In local populations – which often have fewer formal learning opportunities than complex urban centers – reading serves as a vital tool for information acquisition, deeply tied to the evolution of literacy, education, and cultural context. Historically, general literacy and the associated competencies of the population developed only gradually. It was not until the second half of the 20th century that reading emerged as a preferred activity and a primary form of individual and social learning. By providing a window into the wider world, reading allowed rural inhabitants to access distant information with significantly less effort and lower “interpretative” risk than traditional local sources provided. As reading became integrated into local culture, it was supported by the establishment of school, public, and family libraries, as well as reading clubs. The spread of readership facilitated a significant “import” of cultural innovation, markedly increasing individual cultural capital and the overall vitality of local populations. What began as a narrow transfer of information has evolved into a robust opportunity to educate the youngest generation, particularly schoolchildren, through local initiatives that support and sustain their reading habits.

Exploring spotted-fever and typhus group rickettsiae seroprevalence and associated risk factors among rural inhabitants from Cauca department, Colombia.

Abstract The study examined the extent Financial Technologies (FinTech) Electronic-Payments (E-payments) services in commercial banks have influenced the success of rural banking policy in Southwest, Nigeria. It was motivated by the problem of low permeation of rural dwellers banking in the South-West of Nigeria, making financial inclusion policy a herculean task. The specific objectives were, therefore, to ascertain the extent to which Fintech Credit Cards (E-Payment), Automated Teller Machines (ATM), and Fintech Point of Sales (POS) influence the adoption of modern financial technology services by rural dwellers in Southwest, Nigeria. Exploratory research design was adopted for the study, while data analysis were through multiple regression statistical tool. Results obtained indicate that: Fintech credit cards (e-payment), Automated Teller Machines (ATM), point of sales (POS), services could significantly make rural banking attractive to rural dwellers in the South-West of Nigeria. Based on these, it was recommended among other things that: Fintech services operators should reduce all the bureaucratic bottlenecks that make rural banking unattractive to rural dwellers in parts of Nigeria, and use fintech to reduce the socio-economic distance between rural and urban dwellers in the country. Keywords: Fintech Services Adoption, Credit Cards, E-Wallets, E-Checks, ATMs, POS, Rural Banking.

BackgroundMany rural households in South Africa still experience significant challenges regarding provision of potable water even though government policy and legislative framework prioritises delivery of such infrastructure to rural households. Water collection which requires both physical effort and time, is a significant occupation in rural contexts such as in the Limpopo Province.ObjectiveThis paper describes the physical capacity and time demands of water collection for rural dwellers and the implications of this occupation for occupational therapist conducting Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs).MethodsA descriptive single case study research methodology was utilised, and data collected during visits to rural homesteads were analysed.ResultsThe findings revealed that all study participants collected water daily from sources outside of their homesteads, including taps in the adjacent streets, village water tanks or nearby rivers. The physical capacity and time required for this occupation exceeds safe limits for industrial manual handling with water collectionConclusionsMany rural dwellers in South Africa and globally continue to need to collect water for survival and hygiene tasks. Occupational therapists conducting FCEs should consider the cumulative impact of unpaid work including water collection in rural settings when evaluating physical capacity and making recommendations regarding compensation.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the commonest malignancies among Indian womwen. There are many inflammatory breast lesions which mimic malignancy and they never proceed to malignancy. It includes abscess, variants of mastitis and fat necrosis. Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, UPUMS, Saifai, Etawah (U.P). Fine‑needle aspiration cytopathology was the diagnostic tool. Results: The maximum numbers of patients belonged to 21 to 40 years (67.97%). The left sided palpable breast lump was frequently involved (42.59%). Lump size ≤5 cm was found more (68.27%). The frequent cytological diagnosis was breast abscess (57.40%) among which pyogenic was (56.49%). The tuberculosis was diagnosed in 1.81%. Idiopathic lobular mastitis was 0.90%, whereas lymphocytic mastitis and plasma cell mastitis were each 1.20 %. The histopathology examination was appreciated in 3.6% cases. The concordance was found more in abscess 33.33%. Conclusion: Benign breast lesions mimicking breast carcinoma should be differentiated. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is a useful diagnostic tool. It should be considered as the initial investigation for inflammatory breast lesions along with ancillary radiological investigations and possibly histopathology. There is a need for an increased awareness of these disease entities, so that prompt and correct line of management can be opted.

Musanga cecropioides is a multipurpose plant whose effect has greatly affected traditional medicine and the healthcare delivery such as. This study sought to analyze phytochemicals and evaluate some mineral elements present in the root sap of Musanga cecropioides. The phytochemicals were analyzed qualitatively in the laboratory. Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn) and Copper (Cu) were determined using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). Phosphorous (P) was determined calorimetrically using spectrophotometer (THERMO SCIENTIFIC GENESYS 20). Magnesium (Mg) and Calcium (Ca) were determined titremetrically by using EDTA titration. Sodium (Na) and Potassium (K) were determined using the flame photometer (JENWAY PFP7 flame Photometer). From the study, Potassium (K) had the highest concentration of 923.38 mg/L and Iron (Fe) had the least the concentration of 0.35 mg/L. based on the study, the results for the phytochemical analysis is an indication that the root sap of Musanga cecropioides is toxicologically safe and the concentrations of the mineral elements evaluated also shows that it is efficient for treating asthma. We will recommend that the root sap of Musanga cecropioides can be used for primary treatment of asthma and rural dwellers can also take it in the absence of water since it has higher medicinal value. We will also recommend that people taking the root sap for medicinal purposes should have Iron supplements since the concentration of iron present is low. Finally, we will also recommend that people should not depend on it solely as their source of drinking water due to high concentrations of Potassium which could lead to problems of hyperkalemia. Keywords: Musanga cecropioides, Root sap, Phytochemicals, Calorimetrically, Concentrations.

Abstract The environmentally constrained urban–rural dual dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) framework classifies the population into three categories: residents of large metropolitan areas, rural–urban migration, and rural inhabitants, including those living in small- and medium-sized cities. This paper focuses on the connections between large cities and rural manufacturing sectors and examines the dynamic effects of rural–urban migration on carbon emission intensity. In addition, it compares the heterogeneous impacts of migration policies under different levels of propensity and investigates the possibility of employment discrimination. The results show that an expansion of rural–urban migration increases aggregate gross domestic product (GDP) while lowering overall carbon intensity. At the sectoral level, rural output rises with a concurrent decline in rural carbon intensity, whereas urban output also increases but is accompanied by higher urban carbon intensity. Moreover, a more gradual rollback of rural–urban migration policies leads to a substantial expansion of the migrant population, a significant increase in national GDP, and a substantial reduction in carbon intensity. By contrast, the presence of employment discrimination dampens national GDP growth and raises carbon emission intensity. Overall, these findings imply that advancing toward carbon neutrality requires the further relaxation of rural–urban migration policies and the elimination of employment discrimination.

Sustainable village development is essential for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically regarding poverty eradication (SDG 1), inequality reduction (SDG 10), and the establishment of sustainable communities (SDG 11). This study formulates a smart village framework for Sungai Pitung Village, Barito Kuala, by utilizing the Village Information System (SID) to enhance local governance and economic conditions. The methodology employs TOGAF ADM 9.2, covering the Preliminary phase, Architecture Vision, Business Architecture, Information Systems Architecture, and Technology Architecture. The novelty of this research lies in the strategic integration of Village Development Index (IDM) indicators and Village SDGs (Ministerial Regulation No. 13 of 2020) directly into the architectural blueprints. This approach ensures that the resulting digital roadmap is legally and contextually compliant with Indonesian rural mandates. The framework is validated through a formal evaluation of research results with relevant stakeholders to ensure it addresses the digital divide and operational inefficiencies. The findings provide a holistic IT architecture that standardizes technology catalogs and aligns village services with national development targets, ultimately fostering an enhanced quality of life for rural inhabitants.

ABSTRACT The provision of safe, affordable and reliable drinking water to communities is a basic human right, as access to sufficient potable water is essential for sustaining a healthy life and human dignity. However, despite progress made towards the provision of potable water to all, globally, some two billion people still lack access to safe, readily available potable water in their homes. Many of these people live in rural areas across Africa. This study investigates how local power dynamics impact rural water supply in Bambili, Northwest Cameroon. Data for this study were obtained through empirical evidence (observation, documentation, experiment, etc.) from nine sections out of thirty-nine sections of Bambili, Northwest Cameroon. Results show that discrimination in participation and unequal access to potable water supplies exists in this rural community. Some rural dwellers face exclusion and marginalisation, both economically and culturally, which affects their access to water. Seemingly, neither the local water management authorities nor the Village Traditional Councils (VTC) are able or willing to deal with this injustice. Thus, it is unlikely that collective rural water supply and the Sustainable Development Goal SDG No. 6 can be achieved in the region despite increased investment in the water sector. As a result, the water rights embedded in the SDG Agenda are not realised in this rural community due to the social nature of access to water and the failure of stakeholders to ensure equal access and the right to water supply.

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractDespite several reforms aimed at financial digitalization, such as the Cashless Policy (CP), Bank verification number (BVN), Linkage of National identification number (NIN) to bank accounts, and the Naira Redesign, a large proportion of Nigeria’s rural population remains digitally excluded. This study addresses a pressing gap of whether financial reforms are facilitating sustainable digital banking adoption or compounding existing barriers among rural users in South-west, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed, drawing data from 376 rural dwellers across six South-western states of Nigeria. A structured questionnaire measured rural dwellers’ engagement with digital financial services and the influence of key reforms. Using a cross-sectional survey, responses were analyzed through PLS-SEM, where findings revealed that the Cashless Policy (β = 0.192, p = 0.008) and National Identification Number linkage reform (β = 0.332, p = 0.000) significantly enhanced digital banking adoption, while the Bank Verification Number reform (β = 0.069, p = 0.396) and Naira Redesign (β = 0.038, p = 0.539) showed no significant effects. The study concludes that while some reforms have improved financial inclusion, Bank Verification Number and currency redesign policies require a systematic approach to better address rural realities and therefore recommends infrastructure development and user-focused reforms to strengthen rural digital financial participation.AcknowledgmentThe authors would like to acknowledge all respondents who took part in the survey.

Nigeria’s financial environmental was significantly impacted by the growing concern over rising tariffs, especially in rural area where access to reasonably priced financial services remain scarce. This study examined the impact of rising bank tariffs on financial inclusion in rural Nigeria, with specific focus on Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. Using a survey research design and data collected from 400 respondents, the study employed descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis to assess the effects of bank charges, transaction fees and SMS charges. Findings revealed that rising bank charges and SMS fees significantly hinder financial inclusion, while transaction fees showed no significant effect. This implies that persistent cost barriers discourage rural dwellers from engaging with formal banking channels, thereby slowing Nigeria’s financial inclusion agenda. The study concluded that the affordability of financial services remains central to shaping the financial behavior of rural populations. It was therefore recommended that banks should introduce affordable services and charges that matches the financial capacity of rural customers. The attention of banks should also be directed toward improving the accessibility and convenience of banking services in rural areas. Finally, mobile banking and SMS-based financial services should be provided at affordable costs for rural customers.

Nearly 2 million new cancer cases and over half a million cancer deaths in the USA were reported in 2024. Still there remains a paucity of data on cancer-cachexia-related mortality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database was utilised to identify cases where both cachexia and cancer were listed as either contributory or underlying causes of death between 1999 and 2020. Between 1999 and 2020, there were 64,106 deaths related to cancer and cachexia among adults aged ≥55 years. Overall, a declining trend has been identified from 1999 to 2019. Black patients had 1.4 times higher mortality than White patients. Rural dwellers had higher mortality than urban adults. Lastly, states with age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) in the 90th percentile (California, South Carolina, Utah, Georgia, Alaska and New Hampshire) displayed approximately five-fold higher AAMR than states in the bottom 10th percentile. Tailored public health strategies for healthcare access and risk factor management are needed to address these disparities.

Purpose: This study evaluates the contribution of vocational education to poverty reduction in rural Nigeria. It focuses on how vocational training enhances employment opportunities and fosters self-sufficiency, thereby helping rural communities transition from subsistence farming to more sustainable and profitable agricultural businesses. Research Methodology: The research uses a qualitative approach, analyzing secondary data from textbooks, academic journals, and government publications. Guided by the Human Capital Theory, it explores how investments in education and training can improve economic outcomes. Results: The findings highlight that challenges like inadequate infrastructure and limited funding hinder vocational education’s full potential. However, it has shown promise in transitioning rural communities from subsistence farming to value-added agricultural businesses, thus increasing household incomes and local economic growth. Conclusions: Vocational education can significantly contribute to poverty reduction in rural Nigeria, provided there is substantial government investment and improved infrastructure. Limitations: The study relies on secondary data, which may not reflect the most recent developments or local experiences, limiting the scope of the findings. Contributions: This study underscores the importance of investing in vocational education to address poverty in rural areas. It recommends enhancing infrastructure, increasing government funding, and fostering industry partnerships to improve vocational training outcomes.

Ecuador is considered one of the South American countries with abundant bamboo resources due to its diversity and abundance. This species, considered a non-timber resource, contributes to multiple SDGs because of its environmental potential and provision of sustainable livelihoods. This study uses a life cycle assessment methodology to evaluate the social and ecological impacts of preserved bamboo in two key production regions in Ecuador. The findings show that bamboo conserved in various by-products and processing forms emits less than 0.5 kg of CO2-Eq, with chemical inputs and transportation distances accounting for most of the environmental impacts. The assessment of the social implications of the actors in the bamboo chain is above average, translating into a “fair” evaluation, which tends to be more positive than negative. Thus, bamboo is seen as a source of livelihood for rural inhabitants, but it faces challenges such as poor agricultural incomes, informal employment, and limited access to basic services. Despite these obstacles, institutional support and the rise in the market for bamboo-based products provide opportunities to improve rural development, create green jobs, and strengthen climate resilience. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to enhance the role of bamboo in rural development.

ABSTRACT Popular beliefs and symbolic interpretations associated with wildlife can significantly influence human attitudes toward species conservation, especially in culturally diverse contexts such as the Colombian Andes. This study analyzed perceptions and beliefs concerning 19 vertebrate species (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia, through structured surveys administered to 816 including both rural inhabitants and urban residents of varying age ranges, genders, religions, educational levels, and localities. A mixed quantitative and qualitative approach was used to identify both general patterns and specific cultural narratives. The results revealed that age range was the primary sociodemographic variable associated with significant differences in the perception of omens. While the perception patterns remained similar across young adults, adults, and older adults – with owls, snakes, and hummingbirds consistently ranking highest for omens – adolescents showed a distinct trend, with bats and toads having the highest average values. In contrast, locality, gender, religion, and educational level showed no statistically significant effects. Species such as snakes, bats, and owls were predominantly linked to negative beliefs, while the hummingbird and deer were associated with positive perceptions. These findings underscore the need to integrate cultural knowledge and local beliefs into conservation strategies, environmental education, and public policy.

Introduction: Deaths due to burn are an important public health related issue in a developing country like Bangladesh.Burn injuries have been described as the most serious injuries that may afflict a human being. It is a considerable one of the commonest cause of unnatural deaths in Bangladesh. Females, child, rural dwellers and populations of low socioeconomic condition are mostly suffered by burn injuries. The purpose of this retrospective study was to record and evaluate the actual and potential causes and the magnitude of the fatal burn injuries.Materials and methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among the burn death victims at Dhaka Medical College, Morgue, during the period of January 2023-December 2023.Results: An analysis of autopsy records revealed 405 (11.27%) cases of burn injuries among the total 3589 autopsies done over 1 year period (January 2023-December 2023) in the mortuary of Dhaka Medical College. Among the total burn cases the flame burns were seen in 76.79% of the victims, out of these fire was the commonest cause (71.71%). The majority of deaths (21.89%) occurred between 31 and 40 years of age group with a preponderance of males (66.73%) female maleratio being 1:2. Most of the victims died from neurogenic shock (54.73%) followed by septicemia (23.59%). The majority of deaths occurred within a week (80.82%) and the percentages of burns (TBSA) over 50% were observed in most of the cases (83.27%). Accidental death was the most common manner of burn death accounting for 331 (81.65%)and the commonest location for burn deaths was home locations 259 (63.89%). Highest incidence of burn occurred in winter 170 (42.03%) regarding variations in burn injury with time of day, the incidence is high in night 219 (54.07%) day night ratio being 1:1.18. Conclusion: The results of this study provide the necessary information’s to address it as a public health related problem and develop proper burn prevention programs, thus reducing the frequency of burns and burn related deaths. Journal of Brahmanbaria Med. Coll. Volume 07 Issue 01 Jan 2025 ; 3-7

Alcohol consumption in the Western Province of Sri Lanka: Prevalence, patterns, and health implications.

Mobility of Care (MoC) encompasses all trips made for unpaid care work, including caregiving and domestic responsibilities. Previous studies have shown the prevalence of the MoC in daily mobility, its disproportionate impact on women, and its key characteristics. However, research has mostly focused on urban residents, while rural dwellers are underexplored, despite their challenges in accessing care services. In this study, we aim to explore the role of the MoC in rural areas through three steps. First, we conduct a literature review to derive the main findings from previous MoC studies. Second, we perform an exploratory analysis of the MoC in a rural case study by investigating its daily prevalence, who undertakes it, and how. Third, we compare the nuances of our case study with the literature. In line with previous research, our exploratory analysis shows that care trips represent about 35% of all daily trips in our rural case study. Women, seniors, and non-working people are the main caregivers in the sample. Private cars and active modes account for 90% of the care-related modal split. Notably, 30% of care trips are 5-15 km long, 50% take place during off-peak hours, and 60% are destinated for villages. Although our results cannot be generalised due to the limited sample size, they provide novel nuances of the potential rural specificities of MoC, which may be explored in future research. Moreover, they highlight the potential need for more flexible collective transport options for rural caregivers, beyond the peak-hour requirements of commuters and students.

Beyond Survival: A wellbeing-centric indicator for assessing rural individuals’ resilience to climate change

Although the advent of social media, Internet and the information communication technologies (ICTs) has received global enthusiasm, it has no doubt added another texture of gap in social disparity, particularly in the context of access and digital literacy. The issue is that access, affordability and dexterity in the use of these digital technologies are largely determined by class, exposure, location and other intervening dynamics in each country. Digital divide poses a challenge in many parts of the world, particularly among rural communities where people lack access to the right technologies. Thus, digital divide, seen in this paper as the inequality in access to digital technologies and the internet between different countries, communities and groups, is still a serious issue in parts of China and Nigeria and indeed, elsewhere particularly in the rural areas made more difficult due to their remote geographical locations, infrastructural deficits, and poor standard of living among the dwellers. This paper, therefore, compares digital literacy and access in rural Africa (Nigeria) and Asia (China) with a focus on infrastructure, policy frameworks, and interventions. The study employed a qualitative design to explore the lived experiences of these rural community dwellers to examine the challenges in bridging the gap. Findings suggest that Nigeria has more material access barriers than their Chinese counterparts, particularly among the older populations. The Nigerian realities are grimmer and worse when measuring this digital inequality. This could be linked to policy responses and standard of living in both countries which differ markedly. The findings also call for cultural and linguistic-sensitive digital literacy campaigns and interventions to boost digital inclusion, especially among the older rural dwellers, who look secluded from digital trends that would have bettered their lives.