Social Economic Factors Research Articles

Ethnic differences in multimorbidity after accounting for social-economic factors, findings from The Health Survey for England.

Social-economic factors and health behaviours may be driving variation in ethnic health inequalities in multimorbidity including among distinct ethnic groups. Using the cross-sectional nationally representative Health Surveys for England 2011-18 (N = 54438, aged 16+), we performed multivariable logistic regression on the odds of having general multimorbidity (≥2 longstanding conditions) by ethnicity [British White (reference group), White Irish, Other White, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, African, Caribbean, White mixed, Other Mixed], adjusting for age, sex, education, area deprivation, obesity, smoking status and survey year. This was repeated for cardiovascular multimorbidity (N = 37148, aged 40+: having ≥2 of the following: self-reported diabetes, hypertension, heart attack or stroke) and multiple cardiometabolic risk biomarkers (HbA1c ≥6.5%, raised blood pressure, total cholesterol ≥5mmol/L). Twenty percent of adults had general multimorbidity. In fully adjusted models, compared with the White British majority, Other White [odds ratio (OR) = 0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.74], Chinese (OR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.36-0.93) and African adults (OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.42-0.69), had lower odds of general multimorbidity. Among adults aged 40+, Pakistani (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 0.97-1.66; P = 0.080) and Bangladeshi (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.16-2.65) had increased odds, and African adults had decreased odds (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.47-0.83) of general multimorbidity. Risk of cardiovascular multimorbidity was higher among Indian (OR = 3.31, 95% CI 2.56-4.28), Pakistani (OR = 3.48, 95% CI 2.52-4.80), Bangladeshi (OR = 3.67, 95% CI 1.98-6.78), African (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.05-2.47), Caribbean (OR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.59-2.99) and White mixed (OR = 1.98, 95% CI 1.14-3.44) adults. Indian adults were also at risk of having multiple cardiometabolic risk biomarkers. Ethnic inequalities in multimorbidity are independent of social-economic factors. Ethnic minority groups are particularly at risk of cardiovascular multimorbidity, which may be exacerbated by poorer management of cardiometabolic risk requiring further investigation.

The sustainability of groundwater in semi-arid regions: the case of Makutupora Basin in Tanzania

Abstract Groundwater sustainability ensures groundwater development and uses to meet current and future needs without causing unacceptable environmental, economic, or social consequences. In semi-arid regions, water resources are typically limited, and water management is critical to ensure a sustainable water supply. Groundwater sustainability indexing is vital for groundwater management. The study used four indicators in six dimensions, i.e., quantitative and qualitative hydrogeology, environmental, social-economic, and political factors, to evaluate the sustainability of the aquifer in Makutupora basin, Dodoma, Tanzania. The resulting aquifer sustainability index is 0.59, with a 95% confidence interval between 0.3856 and 0.7944, showing that the aquifer is sufficiently sustainable. The hydrogeological analysis revealed that groundwater sustainability is promising, although groundwater use per capita is alarming. This study also recommends effective water management strategies, including improving water use efficiency, promoting water conservation, implementing policies to limit water withdrawals, and promoting alternative water sources such as recycled wastewater, especially for agricultural activities.

A Systematic Review of Biomedical and Psychosocial Factors for Suicide: An Islamic Perspective

Suicide is a complex public health problem of global dimension with un-even distribution rates. The objectives of this review is to describe the concept of suicide, its causes and preventive measures in the light of the glorious Qur’an and ahadith/sunnah as the principal sources of Maqasid Al-Shari’ah in Islam. Descriptive study design was used to review the data collected from published articles, books, news and reports. The findings show that suicide may be caused by social-economic factors; catalysed by psychological problems, mental illnesses, physical illnesses, genetics and medication. Qur’an, 4:29 has strictly forbidden people to kill themselves, while various ahadith have made it clear that whoever kills himself with something, Allah (SWT) will punish him with whatever he has killed himself with in the Hellfire. The guidelines to prevent suicide include strengthening personal relationships, reciting and comprehending the glorious Qur’an, supplication, ruqya, patience and reliance to Allah(SWT).

Applications Of Remote Sensing In The Study Of COVID-19 Pandemic – A Review

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has spread worldwide, affecting almost all countries and territories. Various social-economic and environmental factors influence the outbreak and spread of the epidemic. Many modern techniques have been widely employed to study the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to give an overview of applications offered by remote sensing techniques to study the COVID-19 pandemic through summarising a total of 55 scientific papers. Three different issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic is presented under three sub-sections; namely (1) applications of remotely sensed images on monitoring environmental changes and (2) the analysis of social and economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and (3) the use of remote sensing in studies of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. The findings of this study provide important insights into how to apply such an advanced techniques as remote sensing in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The varied applications of remote sensing affirms the value of this advanced technique to the study of small-to-large scale disasters in general and of the COVID-19 pandemic in particular.

Soil Sustainability Assessment for Rice Cropping Recommendations: A Case Study in An Giang Province, Vietnam

Background: The study aimed to identify the sustainability of soil fertility and social-economic factors for major rice cropping and offer suggestions for sustainable rice cropping. Methods: The kite sustainability assessment is a multi-objective assessment method based on standardized scoring formulas built on land assessment criteria with limiting factors. It used the AHP method to determine how different critical factors affect whether a place is good for growing rice. The soil fertility, economics, and social factors were also significant in determining whether or not rice could grow there and how well it might do. Results: The soil fertility status of the two main rice cropping in the study area has low pH, high organic matter content, high cation exchange capacity, and high clay content. Besides, the soil has a good water-holding capacity, high total N content, and average total P content. Utilizing the AHP method, it was determined that soil fertility, economic, and social factors were the second-most significant factors in determining the suitability of land for agriculture as well as the possibility and performance of rice. While the double-rice cropping model is only sustainable regarding fertility, the triple-rice cropping model achieves the sustainability goal of economic, social, and soil fertility indicators. Two rice cropping seasons, lWS-mSA (double rice) and mWS-eSA-eAW (triple rice), achieve a balanced level in all indicators of level 2 of soil fertility. Therefore, in both models, a system that reaches a sustainable level exists. Even so, the lWS-mSA cropping season could be less harmful to the environment than the mWS-eSA-eAW season in terms of the environmental group.

Exploration of Land-Use Change and Drivers In Qixia City Based on Multi-Temporal Landsat8 Remote Sensing Image

The research results on land use and cover change (LUCC) are constantly updated, which is of great significance to correctly handle the relationship between human activities and ecological environment. In this article, Landsat8 remote sensing images, DEM data and statistical yearbook data of Qixia city in Shandong province are selected in 2013, 2018 and 2021 to explore the changes in this city’s land use. Through supervised classification, land use dynamic degree (LUDD) and land use transfer matrix, LUCC has been analyzed, and through the CORREL and DEM slope analysis, the main driving force has been investigated. The results indicate that the area of orchards in Qixia city is showing an increasing trend and the area of farmland, water and residential land shows a decreasing trend. Single land use dynamic degree of industrial land is the largest. The main driving forces of the industrial land and the orchard area are the social economic factors, which are mainly manifested as the influence of the regional GDP, the gross product of primary and tertiary sectors as well as the gross value of agricultural produce. In addition, the population is what is causing changes in the amount of farmland and residential land, and the terrain slope also impact on the variation of land-use classification significantly.

Understanding the intricate tradeoffs among ecosystem services in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration across spatiotemporal features

Revealing the intricate interactions between ecosystem services and their values is essential for the comprehensive management of diverse ecosystems. However, understanding tradeoffs among various ecosystem services and their influencing factors, especially at different spatial scales, remains challenging, primarily due to the difficulty in quantifying cultural services. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the ecosystem service value (ESV) at both grid and county scales in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration from 2000 to 2020, considering the representation of different ecosystem services. Our investigation aimed to elucidate tradeoffs among ecosystem services and identify key natural-social-economic-climate drivers. The key findings are as follows: (1) Over the study period, the overall ESV in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration exhibited an upward trend, with regulation of waterflows, water body, and forest land making the largest contributions. (2) At the grid scale, there were 3 tradeoffs and 52 synergies among multiple ecosystem services in 2000, which increased to 18 tradeoffs in 2020, indicating a considerable degradation of numerous ecosystem services. Conversely, at the county scale, all ecosystem services exhibited a synergistic relationship. (3) The most significant synergistic effect was observed between regulation of waterflows and maintenance of soil fertility, while the most prominent tradeoff effect was identified between food production and waste treatment. (4) Social-economic factors exerted a more substantial influence on ESV, followed by climate factors, whereas the impact of natural factors was limited. GDP emerged as the primary single driver of total ESV, while farmland production potential played a crucial role in shaping the 11 ecosystem services. Notably, GDP-temperature and GDP-farmland production potential output were identified as the most influential dual factors. These findings underscore the importance of simultaneously enhancing economic development, controlling temperature rise, and improving food production as essential measures to enhance ESV.

Predicted lean body mass in relation to cognitive function in the older adults.

Previous findings about lean body mass (LBM) and cognitive function remain unclear. We aimed to examine this association by using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Using data from the NHANES 2011-2014, we conducted logistic regression models to investigate the relation between the predicted LBM and domain-specific cognitive function assessed by Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease Word Learning test (CERAD-WL) and Delayed Recall test (CERAD-DR), and Animal Fluency (AF) for information processing speed, memory, and executive function, respectively. Cognitive impairment was defined as the lowest quartile of each cognitive test in the total population. Sex-stratified analysis was further made. A total of 2955 participants aged 60 and above (mean [SD] age, 69.17[0.20] years; 1511 female [51.13%]) were included in the study. After being adjusted for social economic factors, anthropometric parameters, and diseases, we found a positive association between predicted LBM and information processing speed (Odds ratio of DSST impairment= 0.95, 95%CI= 0.91 to 0.99) regardless of body mass index and sex. Compared with patients in the first quartile of predicted LBM, those in the fourth quartile had an odds ratio of 0.355 (95% confidence interval 0.153-0.822) for DSST impairment. No significant relation in other cognitive tests and predicted LBM was found whether stratified by sex or not. Our findings point to the association between predicted lean body mass and cognitive dysfunction in information processing speed, which could be used for early detection and prevention of deterioration of cognitive function among older adults.

Land use function change and its driving force of the "production-living-ecological" space in Fenhe River Basin from 1980 to 2020.

It is of importance to analyze land use function change and driving factors of the production-living-ecological space of national territory to realize the coordinated development. Based on land use remote sensing data in 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, we used the methods of land use dynamics, transfer matrix, center of gravity shift and geographic detector to analyze the pattern of production-living-ecological space in Fenhe River Basin and explore the influencing factors. The results showed that the area proportion of production-living-ecological space in the basin was ecological space > production space > living space from 1980 to 2020. The ecological space and agricultural production land showed a decreasing trend, with a decrease of 72441.19 and 105882.96 hm2, respectively. The living space and industrial production land showed an upward trend, with an increase of 119503.02 and 58821.13 hm2, respectively. There was significant difference in the land use function change of production-living-ecological space. Agricultural production land had the largest transferred area, accounting for 47.9% of the total. The largest transfer area of industrial land was agricultural land, which accounted for 61.3% of the total from 2000 to 2010. The occupation of agricultural land by urban living land was mainly distributed in the marginal area of various urban areas of Taiyuan Basin. Among them, the increasing area of urban living land in Taiyuan City showed a trend of gradual southward expansion. The center of gravity migration of urban land for living and industrial production land was the most obvious, and that for living showed the trend of first moving south and then moving north, while industrial production land moved northward significantly. The influence of social-economic factors on the land use change was obviously stronger than that of natural factors, while the interaction between social-economic factors had a stronger explanatory power. The results would provide reference for clarifying the relationship between land function transformation and optimizing land use function of production-living-ecological space.

Combating Consumer Food Waste – An Exploration of Information Communication Technology Approach

Existing food production and consumption rate especially from consumer’s point of view cannot be measured as viable due to varieties of social economic factors involved in the food supply chain. Combating food waste contributes extensively to food security measures and easing conservational burden thus improving justifiable consumption of food. Food waste emanating from consumers especially individual households is huge. A systematic approach to mitigate this is to creatively enlighten consumers as alertness and campaigns. However, literature reveals that complimentary initiatives are required to confront the problem of consumer waste. Information technology is comparatively new approach to lead consumers carefully using technical platforms and solutions in the right direction towards reducing food waste. This study tackles this research gap by conducting comprehensive reviews of articles pointing to food wastage prevention, weaknesses and potential usage of ICT tools for positive impacts on consumers to reduce food wastages. The study focuses on the use of ICT tools and techniques as a means to reduce food wastage. The reviews covered existing food wastage saving measures and applications (e.g. smart kitchen appliances, smart packaging and mobile applications). It further proposed a broad ICT driven food wastage avoidance framework that deals with the problem holistically. The framework shows how various levels of food supply chain can be integrated to tackle wastages from top to bottom in avoiding consumer wastage. However, future research is required to validate and build on this framework.

Assessing Habitat Quality and Identifying Influencing Factors in the Township Areas of Dawen River Basin

Dawen River is the development center of the ancient cultural region in Shandong. It is of great significance for the protection, inheritance and development of the basin civilization to study the quality of the habitat in the river basin. This paper builds ecosystem ternary model of habitat quality, using the InVEST model to evaluate the habitat quality of the river basin in 2020, combined with the spatial correlation model to explore the spatial characteristics, and the influence of habitat quality, habitat degradation of nine factors for exploratory regression, is divided into social factors, economic factors and natural factors for analysis. The results show that:(1) The habitat quality in Dawen River Basin varies greatly, showing habitat fragmentation and obvious spatial differentiation; (2) the habitat quality in Dawen River Basin shows an obvious trend of degradation, and the areas with high habitat degradation occupy most of the basin, showing an expansion trend of point-line-surface; (3) social factors, economic factors and natural factors have different effects on habitat quality and habitat degradation, and the influence of land development intensity is most significant. The results provide guidance for the politics of ecological protection in the Dawen River Basin.

PROVISION OF HIGH-TECH CARDIOVASCULAR CARE TO RESIDENTS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION REGIONS IN 2021

Highlights: The article presents data on the availability of various types of high-tech cardiovascular care services to residents of subjects of the Russian Federation. The authors used original methodology based on the data of the Healthcare Administration of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The obtained data were compared with the data from the Federal Tax Service Office No. 12, and 14, demographic and socio-economic indicators of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The results of the analysis open up new opportunities for studying the causes of pronounced differences in the provision of high-tech cardiovascular care to the population of the country's regions and taking appropriate regulatory measures, thus contributing to practical healthcare. Aim. To analyze the provision of high-tech cardiovascular care (HTCC) to residents of the Russian Federation regions in 2021 taking into account social and economic factors.Methods. The data from the original form designed in A.N. Bakulev National Medical Research Center of Cardiovascular Surgery containing information on the number of patients who underwent cardiovascular surgeries were compared with the data from the Federal Tax Service Office follow-up forms No.12 and No.14, taking into account demographic and social-economic factors of the RF regions according to the Federal Service of State Statistics. 74 regions were included into the analysis. The following methods of univariate statistics were used: Spearman’s and Kendall’s rank correlation, measures of central tendency and variance were calculated. Intergroup comparison was carried out using Mann-Whitney two-tailed test and Kruskall-Wallis one-way analysis of variance.Results. The mean provision of HTCC included in the Section I of the Free Health Care Policies for Citizens (HTCC-1) was 1910 surgeries per 1 million population, provision of HTCC included in the Section II (HTCC-2) – was 789.5, respectively. We have noted the negative correlation between the amount of HTCC -1 and HTCC -2 surgeries and hypertension mortality (p = 0.034). The mortality from other acute CAD correlated negatively with the provision of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG, p = 0.034). The authors also noted the negative correlation between the provision of HTCC -2 surgeries and circulatory diseases (CD) overall incidence (p = 0.032), primary CD incidence (p = 0.014), CAD overall incidence (p = 0.034) and more. The region’s economic development level influenced the provision of HTCC -2 surgeries. The positive correlation coefficients were obtained for per capita income (p = 0.004), median per capita income (p = 0.002), real amount of granted pensions (p = 0.003) and other parameters. The number of CABG per 1 million and life expectancy was higher in the RF regions where CABG was performed locally compared to the regions that did not provide cardiovascular care (205.82 vs 165.55 and 69.49 vs 68.64).Conclusion. The indicators of HTCC-1 and HTCC-2 provision in the RF regions differed by 8.4 and 9.2 times, respectively; the indicators of provision of surgeries by 14.7 and 201.9 times. Providing residents of the RF regions with cardiovascular surgeries is influenced by a number of factors among which we highlight the availability of this type of treatment in the region, regional economic resources to co-finance HTCC -2 treatment, population`s compliance with the surgical treatment safety checklist.

Low life satisfaction status among older people with and without an intimate partner: a nationwide cross-sectional study in China.

Focusing on older people with and without an intimate partner, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of low life satisfaction in both groups, as well as the potential risk factors. The 2017-2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) data were used, and 9960 individuals aged 60 years and above were included in the analyses. Factors evaluated in this survey included sociodemographic characteristics, clinical variables, physical and social activities, and economic and social factors. The associations of low life satisfaction with independent variables were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Compared with those with an intimate partner (n = 2025), elders without an intimate partner (n = 7935) showed a higher prevalence of low life satisfaction (15.1 vs. 9.9%, P < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that ≥2 physical diseases (P = 0.024), poor self-reported health status (P = 0.012), and lack of community care service (P = 0.014) were risk factors for low life satisfaction among elders without an intimate partner, while poor self-reported health status (P < 0.001), ≥2 physical diseases (P = 0.001), being troubled with bodily pain (P < 0.001), lack of light physical activity >10 mins each time (P = 0.011), lack of moderate physical activity >10 mins each time (P = 0.001), lack of social activities in the previous month (P = 0.039), and lack of community care service (P < 0.001) were risk factors for elders with an intimate partner. Regarding the potential reasons for low life satisfaction in the elderly, dissatisfaction with current health status (28.0%) and air quality (15.6%) were most prevalent. Older people without an intimate partner have lower life satisfaction. Having ≥2 physical diseases, poor self-reported health status, and lack of community care service were common risk factors for low life satisfaction among older adults with or without an intimate partner.

Labour market status and mortality risk: The Finnmark cohort study 1987-2017.

The aim of this study was to investigate the age-varying mortality risk associated with different labour market status categories. Data from a population-based survey carried out among adults aged 30-62 years in Finnmark in 1987/1988 were linked to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry to identify all deaths occurring by December 2017. We used flexible parametric survival models to examine the age-varying associations between different labour market status categories (no paid work/homemaker, part-time work, full-time work, unemployment benefits, sick leave/rehabilitation allowance, and disability pension) and mortality. Men with part-time work, unemployment benefits, sick leave/rehabilitation allowance, or disability pension had an increased mortality risk compared with men with full-time work; however, these findings were restricted to ages below 60-70 years, varying with labour market status category. For women, excess mortality was linked to disability pension in the younger age groups; in older age groups it was linked to the labour market status category no paid work/homemaker. Non-employment was associated with low education level compared with full-time employment. The study showed increased mortality risk for some non-employment categories, with decreasing relative risk with age. Our findings suggest that the increased mortality risk is partly explained by health, pre-existing illnesses, and health-related behaviour and partly by other factors, such as social network and economic factors.

BASIC POSITION OF MODERN GEOGRAPHY AND ITS STRUCTURE

During last decades geographical science are subjected to crisis events under impact of new social-economic factor in Ukraine. The aim of the article is analysis of modern geography as a fundamental science during new conditions in Ukraine. New scientific structure of geography was elaborated. As a result, additional geographical spheres of the science were distinguished, for instance: limnology, coastal science, engineering geography, methods of geographical research, etc. Geography is one of the basic natural resource-attitude sciences, that are researching factors, processes and mechanisms of natural environmental systems of various genetic level within the Global Geographical jacket and hers natural spheres, with participation of anthropogenous factor, in addition with a spatial spreading on squire of the World. Geography is studying properties and territorial spreading geographical objects and regularities of its interactions. Destination of the research and development are harmonic usage of natural resources and comfort reside people.

Alternative Food Networks and Short Food Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review Based on a Case Study Approach

Alternative food networks (AFNs) are commonly defined by attributes of local production and short supply chains, which integrate dimensions of spatial and social proximity. This new form of food chain is emerging as a response to the crisis in conventional agribusiness. This article presents a systematic review of the academic literature on the alternative food network and short supply chain in order to understand the main elements and topics explored in the empirical studies conducted from 2014 to 2021. This review only considers research using a single or multiple case study approaches. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were used for the literature search. The identification and eligibility processes were performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta Analysis (PRISMA) method. Six core topics were identified: motivation of actors; collaborative governance; social relations and trust; sustainability; boundary negotiation; and resilience. Most of the studies were developed in European countries. The results show that motivation to join the AFN and sustainability are the more explored topics, followed by the study of the different models of governance that characterize the AFN. In addition, the connection between different actors emerges, in a transversal manner, as an important pillar of AFNs. AFN features may change depending on social-economical, cultural, and geographical factors. There is therefore a need to explore other forms of AFNs; future research should conduct cross-analysis on AFNs in different countries and socio-economic contexts.

Relationship of social determinants of health with symptom severity among Veterans and non-Veterans with probable posttraumatic stress disorder or depression.

Social determinants of health (SDoH) refer to the conditions in the environments in which people live that affect health outcomes and risks. SDoH may provide proximal, actionable targets for interventions. This study examined how SDoH are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms among Veterans and non-Veterans with probable PTSD or depression. Four multiple regressions were conducted. Two multiple regressions with Veterans examined the impact of SDoH on PTSD symptoms and on depression symptoms. Two multiple regressions with non-Veterans examined the impact of SDoH on PTSD symptoms and on depression symptoms. Independent variables included demographic characteristics, adverse experiences (in childhood and adulthood), and SDoH (discrimination, education, employment, economic instability, homelessness, justice involvement, and social support). Correlates that were statistically significant (p < 0.05) and clinically meaningful (rpart >|0.10|) were interpreted. For Veterans, lower social support (rpart = -0.14) and unemployment (rpart = 0.12) were associated with greater PTSD symptoms. Among non-Veterans, greater economic instability (rpart = 0.19) was associated with greater PTSD symptoms. In the depression models, lower social support (rpart = -0.23) and greater economic instability (rpart = 0.12) were associated with greater depression for Veterans, while only lower social support was associated with greater depression for non-Veterans (rpart = -0.14). Among Veterans and non-Veterans with probable PTSD or depression, SDoH were associated with PTSD and depression symptoms, particularly social support, economic instability, and employment. Beyond direct treatment of mental health symptoms, addressing social support and economic factors such as instability and employment in the context of PTSD and depression are potential intervention targets that would benefit from future research.

Multiscale numerical assessment of urban overheating under climate projections: A review

Climate change and urbanization have exacerbated concerns about urban overheating, affecting thermal comfort, heat-related mortality, and urban energy consumption, especially during heat waves. Developing climate projections that reliably describe the state of the urban climate, a complex system containing microclimate phenomena on a regional and global scale, is essential for assessing overheating impacts and evaluating mitigation strategies in current and future climates. Using four essential steps for advancing our understanding of overheating and informing future studies, we review climate model projections for urban overheating impact assessments: (1) Acquisition of raw future climate data at the mesoscale through GCM-RCMs; (2) Bias correction and local reference year data generation; (3) Simulations at microscale indoors and outdoors using building performance or CFD models; (4) Evaluation of overheating based on various criteria. A methodology for selecting review articles is presented. The study highlights key future research gaps related to climate data generation, improving data reliability, and addressing climate simulation complexities indoors and outdoors. In addition, a comprehensive overheating assessment also depends upon incorporating social-economic factors into evaluations. Although we focus on urban overheating assessment, the general methodologies of future climate projections may also apply to other building performance simulations considering climate change impacts.

Social-economic factors influencing the adoption of improved energy technologies in Makueni and Machakos counties, Kenya

Many peri-urban and rural households use traditional stoves which have low energy use efficiency leading to wasteful use of woodfuel, increase in indoor air pollution and putting more pressure on biomass sources. Energy saving devices have been introduced which are environmentally friendly and economical. The main objective of this study was to establish social-economic factors influencing the adoption of improved energy Multistage sampling technique was used whereby; locations and sub-locations were selected purposefully. Households from four sub-locations were chosen using simple random sampling. A total of 232 households in the four selected study areas were interviewed. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules for data collection. The collected data was coded and entered into the computer for analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and statistics and data software (STATA) presented using tables. Data forecasting analysis was done using the Time series Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) time series model for the period 1991 to 2052. Family size had a significant effect on use of LPG (χ2 = 22.010, P = 0.001) and electric energy technology (χ2 = 20.482, p = 0.002). The result of this research further showed that for the respondent to get kerosene lamps, in Unoa, Kilili and Mung’ala, they travelled more than 1 km whereas in Kilili, they mainly (18.6%) travelled 101 – 600m for the energy device. This showed a significant different in the distance travelled in the four areas (χ2 = 86.194, P = 0.0001). The outcome of the research is useful to many stakeholders including the government, Ministries of Agriculture and Energy, Environmentalists, Market Suppliers of improved energy devices and Researchers.

WORKING MOTHERS’ SOCIAL-ECONOMIC FACTORS AND PERCEPTIONS OF CHILDCARE SERVICE QUALITY IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

This study aimed to examine how social-economic factors influence working mothers’ perception of the quality of childcare service quality in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The study employed a cross-sectional research design to collect data from 411 working mothers with children aged 2-5 years in childcare centres. Three hypotheses were tested based on research objectives, the proposed relationships showed significance at p&amp;lt;0.05. Results show that working mothers’ social economic factors (income and educational levels) influenced their perception of childcare service quality. Results also indicated that working mothers with children aged 5 years were more satisfied with the service quality provided to their children than working mothers with children of 3-4 years. These findings suggest that income, educational levels, and a child’s age are important factors that influence parents’ perceptions of childcare service quality. The study highlights the need for tailored childcare services that cater to the needs of different age groups and the importance of increasing access to high-quality childcare services for families of all income and education levels.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0002/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;