other articles about the PEF programs were used for analysis. The review of reports shows that the PEF introduced different programs under its umbrella to meet its objectives. The PEF provided free education to the province's less privileged areas and provided on the job training to the school staff. Moreover, educational vouchers have been provided to needy students to encourage the parents to send their children to the schools. These efforts have elevated the literacy rate and quality of education in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

Factors Associated with Development of Ventral Hernias and Healthcare Seeking Behaviors in a Cohort of Pakistani Women

Background: Anterior abdominal wall hernias constitute one of the most common surgical presentations. According to the World Bank data Pakistan has one of the highest birth rates per woman in the region at 3.6 births per woman. In Pakistan there has also been a large increase in C-section rates with nearly 20% of all pregnancies being delivered via C-section, nearly 1 out of every 5 births. Multi-parity is a risk factor for developing paraumbilical hernias and C-sections lead to incisional hernia developments. Methodology: The study conducted was a cross-sectional study at a tertiary care hospital in the department of surgery from 1st June 2021 till 1st September 2021. Any woman presenting with a ventral hernia to the clinic was asked to fill out a questionnaire. 60 women presented over the study period and were enrolled. Results: Fifty five percent paraumbilical hernias and 41.7% incisional hernias were reported. The mean number of pregnancies was 4.10 S.D 1.531 with a range from 0-8. C-sections were 2 times more common than SVDs. Increasing number of pregnancies associated with younger age of onset. Higher number of vaginal deliveries and C-sections were each associated with the development of a ventral hernia. Conclusion: The high fertility rate and C-section rate in Pakistan incurs a huge risk to women developing ventral hernias and poses a burden to the public healthcare system. Keywords: Paraumbilical hernia; parity; Pakistan

Does Laffer Curve Exist in Tax Structure of Pakistan? A Threshold Regression Analysis

Laffer curve is a trade-off between tax cuts and tax revenues. The study implies threshold regression to test the existence of the Laffer curve in Pakistan’s economy using time series data for a period of thirty years (1991-2020). The linear association between tax cuts and tax revenues was assessed using simple ordinary least squares technique. The tax structure of Pakistan mainly constitutes two components, direct and indirect taxes. This study examined nature of the Laffer curve using data on direct tax revenue and corporate tax rate. The study supported the evidence of the Laffer curve with a threshold tax rate of 26%. The existing corporate income tax rate in Pakistan is 29% which lies in prohibitive range of the Laffer curve. As a policy measure, the corporate tax rate is recommended to be reduced at least up to the threshold level in order to bring the maximum number of tax evaders and elites under the tax net to enhance the tax revenues of Pakistan.

Perspectives on the Factors Affecting Students’ Dropout Rate During COVID-19: A Case Study From Pakistan

Education has always been considered as the linchpin for a country’s economic and social development. The dropout rate in schools especially in developing countries has always been a problematic issue and the situation has further been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study primarily aims at studying the factors affecting the school dropout rate during the pandemic. Lockdown is the first step that any country starts to adopt for the safety of its general public. This severely affects the masses’ financial conditions, especially for the parents of students at risk, as the dropout rate increases with financial pressures. The slogan “stay home stay safe” has further aggravated the fear of the parents to send their children out and attend schools. The data for the study was collected from 20 public and private schools of two divisions, including seven districts of the province of Punjab, Pakistan, using interviews of policymakers, parents of dropouts, teachers, and students. The study is a corollary to several issues already highlighted in various other articles to transpire the details of drop-out rates in developing countries in general and Pakistan in particular. The study revealed financial conditions, lockdown effects, mode of learning, government policies, fear of death, the psyche of the parents, socio-cultural effects, the role of teachers and administrators, most affected level, and some contributory factors amongst the major factors. Finally, the study analyzes the effects of dropout and will help suggest measures to control the dropout rate in Pakistan in particular and developing countries in general.

Changing Oil Prices, Exchange Rates and its Impact on Inflation in Pakistan

Purpose: The key objective of the analysis is to explore the impact of oil prices and exchange rates on the inflation rate in Pakistan by using annual time-series data from the period 1980 to 2020.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: The augmented Dickey-Fuller test, bound test approach, and ARDL model are applied to achieve the objectives of the study.
 Findings: It is found that the crude oil prices and real effective exchange rate are found to be significant factors that influence the inflation rate in Pakistan. The other findings explored that money supply, exports, and gross fixed capital formation are positively related to the inflation rate.
 Implications/Originality: The author’s recommended that policymakers should take steps to control the inflation rate by regulating the fiscal and monetary policy measures in the right direction.

An Outlook on the COVID-19 Infection Magnitude in Pakistan and Potential Factors Contributing to Low Mortality Rates

Background: COVID-19 has severely affected some countries with a high mortality rate than others. In Pakistan, its mortality rate is lower (2.06%) than neighboring countries and even economically advanced countries. Here we discuss the distinct characteristic of the Pakistani population that might have contributed to this lower mortality. Methods: COVID-19 mortality data were collected from December, 2019 to July, 2020 and studied for population age spectrum, health facilities, immunization profiles, physical activity, and obesity from Pakistan and other countries. Results: Lower COVID-19 related mortality rate was observed in Pakistan (2.06%) as compared to France (18.02%), Italy (14.45%), UK (14.01%), Spain (9.56%), the USA (4.71%), and Iran (4.77%). Small proportion (3.5%) of the elderly population (>65 years of age), exposure to different viral antigens, a higher rate of BCG vaccination, better physical activity practices, and lower obesity prevalence in Pakistani population as compared European and North American population may contribute to lower COVID-19 related mortality rate. Conclusions: Multiple factors may have contributed to this lower mortality rate in Pakistan. Our observations
 may facilitate clinicians to identify individuals who may have low risk to COVID-19 related deaths. Comprehensive studies are warranted to address it further.

Global impact and contributing factors in varicose vein disease development.

Varicose veins are convoluted, expanded, and stretched subcutaneous veins of the lower leg and are the most frequently reported medical condition. This condition has a higher prevalence in Western and developed countries. Inadequacy of the valves results in reflux of blood in the veins of the lower leg. The present study aims to describe the epidemiology and contributing factors (risk factors and pathological factors) in the development of varicose veins disease. PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, Google Scholar, SciFinder, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were explored to include potential research and review articles. Finally, 65 articles were considered appropriate to include in the study. Pain, swelling, heaviness, and tingling of the lower limbs are the most common sign and symptoms caused by varicose veins while in some individuals it is asymptomatic. The Prevalence of varicose veins varies geographically. Currently, it is reported that globally about 2%–73% of the population is affected by varicose veins while the prevalence rate in Pakistan is 16%–20%. Different risk factors associated with the advancement of varicose veins are age, gender, occupation, pregnancy, family history, smoking, BMI and obesity, exercise, genetic factor, and current lifestyle. In varicose veins, some contributory elements may also play an important role in the disease development, incorporating constant venous wall aggravation, hereditary variation, and persistent venous hypertension. This condition has now turned into a curable issue that was previously viewed broadly as less important for treatment, determining the individual’s satisfaction. Moreover, the mechanisms behind the risk factors involve diet, physical work, and hormonal contribution. These are more likely to be explored.

Breast cancer diagnostic delays in pakistan: a looming epidemic threat

Breast cancer is a major contributing factor to the mortality and morbidity burden among the female population in Asia. In 2020, a total of 1.2 million newly diagnosed breast cancer cases and an estimated 3.5 million deaths due to breast cancer were reported in Asia (International Agency for Research on Cancer, 2020a). In particular, Pakistan notably reported the highest proportion of breast cancer cases in Asia. Research estimates that one out of nine women in Pakistan is at a high risk of suffering from breast cancer in their lifetime. The constant growth in breast cancer rates in Pakistan indicates that breast cancer is rapidly reaching epidemic proportions and poses an urgent challenge to Pakistan's public health system. Due to system-level and patient-level delay factors, Pakistani women often seek medical care for breast carcinoma at an advanced stage of the disease, whereby survival chances are minimal. The key to mitigating the breast cancer burden in Pakistan is to foster early detection programs among Pakistani women. This review aims to examine the root causes of delayed detection of breast cancer in Pakistani women, emphasize the pivotal role of early detection in individuals' and populations' health promotion, and highlight nursing implications in promoting breast cancer early detection programs. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in databases including CINAHL, Google Scholar, and Scopus. The review consists of articles from 2005 to 2020 published in the English language only. Furthermore, the study also highlights the need for context-specific and culturally sensitive early breast cancer detection programs to potentially reduce barriers in the uptake of screening services among Pakistani women.

Investigating the Role of Energy Prices in Enhancing Inflation in Pakistan: Fresh Insight from Asymmetric ARDL Model

Inflation is a serious problem of poor countries in this modern world because the majority of people live below the poverty line. It becomes difficult for poor people to fulfill their basic needs with higher inflation rate. The main objective of this study to analyze the impact of energy prices on the inflation rate in Pakistan. For analysis purpose the study uses time series data for the period 1990-2020. Consumer Price Index (CPI) is used as the dependent variable while independent variables include pump diesel domestic prices, pump gasoline domestic prices, GDP per capita, real effective exchange rate, government expenditure and imports of goods and services. The study uses non-linear Autoregressive Distributed Lag model (NARDL) econometric technique for estimation purpose. The results show that pump diesel and gasoline prices have U-shaped Kuznets curve, while economic growth, real exchange rate and government expenditures have emerged as important contributors of inflation in Pakistan. This study suggests that government should take effective measures to decrease dependence on imported energy resources and should rely on renewable energy resources to tackle the rising deficit in balance of payments (BOP).