Rural Ones Research Articles

Urban-rural disparities in the association between long-term exposure to high altitude and malnutrition among children under 5 years old: evidence from a cross-sectional study in Tibet.

To assess urban-rural disparities in the association between long-term exposure to high altitude and malnutrition among children under 5 years old. A three-stage, stratified, cluster sampling was used to randomly select eligible individuals from July to October 2020. The data of participants, including demographic characteristics, altitude of residence, and nutritional status, were collected via questionnaire and physical examination. Tibet, China. Children under 5 years old in Tibet. Totally, 1975 children under 5 years old were included in this study. We found that an additional 1000 m increase in altitude was associated with decreased Z-scores of height-for-age (β = -0·23, 95 % CI: -0·38, -0·08), Z-scores of weight-for-age (β = -0·24, 95 % CI: -0·39, -0·10). The OR for stunting and underweight were 2·03 (95 % CI: 1·51 to 2·73) and 2·04 (95 % CI: 1·38 to 3·02) per 1000 m increase in altitude, respectively; and OR increased rapidly at an altitude above 3500 m. The effects of long-term exposure to high altitudes on the prevalence of underweight in rural children were higher than that in urban children (P < 0·05). High-altitude exposure is tightly associated with malnutrition among children under 5 years old. Improving children's nutrition is urgently needed in areas above 3500 m, especially in rural ones.

Characteristics of the urban heat island effect in the coastal Mediterranean city of Kalamata, Greece

ABSTRACT The urban heat island effect for the coastal Mediterranean city of Kalamata is studied, for June to September during two consecutive years, 2019–2020. Temperature data were gathered by fixed temperature stations, placed in representative locations, covering all the major areas (urban, suburban, and rural). Results showed that the urban area is warmer than suburban and rural ones. The maximum heat island intensity was also estimated, usually achieved during nighttime and early in the morning. As there are no such data for Kalamata, this work helps to identify issues of energy consumption and human comfort. Especially for small Mediterranean cities, the work could be useful for a researcher to clarify the UHI Intensity. Detailed data are presented in the work, both for the clarification of UHI and its intensity and for the characteristics of each area, which could be useful for the development of UHI mitigation strategies, in small coastal cities.

Rural-urban differences in prevalence of and risk factors for refractive errors among school children and adolescents aged 6-18 years in Dalian, China.

PurposeTo assess the prevalence of refractive errors (REs) in school children aged 6–18 years in urban and rural settings in Dalian, Northeast of China.MethodsThis is a school-based cross-sectional survey using multi-stage randomization technique. Six- to eighteen-year-old school children from elementary schools, junior and senior high schools from a rural area and an urban area in Dalian were included in December 2018. All subjects underwent a comprehensive questionnaire and eye examination.ResultsA total of 4,522 school children with 6–18 years of age were investigated. The age, gender-adjusted prevalence of myopia, and anisometropia were 82.71 and 7.27% among the urban students as compared to 71.76% and 5.41% among the rural ones (OR = 1.80, 95 % CI = 1.53 - 2.11, P < 0.001; OR = 1.29, 95 % CI = 1.00–1.67, P = 0.049), respectively. The hyperopia was less common in urban students than in rural ones (5.63 vs. 10.21%; OR = 0.54, 95 % CI: 0.43–0.67, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in prevalence of astigmatism between urban (46.07%) and rural (44.69%) participants (OR = 0.96, 95 % CI: 0.84–1.10, P = 0.559). The differences on prevalence of REs were attributed to different social-demographic and physiologic factors.ConclusionsThe students from urban settings are more likely to have myopia and anisometropia but less likely to have hyperopia than their rural counterparts. Although considerable attention had been paid to controlling REs, it is necessary to further consider the urban-rural differences in REs.

Consumption of aquatic products and meats in Chinese residents: A nationwide survey.

ObjectiveTo provide the most recent national estimates for the consumption of aquatic products and meats among Chinese residents.MethodsThis study was conducted in 14 provinces of China, using a multi-stage stratified random cluster sampling method and a population-proportional sampling procedure. Aquatic products and meats consumption was measured by a 3-day, 24-h dietary recall. Chinese residents aged 3 years and above (n = 24,106) completed a face-to-face dietary interview.ResultsThe average daily consumption of meat and aquatic products for the all-aged population was 70.9 g and 48.0 g, respectively, which aligned with Dietary Guidelines (40–75 g/d) for Chinese Residents (2016). On the one hand, intake of aquatic products among Chinese people was relatively insufficient, especially for adolescents and elder people (<40 g/d). On the other hand, males, mainly aged 19–60, generally consumed too much meat (>80 g/d), and 19–44 grouping consumed more than 70 g/d of red meat. Besides, urban residents and individuals with higher socioeconomic status (SES) have exhibited comprehensively healthy dietary preferences than rural ones and those with a lower SES do. Women and the higher SES group tend to be closer to the dietary guidelines for the Chinese.ConclusionsThe consumption of meat and aquatic products varied with age, gender, region and SES. Detecting patterns in consumption is particularly relevant for policy makers, researchers and health professionals in the formulation of dietary recommendations and estimating potential health outcomes.

The Value of Rural and Urban Public Infrastructure

The authors estimate the value of public infrastructure using a panel of rural and urban counties in the United States from 1970 to 2012. Regression estimates imply public infrastructure increases employment more in urban counties, while improving property values more in rural ones; positive effects on income are similar. Spatial equilibrium modeling suggests public capital has similar quality-of-life and productivity benefits in urban and rural areas but does more to reduce costs of providing housing in urban ones. While public investments in rural and urban counties appear to pass conventional cost–benefit tests, dollar-per-dollar they are more valuable in urban counties.

Centric Data Analytics Framework for Solar Energy Efficiency in the Rural Settings

Climate change periodically, and one of its natural causes is solar variation. Solar energy generation is now gaining more attention in developed nations, and its usefulness is becoming acceptable in rural settings. This research focused on Centric Data Analytics Framework for Solar Energy Efficiency called DAFSEE to solve power supply deficiency in resource-limited settings in Kwara State. Statistically, resource-limited regions feature a low population with a shortfall of social amenities. Significantly, households in urban areas have more electricity consumption than rural ones, making solar energy more relevant. The researcher then determined the efficiency of solar energy in the selected regions over time using an experimental study using cloud computing to create a dataset in six geo-locations in Kwara State. A predictive model was adopted and yielded 98.99% from the recurring analytics of the installed solar cells. The outcome of this study suggested best practices to sustain renewable energy in the area across all seasons. The study provides a starting point to distil policy implications for a centric analytics framework of improving rural electrification relevant for collective resource-limited settings across Nigeria.

Body size and the urban heat island effect modulate the temperature–size relationship in ground beetles

AbstractAimBody size is a key trait linked to other life history traits and influences several individual‐, community‐ and ecosystem‐level characteristics, processes, functions and services. Ecological and evolutionary body size responses at the intra‐ and inter‐specific level to thermal geographic gradients (e.g. latitudinal or altitudinal ones) are widely studied. Whether this temperature‐size relationship remains true for community‐wide body size is still largely unknown.LocationNorthern temperate region.TaxonGround beetles (Carabidae).MethodsWe assessed the temperature‐size relationships using data from 11 northern temperate locations, spanning 25 latitudinal degrees. Furthermore, we quantified the effects of potential competing factors, such as body size and habitat preference of carabid assemblages and sub‐assemblages along urbanisation gradients, as well as the urban heat island (UHI) effect on this relationship.ResultsWe found significant negative relationship between the community‐wide mean body size and the geographical latitude (converse Bergmann cline) for the whole ground beetle assemblage and the sub‐assemblages of large‐bodied species. This relationship was stronger in the urban localities than in rural ones. For the sub‐assemblages of small‐sized species, the relationship was not significant. We found significant negative relationship between the community‐wide mean body size and the latitude for the sub‐assemblages of both the non‐forest and the forest species, and these became stronger in the urban habitats.Main ConclusionsOur results highlight the leading role of the individual body size and the UHI effect in determining the community‐wide body size–latitude relationship in ground beetles.

The Distribution Effects of a Carbon Tax on Urban and Rural Households in China

Carbon tax is an important carbon emission mitigation tool and has been widely recognized as an efficient mechanism for slowing down global warming. The imposition of a carbon tax will, however, inevitably affect income distribution, as a household’s income level influences its priorities regarding consuming the affected goods. This will have important implications for the government, which will have to formulate policies that can achieve efficiency as well as equity. In this study, we apply the input–output price model to estimate the distribution effects of a carbon tax for urban as well as rural areas in China. Our results show that the price increases due to carbon taxes affect rural areas more than urban areas. The Suits index in rural areas is −0.1928, while the value in urban areas is −0.0588. This indicates carbon tax is regressive in all areas, especially the rural ones, and there is a need to formulate suitable policy measures to alleviate a possible widening income gap among income groups and between urban and rural areas.

Prevalence and Determinants of the Double Burden of Malnutrition with a Focus on Concurrent Stunting and Overweight/Obesity in Children and Adolescents.

To determine the prevalence and determinants of concurrent stunting and overweight/obesity(CSO) in the same child or adolescent. After searching PubMed and the Web of Science, 26 articles comprised the prevalence and/or determinants of concurrent stunting and overweight/obesity. Most of the articles were published from 2018 onwards. There is great variation in the prevalence of concurrent stunting and overweight/obesity across the globe. For children under five years the prevalence of CSO is higher among children under two years compared with those 2-<5 years. The main determinants of this condition appear to be associated with gender, age, and urban versus rural ones. Income varied greatly between studies. However, a few additional variables were mentioned including having a mother with a short stature, time of weaning, having an improved toilet facility, being dewormed in the past few months, and the level of education of the mother.

Majority of artificially lit Earth surface associated with the non-urban population

Key to understanding the negative impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) on human health and the natural environment is its relationship with human density. ALAN has often primarily been considered an urban issue, however although over half of the population is urbanized, the 46 % that are not inhabit a dispersed array of smaller settlements. Here, we determine the global relationships between two dimensions of ALAN, namely direct emissions (radiance) and skyglow, and human density, and how these relationships vary across continents. We correct the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Day/Night Band (VIIRS DNB) product for albedo, skyglow, airglow, the aurora and permanent snow and ice to represent upward radiance overland at 1.61 ∗ 2.12 km resolution from artificial sources only. For skyglow we use the World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness. Globally (between 59°N and 55°S), direct emissions were detected over 26.5 % and skyglow over 46.9 % of land area. Over half of all cumulative direct emissions (54.9 %) were emitted at low levels by the non-urban population, whilst these populations experienced the negative impacts of over two-thirds of all cumulative skyglow (69.8 %). This emphasises the extent of ALAN outside of urban areas, and its similarity in this regard to a number of other forms of pollution. Although powerful sources of rural direct emissions (e.g., industry, recreation) are important contributors of light pollution, cumulatively they only contributed 10 % to total direct emissions. The relationship between each dimension of ALAN and population density varied across continents, driven by powerful rural emissions, non-urban populations and urban design. These relationships reflect the unique socio-economic and geographical make-up of each region and inform on where best to target light pollution mitigation strategies, not only in urban areas but also in rural ones.

Associations between concentrations of typical ultraviolet filter benzophenones in indoor dust and human hair from China: A human exposure study

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) has been widely used as a typical ultraviolet (UV) filter in various personal care products. While BP-3 and its derivatives (BPs) have been detected in various environmental matrices, very little is known about the concentration profile of BPs in human hair. The associations of BPs in human hair with those in indoor dust samples collected from the same locations remain largely unclear. In this study, a total of 258 indoor dust samples and 66 human hair samples were collected across China and analyzed to determine the presence of BP-3 and its derivatives. The BP-3 concentrations ranged from 0.386 to 1230 ng/g dw in indoor dust and from 0.149 to 696 ng/g dw in human hair. No difference was found between BPs in indoor dust samples from different geographic regions (p > 0.05), whereas relatively higher BP concentrations were observed for dust from urban regions than dust from rural ones (p < 0.05). A positive correlation was found between the BP-3 concentrations of indoor dust and human hair samples (p < 0.05). The estimated daily intake (EDI) of BPs for humans from indoor dust showed a gender difference (females > males; p < 0.05), with the highest EDI value being found in Southwest China (males: 35.5 pg/kg bw/day; females: 40.6 pg/kg bw/day). This study provides the concentration profiles of BPs in human hair and elucidates the associations between the BP concentrations in indoor dust samples and human hair samples collected across China.

A study on the role of aedes mosquitoes in arboviruses and SARS-CoV-2 infection: A new challenge

Chikungunya, Zika, Dengue Viruses, and now Novel Coronavirus are global health challenges that cause human diseases ranging from febrile illnesses to death. Most of these viruses are mainly vectored by Aedes mosquitoes worldwide. Molecular detection of arboviruses was made in female Aedes mosquito pools caught from all the seven districts by using a reliable molecular technique, “RT-PCR.” From 216 collections of Aedes species, arboviruses were detected in 27, including only Alphavirus genus to determine mosquito abundance and evaluate the potential role of Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes in arboviruses and nvel Coronavirus transmission. 5322 mosquitoes were collected using aspirators; 35.31% (n = 2049) were identified as female Aedes using morphological keys, pooled into 216 pools, and tested for arboviruses and coronaviruses by using RT-PCR with the help of specific primers. Novel Coronavirus was not detected in this study. Only the Flavivirus genus was detected in twenty-seven pools giving an infection rate of 62.96% (n = 17) for DENV2, while DENV3 was 37.03% (n = 10). Furthermore, our results indicated no role of mosquitoes in the spread of Covid-19. Results showed a higher infection rate in urban sites than in rural ones. The detection of arboviruses indicates possible human health risk due to active role of these mosquitoes in spreading of arbovirus in the study area.

Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS-attributed mortalities and associated sociodemographic factors in Papua New Guinea: evidence from the comprehensive health and epidemiological surveillance system

ObjectiveTuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS are public health concerns in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This study examines TB and HIV/AIDS mortalities and associated sociodemographic factors in PNG.MethodAs part of a longitudinal...

Differences in the Pollen Content of Varieties of Polish Honey from Urban and Rural Apiaries

Abstract The value of honey as a natural food product is influenced by its pollen content, with the dominant type of pollen conferring specific medicinal properties. The present study examines the pollen spectra of 31 honeys from urban (linden, acacia, polyfloral, honeydew) and rural (rape, acacia, polyfloral, honeydew) apiaries in Poland. The pollen in content in honey ranged from 0.2 to 88 %. In total, 76 plant taxa were identified, 21 of which were assigned to forms A, B and C. Higher pollen grain content and a greater diversity of honey plant taxa were found in the urban honey, particularly polyfloral honey; this could be attributed to the rich variety of plants found in urban green areas compared to rural areas ones.

Extend of unhealthy behaviours of patients with cardiovascular diseases during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Northern Greece: comparison between urban and rural residents

Funding AcknowledgementsType of funding sources: None.IntroductionUnhealthy behaviours can be amplified during lockdown and organisations, like WHO and CDC, campaign on how to stay healthy at home. Lifestyle choices are of paramount importance for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Northern Greece was forcefully hit by the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and a hard lockdown was implemented in November 2020.PurposeThe aim of the study was to assess the (un)healthy behaviours of patients with CVDs during the second COVID-19 lockdown in Northern Greece and to compare the urban with the rural population.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional short questionnaire telephone-based survey conducted in February 2021. Responders with known CVDs were primarily questioned (using a Likert-like scale) about smoking, diet and physical activity, along essential medical history. Beliefs about COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination were also considered. Sociodemographic details were noted. Patients who were placed under quarantine were excluded in this analysis.ResultsThe response rate was high (438 out of 700 calls, 62.6%) with the majority of the participants willing to speak for longer time than initially estimated. In total, answers by 395 patients (216 urban and 179 rural) (female 252/63.8%, mean age 57.3 years old) were incorporated. There were 200 active smokers questioned (urban: 119, 55.1% - rural: 81, 45.3%). More urban residents increased smoking (56, 47.1%) than rural ones (24, 29.6%). Of note, the majority of the rural patients reported smoking similarly than before the lockdown. Unfortunately, none of the questioned participants attempted to quit smoking. The mean BMI of the urban patients was 27.5 ± 4.3 kg/m² (vs. 26.8 ± 3.8 kg/m² before lockdown) corresponding to a mean weight gain of about 2 kg. The rise in mean BMI could be explained, partly, by the increased eating as reported by almost half of the urban participants (121, 56.0%). There was a smaller increase in mean BMI of the rural sample (from 26.6 ± 3.9 kg/m² to 26.9 ± 4.1 kg/m²) corresponding to a mean weight gain of less than 1 kg. The limited weight gain is represented by the majority of the rural patients reported that they didn’t change their eating habits. The vast minority of the urban and the rural participants answered that they increased exercising in comparison to their pre-lockdown habits (39, 18.1% vs 37, 19.4%, p>0.05), Contrary to that, more than half of the rural patients had maintained similar levels of physical activity (109, 57.1%).ConclusionThe hard lockdown in Greece during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied with an aggravation of unhealthy choices by patients with CVDs. This observation was more apparent in the urban population. Further research is warrant to assess the clinical impact of these behaviours. Public campaigns are anxiously needed to promote healthy behaviours.

The Influence of Living in Rural Areas on the Evolution and Management of Pediatric Ovarian Cystic Lesions: A Retrospective Study on a Cohort from South Eastern Romania

BackgroundThe incidence of ovarian cystic lesions (OCLs) in pediatric patients has been increasing in recent years. An early diagnosis is mandatory for a favourable prognosis but it depends on the primary medical care services and on the socioeconomic status of the patient. The present study aims at assessing the prevalence and the age-specific frequencies of pediatric OCLs, as well as identifying disparities between subjects in the urban and the rural areas, in order to explore the extent to which OCLs occurrence, diagnosis, evolution and treatment differ in the case of patients living in rural areas.MethodsA 3-year retrospective study was conducted between 2017 and 2019. All the female patients aged between 0 and 18 with OCLs ≥10 mm (N = 488), diagnosed and treated at “Sf.Ioan” Clinical Emergency Hospital for Children in Galaţi were included in the study. The Chi2 test was used for comparing the distributions of frequencies, and the t-Student test was used for comparing the means of any two normally distributed variables. The statistical significance threshold (p) was set at 0.05.ResultsThe prevalence of OCLs ≥10 mm was 14.85%, 47.13% of the subjects originating in rural area (p = 0.62). Different from the urban areas, the rural ones are characterised by a lower proportion of patients with BMI ≥25 (p = 0.002), larger OCLs mean size (p = 0.278), a more frequent complex aspect on ultrasonography (p = 0.01), and a smaller number of general physician referrals (p = 0.005). Moreover, a higher proportion of rural patients were intraoperatively diagnosed with OCLs (p = 0.044), had complicated OCLs (p = 0.012) and had their OCLs surgically treated OCLs (p < 0.01).ConclusionTaking into consideration the socio-economic situation of south eastern Romania, patients living in rural areas have proven exposed to a higher risk of presenting with larger, complex and complicated OCLs, which most often require surgical treatment.

Land-Use Changes and Socioeconomic Conditions of Communities along the Carajás Railroad in Eastern Amazonia

Studies on communities along railroads are relevant because of the impacts of operations on their socioeconomic and environmental conditions. The objective of this paper was to examine 32 communities affected by the Carajas railroad between 2010 and 2017. The socioeconomic and environmental dimensions involved an examination of 17 indicators and a qualitative analysis of Google Earth images, respectively. We applied appropriate statistical tests for data analysis. The results showed that urban communities have better socioeconomic conditions (higher incomes and less poverty) than rural ones; and that those in Maranhão are in a less sustainable situation (poor socioeconomic indicators and significant changes in land cover). The communities near the railroad showed higher variation in socio-environmental conditions. We conclude that socioeconomic and satellite images data analysis can help increase the resilience and sustainability of communities in risk situations. The latter include people with few financial resources, poor housing conditions, and living in areas with significant land cover changes because they provide fundamental data and information that can guide action through the formulation and execution of public policies or decision-making by other agents, such as private companies. Therefore, policymakers, managers, and other stakeholders should focus on community-scale deficiencies, especially in identified priority communities.

ROCHDALE PRINCIPLES - THE CATALYST FOR THE FUNCTIONING AND INDIVIDUALIZATION OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES

Since their first appearance, cooperatives have proved to be a viable alternative to promoting the legitimate interests of disadvantaged groups of the population, such as rural ones, refugees, immigrants, the unemployed, the elderly or the disabled, who have discovered in cooperatives the means needed to improve their own material situation. The founders of cooperative society formulated some principles of activity for the administration of the cooperative. Today these principles are known as the famous Rochdale Principles, which have so far been the basis for the development and expansion of the global cooperative movement, becoming, in fact, the prototype of cooperative societies.

Genetic population structure defines wild boar as an urban exploiter species in Barcelona, Spain

Urban wildlife ecology is gaining relevance as metropolitan areas grow throughout the world, reducing natural habitats and creating new ecological niches. However, knowledge is still scarce about the colonisation processes of such urban niches, the establishment of new communities, populations and/or species, and the related changes in behaviour and life histories of urban wildlife. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) has successfully colonised urban niches throughout Europe.The aim of this study is to unveil the processes driving the establishment and maintenance of an urban wild boar population by analysing its genetic structure. A set of 19 microsatellite loci was used to test whether urban wild boars in Barcelona, Spain, are an isolated population or if gene flow prevents genetic differentiation between rural and urban wild boars. This knowledge will contribute to the understanding of the effects of synurbisation and the associated management measures on the genetic change of large mammals in urban ecosystems.Despite the unidirectional gene flow from rural to urban areas, the urban wild boars in Barcelona form an island population genotypically differentiated from the surrounding rural ones. The comparison with previous genetic studies of urban wild boar populations suggests that forest patches act as suitable islands for wild boar genetic differentiation. Previous results and the genetic structure of the urban wild boar population in Barcelona classify wild boar as an urban exploiter species.These wild boar peri-urban island populations are responsible for conflict with humans and thus should be managed by reducing the attractiveness of urban areas. The management of peri-urban wild boar populations should aim at reducing migration into urban areas and preventing phenotypic changes (either genetic or plastic) causing habituation of wild boars to humans and urban environments.

COVID-19's impacts on incomes and food consumption in urban and rural areas are surprisingly similar: Evidence from five African countries

African governments imposed mobility restrictions to suppress the spread of COVID-19. Many observers feared these measures would dramatically decrease incomes and increase food insecurity and anticipated that urban households would be much more impacted than rural ones. We use rural and urban survey data from 4000 households across five African countries to assess the pandemic's effect on incomes and food consumption. We find that a large share of the population saw incomes drop between March and July 2020. But these decreases were 43–63% smaller than predictions and early estimates, and highly correlated with the severity of restrictions. The income and food consumption impacts of the COVID-19 shock were widespread over both rural and urban areas. Policy making during a pandemic should recognize that restrictive measures will affect rural and urban, farming and non-farming, and richer and poorer households.