Socio-economic Status Of People Research Articles

Growth and Sustainability of Islamic Finance Practice in the Financial System of Tanzania: Challenges and Prospects

Tanzania has witnessed an abrupt growth in Islamic finance industry over the last decade. A quick survey has revealed attractiveness of the industry to conventional bankers, financial agencies and among Muslims particularly between 2008 and 2013. Islamic financial institutions have grown in terms of the increasing number of Islamic products and assets particularly in the year 2012 during which, three banks and three Islamic Microfinance institutions (SACCOS) were opened, and seemed to give a promising future if sustained. However, this remarkable growth and sustainability of improved financial services is jeopardized by lack of national legal framework that guides financial operations within the system of Central Bank of Tanzania, and dysfunction of traditional Islamic funding system such as ‘Takaful’ and ‘Zakat’. This situation predicts a plight future for the industry in the country, and if it is not addressed properly will add to the list of the widespread poverty and deteriorating people's socio-economic status.

The Association between the Socioeconomic Status and the Magnitude of HIV AIDS in Kinshasa

Researches devoted to the HIV/AIDS issue divide the scientific community between the supporters of an association socioeconomic status-HIV/AIDS and those estimating that there is no pattern between them. Studies conducted across the world’s most affected regions assert one another opinion on the basis of findings scientifically proven. In addition, some other studies argue that the link poverty-HIV/AIDS is vicious, meaning that poverty cause HIV/AIDS and vice versa. The present study conducted in Kinshasa, one of the African cities characterised by a certain level of poverty, aims at investing the potential correlation socioeconomic status and magnitude of HIV/AIDS in its specific context as well as contributes to the debate that took place in the scientific community between both mainstreams evoked previously. Although the study found no relationship between people socioeconomic status and either their sexual behaviour, HIV/AIDS knowledge (3 variables), accessibility to information or availability of condoms, as well as no statistically significant difference between socio economic groups in these mentioned variables, it estimates that it is all matter of space and time rather than pronouncing a judgement about who is right or wrong. Therefore no one is wrong, all are right.

Spatial trend, environmental and socioeconomic factors associated with malaria prevalence in Chennai

BackgroundUrban malaria is considered to be one of the most significant infectious diseases due to varied socioeconomic problems especially in tropical countries like India. Among the south Indian cities, Chennai is endemic for malaria. The present study aimed to identify the hot spots of malaria prevalence and the relationship with other factors in Chennai during 2005-2011.MethodsData on zone-wise and ward-wise monthly malaria positive cases were collected from the Vector Control Office, Chennai Corporation, for the year 2005 to 2011 and verified using field data. This data was used to calculate the prevalence among thousand people. Hotspot analysis for all the years in the study period was done to observe the spatial trend. Association of environmental factors like altitude, population density and climatic variables was assessed using ArcGIS 9.3 version and SPSS 11.5. Pearson’s correlation of climate parameters at 95% and 99% was considered to be the most significant. Social parameters of the highly malaria prone region were evaluated through a structured random questionnaire field survey.ResultsAmong the ten zones of Chennai Corporation, Basin Bridge zone showed high malaria prevalence during the study period. The ‘hotspot’ analysis of malaria prevalence showed the emergence of newer hotspots in the Adyar zone. These hotspots of high prevalence are places of moderately populated and moderately elevated areas. The prevalence of malaria in Chennai could be due to rainfall and temperature, as there is a significant correlation with monthly rainfall and one month lag of monthly mean temperature. Further it has been observed that the socioeconomic status of people in the malaria hotspot regions and unhygienic living conditions were likely to aggravate the malaria problem.ConclusionMalaria hotspots will be the best method to use for targeting malaria control activities. Proper awareness and periodical monitoring of malaria is one of the quintessential steps to control this infectious disease. It has been argued that identifying the key environmental conditions favourable for the occurrence and spread of malaria must be integrated and documented to aid future predictions of malaria in Chennai.

Dynamics of people's socio-economic status in the face of schistosomiasis control interventions in Ukerewe district, Tanzania

There is a paucity of research on micro-level assessment of the dynamics of socio-economic status following health interventions. The use of household asset data to determine wealth indices is a common procedure for estimating socio-economic position in low-income countries. Indeed, in such settings information about income is usually lacking and the collection of individual consumption or expenditure data would require in-depth interviews, posing a considerable risk of bias. In this study, we determined the socio-economic status of 159 households in a village in north-western Tanzania before and 1 year after participatory hygiene and sanitation transformation (PHAST) intervention to control schistosomiasis. We constructed a household ‘wealth index’ based on durable assets ownership (e.g. bicycle and radio) and household characteristics dealing with ownership of land and house construction features (e.g. type of walls and roof). We employed principal components analysis and classified households into wealth quintiles. The study revealed that asset variables with positive factor scores were associated with higher socio-economic status, whereas asset variables with negative factor scores were associated with lower socio-economic status. Overall, households which were rated as the poorest and very poor were on the decrease, whereas those rated as poor, less poor and the least poor were on the increase after PHAST intervention. This decrease/increase was significant. The median shifted from −0.761 to −0.448, and the mean from −0.204 (standard deviation (SD) 1.924) to 0.193 (SD 2.079) between pre- and post-intervention phases. The difference in socio-economic status of the people comparing the pre- and post-intervention phases was highly statistically significant (p<0.001). This observation was confirmed by a multinomial model with a random effect on the households. We argue that significant changes in the socio-economic status observed in our study are attributable to the PHAST intervention, despite other sporadic interventions against schistosomiasis.

Health maintenance and low socio-economic status: A family perspective.

The socio-economic status of people has a profound influence on health, as higher rates of morbidity and mortality are reported for individuals with lower socio-economic status. Due to the increased burden of disease, research exploring how families maintain their health in a low socio-economic situation is an urgent priority. The objective of the study was to gain an understanding of the reality families are confronted with in terms of their health due to their socio-economic status. The study was contextual, qualitative and exploratory using purposive sampling methods. The sample size was governed by data saturation and realised as 17 families (n=17). The participants for the study were families residing in Soshanguve Extension 12 and 13, South Africa. The data collection method was self-report using a semi-structured interview. Content analysis was done according to Tesch’s approach using open coding. Five themes based on the theoretical basis of the study, including age, sex and genetic constitution, individual lifestyle factors, social and community networks, living and working conditions and general socio-economic status were used. Maintaining the health of people living in a physically and psychosocially disadvantaged position requires a different approach from registered professional nurses. No community-specific intervention can be planned and implemented to reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable disease in the community without evidence based on a family perspective.

The influence of human factor on financial sustainability of agricultural production

The analysis of functioning of complex production systems in agroindustrial sphere — large crop farms and livestock farms — shows that the basis for dynamic development of their productive activities is based on a reliable and stable operation of the complex biotech (human-machine) systems. Urgent problems, whose solution promotes a dynamic and efficient operation of complex biotechnological systems, are to create mathematical models of the total biotech system, allowing sufficiently informatively guide the work of major agricultural organizations. This paper discusses an alternative methodological approach to assessing and forecasting financial sustainability of an enterprise. An important place among the factors that shape the financial stability of the economic entity, takes the human factor (decision maker). Financial sustainability of the enterprise is seen from the perspective of bio-approach that includes elements of the system MME (man, machine, and environment). This approach improves the results when evaluating the adequacy of the financial stability of companies in various states of the economy. Newly developed approaches and mathematical models to manage systems of biotechnology make it possible to significantly increase the productivity of animals, crop production and the level of socio-economic status of people in the country.

English

&nbsp; The purpose of&nbsp;this study&nbsp;was to&nbsp;investigate&nbsp;the sero-prevalence of&nbsp;Hepatıtıs B virus (HBV) infection among pregnant women in city of&nbsp;Hakkari that&nbsp;lies in the Southeastern border of Turkey in which the socioeconomic status of people is too low.&nbsp;Hepatitis Bseroprevalence&nbsp;antigen (HBs Ag)&nbsp;positivity, anti HBs positivity and demographic datas of the women (ages, born places etc.) were determined from the records of Hakkari State Hospital.&nbsp;HBs Ag&nbsp;positivity was detected in 7 of 473 (1.47%) pregnant women. There were no significant difference between the age groups and&nbsp;prevalence of HBs Ag&nbsp;positivity&nbsp;(p = 0.994 and p &lt; 0.05).&nbsp;Antibodies against&nbsp;HBs Ag&nbsp;(anti HBs) were&nbsp; performed in 443 pregnant women. Only 59 of them (11,4%) were positive.&nbsp;The prevalence of HBs Ag positivity in Hakkari was found lower than expected. The Southeastern part of Turkey should not been accepted as an intermediate endemic area for HBV.&nbsp;On the other hand; according to us, the active screening of&nbsp; pregnant women in a proper population is one of the most important strategies for defeating the addition of new infectious members.&nbsp; &nbsp; Key words:&nbsp;Hakkari, Hepatitis B antigen positivity, pregnant women.

The Association of Disability and Pain with Individual and Community Socioeconomic Status in People with Hip Osteoarthritis

Objective:To examine associations between disability and socioeconomic status (SES) in persons with hip radiographic OA (rOA) or symptomatic OA (sxOA) in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.Methods:Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on individuals with hip rOA (708) or sxOA (251). rOA was defined as Kellgren-Lawrence ≥ 2. Educational attainment (<12 years or ≥12 years) and occupation (managerial or non-managerial) were individual SES measures. Census block group poverty rate (<12%, 12-25%, ≥25%) was the community SES measure. Disability was measured by the HAQ-DI and the WOMAC (function, pain, total). Covariates included age, gender, race, BMI, and presence of knee symptoms. Analyses examined associations of disability with each SES effect separately, followed by multivariable analyses using all SES variables, adjusting for covariates.Results:In models with single SES variables adjusted for covariates, WOMAC scores were associated significantly (p<0.05) with low educational attainment and non-managerial occupation in rOA and sxOA. HAQ was significantly associated with low educational attainment in rOA and sxOA and with high community poverty in rOA. In models including all SES variables, the patterns of association were similar although with diminished significance. There was indication that education was more strongly associated with HAQ and WOMAC function, while occupation was more strongly associated with WOMAC pain.Conclusion:Our data provide evidence that individual SES is an important factor to consider when examining disability and pain outcomes in older adults with hip OA.

Pattern of maxillofacial fractures at a tertiary hospital in northern India: a 4-year retrospective study of 718 patients

– Purpose: Pattern and aetiology of maxillofacial injuries varies from one country to another and even within the same country depending on prevailing socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors. Various studies have been carried out in various countries to study the epidemiology and demographics of the maxillofacial injuries but the studies from India are few. Material and methods: Retrospective study was undertaken at Christian Medical College Ludhiana (India) from January 2006 to December 2009. Treatment records of the patients was checked and age, gender, aetiology of injury, associated injuries, maxillofacial fractures and treatment offered were recorded. Results: A total of 1075 fractures were recorded in 718 patients, ranging from 11 months to 85 years of age. Male:female ratio was 6.6:1. Maxillofacial injuries were most common in third decade of life. A total of 517 patients suffered injuries because of road traffic accident, 115 because of accidental fall and 67 because of interpersonal violence. A total of 184 patients had 221 associated injuries of which 56.1% head injuries, 29.0% orthopaedic injuries and 14.9% other injuries were present. Of 596 middle third fractures, 29.8% were managed conservatively; for 21.7% and 48.7% of fractures, closed reduction and open reduction were performed respectively. Of 479 mandibular fractures, 1.8% was managed conservatively; for 16.7% and 81.5% fractures, closed reduction and open reduction were performed respectively. Conclusion: Better socio-economic status of people, increased vehicular movements and non-implementation of road safety norms have increased road traffic accidents. Proper education of the people who are most commonly involved in the RTA can be one of the possible ways to reduce the maxillofacial injuries.

Pattern of maxillofacial fractures at a tertiary hospital in northern India: a 4-year retrospective study of 718 patients

Pattern and aetiology of maxillofacial injuries varies from one country to another and even within the same country depending on prevailing socio-economic, cultural and environmental factors. Various studies have been carried out in various countries to study the epidemiology and demographics of the maxillofacial injuries but the studies from India are few. Retrospective study was undertaken at Christian Medical College Ludhiana (India) from January 2006 to December 2009. Treatment records of the patients was checked and age, gender, aetiology of injury, associated injuries, maxillofacial fractures and treatment offered were recorded. A total of 1075 fractures were recorded in 718 patients, ranging from 11 months to 85 years of age. Male:female ratio was 6.6:1. Maxillofacial injuries were most common in third decade of life. A total of 517 patients suffered injuries because of road traffic accident, 115 because of accidental fall and 67 because of interpersonal violence. A total of 184 patients had 221 associated injuries of which 56.1% head injuries, 29.0% orthopaedic injuries and 14.9% other injuries were present. Of 596 middle third fractures, 29.8% were managed conservatively; for 21.7% and 48.7% of fractures, closed reduction and open reduction were performed respectively. Of 479 mandibular fractures, 1.8% was managed conservatively; for 16.7% and 81.5% fractures, closed reduction and open reduction were performed respectively. Better socio-economic status of people, increased vehicular movements and non-implementation of road safety norms have increased road traffic accidents. Proper education of the people who are most commonly involved in the RTA can be one of the possible ways to reduce the maxillofacial injuries.

Impact of loss of mobility on instrumental activities of daily living and socioeconomic status in patients with MS

Objective:To assess the effects of mobility loss on instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and socioeconomic status in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.Methods:Participants were active registrants in the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis registry completing the Fall 2006 (IADL analysis, n = 10,396) or Spring 2007 (socioeconomic analysis, n = 8180) surveys. Cross-sectional correlations and linear and logistic regression were performed using sociodemographic factors, mobility scales, and Patient Determined Disease Steps as independent variables and IADLs as the response.Results:Mobility loss was significantly correlated with decreased IADL scores (r = −0.74; p < 0.0001); this correlation remained significant after adjustment for covariates. Mobility loss also negatively correlated with employment (r = −0.48 for women; r = −0.50 for men, both p < 0.0001) and annual income (r = −0.29; p < 0.0001). These correlations were all significant even with mild mobility loss. The relationships derived from the regression models suggest that the effect of mobility on employment is greater than the effect of demographic variables, and a small but direct effect on annual income that is independent of effects mediated through employment. The self-reported diagnosis of MS for study inclusion and use of single-item ordinal scales for mobility and disability can potentially be criticized as study limitations, although the diagnosis and the scales were previously validated.Conclusion:Mobility loss independently correlated with IADL, and associated with reduced socioeconomic status in people with MS. These correlations were significant with mild mobility loss, supporting early treatment.

Remote sensing, geographical information system and spatial analysis for schistosomiasis epidemiology and ecology in Africa.

Beginning in 1970, the potential of remote sensing (RS) techniques, coupled with geographical information systems (GIS), to improve our understanding of the epidemiology and control of schistosomiasis in Africa, has steadily grown. In our current review, working definitions of RS, GIS and spatial analysis are given, and applications made to date with RS and GIS for the epidemiology and ecology of schistosomiasis in Africa are summarised. Progress has been made in mapping the prevalence of infection in humans and the distribution of intermediate host snails. More recently, Bayesian geostatistical modelling approaches have been utilized for predicting the prevalence and intensity of infection at different scales. However, a number of challenges remain; hence new research is needed to overcome these limitations. First, greater spatial and temporal resolution seems important to improve risk mapping and understanding of transmission dynamics at the local scale. Second, more realistic risk profiling can be achieved by taking into account information on people's socio-economic status; furthermore, future efforts should incorporate data on domestic access to clean water and adequate sanitation, as well as behavioural and educational issues. Third, high-quality data on intermediate host snail distribution should facilitate validation of infection risk maps and modelling transmission dynamics. Finally, more emphasis should be placed on risk mapping and prediction of multiple species parasitic infections in an effort to integrate disease risk mapping and to enhance the cost-effectiveness of their control.

Social and cultural aspects of 'malaria' and its control in central Côte d'Ivoire

BackgroundA sound local understanding of preventive measures and health-seeking behaviour is important for the effective control of malaria. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs of 'malaria' and its control in two rural communities of central Côte d'Ivoire, and to examine associations between 'malaria' and the households' socioeconomic status.MethodsA cross-sectional household survey was carried out, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. People's socioeconomic status was estimated, employing a household asset-based approach.ResultsMalaria was identified as djèkouadjo, the local folk name of the disease. Although people were aware of malaria-related symptoms and their association with mosquitoes, folk perceptions were common. In terms of treatment, a wide array of modern and traditional remedies was employed, often in combination. Individuals with a sound knowledge of the causes and symptoms of malaria continued to use traditional treatments and only a few people sleep under bed nets, whereas folk beliefs did not necessarily translate into refusal of modern treatments. Perceived causes of malaria were linked to the household's socioeconomic status with wealthier individuals reporting mosquitoes more frequently than poorer households. Bed nets were more frequently used in wealthier social strata, whereas other protective measures – perceived to be cheaper – were more prominent among the poorest.ConclusionEquitable access to resources at household, community and health system levels are essential in order to enable community members to prevent and treat malaria. There is a need for community-based approaches that match health care services with poor people's needs and resources.

Public health implications of soil contaminated with helminth eggs in the metropolis of Kaduna, Nigeria

Environmental and socio-cultural variables influencing the distribution of helminth eggs in 608 soil samples were studied in 14 playgrounds that differ in socio-economic status in Kaduna metropolis, Nigeria, using a modified sieving method and a sucrose flotation medium of specific gravity 1.27. Helminth eggs were found in 62% of the soil samples and the distribution was as follows: Toxocara spp. 50.4%, Taenia spp./Echinococcus spp. 36.9%, Dipylidium caninum 26.3%, Ancylostoma spp. 9.0%, Ascaris spp. 7.2%, Trichuris spp. 3.7% and Ascaridia spp. 1.9%. A higher prevalence (68.1%) was recorded during the dry harmattan period while in the rainy period the rate was 58.1%. Mean egg densities ranged from 1.11 +/- 0.32 to 3.92 +/- 2.47 in areas moderately rated. Samples from site 14, which was highly rated, were more contaminated (78.1%) than those collected from other sites, while the intensity of contamination (14.0%) was more in moderately rated site 4 than in the rest of the sites. There were significant associations between the prevalence of helminth eggs and rainy period of the study (odds ratio (OR) = 0.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) on OR: 0.20 0.05). This study shows that the period of study, the presence of dogs and vegetation influence the prevalence of helminth eggs in soil in Kaduna metropolis.

Morality and Privilege

AbstractThis paper discusses, from a moral psychology perspective, the putative fact that many people's socio-economic status makes it difficult for them to live what their philosophical thinking suggests is a fully moral life—an under-appreciated fact, or better phenomenon, that I call 'culturo-socio-divergence'. Section 1 explicates my distinction between 'culture' (the philosophical thinking of one's time) and 'society' (socio-economic conditions). Section 2 highlights some ways in which the culture and society in America can be seen as divergent, and section 3 discusses the significance of this divergence for moral psychology, linking the experience of culturo-socio-divergence with that of both guilt and shame. Finally, section 4 sketches this paper's implications for future research.

Socio-economic status differences in older people's use of informal and formal help: a comparison of four European countries

This study investigates the variations by older people's socio-economic status (SES) (i.e. educational level and social class) in the use of informal and formal help from outside the household in Great Britain, Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands. In all these countries, it was older people in low SES groups who mostly used such help. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that, in each country and for both types of help, there were SES gradients in the utilisation of both formal and informal care, and that differences in age, health and marital status largely accounted for the former but not the latter. Cross-national differences in the use of both informal and formal help remained when variations in sex, age, SES, health, marital status, home ownership and the use of privately-paid help were taken into account. Significant interaction effects were found, which indicated that older people in low SES groups in Great Britain and The Netherlands had higher odds of using informal help from outside the household than their counterparts in Italy, and similarly that those in The Netherlands were more likely to use formal help than their Italian peers. The results are discussed in relation to the cultural differences and variations in the availability of formal services among the countries.

Perceptions and preferences of the local population in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace National Park in Greece

In order to achieve socially acceptable management solutions, a survey of the local population of the National Park of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Greece was carried out. With the use of an appropriate questionnaire, face-to-face interviews were performed. The survey aimed to: (1) involve the local population in decision-making by classifying the issues to be studied according to the importance they have for the ecosystem inhabitants, e.g., regarding people's income, and landscape aesthetics and ecological value; and (2) contribute to an appropriate and representative future management scheme. The investigation concerned local people's socio-economic status, their knowledge about the ecosystem area, their activities in the park area and their opinion about the ecosystem assets and services. Among the outcomes, biological factors such as flora and fauna and landscape aesthetics emerged as the most valuable ecosystem assets. Furthermore, the majority of those surveyed were willing to pay for the protection and the proper management of the park area.

Seat belt use and social inequality in Belgium.

To search for and quantify the importance of socio-economic inequality in seat belt use in young Belgians (15-24 years old). Using the data of the National Health Survey of Belgium (1997), socio-economic indicators were constructed combining characteristics of the individual and the household to which s/he 'belongs' (equivalent household income, employment, poverty, subjective poverty, and socio-economic insecurity) and the corresponding concentration curves and indices were calculated. Significant differences were found in seat belt use related to young people's socio-economic status. The failure to buckle up was concentrated most heavily in the least favoured socio-economic groups. Such inequality was a constant finding, although its magnitude varied according to the socio-economic indicator used, going from -0.142 for the variable 'occupational category of the household' to -0.028 for the variable 'poverty'. This finding of true socio-economic inequality in the use of seat belts by 15-24 year olds should prompt special vigilance in health promotion approaches aimed at changing behaviour. It also underlines the importance of being attentive to the socio-economic indicators that are chosen to quantify such inequality in intra- and inter-country comparisons.

Contextualising indicators of socio-economic status: Chronic illness as lived experience of SES

The concept of socio-economic status (SES) has been recognised as playing an important role in the incidence and experience of chronic illness (Taylor, 1983; Najman 1988; Syme, 1998; Marmot, 2000). Yet just how SES interacts with the experience of chronic illness has not been well researched. For example, researchers are unable to categorically state if living conditions and life opportunities associated with low SES lead to a greater propensity for developing a chronic illness, or if the experience and consequences of having a chronic illness lead to developing low SES characteristics, or both. Neither has research provided good data on the mediating roles of factors such as ethnic background and location of residence on the relationship between SES and chronic illness. Self-management programs for chronic disease require different capacities from participants to produce good outcomes. These capacities are to some degree dependent on level of education, type of job, and general level of socio-economic status. Therefore, the level of SES of people with a chronic disease is important to understanding how they will respond to self-management approaches. For example, people with a chronic disease from lower SES backgrounds can be expected in some instances to have a different set of coping capacities with their disease (partly a function of income, education, and work experience) compared to those from higher SES backgrounds. The socio-economic status of people with a chronic disease is an important area for investigation that has implications for the efficacy of self-management programs. This paper will argue that while SES is a vital concept in understanding the impact of chronic illness on people?s lived experiences for many conditions, current approaches oversimplify it by quarantining it from its context. Researchers tend to treat SES as a stable composite concept whose application illuminates the social basis of the illness experience. More frequently, we arrive at an explanation of simplified relationships rather than an explanation of the relationships between chronic ill health and SES as lived by members of real communities (Frank, 1990; Zola, 1991).

Social Networks and Socioeconomic Status in Japan

This paper aims at showing the relationship between people's socioeconomic status, gender, and their social networks in Japan. Previous studies on this theme have confirmed that people with higher status have more varied networks than those with lower status. However, this paper argues that the-higher-status-the-more-varied-networks thesis is based on the evidences which are limited to the particular aspects of personal relationships, that is, sociability, receiving advice and minor practical help. Apart from these relationships which can be called “networks of sociability”, the present study looks at the personal relationships through which people can attain physical care, that is, “networks of care”.Our survey data including both “networks of sociability” and “networks of care” is analyzed. The result shows that, regarding “networks of sociability”, the thesis of the-higher-status-the-more-varied-networks is supported by our data too. However, as for “networks of care”, a person's social status has a different effect on their network composition between sexes; for men, the higher his status is, the less varied networks he has, while for women, the opposite is true : the higher, the more varied networks. In the final section, on the basis of these findings, it is argued that, not people in other categories, but only men with higher socioeconomic status have personal relationships which fit in the liberal ideology about modern society : the separation of the public and private.