Official Statistics Research Articles

STATUS AND DEVELOPMENT TRAJECTORIES CONSUMER AND MORTGAGE LENDING IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

The purpose of the article is to determine the optimal development trajectories based on the research of the mortgage and consumer lending segment in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The mechanism of management of the consumer and mortgage lending system in the system of financial relations between the population and the institution of banking structures; the level of optimal relationships between participants in this process and their regulation through the bank credit rate, investment and marketing activities of the country's banking institutions. The article uses methods of transformation of analytical data display, analysis and synthesis based on qualitative and quantitative approaches. The official statistics of the NBRK and the second-tier banks of the Republic of Kazakhstan were used as the initial information of the analysis. Based on the analysis of the interdependence of mortgage and consumer lending, the level of the base rate of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and other factors, recommendations for the development of an optimal trajectory of long-term development are proposed. The problems and prospects of achieving the optimal level of mortgage and consumer lending in the Republic of Kazakhstan, taking into account the interests of both banking institutions and consumers of the country, are considered.

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The article highlights the current state of the world market of industrial hemp, presents forecasts for its development, it is stated that the last decade has been characterized by the active development of hemp production in many countries of the world. It is emphasized that this niche plant is called a culture of the 21st century due to a number of advantages that are inherent to it, and also that there are no generalized official statistics on the cultivation of industrial hemp in the world as of 2024. The geography of growing industrial hemp in the world is presented. It is noted that the cultivation of industrial hemp in Ukraine is subject to licensing, the level of the narcotic substance in the varieties that are allowed to grow is the lowest in the world, according to forecasts, the state can become one of the leaders in the production of industrial hemp in the world by 2050. It is highlighted that hemp raw materials are used in the most diverse branches of the economy, in the process of processing different parts of hemp, a wide range of products with high added value can be obtained. A number of other factors that testify to the economic attractiveness of hemp production are also presented, including: short growing season; the possibility of obtaining a significant harvest of biomass even on lands that are unsuitable for other crops; the possibility of cultivation without herbicides; low need for water use; expediency of introduction into crop rotation; the possibility of using all parts of the plant and others. Attention is focused on the multi-vector possibilities of hemp processing; the key factors that encourage the growth of the world market of hemp products are highlighted; the key segments of the global industrial hemp market are highlighted food and beverages, personal care products and paper. Examples of the main areas of hemp processing in Ukraine and the profitability of its cultivation in Ukraine in 2023-2024 are given. It was revealed that the opening of industrial parks, which are aimed exclusively at the cultivation and processing of industrial hemp, is a confirmation of the development of the hemp growing niche in Ukraine. It was concluded that the production of a niche culture of hemp and its processing is accompanied by a high level of economic efficiency

Suicide deaths and substance use in Spain between 2010 and 2022.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that affects our entire country. The aim of this research was to study the variation in completed suicide rates between 2010 and 2022 in Spain and their relationship with the consumption of addictive substances. Completed suicide data from the Spanish Statistical Office (INE) were analyzed with a joinpoint regression model to determine time trends. The relationship between the variation in completed suicide rates with sociodemographic variables, including depression rates, obtained from the Spanish Statistical Office and variables related to the consumption of substances obtained from the survey on alcohol and other drugs in Spain (EDADES) of the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs (DGPNSD) was also studied using an exploratory analysis and also performing a Generalized Additive Model. The joinpoint regression model did reveal a point of significant change in the period studied for Spain showing a trend of increased suicide death rates for the studied period. The following variables correlated positively with the variation in completed suicide rates in the Generalized Additive Model: alcohol use in the past 12 months, alcohol use in the last 30 days, daily alcohol use in the last 30 days, binge drinking in the last 12 months, binge drinking in the last month, positive Alcohol Use Disorder Test for risky alcohol use, benzodiazepine use in the last 12 months, benzodiazepine use in the last month, daily benzodiazepine use in the last month, use of illegal substances in the last 12 months, use of illegal substances in the last month, mean age and depression rates. Applying preventive strategies on the risky consumption of alcohol, benzodiazepines and illegal substances would help reduce the rates of completed suicide in Spain.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Financial Situation of Rural and Urban Households in Poland

The COVID-19 pandemic not only caused a global health crisis but also had a huge impact on household finances. This research aimed to examine the financial situation of rural and urban households in Poland between 2018 and 2022 from a multidimensional perspective. In a unidimensional approach, the financial situation of households was analyzed separately for their income, expenditures, savings rate, and shares of fixed expenses. In a multidimensional approach, the analysis used a synthetic index constructed for all these variables combined, employing the TOPSIS method and drawing on microdata from the Polish Central Statistical Office that totaled approximately 150,000 households. It was found that despite the pandemic outbreak, which led to major changes in the labor market, government-introduced organizational and legal measures protected the income of Polish households from decline. Indeed, income was increasing up until 2021, with a modest fall in 2022, which was less severe in rural households (by about 2%) than in urban ones (by 6%). A more immediate response to the outbreak was observed in consumer spending, which fell sharply, while the food share in consumption increased at similar levels in rural and urban areas. Regression analysis showed that compared to 2019, the pandemic worsened the financial situation of Polish households, but only in 2020 and 2022 were these changes statistically significant. In 2021, the financial situation improved slightly, but the change was not statistically significant. Before the pandemic, the synthetic assessment of the financial situation in rural areas was lower than in urban ones, and the pandemic period did not reduce these differences, showing no convergence between poorer rural areas and richer urban ones. Diagnosing and monitoring the household financial situation are crucial steps for achieving the social dimension goals of sustainable development. Research on the pandemic’s effects on household finances provides valuable information that can help develop effective strategies to counter future crises while supporting the social dimension of the sustainable development strategy.

Part-Time Paradox: The Rise of Female Part-Time Employment and Its Impacts on Germany's Labor Market

Despite an employment rate of 76.6% for women in Germany, significant issues persist with regard to the labour market situation of women in the country. These include the prevalence of part-time work, the under-representation of women in senior management positions and the existence of pay gaps. This article employs data from the German Statistical Office spanning the period from 2000 to 2022 to examine the growth in part-time employment among women and its ramifications. The paper demonstrates that part-time work is a prevalent phenomenon in female-dominated sectors such as health and education. This is driven by a combination of economic conditions, the necessity to reconcile work and family life, and legal regulations. This situation consequently results in women facing lower remuneration and constrained career prospects. The necessity to balance work and family responsibilities represents a significant challenge for women, impeding their career development and negatively impacting their job performance and workplace commitment. These dynamics serve to perpetuate gender inequalities in the labour market, thereby preventing women from realising their full potential at work. This article makes a significant contribution to the existing literature on the relationship between part-time work and gender inequalities in the German labour market by providing a detailed analysis of this complex relationship. The article offers valuable insights into the potential of legal regulations, such as the Temporary Part-Time Work Act enacted in 2019, to alleviate the adverse effects of part-time work on women. The research is distinctive in its comprehensive examination of the socio-economic dynamics of part-time work, its legal framework, and its impact on gender equality, based on an extensive data analysis conducted over an extended period. By offering a detailed and nuanced understanding of these issues, the study draws attention to the ongoing challenges women face in the labour market and suggests potential policy interventions to promote gender equality. This article emphasises the necessity for targeted measures to facilitate women's career progression and offset the adverse consequences of part-time employment, thereby contributing to a more equitable labour market.

Forecasting urban forest recreation areas in Turkey using machine learning methods

Recreation is the process of revitalizing and renewing human existence through optional activities, serving as a broad description. It has prominently arisen as a reaction to personal requirements for stress reduction, especially in developed urban areas. Engaging in this recreational activity provides a way to utilize one's spare time, providing refreshment for both the physical and mental aspects, whether done alone or with others, in countryside or city environments. Urban forests are important leisure places within city environments. An expanded presence of urban forest places can greatly enhance the general well-being of society. The estimation of urban forest areas in the future may receive increased attention, leading to measures to extend current areas or prepare for future activities and services. We utilized official statistics from the years 2013 to 2021, sourced from the Republic of Turkey official website. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's General Directorate of Forestry. We used statistics that contained information about urban forests, classified as Type D recreational areas, to create a dataset. We performed provincial-level area projections for the year 2021. Using the KNIME platform, we used three different analysis techniques: linear regression analysis, gradient-boosted regression trees and artificial neural networks. It is seen that the results of linear regression and artificial neural networks are close to each other and give good results. The peak performance was attained using artificial neural networks, resulting in an R2 score of 0.99. This study differs from other similar projects by concentrating on calculating urban forest recreational spaces per province throughout Turkey, using data provided by government agencies. The accomplishments highlight the ability to make reliable predictions about future forest resources by using analogous forecasts in the upcoming years.

INTEGRAL ASSESSMENT OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ŁÓDŹ AND ŁÓDŹ VOIVODESHIP IN 2004–2021

The main aim of the article is to present an assessment of the dynamics and determine the trends in the tourism development in Łódź and Łódź Voivodeship in 2004-2021, as well as to compare them. Comparison of the tourism development in Łódź and Łódź Voivodeship was carried out on the calculation and analysis of integral indicators. The integral indicator was calculated based on 14 indicators grouped into three groups: 1) tourist accommodation establishments (9 indicators); 2) museums, including branches (3 indicators); 3) organization of mass events (2 indicators). Data collection by groups of indicators was carried out by the statistical observation method. As an information base, it is advisable to use official sources of information, namely data from the official website of Central Statistical Office of Poland and Regional Statistical Office in Łódź. To bring a significant number of different-quality and different-sized analytical indicators of tourism development, which were used to calculate the integral indicator, into a comparable form, they were normalized. Determination of weighting coefficients was carried out by an expert method (ranking method). The analysis allows come to conclusion about presence of common upward trend in the tourism development in Łódź and Łódź Voivodeship with elements of fluctuation in the period of 2004-2019 as well as general dramatic decline in 2020. However, compound annual growth rate of the tourism development in Łódź and Łódź Voivodeship for the analyzed period differs and equals 9,04% and 7,18% respectively. With continued investment in infrastructure, cultural and tourist projects, the region is likely to continue to grow as a popular tourist destination in the coming years. The development of tourism in Łódź and Łódź Voivodeship has been driven by a combination of the following factors: converting a rich history and cultural heritage into cultural and entertainment centers both for tourists and for the locals; significant investment in tourism infrastructure; investing in marketing, advertising and destination management; development of the entertainment industry, etc.

A framework for modal split and implications on transport growth and travel time savings

Mobility is one of the most debated issues in the current discussion on transport policies and the climate change. Related indicators are the modal split, transport growth and travel time savings, used for travel behaviour evaluations. In official transport statistics, the modal split is generally used in two ways, according to the number of modal trips and to the modal trip length. Although they are usually used separately, we will show that they are directly connected, where the latter is a weighted version of the former. The introduction of the reference units of “person” and “day” overcomes the limitations of a trip-based definition and extends the ansatz to a mobility-based methodology, where all modal combinations can be considered. Empirical data analysis shows, that transport growth is founded on the increase of individual motorised transport at the disadvantage of pedestrians, whereas other modes remain fairly stable. Daily travel time generally increases especially with individual motorised transport in comparison to non-motorised modes, which shows an inconsistency, for example, for some assumptions or approaches of travel time savings. The proposed methodology does not require any prior assumptions and provides therefore a simple and general applicability. The data analysis is based on national travel survey data from Germany, Switzerland, UK and USA from the 1970-ies up to 2018. One main result of the paper is a frame of reference for the relativity of mobility behaviour, which consistently connects these mobility indicators.

Совершенствование методико-криминалистического обеспечения расследования преступлений против семьи и несовершеннолетних на основе методов прогнозирования

Introduction. The data of official statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the last 5 years reveal the growth of criminal encroachments on the interests of the family and minors, whose protection is the duty of the state, fixed in the Fundamental Law of the Russian Federation. Despite the measures being undertaken, the effectiveness of some of them, including those to ensure inevitability of punishment for a committed act, raises questions and proves the urgency of improving the work of law enforcement agencies in the detection, investigation and prevention of crimes against the family and minors. Methods. The methodological basis of the research was formed by general scientific and private-scientific methods of cognition: dialectical, formal logic (analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction), historical, systemic, comparative study, hermeneutic one and others. Results. On the basis of the analysis of scientific literature and questionnaire data of the preliminary investigation bodies’ staff, the author comes to the conclusion that the methodological recommendations on the investigation of certain types (groups) of crimes that are currently available in the investigative practice often contain gaps, and in some cases do not keep up with the transformation of criminal activity and, unfortunately, do not fulfil their function of providing practical units with the necessary methodological and forensic support. In order to solve the existing problems on counteraction to crimes against the family and minors, the author substantiates the necessity of using the methods of criminalistic forecasting in order to develop new techniques and improve the existing private methods of investigating crimes against the group under consideration.

Информационное обеспечение как обязательное условие повышения раскрываемости краж и угонов транспортных средств

Introduction. Criminal scientists have always realised the important role of the category “information” in science. Many researchers have noted that the quality of information and cognitive activity of law enforcement agencies depends on the completeness and reliability of evidence obtained in the course of investigation. However, up to now “information” and related concepts are underdeveloped in criminalistics. The solution to this problem is of particular relevance in the context of widespread informatisation and the gradual transition to a post-industrial society. The task that law enforcement agencies and the scientific community face today is to provide quality information support for the investigation of crimes, including vehicle thefts. Methods. The study used general scientific methods of cognition of social processes (analysis, synthesis, deduction, system-structural method, description) as well as private scientific methods – questionnaire survey, statistical methods. The official statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia was used as an empirical base. Results. The research has demonstrated that the study of the category “information” and other related concepts makes it possible to consider the subject of the science of criminalistics from new sides. The conclusion makes a reasonable statement that information support is an effective tool in the fight against vehicle thefts.

TRANSITION AND REGIONAL DIFFERENTIATION OF THE AREA STRUCTURE OF FARMS IN POLANDarea structure of farms, agrarian transformation, regional variation, panel models, succession

The aim of the study was to identify and assess the transformations and regional differentiation of the area structure of farms in Poland. The primary source of data was information collected from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) on the basis of the results of the 2002, 2010 and 2020 Agricultural Censuses and the CSO’s Local Data Bank. The research was carried out on a voivodeship basis. In the study, econometric models were constructed and subjected to detailed verification, the dependent variable being the average area of the farm in hectares of agricultural land. The dependent variable was compared with 16 independent variables, which were selected because of their information potential and discriminatory ability. To explain the reasons for this variation, it was decided to use a model for panel data with constant effects. Lagrange and Hausman tests were used to verify them. The analysis showed that in the period studied, the most important factor adversely affecting the level of the area structure of farms in Poland was the labor resources in agriculture. The factors that accelerated the changes in the area structure also included the rate of succession and the level of education of farm managers.

THE ROLE OF THE GREEN ECONOMY IN SHAPING ECONOMIC GROWTH IN POLAND

The aim of this paper is to examine and understand the impact of various green economy indicators on economic growth in Poland from 2010 to 2021. The study focused on a select number of indicators, including the final energy intensity of the economy, expenditures on environmental fixed assets in relation to gross domestic product (GDP), the share of renewable electricity in gross final electricity consumption, primary energy intensity of GDP, and the percentage of urban green areas. The relationship between green economy indicators and economic growth, expressed as gross domestic product per capita, was examined using regression analysis, time series analysis and correlation analysis. Data for the analysis were taken from the Central Statistical Office. Time trend analysis showed that the economy’s final energy intensity and the share of renewable energy improved steadily over the period under review, with a positive impact on GDP per capita. Correlation analysis demonstrated a robust inverse correlation between energy intensity and GDP per capita, along with a positive association between the share of renewable energy and economic growth. In linear and multiple regressions, the economy’s final energy intensity, expenditures on environmental fixed assets, and the share of renewable energy exhibited a significant impact on GDP per capita. The study’s conclusions underscore the necessity of sustained and intensified efforts towards a green economy in Poland, which is pivotal for ensuring long-term economic growth and sustainable development.

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE FOOD INDUSTRY IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 2019-2023

The aim of the article is to assess the economic and financial situation of the food industry and its main industries in Poland in 2023 compared to 2019. The analysis used the method of synthetic assessment of the financial result developed by Bednarski. A comparative assessment of the dynamics of quantitative and qualitative indicators determining changes in the value of individual production factors and the efficiency of their use was carried out, both for the entire food industry and its main industries. The research was further enhanced by a cause-and-effect analysis of the financial result, which determined the level of influence of individual production factors on the growth of revenues and profit. The study used published and unpublished data from the Central Statistical Office. The synthetic assessment of the financial result of the food industry shows that despite the fact that entities in the audited period faced many challenges, m.in. related to price pressure, their economic and financial situation in 2023 was better than in 2019. In-depth research has shown that the development of the sector took place mainly through the increase in the technical equipment of labor and the improvement of the economic efficiency of the human factor involved in economic activity. Such a situation occurred in most industries (in 13 out of 18 respondents), and only in a few did not improve the net financial result. In the coming years, companies will have to face challenges related to, m.in others, high costs of raw materials and labor, but also the energy transition, which is why achieving sufficiently high processing margins is a priority for enterprises.

Elementary school closures in Sweden over two decades: Geographical characteristics and the role of distance

School closures have for long often been seen as a ‘rural issue’ and/or as a rural-urban dichotomy. We posit that such crude representations should be nuanced by help of intra- and inter-municipality analysis as there are differences and diversity between and within rural municipality classes. Based on this, we use official Swedish statistics to perform a spatially disaggregated analysis of the geographical characteristics of Swedish municipalities with different experiences of elementary school closures between 1997 and 2017. The results show that rural municipality classes lost considerably more elementary schools, 24,5 % compared to only 0,3 % in urban municipality classes, but also show large differences between and within rural municipality classes and municipalities, both in terms of lost elementary schools, localities who has lost elementary schools, concentration of elementary schools to municipal population centers, and decreases in mean and median distances from elementary schools to municipal population centers. In some cases rural municipality classes fared better, performed at par, or only slightly worse to their urban counterparts. In conclusion, there is a need for a more disaggregated spatial analysis to understand what is happening in different geographical contexts, since the categories of ’urban’ and ’rural’ hide more detailed but still important spatial differences.

VIKSHIT BHARAT @ 2047: PATHWAY TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA

India’s economic growth is projected to reach 8.2%in 2023-24(National Statistical Office).It is to be ranked fifth globally in terms of GDP and third in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in 2024. The IMF estimates that India’s GDP will grow by 7% in 2024. As India approaches 2047, celebrating 100 years of independence, the vision of “Vikshit Bharat @2047” (Developed India) is emerging, aiming to move to a High-income status and surpass $30 trillion GDP. This study explores the role of sustainable agricultural development in achieving the vision of “Vikshi Baharat”, focusing on incorporating advanced technologies into farming practices. The study explores the potential of innovations such as Precision Farming, Biotechnology, Machine Learning and Digital Agricultural, along with Sustainable Farming Practices, Water Resource Management, Soli Health Practices and Supporting Policy. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of Agricultural Finance and Public-Private Partnership in economic development.

Assisted suicide in Switzerland, a model in the international discussion about medical aid in dying: framework conditions andlong-term development of a new societal and medical-ethical phenomenon

In the observation period between 1999 and 2022, the Swiss Federal Statistical Office recorded 14 170 assisted suicide (AS) cases. During this 24-year period, the annual number of cases increased significantly: While only 63 cases were observed in 1999, the number of cases in 2022 amounted to almost 1600, corresponding to 2.1 % of all deaths in Switzerland. The most common underlying disease group for AS was cancer, accounting for 40 % of cases. AS is mainly chosen by women (unchanged over time at 58 % of cases) and is primarily a geriatric phenomenon: In 2022, the median age of those who opted for assisted dying was 81 years; the median age of those who chose AS due to cancer was 77 years, while the median age of those who died with non-cancer-related AS was 84 years.

Prevalence estimates for COVID-19-related health behaviors based on the cheating detection triangular model

BackgroundSurvey studies in medical and health sciences predominantly apply a conventional direct questioning (DQ) format to gather private and highly personal information. If the topic under investigation is sensitive or even stigmatizing, such as COVID-19-related health behaviors and adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions in general, DQ surveys can lead to nonresponse and untruthful answers due to the influence of social desirability bias (SDB). These effects seriously threaten the validity of the results obtained, potentially leading to distorted prevalence estimates for behaviors for which the prevalence in the population is unknown. While this issue cannot be completely avoided, indirect questioning techniques (IQTs) offer a means to mitigate the harmful influence of SDB by guaranteeing the confidentiality of individual responses. The present study aims at assessing the validity of a recently proposed IQT, the Cheating Detection Triangular Model (CDTRM), in estimating the prevalence of COVID-19-related health behaviors while accounting for cheaters who disregard the instructions.MethodsIn an online survey of 1,714 participants in Taiwan, we obtained CDTRM prevalence estimates via an Expectation-Maximization algorithm for three COVID-19-related health behaviors with different levels of sensitivity. The CDTRM estimates were compared to DQ estimates and to available official statistics provided by the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control. Additionally, the CDTRM allowed us to estimate the share of cheaters who disregarded the instructions and adjust the prevalence estimates for the COVID-19-related health behaviors accordingly.ResultsFor a behavior with low sensitivity, CDTRM and DQ estimates were expectedly comparable and in line with official statistics. However, for behaviors with medium and high sensitivity, CDTRM estimates were higher and thus presumably more valid than DQ estimates. Analogously, the estimated cheating rate increased with higher sensitivity of the behavior under study.ConclusionsOur findings strongly support the assumption that the CDTRM successfully controlled for the validity-threatening influence of SDB in a survey on three COVID-19-related health behaviors. Consequently, the CDTRM appears to be a promising technique to increase estimation validity compared to conventional DQ for health-related behaviors, and sensitive attributes in general, for which a strong influence of SDB is to be expected.

Factors affecting antibiotics consumption among the elderly population in Thailand

Background: The consumption of antibiotic among the elderly population has raised concerns in Thailand due to its correlation with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) infections. Moreover, it is also related to adverse drug reactions resulting from impaired drug excretion and elimination. Contributing factors to antibiotic consumption in the elderly population are insufficiently understood in Thailand. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of antibiotic consumption behaviour among the elderly population and to identify associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using survey data from the National Statistic Office, which included only elderly individuals. Bivariate analysis with a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was performed to screen for significant independent variables with a significance level below 0.05. All significant variables were included in the multivariable analysis, which revealed adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Of 9,104 elderly people, the prevalence of antibiotic consumption was found to be 7.77% (95% CI: 7.21% - 8.31%). The multivariable GLMM analysis demonstrated that being free from underlying diseases (AOR= 2.16, 95% CI: 1.63-2.88, p-value < 0.001), having transportation expenses (AOR = 2.11, 95% CI:1.49-2.99, p-value < 0.001), experiencing pain and discomfort symptoms (AOR =1.66, 95%CI: 1.27-2.16, p-value < 0.001), having anxiety and depression (AOR = 1.66, 95%CI: 1.27-2.16, p-value = 0.012), having moderate to poor level of knowledge (AOR = 2.42 95% CI: 1.55-3.78 and (AOR=2.71, 95% CI:1.75-4.21), and not receiving information regarding antibiotic use and its resistance (AOR = 5.12, 95%CI: 4.12-6.36, p-value < 0.001) were the major contributing factors to antibiotic consumption behaviours in the elderly population. Conclusion: The prevalence of antibiotic consumption in the elderly population may contribute to emergence of AMR infections and increased mortality rates. Implementing clinical practice guidelines and health education programs is essential to control antibiotic prescriptions and discourage self-medication in Thailand.

Bridging the Digital Disability Divide: Determinants of Internet Use among Visually Impaired Individuals in Thailand

This study investigates the sociodemographic and contextual determinants influencing Internet usage among individuals with visual impairments in Thailand, contributing to the literature on the digital disability divide. Data from the “Disability Survey 2022” conducted by the National Statistical Office of Thailand were used. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis were performed on data from 5621 visually impaired respondents. The findings indicate that approximately 26.88% of individuals with visual impairments use the Internet. The logistic regression analysis highlights several critical disparities. Males exhibit lower odds of Internet use compared with females (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.850, p = 0.034). Younger individuals are more likely to use the Internet; a decline in use was observed with increasing age (AOR for 60+ years = 0.052, p < 0.001). Regional disparities are evident. Individuals from the northeastern (AOR = 2.044, p < 0.001), central (AOR = 1.356, p < 0.008), and southern (AOR = 1.992, p < 0.001) regions showed higher odds of Internet use compared with those from the northern region. Higher income (AOR for 5000–9999 THB = 1.798, p = 0.001), educational attainment (AOR for bachelor’s degree = 14.915, p < 0.001), and wealth index (AOR for wealthy = 5.034, p < 0.001) increase the likelihood of Internet use. Employed individuals are more likely to use the Internet (AOR = 3.159, p < 0.001) compared with unemployed individuals. Additionally, the severity of the visual impairment is crucial, with those having low vision in both eyes more likely to engage online than those who are completely blind in both eyes (AOR = 5.935, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the need for comprehensive digital inclusion initiatives that address various factors, including age-inclusive digital literacy programs, targeted regional infrastructure development, economic support to improve digital access, and advancements in assistive technologies. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers in Thailand and other developing countries, enhancing the understanding of the digital disability divide and informing strategies to foster greater digital equity.

Twenty-four hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion in adult population of Slovenia: results of the Manjsoli.si/2022 study.

The objective of study was to assess 24-h urinary Na and K excretion and estimate the average salt and K intakes in a nationally representative sample of the adult population of Slovenia. A nationally representative cross-sectional study was conducted in four stages between September and November 2022: study questionnaire, physical measurements, 24-h urine collection and laboratory analysis. Slovenia. We invited 2000 adult, non-institutionalised inhabitants of Slovenia, aged between 25 and 64 years. A stratified two-staged sample was selected from this population by the Statistical Office of Slovenia, using sampling from the Central Population Register. According to the WHO methodology, additional eligibility criteria were screened before participating. A total of 518 individuals participated in all four stages of the study, resulting in a response rate of 30 %. The mean 24-h urinary Na excretion was 168 mmol/d (95 % CI 156, 180), which corresponds to a mean estimated intake of 10·3 g salt/d (95 % CI 9·6, 11·1). Mean 24-h urinary K excretion was 65·4 mmol/d (95 % CI 63·2, 67·5), and the estimated mean K intake was 2·93 g/d (95 % CI 2·84, 3·03). There were statistically significant differences in mean intakes between males and females. The mean sodium-to-potassium ratio was 2·7 (95 % CI 2·5, 2·8). The study results highlighted that the salt intake in the adult population of Slovenia remains much higher than recommended by the WHO, and K intakes are insufficient, as most participants did not meet the recommendations.