Residents Of Rural Communities Research Articles

Catch me if you can: informal tourism employment of locals in scenic-oriented rural communities

ABSTRACT The expansion of the tourism industry has generated a plethora of informal job opportunities. However, existing literature has not thoroughly explored the extensive involvement of local residents in rural areas in informal tourism employment. This study focuses on the Fujian Tulou villages in China and employs the fieldwork method to investigate the phenomenon of informal tourism employment among local residents in scenic-oriented rural communities. The findings indicate that the dearth of employment prospects in rural areas, coupled with China’s distinctive rural land ownership system and the support from the rural social network, are the primary drivers motivating locals to participate in informal tourism employment. Locals employ tactics such as camouflage, tacit collusion, lurking, and covert actions to engage in informal tourism employment while navigating the regulations imposed by scenic area management. In efforts to standardize management within scenic areas, both local governments and tourism management companies are implementing measures such as offering formal employment opportunities and profit-sharing arrangements to incentivize the regularization of local employment in the tourism sector.

Examining the roles of visualizations in people's understanding of uncertain storm surge forecasts, interpretation of risk, and decision-making

Maps and other forms of geovisualizations play a central yet complex role in communicating weather hazard risks and threats to the public. Through designing storm surge risk communication prototypes and testing these visualizations in focus groups with residents of coastal communities in Georgia and South Carolina, this study investigates how different aspects of geospatial visualization influence individuals' understanding and relatability of storm surge information and how different elements of geospatial risk visualization influence people's intent to take protective actions. The focus group discussions revealed common themes and unique perspectives in the interpretation of hurricane storm surge flooding forecasts and illustrated the complexity of communicating risk and uncertainty to diverse populations. This study found a sequential pattern of visual information processing, beginning with understanding the content and its perceived accuracy and uncertainty, followed by personalizing the information and deciding on protective action. Showing storm surge forecast maps at multiple spatial scales was valuable, combined with realistic visualizations in the form of images or 3D animations of flooded buildings. Maps with recognizable places and labels helped study participants locate themselves and assess storm surge risks, although residents of urban, barrier island, and rural coastal communities interpreted the information in their local and personal context. Additional research is needed to understand how people interact with different types of storm surge forecast information and how to improve visual risk communication in ways that enhance people's understanding and responses to storm surge risk in the context of their local environment and prior experiences.

A Study on the Endogenous Dynamics of Rural Tourism Green Development in Yunnan Under the Background of Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality

Yunnan Province has abundant rural tourism resources, however, the vigorous development of rural tourism in Yunnan is accompanied by ecological safety risks. Severe tourism pollution restricts the sustainable development of rural tourism in Yunnan. 'Greening' has become the main way for the sustainable development of rural tourism in Yunnan under the background of 'dual carbon'. Based on the 'dual carbon' background and combining the perspectives of 'driving factors for green development' and 'green behavior', this paper deeply analyzes the current situation of 'greening' in rural tourism communities in Yunnan during the process of rural tourism development. Combined with the social network relationships of rural tourism green development communities in Yunnan, the original model is modified. On the basis of social exchange theory and group dynamics, a relationship model between social network environment and participation behavior mechanism is formed. Through this model, the endogenous driving force of rural tourism community residents to participate in green development is explored, and methods and paths to motivate the driving force for green development are sought. Ultimately, it achieves that residents can participate, are willing to participate, and have the ability to participate in all aspects of the green development of rural tourism in Yunnan, promoting the sustainable development of rural tourism and communities in Yunnan.

Measuring Villagers’ Perceptions of Changes in the Landscape Values of Traditional Villages

This study aims to analyze the perceptions and driving factors behind villagers’ changing perceptions of landscape values in the context of drastic landscape changes in traditional Chinese villages. Empirical evidence emphasizes the interplay between local residents’ values and the local policy framework. This study establishes a method to capture the landscape values and preferences of rural community residents by combining participatory mapping with questionnaire interviews. We identified the evaluation of changing landscape values by rural residents and extracted four categories of rural development orientations, namely, economic benefits, emotional culture, public participation, and environmental protection. Furthermore, we delved into the significant heterogeneity in landscape value changes among different social groups. This study highlights the role of villagers’ value judgments in guiding the scientific formulation of traditional village conservation and development policies and promoting the socially sustainable development planning of traditional villages. The research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the rural community’s needs and preferences for the local landscape as well as the convergence and divergence between these needs and the government-led rural development trajectory.

Assemblages and Subassemblages of Giardia duodenalis in Rural Western, Kenya: Association with Sources, Signs, and Symptoms.

Giardia duodenalis causes sporadic or epidemic infections in humans. The parasite comprises assemblages A-H with A and B subdivided further into AI-IV and BI-IV subassemblages. Attempts aimed at linking these genotypes with sources and gastrointestinal manifestations of the infection are largely unexplored in rural communities. In this cross-sectional study, G. duodenalis infection was genotyped and associated with sources, and gastrointestinal signs and symptoms of the disease among residents of Busia County, a rural setting in western Kenya. Demographic and clinical information were captured using standardized forms. Stool specimens were obtained from the patients and used for genotyping at glutamate dehydrogenase and triose-phosphate isomerase loci using the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Assemblage B (63.6%) was the most prevalent G. duodenalis infection, while A (20.5%) and mixed A/B (15.9%) were also detected. Among the subassemblages, AI (5.7%), AII (8.0%), AIII (3.4), BIII (30.7%), and BIV (17.0%) were diagnosed including the mixed AII/BIII (15.9%), BIII/BIV (15.9%), AI/AIII (2.3%), and AI/AII (1.1%) infections. Binary logistic regression indicated associations for assemblage A with stomach upset, history of nitroimidazole treatment, and residing in a homestead with cattle and B with age < 18 years, history of eating outdoors, vomiting, steatorrhea, and residing in a homestead with cattle, goats, and poultry (p < 0.05 for all). Among the subassemblages, associations were found for AI with residing in a homestead having cattle and history of nitroimidazole treatment, BIII with residing in a homestead having cattle and poultry, and BIV with steatorrhea (p < 0.05 for all). Altogether, this study illustrates that G. duodenalis assemblage B and subassemblage BIII are the most predominant and are linked to age < 18 years, gastrointestinal manifestations, and living in a homestead with domestic ruminants and poultry. Targeted mass prophylactic treatment of domestic animals and utilization of gastrointestinal presentations, age < 18 years, and a history of nitroimidazole use are useful in the diagnosis and prevention of giardiasis among residents of rural communities.

Analysis of gene characteristics and core genome characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae in rural residents of Weifang City, Shandong Province

Objective: To investigate the drug-resistant gene characteristics and core genome characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae (CR-ECL) in rural residents of Weifang City, Shandong Province. Methods: Fecal samples were collected from rural community residents in Weifang City, Shandong Province in 2017. Drug-resistant strains were screened using a carbapenem-resistant enterobacter chromogenic medium. CR-ECL positive strains were acquired via Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry(MALDI-TOFMS) analysis. The antibiotic resistance phenotype of CR-ECL was determined using a microbroth dilution assay. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and analysis were conducted, along with an examination of the immediate vicinity of the blaNDM gene and phylogenetic analysis of the strains. Results: A total of 628 fecal samples were collected and tested, of which 6 were CR-ECL positive (detection rate 0.96%), all exhibiting multiple drug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. Six CR-ECL strains had four MLST genotypes (ST), all of which carried multiple drug resistance genes (blaNDM-1, blaNDM-5, etc.) and virulence genes (acrA, acrB, entB, fepC, etc.). There were mobile genetic elements ISAba125, TN3-IS3000, TN3 and IS5 in the genetic environment surrounding the blaNDM gene. The phylogenetic tree showed that the multi-locus sequence typing of the core genome (cgMLST) was consistent with the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) results. The cgMLST results showed that the allele differences between strains 2BC0101B and 2BC0251B, 2BG0561B and 2BI0221B were 2 and 1, respectively. The SNPs results showed that the above two pairs of bacteria also clustered together. It was found that the strains of chicken fecal samples in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database were located in the center of the evolutionary tree, and the local sequences could be traced back to American human sequences. Conclusion: Multidrug-resistant CR-ECL is detected in rural community residents in Weifang City, Shandong Province.

Settlement location and school size as determinants of subjective well-being and behavioral attitudes among adolescents

BACKGROUND: Empirical data on the effect of infrastructural and geographical factors on the subjective well-being of residents of small urban and rural communities are scarce.&#x0D; AIM: To identify indicators of subjective well-being among adolescents, as well as their behavioral attitudes and subjective assessments of the school environment.&#x0D; MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed data collected from 1164 respondents residing in 25 rural and urban settlements across Siberia and the European part of Northern Russia between 2016 and 2018. The Cronbachs alpha values for the dependent variables ranged from 0.654 to 0.811. The variables used to differentiate the comparison groups included the school size, the distance of the settlement from the regional centers infrastructure, and its geographic location in relation to the Arctic zone.&#x0D; RESULTS: Various characteristics of the school environment demonstrated the effect of differentiating variables. These characteristics included the friendliness within the school environment, the attitudes of teachers, the preparedness for self-defense, and the attitudes towards the use of psychoactive substances and illegal behavior. The attitudes towards the use of psychoactive substances and the readiness for self-defense were particularly sensitive to differentiating variables.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The results of this study can be used to develop solutions that effectively manage the risks associated with the social and personal development of adolescents residing in small urban and rural settlements within sparsely populated regions of the Russian Federation.

Comparative genome analysis of colistin-resistant Escherichia coli harboring mcr isolated from rural community residents in Ecuador and Vietnam.

The spread of colistin-resistant bacteria among rural community residents of low- and middle-income countries is a major threat to community health. Although the mechanism of the spread of colistin-resistant bacteria in communities is unknown, geographic and regional characteristics may influence it. To elucidate the spread mechanism of colistin-resistant bacteria, we analyzed the genomes of colistin-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from Vietnam and Ecuador residents, which are geographically and socially different. Stool specimens of 139 and 98 healthy residents from Ecuador and Vietnam rural communities, respectively, were analyzed for colistin-resistant E. coli with mcr. Its prevalence in the residents of all the communities assessed was high and approximately equal in both countries: 71.8% in Ecuador and 69.4% in Vietnam. A phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the sequence type of colistin-resistant E. coli was diverse and the major sequence types were different between the two countries. The location of mcr in the isolates showed that the proportion of chromosomal mcr was 35.1% and 8.5% in the Vietnam and Ecuador isolates, respectively. Most of these chromosomal mcr genes (75%-76%) had an intact mcr-transposon Tn6330. Contrastingly, the replicon types of the mcr-carrying-plasmids were diverse in both countries, but almost all belonged to IncI2 in Ecuador and IncX1/X4 in Vietnam. Approximately 26%-45% of these mcr-plasmids had other resistance genes, which also varied between countries. These results suggest that although the overall profile of the colistin-resistant E. coli isolates is diverse in these countries, the phylogenesis of the isolates and mcr-carrying plasmids has regional characteristics. Although the contributing factors are not clear, it is obvious that the overall profile of colistin-resistant bacteria dissemination varies between countries. Such different epidemic patterns are important for establishing country-specific countermeasures against colistin-resistant bacteria.

PELATIHAN TIPS DAN TRIK MICROSOFT POWER POINT DI SALAM PATUK GUNUNGKIDUL

ABSTRACT&#x0D; The residents of the Salam RT 15 hamlet community in particular include residents of rural communities who are far from the district and provincial cities. Varied levels of education make people really need additional knowledge for insight in following current developments that are increasingly advanced with information technology.&#x0D; Microsoft Powerpoint is an application for presentations that is really needed by the residents of the Salam Rt 15 hamlet community in particular. The purpose of this activity is to increase people's knowledge and skills in using the Microsoft Powerpoint application&#x0D; The target of this activity is the management and residents of RT 15 in Padukuhan Salam, Gunungkidul. The method used is by conducting training and mentoring on the use of the Microsoft Powerpoint application. The result of this dedication is that there is an increase in knowledge and skills in using the Microsoft Powerpoint application, namely from the results of the pretest compared to the results of the posttest that were carried out showing that 7 people were declared good during the pretest, then after the posttest there were 15 people, 16 people were declared lacking during the pretest, so after the posttest they stayed to 11 people.

Energy Literacy of Residents in Rural Communities: Comparison of Tourism and Non-Tourism Villages

Energy is an essential topic owing to the severe environmental problems faced worldwide, especially in underdeveloped rural areas. Energy literacy is closely related to energy consumption and conservation behaviors in daily life. Although the energy attitudes and behaviors of communities can determine the sustainable development of rural tourism, less attention has been paid to the energy literacy of rural communities. This study adopted a measurable scale to compare the energy literacy levels between 188 questionnaires from rural residents in tourism communities and 195 questionnaires from non-tourism communities both in the Jizhou District, China. A theoretical model was constructed to investigate the relationships between the variables. Additionally, this study verified the influence of rural tourism activities on communities’ energy literacy by comparing different villages. The results showed that rural communities have high levels of energy literacy in the knowledge, attitude, and behavioral sectors. Positive relationships between knowledge and attitude and between attitudes and behaviors were estimated. However, the positive impact of knowledge on behavior was inconspicuous. The most important theoretical contribution of this study is the confirmation of the significant differences in energy literacy between traditional and rural tourism destination communities, thus proving the improvement in communities’ energy literacy induced by tourism development. Finally, this study presents practical implications for policymakers.

Perceived causes and management of epilepsy among rural community dwellers in Ghana: a qualitative synthesis.

In Ghana, over 270,000 people live with epilepsy, of which 70% do not receive treatment. Despite the high number of people with the condition, misconceptions exist about its causes and management in African regions. The study assessed the perceived causes and management of epilepsy among rural community dwellers in Ghana. A qualitative approach and phenomenological design were employed for the study. The population comprised community dwellers in Berekum, a rural town in the Bono Region of Ghana. A convenience sampling technique was used to sample the participants. An in-depth face-to-face interview with a semi-structured interview guide was used to collect participant data. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. A total of 15 participants were interviewed in the study, after which saturation was reached. Seven of the participants were men, and eight were women. Two categories emerged as the causes of epilepsy: socio-cultural and superstitious causes and biomedical causes. The socio-cultural and superstitious causes include "a manifestation or an influence of an evil spirit," "family curse or disease," "punishment from ancestors or gods of the land," "having several convulsions," "exposure to foam from an epileptic," and "bites from an epileptic during seizures", while the biomedical causes are "brain damage," "blood group," and "genetic makeup". Consulting with the spiritual realm, pouring water on the person or washing the person's face, and putting a spoon in the mouth were identified by the participants as ways to manage epilepsy. The causes of epilepsy are primarily linked to the supernatural, with the results indicating that rural community residents largely attribute epilepsy to "evil spirits". This implies that the rural communities' knowledge about the causes of epilepsy is based on the social causation theory of disease and disability, which relates diseases to the supernatural. Management of the condition was mainly seen as spiritual.

Small and rural towns’ perception of autonomous vehicles: insights from a survey in Texas

ABSTRACT People’s perceptions of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) are critical to understanding the role of AVs in future transportation systems. Most previous work on AVs perceptions is based on large cities or metropolitan areas. This study provides a unique perspective regarding perceptions of impacts of AVs in small and rural communities through an online survey in Central Texas (n = 1153). Our questionnaires gathered basic socio-demographic characteristics and AV impacts variables identified from the literature. We used summary statistics and ordered logistic regression models to reveal the perceived impacts of AVs. Residents of small and rural communities, particularly older adults (65 + years), were more enthusiastic about the development of AVs than the national average. Our findings reveal that being an employed, married male with a higher income increases the likelihood of accepting the impacts of AVs, suggesting further research to explore a feasible approach to utilizing AVs in small, rural communities.

A Community-Based Observational Study on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Single-Use Plastics Ban in Rural Puducherry, South India

Background: India's industries produce nearly 9,000,000 metric tons of disposable plastic annually. Government of Puducherry implemented a ban on single-use plastics from 1st August 2019. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) levels concerning the use and legislation of single-use plastics among rural Puducherry's community residents.&#x0D; Methods: A 6-month community-based observational study was conducted in rural Puducherry using multistage random sampling among 450 households. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to an adult member (aged &gt; 18 years) in each household before and after the plastic ban. Data collection utilized the Epi-collect 5 application, and SPSS v16 was used for statistical analysis, employing paired t-test and chi-square test (p-value &lt; 0.05)&#x0D; Results: Mean age of study participants was 39.64 (13.23) years, nearly 57% of them were female. Before ban, 80.4% of the subjects were carrying their shopping contents using plastic bags provided by the seller in the rural area, whereas after ban implementation, it has reduced to 16.4%. Mean KAP score before ban was 8 +2.8 (95% CI: 7.7-8.2) and after ban, it increased to 15.2 +1.8 (95% CI: 15-15.4). The pre- and post-ban KAP scores differences were found to be statistically significant (p-value &lt; 0.05). The perception of the law banning the use of plastic bags was found to be significantly higher in younger age group, female gender, and groups with higher educational and occupational status (p = 0.01)&#x0D; Conclusion: The study results will be useful for planning future needs and Information, Education Communication strategies for effective implementation and plastic use reduction in future.

Digital transformation, well-being and shrinking communities: Narrowing the divides between urban and rural

The ongoing digital transformation and the digitalisation of services profoundly affect the everyday lives of citizens. Digital transformation's impact is complex and may have both positive and negative consequences on well-being. Particularly in rural areas and shrinking communities, digitalisation and the concentration of services can diminish the level of local services, but digital transformation also promises significant opportunities and benefits to the residents of shrinking and rural communities. This study employed the environmental scanning and futures wheel methodologies to assess the current and future impact of digital transformation and information and communications technology on residents' well-being in shrinking Finnish communities. The results indicate that this impact is more positive than negative, as digitalisation enables multiple services that were previously lacking in these locations. Digitalisation and the rise of remote working can also bring new opportunities and residents to rural and shrinking communities.

An Evolutionary Game Analysis of the Relationship between Core Stakeholders of Forest Governance

The interest relationship among forest governance stakeholders will change with the influence of political, economic, cultural, and other factors. Studying the logical relationship between various stakeholders in the process of forest management is an important measure to adhere to the “clear water and green mountains are gold hills and silver mountains” and implement the concept of green development under the new form. In this paper, the evolutionary game method is used to build a dynamic evolutionary game model, analyze the evolutionary stability strategy and replicator dynamics of the three core stakeholders of government, enterprises, and rural community residents, and calculate the equilibrium stability point. The behavioral strategy selection and evolutionary stability conditions of each game player are analyzed. The results show that the “guidance” of the government is a strong guarantee for the realization of the tripartite equilibrium. The government is in a very active and strong position and needs the guidance of the government to achieve stability. The results show that the “guidance” of the government is a strong guarantee for the realization of the tripartite equilibrium. The government is in a very active and strong position and needs the guidance of the government to achieve stability. Therefore, the government should actively encourage rural community residents to participate in forest management, strengthen the supervision of forestry enterprises, and achieve effective management of forest resources.

Self-assessed health status and obesity vulnerability in rural Louisiana: A cross-sectional analysis.

Rural communities are resource-constrained and at higher risk of obesity and obesity-related conditions. Thus, studying self-assessed health status and underlying vulnerabilities is critical to provide insights to the program planners for effective and efficient planning of obesity prevention programs. This study aims to investigate the correlates of self-assessed health status and subsequently determine the obesity vulnerability level of residents in rural communities. Randomly sampled data were obtained from in-person community surveys in three rural Louisiana counties-East Carroll, Saint Helena, and Tensas-in June 2021. The association of social-demographic factors, grocery store choice, and exercise frequency with self-assessed health was investigated using the ordered logit model. An obesity vulnerability index was constructed using the weights obtained from the principal component analysis. The results show that gender, race, education, possession of children, exercise frequency, and grocery store choice significantly influence self-assessed health status. Around 20% of respondents fall into the most-vulnerable segment and 65% of respondents are vulnerable to obesity. The obesity vulnerability index ranged from -4.036 to 4.565, indicating a wide heterogeneity in the vulnerability level of rural residents. The findings show that the self-assessed health status of rural residents is not promising along with a high level of vulnerability to obesity. The findings from this study could serve as a reference in the policy discussion regarding an effective and efficient suite of interventions in rural communities to address obesity and promote well-being.

Tribal and rural digital inclusivity: An examination of broadband access in two neighboring Great Plains states

The Covid-19 pandemic raised greater awareness to ways in which societies have become dependent upon access to technology and the Internet. The shift to remote-only education, in particular, forced the recognition of compounded problems faced by poor and economically disadvantaged families with school-age children. Millions of children, particularly students of color, faced diminished and imperiled progress because of limited or no access to the Internet at home. This exploration concentrates particularly on residents of rural and tribal communities, where insufficient efforts have been made to increase technological advances and access levels to reflect current standards. This article focuses on Digital Inclusivity in rural and tribal areas of two Great Plains states (Kansas and Oklahoma) through a wide-ranging survey and analysis of the challenges and successes of technological leadership, information literacy and public policy development and administration.

Independent and combined effect of income and education attainment on the incidence of stroke events: a large-scale cohort study from rural communities in China

ABSTRACT Objectives Few studies have longitudinally evaluated income and education, and their combined effect on incident of stroke in China. Methods The present study was based on a cohort with a baseline survey in China. A total of 15,913 participants were finally included. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the association of income, education, and their combination with stroke risk by Cox proportional hazard model. Results Lower income and less years of education was significantly associated with an increased risk of total stroke [income: adjusted HR: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.22–1.95); education: adjusted HR: 1.59 (95% CI: 1.11–2.28)]. Notably, the highest risk for total stroke was seen among those with lower income and higher education (adjusted HR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.36–4.47). Sensitivity analysis by excluding the first year of follow-up showed similar findings with the primary analysis. Discussion Lower income and education attainment were associated with an increased risk of stroke in Chinese countrysides. A joint effect of income and education existed on the risk of developing stroke. Special attention should be paid for rural community residents, especially for people with low income levels.

Knowledge, attitude and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine among residents in rural communities in Ghana: a multi-regional study

BackgroundThe Coronavirus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has continuously affected human life with several devastating effects. Currently, there are effective vaccines to protect people from COVID‐19 and the World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted strategies to influence COVID-19 vaccine uptake in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana. However, prior studies on COVID-19 vaccine acceptability in Ghana are online surveys targeting the literates and those in urban areas, leaving residents in far-flung communities. We assessed knowledge, attitude and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine among residents in rural communities in Ghana.MethodsThis study was a community-based cross-sectional study and was conducted at three selected regions in Ghana (Northern, Ashanti and Western North) from May to November, 2021. This study included residents 15–81 years, living in the selected rural communities for more than 1 year. Study participants were recruited and questionnaires administered to collect data on knowledge, attitude and acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26.0 and GraphPad Prism Version 8.0 software.ResultsOf the 764 participants included in this study, more than half had inadequate knowledge (55.0%), poor attitudes (59.4%) and bad perception about COVID-19 vaccine (55.4%). The acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine in this study was 41.9%. The acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine in Ashanti, Northern and Western North regions were 32.5%, 26.2% and 29.6% respectively. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, receiving recent or previous vaccine such as HBV vaccine [aOR = 1.57, 95% CI (1.23–3.29), p = 0.002], having good attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine [aOR = 61.47, 95% CI (29.55–127.86), p < 0.0001] and having good perception about the COVID-19 vaccine [aOR = 3.87, 95% CI (1.40–10.72), p < 0.0001] were independently associated with higher odds of accepting COVID-19 vaccine.ConclusionMore than half of residents in Ghanaian rural communities have inadequate knowledge, poor attitudes and bad perception about COVID-19 vaccine. The acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine is generally low among rural residents in Ashanti, Northern and Western North regions of Ghana. Residents living in hard-to-reach communities must be educated about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccine to achieve effective vaccination program.

Rural/Urban Variations in Diabetes Self-Care in a Sample of Ghanaian Adults with Type II Diabetes: a Study in the East Gonja Municipality

More recently, there has been a greater focus on nutrition and physical activity as key determinants of health. Available evidence suggests that community of residence drive unhealthy diets and sedentary behaviour (e.g. increased physical inactivity); unhealthy diet and sedentary behaviour are major risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This single-site hospital-based study assessed rural/urban variations in diabetes self-care practices in a sample of Ghanaian adults with type II diabetes. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. Respondents were recruited from the Diabetes/Hypertension clinic of the East Gonja Municipal Hospital in Salaga, Ghana, through systematic sampling. Structured, interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data for the study. The primary data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. One hundred and sixty-eight (168) type II diabetes patients participated in the study. More than half of them were residents of rural communities (50.6%). Overall, adherence to medication, diet, and physical activity were 51.8%, 41.8%, and 56.0%, respectively. Controlling for age, occupation, and monthly income, residents of urban communities were more likely to adhere to prescribed anti-diabetic medications compared to those in rural communities (AOR 3.70; 95% CI 1.02, 8.11). On the contrary, residence in a rural community was positively associated with adherence to dietary recommendations (AOR 4.21; 95% CI 1.73, 9.54). The current findings highlight the need for diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programmes in the East Gonja Municipality to facilitate the knowledge sharing, decision-making, and skills mastery for diabetes self-care.