Vulnerability Criteria Research Articles

An insight about roll damping within the second generation intact stability criteria

Despite the recognized complexity to estimate the damping influence on ship roll motion, some efficient semi-empirical methodologies have been developed along the years to this purpose. CFD methods, in principle the most appropriate tools to predict roll damping, are not a favorite option in preliminary design at present due to their implications in terms of complexity and computational time. In this paper, an integration of the semi-empirical Ikeda’s simplified method has been formulated with modification of the bilge keels and lift components, following a contribution found in the literature and relevant for Ro–Ro ships. Moreover, with focus on damping evaluation, the second generation intact stability criteria (SGISc) have been investigated: the second-level vulnerability criteria for dead ship condition and parametric roll have been applied to a Ro–Ro passenger ship. Both the consolidated and the new proposed roll damping prediction methods have been implemented in order to appreciate their effects on the final outcome.

Risk Comparison of Hurricane Scenarios as Disruptions of Hydrologic Basin Order with Social Vulnerability Criteria

Risk Comparison of Hurricane Scenarios as Disruptions of Hydrologic Basin Order with Social Vulnerability Criteria

An approach to risk of rockfalls on roads. Case study of the Rafael Caldera Highway

In recent times, significant advancements have been made in the development of road safety, making it a key focus for Highway Engineers. To ensure the safety of road users, various methodologies have been established for assessing vulnerability, threat, and risk in both road infrastructure and vehicles. This article proposes an evaluation of the risk associated with rockfall on roads, incorporating the analysis of geotechnical and road parameters, verification of risk and vulnerability criteria, statistical analysis of vehicle vulnerability, and the assessment of kinematic slope stability. Additionally, the classification of rock masses in terms of threat is considered, leading to the development of a novel methodology for risk assessment. The evaluation of threat, vulnerability, and risk utilizes conventional methods such as assessing rock mass quality, kinematic stability analysis, and statistical parameters. This methodology has been implemented on the Mérida-El Vigía Highway, giving results consistent with those observed on the ground, unlike the others implemented in the area.

Problem of violence against girls with disabilities in the commune of Abomey Calavi (Benin)

Like several countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Benin is a country where gender inequalities still persist. These inequalities sometimes reveal themselves in the form of violence against girls and women. It is a phenomenon that still plagues society despite the creation of a legal and institutional framework. Indeed, inequalities are doubly common among girls with disabilities because of their vulnerability. For this research, the approach used is essentially qualitative. It aims to analyze the problem of violence against girls with disabilities in the commune of Abomey-Calavi. To achieve this objective, documentary research and interviews with resource persons were used as data collection techniques. Thus, fifteen people were interviewed according to four categories of actors: girls with disabilities, protection actors, municipal authorities and parents. The majority of those questioned believe that disability in itself is a real cause of the persistence of violence, especially sexual violence, among girls with disabilities. Analysis of the results reveals that several factors, including socio-cultural constraints and disability as a criterion of vulnerability, explain the increase in violence against girls with disabilities in the commune of Abomey-Calavi.

Saltwater intrusion and human health risks for coastal populations under 2050 climate scenarios

Populations consuming saline drinking water are at greater risk of high blood pressure and potentially other adverse health outcomes. We modelled data and used available datasets to identify countries of higher vulnerability to future saltwater intrusion associated with climate change in 2050 under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP)4.5 and RCP8.5. We developed three vulnerability criteria to capture geographies with: (1) any coastal areas with projected inland saltwater intrusion of ≥ 1 km inland, (2) > 50% of the population in coastal secondary administrative areas with reliance on groundwater for drinking water, and 3) high national average sodium urinary excretion (i.e., > 3 g/day). We identified 41 nations across all continents (except Antarctica) with ≥ 1 km of inland saltwater intrusion by 2050. Seven low- and middle-income countries of higher vulnerability were all concentrated in South/Southeast Asia. Based on these initial findings, future research should study geological nuances at the local level in higher-risk areas and co-produce with local communities contextually appropriate solutions to secure equitable access to clean drinking water.

Extreme heat adaptation in urban areas: a comparative case study of New York City and New Orleans

ABSTRACT As the risk of extreme heat in urban centres becomes more frequent and intense, a comparative case study of New York City, New York's and New Orleans, Louisiana's policy responses to dangerous heat highlights past approaches to protecting vulnerable populations, where improvements can be made to best suit local needs, and the areas where solutions may still be implemented. Two cities at the forefront of the climate crisis in the United States, their policy approaches are guided by their histories, their existing adaptations and behaviours, and the harsh reality the changing climate has wrought. New York City has prioritised cooling centres as a safety measure, as the city is regularly seeing hundreds of heat-related deaths per year, often in unairconditioned homes. New Orleans has prioritised the installation of back-up energy generation following mass blackouts caused by Hurricane Ida in 2021 and deaths of at least 10 residents in the resulting excessive heat exposure. In New York, census tracts with the highest percentage of Black, elderly, and foreign-born populations were most likely to have reduced access to a cooling centre. In New Orleans, tracts with the highest percentage of Black, elderly, unemployed, and impoverished populations were most likely to have reduced access to a cooling centre. Comparing both city's codes, regulations, and policies, reviewing their emergency management communication strategies on social media, and performing GIS analysis on cooling centre locations against vulnerability criteria paints a clear picture of where heat policy stands in both cities and where it could potentially expand.

Spatial landslide risk assessment in a highly populated Rohingya refugee settlement area of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

ABSTRACT In recent times, landslides have become a major concern in the southeast part of Bangladesh. This study aims to develop comprehensive landslide risk mapping by applying the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and geospatial techniques in Ukhiya and Teknaf Upazilas, a highly populated Rohingya Refugee Settlement area. To assess the landslide risk, we selected 12 influencing criteria of hazard, vulnerability and exposure under the relevant components of risk, such as precipitation intensity, landslide inventory, distance to fault line, stream density, distance to stream network, elevation, aspect, slope, geology, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land use and land cover (LULC), and population density. These spatial criteria were weighted using the AHP model. The weighted overlay techniques were then used to produce the landslide risk map. The findings demonstrate that 2.19% of the total area is classified as a very high risk zone, and 12.74% is categorized as a high risk zone. Moderate risk areas cover 23.08% of the total area. The risk map is validated by the landslides inventory. The outcomes can be used by the concerned authorities to take the necessary steps to reduce the impact of landslides.

A randomized phase II study of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel compared with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and liposomal irinotecan in older patients with treatment-naïve metastatic pancreatic cancer (GIANT): ECOG-ACRIN EA2186.

4003 Background: Evidence-based data is lacking to guide the care of vulnerable older adults with newly diagnosed metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) resulting in extrapolation of the treatment approach utilizing data from younger patients. EA2186 is a phase II randomized controlled trial, and the first prospective study aiming to define the optimal treatment approach for vulnerable older adults with newly diagnosed mPDAC. Methods: EA2186 enrolled vulnerable patients ≥70 years of age with histologically confirmed mPDAC, ECOG PS 0-2 and adequate organ function. Vulnerability was defined by a screening geriatric assessment (GA) demonstrating mild abnormalities in functional status, comorbidities, cognition, or age ≥80 years. Patients were randomized to Arm A: Gemcitabine (1000mg/m2) and Nab-Paclitaxel (125mg/m2) every 14 days or Arm B: 5-Fluorouracil (2400mg/m2 over 46hr) Leucovorin (400mg/m2) and Liposomal Irinotecan (50mg/m2) every 14 days. A comprehensive GA and quality of life (QOL) evaluation were completed at baseline and 3 time points. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS); secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS), response rate (RR), safety, and QOL. The study had 90% power to detect a difference in median OS of 7.7 vs. 10.7 months (HR of 0.72) using a one-sided log-rank test at the 0.10 significance level. Stratification factors included age 70-74 vs ≥75, and ECOG PS 0-1 vs 2. The study met the planned futility boundary for OS at its single interim analysis (60.6% information) and was closed early by the DSMC. Results: 176 patients were enrolled at 92 US sites between 6/2020 – 10/2023, 88 patients per arm. Median age of enrolled patients was 77 (range 70-90), 49% females, 24% ECOG-0, 64% ECOG-1 and 12% ECOG-2. Majority of patients were deemed vulnerable by cognition (46%), age (36%) or co-morbidities (31.4%), with some patients meeting vulnerability criteria in multiple domains. No significant difference was seen in median OS between the arms (4.7 vs. 4.4 months in Arms A and B respectively; p = 0.72). PFS, RR, and factors contributing to early treatment discontinuation and affecting the lower-than-expected survival will be presented at the meeting. At the time of data cut off rates of ≥grade 3 toxicity was 45.6% in Arm A and 58.7% in Arm B (p = 0.10); rates of ≥grade 4 toxicity were 7.6% in Arm A vs 14.7% in Arm B (p = 0.16). Most common ≥grade 3 toxicities included anemia, neutropenia, fatigue in both Arms, and diarrhea in Arm B. Conclusions: EA2186 did not demonstrate a significant difference in efficacy or overall toxicity between two attenuated regimens tested in vulnerable older adults with mPDAC. These results provide important data to guide treatment decisions and goals of care discussions in this vulnerable patient population. Clinical trial information: NCT04233866 .

Diagnostic potential of TSH to HDL cholesterol ratio in vulnerable carotid plaque identification.

This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of the thyroid-stimulating hormone to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (THR) in identifying specific vulnerable carotid artery plaques. In this retrospective analysis, we included 76 patients with carotid plaques who met the criteria for admission to Zhejiang Hospital from July 2019 to June 2021. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HRMRI) and the MRI-PlaqueView vascular plaque imaging diagnostic system were utilized to analyze carotid artery images for the identification of specific plaque components, including the lipid core (LC), fibrous cap (FC), and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), and recording of the area percentage of LC and IPH, as well as the thickness of FC. Patients were categorized into stable plaque and vulnerable plaque groups based on diagnostic criteria for vulnerable plaques derived from imaging. Plaques were categorized based on meeting one of the following consensus criteria for vulnerability: lipid core area over 40% of total plaque area, fibrous cap thickness less than 65 um, or the presence of intraplaque hemorrhage. Plaques meeting the above criteria were designated as the LC-associated vulnerable plaque group, the IPH-associated group, and the FC-associated group. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to analyze the factors influencing carotid vulnerable plaques and specific vulnerable plaque components. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the predictive value of serological indices for vulnerable carotid plaques. We found that THR (OR = 1.976; 95% CI = 1.094-3.570; p = 0.024) and TSH (OR = 1.939, 95% CI = 1.122-3.350, p = 0.018) contributed to the formation of vulnerable carotid plaques. THR exhibited an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.704 (95% CI = 0.588-0.803) (p = 0.003), and the AUC for TSH was 0.681 (95% CI = 0.564-0.783) (p = 0.008). THR was identified as an independent predictor of LC-associated vulnerable plaques (OR = 2.117, 95% CI = 1.064-4.212, p = 0.033), yielding an AUC of 0.815. THR also demonstrated diagnostic efficacy for LC-associated vulnerable plaques. This study substantiated that THR and TSH have predictive value for identifying vulnerable carotid plaques, with THR proving to be a more effective diagnostic indicator than TSH. THR also exhibited predictive value and specificity in the context of LC-associated vulnerable plaques. These findings suggest that THR may be a promising clinical indicator, outperforming TSH in detecting specific vulnerable carotid plaques.

Meeting the needs of pregnant women in socially vulnerable situations: A phenomenological qualitative study

ObjectiveVulnerability relates to fragile physical, psychological, and socio-environmental circumstances. Pregnant women's social vulnerability can lead to disruptions in their medical follow-ups, prematurity, and increased infant mortality rates, such that their special needs must be considered. Yet, despite different governments' ‘perinatality’ plans, international literature suggests their care can be improved. Although quantitative studies regularly evaluate these plans, few studies have assessed vulnerable pregnant women's views. This study explores the needs and expectations of vulnerable women regarding their follow-ups during pregnancy and identified strategies to improve their circumstances. MethodsThe study was a phenomenological qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with women who gave birth in the past six months (December 2017 to June 2018) and who fulfilled at least one vulnerability criterion. The women were recruited by French midwives and general practitioners (GPs). FindingsConcerning these vulnerable pregnant women, three phenomenological categories emerged: 1) they need to be monitored by a single trusted contact; 2) they seek medical and social support adapted to their situations that addresses their needs; and 3) they expect kind and person-centred communication skills from professionals who provide them appropriate information. ConclusionWe identified various international recommendations to screen and care for vulnerable pregnant women, but still these women often experience numerous challenges. Finally, the implementation of recommendations for healthcare professionals based on women's real-life experiences could help optimise the identification of vulnerable pregnant women as well as their follow-up care.

Development and validation of instrument to measure citywide inclusive sanitation (CWIS Scale) for Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

Universal access to safe and adequate sanitation is a critical public health and environmental issue, particularly in low-income urban areas. The Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) approach seeks to address the challenge of meeting the universal access to sanitation for all, including the most vulnerable groups. The six key criteria in CWIS are: (1) equity; (2) safety; (3) sustainability; (4) responsibility; (5) accountability; and (6) Resource Planning and Management. This study aimed to develop and validate survey instruments for CWIS measurement in urban areas of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). First, we specified the domains based on the six CWIS criteria by, adding the vulnerability criterion to the equation. We developed candidate items for each domain by reviewing the relevant literature. Face validity was determined through cognitive interviews, and content validity was determined through the evaluation of two experts. We added, removed, merged, and rephrased items based on the results of cognitive interviews and feedback from subject matter experts. We piloted the instrument and conducted statistical analysis to ensure the validity and reliability of the ‘scales and indices. The CWIS survey modules address a recognized need for greater emphasis on inclusive sanitation. We provide researchers and policymakers with tools to measure CWIS sub-constructs in a valid and reliable manner to generate data for improved targeting, design, implementation, and evaluation of strategies to improve sanitation access for vulnerable and marginalized urban citizens.

Shaking table tests of a nonstructural freestanding object with variable center of gravity

Freestanding objects have endured seismic damage during major historical earthquakes, but their seismic performance is not fully understood yet. A steel frame was constructed with steel rods and moveable plates to investigate the effect of the center of gravity (CG) on the seismic response of nonstructural freestanding objects. The location of the CG can be tuned to change the CG in the frame. Two groups of shaking table tests were carried out using instrumented floor motion. To verify the shaking table test results, an analytical model was defined based on Housner's rocking model. The experimental response modes were predicted correctly. The experimental kinetic coefficient of friction obtained in the slow-pull tests agreed with the peak acceleration of the steel frame in the shaking table tests. The displacement amplitude generally decreased with increasing height of CG (hcg); however, this trend was not observed when the CG was fixed. Identical properties were observed for the rotational response of the frame. The experimental and analytical rocking responses were in agreement in terms of amplitude, but not in terms of time history and trajectories. The overturing criteria of overturing velocity, spectral velocity, and vulnerability, were evaluated using the experimental results. The overturning spectral acceleration was not accurately predicted using Housner's equation. The overturning probability and ratio were correctly predicted, and they increased with the increase in hcg. The findings of this work enable seismic risk mitigation of nonstructural freestanding objects.

Unravelling the influence and mechanism of agricultural inputs on rural poverty vulnerability: Evidence from China

Agricultural inputs have a significant catabatic effect on rural poverty at present. However, few studies have assessed whether agricultural inputs inhibit the intending probability of being vulnerable to rural poverty, referred to as poverty vulnerability. Poverty vulnerability studies, which focus on the likeli-hood of poverty among households in the future, have forward-looking and prognostic features in poverty research. Such research provides essential tools for describing mechanisms that can eradicate poverty. This study investigates the impact of agricultural inputs on rural poverty vulnerability and the mechanisms of action, using data from the 2015 China Household Finance Survey (CHFS). The empirical results show that agricultural inputs significantly suppress the probability of rural poverty vulnerability. The results hold after replacing the poverty criterion, poverty vulnerability criterion, and core explanatory variables. To overcome the endogeneity problem created by possible reverse cau-sality and omitted variables in the baseline model, this study uses the instrumental variables method to test endogeneity. The study also applies a treatment effects model and propensity score matching method to estimate and address any endogeneity problems due to explanatory variables. The findings also remain robust and significant after addressing the endogeneity problem. Further analyses indicate that the inhibitive effect of agricultural inputs on rural poverty vulnerability is mainly achieved through increased agricultural yields, improved physical health, and increased opportunities for entre-preneurial behavior. A heterogeneity analysis finds that the inhibitive effect of agricultural inputs on poverty vulnerability is more pronounced in Midwest China, in households with physically healthy household heads, and in families whose leaders have risk preferences. Our findings provide empirical evidence that can help inform forward-looking and prognostic policies for developing countries when formulating anti-poverty strategies.

Molecular screening of local Indonesian rice to identified resistant varieties against brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) attacks

Abstract. Puspito AN, Tigara MRN, Putra SID, Rozzita N, Ubaidillah M. 2023. Molecular screening of local Indonesian rice to identified resistant varieties against brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) attacks. Biodiversitas 24: 5503-5512. Brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stal) is a significant pest in rice (Oryza sativa L.), resulting in a yield loss of around 20-80%. Environmentally friendly control involves looking for potential resistance in local Indonesian rice, because it’s naturally resistant to pests and diseases and has several tolerant mechanisms for dealing with stress. However, the resistance potential of local rice has not been widely studied, so it is necessary to carry out screening to identify the resistance possessed by local Indonesian rice and continue with molecular analysis to validate the presence of brown planthopper resistance genes. This study aimed to determine the possible resistance level of 24 Indonesian local rice varieties to brown planthopper pests. The research was conducted at the Agrotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jember. In June-November 2022. This research included screening using the third instar nymph brown planthopper, preference testing to analyze the preference level for each local rice variety and molecular analysis using six BPH markers (RM 247, RM 6869, RM 19291, g12140-2, RM 3331, and RM 5479) with the MAS technique. The results showed that in the preference test, Lahoten, Fatuk Masin, and Sukamandi had a higher preference value than other local Indonesian rice. In the screening, the average local rice with very resistant criteria is Leukat Medan, while those with moderately vulnerable criteria are Sukamandi. In the molecular analysis of local Indonesian rice, the Aek Sibundong variety had the most resistance, while the Kapuas and Sukamandi varieties had the least resistance.

Identifying Key Benefits and Characteristics of Community Gardening for Vulnerable Populations: A Systematic Review

Vulnerable communities (including people from refugee, Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse, and low socioeconomic backgrounds) represent the most at-risk populations facing inequities and negative health, economic, and social outcomes. The recent COVID-19 pandemic both highlighted and fuelled these disparities. Community gardening has emerged as a community-based solution to address these inequities, yet the research literature has largely considered outcomes for the general population rather than those with the most need. This paper represents the first systematic review to summarise the evidence on the broad impact of community gardening on outcomes for vulnerable populations. A systematic search of 13 databases (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Education Source, Education Resources Information Center, Psychology and Behavioral Science Collection, SocINDEX, and Allied Health and Complementary Medicine Database) for English language articles from 1985 to 2022 was conducted. There were 33 studies identified where females were substantially overrepresented in the studies compared to males, and the main criteria for vulnerability included low socioeconomic-status and culturally diverse populations. Findings revealed that community gardening provides a wide range of benefits for vulnerable populations, with social connection, health, education, and nutrition being the more commonly cited. A relative emphasis on benefits of social connections, education, and nutrition is apparent for vulnerable populations in comparison to reviews considering the general population. The quality of studies was evaluated as moderate with little information provided about program characteristics. These shortcomings reduce the understanding of what characteristics are most likely to result in improvements and limit the capacity of practitioners to translate research into policy and practice for vulnerable communities.

Anomalous self-experiences and neurocognitive functioning in adolescents at risk for psychosis: Still no significant associations found between these two vulnerability markers

BackgroundAnomalous self-experiences (ASEs) and neurocognitive impairments are considered essential domains of vulnerability for developing psychotic disorders. However, little research exists of possible associations between ASEs and neurocognitive functions in individuals at-risk for psychosis. The interconnections between ASEs and neurocognitive impairments should therefore be clarified as much as possible, especially in young individuals at risk. No previous studies have investigated these two fundamental domains in non-help-seeking adolescents at risk for developing psychosis. MethodsThis study is based on the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Adolescents (N = 48, 94% females, mean age = 15.3) were invited to participate after completing a 14-year-old survey distributed by MoBA. At-risk adolescents were selected based on the 0.4% highest scores on 19 items assessing both psychotic-like experiences and ASEs. Five specifically selected and formulated items measuring ASEs were computed to an ASEs total score. Neurocognitive functioning was assessed using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery. ResultsRegression analyses revealed no significant relationships between ASEs and any neurocognitive domain. ConclusionsWe did not find any significant associations between ASEs and neurocognitive functions in non-help-seeking adolescents at risk for psychotic disorders, which is in line with reports from other types of cohorts. Thus, ASEs and neurocognitive functions may be understood as two relatively separate domains that co-exist in at-risk states. These results underline the need for a wider scope when making predictions about future trajectories, e.g. the development of psychotic disorders. Including both ASEs and neurocognitive functioning in at-risk populations may increase the specificity of vulnerability criteria in this population and enhance our understanding of early psychosis psychopathology.

Research on second level of vulnerability criteria of parametric rolling with stochastic stability theory

The second level of vulnerability criteria of parametric rolling proposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is aimed to evaluate the probability of roll instability and large roll motion of ships in the designated sea areas. Compared with the numerical simulation in random waves, the stability boundary derived from the criteria has large errors. Some additional checks are required in the key region. A new method is proposed to assess ship parametric roll in the designed sea area based on stochastic stability theory. A nonlinear system has the same stability properties as its equivalent linear system. Therefore, the nonlinear parametric rolling motion equation is linearized in order to study its stochastic stability in random waves. Based on the top Lyapunov exponent and the stochastic averaging theory, the expressions for parametric rolling stability boundary are given. The accuracy of these stability boundaries is verified by comparison with numerical simulation. The new method with the stochastic stability boundary can quickly and accurately evaluate the probability of large roll motion of ships in the designated sea areas which illustrates the possibility of improvement to a certain extent.

Lateral incivility, nursing students, and the academic environment: A modified epidemiological triangle

The traditional epidemiological triangle identifies an infectious disease causing agent, a susceptible host to house the agent, and an environment conducive to the agent's proliferation and sustenance. Social epidemiology expands this basic triangle to address health determinants, social inequities, and heath disparities related to and encountered by vulnerable populations. A group is considered vulnerable if it is susceptible to poor physical, psychological, spiritual, social, or emotional health, attack, and censure or criticism. Nursing students fulfill these criteria for vulnerability. Lateral student-to-student incivility as the disease causing agent, nursing students as the susceptible hosts, and the academic and clinical learning environments reflect a modified epidemiological triangle. Nursing students experience physical, social, and emotional problems from experiencing and witnessing incivility. Students replicate modeled incivility behaviors. Learning may be negatively compromised. Oppressed group behavior is presented as one cause of lateral incivility. The transmission of incivility behaviors as the disease causing agent can be interrupted through civility education offered to nursing student hosts and a no tolerance stance against incivility in the academic learning environment. Cognitive Rehearsal is an evidence-based strategy to teach nursing students how to confront incivility victimization.

Measuring resilience and stress during pregnancy and its relation to vulnerability and pregnancy outcomes in a nulliparous cohort study

BackgroundResilience reflects coping with pregnancy-specific stress, including physiological adaptations of the maternal organism or factors arising from the socioeconomic context, such as low income, domestic violence, drug and alcohol use, lack of a support network and other vulnerability characteristics. Resilience is a dynamic characteristic that should be comparatively evaluated within a specific context; its association with perceived stress and social vulnerability during pregnancy is still not fully understood. This study aimed at exploring maternal resilience, perceived stress and social vulnerability during pregnancy and its associated factors and outcomes.MethodsProspective multicenter cohort study of nulliparous women in Brazil determining resilience (Resilience Scale; RS) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale; PSS) at 28 weeks of gestation (± 1 week). Resilience and stress scores were compared according to sociodemographic characteristics related to maternal/perinatal outcomes and social vulnerability, defined as having low level of education, being adolescent, without a partner or ethnicity other than white.ResultsWe included 383 women who completed the RS and PSS instruments. Most women showed low resilience scores (median: 124.0; IQR 98–143). Women with a low resilience score (RS < 125) were more likely from the Northeast region, adolescents, other than whites, did not study or work, had a low level of education, low family income and received public antenatal care. Higher scores of perceived stress were shown in the Northeast, other than whites, at low levels of education, low annual family income and public antenatal care. Pregnant women with low resilience scores (n = 198) had higher perceived stress scores (median = 28) and at least one vulnerability criterion (n = 181; 91.4%).ConclusionOur results reinforce the role of resilience in protecting women from vulnerability and perceived stress. It may prevent complications and build a positive experience during pregnancy.

Who is disabled? On whether the functional definition of disability targets the same individuals as the subjective definition

With the increased attention to disability as a vulnerability criterion in the Sustainable Development Goals, international organizations and NGOs within the international development sector have started to pay explicit attention to persons with disabilities, including the collection of data on persons with disabilities. The Washington Group Short Set of Questions, which focuses on functional limitations, has been gaining popularity as an assessment tool for disability. This set of questions reflects a categorization of disability that does not necessarily correspond with subjective disability assessments, such as the yes/no question (“do you have a disability?”) which many development actors have used in their assessment tools when they collect disability data This study compares the subjective and the functional limitations assessment tools for disability to answer the question: do they identify the same individuals as persons with disabilities? Based on a survey carried out amongst persons with disabilities in Cambodia, we included both the Washington Group Short Set and a subjective question asking respondents to self-identify their disability type. We find that, although all respondents self-identified as disabled, not all respondents would be considered disabled according to the Washington Group Short Set of questions. In addition, there is little overlap between specific disability types according to a subjective classification method and the domains of functioning measured through the Washington Group methodology. Our findings affirm that categorization as abled or disabled depends on the tool used. This is important, as the assessment approach chosen by those collecting disability data can shape the design choices of policies and programs, and determine who benefits.