1.  Peer Reviewed Title: Effects of a rapid peer-based HIV/AIDS educational intervention on knowledge and attitudes of high school students in a high-income Arab country. Author: Barss P; Grivna M; Ganczak M; Bernsen R; Al-Maskari F Source: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 2009 Sep 1;52(1):86-98. Abstract: INTRODUCTION: In response to low knowledge about HIV and intolerant attitudes toward persons living with HIV among Arab university students, a peer-based educational intervention was developed and impact evaluated on knowledge and attitudes of high school students in 2 of 4 main cities of United Arab Emirates. METHODS: Four small teams of final year medical students, 3 female and 1 male, were trained. Multistage random sampling selected 14 female and 5 male Arab schools, then 56 female and 14 male grade 12 classes in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. The 90-minute intervention included a factual presentation and 3 attitude workshops. Baseline and postintervention knowledge and attitudes were assessed. Significance was tested by McNemar, Wilcoxon signed rank, and multilevel regression tests. RESULTS: Response was 99.6%, 1398 females and 505 males. Misconceptions about modes of transmission and intolerant attitudes were evident. Mean knowledge score improved from 65% to 82% and attitude 51% to 64%, that is, relative increase 26% (P < 0.0005). Females had slightly lower baseline knowledge than males but showed greater improvement in knowledge and attitudes (P < 0.0005) CONCLUSIONS: Grade 12 students' knowledge about HIV/AIDS was inadequate and attitudes stigmatizing. Peer-based knowledge workshops were effective, especially among females. Concise integrated teaching and workshops designed to address key knowledge and attitudinal deficiencies can be highly effective. Language: English Keywords: MIDDLE EAST | RESEARCH REPORT | STUDENTS | SECONDARY SCHOOLS | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | KNOWLEDGE | ATTITUDES | SEX BEHAVIOR | SEX EDUCATION | HIV INFECTIONS | AIDS | INTERVENTIONS | STIGMA | ADOLESCENT HEALTH | PROMOTION | AIDS PREVENTION | HIV PREVENTION | EPIDEMIOLOGY | Education | Schools | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Psychological Factors | Behavior | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Programs | Organization and Administration | Social Problems | Health | Marketing | Public Health Document Number: 342885 |
| 2. Title: Infectious syphilis in high-income settings in the 21st century. Author: Fenton KA; Breban R; Vardavas R; Okano JT; Martin T Source: Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2008 Apr;8(4):244-253. Abstract: In high-income countries after World War II, the widespread availability of effective antimicrobial therapy, combined with expanded screening, diagnosis, and treatment programmes, resulted in a substantial decline in the incidence of syphilis. However, by the turn of the 21st century, outbreaks of syphilis began to occur in different subpopulations, especially in communities of men who have sex with men. The reasons for these outbreaks include changing sexual and social norms, interactions with increasingly prevalent HIV infection, substance abuse, global travel and migration, and under-investment in public-health services. Recently, it has been suggested that these outbreaks could be the result of an interaction of the pathogen with natural immunity, and that syphilis epidemics should be expected to intrinsically cycle. We discuss this hypothesis by examining long-term data sets of syphilis. Today, syphilis in western Europe and the USA is characterised by low-level endemicity with concentration among population subgroups with high rates of partner change, poor access to health services, social marginalisation, or low socioeconomic status. (author's) Language: English Keywords: EUROPE | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | DEVELOPED COUNTRIES | INCIDENCE | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | SYPHILIS | TRANSMISSION | SCREENING | EXAMINATIONS AND DIAGNOSES | DRUG USE AND ABUSE | RISK BEHAVIOR | SEX BEHAVIOR | TRAVEL AND TOURISM | MIGRATION | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | HEALTH SERVICES | PROGRAM ACCESSIBILITY | North America | Americas | Measurement | Research Methodology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Sexually Transmitted Diseases | Reproductive Tract Infections | Infections | Diseases | Medical Procedures | Medicine | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Behavior | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Program Evaluation | Programs | Organization and Administration Document Number: 325524 |
| 3. Peer Reviewed Title: Health inequality in Latin America. Author: Belizan JM; Cafferata ML; Belizan M; Althabe F Source: Lancet. 2007 Nov 10;370(9599):1599-1600. Abstract: Those visiting Latin America are usually hit by the striking differences between the visible living conditions of rich and poor people. In confirmation of this observation, indicators of income inequity show that Latin America is the world's region with the highest inequity in goods distribution. In the 23 Latin American countries with available information, the Gini coefficients (a measure of income inequality in which a value of 0 is perfect equality, and 1 is inequality) show a median value of 0.53, which compares with scores in developed, African, and Asian countries of 0.32, 0.43 and 0.30, respectively. The effect on maternal and child health outcomes and health-care provision is striking, regardless of the indicator used to measure inequity. For example, maternal mortality ratios are 10-44 times higher in the poorest provinces of several countries in Latin America. The poorest quintile of the population showed 3-10 times the prevalence of stunted children than the richest quintile in nine countries. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: LATIN AMERICA | CRITIQUE | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | INEQUALITIES | INCOME DISTRIBUTION | MATERNAL-CHILD HEALTH SERVICES | MATERNAL MORTALITY | DEVELOPMENT PLANS | GOALS | MASS MEDIA | RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT | Americas | Developing Countries | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Income | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Planning | Organization and Administration | Communication | Technology Document Number: 322172 |
| 4. Title: Breastfeeding and obesity in school-age children from families of high socioeconomic status. Author: de Siqueira RS; Monteiro CA Source: Revista Saude Publica. 2007 Feb;41(1):5-12. Abstract: The objective was to examine the association between breastfeeding and obesity in school-age children from Brazilian families of high socioeconomic status. A cross-sectional study was conducted including 555 students aged six to 14 years from a private school in the city of Sao Paulo. Obesity - the outcome variable - was defined as body mass index at or above the 85th centile plus sub scapular and triceps skin folds at or above the 90th centile using the sex and age specific standards of the US National Center for Health Statistics. Exposure was the frequency and duration of breastfeeding. Potential confounders, controlled for using multiple logistic regression, included child sex, age, birthweight, and dietary and physical activity patterns, and maternal age, body mass index, schooling, and practice of sports or physical exercise. Prevalence of obesity in the studied population was 26%. After confounder adjustment, the risk of obesity in children that had never been breastfed was twice that of other children (OR = 2.06; 95% CI: 1.02; 4.16). There was no dose-response effect of duration of breastfeeding on prevalence of child obesity. Children who were never breastfed showed greater prevalence of obesity at school age. The absence of a dose-response effect in the relationship between duration of breastfeeding and prevalence of obesity and the still controversial findings regarding this association reported by other authors indicate a need for further studies on the subject, in particular studies with longitudinal design. (author's) Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | SCHOOL AGE POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD | BREASTFEEDING | OBESITY | PREVALENCE | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | Developing Countries | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Social Class | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Infant Nutrition | Nutrition | Health | Body Weight | Physiology | Biology | Measurement Document Number: 313001 |
| 5. Title: HIV risk behavior among injection drug users in Tehran, Iran. Author: Razani N; Mohraz M; Kheirandish P; Malekinejad M; Malekafzali H Source: Addiction. 2007 Sep;102(9):1472-1482. Abstract: Iran faces parallel human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and injection drug use epidemics; more than 62% of known HIV cases occur among injection drug users (IDU).We conducted a formative study of IDU in Tehran to explore risk behavior in the wake of the recent harm reduction efforts. Key informant interviews (n = 40), focus group discussions (nine groups of IDU, n = 66) and a review of existing published and unpublished literature were conducted. Participants included IDU, physicians, policy makers, police, IDU advocates and their families. IDU were diverse in gender, education, income and neighborhood of residence. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using grounded theory. A typology of IDUs in Tehran, categorized according to self-defined networks as well as HIV risks, is presented. This categorization is based on the groups identified by IDUs, compared to those identified by other key informants, and on a secondary data review. Homeless, female, young IDU and users of a more potent form of heroin were identified as having increased risks for HIV. Participants described shortening transitions from smoked opium to injected opiates. Whereas a majority of participants considered needle sharing less common than previously, sharing continues in locations of group injection, and in states of withdrawal or severe addiction. System-wise barriers to harm reduction were discussed, and include the cost or stigma of purchasing needles from pharmacies, over-burdened clinics, irregular enforcement of laws protecting IDU and lack of efforts to address the sexual risks of IDU. This research is one of the first to describe a diversity of IDU, including women and higher socio-economic class individuals, in Tehran. While efforts in harm reduction in Iran to date have been notable, ongoing risks point to an urgent need for targeted, culturally acceptable interventions. (author's) Language: English Keywords: IRAN | RESEARCH REPORT | KAP SURVEYS | FOCUS GROUPS | CLASSIFICATION | IV DRUG USERS | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | HOMELESS PERSONS | WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT | HIV TRANSMISSION | RISK BEHAVIOR | SEX BEHAVIOR | STIGMA | NEEDLE SHARING | LEGISLATION | Developing Countries | Middle East | Surveys | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Data Collection | Drug Use and Abuse | Behavior | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Population | Economic Development | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Social Problems | Sociocultural Factors | Political Factors Document Number: 320440 |
| 6. Title: Onset of obesity is late in affluent Bengali boys [letter] Author: Banerjee I; Mukherjee D Source: Indian Pediatrics. 2006 Aug;43(8):742-743. Abstract: It is well recognised that obesity is increasing in many parts of India secondary to greater affluence. Although not reported from West Bengal, it is likely that obesity is escalating in Bengalis, in particular in those in affluent economic conditions. A recent report noted that Bengali adolescent boys and girls from middle income families were well below the national averages of affluent children in body mass index (BMI). It remains to be established if Bengali children from more affluent backgrounds have a greater prevalence of obesity, and if so, whether this occurs relatively early in childhood. It has been postulated that an earlier onset of excessive weight gain in childhood is associated with adverse morbidity in adulthood, chiefly in relation to developing insulin resistance. As childhood obesity is likely to have a significant impact on well being in later life, we should be vigilant for its prevalence and introduce preventive lifestyle measures, if necessary, at an early age. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | CHILD, MALE | OBESITY | PREVALENCE | ANTHROPOMETRY | BODY HEIGHT | BODY WEIGHT | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Child | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Physiology | Biology | Measurement | Research Methodology Document Number: 304202 |
7.  Title: How long will we live? Author: Bongaarts J Source: New York, New York, Population Council, 2006. 28 p. (Policy Research Division Working Papers No. 215) Abstract: Since 1800 life expectancy at birth has doubled from about 40 years to nearly 80 years in high-income countries. Pessimists expect these improvements to end soon because we are approaching biological limits to longevity, whereas optimists predict continued rapid improvements without limits. To shed light on this controversy, past trends in the juvenile, background, and senescent components of life expectancy are examined in 16 high-income countries. Large increases in conventional life expectancy before 1950 are found to be primarily attributable to reductions in juvenile and background mortality. After 1950 the rate of improvement in life expectancy slowed because declines in juvenile and background mortality slowed, but senescent mortality fell more rapidly than before, thus becoming the main cause of rising life expectancy at birth. The role of smoking in the past half-century is also quantified. In the future, background mortality and juvenile mortality will have little or no impact on longevity because they have reached very low levels. There is, however, no evidence of approaching limits and life expectancy will likely improve at a rate of approximately 1.5 years per decade owing to continued declines in senescent mortality. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GLOBAL | SUMMARY REPORT | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | LIFE EXPECTANCY | DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION | MORTALITY | DEATH RATE | TOBACCO USE | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Length of Life | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Behavior Document Number: 315295 |
| 8. Peer Reviewed Title: Mortality of HIV-1-infected patients in the first year of antiretroviral therapy: comparison between low-income and high-income countries. [Mortalidad en pacientes infectados por VIH-1 durante el primer año de tratamiento antirretroviral: comparación entre países de bajos y altos ingresos] Author: Braitstein P; Brinkhof MW; Dabis F; Schechter M; Boulle A Source: Lancet. 2006 Mar 11;367(9513):817-824. Abstract: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is being scaled up in developing countries. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes during the first year of HAART between HIV-1-infected patients in low-income and high-income settings. 18 HAART programmes in Africa, Asia, and South America (low-income settings) and 12 HIV cohort studies from Europe and North America (high-income settings) provided data for 4810 and 22 217, respectively, treatment-naïve adult patients starting HAART. All patients from high-income settings and 2725 (57%) patients from low-income settings were actively followed-up and included in survival analyses. Compared with high-income countries, patients starting HAART in low-income settings had lower CD4 cell counts (median 108 cells per µL vs 234 cells per µL), were more likely to be female (51% vs 25%), and more likely to start treatment with a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) (70% vs 23%). At 6 months, the median number of CD4 cells gained (106 cells per µL vs 103 cells per µL) and the percentage of patients reaching HIV-1 RNA levels lower than 500 copies/mL (76% vs 77%) were similar. Mortality was higher in low-income settings (124 deaths during 2236 person-years of follow-up) than in high-income settings (414 deaths during 20 532 person-years). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of mortality comparing low-income with high-income settings fell from 4.3 (95% CI 1.6-11.8) during the first month to 1.5 (0.7-3.0) during months 7-12. The provision of treatment free of charge in low-income settings was associated with lower mortality (adjusted HR 0.23; 95% CI 0.08-0.61). Patients starting HAART in resource-poor settings have increased mortality rates in the first months on therapy, compared with those in developed countries. Timely diagnosis and assessment of treatment eligibility, coupled with free provision of HAART, might reduce this excess mortality. (author's) Spanish Abstract: En los países en desarrollo se están difundiendo gradualmente los tratamientos antirretrovirales altamente activos (HAART, highly active antiretroviral therapy). Se comparan las características iniciales con los resultados durante el primer año de tratamiento antirretroviral altamente activo entre pacientes infectados por VIH-1 de países de altos y bajo ingresos. Dieciocho programas HAART en África, Asia y América del Sur (lugares de bajos ingresos) y 12 estudios de cohorte sobre VIH realizados en Europa y América del Norte (lugares de altos ingresos) aportaron, respectivamente, datos sobre 4810 y 22.217 pacientes adultos sin tratamiento previo que iniciaron el tratamiento antirretroviral altamente activo. Todos los pacientes de los países de altos ingresos y 2725 (57%) pacientes de los países de bajos ingresos se sometieron a un seguimiento activo y fueron incluidos en análisis de sobrevida. En comparación con los pacientes de los países de altos ingresos, los pacientes de bajos ingresos que iniciaron su tratamiento antirretroviral altamente activo presentaron recuentos de linfocitos CD4 inferiores (recuento medio de 108 linfocitos por µl versus 234 linfocitos por µl), mayoritariamente eran mujeres (51% versus 25%), y tenían más probabilidades de iniciar tratamiento con un inhibidor no nucleósido de la transcriptasa inversa (NNRTI, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) (70% versus 23%). A los 6 meses se incrementó el recuento medio de linfocitos CD4 (106 linfocitos por µl versus 103 linfocitos por µl) y los porcentajes de pacientes que alcanzaron niveles de ARN de VIH-1 inferiores a 500 copias/ml (76% versus 77%) fueron similares. La tasa de mortalidad fue mayor en los países de bajos ingresos (124 muertes cada 2236 personas/años de seguimiento) que en los de altos ingresos (414 muertes cada 20.532 personas/años). La razón de riesgo (HR, hazard ratio) ajustada de mortalidad comparativa entre los países de bajos y altos ingresos cayó del 4,3 (intervalo de confianza [IC] 95%: 1,6 - 11,8) durante el primer mes, al 1,5 (0,7 a 3,0) durante los meses 7 a 12. La provisión de tratamiento gratuito en los países de bajos ingresos se asoció a menor mortalidad (razón de riesgo ajustada 0,23; IC 95%: 0,08 a 0,61). Los pacientes que inician el tratamiento antirretroviral altamente activo en los países de bajos recursos presentan mayores tasas de mortalidad durante los primeros meses del tratamiento que los pacientes de países desarrollados. El diagnóstico oportuno y la evaluación de las opciones terapéuticas asociados a la prestación gratuita del tratamiento antirretroviral altamente activo podrían reducir esta mortalidad excesiva. (del autor) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPED COUNTRIES | AFRICA | ASIA | SOUTH AMERICA | RESEARCH REPORT | COMPARATIVE STUDIES | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | LOW INCOME POPULATION | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY | TREATMENT | DEATH RATE | Developing Countries | Latin America | Americas | Studies | Research Methodology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | HIV | Medical Procedures | Medicine | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population Document Number: 299371 |
| 9. Title: Child survival in affluence and poverty: Ethics and fieldwork experiences from Iceland and Guinea-Bissau. Author: Einarsdottir J Source: Field Methods. 2006 May;18(2):189-204. Abstract: In this article, the author discusses ethical approaches in qualitative research with reference to anthropological fieldwork on abnormal birth and child survival in Guinea-Bissau and Iceland. These two countries represent extremes in terms of access to advanced health care services and rates of child mortality. The author focuses on ethical dilemmas encountered in these two field settings as well as considerations related to presentation of findings. Despite differences in the separation between fieldwork and family life and whether the infants' chances of survival may be dependent on the researcher's involvement, similarities in fieldwork experience are remarkable. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GUINEA-BISSAU | ICELAND | PHILOSOPHICAL OVERVIEW | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | LOW INCOME POPULATION | CHILDREN | CHILD SURVIVAL | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | ETHICS | ANTHROPOLOGY | MATERNAL-CHILD HEALTH SERVICES | INEQUALITIES | Africa, Western | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Europe, Northern | Europe | Developed Countries | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Survivorship | Length of Life | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Research Methodology | Sociocultural Factors | Social Sciences | Science | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health Document Number: 321448 |
| 10. Title: Are wealthy sugar daddies spreading HIV?: exploring economic status, informal exchange, and sexual risk in Kisumu, Kenya. Author: Luke N Source: [Unpublished] 2006. Presented at the Population Association of America, 2006 Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California, March 30 - April 1, 2006. [27] p. Abstract: Despite the escalating attention focused on the sugar daddy phenomenon and how informal exchange relationships help fuel the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, there has been no empirical investigation of the connection between economic status, transfers, and unsafe sexual behavior. One potential reason for the paucity of studies examining these important relationships is the lack of quality data on economic status in African populations and transfers within sexual partnerships. We aim to tackle these problems by using our Kisumu survey data, which contains information on the economic status of working-age men and sexual risk behavior in their nonmarital partnerships. Ours is also one of the only existing surveys to collect detailed data on men's involvement in informal exchange relationships and the type and value of transfers given to their sexual partners. In this paper, we first test the assumption that wealthier men are more likely to be sugar daddies, defined by involvement in informal exchange relationships and the giving of greater amounts of transfers to nonmarital sexual partners. Subsequently, we study the determinants of condom use and attempt to identify the direct or indirect mechanisms by which wealth is associated with condom use. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: KENYA | RESEARCH REPORT | SOCIOMETRICS | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | SUGAR DADDIES | ADOLESCENTS, FEMALE | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | LOW INCOME POPULATION | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | TRANSACTIONAL SEX | RISK BEHAVIOR | HIV TRANSMISSION | Africa, Eastern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Measurement | Research Methodology | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Sex Behavior | Behavior | Adolescents | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Social Class | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 317238 |
| 11. Title: Growth and nutritional status of school age children (6-14 years) of tea garden worker of Assam. Author: Medhi GK; Barua A; Mahanta J Source: Journal of Human Ecology. 2006;19(2):83-85. Abstract: This study was conducted to assess the growth and nutritional status of school age children (6-14 years) of tea garden workers of Assam. Compared to NCHS standard and affluent Indian children, the mean height and weight of tea garden children was inferior at all ages. Assessment of nutritional status using WHO recommended anthropometric indicators revealed a high prevalence of malnutrition among tea garden school age children and malnutrition was both chronic and recent in nature. Prevalence of wasting, stunting and underweight was 21.2%, 47.4% and 51.7% respectively among the children in the age group of 6-8 years. Prevalence of stunting and thinness was 53.6% and 53.9% respectively among the children in the age group of 9-14 years age group. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | COMPARATIVE STUDIES | EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS | SCHOOL AGE POPULATION | CHILDREN | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | GROWTH | CHILD NUTRITION | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | AGE FACTORS | ANTHROPOMETRY | PREVALENCE | MALNUTRITION | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Youth | Social Class | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Child Development | Biology | Nutrition | Health | Measurement | Nutrition Disorders | Diseases Document Number: 304901 |
| 12. Peer Reviewed Title: Further examination of the cross-country association between income inequality and population health. Author: Ram R Source: Social Science and Medicine. 2006;62:779-791. Abstract: Several scholars have put forward the view that the estimates by Rodgers [(1979). Income and inequality as determinants of mortality: An international cross-section analysis. Population Studies, 33 (2), 343-351], Flegg [(1982). Inequality of income, illiteracy and medical care as determinants of infant mortality in underdeveloped countries. Population Studies, 36 (3), 441-458] and Waldmann [(1992). Income distribution and infant mortality. Quarterly Journal of Economics, 107 (4), 1283-1302] showing a negative cross-country association between income inequality and population health, cannot be replicated from recent data. In view of the importance of this matter, the present study further examines the issue from the most recent, and probably more accurate, data for the largest cross-country sample used in this line of research. The main conclusion is that the negative cross-country association between income inequality and good health, reported by Rodgers, Flegg, and Waldmann, is replicated very well. The different findings indicated by some scholars may have been due to their samples or the models being unusual. Therefore, the recent skepticism about the existence of such a negative association needs to be reconsidered. Several additional points are also noted. First, income inequality shows significance even after an index of ethnic heterogeneity is included. Second, ethnic heterogeneity itself has a negative association with population health. Third, income inequality retains significance in the presence of a measure of social capital. Fourth, however, the association between the measure of social capital and population health appears weak. Fifth, a simple analysis does not support the view that the positive association between income inequality and infant mortality in less developed countries (LDCs) may just be a reflection of the role of poverty. Finally, there is some support for the proposition that while income may be relatively more important for health in LDCs, the role of income inequality may be stronger in developed economies. (author's) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | DEVELOPED COUNTRIES | RESEARCH REPORT | DATA ANALYSIS | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | INCOME DISTRIBUTION | INEQUALITIES | HEALTH | LIFE EXPECTANCY | INFANT MORTALITY | Research Methodology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Income | Length of Life | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population Document Number: 295312 |
| 13. Title: Patterns of weight gain and birth weight amongst Indian women. Author: Shobeiri F; Nazari M Source: Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2006 Jun;31(2):94-97. Abstract: The timing of maternal weight change in pregnancy may be an important determinant of birth weight. The objective of this study was to measure weight gain patterns from early pregnancy until delivery, and to examine the relationship between prenatal weight gain and low birth weight. A total of 500 pregnant women within 15-20 days of conception, with confirmed pregnancies and belonging to the middle and high socioeconomic families from Mysore city, India participated in the study. They were followed up for the period of one-week after delivery, and their weight was monitored monthly throughout pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and obesity in 16.2% of pregnant women were less than 18.5% and 11.4% respectively. Mean total pregnancy weight gain for all women was 8.1 +or- 2.9 kg, whereas 85.2% did not meet the international recommendations regarding weight gain for their BMI. The rate of weight gain was highest during the second trimester (3.6 +or- 1.4 kg) and the total weight gun was associated with progressively decreasing birth weight. A significant association was found between mid-upper arm circumference and maternal weight at term, and birth weight. According to Institute of Medical Guidelines, low weight gains of the mother during pregnancy and mid upper arm circumference below 19 cm are associated with increasing risk of low birth weight. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | FOLLOW-UP STUDIES | PREGNANT WOMEN | POSTPARTUM WOMEN | MIDDLE INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | BODY WEIGHT | PREGNANCY OUTCOMES | BIRTH WEIGHT | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Puerperium | Reproduction | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Physiology | Biology | Pregnancy Document Number: 306964 |
| 14. Peer Reviewed Title: Why is fertility lower in wealthier countries? The role of relaxed fertility-selection. Author: Aarssen LW Source: Population and Development Review. 2005 Mar;31(1):113-126. Abstract: For most species, an individual that has access to greater resources usually also produces more offspring. This is true for plants, insects, fish, birds, and also mammals, except for humans. In the wealthier industrialized world, human fertility is lower, not higher, having declined sharply over the past two centuries in association with the demographic transition. Borgerhoff Mulder (1998) and Penn (2003) review a range of hypotheses for why parents with access to plentiful resources, paradoxically it seems, tend to choose low fertility. According to one hypothesis, people are inclined to imitate the behavior of those with highly successful careers, who commonly have few children, thus causing low fertility to spread through a population by cultural transmission. Decreased family size among the elites of nineteenth-century Europe has been ascribed to “status anxiety,” especially among women: maintaining the social and economic standing of the family in the next generation was more difficult when the estate had to be divided among many offspring. In wealthier societies, there is also less need for producing children to contribute to family income, for example as laborers on the family farm or to care for elderly parents (who receive old-age social security or are rich enough to pay for their own care). Additional sociocultural factors in wealthy societies include postponement of fertility in order to complete education, and greater dispersion of the extended family and, hence, less reprieve from the burden of child care. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPED COUNTRIES | LITERATURE REVIEW | LOW FERTILITY POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | FERTILITY MEASUREMENTS | NATURAL RESOURCES | INCOME | WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT | Fertility | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Environment | Women's Status Document Number: 286584 |
| 15. Title: Getting stuck in the compound: some odds against social adulthood in Lusaka, Zambia. Author: Hansen KT Source: Africa Today. 2005 Summer;51(4):3-16. Abstract: The young people on whose everyday experiences in Lusaka this article draws come from three different socioeconomic groupings: very poor, middle income, and rich. They are living in an urban setting where space and opportunity have changed in many ways since their parents were young. Focusing on urban space and mobility in relation to gender, the article discusses structural transformations of the city and their ramifications for young women and men. Young people’s reactions depend on their socioeconomic location and the kinds of skills and resources they draw from within households and society. Most young people experience urban life simultaneously as exclusion and inclusion. These processes intersect their sociospatial experiences, fueling contradictions between their livelihoods and desires. (author's) Language: English Keywords: ZAMBIA | RESEARCH REPORT | YOUTH | LOW INCOME POPULATION | MIDDLE INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS | SOCIAL CLASS | FAMILY LIFE | KNOWLEDGE | EMPLOYMENT STATUS | Developing Countries | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Socioeconomic Status | Economic Factors | Family and Household Document Number: 289093 |
| 16. Title: Growth pattern of affluent school children of Amritsar. Author: Prabhjot; Kaur N; Marwaha G; Sidhu S Source: Anthropologist. 2005;7(4):261-264. Abstract: The present study is an attempt to investigate the growth pattern of affluent school children of Amritsar (Punjab). Cross-sectional data based on six anthropometric measurements (weight, height, upper arm circumference, triceps skin fold, subscapular skinfold, supera iliac skinfold) was collected from 500 girls and 582 boys aged 6 to 15 years attending convent and public schools. It has been observed from the present study that there is increase in all dimensions of the body with advancement of age except skinfolds only among boys. The study reveals that the highest peak velocity among girls (11+ and 12+ age) is attained earlier by one year than among boys (12+ and 13+ age). Amritsar girls and boys are equal or heavier than Well to do Indian children and NCHS standards. Therefore the findings of this study can be used as reference material for Punjabi children. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | SCHOOL AGE POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | GROWTH | CHILD DEVELOPMENT | ANTHROPOMETRY | AGE FACTORS | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Research Methodology | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Biology | Measurement Document Number: 305718 |
| 17. Title: Implementation of the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study in India. Author: Bhandari N; Taneja S; Rongsen T; Chetia J; Sharma P Source: Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2004;25 Suppl 1:S66-S71. Abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) Asian site was New Delhi, India. Its sample was drawn from 58 affluent neighborhoods in South Delhi. This community was selected to facilitate the recruitment of children who had at least one parent with 17 or more years of education, a key factor associated with unconstrained child growth in this setting. A door-to-door survey was conducted to identify pregnant women whose newborns were subsequently screened for eligibility for the longitudinal study, and children aged 18 to 71 months for the cross-sectional component of the study. A total of 111,084 households were visited over an 18-month period. Newborns were screened at birth at 73 sites. The large number of birthing facilities used by this community, the geographically extensive study area, and difficulties in securing support of pediatricians and obstetricians for the feeding recommendations of the study were among the unique challenges faced by the implementation of the MGRS protocol at this site. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | EVALUATION INDEXES | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | INFANT | COMMUNITY | URBAN POPULATION | GROWTH | WHO | STANDARDIZATION | COMMUNITY RELATIONS | INFANT NUTRITION | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Studies | Research Methodology | Quantitative Evaluation | Evaluation | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Child Development | Biology | UN | International Agencies | Organizations | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Data Adjustment | Group Processes | Social Behavior | Behavior | Nutrition | Health Document Number: 311840 |
| 18. Peer Reviewed Title: Trends in overweight among adolescents living in the poorest and richest regions of Brazil. [Tendencias en sobrepeso entre los adolescentes que viven en las regiones más pobres y más ricas de Brasil] Author: da Veiga GV; da Cunha AS; Sichieri R Source: American Journal of Public Health. 2004 Sep;94(9):1544-1548. Abstract: We assessed changes in body mass index (BMI) among Brazilian adolescents. In 1975, 1989, and 1997, we conducted household surveys of the weights and statures of a probabilistic sample of about 50 000 Brazilian adolescents aged 10 to 19 years. Weighted prevalences were calculated and an analysis was performed with the sample design taken into account. Adolescents of rich (southeast) and poor (northeast) regions showed a substantial increase in BMI. In the southeast, the prevalence of overweight, defined by international age- and gender-specific BMI cutoffs, for both genders reached 17% in 1997, whereas in the northeast, the prevalence tripled, reaching 5% among boys and 12% among girls. Older girls living in urban areas in the southeast showed a decrease in prevalence from 16% to 13% in the latter 2 surveys. For all boys and for young girls, the BMI values for the 85th percentile in 1997 were much higher than the 95th percentile values in 1975. BMI increased dramatically in Brazilian adolescents, mainly among boys; among older girls from the richest region, the prevalence of overweight is decreasing. (author's) Spanish Abstract: Se evaluaron los cambios en el índice de masa corporal (IMC) de los adolescentes brasileños. En 1975, 1989 y 1997 se realizaron encuestas domésticas sobre los pesos y tallas de una muestra probabilística de aproximadamente 50.000 adolescentes brasileños de 10 a 19 años de edad. Se calcularon las prevalencias ponderadas y se realizó un análisis que consideraba el diseño de la muestra. Tanto los adolescentes de las regiones ricas (sudeste) y como los de las pobres (noreste) presentaron un aumento sustancial de IMC. En el sudeste, la prevalencia de sobrepeso, definido según puntos de corte de IMC internacionales específicos para la edad y el género, para ambos géneros alcanzó el 17% en 1997, mientras que en el noreste, la prevalencia se triplicó, y alcanzó el 5% entre los niños y el 12% entre las niñas. Las niñas mayores de las áreas urbanas del sudeste mostraron una reducción en prevalencia del 16% al 13% en las últimas 2 encuestas. Para todos los niños y para las niñas más jóvenes, los valores de IMC para el percentilo 85 en 1997 fueron mucho más altos que los del percentilo 95 en 1975. El IMC aumentó drásticamente entre los adolescentes brasileños, en especial entre los niños; por el contrario, se registró una disminución de la prevalencia del sobrepeso entre las niñas más grandes de la región más adinerada. (del autor) Language: English Keywords: BRAZIL | RESEARCH REPORT | SURVEYS | PREVALENCE | ADOLESCENTS | NUTRITION INDEXES | ANTHROPOMETRY | OBESITY | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | Developing Countries | South America, Eastern | South America | Latin America | Americas | Sampling Studies | Studies | Research Methodology | Measurement | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Nutrition | Health | Body Weight | Physiology | Biology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors Document Number: 275698 |
| 19. Title: Implementation of the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study in Ghana. Author: Lartey A; Owusu WB; Sagoe-Moses I; Gomez V; Sagoe-Moses C Source: Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2004;25 Suppl 1:S60-S65. Abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) Multicentre Growth Reference Study (MGRS) African site was Accra, Ghana. Its sample was drawn from 10 affluent residential areas where earlier research had demonstrated the presence of a child subpopulation with unconstrained growth. This subpopulation could be identified on the basis of the father's education and household income. The subjects for the longitudinal study were enrolled from 25 hospitals and delivery facilities that accounted for 80% of the study area's births. The cross-sectional sample was recruited at 117 day-care centers used by more than 80% of the targeted subpopulation. Public relations efforts were mounted to promote the study in the community. The large number of facilities involved in the longitudinal and cross-sectional components, the relatively large geographic area covered by the study, and the difficulties of working in a densely populated urban area presented special challenges. Conversely, the high rates of breastfeeding and general support for this practice greatly facilitated the implementation of the MGRS protocol. (author's) Language: English Keywords: GHANA | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | EVALUATION INDEXES | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | INFANT | COMMUNITY | URBAN POPULATION | GROWTH | WHO | STANDARDIZATION | COMMUNITY RELATIONS | INFANT NUTRITION | BREASTFEEDING | Developing Countries | Africa, Western | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Studies | Research Methodology | Quantitative Evaluation | Evaluation | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Child Development | Biology | UN | International Agencies | Organizations | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Data Adjustment | Group Processes | Social Behavior | Behavior | Nutrition | Health Document Number: 311839 |
| 20. Title: Implementation of the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study in Oman. Author: Prakash NS; Mabry RM; Mohamed AJ; Alasfoor D Source: Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2004;25 Suppl 1:S78-S83. Abstract: The World Health Organization (WHO) Multicentre Growth Study (MGRS) Middle East site was Muscat, Oman. A survey in Muscat found that children in households with monthly incomes of at least 800 Omani Rials and at least four years of maternal education experienced unconstrained growth. The longitudinal study sample was recruited from two hospitals that account for over 90% of the city's births; the cross-sectional sample was drawn from the national Child Health Register. Residents of all districts in Muscat within the catchment area of the two hospitals were included except Quriyat, a remote district of the governorate. Among the particular challenges of the site were relatively high refusal rates, difficulty in securing adherence to the protocol's feeding recommendations, locating children selected for the cross-sectional component of the study, and securing the cooperation of the children's fathers. These and other challenges were overcome through specific team building and public relations activities that permitted the successful implementation of the MGRS protocol. (author's) Language: English Keywords: OMAN | METHODOLOGICAL STUDIES | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS | EVALUATION INDEXES | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | INFANT | COMMUNITY | GROWTH | WHO | STANDARDIZATION | INFANT NUTRITION | USER COMPLIANCE | COMMUNITY RELATIONS | Developing Countries | Middle East | Studies | Research Methodology | Quantitative Evaluation | Evaluation | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution | Geographic Factors | Child Development | Biology | UN | International Agencies | Organizations | Political Factors | Sociocultural Factors | Data Adjustment | Nutrition | Health | Behavior | Group Processes | Social Behavior Document Number: 311841 |
| 21. Title: Study: Disparity between rich and poor mortality. Poor, disadvantaged people develop AIDS faster. Source: Aids Alert. 2003 Aug;18(8):97-98, 103. Abstract: Before 1996, AIDS was an equal-opportunity disease in the United States, affecting wealthy and poor alike. In fact, researchers in one of the world's AIDS epicenters could find no disparity between wealthy populations and poor populations in disease progression. That trend clearly has changed. A new geographical study in San Francisco, where poor and affluent neighborhoods are clearly defined, shows that people with a low economic status have higher mortality from AIDS.' When researchers studied the same areas prior to 1996, they did not find this difference, says Willi McFaxland, MD, PhD, director of HIV/AIDS statistics and epidemiology for the San Francisco Department of Public Health. These findings are despite the fact that San Francisco has a comprehensive public health system and many programs directed at people who have HIV but lack private insurance coverage. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | CRITIQUE | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | INEQUALITIES | TREATMENT | DEATH RATE | Developed Countries | North America | Americas | HIV Infections | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population Document Number: 194771 |
| 22. Title: Low income Russian families adopt effective behavioral strategies to maintain dietary stability in times of economic crisis. Author: Dore AR; Adair LS; Popkin BM Source: Journal of Nutrition. 2003 Nov;133:3469-3475. Abstract: The social, political and economic reforms of 1992 in Russia led to a decade of rising income inequality, unemployment and economic crises, the most severe of which occurred in 1998. This study assesses dietary trends for children in low and high income households during this politically and economically unstable period from 1994 to 2000. Several possible food-related behaviors were also assessed to evaluate coping strategies adopted in the face of decreasing economic stability. Low income children maintained a steady energy intake per kilogram weight throughout the study period (251.0–259.4 kJ/kg), whereas intake for high income children increased significantly to a per capital average of 297.1 kJ/kg by 2000. At the food group level, the trend in per capita intake for all food groups was maintained for low income children except for a 22% decrease in meat and poultry consumption (P < 0.01). Per capita intake increased over time for dairy products and eggs in the high income group (P < 0.01). A decrease in cost per kJ (rubles/kJ) was observed for both low and high income families (P < 0.01). These data suggest that Russian households were able to conserve the diet structure for children by using what appear to be food-related behavioral mechanisms during periods of economic crisis. (author's) Language: English Keywords: RUSSIA | RESEARCH REPORT | NUTRITION SURVEYS | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | CHILD NUTRITION | FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | ECONOMIC RECESSION | DIET | Developing Countries | Asia, Northern | Asia | Nutrition | Health | Studies | Research Methodology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Economic Conditions | Macroeconomic Factors Document Number: 188841 |
| 23. Title: Utilization of prenatal care in poorer and wealthier urban neighbourhoods in Turkey. Author: Erbaydar T Source: European Journal of Public Health. 2003;13(4):320-326. Abstract: The objectives of this study are to identify the individual- and neighbourhood-level determinants of utilization of prenatal care, and to identify self-reported reasons for not receiving prenatal care in Turkey. A household-based cluster sample of 1249 women who had a child less than two years old were interviewed in five Turkish cities. Multilevel regression analysis was run to predict the influences of individual- and neighbourhood-level characteristics on utilization of prenatal care. Utilization of prenatal care and the quality of the care received were found to be significantly lower in poorer neighbourhoods. Using multilevel regression analysis (two levels), educational level, income, parity and having health insurance were found to be individual-level determinants, while quality of care offered and stability of the local population were found to be neighbourhood-level determinants of utilization of prenatal care. The most frequent self-reported reason for receiving no prenatal care was 'not having any complaint', and the second was 'insufficient financial resources'. There was a big difference between poor and wealthy neighbourhoods in utilization of prenatal care. This difference was partly due to a contextual effect of neighbourhood status; but mostly due to individual-level variables. Improving the quality of prenatal care may increase not only the benefits of prenatal care, but also its utilization, especially in the public sector. Health and social policies have to take into account diversity among individuals and neighbourhoods in the course of efforts to improve service quality. (author's) Language: English Keywords: TURKEY | URBAN AREAS | RESEARCH REPORT | INTERVIEWS | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | PREGNANT WOMEN | ANTENATAL CARE | UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE | SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS | NEIGHBORHOOD | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Geographic Factors | Population | Data Collection | Research Methodology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Economic Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Maternal Health Services | Maternal-Child Health Services | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Residence Characteristics | Population Distribution Document Number: 284150 |
| 24. Title: Prevalence of obesity among 11-14 years old students in Sivas-Turkey. Author: Kocoglu G; Ozdemir L; Sümer H; Demir DA; Cetinkaya S Source: Pakistan Journal of Nutrition. 2003;2(5):292-295. Abstract: This study was performed to find out the prevalence of obesity among 11-14 years old children in Sivas province. BMI values higher than 95 percentile were accepted as being obese and those in between 85-94 percentile are accepted as overweight. Of the 2701 students; 3.1% were found obese, while 7.5% were overweight, and 7.6 were underweight according to their BMI values. Underweight children among the age of 14 yrs old children was significantly higher than the others. Obesity among boys were significantly higher than in girls. Prevalence of obesity was found higher in the children of high-income families and among children who gobbling. Underweight subjects were significantly higher among children who don't dine regularly and those who eat once a day. In conclusion; prevalence of obesity among children in Sivas is not high yet, and undernutrition seems to be a more serious problem than obesity. (author's) Language: English Keywords: TURKEY | RESEARCH REPORT | QUESTIONNAIRES | CHILDREN | PRIMARY SCHOOLS | OBESITY | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | PREVALENCE | MALNUTRITION | ILLITERACY | FITNESS | BEHAVIOR | Europe, Southeastern | Europe | Developing Countries | Youth | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Schools | Education | Body Weight | Physiology | Biology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Measurement | Research Methodology | Nutrition Disorders | Diseases | Educational Status | Health Document Number: 294606 |
| 25. Peer Reviewed Title: The changing relation between mortality and level of economic development. Author: Preston SH Source: Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 2003 Nov;81(11):231-248. Abstract: The influence of economic conditions on mortality has been recognized at least since biblical times. Empiricism of the most casual sort was sufficient to establish the link between food supply and mortality. Other components of living standards, such as shelter and living space, awaited a revolution in scientific method before their influence was finally acknowledged. But recent years have witnessed a movement away from economic determinism in mortality analysis. It is widely believed that mortality has become increasingly dissociated from economic level because of a diffusion of medical and health technologies, facilities and personnel that occurred, in large part, independently of economic level, yet this position has its critics who have gained a sympathetic audience! This paper utilizes readily available evidence in a new but obvious way to estimate the relative contribution of economic factors to increases in life expectancy during the twentieth century. The evidence consists of cross-sectional relationships between national life expectancies and national income per head evaluated during three different decades of the twentieth century. These relationships are further used to assess the realism of certain economic-demographic models and to re-examine what have become classical distinctions regarding sources of mortality declines in Western and non-Western areas. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: DEVELOPING COUNTRIES | DEVELOPED COUNTRIES | THEORETICAL STUDIES | ECONOMIC MODEL | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | LOW INCOME POPULATION | ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT | DEATH RATE | MORTALITY DECLINE | INCOME DISTRIBUTION | LIFE EXPECTANCY | QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE | Theoretical Models | Research Methodology | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Demographic Factors | Population | Income | Length of Life | Health Services Evaluation | Program Evaluation | Programs | Organization and Administration Document Number: 189134 |
| 26. Title: Africa's AIDS fight aims high. Author: Scheier R Source: Christian Science Monitor. 2003 Nov 18;:[4] p.. Abstract: The stuffy waiting room at the AIDS Information Center (AIC) is always packed by noon. Balding men, weary young mothers, and girls in heels and tight Capri pants sit shoulder to shoulder in front of a blaring TV as they wait out the hours for their HIV test results. But just across the courtyard, in the private, air-conditioned waiting rooms with potted avocado plants and plush chairs, there is never a line. Here, clients are ushered in through a red-carpeted hallway from a discreet back parking lot. The "executive wing," as the clinic calls this new HIV testing and counseling service specially aimed at government officials, businessmen, and other VIPs "with a reputation to protect," is the first of its kind in Uganda. Its goal is to reach a class of African society that has long confounded health workers battling AIDS: the elite. In Africa, unlike in other AIDS hotspots around the world, the well-to-do play a major role in the spread of the disease, according to experts. They say that tackling the problem among this social stratum is a key component to the AIDS fight here. (excerpt) Language: English Keywords: UGANDA | MEN | GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | HIV TESTING | COUNSELING | CLIENT-STAFF RELATIONS | SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION | SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS | Developing Countries | Africa, Eastern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Demographic Factors | Population | Administrative Personnel | Organization and Administration | Social Class | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Laboratory Examinations and Diagnoses | Examinations and Diagnoses | Clinic Activities | Program Activities | Programs | Interpersonal Relations | Behavior | Social Problems Document Number: 189176 |
| 27. Title: The young, the rich, and the beautiful: secrecy, suspicion and discourses of AIDS in the South African lowveld. Author: Stadler JJ Source: African Journal of AIDS Research. 2003 Nov;2(2):127-139. Abstract: This article investigates emic accounts of the AIDS deaths that have occurred in a village in the Bushbuckridge district of the South African lowveld. I argue that whilst AIDS was publicly hidden and shrouded in secrecy, private gossip created moral scripts about those suspected of having died of AIDS. Details of 47 AIDS deaths revealed that young women and relatively wealthy, sometimes powerful men were vulnerable to AIDS. I suggest that AIDS constitutes a moral crisis; peoples' sexual secrets and desires for commodities and sex featured prominently in local AIDS discourses. The article explores the similarity between AIDS and witchcraft as a metaphorical analogy. Both were highly secretive, and subjective, and circumstantial evidence identified witches and AIDS victims. AIDS and witchcraft were also concerned with the problem of unnatural and uncontrolled desire. The article explores these themes with regard to men and women's experiences respectively. Young 'beautiful women' who used sex to acquire wealth were said to 'buy their own coffins' (die of AIDS), yet relationships with wealthy men ensured household survival. Relatively affluent men were labelled incorrigible 'womanisers' who spread AIDS. Discourses of masculine sexuality focussed on men's lack of agency in sexual decision making. The article points to the tendency to ignore men's vulnerability and its implications for AIDS prevention. (author's) Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | RESEARCH REPORT | QUALITATIVE RESEARCH | WOMEN IN DEVELOPMENT | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS | HIV INFECTIONS | ANTHROPOLOGY, CULTURAL | DEATH | STIGMA | DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS | SEXUALITY | MALE ROLE | SEX BEHAVIOR | GENDER RELATIONS | Developing Countries | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Research Methodology | Economic Development | Economic Factors | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Persons Living With HIV/AIDS | Viral Diseases | Diseases | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Science | Sociocultural Factors | Mortality | Population Dynamics | Population | Social Problems | Personality | Psychological Factors | Behavior | Social Behavior | Gender Issues Document Number: 302753 |
| 28. Title: A qualitative assessment of nutrition knowledge levels and dietary intake of schoolchildren in Hyderabad. Author: Vijayapushpam T; Menon KK; Rao DR; Antony GM Source: Public Health Nutrition. 2003 Oct;6(7):683-688. Abstract: Objectives: To assess the nutrition knowledge levels and dietary intake pattern of schoolchildren belonging to two groups of different socio-economic status (SES; high income/high SES and low income/low SES). Design: A purposive sampling method was employed. A validated food-frequency questionnaire was administered to assess the dietary intake of schoolchildren in four schools from two different socio-economic strata in the month of January 2001. The children were divided into two groups, one serving as the experimental group and the other as the control group. Subjects: Two hundred and seventy-two children aged between 12 and 14 years. Results: There was a significant improvement (P < 0.001) in the knowledge levels of high-SES schoolchildren as compared with low-SES schoolchildren. A significant difference was observed in the intake of protective foods like milk and milk products, green leafy vegetables and fruits between the two income groups. However, children from the high SES background preferred fast foods such as noodles and corn flakes to traditional foods. Irrespective of income group, most of the children consumed carbonated beverages. Conclusions: There was a significant difference in the intakes of protective foods and fast foods between the different income groups. However, the increased intake of fast foods and carbonated beverages by the children irrespective of SES needs to be discouraged as a part of nutrition education. The study indicated the need for repeated interventions for improvement of nutrition knowledge levels in low-SES children. (author's) Language: English Keywords: INDIA | RESEARCH REPORT | QUALITATIVE EVALUATION | CHILD NUTRITION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | LOW INCOME POPULATION | SCHOOL AGE POPULATION | KNOWLEDGE | DIET | CALORIC INTAKE | NUTRITION PROGRAMS | EDUCATION | Asia, Southern | Asia | Developing Countries | Evaluation | Nutrition | Health | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Primary Health Care | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care Document Number: 188559 |
| 29. Title: The potential market for expanded private-sector family planning in the Philippines. Author: Winfrey W; Scribner S; Armand F; Carlson C; Dougherty L Source: Washington, D.C., Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Commercial Market Strategies, 2003 Feb. 54 p. (Country Research Series No. 10USAID Contract No. HRN-C-00-98-00039-00) Abstract: The Philippines, with a population of 80 million and an annual growth rate of 2.36 percent, had 3.2 million women using modern family planning methods in 1998. This number is projected to grow to 5.8 million by 2007. Seventy-two percent of users obtain their contraceptives from the public sector, where the majority of contraceptive supplies have been donated by USAID. Since USAID recently began to phase out its contraceptive donations, and the Philippines Department of Health has yet to demonstrate its willingness to procure contraceptive supplies, the question of how many clients can be served by the private sector is crucial. This study analyzes patterns of contraceptive use, makes projections about how the market will grow by method, and defines groups of clients based on their attractiveness to the private sector. The resulting market segments indicate opportunities for private-sector expansion. (author's) Language: English Keywords: PHILIPPINES | TECHNICAL REPORT | EVALUATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | CONTRACEPTIVE USAGE | USER COMPLIANCE | FAMILY PLANNING | PRIVATE SECTOR | INTERVENTIONS | HEALTH SERVICES | PROGRAM ACCESSIBILITY | FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMS | POLICY | Asia, Southeastern | Asia | Developing Countries | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Contraception | Behavior | Macroeconomic Factors | Programs | Organization and Administration | Delivery of Health Care | Health | Program Evaluation Document Number: 190778 |
| 30. Peer Reviewed Title: Equity in self-reported adult illness and use of health service in South Africa: inter-temporal comparison. Author: Zere E; McIntyre D Source: Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 2003 Sep;21(3):205-215. Abstract: The study was carried out to assess the magnitude of, and change in, inequities in self-reported adult illness and use of healthcare and to consider the policy implications of the findings. Datasets from three household surveys carried out in 1993, 1995, and 1998 were used. Inequities were measured using illness and healthcare-use concentration indices. Self-reported adult illness was greater among the rich in 1993, but this was reversed to reflect higher levels of reported illness among the poor in 1995 and 1998. Inequities were observed in self-reported injury and disability/chronic illness that favour the rich. The poor also reported more days of sickness compared to the rich. Overall, there were higher levels of use of doctors and hospital services by the rich, relative to their levels of reported illness. In contrast, there was a greater use of public-sector facilities by the poor. The time taken to reach a health facility also had a bias in favour of the rich. Although there were some favourable changes in the levels of inequities between the three time periods, there still remained considerable inequities that favoured the rich in self-reported adult illness and use of health services that need to be addressed. The consequences of higher concentration of chronic illness/disability and injury among the poor have far-reaching negative consequences on the socioeconomic welfare of the individuals and households. Redressing these inequities needs a holistic strategy that transcends the health sector. (author's) Language: English Keywords: SOUTH AFRICA | RESEARCH REPORT | ADULTS | LOW INCOME POPULATION | HIGH INCOME POPULATION | HEALTH | HEALTH STATUS INDEXES | INEQUALITIES | UTILIZATION OF HEALTH CARE | HEALTH SERVICES EVALUATION | Africa, Southern | Africa, Sub Saharan | Africa | Developing Countries | Age Factors | Population Characteristics | Demographic Factors | Population | Social Class | Socioeconomic Status | Socioeconomic Factors | Economic Factors | Health Services | Delivery of Health Care | Program Evaluation | Programs | Organization and Administration Document Number: 185968 |
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