scholarly journals Prenatal malnutrition and adult cognitive impairment: a natural experiment from the 1959–1961 Chinese famine

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping He ◽  
Li Liu ◽  
J. M. Ian Salas ◽  
Chao Guo ◽  
Yunfei Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Adult Intelligence Scale ◽  
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale

AbstractThe current measures of cognitive functioning in adulthood do not indicate a long-term association with prenatal exposure to the Dutch famine. However, whether such association emerges in China is poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the potential effect of prenatal exposure to the 1959–1961 Chinese famine on adult cognitive impairment. We obtained data from the Second National Sample Survey on Disability implemented in thirty-one provinces in 2006, and restricted our analysis to 387 093 individuals born in 1956–1965. Cognitive impairment was defined as intelligence quotient (IQ) score under 70 and IQ of adults was evaluated by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – China Revision. Famine severity was defined as excess death rate. The famine impact on adult cognitive impairment was estimated by difference-in-difference models, established by examining the variations of famine exposure across birth cohorts. Results show that compared with adults born in 1956–1958, those who were exposed to Chinese famine during gestation (born in 1959–1961) were at greater risk of cognitive impairment in the total sample. Stratified analyses showed that this effect was evident in males and females, but only in rural, not in urban areas. In conclusion, prenatal exposure to famine had an enduring deleterious effect on risk of cognitive impairment in rural adults.

scholarly journals Equity and elderly health in India: reflections from 75th round National Sample Survey, 2017–18, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alok Ranjan ◽  
V. R. Muraleedharan
Keyword(s):  
Social Group ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Outpatient Visit ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Elderly Individuals ◽  
National Sample Survey

Abstract Background Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak, called coronavirus disease - 2019 (COVID-19), has affected more than 200 countries across the globe with a higher fatality rate among the elderly population. Aim of the study is to highlight the vulnerability of the aged amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic, and in the light of the recent international evidence, suggests what government could do to mitigate their vulnerability. Methods Data from the recently released (November 2019) 75th Round National Sample Survey (NSS), which was conducted from July 2017 to June 2018, across 8077 rural villages and 6181 urban wards was used for this study. Data collected from 555,115 individuals (rural: 325,232; urban: 229,232) included 42,762 elderly individuals (60 years or above). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used for the calculation. Results Of the total sample of elderly individuals, 27.7% reported suffering from an ailment in the last 15 days, whereas 8.5% had been hospitalized during the last 365 days. Among the elderly, hospitalization rate was higher in the urban areas (OR: 1.23), general social category (OR: 1.18), richest economic quintile (OR: 1.69), and among those living alone (OR: 2.40). Also, among the elderly, 64% of those in the scheduled tribe (social group) and 51% in the poorest economic quintile utilized public facilities for hospitalization. Cardiovascular ailments were the major cause for hospitalization (18.1%) and outpatient visit (32%) among the elderly. Ailments related to diabetes and hypertension constituted 55% of outpatient visit for the elderly. Only 18.9% of the elderly had health insurance though chances of facing catastrophic health expenditures were high among the elderly. 6.6% of elderly female and 1.6% male live alone, and 27.5% of age 80 years and above are immobile. 50% of male and 90% of female are financially dependent on others and more so in poorer economic quintiles. Conclusions The vulnerability of India’s elderly increases across economic levels, and other dimensions such as the place of residence, gender, social group (caste), marital status, living arrangements, surviving children, and economic dependence. The current COVID-19 pandemic poses a greater risk of social isolation among the elderly, which may cause detrimental health impact. Trial registration Not applicable since the study is based on secondary data.

Long-term effect of prenatal exposure to malnutrition on risk of schizophrenia in adulthood: Evidence from the Chinese famine of 1959–1961

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 42-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping He ◽  
Gong Chen ◽  
Chao Guo ◽  
Xu Wen ◽  
Xinming Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Rural Population ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Multiple Covariates ◽  
International Statistical Classification ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Reference Cohort

AbstractBackground:Schizophrenia is a common major mental disorder and prenatal nutritional deficiency may increase its risk. We aimed to investigate long-term impact of prenatal exposure to malnutrition on risk of schizophrenia in adulthood using the Chinese famine of 1959–1961 as a natural experiment.Methods:We obtained data from the Second National Sample Survey on Disability implemented in 31 provinces in 2006, and restricted our analysis to 387,093 individuals born from 1956 to 1965. Schizophrenia was ascertained by psychiatrists based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. Famine severity was defined as cohort size shrinkage index. The famine effect on adult schizophrenia was estimated by difference-in-difference models, established by examining the variations of famine exposure across birth cohorts.Results:Compared with the reference cohort of 1965, famine cohorts (1959–1962) had significantly higher odds (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.13, 3.00; P = 0.014) of schizophrenia in the rural population. After adjusting for multiple covariates, this association remained significant (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.11, 2.98; P = 0.018). We did not observe statistically significant differences in odds of schizophrenia among famine cohorts compared with the reference cohort in the urban population.Conclusions:Prenatal malnutrition exposure has a detrimental impact on risk of schizophrenia in adulthood in the rural population. Further studies were needed to investigate corresponding mechanisms on this topic.

scholarly journals The Impact of the Minimum Wage on Male and Female Employment and Earnings in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nidhiya Menon ◽  
Yana van der Meulen Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Minimum Wage ◽  
Cross Sections ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Wage Gap ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Female Employment ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Market Outcomes ◽  
Wage Rates ◽  
The Impact

This study examines how employment and wages for men and women respond to changes in the minimum wage in India, a country known for its extensive system of minimum wage regulations across states and industries. Using repeated cross sections of India's National Sample Survey Organization employment survey data for the period 1983–2008 merged with a newly created database of minimum wage rates, we find that, regardless of gender, minimum wages in urban areas have little to no impact on labor market outcomes. However, minimum wage rates increase earnings in the rural sector, especially for men, without any employment losses. Minimum wage rates also increase the residual gender wage gap, which may be explained by weaker compliance among firms that hire female workers.

scholarly journals FINANCING SMALL FARMERS FOR INDIA’S FOOD SECURITY

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 196-212
Author(s):  
Amrit Patel
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Rural India ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Small Holding ◽  
Average Size

According to the Global Hunger Report, India continues to be among nations where hunger is "alarming". It is most disappointing that despite high economic growth, the hunger index in India between 1996 and 2011 has insignificantly improved from 22.9 to 23.7. National Sample Survey Organization data revealed that the average per capita food expenditure per annum during the period from 1993 to 2010 increased only by 0.2 % annually in rural India and declined by 0.1% in the urban areas. At any given point of time, the cereal intake of the bottom 20% people in rural India which is engaged more in manual work continues to be at least 20% less than the cereal intake of the top decile of the population, despite their better access to fruit, vegetables and meat products. Endemic hunger continues to afflict a large proportion of the population. Agricultural Census [2010–11] revealed that out of 138.35 million operational holdings in India as high as 85% (which account for 44.6% of the total cultivated area) are small and marginal farmers [S&MFs] owning less than two hectares. This, therefore, characterises India’s agriculture a small-scale-farming. Average size of small-holding is only 0.61 hectare whereas overall average size of holdings declined from 1.33 ha in 2000–01 to 1.15 in 2010–11.The role of S&MFs in boosting food output and reduction of poverty is well recognized. Therefore, the future of sustainable agricultural growth, food security and poverty reduction in India depends on creating environment that enables huge number of S&MFs to easy, hassle-free and reliable access to institutional credit. Against this background, this article analyses the performance of Government–sponsored and Banks programs aimed at financing S&MFs and suggest enabling measures to achieve 8% target of credit to S&MFs within existing 18% credit to agriculture by 2017 as recently prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India [RBI].

Examining calorie undernourishment in India: Is it due to choice or inadequacy?

2020 ◽  
pp. 026010602094973
Author(s):  
Udaya S Mishra ◽  
Balakrushna Padhi ◽  
Rinju
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Poor ◽  
Food Choices ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Food Expenditure ◽  
Lower Magnitude ◽  
Common Understanding

Background: Calorie undernourishment is often associated with poverty but India presents a unique scene of decline in money-metric poverty and rise in calorie deprivation. Existing literature has varied explanation towards this effect. However, neither are the poor entirely calorie compromised nor do all the non-poor qualify calorie compliance. Aim: This is an attempt at verifying whether calorie undernourishment is a result of choice of food basket or the inadequacy of food expenditure. Method: An answer to this question is attempted with the exploration of data obtained from the National Sample Survey Organization’s Consumption Expenditure of Indian households for the periods 2004–2005 and 2011–2012. Results: Findings reveal that over the last one decade, the average per capita per day calorie intakes have slightly increased from 2040.55 Kcal in 2004–2005 to 2087.33 Kcal in 2011–2012, which has led to the increased share of well-nourished households from 20.21% in the 61st round to 22.78% in the 68th round of survey in rural areas, whereas the similar increase in urban areas is from 36.1% to 40.65%. Conclusions: Calorie undernourishment among the non-poor is observed that calorie undernourishment, if any, among the non-poor is entirely due to choice but the same among the poor has a divide between choice and inadequacy. The urban poor are calorie compromised more due to choice rather than inadequacy as against their rural counterparts. With higher poverty, calorie, non-compliance among the poor is more due to choice when compared with lower magnitude of poverty. These observations form a basis for contesting the common understanding that calorie compromise is entirely driven by inadequacy/incapacity of food expenditure. could be viewed in terms of the food choices made, especially among the poor while setting the minimum threshold of food expenditure to be calorie compliant.

scholarly journals MORBIDITY PATTERN OF HOSPITALIZATION AND ASSOCIATED OUT OF POCKET EXPENDITURE: EVIDENCE FROM NSSO (2017-2018)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 138-155
Author(s):  
Amiya Saha ◽  
Dipti Govil
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Medical Expenditure ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Care Utilization ◽  
National Sample Survey ◽  
Survey Report ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Log Linear

In 2018, according to the National Sample Survey Report, the number of cases of hospitalization per 1000 persons in 365 days was 29 in India (26 per 1000 in rural and 34 per 1000 in urban areas). Between 2004 and 2014, for example, the average medical expenditure per hospitalization for urban patients increased by about 176%, and for rural patients, it jumped by a little over 160%.  Most of these hospitalizations are for infections, but a significant number also for treatment for cancer and blood-related diseases.  The increase in access to healthcare has also brought with it a massive spike in costs. India is rapidly undergoing an epidemiological transition with a sudden change in the disease profile of its population. This study aimed to analyze hospitalization due to different factors like age and morbidity and its effect on health care utilization from nationally representative data from 2018 among the total population of India.  75th round of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) conducted in July 2017- June 2018 has been used to examine what are the determinant factors that affect the hospitalization and mean monthly disease-specific expenditure in the different age group populations in India. We have used cross-tabulation to understand the association between morbidity patterns and healthcare utilization with other socio-demographic variables.  A set of logistic regression analyses was carried out to understand the role of age patterns on hospitalization. A log-linear regression model was used to understand the significant predictors of out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE).

scholarly journals Long-term effects of prenatal exposure to earthquake on adult schizophrenia

2019 ◽  
Vol 215 (6) ◽  
pp. 730-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Guo ◽  
Ping He ◽  
Xinming Song ◽  
Xiaoying Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Maternal Stress ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Tangshan Earthquake ◽  
Major Disaster

BackgroundMaternal exposure to major stressors during pregnancy has been found to increase the risk of neurodevelopmental, cognitive and psychiatric disorders in the offspring. However, the association between prenatal exposure to earthquake and the risk of adult schizophrenia has yet to be examined.AimsTo explore the potential long-term effects of prenatal exposure to maternal stress on the risk of schizophrenia in adulthood, using the Great Tangshan Earthquake in 1976 as a natural experiment.MethodWe obtained data from the Second China National Sample Survey on Disability, and analysed 94 410 Chinese individuals born between 1975 and 1979. We obtained difference-in-differences estimates of the earthquake effects on schizophrenia by exploiting temporal variation in the timing of earthquake exposure across four birth cohorts born between 1975 and 1979, along with geographical variation in earthquake severity at the prefecture level. Schizophrenia was ascertained by psychiatrists using the ICD-10 classification. Earthquake severity was measured by seismic intensity.ResultsEarthquake cohort who experienced prenatal exposure to felt earthquake had higher risk of schizophrenia (odds ratio, 3.38; 95% CI 1.43–8.00) compared with the unexposed reference cohort. After specifying the timing of exposure by the trimester of pregnancy, prenatal exposure to felt earthquake during the first trimester of pregnancy increased the risk of adulthood schizophrenia significantly (odds ratio, 7.45; 95% CI 2.83–19.59).ConclusionsPrenatal (particularly early pregnancy) exposure to maternal stress after a major disaster substantially affects the mental health of Chinese adults.

The effect of the National Birth Defects Intervention Project on the prevention of congenital disabilities among children in China: a natural experiment

2020 ◽  
Vol 124 (7) ◽  
pp. 709-714
Author(s):  
Chao Guo ◽  
Xiaoying Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Birth Defects ◽  
Natural Experiment ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Nutrition Intervention ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Birth Cohorts ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Congenital Disability

AbstractMost childhood disabilities are caused by congenital factors such as birth defects. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of periconceptional nutrition intervention on the prevention of congenital disability among Chinese children using the National Birth Defects Intervention Project as a natural experiment. We obtained individual-level data from the Second National Sample Survey on Disability, a nationally representative survey, and 110 365 children born between September 1999 and August 2003 were included for analysis. Difference-in-differences estimates of the project effects on congenital disability were captured by exploiting temporal variation in the timing of project exposure across four birth cohorts along with geographical variation in project category at the province level. The findings contribute to an emerging body of evidence showing that prenatal micronutrient intervention before and during early pregnancy could substantially reduce the risk of congenital disability in childhood (OR 0·73; 95 % CI 0·57, 0·94). The National Birth Defects Intervention Project improved the awareness of reproductive health and disability prevention in the population. It highlights the need for a potential policy change focusing on early-life health investment in China.

Correlates of Intelligence Test Results in Treated Phenylketonuric Children

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-167
Author(s):  
Malcolm L. Williamson ◽  
Richard Koch ◽  
Colleen Azen ◽  
Christina Chang
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Intellectual Ability ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Adult Intelligence Scale ◽  
Intelligence Scale ◽  
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale ◽  
Blood Phenylalanine ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Wechsler Adult Intelligence

The Collaborative Study of Children Treated for Phenylketonuria was initiated in 1967. The data presented are based on findings in 132 children treated from near birth to 6 years of age. Two treatment groups were randomly formed. The target for blood phenylalanine was 1.0 to 5.4 mg/100 ml for group 1 and 5.5 to 9.9 mg/100 ml for group 2. Although mean blood phenylalanine levels for both groups initially fell within the prescribed ranges, a steady increase over time resulted in mean six year levels of 11.4 mg/100 ml and 13.0 mg/100 ml for the two groups, respectively. Because it was not possible to maintain the prescribed difference in blood phenylalanine levels between the two groups, they were combined for further analyses. The mean IQ of the total sample at age 6 years was 98 on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. Multiple regression analysis showed that, among selected treatment and psychosocial factors, the most important predictors of IQ for 6-year-old children were: (1) mothers' intellectual ability (as measured on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale); (2) age at which the subjects were first treated; and (3) how well the subjects adhered to the phenylalanine-restricted diet. It was concluded that optimal early treatment will result in normal levels of intelligence at 6 years of age.

Mobility in India: Recent Trends and Issues Concerning Database

Social Change ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-644
Author(s):  
Amitabh Kundu
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Passenger Traffic ◽  
Social Divisions ◽  
The People ◽  
Recent Trends

Dismissing the postulate that the geographical, linguistic and other social divisions are constraining the movement of Indians across states, researchers have presented evidences—pattern of rail passenger traffic, changes in population distribution across different age cohorts and so on to show that the movement of people across states is much larger than what has been generally determined, using the data from the census and National Sample Survey. The basic objective of the paper is to examine if the process of migration and urbanisation in India is indeed unconstrained so that the people in backward regions and rural areas, who get dispossessed of their livelihood options or social linkages, can freely move into the developed regions or urban areas, It analyses these processes and recent trends while probing into methodological and data related issues in migration studies in India. The migration trends for socio-economically vulnerable sections of population are presented in the context of their access to urban and metropolitan space.

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