Socioeconomic Regions Research Articles

Assessment of the Higher Education System as a Structural Component of the Region's Staffing

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that at present, in the conditions of the economic crisis, a shortage of highly qualified and professional personnel is becoming noticeable, which is caused by the unstable situation in the regions, trends in rapidly changing working conditions. It becomes clear that for a stable socio-economic system, regions and organizations within it need to be prepared for structural changes. The purpose of the study is to assess the higher education system as a structural component of the staffing of the region. Objectives: to analyze the dynamics of registered and liquidated organizations; to identify the ratio of indicators of the total population and the economically active population; to consider the per capita indicators of monetary incomes of the population of the Kursk region; to investigate the number of students enrolled in bachelor's, specialty and master's degree programs; to systematize the list of educational institutions of higher education located in the Kursk region; to present the disproportions of demand and supply of human resources by types of economic activity and in the professional and qualification context. Methodology. This article uses empirical research methods in the study and analysis of statistical data. Results. In the course of the study, the analysis of the current state of the higher education system as a structure-forming component of the staffing of the region was carried out, the disproportions of demand and supply of human resources by types of economic activity and in the professional and qualification context were revealed. Conclusions. Based on the conducted research, it can be concluded that the problem of supply and demand in the labor market is currently acute, since the development of the region's economy depends on the solution of personnel issues. One of the possible solutions to the personnel "hunger" within organizations can be step-by-step cooperation with universities and students of the desired field of training: internships, internships, round tables, business games and other methods of interaction between educational organizations and partner organizations.

Hydrological impacts of altered monsoon rain spells in the Indian Ganga basin: a century-long perspective

The Indian Ganga basin (IGB) is one of the most valuable socioeconomic regions in the Indian subcontinent. The IGB supports more than half a billion people due to an abundant supply of freshwater for agro-industrial purposes, primarily through Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) rainfall contributions (∼85%). Any alterations in ISM characteristics would significantly affect freshwater availability, and as a result, socioeconomic activities would be affected. Therefore, in this study, we have attempted to assess how the monsoon rain spell characteristics, i.e. peak, volume, and duration, altered historically between 1901 to 2019. We further analyzed the specific IGB regions where monsoon rain spell changes are more prominent and their hydrological implications. Our estimates reveal that short-duration high-magnitude rain spells have significantly increased across the major regions of the IGB after 1960, which implies the increased probabilities of flash flood hazards. At the same time, the rain spell volumes have been depleted across the IGB after 1960, especially in the eastern Indo-Gangetic plains and southern IGB regions, indicating increased drought frequencies. Further, Himalayan regions, i.e. upper Ganga, upper Yamuna, and upper Ghaghra, have demonstrated increasing magnitudes of rain spell peaks, volume, and duration post-1960. In addition, the continuous warming and anthropogenic alterations might further exaggerate the current situation. Thus, these inferences are helpful for river basin management strategies to deal with the extreme hydrological disasters in the IGB.

Enterobius vermicularis infection at time of appendicectomy: is it a neglected risk factor?

Obstruction of the appendiceal orifice is well established as a potential cause of appendicitis. However, it remains debated as to if appendiceal orifice obstruction secondary to Enterobius vermicularis is considered a risk factor for appendicitis or appendiceal colic. Enterobius vermicularis maintains an increased prevalence within lower socioeconomic and human development index regions. Whilst Australia has an overall high human development index it has significant variability in health literacy and socioeconomics. The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the relationship between Enterobius vermicularis and appendicitis, to review the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis appendicectomies in lower human development index and socioeconomic status communities, and to review the Australian based Enterobius vermicularis literature available. A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to review the prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis at time of appendicectomy. PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were investigated for applicable studies published until December 2023. Enterobius vermicularis within the appendiceal lumen may cause irritation and lymphoid hyperplasia resulting in appendiceal colic with a similar clinical presentation to that of acute appendicitis. An increased association between Enterobius vermicularis, low human development index, and socioeconomic status is suggested. Public health interventions reduce Enterobius prevalence. A single Australian based study from 1994 was identified. Enterobius vermicularis infection is a neglected risk factor for appendiceal colic. A high index of suspicion for Enterobius vermicularis infection should be taken for clinically stable patients with normal inflammatory biochemistry and low human development index. Further research is required to assess if there is a disparity in Enterobius vermicularis in relation to human development index, socioeconomic status, and remoteness within Australian communities.

Research on the Impact of COVID-19 on Education Inequality in China

Educational inequality in China has been a long-standing problem, but the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated its impact. The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 and its extreme spread have severely impacted education systems, creating new challenges for students and educators. The shift in learning styles from classroom to distance learning and campus closures have exacerbated existing inequalities, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue to ensure equal access to education for all students in China. By analyzing the disparate impacts of campus closures, distance learning, and access to technology on different socioeconomic statuses and regions and highlighting differences in educational opportunities, this paper explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated educational inequalities in China's education system. COVID-19 is exacerbating educational inequality by highlighting disparities in digital access, resource availability, and learning environments, making it harder for disadvantaged groups to access equal educational opportunities.

Measuring the Efficiency of Turkish Research Universities via Two-Stage Network DEA with Shared Inputs Model

The efficiency of universities, which have a network structure of production process, is an essential component of performance measurement in education. However, most previous studies use traditional Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), which disregards the network structure of the production process in universities. This study adopts a two-stage Network Data Envelopment Analysis (NDEA) with shared inputs model to assess the overall, teaching and research efficiencies of Turkish research universities. The findings show that only 6 out of 23 research universities are efficient, and some universities with lower world rankings are more efficient than those with higher rankings. On the other hand, no significant difference was found between the efficiency levels of regions with a high level of socio-economic development and regions with a relatively low level of socio-economic development. The study also evaluates the effects of different priority scenarios on efficiency and the optimal allocation of shared inputs between sub-processes. This study provides guidance for universities seeking to improve their performance and for the Council of Higher Education (CHE) in determining incentives for research universities. It also promotes the use of multi-stage NDEA with shared inputs model over traditional DEA for accurate efficiency assessment in the field of education.

Challenges and Way Forward to Maintain Air Quality Standard in Urban Areas

This thesis explores the intricate relationship between urban air pollution, economic growth, population dynamics, and energy consumption. Addressing impacts on climate change, biodiversity, agriculture, and human health, it emphasizes compromised urban air quality due to pollution sources such as power generation, vehicle traffic, and construction. Key pollutants like particulate matter, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide pose significant health risks. The study identifies road transportation as a primary contributor, underlining alarming statistics from WHO on global air quality, particularly impacting low-level socio-economic regions. Legislations and policies dating back over a century form the foundation for global air pollution control efforts. The research highlights innovative solutions like urban green spaces, smart traffic management, and renewable energy investments. It stresses the importance of public transportation, electric vehicles, clean construction practices, and initiatives to reduce industrial emissions. In response to challenges, the thesis proposes a comprehensive mitigation plan covering strategy such as promoting public transport, energy conservation, recycling, and afforestation. It outlines a way forward, emphasizing integrated urban planning, public awareness campaigns, government policies, and international collaboration. In conclusion, the thesis calls for collective responsibility to address urban air pollution's adverse effects on public health and the environment. The proposed roadmap aims to create sustainable, resilient, and healthier urban environments through a holistic and collaborative approach.

Association Between Trajectory of Socioeconomic Position and Regional Brain Volumes Related to Dementia: Results From the NEIGE Study.

Low socioeconomic position (SEP) has been linked to an increased risk of dementia. However, little is known about the association between SEP trajectory and regional brain volumes related to dementia. A random sample of community-dwelling older adults (n = 428, age = 73.1±5.5) living in Tokamachi City (Niigata Prefecture, Japan) without medical histories of dementia, Parkinson's disease, and depression who underwent automated assessment of brain volumes on magnetic resonance imaging and responded to a self-administered questionnaire survey in 2017. We measured SEP in childhood (household SEP at age 15), young adulthood (education), mid-adulthood (the longest occupation), and late adulthood (current wealth), and further performed group-based trajectory analysis to identify lifetime trajectory patterns on SEP. Multivariate regression models were employed to investigate the association between SEP trajectories and 4 regional brain volumes related to the development of Alzheimer's disease (ie, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and the parahippocampus), the most common type of dementia. We found 3 distinct SEP trajectories (stable middle class [68%], downward [23%], and upward [9%]). Compared to those who experienced stable middle class, older adults who experienced the upward SEP mobility had significantly larger hippocampus (β: 213.2, 95% confidence interval: 14.7, 411.8). On the other hand, older adults who experienced downward SEP mobility showed no significant differences in any of the 4 brain structural volumes. Our findings indicate that upward life-course SEP mobility is associated with larger volumes of hippocampus in old age. SEP trajectory may offer us a useful lens to enhance our understanding of the etiology of dementia.

Empowering Global Hematology-Oncology Education: Assessing the Impact of a 1.5-Year Virtual Platform in Combating Miseducation & Inequity

Introduction Social media has revolutionized the global sharing of knowledge, with 77.4% of cancer patients relying on it as their primary medical information resource, especially in resource-limited regions (Ponce et alJCO). However, due to its rapid and unregulated nature, 1/3 of social media posts contain misinformation, with 76.9% of them containing harmful information leading to adverse outcomes. To address this, MedNews Week (MNW), a digital medical education platform dedicated to combating misinformation, was developed to contribute to global hematology-oncology education through its free programming. The Keynote Conference Lecture Series features live virtual presentations from oncology's premier global leaders discussing the latest developments in the field before a mainstream global audience. The aim of this study was to assess the worldwide reach and impact of this virtual oncology education platform. Methods From January 2022 to July 2023, MNW hosted 15 global hematology-oncology leaders (Mean H-index = 73.2) as Keynote Speakers. Viewership, impressions, and outreach data were collected from MNW's social media accounts, Symplur and TweepMaps. Data was analyzed to assess MNW's global viewership, reach, and engagement and stratified based on engagement sentiment, gender, age group, and occupation. Results In 2022, MNW produced a Healthcare Social Graph Score of 92.77%, placing it in the top 7.33 percentile of global healthcare influencers. Over a 12-month period, MNW generated more than 109,128 Twitter impressions with 4,731 engagements, reaching 1.9 million accounts globally ( Figure 1a). A large proportion of followers (73.44%) were from non-healthcare fields with slightly more males than females. The viewership showed a linear exponential increase from 20,527 (6 months) to 50,707 (1 Year) to 290,532 (1.5 Years) ( Figure 1b). The platform's outreach spanned over 150 cities and 70 countries, with 23 of these countries categorized as low-to-middle socioeconomic regions ( Figure 1c). Conclusion Given MNW's performance, it provides a novel model for engaging and disseminating medical information while attracting and sustaining a diverse, global, and growing audience. The platform's ability to spotlight the work of global leaders in the field, free of charge, particularly in lower SE regions, offers a promising approach to combat hematology-oncology educational inequity. Thus, MNW presents an opportunity to inspire audiences worldwide to be proactive, well-informed, and engaged, while narrowing the divide in oncology education.

Clinical Risk Factors Associated with Poor Outcomes in Snake Envenoming: A Narrative Review.

Snakebite-related fatalities disproportionately affect populations in impoverished socio-economic regions, marked by limited access to adequate healthcare and constrained antivenom availability. Early medical intervention is pivotal in mitigating mortality and morbidity associated with snakebite envenoming (SBE). While clinical assessment remains fundamental in treating SBE, this review aims to spotlight objective parameters that could also affect outcomes. Selected studies that identify factors associated with poor outcomes are predominantly region-specific, single-site, and observational, yet collectively reveal similar findings. They consistently report factors such as treatment delays, susceptibility in vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women, as well as various biochemical and haematological abnormalities. Acute kidney injury (AKI), low platelets, leucocytosis, abnormal coagulation, and elevated creatine kinase (CK) all show an association with poor outcomes. Furthermore, recognising rare and unusual SBE presentations such as adrenal insufficiency, severe hypertension, intracranial haemorrhage, acute angle closure glaucoma, and bowel ischaemia also has a bearing on outcomes. Despite the integration of these parameters into clinical decision tools and guidelines, the validation of this evidence is limited. This review underscores the imperative for high-quality, multi-centre studies aligned with consensus-driven Core Outcome Sets (COS) and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMS) to validate and strengthen the current evidence.

The Impact of a Virtual Platform to Reduce Hematology-Oncology Educational Disparities Amongst Healthcare Professionals in Lower Socioeconomic Regions Globally

Introduction: Studies have shown that lower socioeconomic (LS) areas are associated with increased disparities in healthcare access and outcomes leading to increased cancer mortality. While delayed diagnosis, suboptimal access, infrastructural challenges, and finances have contributed to these inequities, access to the latest medical knowledge and advancements has been cited as an equally important contributor responsible for cancer treatment outcomes. In response, MedNews Week (MNW), a free, digital platform was developed to provide global oncology education through its programming featuring Keynote presentations from the field's global leaders. To effectively reach a wider audience of healthcare professionals (HCP), MNW formed a strategic alliance with VuMedi- a global video education platform for physicians. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of MNW's hematology-oncology programming on VuMedi's educational platform for HCP. Methods: Between September 2022 and July 2023, MNW featured 11 prominent global hematology-oncology leaders in leukemia (mean H-index = 67.82), and their Keynote presentations were prominently presented on VuMedi. This study assessed viewership, global reach, page views, tumor subtype views, unique visits, and audience occupation demographics. In conjunction with VuMedi, a descriptive analysis and mixed-methods approach were utilized to evaluate the level of engagement with the content. Results: Over this 11-month period, MNW demonstrated increased linear growth with programming generating 4,387,213 total page views and 138,288 impressions (Figure 1 a, b). The platform drew 1,750,161 new visitors and 44,982 new registrants during this time ( Figure 1a). The Leukemia Channel and Video pages demonstrated linear growth over this time with 139 channel and 891 total video page views (Figure 2 c-e). The listed videos had 746 starts with a total playing time of 8,610 minutes (Figure 1 a, g). The audience was comprised primarily of surgeons (78.57%) compared to allied healthcare professionals (14.29%) from 22 countries- 12 of which are from LS areas, including Nigeria, Sudan, Georgia, and Bangladesh, and 10 of which are from high socioeconomic areas ( Figure 1 a & h). Conclusions: MNW has demonstrated an ability to attract and retain a diverse and expanding audience of physicians globally, particularly in lower-resource areas. Despite previously identified barriers such as limited internet access and high costs hindering access to quality medical information, MNW has exhibited consistent growth and success, particularly in regions facing these challenges. By hosting Keynote presentations from global leaders to HCP, MNW provides an effective and pragmatic solution to address educational disparities, while impacting hematology-oncology education in leukemia on a global scale.

Forecasting the Directions of the State Policy of the Region on the Basis of Cluster Analysis of Indicators of Socio-Economic Development of Its Municipalities

Assessment of the prospects for the development of the region is an important task for both economic science and public authorities. The purpose of this article is to develop an algorithm for assessing the prospects for the development of the region, which would allow identifying the most problematic areas and competitive advantages of territorial development in order to determine the most important areas of budget expenditures in the context of municipalities in the region. The research uses the concept of sustainable development and the theory of clusters as a methodological basis. Cluster analysis by the Ward method and k-means were used as research methods. As a forecasting method, the most effective among the methods was used: least squares, exponential smoothing, moving average for 3 and 5 years. Separately, the demographic forecast for each municipality separately was used to predict the population. As a result of the conducted research, groups of municipalities of the region differentiated by the level of development have been identified, for which the main problem areas have been formulated, the leveling of which should be addressed by the state policy of the region. The advantage of the proposed approach is that it identifies and predicts the problems of socio-economic development of the region, which may be hidden in the medium-term forecast of the socio-economic region. In this research, such problems were identified in many municipalities of the Leningrad region in the field of housing construction, demography and economics. The article may be useful to public authorities when forming a strategy for socio-economic development.

Social-environmental phenotypes of rapid cystic fibrosis lung disease progression in adolescents and young adults living in the United States

BackgroundCystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease but is greatly impacted by non-genetic (social/environmental and stochastic) influences. Some people with CF experience rapid decline, a precipitous drop in lung function relative to patient- and/or center-level norms. Those who experience rapid decline in early adulthood, compared to adolescence, typically exhibit less severe clinical disease but greater loss of lung function. The extent to which timing and degree of rapid decline are informed by social and environmental determinants of health (geomarkers) is unknown. MethodsA longitudinal cohort study was performed (24,228 patients, aged 6–21 years) using the U.S. CF Foundation Patient Registry. Geomarkers at the ZIP Code Tabulation Area level measured air pollution/respiratory hazards, greenspace, crime, and socioeconomic deprivation. A composite score quantifying social-environmental adversity was created and used in covariate-adjusted functional principal component analysis, which was applied to cluster longitudinal lung function trajectories. ResultsSocial-environmental phenotyping yielded three primary phenotypes that corresponded to early, middle, and late timing of peak decline in lung function over age. Geographic differences were related to distinct cultural and socioeconomic regions. Extent of peak decline, estimated as forced expiratory volume in 1 s of % predicted/year, ranged from 2.8 to 4.1 % predicted/year depending on social-environmental adversity. Middle decliners with increased social-environmental adversity experienced rapid decline 14.2 months earlier than their counterparts with lower social-environmental adversity, while timing was similar within other phenotypes. Early and middle decliners experienced mortality peaks during early adolescence and adulthood, respectively. ConclusionWhile early decliners had the most severe CF lung disease, middle and late decliners lost more lung function. Higher social-environmental adversity associated with increased risk of rapid decline and mortality during young adulthood among middle decliners. This sub-phenotype may benefit from enhanced lung-function monitoring and personalized secondary environmental health interventions to mitigate chemical and non-chemical stressors.

Cardiometabolic Risk and Dietary Behaviors in Middle-School Children Consuming School-Sourced Lunch.

Childhood obesity remains a major public health issue. This study assessed the association between school-sourced lunches and cardiometabolic risk factors in middle-school students. Data from health behavior surveys and physiologic screenings in a Michigan middle-school wellness program between 2005 and 2019 were used to analyze the association of school lunch consumption with cardiometabolic risk factors (overweight/obesity, non-fasting lipids/glucose, blood pressure) and dietary behaviors (fruit/vegetable consumption, intake of sugar-sweetened beverages/foods). Students were divided into three groups based on their responses to the survey item if they 1) always, 2) sometimes, or 3) never consumed school-sourced lunches. Groups were compared using descriptive statistics and chi-squared tests. Students consuming school-sourced lunches were more likely to have overweight or obesity, without significant differences in total, HDL, or LDL cholesterol. There was no difference in non-fasting glucose levels, blood pressure, or resting heart rate. Students consuming school sourced lunch were more likely to have increased sugary and fatty food or beverage consumption. Students consuming school sourced lunch were more likely to attend school in a low or middle socioeconomic status region. In this large cohort of middle-school children, consuming school-sourced lunches was associated with a greater prevalence of overweight and obesity and consumption of fatty foods and sugary beverages. School-based interventions should target methods to reduce consumption of sugary beverages and unhealthy snacks and promote consumption of fruits and vegetables, particularly among high-risk individuals.

Seroprevalence of VZV and HSV-2 Antibodies among Women of Childbearing Age Referring to Health Centres of Mashhad, Iran: The Need for Consideration of VZV Vaccination Program.

Infections with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) are associated with serious maternal and neonatal health consequences. The literature review reveals a research gap regarding the seroprevalence of HSV-2 and VZV among women of reproductive age in Mashhad, Northeast of Iran. The present study aims to evaluate the seroprevalence of these viruses among a group of women in Mashhad, Iran. Sera were collected by health center personnel using a cluster sampling method from healthy women with specific age characteristics residing in three distinct socioeconomic regions of the city. The participants, aged 20-35, were divided into three groups (20-25, 26-30, and 31-35 years). The levels of VZV and HSV-2 IgG antibodies were evaluated using commercial ELISA kits. Subsequently, the results were analyzed using SPSS software. A total of 93 women were included in the study. Anti-HSV-2 IgG antibody was detected in 3 out of 93 participants (7.5%), while anti-VZV IgG antibody was found positive in 80 out of 93 individuals (83.3%). The HSV-2 positive cases were concurrently positive for the VZV antibody. There was no significant difference in the positivity of anti-HSV-2 and anti-VZV antibody positivity within age groups or socioeconomic status (P > 0.05). The high seroprevalence of VZV among nonvaccinated participants indicates a widespread presence of the virus and underscores its potentially serious impact on community health. Therefore, it is recommended that a VZV vaccination program be considered by the health system. Furthermore, the reactivation of latent HSV-2, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, during pregnancy should not be disregarded as a life-threatening threat.

Association between multimorbidity and informal long-term care use in China: a nationwide cohort study

BackgroundThe impact of multimorbidity on long-term care (LTC) use is understudied, despite its well-documented negative effects on functional disabilities. The current study aims to assess the association between multimorbidity and informal LTC use in China. We also explored the socioeconomic and regional disparities.MethodsThe study included 10,831 community-dwelling respondents aged 45 years and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011, 2015, and 2018 for analysis. We used a two-part model with random effects to estimate the association between multimorbidity and informal LTC use. Heterogeneity of the association by socioeconomic position (education and income) and region was explored via a subgroup analysis. We further converted the change of informal LTC hours associated with multimorbidity into monetary value and calculated the 95% uncertainty interval (UI).ResultsThe reported prevalence of multimorbidity was 60·0% (95% CI: 58·9%, 61·2%) in 2018. We found multimorbidity was associated with an increased likelihood of receiving informal LTC (OR = 2·13; 95% CI: 1·97, 2·30) and more hours of informal LTC received (IRR = 1·20; 95% CI: 1·06, 1·37), ceteris paribus. Participants in the highest income quintile received more hours of informal LTC care (IRR = 1·62; 95% CI: 1·31, 1·99). The estimated monetary value of increased informal LTC hours among participants with multimorbidity was equivalent to 3·7% (95% UI: 2·2%, 5·4%) of China’s GDP in 2018.ConclusionOur findings substantiate the threat of multimorbidity to LTC burden. It is imperative to strengthen LTC services provision, especially among older adults with multimorbidity and ensure equal access among those with lower income.

Parental practices and children's lifestyle correlates of childhood overweight/obesity in Europe: The Feel4Diabetes study.

Parental influences on children's eating and physical activity (PA) and consequently on their weight are fundamental. The present study aimed to identify the predominant correlates of childhood overweight/obesity among a variety of parental practices and children's lifestyle indices in a large sample of children in Europe. Families from low socio-economic status regions were recruited through schools, located in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Greece, Spain, Bulgaria and Hungary). Seven thousand three hundred ninety-seven children 4-12 years old and their parents were selected using the FINDRISC-questionnaire. Parental practices assessed included parental role modelling, permissiveness and reward. Children's dietary intake and lifestyle behaviours were assessed through parent-reported questionnaires. Regarding parental practices, it was revealed that being sometimes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10-1.43) or rarely (OR = 1.43; 95% CI = 1.21-1.69) physically active with the child was associated with greater overweight/obesity risk, whereas rare permission of computer/mobile/tablet (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.67-0.98) and sometimes (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.68-0.88) or rare (OR = 0.77; 95% CI = 0.66-0.91) reward with PA were associated with lower risk. Regarding children's lifestyle factors, consuming > 3 cups/week fresh fruit juices (OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.13-1.45), skipping breakfast (OR = 1.37; 95% CI = 1.17-1.61), absence of 1 h of daily PA (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.24-1.58) and increased daily screen time (ST) (OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 1.09-1.39) were associated with greater overweight/obesity risk. All the variables were adjusted for maternal education, child's sex and age. These findings emphasize the necessity of family-centered approaches in health promotion and obesity prevention programs for children. Such programs should focus on parents as the primary role models in exerting positive influence and encouraging healthy eating habits, PA, and ST behaviors in their children, which in turn, may have a substantial impact on children's overall weight status.

Global trends in the incidence and mortality of pancreatic cancer based on geographic location, socioeconomic status, and demographic shift.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a lethal malignancy with a significantly rising rate of incidence and mortality. This study aims to describe the influence of geography, socioeconomic development (based on the Human Development Index [HDI]), gender, and demographic shift on the temporal trends in the global burden of PC. Data (2020-2040) relating to the incidence, mortality of PC, and demographic shifts based on continents and HDI areas were extracted from GLOBOCAN 2020. PC was associated with a higher socioeconomic status. Asia contributed to the majority of the burden, led by China. Advanced age (≥65 years) contributed to the majority of the burden in all socioeconomic regions except in Medium HDI and Low HDI countries, where the younger population (<65 years) contributed more. Females contributed to a higher burden in certain countries. Future trends for 2040 showed a >60% increase in the incidence and mortality of PC with an associated demographic shift. The global burden of PC is expected to rise significantly over the next few decades regardless of geography, socioeconomic development, age, and gender. Advance knowledge of this data can help to formulate strategies and public health policies to specifically target countries and populations at risk.

Hemophilia Caregiver Burden in a Low Socioeconomic Region of Turkey.

This study aims to evaluate the caregiver burden of parents of hemophilia patients and related factors in the southeast region of Turkey, where access to a regular healthcare facility is more complicated than in other areas. Twenty-six caregivers of patients with hemophilia were consecutively enrolled in this non-interventional study. Caregiver burden is measured using the "HemophiliaAssociated Caregiver Burden Scale" (HEMOCAB). Hemophilia affects 65.4% of caregivers emotionally, and 92.3% feel the burden caused by financial problems related to hemophilia. The perception of the patients by caregivers was negative in the groups of low educational degree and unstable employment status (P = .037 and P = .017, respectively). The employment status and job changes influence the caregiver burden because of hemophilia (P = .034 and P = .001, respectively). The groups of those who spent greater than 5 hours for transportation to the hemophilia treatment center (HTC) had a higher burden (P = .001). Multiple linear regression analysis analyzed variables affecting HEMOCAB, frequency, and burden total scores. The model created with the burden total score was statistically significant (P = .047). The main factors affecting caregiver burden were educational status, working conditions, and economic difficulties, as well as the length of infusion times and transfer to HTCs. There is a need to develop socioeconomic policies related to these problems.

Prevalence and factors associated with child marriage, a systematic review

BackgroundGirl child marriage is increasingly recognized as a critical barrier to global public health and gender discrimination. There are still more gaps in the global rate of child marriage and the underlying factors. Thus, the present systematic review aimed to explore the prevalence of child marriage and the underlying factors.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted for all English-language studies that measured the prevalence of child marriage and its correlates from 2000 to March 2022, indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Poplin, and Google Scholar databases. Child marriage is defined as marriage under the age of 18. In the present study, Joanna Briggs' quality assessment checklist was used for data collection. Two independent reviewers reviewed all the articles.ResultsIn total, 34 eligible prevalence articles and 14 trend articles were included in the study with data from 127,945 participants. The prevalence of child marriage ranged between 1.8% to 90.85%. In most studies, the trend of child marriage was decreasing. The most important individual factors include the respondent's education and occupation, interpersonal factors such as the education and occupation of parents and husband, family size and type. Community factors include socioeconomic status, region, residence, ethnicity, and religion at the social level.ConclusionDespite a central focus of research and policies on interventions that decrease child marriage, this phenomenon is still prevalent in many places. Therefore, further specific interventions are required to improve education, reduce poverty and inequality. This may help achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Analyzing the Connectivity of Combined Statistical Areas in Different Census Regions Using ArcGIS

The study aims to analyze the spatial relationship between critical infrastructure and socioeconomic regions in Texas cities, identify areas at risk, and develop effective emergency response strategies. It also focuses on analyzing the connectivity of Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs) in different census regions through various modes of transportation, identify areas that require infrastructure upgrades, and inform policy decisions aimed at improving transportation infrastructure and increasing connectivity. The goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between critical infrastructure, emergency response, and transportation infrastructure in Texas cities, and inform policy decisions aimed at addressing disparities and improving connectivity.