Formal and informal waste selective collection in developing megacities: Analysis of residents’ involvement in Bolivia

The implementation of waste selective collection (SC) schemes in low-income countries is a challenge although it is one important way for improving environmental sustainability. The inclusion of the population is necessary for gaining effective results, and social surveys are support methods for understanding citizens’ involvement and behaviour. The aim of the research is to assess the support of the citizens concerning the formal and informal recycling in a low–middle income country. The study presents a questionnaire survey conducted in 2018 in La Paz, Bolivia, where 774 citizens were interviewed for evaluating their support to the formal and informal SC systems. Two questionnaires were submitted to two different users’ categories: users of the formal recyclable waste gathering points; and citizens of the neighbourhoods. Evidence of the survey shows that about 8% of the population supports the formal SC while about 48% are used to selecting their waste at home. About 79.2% of them bring the waste to the informal recycling shops or provide it to waste pickers, throwing the waste into or nearby the mixed containers in order to facilitate their collection. This research demonstrates how social inclusion is important for planning recycling systems within a developing big city, starting from the SC. Results suggest that the informal sector can be an effective means for improving the recycling behaviour of the citizens. The study can be of interest to stakeholders involved in introducing recycling policies in developing cities where the SC rate is still low, and informal waste collection exists.

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The Impact of Renewable Energy, Urbanization and Environmental Sustainability Ratings on the Environmental Kuznets Curve and the Pollution Haven Hypothesis

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su132413747 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (24) ◽

pp. 13747

Author(s):

Chi-Hui Wang ◽

Prasad Padmanabhan ◽

Chia-Hsing Huang

Keyword(s):

Foreign Direct Investment ◽

Renewable Energy ◽

Co2 Emissions ◽

Low Income ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Direct Investment ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Kuznets Curve ◽

Middle Income ◽

Per Capita

The impacts of renewable energy adoption and environmental sustainability ratings on the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve and the pollution haven hypothesis are examined using annual balanced panel data from 64 middle and low-income countries and spanning the 2005 –2014 period. We show that the GDP per capita/CO2 emissions per capita relationship is an inverse S curve for the full sample of low and middle-income countries and for each subsample. The renewable energy/CO2 emissions per capita relationship is an inverse N curve for the full and the middle-income samples, but a V curve for the low-income sample. The foreign direct investment net inflows/CO2 emissions per capita relationship is an N curve for the full and the middle-income samples, and a positive relationship in the low-income subsample. High levels of government environmental sustainability ratings in low-income countries with relatively higher incomes can attract foreign direct investment net inflows while reducing pollution. In contrast, middle-income countries with high environmental sustainability ratings can attract foreign direct investment net inflows only if they allow small increases in pollution.

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Tuberculosis and Non-Communicable Disease Multimorbidity: An Analysis of the World Health Survey in 48 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052439 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2439

Author(s):

Brendon Stubbs ◽

Kamran Siddiqi ◽

Helen Elsey ◽

Najma Siddiqi ◽

Ruimin Ma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Survey ◽

Low Income ◽

World Health ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

World Health Survey ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

The World ◽

Low And Middle Income

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). TB multimorbidity [TB and ≥1 non-communicable diseases (NCDs)] is common, but studies are sparse. Cross-sectional, community-based data including adults from 21 low-income countries and 27 middle-income countries were utilized from the World Health Survey. Associations between 9 NCDs and TB were assessed with multivariable logistic regression analysis. Years lived with disability (YLDs) were calculated using disability weights provided by the 2017 Global Burden of Disease Study. Eight out of 9 NCDs (all except visual impairment) were associated with TB (odds ratio (OR) ranging from 1.38–4.0). Prevalence of self-reported TB increased linearly with increasing numbers of NCDs. Compared to those with no NCDs, those who had 1, 2, 3, 4, and ≥5 NCDs had 2.61 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.14–3.22), 4.71 (95%CI = 3.67–6.11), 6.96 (95%CI = 4.95–9.87), 10.59 (95%CI = 7.10–15.80), and 19.89 (95%CI = 11.13–35.52) times higher odds for TB. Among those with TB, the most prevalent combinations of NCDs were angina and depression, followed by angina and arthritis. For people with TB, the YLDs were three times higher than in people without multimorbidity or TB, and a third of the YLDs were attributable to NCDs. Urgent research to understand, prevent and manage NCDs in people with TB in LMICs is needed.

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Factors associated with the disbursements of development assistance for health in low-income and middle-income countries, 2002–2017

BMJ Global Health ◽

10.1136/bmjgh-2020-004858 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. e004858

Author(s):

Modhurima Moitra ◽

Ian Cogswell ◽

Emilie Maddison ◽

Kyle Simpson ◽

Hayley Stutzman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Development Assistance ◽

Health Spending ◽

Recipient Country ◽

Health Systems Strengthening ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Middle Income ◽

Development Assistance For Health ◽

Country Characteristics ◽

Health Accounts

IntroductionIn 2017, development assistance for health (DAH) comprised 5.3% of total health spending in low-income countries. Despite the key role DAH plays in global health-spending, little is known about the characteristics of assistance that may be associated with committed assistance that is actually disbursed. In this analysis, we examine associations between these characteristics and disbursement of committed assistance.MethodsWe extracted data from the Creditor Reporting System of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and the WHO National Health Accounts database. Factors examined were off-budget assistance, administrative assistance, publicly sourced assistance and assistance to health systems strengthening. Recipient-country characteristics examined were perceived level of corruption, civil fragility and gross domestic product per capita (GDPpc). We used linear regression methods for panel of data to assess the proportion of committed aid that was disbursed for a given country-year, for each data source.ResultsFactors that were associated with a higher disbursement rates include off-budget aid (p<0.001), lower administrative expenses (p<0.01), lower perceived corruption in recipient country (p<0.001), lower fragility in recipient country (p<0.05) and higher GDPpc (p<0.05).ConclusionSubstantial gaps remain between commitments and disbursements. Characteristics of assistance (administrative, publicly sourced) and indicators of government transparency and fragility are also important drivers associated with disbursement of DAH. There remains a continued need for better aid flow reporting standards and clarity around aid types for better measurement of DAH.

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Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability to global environmental change: challenges and pathways for an action-oriented research agenda for middle-income and low-income countries

Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability ◽

10.1016/j.cosust.2010.10.009 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2 (5-6) ◽

pp. 364-374 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Myanna Lahsen ◽

Roberto Sanchez-Rodriguez ◽

Patricia Romero Lankao ◽

Pauline Dube ◽

Rik Leemans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Change ◽

Low Income ◽

Research Agenda ◽

Global Environmental Change ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Middle Income ◽

Global Environmental ◽

Oriented Research

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Breast Cancer in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: An Emerging and Challenging Epidemic

Journal of Oncology ◽

10.1155/2010/490631 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2010 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Arafat Tfayli ◽

Sally Temraz ◽

Rachel Abou Mrad ◽

Ali Shamseddine

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Health Care ◽

Low Income ◽

Therapeutic Interventions ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Middle Income ◽

Major Health ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

Breast cancer is a major health care problem that affects more than one million women yearly. While it is traditionally thought of as a disease of the industrialized world, around 45% of breast cancer cases and 55% of breast cancer deaths occur in low and middle income countries. Managing breast cancer in low income countries poses a different set of challenges including access to screening, stage at presentation, adequacy of management and availability of therapeutic interventions. In this paper, we will review the challenges faced in the management of breast cancer in low and middle income countries.

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Availability and affordability of blood pressure-lowering medicines and the effect on blood pressure control in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: an analysis of the PURE study data

The Lancet Public Health ◽

10.1016/s2468-2667(17)30141-x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (9) ◽

pp. e411-e419 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

Marjan W Attaei ◽

Rasha Khatib ◽

Martin McKee ◽

Scott Lear ◽

Gilles Dagenais ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Blood Pressure Control ◽

Low Income ◽

Pressure Control ◽

Study Data ◽

High Income ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Blood Pressure Lowering ◽

Middle Income ◽

Pressure Lowering

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A worldwide survey of retinopathy of prematurity screening

British Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1136/bjophthalmol-2017-310709 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 102 (1) ◽

pp. 9-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Justin S Mora ◽

Christopher Waite ◽

Clare E Gilbert ◽

Brenda Breidenstein ◽

John J Sloper

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

Retinopathy Of Prematurity ◽

Online Survey ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Screening Criteria ◽

Middle Income ◽

Premature Babies ◽

Inadequate Knowledge ◽

The World ◽

Rop Screening

BackgroundTo ascertain which countries in the world have retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening programmes and guidelines and how these were developed.MethodsAn email database was created and requests were sent to ophthalmologists in 141 nations to complete an online survey on ROP screening in their country.ResultsRepresentatives from 92/141 (65%) countries responded. 78/92 (85%) have existing ROP screening programmes, and 68/78 (88%) have defined screening criteria. Some countries have limited screening and those areas which have no screening or for which there is inadequate knowledge are mainly Southeast Asia, Africa and some former Soviet states.DiscussionWith the increasing survival of premature babies in lower-middle-income and low-income countries, it is important to ensure that adequate ROP screening and treatment is in place. This information will help organisations focus their resources on those areas most in need.

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Pediatric neurosurgical workforce, access to care, equipment and training needs worldwide

Neurosurgical FOCUS ◽

10.3171/2018.7.focus18272 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. E13 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Michael C. Dewan ◽

Ronnie E. Baticulon ◽

Abbas Rattani ◽

James M. Johnston ◽

Benjamin C. Warf ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Income ◽

International Collaboration ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Training Needs ◽

High Income ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Surgical Workforce ◽

And Training

OBJECTIVEThe presence and capability of existing pediatric neurosurgical care worldwide is unknown. The objective of this study was to solicit the expertise of specialists to quantify the geographic representation of pediatric neurosurgeons, access to specialist care, and equipment and training needs globally.METHODSA mixed-question survey was sent to surgeon members of several international neurosurgical and general pediatric surgical societies via a web-based platform. Respondents answered questions on 5 categories: surgeon demographics and training, hospital and practice details, surgical workforce and access to neurosurgical care, training and equipment needs, and desire for international collaboration. Responses were anonymized and analyzed using Stata software.RESULTSA total of 459 surgeons from 76 countries responded. Pediatric neurosurgeons in high-income and upper-middle-income countries underwent formal pediatric training at a greater rate than surgeons in low- and lower-middle-income countries (89.5% vs 54.4%). There are an estimated 2297 pediatric neurosurgeons in practice globally, with 85.6% operating in high-income and upper-middle-income countries. In low- and lower-middle-income countries, roughly 330 pediatric neurosurgeons care for a total child population of 1.2 billion. In low-income countries in Africa, the density of pediatric neurosurgeons is roughly 1 per 30 million children. A higher proportion of patients in low- and lower-middle-income countries must travel > 2 hours to seek emergency neurosurgical care, relative to high-income countries (75.6% vs 33.6%, p < 0.001). Vast basic and essential training and equipment needs exist, particularly low- and lower-middle-income countries within Africa, South America, the Eastern Mediterranean, and South-East Asia. Eighty-nine percent of respondents demonstrated an interest in international collaboration for the purposes of pediatric neurosurgical capacity building.CONCLUSIONSWide disparity in the access to pediatric neurosurgical care exists globally. In low- and lower-middle-income countries, wherein there exists the greatest burden of pediatric neurosurgical disease, there is a grossly insufficient presence of capable providers and equipped facilities. Neurosurgeons across income groups and geographic regions share a desire for collaboration and partnership.

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Impact of refugee population on development: A comparative analysis for the case of host economies

Review of Economic Perspectives ◽

10.2478/revecp-2018-0005 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 77-96

Author(s):

Mohamed Kouni

Keyword(s):

Labor Force ◽

Direct Effect ◽

Low Income ◽

Indirect Effect ◽

Point Of View ◽

Low Income Countries ◽

Middle Income ◽

Refugee Population ◽

Low Income Country ◽

Middle Income Countries

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between refugees and development in host economies from a macroeconomic point of view. The results obtained show that this relationship is non-linear. The empirical results demonstrate that refugees have a positive and significant direct effect in high and lower-middle-income countries. A positive and significant indirect effect of refugees through labor force and RD channels is also present in the same groups. In upper-middle-income and low-income countries, the direct effect of refugees is negative and significant. Similarly, the indirect effect of the refugee population on development through labor force channel is also negative and statistically significant. However, the indirect effect of refugees through RD channel is statistically significant only for the low-income country group.

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