Urban Respondents Research Articles

An Empirical Study to Measure Consumer Attitude Towards Luxury Fashion Apparels in Gujarat

The objectives are to investigate consumers' attitudes toward luxury fashion apparels brands, with a focus on Indian customers, and to choose the themes (cognitive, affective, and behavioural) from the current ones on the "attitude scale to luxury things." An empirical study was conducted among urban respondents from various social strata in Gujarat to investigate consumers' attitudes about luxury fashion apparels from an Indian context. The findings of this study offer helpful advice to luxury fashion brand managers and marketing researchers on how to develop and implement effective marketing strategies to maximize the potential of their luxury brands. Descriptive research design method used for this study. Samples were chosen for the study through non-probability convenience sampling method. Sample size is 390 individuals. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. In study, the research, the researcher has collected primary data using survey method with reference to structured questionnaire. Data is analyzed by performing descriptive analysis, Chi-square, ANOVA, and Multiple Regression using SPSS.

Socio-economic correlates of quality of life in single and married urban individuals: a Polish case study

BackgroundOne of key current social trends is the increasing number of single people. It has multiple implications as single individuals often live and behave differently than those living in relationships. Marital status and socioeconomic status may also be significant quality of life factors for single persons. The aim of this study is to identify relationships between quality of life and selected indicators of socioeconomic status in single and married respondents from the Wrocław metropolitan area in Poland.Methods4460 respondents took part in the study (1828 single, 2632 married). The study was cross-sectional based on a diagnostic survey. Data was gathered on respondents’ sex, age, education, marital status, occupational status and financial situation as well as their quality of life and perceived health condition. Frequencies (f) and relative frequencies (rf) of categories of dependent and independent variables were determined. The chi-squared test (χ2) and odds ratio (OR) statistics were applied. The level of statistical significance was set at α = .05.ResultsA stochastic dependence (p ≤ .05) between marital status and perceived health condition and quality of life in the social domain was found among the respondents. Male sex, higher education, being an entrepreneur, college student or white-collar worker, and good financial status were associated with the highest assessments of quality of life and perceived health condition. The directions of quality of life modifications determined by socioeconomic status were similar in single and married urban respondents; however, the strength of these modifications was greater in the latter.ConclusionsIt is recommended to target respondents with public health programs aimed at lifestyle improvement, tailored to the needs of single and married individuals. Public policies directed at improving education and material situation of respondents are also worth considering, as they may be essential for modeling their quality of life. In addition, research on quality of life should be continued, which is particularly relevant in a pandemic situation.

Rural/urban differences in mental health and social well-being among older US adults in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives This study seeks to identify differences in mental health and social well-being during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults by rural/urban location. Methods We use data from the COVID-19 Coping Study, a nation-wide online study of U.S. adults aged 55 and older (n = 6,873) fielded during April-May, 2020. We investigated rural/urban differences in mental health (depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms) and social well-being (loneliness and social isolation); concern about COVID-19; and types of social participation (e.g. phone/video calls, visits). We also used multivariable logistic regression models to assess the relationship of rurality with mental health, adjusting for socio-demographic correlates, COVID-19 history, and COVID-19 concern. Results We found similar prevalence of mental health and social well-being outcomes for rural and urban respondents. Rural respondents reported lower concern about COVID-19 and more frequent use of social media than urban respondents. Conclusion Mental health and social well-being did not differ by rural/urban location in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, rural residents reported less concern about COVID-19 and more use of social media, potentially leading to greater risk of illness from the pandemic in later months.

Misconceptions of Antibiotics as a Potential Explanation for Their Misuse. A Survey of the General Public in a Rural and Urban Community in Sri Lanka.

Reducing the growth of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through public understanding is a goal of the World Health Organization. It is especially important in countries where antibiotics are widely available for common ailments without prescription. This study assessed understanding of antibiotics and AMR alongside perception of antibiotic usage among the general public in two diverse Sri Lankan communities: ordinary urban and indigenous rural. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted, gaining 182 urban and 147 rural responses. The majority of urban respondents (69.2%) believed that they had very good or good knowledge about antibiotics compared to 40.1% of rural respondents. Belief about knowledge and actual knowledge (measured via a test question) were correlated (r = 0.49, p = 0.001) for rural respondents, but not for urban respondents. Several misconceptions about antibiotics were highlighted, including that Paracetamol, a painkiller, was thought to be an antibiotic by more than 50% of both urban and rural respondents. In addition, 18.5% of urban and 35.4% of rural participants would keep and re-use what they perceived as leftover antibiotics. It is urgent that we pay attention to educating the general public regarding the identified misconceptions of these powerful drugs and their appropriate use.

Evaluation of knowledge, awareness, treatment and prevention towards pregnancy induced hypertension among the pregnant women in Bangladesh: a hospital based cross-sectional study

Background: Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) is one of the major causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity, mortality and premature birth. 99% of the maternal deaths is occurring in developing countries like Bangladesh. Almost 12% of the maternal deaths is associated with hypertensive disorders such as PIH in pregnancy. It can be prevented by proper knowledge, awareness of the disease and its complications. We investigated the knowledge, awareness of PIH and its related factors during pregnancy among the pregnant women in Tangail, Bangladesh.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among 200 pregnant women in between March 2021 to June 2021 was conducted by using a questionnaire at Sheikh Hasina Medical College Hospital (SHMC) of Tangail district, Bangladesh. Factors associated with the knowledge and awareness of PIH were investigated separately using Chi square test.Results: In this study, 92.5% of the pregnant women had heard about PIH and 10.5% pregnant women had PIH. Age group 30-35, >35 and post graduate respondents were more knowledgeable and aware than others about PIH and urban respondents were highly knowledgeable and aware to PIH compare to rural respondents. The age of the respondents, area of residence, educations, occupations, socioeconomic status were found to be significantly associated with PIH knowledge and awareness.Conclusions: The study result showed that there is need to increase public knowledge and awareness about PIH. Health educational programs throughout the rural and urban areas need to be intensified to reduce PIH-related deaths among the pregnant women in Bangladesh.

Urban-Rural Disparity in Cognitive Performance Among Older Chinese Adults: Explaining the Changes From 2008 to 2018.

ObjectivesThis study aims to identify the dynamic changes in cognitive performance differentials between urban and rural older adults in China from 2008 to 2018 and decomposes determinants affecting such changes.MethodsTwo waves (2008 and 2018) of data were extracted from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The cognitive function was tested using the Chinese Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The effects of the explanatory variables (demographic, economic, neighborhood, environmental events and social and cultural domains) on the changes in the urban-rural inequality of cognitive performance were divided into two components using the Juhn–Murphy–Pierce (JMP) decomposition: quantity effect and price effect.ResultsA total of 14,628 (urban respondents: 5,675, rural respondents: 8,953) and 10,311 older adults (urban respondents: 5,879, rural respondents: 4,432) for 2008 and 2018, respectively, were included in our study. A narrowing of 0.071 in the urban-rural disparity in cognitive function score of the older adults from 2008 to 2018 was identified. Quantity and price effects of explanatory variables contributed 65.21 and 46.84%, respectively, to the observed components in explaining the narrowed disparity. Quantity effects of age (35.71%), exercise (56.72%), self-rated economic status (33.19%) and price effect of homeownership (54.97%) contributed significantly to the reduced urban-rural gap. Contrastingly, inequality in pension (−27.31%) and social security (−23.11%) between urban and rural widened cognitive performance differentials. Furthermore, effects of hunger in childhood (−10.53%) and less years of schooling (−77.20%) on the increase in urban-rural inequality seemed to be stronger over time.ConclusionEconomic development and reform of the rural health system are responsible for the decline in the urban-rural disparity in the cognitive performance of older adults. Equalizing the distribution of social security and welfare between urban and rural must be highlighted for eliminating cognitive ability disparity. Additionally, rural older adults who endured hunger and poor education in childhood also deserve further policy interventions.

Spousal communication, fertility preference and other factors affecting contraceptive use among married couples in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Objective: To assess and compare the relationship between spousal communication, fertility preference, and other factors with contraceptive use among married couples in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Ado- Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria between the 12th of August 2017 and the 15th of February 2018. A pre-tested, semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 976 respondents by a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were analyzed (univariate, bivariate, and binary logistic regression analysis) using SPSS version 24.0. Factors that showed statistical significance (P<0.05) were included in a binary logistic regression to determine significant predictors of contraceptive use. Results: The proportion of respondents currently using contraceptives was 56.9%. The education status of the respondents revealed that those with primary education were more likely to use contraceptives than those without formal education [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 8.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.97-36.2, P<0.001]. Respondents with fair spousal communication were more likely to use contraceptive than those with poor communication (aOR 4.9, 95% CI 2.80-8.71, P<0.001). In addition, fertility preference of 4 or less children was found to be significantly associated with contraceptive use (aOR 3.0, 95% CI 1.67-5.50, P<0.001) compared to a preference of more than 4 children. Finally, the urban respondents were more likely to use contraceptives than those in the rural setting (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.16-2.41, P=0.047). Conclusions: Educational status, residential site, spousal communication, and fertility preference significantly influence the level of contraceptive use among married couples. Couples should endeavor to discuss more on issues bordering on their fertility preference and contraceptive issue. Government should formulate policies to improve the rural uptake of contraceptives using identified target interventions.

Effect of informal care on health care utilisation for the elderly in urban and rural China: evidence from China health and retirement longitudinal study (CHARLS)

BackgroundReceiving informal care from family members is the mainstream way of care for the elderly in China because of the influence of the culture of filial piety. However, the relationship between informal care and health care use in urban and rural areas needs to be further explored. This study aimed to understand the association between informal care and health care utilisation for the elderly and explore how this effect may differ between urban and rural China.MethodA total of 5704 residents aged 65 years and above were selected from wave 3 (2015) and wave 4 (2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, which is a nationally representative survey. A negative binomial regression model for the panel data was used to explore the relationship between informal care and health care utilisation. A fixed-effect binary choice model for panel data was used for the sensitivity test.ResultThe elderly who received informal care had increased in outpatient and inpatient visits compared with those who did not receive informal care. The inpatient visits of the elderly who received 15–29 days of informal care was higher than the elderly who did not receive informal care (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 2.082, P < 0.05). Moreover, the elderly who received informal care for more than 30 days had 39.6% more inpatient visits (IRR = 1.396, P < 0.01) and 37.4% more outpatient visits than the elderly who did not receive informal care (IRR = 1.374, P < 0.05). For urban respondents, receiving informal care can facilitate outpatient use of the elderly, but for rural respondents, receiving informal care can predict an increase in outpatient and inpatient visits.ConclusionInformal care was associated with higher use of health services. The association between informal care and health care utilisation varies between rural and urban residents. These findings indicate the role of informal care and remind that relevant departments should pay attention to the differences in medical service utilisation levels amongst different elderly groups.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the General Public in Urban and Rural Areas in Southern Japan

Urban and rural areas are situated in contrasting physical and social settings, which influence their levels of exposure as well as their preventive behaviors in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The study investigated whether there were differences between the areas regarding the levels of difficulty and anxiety felt by the general public during the first wave of COVID-19 in April and May 2020. We conducted an online questionnaire in Fukuoka and Kumamoto Prefecture in southern Japan via a private research company and collected a total of 913 valid responses from individuals whose conditions of employment were affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Although urban areas experienced higher case rates compared to rural areas, ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed no significant differences between urban and rural respondents concerning the level of difficulty in routine life. The daily-life contents which made them feel difficult during the first wave also did not differ largely between the contrasting areas. Urban respondents appeared to have experienced a higher level of difficulty in finding an alternative job, but how respondents found one, if successful, did not differ between urban and rural areas. The area of residence played a role in explaining the level of anxiety toward being infected, especially when the anxiety-related questions involved relationships with neighbors. Rural respondents showed a significantly higher level of anxiety toward causing neighbors trouble and being criticized if infected. Respondents who were better embedded in their communities generally felt more anxious about being infected, regardless of whether they lived in urban or rural areas. Women and respondents with children were more likely affected by abnormal situations caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Our study highlights the prevailing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general public regardless of whether in urban or rural settings, as well as the potential contribution of social ties among people to protecting communities from infectious pathogens.

Will music with or without fragrance in retail stores increase consumer purchase behaviour in emerging markets?

PurposeThis paper studied the effects of music plus fragrance or music alone on consumer purchase behaviour, footfalls and repeat visits to retail stores in the context of the mall.Design/methodology/approachA primary research was conducted through a structured questionnaire. A field study was conducted in two malls that attract the maximum crowd. The data from 250 respondents were analysed in total.FindingsAs per the present study, the combination of playing music with fragrance is more effective compared to playing music or fragrance alone on shopping behaviour, footfalls and repeat visits in retail stores in emerging markets like India.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is more confined to a comparative study of the effectiveness of music with or without fragrance on consumer purchase behaviour and footfalls in retail stores located in malls. In view of research design, this could be a limitation of the study as types of music and other ambiance factors are not considered. The present study can be extended to religion as the religiosity of respondents may give a different response. The urban respondents may vary when compared to rural consumers. Therefore, the study can be extended by adding the rural or A-city mall or smaller malls in big cities. Research can be extended in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era to see if there is a change in consumer behaviour. It can also be extended to consumer's preference for different music and different fragrances.Practical implicationsThis paper provides marketing managers and retail owners with valuable insights on the importance of using music with fragrance in retail stores to create unique consumer experiences in emerging markets that are different from developed countries. Managers should try to create both music, and fragrance in the store to improve purchase intention, and stay longer. To ensure that the planned music and fragrance approach creates the ambiance for consumers, marketing managers are advised to conduct market research. Special care should be taken for younger visitors to the store by creating the right ambiance. The present research will help many offline retailers' managers to strive for new competitive advantages through creating favourable shopping environments by understanding cultural differences.Originality/valueThe research gives direction to use music with a fragrance in the retail ambiance in the malls which will lead to improved consumer purchase, more footfalls, repeat visits and staying longer in emerging markets like India, which is a destination for global brands. Integration of three models of impulse buying (Rook and Fisher, 1995), individualism and collectivism (Triandis, 1995) and stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model of Mehrabian and Russell (1974) is used to explain the complex behaviour of consumers towards more purchases and repeat visits. The study will shed light on the quandary that retailers in the organised sector face in emerging markets such as India regarding the use of music and fragrance, as well as the impact on purchase behaviour, footfalls and repeat visits.

Challenges in Neurosurgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experience of Kazakhstan

BackgroundThe practice of neurosurgery has been profoundly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Kazakhstan. Many elective surgeries were postponed or canceled, which resulted in difficulties in hospitalization. In the present study, we aimed to describe the effects of COVID-19 on neurosurgical practice and to determine whether a discrepancy was present in the effects between metropolises and regional cities in Kazakhstan.MethodsWe performed an electronic internet-based survey among Kazakhstan’s neurosurgeons using the virtual snowball sampling method. The invitation link to complete the questionnaire was sent to neurosurgeons through personal and corporate electronic mail and social networks. The data were analyzed using Excel and Stata.ResultsA total of 43 neurosurgeons completed the survey. The distribution of regional and urban respondents was almost equal. The male neurosurgeons outnumbered the female neurosurgeons (93.02% vs. 6.98%). A decrease in consultations (65.34% ± 28.24%) and surgeries (56.55% ± 26.34%) had been observed by all neurosurgeons, regardless of city type. However, the proportion of neurosurgeons who had attended online educational courses during the pandemic was significantly higher (P = 0.001) for the surgeons from major cities (68.18%) compared with the surgeons from smaller cities (19.05%). The regional neurosurgeons tended to perform urgent surgeries on COVID-19–positive patients 3 times more often than had the metropolitan neurosurgeons (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe true effect of the pandemic remains unknown for Kazakhstan. A discrepancy between the metropolitan and regional cities was found in the present study. Efforts are required and relevant guidelines must be developed to ensure that the neurosurgical treatment of various conditions continues to be available during health emergencies and that the disparities are addressed.

The Effects of Urban Green Space on Depressive Symptoms of Mid-Aged and Elderly Urban Residents in China: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

The aim of this study is to assess the impacts of urban green space on depressive symptoms among Chinese urban residents aged 45 and older. In total, 7397 urban respondents were included in this study. Each respondent participated in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study Wave 3 (2015). Environmental-level variables were retrieved from the National Bureau of Statistics database. Both unadjusted and adjusted methods were used in the multilevel regression analysis. Almost one-third of the sample population suffered from depressive symptoms (31.20%). The multilevel logistic regression model showed that green coverage ratio of city-built districts is negatively associated with the prevalence of depressive symptoms among urban mid-aged (OR = 0.79, p < 0.05) and elderly (OR = 0.75, p < 0.05) residents, and the public recreational green space helps to reduce elderly people’s depressive symptoms (OR = 0.77, p < 0.05). This study adds insights about the impact of green space and other environmental factors on depressive symptoms among mid-aged and elderly urban dwellers. It is important to provide enough and accessible overall urban green spaces; additionally, attention should also be paid to specific green space forms such as public recreational green space.

Physical activity pattern and life style habits among rural and urban diabetic subjects

The present study was carried out at Fatehabad district of Haryana State to study physical activity pattern and life style habits among rural and urban diabetic subjects. Two hundred subjects (male and female) between the age of 40-60 years and who were suffering from non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) for more than 6 months or above were selected randomly on the basis of their medical report (fasting and post prandial blood glucose level) from various Government and Private hospitals. It was observed that highest per cent of rural as well as urban respondents reported onset of diabetes between the age of 41-50 years. Most of the respondents (47% rural and 40% urban) had been suffering from diabetes for last 6-10 years. Majority (42% rural and 48% urban) had fasting blood glucose between 121-200 mg/100ml. Average fasting blood glucose was 166.51mg/100ml. Eight per cent of rural and fifteen per cent of urban respondents depicted very poor control and had post prandial blood glucose more than 300 mg/100ml.Majority (66 per cent of rural and 89 per cent of urban respondents) were involved in sedentary occupation and were not spending time (54% rural and 35% urban) on any kind of exercise. Fifty-four per cent of rural respondents and 63 per cent of urban respondents had family history of diabetes. Of the total, 26 per cent of rural and 17 per cent of urban respondents were consuming alcohol. Thirty-six per cent of rural and 18 per cent of urban respondents were regular smokers. It can be concluded that urban respondents are maintaining healthier eating habits, healthier lifestyle and are also showing better management of blood sugar control as compared to rural counterparts. There is need of more awareness in both rural and urban areas for better management of diabetes.

Comparison of Knowledge, Attitude, Practices, and Psychological Impact of COVID-19 among the Urban and Rural Population of Bangalore, Karnataka

Context and Objectives: There is a strong urban-rural divide in India in terms of education, economic status, and availability of health care. This became more prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, the government emphasized on preventive aspects, especially in terms of safety practices. With this context, this study sought to evaluate and compare the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and psychological impact of COVID-19 among the urban and rural population of Bangalore to study the differential effects on both communities. Materials and Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to 142 participants between December 1 and 31, 2020. The goal was to receive responses from both urban and rural population of Bangalore. Informed consent was taken from all participants. The response scores were tabulated and analyzed using statistical software. Results and Conclusion: A total of 138 responses were evaluated. In comparison to the urban population, there was a statistically significant link between inferior education and occupation in the rural population. (P 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between rural and urban respondents in terms of knowledge (P 0.001) and attitude (P 0.05). The rural population's COVID-19 practices and the psychological impact were shown to be worse, but this was not statistically significant. A holistic approach is required to increase the rural population's knowledge and practices to integrate them with the rest of the country and combat the COVID-19 pandemic more effectively.

Preparation for birth and complication readiness: rural-urban disparities among pregnant women in communities in Enugu State, Nigeria.

birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) is a key component of safe motherhood programs. The study aimed to determine the rural-urban disparities in BPCR and its predictors among pregnant women. this study was a community-based comparative cross-sectional study carried out among 366 pregnant women living in rural and urban areas in Enugu State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select the participants. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics at a significant level of p < 0.05. among the respondents, 213 (58.2%) had good knowledge of the components of BPCR. However, a significantly higher proportion of those in urban areas had better knowledge of these components than those in rural areas (p=0.01). Generally, there was a poor practice of BPCR among both groups of respondents. However, between both groups of respondents, good practice of BPCR was statistically significantly higher in respondents from urban areas 69 (37.7%) than those in rural areas 47 (25.7%) (X2=6.108, p=0.013). Several factors were found to be associated with good practice of BPCR among the respondents however, the only predictor of good practice of BPCR among the urban respondents was being aware of free maternal and child health services in the State while for the rural respondents, it was having an assisted delivery in the last stages of pregnancy. there are rural-urban disparities in BPCR. Most pregnant women are knowledgeable about its components but the majority do not practice it appropriately.

System- and Individual-Level Barriers to Accessing Medical Care Services Across the Rural-Urban Spectrum, Washington State.

Background:Residents of rural areas face barriers beyond geography and distance when accessing medical care services. The purpose of this study was to characterize medical care access barriers across several commonly used classifications of rurality.Methods:Washington State household residents completed a mixed-mode (paper/online) health care access survey between June 2018 and December 2019 administered to a stratified random sample of ZIP codes classified as urban, suburban, large rural, and small rural (4-tier scheme). For analyses, rurality was also classified into 2-tier schemes (rural/urban) based on ZIP code and county. Respondents reported availability of medical care services and system- and individual-level barriers to accessing services. Logistic regression models estimated the odds of reporting system- or individual-level barriers in accessing medical care services across rurality (4- and 2-tier schemes), adjusting for respondent characteristics, and weighted to account for survey design.Results:About 617 households completed the survey (25.7% response rate). Compared to urban residents (across all 3 schemes), more rural residents reported traveling to a distant city or town for medical care (P < .001). Rurality was significantly associated with increased odds of facing system-level barriers. Respondents from small rural areas had greater odds access barriers for primary care (OR 7.31, 95% CI 1.84-29.09) and having no primary care provider (OR 11.37, 95% CI 3.03-42.75) compared to urban respondents. Individual-level barriers were not associated with rurality.Conclusions:To improve healthcare access across the rural-urban spectrum, policymakers must consider system-level barriers facing rural populations.

A Comparative Study of Predictors of Health Service Utilization among Rural and Urban Areas in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State

Objective: Health facilities utilization among Nigerians is affected by access to hospitals and, availability of personnel. This study compared the predictors of health service utilization in rural and urban areas of Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State. Method: A cross-sectional study, involving 250 rural and 250 urban respondents selected through multi-stage sampling techniques. Quantitative data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Qualitative data collection was done with an FGD guide. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16. Chi-square, t-test, and z-test were used to test for significance. The level of significance was set at p &lt; 0.05. Results: The mean age of urban respondents was 37.1±7.9 years and 42.6 ±13.7 years for rural. Utilization among the urban respondents were 71.2%, and 89.2% among rural (z-score = 27.93; p-value = 0.01). Health services factors such as waiting time (Adjusted OR=1.012; p-value=0.989) were found to be a strong predictor of utilization among urban respondents compared with the availability of drugs (Adjusted OR= 1.696; p-value=0.407) and availability of drugs (Adjusted OR= 1.696; p-value=0.407) which were the strongest predictor among rural respondents, though they were all not statistically significant. Other factors identified were lack of staff 46.5% among rural and lack of drug 26.1% among urban communities respectively. Conclusion: The study demonstrated higher utilization among the rural community. Knowledge of available health services was important for utilization; waiting time, and availability of drugs were major predictors of health service utilization among urban and rural communities respectively.

Unmet needs for assistance with activities of daily living among elderly in rural and urban areas in Kwara State Central Senatorial District, Nigeria

Objective: The elderly usually require assistance and sometimes have unmet needs for assistance with activities of daily living. This study assessed the unmet needs for assistance with activities of daily living among the elderly in rural and urban areas in Kwara Central Senatorial District, Nigeria. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected using pre-tested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires from 300 elderly using the multistage sampling technique. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences 20 was used to analyze data, and the level of significance was predetermined at a p-value less than 0.05. Results: Overall, 60% of the elderly in the urban than rural group (46%) had unmet needs for assistance with activities of daily living. The prevalence of unmet needs for assistance with basic activities of daily living in the rural areas ranged from 0.0% (eating) to 70.8 % (bathing) and 0.0% (eating) to 68.8 % (transferring) in the urban areas. The prevalence of unmet needs for instrumental activities of daily living ranged from 16.7% (handling finances) to 59.3 % (cooking) for those in the rural areas. However, the range was from 33.3% (transportation) to 75.0% (taking medications) in the urban areas. The urban respondents had higher unmet needs for assistance with telephone use than rural respondents. (p=0.004*). Conclusion: The elderly in the urban areas had a higher prevalence of unmet needs for assistance with activities of daily living. The government must address the needs of the elderly through a policy to prevent unmet needs for assistance with activities of daily living.

Challenges in Menstrual Hygiene Practices among Urban and Rural Women (Aged 15-45 Years) of District Pali in Western Rajasthan

Introduction: In India, even today regressive socio-cultural norms pertaining to menstruation continue to thrive in many parts. The government in Rajasthan has been distributing sanitary napkins to girls in the age group 10-19 years through the Education &amp; ICDS department since 2018. This study assesses utilization and acceptance of the sanitary pads distributed frees of cost among adolescents and at a nominal rate to women and identifies the challenges in observing menstrual hygiene practices in semi arid areas. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 15-45 years in six urban wards and six sub- centre villages under the Rural Health and training Centre(RHTC) Gundoj. Keeping power of study at 80% adding the 10% non-response, 50% prevalence for hygienic menstrual practices, a sample size of 384 participants was taken, 192 each from rural and urban areas with 50% of the participants being school going girls. Results: Among school going participants 184 ( 95.8%) in urban areas and 169(88%) were utilizing the free sanitary pads distributed in schools, rest used locally purchased “red cloth”. Average level of hygiene practices was comparatively more among urban participants 173(90%) than rural women 77(40.1%) (p value&lt;0.05).During menstruation performing religious activities, doing idol worship, eating and drinking water with family was taboo among 92% of both urban and rural respondents. Conclusion: Distribution of sanitary pads in schools is a successful intervention in Pali District. However, knowledge of healthy menstrual hygiene practices was low (23%) among rural women. Disposal of used pads and attitude towards social taboos need to be addressed in the rural areas of the district with better convergence between Education, ICDS and Health department for advocacy of healthy menstrual hygiene practices.

Allergic reactions to cephalosporin antibiotics in a 15-year-old population

Cephalosporin, along with penicillin, are among the least harmful antibiotics. It is widely prescribed for common infections such as bronchitis, otitis media, pneumonia and cellulitis. A contraindication for this agent is a history of penicillin allergy, due to possible cross-reactions of hypersensitivity to penicillin and cephalosporin. Hypersensitivity reactions can occur in any mode of administration and to almost all antibiotics. Hypersensitivity reactions to cephalosporin are very similar to those of penicillin. The purpose of the study was to determine whether exist reactions to cephalosporin in the study population, and to determine whether exist statistically significant differences in the occurrence of allergic reactions to cephalosporin between boys and girls of the same age and whether exist differences in the occurrence of allergic reactions between subjects in urban and rural areas. The sample consisted of 1605 respondents, the sample was randomly selected and stratified by sex, and all data were processed in the statistical program. The results of the research show that 9.1% of the total population of boys and girls aged 15 from the Tuzla Canton are allergic to some type of antibiotic. The percentage of allergic reactions to cephalosporin is statistically significantly higher in the total population of 15 - year - olds from suburban and urban settlements than among peers in rural areas. Allergic reactions to cephalosporin were not observed in the group of boys from urban and suburban settlements as well as girls from rural settlements. This research also showed that there are statistically significant differences in the occurrence of cephalosporin allergies between urban and rural respondents.