Socio-demographic Dimensions Research Articles

Characterization and typification of coffee production systems (Coffea arabica L.), Andes municipality

La región del suroeste de Antioquia, se ha caracterizado por estar a la vanguardia en la producción de café en Colombia, con una alta diversidad de sistemas de producción. En la investigación, se caracterizaron y tipificaron 13 sistemas productores de café (Coffea arabica L.), bajo diferentes tipos de manejo, del municipio de Andes. La metodología consistió en la caracterización cualitativa de las dimensiones sociodemográfica, ambiental, económica y agrícola, seguido de una tipificación estratificada. Se realizaron análisis estadísticos de tipo factorial por correspondencia múltiple y el método del clúster. Los resultados destacan que en la dimensión sociodemográfica el 100% de los cafeteros son propietarios de la tierra, poseen formación primaria, presentan un área predial entre tres y cuatro hectáreas y poseen más de 10 años de experiencia. En la ambiental, el 100% poseen beneficios tradicionales y secan al sol el café y entre el 46 y 69% utilizan agroquímicos. En la económica, el 77% de los cafeteros comercializan con las cooperativas y poseen altos costos de producción sin ganancias. Por último, en la agrícola el 100% preparan los suelos con labranza mínima, compran las semillas, el 85% contratan mano de obra y el 46% presentan baja calidad del suelo y de biodiversidad. La tipificación arrojó que el 47% de los cafeteros presentan sistemas Convencionales (Utilización de insumos químicos), el 38% son sistemas en Transición I (Racionalización de insumos sintéticos) y sólo el 15% poseen sistemas en Transición II (Utilización de insumos orgánicos).

Prevalence and socio-demographic characteristics of disability in older adults in China: Findings from China Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Study

ObjectiveDisability affects older adults’ quality of life. This study aimed to examine the socio-demographic characteristics of disability in older adults in China. MethodData was obtained from the China Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Study (CCGAS). The sample comprised 6864 people aged 60 years and above from seven provinces in China. A door-to-door survey was conducted by formally trained interviewers using a unified questionnaire. Disability was assessed with physical health assessment comprising activities of daily living (ADL), and independent activities of daily living (IADL). For the purpose of this study, we analyzed only disability and some socio-demographic dimensions. The rates were standardized based on China’s Sixth National Census population distribution. ResultsThe disability rate in older adults was 7.0%. The disability rate was significantly higher in women than men, significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas, and higher in northern China than southern China. Urban disability rates ranged from 5.7% to 1.2%. The differences were statistically significant, with Beijing having the highest and Shanghai the lowest disability rates. Disability increased with age. ConclusionIn China, the disability rate in older adults is 7.0%, and increases with age. The disability rate is significantly higher in women, rural area, and northern China. This is the first study to report the epidemiology of disability in older adults in China in recent years and indicates the need for further epidemiological data on disability in China to facilitate long-term care and care policy formulation.

Contraception in Adolescent Postpartum: Attitude Assessment in Preventing Recurrent Pregnancy

Adolescence is a period of doubt and uncertainty, involving risk attitudes and exposure to emotional and physical damage. Cross-sectional epidemiological study with a quantitative approach, aiming to analyze the positive attitude of pregnant teenagers, from the perspective of adopting contraceptive methods in the puerperium. Fifty adolescents were interviewed in an outpatient clinic in Recife, PE, Brazil. The health prevention attitude was associated by means of the sociodemographic dimensions and health behavior. The analysis of adolescent exposure to factors that compromise the ability to prevent recurrent pregnancy has been linked both to concrete existing conditions of the first dimension and to health perception and behavior of the second dimension.

La cultura de seguridad del paciente en los médicos internos residentes de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria de Galicia

ObjectiveTo determine the views held by Family practice (FP) residents on the different dimensions of patient safety, in order to identify potential areas for improvement. DesignA cross-sectional study. LocationSeven FP of Galicia teaching units. Participants182 FP residents who completed the Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire. MeasurementsThe Medical Office Survey on Patient Safety Culture questionnaire was chosen because it is translated, validated, and adapted to the Spanish model of Primary Care. The results were grouped into 12 composites assessed by the mentioned questionnaire. The study variables were the socio-demographic dimensions of the questionnaire, as well as occupational/professional variables: age, gender, year of residence, and teaching unit of FP of Galicia. ResultsThe “Organisational learning” and “Teamwork” items were considered strong areas. However, the “Patient safety and quality issues”, “Information exchange with other settings”, and “Work pressure and pace” items were considered areas with significant potential for improvement. First-year residents obtained the best results and the fourth-year ones the worst. ConclusionsThe results may indicate the need to include basic knowledge on patient safety in the teaching process of FP residents in order to increase and consolidate the fragile patient safety culture described in this study.

Which psychological and socio-demographic dimensions predict amphetamine abuse?

IntroductionAmphetamine abuse has become a serious health concern worldwide, and this holds also true for Iran.AimsInvestigating psychological and socio-demographic dimensions to predict amphetamine-abuse.MethodsHundred amphetamine abusers and 100 healthy controls took part in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed questionnaires covering socio-demographic and psychological dimensions.ResultsCompared to healthy controls, amphetamine abusers reported more insecure and ambivalent attachment styles, higher novelty-seeking and risky behaviour, less current social support and stable relationships, and lower emotional competencies. No differences were found for socio-demographic dimensions.ConclusionsResults from this cross-sectional study underscore that amphetamine abuse was related to poor social relationships, poor emotional competencies and higher risky behaviour. The cross-sectional nature of the study, however, does preclude any conclusions about the causal direction of amphetamine abuse and poor interactional behavior.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Is the Belgian youth ready to save for retirement under a defined contribution pension system?

The paper analyses levels of financial literacy among university students in a Belgian University and links them to their retirement savings preferences based a logit model of data collected through a survey. Both dimensions are crucial since a reform of the pension system has increased the importance of individual retirement savings decisions at an early age. We find that financial literacy is relatively high in our sample but that there is heterogeneity in how it impacts savings for retirement decisions, driven by socio-demographic dimensions. Some groups are clearly at risk of not saving enough under the new pension system, including among the highly financially literate population.JEL Classification: A20, D14, E21, H3, H53, J26

Does the perception of climate change vary with the socio-demographic dimensions? A study on vulnerable populations in Bangladesh

This study tried to explore the perception of climate change by considering the socio-demographic dimensions of vulnerable populations in Bangladesh. This study included 158 respondents from an extremely flood affected area of Sylhet by using multistage sampling. This study used both quantitative and qualitative method to analyze data. Using several statistical tools and doing paraphrased translation of key information, this study find that the perception of climate change varies depending on the different socio-demographic dimensions such as gender, marital status, religion and age. Findings also show that the concern about climate change and the reasons for it as well as the prospective solutions and pathways to reduce its impacts are present in different socio-demographic dimensions. This study particularly reveals that the majority of the populations consider the reason of climate change from sinful activities of the individuals and wish of God. Other, however, considers that deforestation and river dredging are the reasons of climate change. And most people perceive that increasing education on the environment, changing human behavior and community level participation, can lead to reduce the adverse situations of climate change in developing countries like Bangladesh.

Measuring urban segregation based on individuals’ daily activity patterns: A multidimensional approach

This paper develops a methodology to measure urban segregation based on individuals’ sociospatial experience of daily life. Since segregation can be considered as the isolation of people from those unlike themselves, its degree increases with the similarity in ethnicity, economic status, or other sociodemographic dimensions of interest between individuals and people who they are exposed to in their daily usage of urban space. Based on this perspective, we propose a regression estimator that measures segregation by assessing similarity or likeness between people and the social environments they experience in daily activity spaces. Compared to traditional segregation measures, the proposed estimator is not restricted to measuring residential segregation, but recognizes and assesses segregation as a dynamic process that unfolds in the daily life routines of individuals in a society and depends on the different ways individuals or social groups use urban space. It can be applied to various segregation factors, categorical or continuous, as well as to examine their interactions in a society. An empirical study in Hong Kong is used to demonstrate the proposed approach.

The Relationship between Sexual Cues and Sexual Desire in Women

ABSTRACTSexual desire is one of the most studied dimensions of sexual response. There is extensive research on bio-medical, psychosocial, and relationship predictors of desire particularly in women. Despite this accumulated knowledge, there is a lack of studies investigating the ability of sexual cues to predict sexual desire. A sample of 546 heterosexual and premenopausal Portuguese women, aged between 18 and 53 years old, completed a web survey assessing socio-demographic variables, medical conditions, psychopathology, relationship dimensions, sexual cues and sexual desire. Findings from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that sexual cues significantly predict sexual desire. In particular, explicit/arousal cues (β = .321, p < .001) were the most significant predictor of female sexual desire. Additionally, somatization (β = .188, p < .001), relationship satisfaction (β = .159, p < .001), anxiety (β = −.165, p = .006), and antidepressant medication (β = −.094, p = .014) were also significant predictors. Results emphasize the strong ability of explicit/arousal cues to predict sexual desire in women above and beyond other known factors. These findings suggest that the assessment of sexual desire problems in women as well as treatment approaches should take into consideration the role of sexual cues and particularly explicit/arousal cues.

Representative Bureaucracy and the Role of Expertise in Politics

The vast majority of existing studies on bureaucratic representation focus on bureaucracies’ permanent and internal staff. Yet, the rising sophistication of modern democracies and the technocratization of political life are gradually inducing an increased reliance on external experts to assist in the development and implementation of policy decisions. This trend, we argue, raises the need to extend studies of bureaucratic representation to such external and non-permanent experts in governmental affairs. In this article, we take a first step in this direction using seconded national experts (SNEs) in the European Commission as our empirical laboratory. Our results highlight that Commission SNEs do not appear representative of their constituent population (i.e., the EU-27 population) along a number of socio-demographic dimensions. Moreover, we find that the role perception of “experts” is primarily explained by organizational affiliation, and only secondarily by demographic characteristics (except, of course, education).

Like strangers we trust: Identity and generic affiliation networks

Sociological research on collective behavior provides strong evidence for the sources of collective action and shared attitudes based on overlapping experience. We know, for example, that members of social movement organizations are likely to share similar beliefs. However, a significant portion of the prior research on shared behaviors or attitudes analyzes individuals who do not know one another. This research using large surveys often infers overlapping experience based on generic connections: People in unions generally or church groups generally are likely to hold similar beliefs or engage in similar behaviors as if they were in the same unions or church groups. In this paper, I challenge this simple inference by arguing that the generic affiliations we hold contribute to our identity. Specifically, our identities can, in part, be seen as a network of overlapping roles based on generic affiliations. Findings indicate the importance of considering generic affiliation networks when modeling trust and political partisanship. Individuals who share multiple affiliations often appear to be similar to one another along a number of socio-demographic dimensions and report similar attitudes. Conclusions highlight the promise and challenge of relational approaches to social life.

Micro Dynamics and Macro Outcomes: A Study of the Role of Networks in Segregation Processes

Numerous empirical studies have documented how the labor- market networks in which individuals are embedded influence their job attainment. Much less attention has been paid to what these findings imply for macro-level outcomes such as the extent to which the market becomes segregated along various sociodemographic dimensions. This article seeks to partially correct this imbalance in the literature. It focuses on the ethnic and gender segregation of labor markets, and it uses a combination of choice-based statistical modeling and large- scale agent-based simulations to improve our understanding of the links between micro and macro dynamics. Using a unique longitudinal data set on the entire population of the Stockholm metropolitan area for the years 1990-2003, the analyses suggest that the more important networks are for individuals’ mobility in the labor market, the less segregated the market is likely to become along gender and ethnic lines.

Socio-demographic and psychological features in Moroccan patients with cancer: A prospective multicentric large cohort study.

e20516 Background: To explore socio-demographic features and functional dimensions in patients included in a large Moroccan cohort study. Methods: This is the first Moroccan study which was designed to evaluate the quality of life in cancer patients. It is a prospective multicentric cohort study (the 10 existing centers). Patients with breast, cervical, lung or colorectal cancer were included during 2009. EORTC QLQ C30, BR23, CX24 and LC13 questionnaires were used after a transcultural validation. Results: Over 12 months, 2903 patients were included. Breast cancer was the most common (50.4%). Socio-demographic features: The average age at diagnosis was 52.7 years old. Most of them were women (75%). All of patients were Muslims. 75.1% were married. 60% were illiterate. 20% of patients were professionally active and 59.3% were housewives. 27.2% came from rural towns. The socioeconomic status was 65.8% low and 32.4% intermediate. 71.4% of patients had no social welfare. To get to the oncology centers, 77.8% of patients used public transportation while only 0.6% of total cases came in ambulances. The average distance was 150 kilometers. Psychosocial dimensions: For all types of cancer, functional dimensions were noticeably deteriorated with the stage. The lowest scores were observed in lung cancer, whereas the highest ones were for breast cancer. (Emotional function 62.54 vs. 53.05 professional function and leisure 74.14 vs. 42.22 cognitive activity 83.25 vs 26.93 social activity 86,17 vs. 77.69 p&lt;0.001). The financial problems score was higher in lung cancer (68.34). The future perspective was the most affected dimension in QLQ BR23 questionnaire (score40.51), while in QLQ CX24, the sexual enjoyment was the most impacted dimension (score 52.1). Conclusions: In the Moroccan culture, the social relationships the social relationships offset the negative impact of cancer on other functional dimensions. Social activity scores were the less affected. Financial issues are the major concern, resulting in a negative impact on the quality of life of our patients. Finally, over a period of one year, the scores of reported dimensions were significantly improved by the cancer treatment.

Situating banal nationalism, the culture wars, and civil religion: governing localized geographies of national identity in Indiana

Various material forms of national identity have become ubiquitous features of the post-9/11 American cultural landscape. This research specifically examines the ‘In God We Trust’ (IGWT) license plate in the state of Indiana as a material expression and territorialized form of national identity. While conceptually anchored in banal nationalism research, exploring the spatial patterns of adoption or non-adoption of IGWT license plates by Indiana residents is only possible through situating this research through the mediating lens of the culture wars and civil religion. Although the IGWT license plate project legislatively materialized through the localized spatial networks of non-state actors in the context of a new and conservative state–citizen relationship firmly anchored in the culture wars, adoption behavior is also mediated through the much broader influence of civil religion. We conduct a quantitative analysis to determine license plate spatial distribution by county, but more importantly to explore the sociodemographic dimensions of IGWT license plate adoption and non-adoption. While our results generally mirror the sociodemographic findings of social issue-based electoral geography, the imbrication of banal nationalism, the culture wars, and civil religion as materially expressed by the IGWT license plate yields an ideologically different and broader dynamic when compared to culture wars defined by national identity.

Diversity management: The treatment of HIV-positive employees

Socio-demographic dimensions such as age, gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity are commonly included in diversity studies. With a view to helping Asian hospitality managers to manage HIV-positive employees in their workplaces through diversity management (DM) theory, this research extends the boundaries of previous diversity studies by considering Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection as a diverse characteristic. Both quantitative and qualitative primary data were collected from purposively selected Asian hospitality managers through postal questionnaire and follow-up telephone interviews. Transformed raw data were analysed using summary statistics and template analysis. Asian hospitality managers agreed that DM would be appropriate in the management of HIV-positive employees and that it could generate substantial benefits for employees and employers. However, they believe that the successful adoption and implementation of DM is not easy; it requires training and, ideally, the recruitment of experienced directors. Nevertheless, Asian hospitality managers are confident that implementing DM to manage HIV-positive employees can enhance tolerance, improve understanding and promote equality. The purposive sampling technique and the small number of respondents have impacted the external validity of the study. However, this exploratory study initiates an equality discussion to include HIV-positive employees in DM discourse beyond antidiscrimination legislation. It also supplements the sparse literature addressing HIV-positive employees in the Asian hospitality workplace. Asian hospitality managers are advised to understand and employ DM to treat HIV-positive employees fairly to overcome hospitality workplace marginalisation, discrimination and stigmatisation.

Social capital as knowledge facilitator: evidence from Latvia

This paper investigates knowledge acquisition through social ties. This issue has proved important in organizational studies as a mechanism of value creation. Recently, it has also been identified in regional studies as a factor behind regional development and consensus building. Policies are therefore needed to support such knowledge acquisition. The approach is based on the concepts of knowledge as a ‘club good’, and of social capital, where the latter is seen as a set of assets which can overcome obstacles to knowledge exchange. A taxonomy of social capital and knowledge is proposed and relationships among the considered dimensions are hypothesized. A multivariate analysis at the individual level is applied to data collected in the Republic of Latvia, including a sensitivity analysis with regard to socio-demographic dimensions. The analysis underlines the low effect of social capital on complex forms of knowledge. Results also show a strong sensitivity for socio-demographic dimensions.

Criteria Based Case Review: The Parent Child Psychological Support Program

The Parent Child Psychological Support Program (PCPS) was established in an area of South West Dublin in 2001. Since then until May 2008 it has offered its services to over 700 children and their parents. This preventative, parenting support service is available to all parents of children aged 3 to 18 months within its catchment area. During periodical visits, the infant’s development and growth are measured and parents receive specific information about their child’s progress. Parents are empowered in their parenting practices, thus promoting consistency and synchrony in parent-child interaction. Between 2001 and 2006, 538 parents and their infants participated in the Program. Out of these cases, 130 (24.16%) were considered to require additional support and were included in the Monthly Meeting Case Review (MM) based on initial concerns The aims of this study were: 1. to review the first five years of MM cases and to explore the socio-demographic profile of the MM cases in comparison to those not in need of additional support (non-MM) and 2. To illustrate an approach to refining the case review process which will inform practice and provides the service providers with better understanding of the early detection of parent-child relation difficulties. In pursuing this goal the cases screened over five years of practice were analyzed to explore the structure of the different factors by using statistical techniques of data reduction, i.e. factor analysis. The results showed that the MM group differed on several socio-demographic dimensions from the non-MM group and there was a four factor structure underlying the case review decision process. Implications of this research are discussed.

Poverty as a determinant of young drivers' fatal crash risks

Problem U.S. teenaged and young-adult drivers' elevated rates of fatal traffic crash involvement typically are attributed to biological and developmental risk-taking associated with young age. However, young drivers differ from older ones along several sociodemographic dimensions, including higher poverty rates and greater concentration in poorer areas, which may contribute to their risks. Method Using Fatality Analysis Reporting System, Census, and Federal Highway Administration data for 1994-2007, bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted of fatal motor-vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles driven by driver age (16 through 74) and state along with 14 driver-, vehicle-, and state-level variables. Results Driver age was not a significant predictor of fatal crash risk once several factors associated with high poverty status (more occupants per vehicle, smaller vehicle size, older vehicle age, lower state per-capita income, lower state population density, more motor-vehicle driving, and lower education levels) were controlled. These risk factors were significantly associated with each other and with higher crash involvement among adult drivers as well. Summary and Discussion The strong association between fatal crash risk and environments of poverty as operationalized by substandard vehicle and driving conditions suggests a major overlooked traffic safety factor particularly affecting young drivers.

G&amp;#233;nero y participaci&amp;#243;n laboral en la comunidad de Madrid. Las dimensiones espaciales de un proceso de cambio

This paper studies the characteristics and recent evolution (1986-2001) of labourforce participation by gender in the region of Madrid, Spain. These characteristics can be related to the recent economic reestructuring process experienced by global capitalism and its productive, social and territorial consequences in our region. After a study of the sociodemographic dimensions of the labourmarket, a territorial perspective is adopted: we recognize, at a local level of detail, the different spatial patterns of male and female activity rates and their evolution. Finally, the analysis attemps to identify the effect of the spatial variation of certain municipal indicators on the distribution of the labourforce participation by gender along the Madrid Metropolitan Area and the entire region of Madrid.

Coping behaviour in medical residents

Background and aims:The residency is one of the most stressful periods in medical practice and entails different psycopathological disorders. Individual type of adaptation plays an important role in the pychological response to this situations.The aims are to describe the coping behaviour used during the residency period, and to analyze the factors related to them.Methods:Cross-sectional study in 145 residents, in wich we valued sociodemographic data, psychopatholy (GHQ Goldberg), personality dimensions (16PF-A Cattell), psychic antecedent and coping behaviour (Lazarus and Folkman, 1986). A descriptive, comparative and a Pearson correlation study was performed.Results:The sociodemographic variables and the frecuency of the coping behaviors used are detailed in table. We described their relation with personality features and sociodemographic variables, and the coping associated with psychic antecedent and psychopathology.Conclusions:The more used behaviors were those directed towards Planful problem-solving, Seeking social support, Self-controlling, Positive reappraisal, Confrontive coping and Distraction. Coping behaviour are related with various factors that probably caused them, being personality features outstanding. The socio-demographic variables also are related, and in women are more frecuent Seeking social support and Selfaward.Although this study, due to its transversal structure, can not establish a causal relationship between coping behaviour and the presence of psychopathology, we observed that the latest one was associated with Selfblame, Distancing and Avoidance behaviors and could be considered as inefficient strategies. In those with personal psychic antecedents, Distraction and Selfaward behaviors were outstanding, although this mechanisms were not related to psychopathology.