scholarly journals Bias in the perceived prevalence of open defecation: evidence from Bihar, India

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinyi Kuang ◽  
Erik Thulin ◽  
Sania Ashraf ◽  
Alex Shpenev ◽  
Upasak Das ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Open Defecation ◽  
Behavior Change Interventions ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
False Consensus ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Consensus Bias ◽  
Actual Prevalence

People often form perceptions about how prevalent a behavior is in a social group. However, these perceptions can be inaccurate and biased. While persistent undesirable practices in low-income countries have drawn global attention, evidence regarding people’s perception of how prevalent these practices are is scarce. Among those harmful practices, open defecation in India remains a significant public health concern, where it perpetuates the vicious cycle of disease and poverty. In this study, we focus on measuring the perceived prevalence of open defecation among respondents in Bihar, India. We examined the bias in perceived prevalence, which is defined as a pattern of deviation from the actual prevalence of open defecation. Results showed that respondents who defecate in the open overestimate the prevalence of open defecation, whereas those who consistently use toilets underestimate it. This finding suggests a false consensus bias in the perceived prevalence of open defecation. Scholars, policymakers, and program implementers who seek to correct misperceptions about open defecation by broadcasting real prevalence should be aware of biases in the perceived prevalence and address them in behavior change interventions.

scholarly journals Will Households Invest in Safe Sanitation? Results from an Experimental Demand Trial in Nakuru, Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4462
Author(s):  
Rachel Peletz ◽  
Caroline Delaire ◽  
Joan Kones ◽  
Clara MacLeod ◽  
Edinah Samuel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Market Prices ◽  
Price Point ◽  
Improved Sanitation ◽  
Sanitation Infrastructure ◽  
The City ◽  
Experimental Demand

Unsafe sanitation is an increasing public health concern for rapidly expanding cities in low-income countries. Understanding household demand for improved sanitation infrastructure is critical for planning effective sanitation investments. In this study, we compared the stated and revealed willingness to pay (WTP) for high-quality, pour-flush latrines among households in low-income areas in the city of Nakuru, Kenya. We found that stated WTP for high-quality, pour-flush latrines was much lower than market prices: less than 5% of households were willing to pay the full costs, which we estimated between 87,100–82,900 Kenyan Shillings (KES), or 871–829 USD. In addition, we found large discrepancies between stated and revealed WTP. For example, 90% of households stated that they would be willing to pay a discounted amount of 10,000 KES (100 USD) for a high-quality, pour-flush latrine, but only 10% of households redeemed vouchers at this price point (paid via six installment payments). Households reported that financial constraints (i.e., lack of cash, other spending priorities) were the main barriers to voucher redemption, even at highly discounted prices. Our results emphasize the importance of financial interventions that address the sizable gaps between the costs of sanitation products and customer demand among low-income populations.

scholarly journals Association of Living Arrangement Conditions and Socioeconomic Differentials with Anemia Status among Women in Rural Bangladesh

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghose Bishwajit ◽  
Sanni Yaya ◽  
Shangfeng Tang ◽  
Akmal Hossain ◽  
Yang Fan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Adult Women ◽  
Household Characteristics ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Health Survey Data ◽  
Socioeconomic Differentials

In Bangladesh, iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia and remains a significant public health concern. Being a high anemia prevalent country, numerous efforts have been made to confront the issue especially among women and children by both local and international actors. Though the situation has substantially improved in recent years, a staggering number of adult women are currently living with anemia. The etiology of anemia is a multifactorial problem and has been proposed to be associated with various household, societal, economic, cultural factors apart from dietary habits. However, evidence regarding the household arrangements and socioeconomic determinants of anemia is scarce, especially in the context of Bangladesh. To this end, we utilized the 2011 demographic and health survey data to explore the association between anemia status and selected demographic, socioeconomic, and household characteristics. Our result showed significant correlation of anemia with both sociodemographic and household characteristics. Among the sociodemographic variables the following were found to be significantly associated with anemia status: age (p=0.014; OR = 1.195; 95% CI = 1.036–1.378) and microcredit membership (p=0.014; OR = 1.19; 95% CI = 1.037–1.386). Regarding the household arrangements, women utilizing biomass fuel for cooking (p<0.019; OR = 1.82; 95% CI = 0.981–2.460) were more likely to be anemic.

scholarly journals Medication Errors: Scope and prevention strategies

2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Brunetti ◽  
Dong-Churl Suh
Keyword(s):  
Medication Error ◽  
Medication Errors ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Error Prevention ◽  
Integration Of Technology ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Safety Systems ◽  
Improve Patient

Background: Medication errors are a significant public health concern.  Although significant advances have been made, errors are still relatively common and represent an opportunity for healthcare improvement.Methodology/Principal Findings: Since the publication of To Err is Human, medication errors have been under tremendous scrutiny.  Organizations have moved towards a non-punitive approach to evaluating errors.  This approach to medication errors has aided in identifying common pathways to medication errors and improving understanding regarding the anatomy of a medication error.  As a result, prevention strategies have been developed to target common themes contributing to errors.  Error prevention strategies may target common contributors of medication errors, broadly grouped as performance lapses, lack of knowledge, and lack or failure of safety systems.  Strategies to thwart medication errors range from process improvement to integration of technology in the health care environment.Conclusions/Significance:  Organizations should devote resources to address medication error prevention strategies in an effort to improve patient outcomes and decrease morbidity and mortality associated with medication errors.

scholarly journals Internet Mindfulness Meditation Intervention (IMMI) Program with iMINDr Application Support for Older Adults with Depression Symptoms: A Feasibility Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 06 (04) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Lutvija Hrnjic ◽  
◽  
Nina Fry ◽  
Helané Wahbeh ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Mindfulness Meditation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Potential Applications

The growing population of older adults with depression is a significant public health concern, and effective treatments are necessary. Mindfulness meditation intervention offers effective treatment for depression, but little research has been conducted on the older population. This study aimed to evaluate if the combination of the Internet Mindfulness Meditation Intervention (IMMI) plus iMINDr application improves well-being in older adults with depressive symptoms. Potential participants were recruited online. IMMI included a one-hour online session once a week, a daily 30-minute home practice of guided meditation using the iMINDr app, and a workbook. Measures were collected online before and after the six-week intervention period. Online session adherence was tracked. Thirty-eight participants completed all study requirements and are included in the analysis. Participants showed clinically and statistically significant improvements in depression symptoms, well-being, positive and negative affect, sleep quality, and pain intensity. Participants took 9.9 ± 3.5 weeks to complete the course. High attrition rates mainly were related to participants' motivation to complete the course and stress levels. There were no significant demographic differences between participants and depression symptoms. Potential applications and limitations are discussed. Internet Mindfulness Meditation Intervention (IMMI) was effective in treating depression symptoms in older adults.

scholarly journals Combating the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of the First Wave From Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Buddha Bahadur Basnet ◽  
Kiran Bishwakarma ◽  
Ramesh Raj Pant ◽  
Santosh Dhakal ◽  
Nashib Pandey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Status ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Hilly Region ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
The Government ◽  
High Level ◽  
Male To Female

Unprecedented and unforeseen highly infectious Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a significant public health concern for most of the countries worldwide, including Nepal, and it is spreading rapidly. Undoubtedly, every nation has taken maximum initiative measures to break the transmission chain of the virus. This review presents a retrospective analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal, analyzing the actions taken by the Government of Nepal (GoN) to inform future decisions. Data used in this article were extracted from relevant reports and websites of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) of Nepal and the WHO. As of January 22, 2021, the highest numbers of cases were reported in the megacity of the hilly region, Kathmandu district (population = 1,744,240), and Bagmati province. The cured and death rates of the disease among the tested population are ~98.00 and ~0.74%, respectively. Higher numbers of infected cases were observed in the age group 21–30, with an overall male to female death ratio of 2.33. With suggestions and recommendations from high-level coordination committees and experts, GoN has enacted several measures: promoting universal personal protection, physical distancing, localized lockdowns, travel restrictions, isolation, and selective quarantine. In addition, GoN formulated and distributed several guidelines/protocols for managing COVID-19 patients and vaccination programs. Despite robust preventive efforts by GoN, pandemic scenario in Nepal is, yet, to be controlled completely. This review could be helpful for the current and future effective outbreak preparedness, responses, and management of the pandemic situations and prepare necessary strategies, especially in countries with similar socio-cultural and economic status.

Advances in Management of Food Allergy in Children

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-128
Author(s):  
Fernanda Chiera ◽  
Lucia Caminiti ◽  
Giuseppe Crisafulli ◽  
Giovanni Battista Pajno
Keyword(s):  
Food Allergy ◽  
Adverse Reactions ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Oral Immunotherapy ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Herbal Supplements ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Life Threatening

Food allergy is a potentially life-threatening medical condition and a significant public health concern worldwide. The current management consists of strict avoidance of the culprit food and treating any adverse reactions from unintended food ingestion. The increasing prevalence of food allergy encouraged research and clinical trials in the field of specific allergen immunotherapy (AIT) which represents an appealing approach, especially in pediatric age. AIT consists of the gradual administration of growing amounts of the offending allergen in order to induce food desensitization, which is an increase in the threshold for reactivity while continuing on regular exposure to the allergen. AIT can be administered through oral, sublingual, epicutaneous, and subcutaneous routes. Reports on oral immunotherapy (OIT) thus far have been more extensive. The desirable goal is to achieve &quot;post desensitization effectiveness&quot;, that is the ability to introduce food without reaction even after a period of discontinuation of the offending food. Other therapeutic approaches are being studied alongside immunotherapy such as modified proteins, probiotics, Chinese herbal supplements, biologic therapies, and DNA vaccines.

Introduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Abramowitz ◽  
Dean McKay ◽  
Eric A. Storch
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Past Half Century ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Past Half

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was once considered a rare and untreatable condition. Over the past half-century, however, a dramatic surge in research has led not only to a clearer understanding of this problem but also to the realization that it is fairly common and impairing, afflicting up to about 3% of the population. When the prevalence and functional impairment are considered together with the anxiety and distress that individuals with this OCD experience, one recognizes that this condition represents a significant public health concern. With this in mind, the present volume focuses on advances and emerging clinical implications in the field of OCD and related disorders with respect to assessment, treatment, treatment augmentation, and basic science.

scholarly journals A Novel Phenotypic Method To Screen for Plasmid-Mediated Colistin Resistance among Enterobacteriales

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew T. Bell ◽  
Yehudit Bergman ◽  
Abida Q. Kazmi ◽  
Shawna Lewis ◽  
Pranita D. Tamma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Sensitivity And Specificity ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Colistin Resistance ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Phenotypic Method ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Clinical Pathogens

ABSTRACT Plasmid-mediated colistin resistance (PMCR), a consequence of the mcr genes, is a significant public health concern given its potential to easily spread among clinical pathogens. Recently, it was discovered that MCR enzymes require zinc for activity. Thus, we modified the colistin broth-disk elution (CBDE) test to screen for plasmid-mediated colistin resistance (PMCR) genes based on any reduction of colistin MIC in the presence of EDTA. Eighty-five isolates of the order Enterobacteriales (12 mcr positive) were tested by CBDE ± EDTA. The sensitivity and specificity of the EDTA-CBDE method to detect PMCR compared to the molecular genotype results were 100% and 95.8%, respectively. Isolates positive by the EDTA-CBDE test should be further evaluated to confirm the presence of mcr genes.

scholarly journals Nutrient Adequacy Is Low among Both Self-Declared Lacto-Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Pregnant Women in Uttar Pradesh

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2126
Author(s):  
Alexandra L. Bellows ◽  
Shivani Kachwaha ◽  
Sebanti Ghosh ◽  
Kristen Kappos ◽  
Jessica Escobar-Alegria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Food Environment ◽  
Uttar Pradesh ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Nutrient Adequacy ◽  
Dietary Preferences ◽  
Significant Public Health Concern ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Diet Recall ◽  
Adequate Nutrient

Poor dietary intake during pregnancy remains a significant public health concern, affecting the health of the mother and fetus. This study examines the adequacy of energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intakes among self-declared lacto-vegetarian and non-vegetarian pregnant women. We analyzed dietary data from 627 pregnant women in Uttar Pradesh, India, using a multiple-pass 24 h diet recall. Compared to non-vegetarians, lacto-vegetarians (~46%) were less likely to report excessive carbohydrate (78% vs. 63%) and inadequate fat intakes (70% vs. 52%). In unadjusted analyses, lacto-vegetarians had a slightly higher mean PA for micronutrients (20% vs. 17%), but these differences were no longer significant after controlling for caste, education, and other demographic characteristics. In both groups, the median intake of 9 out of 11 micronutrients was below the Estimated Average Requirement. In conclusion, the energy and micronutrient intakes were inadequate, and the macronutrient intakes were imbalanced, regardless of stated dietary preferences. Since diets are poor across the board, a range of policies and interventions that address the household food environment, nutrition counseling, behavior change, and supplementation are needed in order to achieve adequate nutrient intake for pregnant women in this population.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document