scholarly journals Effect of economic inequality on chronic childhood undernutrition in Ghana

2007 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 371-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rathavuth Hong

AbstractObjectiveFood insecurity and undernutrition remain particularly severe in developing countries where improvements in economic conditions have tended to benefit the advantaged groups and resulted in widespread inequalities in health. This study examined how economic inequality is associated with chronic childhood undernutrition.DesignA child was defined as chronically undernourished (stunted) if his or her height-for-age index was more than two standard deviations below the reference median. Household economic status was measured by an index based on household ownership of durable assets. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to estimate the effects of household economic status on stunting.SettingA nationally representative sample of 6251 household interviews in Ghana.SubjectsA total of 3077 children aged 0–59 months included in the 2003 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.ResultsChildren in the poorest 20% of households are more than twice as likely to suffer from stunting as children in the richest 20% of households independent of the child's age, sex, birth order, breast-feeding duration, birth weight; mother's age at childbirth, body mass index, education; and household access to safe drinking water, hygienic toilet facilities, residence and geographic region (odds ratio = 2.3; 95% confidence interval 1.4–3.7). Also children in the next poorest and in the middle quintiles are significant more likely to be chronically undernourished than children in the richest 20% of households.ConclusionThis study concludes that economic inequality is strongly associated with chronic childhood undernutrition; and reducing economic inequalities and making services more accessible to the poor will be key to improving the health and nutritional status of children in Ghana.

Sexes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-255
Author(s):  
Vicki Hutton

Globally, women represent more than half the people living with HIV. This proportion varies by country, with an over-representation of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in some regions. For example, in Australia, MSM account for over 60% of transmissions, with heterosexual sex accounting for almost a quarter of transmissions. Irrespective of geographic region, there is evidence that women can have a different lived experience of HIV due to their unequal social and economic status in society, while MSM can have a different lived experience depending on the laws and customs of their geographic location. Gender differences related to risk factors, stigma, access to services, mental health, health-related quality of life and economic consequences have been consistently reported globally. This paper explores the subjective lived experience of gender and sexuality disparities among three individuals living with HIV in Australia: a male who identified as gay, and a male and female who each identified as heterosexual. Analysis of themes from these three case reports indicated discernible differences by gender and sexuality in four areas: access to medical services, social support, stigma and mental health. It is argued that knowledge and understanding of potential gender and sexuality disparities must be factored into supportive interventions for people living with HIV in Australia.


2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew E. Springer ◽  
Deanna M. Hoelscher ◽  
Steven H. Kelder

Background:Geographic differences in the prevalence of physical activity (PA) have been found among adults in the US; similar studies have not been conducted among adolescents.Methods:Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from the CDC’s 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we estimated the prevalence of PA and sedentary behaviors by metropolitan status and geographic region.Results:The prevalence of PA was lowest and prevalence of sedentary behavior highest for urban students. Students from the South reported the lowest prevalence of PA and the highest prevalence of TV watching, while students from the West generally reported the highest PA prevalence and lowest sedentary behavior prevalence. Prevalence differences ranged from < 1.0% to > 15%, with most differences falling between 5% and 10%.Conclusions:Findings mirror regional variations previously observed in adult PA. We need to understand factors that contribute to lower PA in youth living in the South and in urban settings.


Author(s):  
Sarah Anne Reynolds

Abstract Background Research finds center-based child care typically benefits children of low socio-economic status (SES) but few studies have examined if it also reduces inequalities in developmental disadvantage. Objective I test if the length of time in center-based care between ages one and three years associates with child development scores at age three years, focusing on the impact for groups of children in the lower tercile of child development scores and in the lower SES tercile. Method Using data from 1,606 children collected in a nationally representative Chilean survey, I apply a value-added approach to measure gains in child development scores between age one and three years that are associated with length of time in center-based child care. Results Disadvantages at age one year were associated with lower child development scores at age three years. No benefits of additional time in center-based care were found for the non-disadvantaged group, but positive associations were found between more time in center-based care and child development outcomes for children with the SES disadvantage only. Center-based care was not associated with child development trajectories of children with lower child development scores at age one year, no matter their SES status. Conclusions There is evidence that Chilean center-based child care reduces SES inequality in child development scores between ages one and three years, but only if children already were not low-scorers at age one year.


2013 ◽  
Vol 111 (7) ◽  
pp. 1292-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Berta Vanrullen ◽  
Jean-Luc Volatier ◽  
Aurélie Bertaut ◽  
Ariane Dufour ◽  
Jean Dallongeville

Energy intake under-reporting (UR) is a concern in nutritional epidemiological studies, as it may distort the relationships between dietary habits and health. Although UR is known to be associated with certain characteristics, few studies have investigated them in France. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of UR in French adults. UR was defined according to Goldberg's classification. A sample of 1567 adults was drawn from the nationally representative French dietary survey (Individuelle Nationale des Consommations Alimentaires 2 2006–7). Food intake (7 d record), dietary habits, socio-economic status, region of residence, sedentary behaviour and weight perception variables were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between UR and a number of covariates. The overall prevalence of UR was 22·5 %, similar in men and women. In both sexes, UR was positively associated with overweight and protein intake and inversely associated with age. In women, UR was associated with eating lunch in the office, poor perception of diet quality and sedentary behaviour and was inversely associated with educational level, residence in the Paris region, cereal product intake and eating lunch in a friend's or family member's home. In men, UR was positively associated with a history of slimming and inversely associated with dairy product intake and eating lunch at a staff canteen. In conclusion, UR is prevalent in French adults and is associated with several different characteristics. It is important to take account of UR when investigating diet–disease associations in adults.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0246309
Author(s):  
Sunday A. Adedini ◽  
Jacob Wale Mobolaji ◽  
Matthew Alabi ◽  
Adesegun O. Fatusi

Context Nigeria is a high-burden country in terms of young people’s health. Understanding changes in young people’s sexual and reproductive health (SRH) behaviours and the associated factors is important for framing appropriate interventions. Objective This study assessed changes in SRH behaviours of unmarried young people aged 15–24 and associated factors over a ten-year period in Nigeria. Data and method We analysed datasets from Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys of 2008, 2013 and 2018 to assess changes in inconsistent condom use, non-use of modern contraceptives; multiple sexual partnership; and early sexual debut. Using binary logistic regression, we assessed the association of selected variables with the SRH behaviours. Results Over four-fifths of unmarried young people (15–24) in Nigeria engaged in at least one risky sexual behaviour in each survey year. The pattern of changes in the four risky SRH behaviours was consistent over the 10-year period, with the highest rates of each behaviour occurring in 2018 while the lowest rates were in 2013, thus indicating an increase in the proportion of respondents engaging in risky sexual behaviours over the study period. Comprehensive HIV/AIDS knowledge, male gender, older age category (20–24), residence in south-west Nigeria, urban residence, higher socio-economic status, secondary/higher education were mostly protective against the four SRH variables analysed across the different data waves. Conclusion Addressing the high and increasing level of risky SRH behaviours among young people in Nigeria is imperative to improve overall national health status and to ensure progress towards achieving SDG target 3.7 focusing on SRH.


Author(s):  
Afrin Sadia Rumana ◽  
Asia Khatun ◽  
Sukanta Das

Background: In Bangladesh, smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death. Despite possessing knowledge about the consequences of smoking and the resultant non-communicable diseases, individuals have become considerably habituated to it. The study aims to identify the factors associated with smoking cigarettes and as well as to examine the existing situation of this issue among adult males in Bangladesh.Methods: Total 480 adult males were surveyed from Bangladesh through personal interview and online questionnaire, (from June 2018 to June 2019). To measure the effect of the explanatory variables on cigarettes smoking, authors perform χ2 test of independence as bivariate analysis. After performing bivariate analysis, a logistic regression analysis has been performed to assess the effect of the explanatory variables.Results: Findings of the study revealed that educational level, household economic status, media exposure, division have significant contribution for smoking cigarettes among the adult male in Bangladesh. A comparison of religious affiliation showed smoking cigarettes to be higher among non-muslim counterparts. Respondents living in rural area are found to have smoking cigarettes comparing with urban area.Conclusions: From the study it can be concluded that education and socio-economic status of male make a significant contribution in cigarettes smoking.


Author(s):  
Kay Lehman Schlozman ◽  
Sidney Verba ◽  
Henry E. Brady

This chapter investigates the differential voice of the advantaged and the disadvantaged. It first considers whether the participatory advantage of those who are high in socio-economic status (SES) persists over time and, in particular, whether the widely noted increase in economic inequality since the late 1970s has been matched by increasing socio-economic stratification of political voice. Then the chapter uses three-wave panel surveys to ask whether ongoing inequalities of political voice reflect not just continuing activity by the same kinds of people but persistent activity by the same individuals. It shows not only that political voice is characterized on an ongoing basis by bias in the direction of the well-educated and affluent but also that, among those who are politically active at any particular time, high-SES political activists are more likely than activists who are lower on the socio-economic ladder to continue to take part politically in the future.


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