Rural Respondents Research Articles

The Differential Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Sexual Behavior of Eligible Couples in Urban and Rural India

Background: Intimacy during sexual contact with a person with symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 disease carries the risk of its transmission. COVID-19 has been therefore found to adversely impact the sexual behavior in people in various countries. A discussion on sexual health is often tabooed in India, leading to less research evidence from India. Aim: We tried to study and compare the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the sexual behavior of urban- and rural-based eligible couples. Methods: Eligible couples were randomly selected from the urban and rural field practice area of a Medical College of West Bengal (India). They were interviewed using a data collection schedule for their sexual practices adopted during the pandemic. Urban vs rural sexual behavior was compared using chi-square test. Results: Majority didn’t report any change in sexual desire compared to prepandemic days. However, scope of sexual contact had significantly reduced among urbanites ( P = .036); fear of contracting COVID-19 during sexual intimacy was more among them as well ( P = .047). The rural respondents reported significantly higher desire for parenthood ( P = .018), though their contraceptive behavior was not significantly different from the urban counterparts. Many used means other than sexual intercourse for sexual gratification, which had remained similar to the prepandemic times. Conclusion: The sexual behavior of urban and rural participants was found to be significantly different on many fronts, probably due to better COVID-19 awareness among urban residents as well as other prevalent social stigma and restrictions that were less commonly encountered in rural participants.

Differences and determinants for polluted area, urban and rural residents’ willingness to hand over and pay for waste mobile phone recycling: Evidence from China

Currently, China has the largest generation volume of waste mobile phones (WMPs), but the recycling rate is still negligible. How to improve the willingness to hand (WTH) over to formal recycling channels and willingness to pay (WTP) have become the most core problems in the e-waste recycling industry. As the important link between WMPs generation and collection, the residents’ role and function are attracting more and more attention. Thus, this study is designed to identify the determinants of the residents’ WTH and WTP for WMPs through the contingent valuation method (CVM). At the same time, it will explore the current existing gaps from the urban and rural residents. Especially, this study also considers Guiyu Town as one special rural region for understanding the differences with other regions. The results show that the respondents generally have the relatively lower knowledge and cognition on WMPs recycling. Only 9.4% respondents are satisfied with the current government's management of WMPs. Personal information leakage is an important reason for low WTH. The WTH of Guiyu, urban and rural respondents were 51.3%, 45.9% and 41.2%, respectively; while their WTP were 46.80%, 31.70% and 37.80%, respectively. Finally, it is estimated that their WTP values were 18.75 ($2.81), 16.14 ($2.42) and 15.85 ($2.38) RMB per unit, respectively. The demographic variables, cognition and attitude are important factors on all residents' WTH and WTP. Meanwhile, it is indicated that if owning higher WTH, the residents will trend to higher WTP. Especially, the WTH and WTP of Guiyu residents are higher than other residents.

Economic effect of the covid-19 pandemic on rural and urban community

COVID-19 has enormously impacted the economic life of the people. The study’s objective was to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial aspects of the rural and urban community in the Banaskantha district “during and post-lockdown. The study sample consisted of 200 respondents randomly selected from ten rural and ten urban areas in the Banaskantha district. An interview schedule was developed to collect primary data from respondents. The result showed that economically rural respondents were moderately affected during the lockdown but highly affected post-lockdown. In comparison, urban respondents’ social and economic aspects were extremely affected during the lockdown and moderately affected post-lockdown. A significant difference between lockdown and post-lockdown for social and economic effects was found due to the COVID-19 pandemic between rural and urban respondents. Overall, it can be concluded that COVID-19 adversely affected the economic aspects of rural and urban communities during and post-lockdown. Thus, better management by the government against the COVID-19 pandemic is essential to mitigate the financial crisis.

Exploring patient-borne costs and wait times for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) care among rural and urban adults

RATIONALE: Geography is an increasingly recognized barrier to the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases, yet no prior studies have investigated its influence on the patient-borne burden of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) care. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine if wait times and costs of OSA care differ between rural and urban adults. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study comparing OSA treatment outcomes among urban and rural adults. Participants were recruited at the time of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) initiation for uncomplicated OSA. Residential postal codes were translated into geographic census areas to classify participants as urban (community size > 100,000) or rural. Participants were administered a questionnaire exploring wait times and costs of OSA care at baseline and three months. RESULTS: We enrolled 242 participants (100 rural). Twenty-six percent of respondents waited at least six months to seek medical attention for possible OSA, with no difference between groups. Wait times for diagnosis and treatment were three months or less for 91 and 93% of respondents, respectively. However, rural respondents experienced longer delays from first assessment to diagnosis and from diagnosis to treatment. Fewer individuals with rural residence were supported by government funding for diagnostic testing or CPAP. Rural participants more commonly reported additional appointment-related costs and greater total costs of care. CONCLUSION: Rural patients experience longer wait times and a greater financial burden for OSA care. The findings of this study will inform the development of novel models of OSA care sensitive to the needs of unique populations.

Investigation of urban versus rural energy and water conservation behavior in Prishtina, Kosovo

Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyze the determinants of intention for energy and water conservation behavior in Prishtina, Kosovo by using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) conceptual framework and then examine the influence of intention and demographic factors on the conservation behavior itself. In addition, the present study examines the differences between urban and rural consumers in Prishtina in terms of their intention for energy and water conservation behaviors and their actual conservation behavior. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative approach by conducting ten in-depth interviews followed by one focus group with urban consumers and ten in-depth interviews followed by one focus group with rural consumers in Prishtina to analyze the influence of determinants on the conservation intention. In addition, the present study uses the quantitative research method to empirically examine the influence of intention and demographic variables on the actual conservation behavior. Findings The findings show that there is a difference between the urban and rural sample populations in Prishtina in terms of determinants that influence their intention to conserve energy and water. While attitude is the strongest determinant among the urban population, the social norms seem to be the strongest antecedent of the behavioral intention among the rural population. In addition, the study finds that the intention, income, family size and place of residence as a whole influence the actual behavior; however, the manifestation of the influence of separate variables on the actual conservation varies between urban and rural population. While intention is very strong among urban respondents and the actual conservation behavior is less dependent on the income level and family size, in the case of rural respondents, intention alone is not sufficient to predict the actual behavior and varies also on the income level. Originality/value The study brings unique and new knowledge about the application of the TPB in the context of small and developing economies bridging the research gaps arising from few scholarly research studying the differences between urban and rural populations.

Prediction of functional proteins associated with the gut microbiome of an adult population in Lagos State, Nigeria

BackgroundThe human gut microbiome is implicated in health and disease. Yet, its functions in healthy adults from a divergent population like those seen in Africa are quite unclear. We set to reveal the roles of the gut microbiome of a healthy rural and urban Yoruba population of Lagos State. MethodologySociodemographic and clinical data, and fecal samples were obtained from rural (n = 10) and urban (n = 10) participants. fecal DNA extraction was done using ZR Fecal DNA MiniPrep™ D6010 and metagenomic next generation sequencing performed on Illumina Miseq platform. Functional roles prediction and antibiotics resistance genes (ARGs) were done using the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) and Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) tools, respectively. The potential link between phenotypes and COG abundance were inferred using principal component analysis (PCA). ResultsWe found 12 (urban) and 11 (rural) COG classes of proteins from the gut microbes. Class E protein which denotes amino acid transport and metabolism was unique to urban respondents and was dominated by 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (45%) and asparagine synthase (30%), implying a high protein-based diet. Class S was found in both groups. COG families of proteins revealed the presence of exo-beta-1,3-glucanase (31%), pyruvate-decarboxylase, and thiamine pyrophosphate-requiring enzymes (22%) among the rural respondents’ indicative of carbohydrate-rich diets. In addition, uncharacterized protein linked to hypothetical functions was found in both. The COG proteins clustered with female sex, BMI (body mass index) and BP (blood pressure) for urban while for the rural populace, it clustered with height, BMI, and BP. CARD analysis showed ARGs in both groups (urban 90%; rural 10%) and all were Escherichia coli 16S rRNA (rrsB) mutation conferring resistance to streptomycin with gene variant model A523C n/a to aminoglycoside antibiotics. ConclusionThe study defined the classes of proteins from gut microbes of urban and rural respondents and highlighted the presence of uncharacterized proteins linked to hypothetical and unknown functions. Differences seen among the predicted roles appear to be driven by diet, clinical and sociodemographic factors. The higher abundance of ARGs observed in the urban population poses a serious public health concern with regards to the spread of antibiotic resistance.

What is holding back glucometer use? -A comparative study of rural and urban India

BackgroundSelf-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) is associated with better glycemic control. There have been significant technological advances in blood glucose monitoring in the recent past, but the wider acceptance of these technologies is still debatable. AimThis study investigates the adoption of glucometers and the extent of the use of features in rural and urban India. MethodsThe study uses Bass Model to predict the diffusion of innovation (DOI). Mathematical modeling was used to determine the stage of adoption (using 5-stage of DOI) and the Chi-Square test was used for examining the relationship between depth of implementation (extent of use) and place of residence. ResultsThe result of the study suggests that glucometer diffusion of innovation has passed the initial hurdle (chasm) in the urban population and is in the late majority. However, for rural respondents, the adoption of glucometers has just passed the chasm and falls under the early majority stage. The diffusion of innovation of combined rural and urban populations has just entered the late majority zone in 2022. The study suggests that a significant number of people with diabetes are still not using a glucometer and discusses the socio-economic issue related to this phenomenon. The utilization of the potential of a glucometer in SMBG falls under the localized shallow implementation category (not using advanced features). ConclusionsThe study suggests that the adoption of glucometer has just passed the initial hurdle in rural India, where two-thirds of the Indian population lives. Furthermore, the adoption of advanced glucometers is low among users.

Knowledge and perceptions of rural and urban communities towards small protected areas: Insights from Ghana

AbstractConservationists recognize that protected areas (PAs) have limited prospects without the involvement and support of local people. People inherently express positive perceptions to nature and support for wildlife conservation. Yet, people in rural and urban communities may differ in their knowledge and perceptions of benefits and costs of nearby small‐size PAs, which induce a vital impact on the effectiveness of PAs and conservation goal achievements. We investigated local people's knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes around rural PAs (Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuaries, Shai Hills Resource Reserve, and Ankasa Conservation Area) and urban PAs (Owabi Wildlife Sanctuaries) in Ghana. Based on a questionnaire survey (928 respondents) in communities surrounding the parks, the perception of benefits from PAs was mainly for ecological reasons and did not differ between PAs. However, the perception of costs incurred by PAs differed between urban and rural PAs. The locals of the urban PA perceived fewer costs (crop damage from wildlife) than those in rural areas. Although there were significant differences between the urban and rural PA respondents, most respondents had positive attitudes toward the PA. Fifty‐five percent of the total respondents were satisfied with the active law enforcement carried out by PA staff to protect biodiversity. However, 41% and 33% of respondents expressed discontent with restrictions on the use of natural resources within PAs and lack of involvement in decision‐making, respectively. Of the sociodemographic factors investigated in all parks, men were more satisfied with the policies and governance of PAs than women due to the greater participation of men in many outdoor activities. Positive attitudes toward PAs suggest that despite conflicts, there is a straightforward understanding by local people about healthy ecosystems, which creates a common ground between conservationists and local communities for successful conservation in PAs.

Factors affecting entrepreneurial intention among the rural population in India

PurposeThis paper aims at examining the factors affecting entrepreneurial intention (EI) among the rural adult population in India using the social cognitive theory (SCT).Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the Adult Population Survey of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor of 2017, covering 1,397 rural respondents from India. The data has been analysed using simple techniques such as Chi-square statistics, correlation and logistics regression.FindingsAbout 16% of the rural adults have reported EI in India. A significant relationship emerged between the demographics of rural adults with and without intention towards entrepreneurship. Finally, the regression model representing two components of the SCT, that is, confidence towards entrepreneurship and outcome expectations from entrepreneurship, showed a significant impact on EI among the rural population when controlled by family size and working status.Practical implicationsThis paper provides insights on factors affecting EI among rural adults, which can help in developing a policy framework for promoting new ventures among rural entrepreneurs. The result of the analysis indicates that the rural population need to be imparted the necessary skills to gain confidence in entrepreneurship, which should be aligned with the outcome expectations of the entrepreneurs.Originality/valueThis piece of research can be valuable for different stakeholders in adopting inclusive entrepreneurial initiatives. Moreover, entrepreneurship in rural areas has not gained much attention among scholars, and this study is intended to provide future research motivation.

Does polygyny cause intergroup conflict? Re-examining Koos and Neupert-Wentz (2020)

An article recently published in the Journal of Conflict Resolution by Koos and Nuepert-Wentz finds an association between geographically proximate polygynous ethnic groups and rural violence in Africa. This study applies several empirical adjustments to their analysis. The association between rural violence and polygynous neighbors loses significance when replacing violent events with fatalities in both ACLED and UCDP-GED data or converting event counts to binary. Subsetting Afrobarometer data by urban and rural respondents shows that rural respondents from polygynous groups are not significantly more likely to feel violence is justified. Moreover, there is no evidence the conflicts leading to the most rural violence in ACLED, farmer-herder clashes, or UCDP-GED, violence during the apartheid transition in South Africa, are related to “excess men.” Both conflicts suggest broader violations in the assumptions made in hypothesizing why polygynous neighbors lead to rural violence. The re-analysis calls the claim that polygyny is associated with rural violence into question and suggests researchers use broader approaches to measuring violence than just event counts.

Is the Australian primary healthcare system ready for the Rheumatic Heart Disease Endgame strategy? Data synthesis and recommendations

Is the Australian primary healthcare system ready for the Rheumatic Heart Disease Endgame strategy? Data synthesis and recommendations

Digital health literacy for COVID-19 vaccination and intention to be immunized: A cross sectional multi-country study among the general adult population.

IntroductionIt is clear that medical science has advanced much in the past few decades with the development of vaccines and this is even true for the novel coronavirus outbreak. By late 2020, COVID-19 vaccines were starting to be approved by national and global regulators, and across 2021, there was a global rollout of several vaccines. Despite rolling out vaccination programs successfully, there has been a cause of concern regarding uptake of vaccine due to vaccine hesitancy. In tackling the vaccine hesitancy and improving the overall vaccination rates, digital health literacy (DHL) could play a major role. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the digital health literacy and its relevance to the COVID-19 vaccination.MethodsAn internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to August 2021 using convenience sampling among people from different countries. Participants were asked about their level of intention to the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants completed the Digital Health Literacy Instrument (DHLI), which was adapted in the context of the COVID Health Literacy Network. Cross-tabulation and logistic regression were used for analysis purpose.ResultsOverall, the mean DHL score was 35.1 (SD = 6.9, Range = 12–48). The mean DHL score for those who answered “Yes” for “support for national vaccination schedule” was 36.1 (SD 6.7) compared to 32.5 (SD 6.8) for those who either answered “No” or “Don't know”. Factors including country, place of residence, education, employment, and income were associated with the intention for vaccination. Odds of vaccine intention were higher in urban respondents (OR-1.46; C.I.-1.30–1.64) than in rural respondents. Further, higher competency in assessing the relevance of online information resulted in significantly higher intention for vaccine uptake.ConclusionPriority should be given to improving DHL and vaccination awareness programs targeting rural areas, lower education level, lower income, and unemployed groups.

PREVALENCE AND PREDICTORS OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AMONG URBAN AND RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS OF KHANA, RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Substance use disorder is a major social and public health problem all over the world. This menace cuts across all age groups, but the adolescents and youths who are still undergoing physiological and psychological developments tend to be the most vulnerable and most affected. This study centred on the prevalence and predictors of substance use disorder among secondary school students in urban and rural settings of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. <strong>Materials and Methods:</strong> This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Multi-stage sampling was applied in selecting 400 respondents from eight government secondary schools in the L.G.A. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used. Collected data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0. For all analyses level of significance was set at p<0.05. <strong>Results:</strong> Prevalence of substance use disorder obtained was 37% for Urban and 38% for rural respondents. Alcohol was the most commonly abused in both settings 46.5% urban vs 47.2% rural followed by kola-nut, cannabis and opiate/codeine. Rural students indulged more (29.13%, 15.09%, 11.32%) than urban students (22.64%, 11.81%, 7.87%) respectively. The majority of respondents were introduced to substance use by family members and friends. The reason given for substance use by the most was to be awake, peer pressure and curiosity. Being male, age group 16-20 years, and living in polygamous and single parents’ homes were noted to be predictors of substance use disorder. <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Based on the results from the study, it can be concluded that substance use disorder is a common problem among secondary school students in both the urban and rural settings of Rivers State.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0958/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

A rural-urban comparison of self-management in people living with cancer following primary treatment: A mixed methods study.

To investigate and compare self-management in people living with cancer following treatment, from rural and urban areas in the United Kingdom where there is a significant evidence gap. A cross-sectional explanatory sequential mixed methods design. This involved a self-completion questionnaire that collected data on demographics, self-management using the PAM-13 and rural-urban residence and 34 in-depth interviews that aimed to explore and compare the barriers and facilitators to self-management in rural and urban settings. 227 participants completed the questionnaire: mean age 66.86 (±11.22). Fifty-two percent (n=119) were female and 48% (n=108) were male. Fifty-three percent (n=120) resided in urban areas and 45 % (n=103) in rural areas. Participants had a range of different types of cancer but the three most common were breast (n=73), urological (n=53), upper and lower gastrointestinal (n=41). Rural respondents (63.31±13.66) were significantly (p<0.05) more activated than those in urban areas (59.59±12.75). The barriers and facilitators to self-management identified in the interviews were prevalent in both rural and urban settings but some barriers were more explicit in rural settings. For example, there was a lack of bespoke support in rural areas and participants acknowledged how travelling long distances to urban centres for support groups was problematic. Equally, there were barriers and facilitators that were not necessarily unique to either geographic setting. Whilst the active treatment phase can present considerable challenges for people living with cancer in rural areas the findings suggest that the rural environment has the potential to increase engagement with self-management in the transition to survivorship. The rigorous mixed methods design has led to different and complementary conclusions that would not have been possible had either quantitative or qualitative methods been used in isolation.

Survey and Measurements of Indoor Environmental Quality in Urban/Rural Schools Located in Romania.

Taken as a whole, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) is a concept that deals not only with thermal conditions, but it also goes much further, because it includes indoor air quality (IAQ), illuminance or acoustic comfort. Among the different categories of buildings, schools are one of the most important in society especially because future generations are spending more than 6 h/day and ensuring them a healthy and comfortable environment must be top priority. The purposes of this research were to better understand school children’s IEQ preferences and needs in classrooms and to compare these among rural versus urban respondents. To reach this goal, a simple yet complete survey was proposed and, along with measurements, multiple conclusions were made. The methodology proposed was to reach a large sample of respondents to give more credibility and precision to the analysis. The results are based on the responses of 790 occupants both from urban and rural environments. Lack of ventilation, cooling, low or too high temperatures during winter/summer periods and a misappropriate sizing or piloting of the heating system are some of the issues found during the survey. The paper tackles several issues at once, helping to paint a more holistic image of the problems encountered in school classrooms. Optimal thermal comfort is not met during the cold season in any of the schools under investigation. The old rural schools were found to be the worst performing buildings compared to urban schools where due to recent investments in refurbishment the winter thermal comfort was enhanced. During the study, it was observed that one of the major IAQ problems consisted in elevated levels of CO2 or particulate matter especially for the schools situated in the city. Noise was reported as an issue only for the schools situated next to national roads while visual comfort was found to be acceptable for more than 94% of respondents from all regions.

A pilot cost-benefit analysis of a children's spectacle reimbursement scheme: Evidence for Including children's spectacles in Mongolia's Social Health Insurance.

Globally, 12.8 million children have vision impairment due to uncorrected refractive error (URE). In Mongolia, one in five children needs but do not have access to spectacles. This pilot cost-benefit analysis aims to estimate the net benefits of a children's spectacles reimbursement scheme in Mongolia. A willingness-to-pay (WTP) survey using the contingent valuation method was administered to rural and urban Mongolia respondents. The survey assessed WTP in additional annual taxes for any child with refractive error to be provided government-subsidised spectacles. Net benefits were then calculated based on mean WTP (i.e. benefit) and cost of spectacles. The survey recruited 50 respondents (mean age 40.2 ± 9.86 years; 78.0% women; 100% response rate) from rural and urban Mongolia. Mean WTP was US$24.00 ± 5.15 (95% CI US$22.55 to 25.35). The average cost of a pair of spectacles in Mongolia is US$15.00. Subtracting the average cost of spectacles from mean WTP yielded a mean positive net benefit of US$9.00. A spectacle reimbursement scheme is potentially a cost-effective intervention to address childhood vision impairment due to URE in Mongolia. These preliminary findings support the proposal of the inclusion of children's spectacles into existing Social Health Insurance. A much larger random sample could be employed in future research to increase the precision and generalisability of findings.

Examining rural-urban disparities in perceived need for health care services among adults with disabilities.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to parse out differences between unmet need and perceived need for health care services among rural and urban adults with disabilities in the United States. While unmet need focuses primarily on environmental factors such as access to health insurance or provider availability, perceived need relates to personal choice. This distinction between unmet and perceived need is largely ignored in prior studies, but relevant to public health strategies to improve access and uptake of preventive care.MethodsUsing Wave 2 data from the National Survey on Health and Disability, we explored rural and urban differences in unmet and perceived health care needs among working-age adults with disabilities for acute and preventive services.FindingsAlthough we found no significant differences in unmet needs between rural and urban respondents, we found that perceived needs for dental care and mental health counseling varied significantly across geography. Using logistic regression analysis and controlling for observable participant characteristics, we found that respondents living in noncore counties relative to metropolitan counties were more likely to report not needing dental care (OR 1.89, p = 0.028), and not needing mental health counseling services (OR 2.15, p ≤ 0.001).ConclusionThese findings suggest additional study is warranted to understand perceived need for preventive services and the levers for addressing rural disparities.

A Comparative Study of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptability and its Determinants among Urban and Rural Community Residents in Ogun State

Background: The success of any COVID-19 vaccination programme will depend on public willingness to receive the vaccination. This is important to tailor public health messaging appropriately. This study aimed to determine and compare COVID-19 vaccine acceptability and factors influencing it among rural and urban community members in Ogun State.Methods: The study was a comparative cross-sectional study. Multistage sampling technique was utilized to select 404 and 396 adult residents from the urban and rural communities, respectively. Data collection was by structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were done. Level of significance was set at p&lt;5%.Results: More respondents in urban area 186 (46.0%) were willing to accept COVID-19 vaccine compared to rural respondents 90 (22.7%) (p&lt;0.001). Acceptance that COVID-19 is real (AOR=2.98; 95%CI=1.61-5.51 p&lt;0.001) versus (AOR=2.17; 95CI=1.06- 4.44 p=0.035) predicted acceptability in both urban and rural areas, respectively. In urban area, being a male (AOR=1.58; 95%CI=1.02-2.44 p=0.041) while in rural area, completion of immunization (AOR=3.47; 95%CI=1.79-6.72 p&lt;0.001) and fair perceived risk of contracting COVID-19 (AOR=3.05; 95CI:1.55-6.01 p= 0.001) were predictors of acceptability.Conclusion: The study showed there was overall poor acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine among urban and rural residents. Urban residents were more likely to accept the vaccines compared to rural residents. Therefore, government should do more in terms of health education and promotion for a right attitude to COVID-19 vaccination.

An Exploration of Rural-Urban Residence on Self-Reported Health Status with UK Cancer Survivors Following Treatment: A Brief Report.

Objective: To explore the effect of rural–urban residence on the self-reported health status of UK cancer survivors following primary treatment. Design: A post-positivist approach utilizing a cross-sectional survey that collected data on demographics, postcode and self-reported health status. Methods: An independent samples t test was used to detect differences in health status between rural and urban respondents. Pearson’s χ2 was used to control for confounding variables and a multivariate analysis was conducted using Stepwise linear regression. Setting: East Midlands of England. Participants: Adult cancer survivors who had undergone primary treatment in the last five years. Participants were excluded if they had recurrence or metastatic spread, started active oncology treatment in the last twelve months, and/or were in receipt of palliative or end-of-life care. Main outcome: Residence was measured using the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) RUC2011 Rural–Urban Classifications and Health Status via the UK ONS self-reported health status measure. Ethics: The study was reviewed and approved (Ref: 17/WS/0054) by an NHS Research Ethics Committee and the Health Research Authority (HRA) prior to recruitment and data collection taking place. Results: 227 respondents returned a questionnaire (response rate 27%). Forty-five percent (n = 103) were resident in a rural area and fifty-three percent (n = 120) in an urban area. Rural (4.11 ± 0.85) respondents had significantly (p < 0.001) higher self-reported health statuses compared to urban (3.65 ± 0.93) respondents (MD 0.47; 95% CI 0.23, 0.70). Conclusion: It is hoped that the results will stimulate further work in this area and that researchers will be encouraged to collect data on rural–urban residency where appropriate.

The Effect of Health Check-Ups on Health Among the Elderly in China: Evidence From 2011-2018 Longitudinal Data.

Objectives: To assess the effect of health check-ups on health among the elderly Chinese. Methods: The first dataset was panel data extracted from the 2011, 2014, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The second dataset was cross-sectional data come from CLHLS 2018 linked with the lagged term of health check-ups in CLHLS 2011. Health check-ups were measured by a binary variable annual health check-up (AHC). Health was assessed by a binary variable self-rated health (SRH). A coarsened exact matching method and individual fixed-effects models, as well as logistic regressions were employed. Results: AHC attendance among the elderly increased from 2011 to 2018, with higher utilization of AHC also detected in the rural group. AHC had positive effects on SRH among rural respondents (short-term effect: OR = 1.567, p < 0.05; long-term effect: OR = 3.385, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study highlights a higher utilization of AHC in rural area, and the effectiveness of AHC in SRH improvement among rural participants. It indicates enhanced access to public healthcare services in rural area and underlying implications of health check-ups for reducing urban–rural health inequalities.