Influence of Gender, Age and Location on Students Perceived Link of Population Growth and Climate Change

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-115
Author(s):  
Igbudu Ujiro ◽  
Erhabor Igbinosa Norris

Abstract Increase in population contributes and it is also affected by climate change, hence it deserves consideration in any climate change policy development strategies. Based on the importance of population growth on climate change, this study was embarked on to ascertain the perception of students to the influence of population growth on the consequences of climate change. The population of the study consisted of undergraduate students in a Federal University in Southern part of Nigeria. A sample size of 362 respondents were selected using systematic sampling to select every one and other halls of residence (3 halls of residence selected out of 6) and simple random sampling of balloting by replacement to select 14% each from the three halls of residence. The questionnaires administered were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and the descriptive and inferential statistical tools were employed to analyze the data gotten. The study revealed that there was a significant difference on the respondents perception based on their gender, age group and home of residence(Urban or rural). Based on these findings, it was recommended among other things that population control measures should be effectively implemented in the country. And any policy on climate change, gender, age group and location should be considered because a gender, age group and location bias policy will increase the severity of the problem.

Author(s):  
Cynthia Subhaprada S. ◽  
Vijayakumari S. ◽  
Rajasekhar T. ◽  
Venkateswarlu U.

Background: Sleep deprivation, a common problem among undergraduate students, leads to daytime sleepiness and poor academic performance. The purpose of this study is to describe sleep hygiene among medical students and to measure effect of sleep hygiene educational intervention.Methods: An interventional cross-sectional study was carried out from September to October, 2015 among II MBBS students, Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, India. Excessive daytime sleepiness was assessed by the Epworth sleepiness scale. Predesigned questionnaire was administered as pretest followed by health educational intervention session to 100 subjects selected by simple random sampling, and a post test two weeks later. Data entered in MS Excel 2007, was analyzed using IBM SPSS 20. Difference in means tested by paired t test and Chisquare test was used to test association between variables, with p value <0.05 considered significant.Results: 100 study subjects, 48 of 7 semester and 52 of 5 semester, had a mean (+SD) age in years, 20.2±0.58 and19.71±0.61 respectively. 57% were females. A statistically significant association between daytime sleepiness prevalence by semester was found. (Pretest X2 = 7.83, post test X2 = 7.19, p value <0.01). Weekend sleep schedules showed 2 hours increase than weekdays, in 40% (5 semester) and 30% (7 semester). 20% of study subjects had Epworth score 10-24, so expert medical advice is needed. A statistically significant difference was observed in sleep hygiene post intervention (t=2.010, p= 0.05).Conclusions: Daytime sleepiness was the most common problem encountered in this study. Sleep hygiene education promotes healthy sleeping habits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-14
Author(s):  
N Adhikari ◽  
M N Ambekar ◽  
S KC

 Background: The canthal distances are one of the most important aspects in ascessing the facial aesthetics. Several authors have described changes in the canthal distances attributable to race and gender.Aims and Objectives: To compare the inner canntahl distance, outer canthal distance and canthal index in between Nepalese and Indian undergraduate students of Nepalgunj Medical College.Materials and Methods: The study was conducted to compare canthal distances and canthal index among 320 (160 Indians: 100 male,60 female and 160 Nepalese: 100 male and 60 female) undergraduate students of Nepalgunj Medical College of age group 18-24 years at Department of Anatomy, Chisapani, Banke. Inner canthal distance(ICD) and Outer canthal Distance(OCD) were measured by using round end spreading caliper and Canthal Index were calculated by ICD/OCD *100. The value obtained was compared among Indian and Nepalese students in both sexes by using student t-test.Result: The study showed that there was no any significant difference on the value of inner and outer canthal distances and canthal index observed between Nepalese and Indian population except on the value of canthal index which was significantly different between Indian male and Nepalese male population. However, when the comparison was done between the sexes, inner and outer canthal distances and canthal index of males are larger than females except on the value of canthal index of Indian males and Indian females which was non-significant.Conclusion: There occurred a sexual dimorphism within Indian and Nepalese population except on canthal index of Indian male and Indian female but there wasn't any significant differences between Nepalese and Indian population of same sex except on canthal index of Indian male and Nepalese male. JNGMC,  Vol. 14 No. 2 December 2016, Page: 12-14


Author(s):  
Emily Klancher Merchant

Chapter 6 documents the fragmentation of what had previously been a consensus regarding global population growth at the end of the 1960s and beginning of the 1970s, resulting in the emergence of two separate factions. The population establishment continued to promote the position of the erstwhile consensus, which held that rapid population growth in developing countries was a barrier to economic development and could be adequately slowed through voluntary family planning programs. The population bombers contended that population growth anywhere in the world posed an immediate existential threat to the natural environment and American national security and needed to be halted through population control measures that demographers had previously rejected as coercive. These two positions went head-to-head at the UN World Population Conference in 1974, where both were rejected by leaders of developing countries.


Author(s):  
Amrin Y. Tadvi ◽  
Janardhan R. Bandi

Background: Hypertension is a growing health concern in Asia and some tend to associate their hypertension to psychosocial stress. However, data on assessment of stress and its relationship with hypertension are rare. The objectives were to assess the level of stress and its relation with hypertension amongst the young population of 20 to 40 years of an urban slum of Mumbai.Methods:A cross sectional community based study of 450 participants in the age group of 20 to 40 years using systematic sampling technique with a random start. Data was collected using a questionnaire-cum-examination form that was devised relevant to the study. Blood pressure was assessed using shypnomanometer and stress was assessed using stress questionnaire score. Blood pressure <139/89 mm Hg (normal) & >140/90 mm of Hg (hypertension).Results: Amongst 450 participants, 41 (9.1%) participants had minimal stress, 164 (36.4%) had mild stress, 142 (31.6%) had moderate stress and 103 (22.9%) had severe stress. Out of 450 participants 73 (16.2%) had blood pressure >140/90 mm of Hg. Association between severe stress and hypertension was found to be statistical significant.Conclusions:Severe stress is associated with development of hypertension. Special attention should be given to increase the awareness about stress, its related complications and prevention and control measures. 


Author(s):  
Vaibhav Munjal ◽  
Puneet Singh Talwar ◽  
Jagjit Singh ◽  
Mandeep Kumar ◽  
Ramandeep Gambhir

Background: Dental caries is a multifactorial disease with diet being one of the contributing factors. The influence of vegetarianism on the development of caries has scarcely been investigated in the past. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate the association of dental caries with frequency of sugar exposures and vegetarian / mixed diet.Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted among 2500 school children of 12 and 15 years age groups selected on the basis of simple random sampling from different schools of the city. Dental caries was recorded using Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth index (WHO modification, 1997) and correlated with the different dietary variables. Subjects were also segregated on the basis of diet: vegetarian and mixed. Statistical analysis was done using Student t-test and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient.Results: The prevalence of dental caries in the 12 and 15 year age group of subjects consuming mixed diet was 83.36% and 86.47% respectively. It was lower in case of subjects on vegetarian diet. The correlation between DMFS and TSE, FSE and AMSE was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) in the 12 year age-group. In the 15 year age-group the correlation of DMFS with TSE and LSE was also found to be statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusions: There was no statistically significant difference in dental caries status among subjects in both the groups (vegetarian and mixed). However, there was significant association between sugar exposures and dental caries among subjects of both the age-groups.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 154-159
Author(s):  
Sudeep Acharya ◽  
Amita Pradhan ◽  
Rajib Chaulagain ◽  
Ankur Shah

Background: Temporomandibular disorder is a term used to describe problems involving  temporomandibular joint, muscles of mastication, occlusion characterized by symptoms such as pain, restricted movements and intermittent joint sound. The present study was conducted to determine prevalence of TMD and to describe its association with parafunctional habits. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 345 undergraduate students of KIST Medical College and Hospital. Study population was selected by simple random sampling and the Fonseca Anamnestic          Questionnaires were distributed. Data analysis was done in SPSS version 16 . Results: The prevalence of TMD was 47.4% with mild and moderate type of TMD present. The most common habit was chewing gums followed by biting of lips and biting of objects. Statistically significant difference in TMD groups was observed in clenching and grinding of teeth, biting of lips and biting of objects (p<0.001). There was  statistically significant association between TMD and the signs and symptoms such as headaches, difficult to open mouth, muscular pain while chewing (p<0.001). Conclusions: A statistically significant association was found between biting of lips, grinding of teeth and mouth breathing with TMD.Keywords: parafunctional habits; prevalence; TMD . 


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Kenneth Nnamdi Opara ◽  
Eteye Udobong Wilson ◽  
Clement Ameh Yaro ◽  
Luay Alkazmi ◽  
Nsima Ibanga Udoidung ◽  
...  

Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that cause chronic infections and ill health. The study was carried out to determine the current infection status and risk factors associated with Schistosoma haematobium and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) coinfection among school children in Biase Local Government Area (LGA), Cross River State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was carried out. Urine and fecal samples were randomly collected from 630 school children in six villages of Biase LGA. Urine sedimentation and Kato-Katz techniques were used to diagnose urogenital schistosomiasis and STHs, respectively. A structured questionnaire was used to collect demographic information and risk factors. The prevalence of S. haematobium in Biase LGA was 6.03%, with males (27 pupils, 9.00%) significantly more ( χ 2 = 8.903 , p value = 0.003, C . I . = − 82.650 – 120.650 ) infected than the females (11 pupils, 3.33%), while the prevalence of STH infection was 11.27% with no significant difference ( χ 2 = 0.002 , p value = 0.962, C . I . = − 16.441 – 54.559 ) in prevalence between males (34 pupils, 11.33%) and females (37 pupils, 11.21%). Prevalence of S. haematobium and STHs ranged from 1.82 to 19.13% and from 4.55 to 19.05% within the communities, respectively, with Abini (22 pupils, 19.13%) and Adim (20 pupils, 19.05%) communities having the highest prevalence for S. haematobium and STHs, respectively. The most infected age group was 11–13 years (21 pupils, 9.68%) for S. haematobium and 14–16 years (5 pupils, 21.74%) for STHs. Ascaris lumbricoides, hookworms, and Trichuris trichiura had prevalence of 5.56%, 3.02%, and 2.70%, respectively. An overall prevalence of 7.14% and 8.41% was observed for haematuria and proteinuria, respectively. Prevalence of coinfection among the parasites was 4.76%. Male pupils ( OR = 2.868 , C.I.: 1.397–5.889), pupils of the age group of 11–13 years ( OR = 2.496 , C.I.: 1.287–4.838), school children that swim ( OR = 1.527 , C.I.: 0.784–2.974), those that cross streams to farm ( OR = 25.286 , C.I.: 4.091–156.283), those that visit stream or river severally ( OR = 3.077 , C.I.: 1.204–7.863), and those whose home is 1 km ( OR = 3.116 , C.I.: 1.292–7.518) from the stream are at higher odds of infection with S. haematobium. For STHs, male pupils ( OR = 1.012 , C.I.: 0.617–1.659), pupils of the age group of 11–13 years ( OR = 2.609 , C.I.: 1.582–4.302), pupils that walk barefoot ( OR = 18.746 , C.I.: 6.786–51.783), those that do not wash fruits and vegetables before eating ( OR = 2.334 , C.I.: 1.400–3.892), those that do not wash hands after using the toilet ( OR = 1.200 , C.I.: 0.730–1.973), those that eat soils ( OR = 2.741 , C.I.: 1.533–4.902), those that drink water from streams or rivers ( OR = 189.509 , C.I.: 24.807–1447.740), and those that use pit latrine ( OR = 2.920 , C.I.: 1.746–4.885) and/or open defecation ( OR = 2.552 , C.I.: 1.454–4.479) are at high odds of being infected with STHs. Urogenital schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis are still endemic diseases in Biase LGA. Although the degree of infection is quite low or moderate, there is a need to intensify and sustain control measures such as provision of sustainable clean water supply, health education intervention, and chemotherapy.


Author(s):  
Mthokozisi P. Ndhlovu ◽  
Thabani Mpofu

Climate change is destroying Zimbabwean communal farmers’ agricultural activities – a source of living for most people. As communal farmers struggle to adapt, the media is expected to assume a fundamental theoretical role of educating and informing them about the appropriate adaptation techniques. Located in Umguza District in Matabeleland North Province, the study explored how communal farmers created meaning out of climate change media content and its influence on their agricultural practices from October 2014 to April 2015. In doing so, the study used the Two-Step Flow theory and Hall’s Encoding and Decoding Model. Entrenched in pragmatism, the study embedded quantitative techniques at different stages. Multistage sampling combining Simple Random Sampling (SRS), purposive and systematic sampling techniques was used to identify the 263 households for semi structured questionnaires, direct observations and in-depth interviews. The findings were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), thematic analysis and pattern matching. The results show that personal observations; print, broadcast and online media; and opinion leaders were the main sources of climate change information. The radio was the most used medium in communicating climate change adaptation though it was the second most accessed after mobile phones. Conservation Agriculture and planting of drought-resistant crops were some of the adaptation techniques communicated in the media. When interacting with media content, communal farmers create their own meaning influenced by their cultural values, resulting in some adopting, rejecting or modifying certain adaptation techniques. The study concludes that opinion leaders are fundamental in communal farmers’ interaction with media but their influence must not be overestimated.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Burkett ◽  
Melinda G. Martin-Khan ◽  
Justin Scott ◽  
Mayukh Samanta ◽  
Leonard C. Gray

Objectives The aim of the present study was to describe trends in and age and gender distributions of presentations of older people to Australian emergency departments (EDs) from July 2006 to June 2011, and to develop ED utilisation projections to 2050. Methods A retrospective analysis of data collected in the National Non-admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database was undertaken to assess trends in ED presentations. Three standard Australian Bureau of Statistics population growth models, with and without adjustment for current trends in ED presentation growth and effects of climate change, were examined with projections of ED presentations across three age groups (0–64, 65–84 and ≥85 years) to 2050. Results From 2006–07 to 2010–11, ED presentations increased by 12.63%, whereas the Australian population over this time increased by only 7.26%. Rates of presentation per head of population were greatest among those aged ≥85 years. Projections of ED presentations to 2050 revealed that overall ED presentations are forecast to increase markedly, with the rate of increase being most marked for older people. Conclusion Growth in Australian ED presentations from 2006–07 to 2010–11 was greater than that expected from population growth alone. The predicted changes in demand for ED care will only be able to be optimally managed if Australian health policy, ED funding instruments and ED models of care are adjusted to take into account the specific care and resource needs of older people. What is known about the topic? Rapid population aging is anticipated over coming decades. International studies and specific local-level Australian studies have demonstrated significant growth in ED presentations. There have been no prior national-level Australian studies of ED presentation trends by age group. What does this paper add? The present study examined national ED presentation trends from July 2006 to June 2011, with specific emphasis on trends in presentation by age group. ED presentation growth was found to exceed population growth in all age groups. The rate of ED presentations per head of population was highest among those aged ≥85 years. ED utilisation projections to 2050, using standard Australian Bureau of Statistics population modelling, with and without adjustment for current ED growth, were developed. The projections demonstrated linear growth in ED presentation for those aged 0–84 years, with growth in ED presentations of the ≥85 year age group demonstrating marked acceleration after 2030. What are the implications for practitioners? Growth in ED presentations exceeding population growth suggests that current models of acute health care delivery require review to ensure that optimal care is delivered in the most fiscally efficient manner. Trends in presentation of older people emphasise the imperative for ED workforce planning and education in care of this complex patient cohort, and the requirement to review funding models to incentivise investment in ED avoidance and substitutive care models targeting older people.


Author(s):  
Eelco J. Rohling

Over recent decades, a wide variety of studies and assessment reports has portrayed a stark picture of humanity’s detrimental impacts on our planet’s life and environmental health. Climate change is at the heart of many of these impacts. This cannot be allowed to continue, given the relentless human population growth and ever-expanding energy and resource consumption. We have but one planet, and its ecosystem services are essential to our survival. As Rebalancing Our Climate reports, the doomsday scenario can still be averted; humanity stands at a crossroads where it must take the route of sustainable behavior. Decisive action can still make a significant difference to climate change. This is humanity’s greatest challenge. To have any chance of success, however, the time to act can be delayed no longer. Instead, it is right now: today is the future. This book documents a wealth of ways to adjust the trajectory of climate change. It outlines measures to drive massive reductions of greenhouse gas emissions, to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and to reflect part of the incoming energy from the Sun. For all measures, the book evaluates both advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it discusses the need to protect ourselves from impacts that have become inevitable already and looks at how society may be driven to get the job done. In short, this book provides powerful facts and arguments to support informed choices.


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