scholarly journals Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Resilience among Rural Farmers in a Drought-Affected Area of Trichy District, Tamil Nadu

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (02) ◽  
pp. 238-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Justine Viswanathan ◽  
Veerakumar A. M ◽  
Hemalatha Kumarasamy

ABSTRACTBackground: Changes in climatic conditions and other factors including trade and commerce have influenced agriculture worldwide. These factors have created a crisis among farmers. Objectives: The objective of this study was to find out the prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation, to measure the resilience, and to find out the factors that influence depression and resilience among farmers. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional analytical study was performed among farmers residing in a drought-affected area of Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu. The sample size was 191 and cluster sampling was used to select the participants. Structured, pretested questionnaires were used to find the prevalence of depression, suicidal ideation, and resilience among farmers. Pearson Correlation, Student’s t-test, analysis of variance, and Pearson Chi-square test were used to identify the factors influencing depression and resilience. Results: A total of 194 farmers participated in the study. The mean age of the farmers was 46.68 ± 12.6 years, majority 64% were males and 89% were literates. Among the participants, 97.4% had some form of depression, and 67% had severe depression. About 60% of the farmers had suicidal ideation. Male farmers, farmers with few years of farming experience, and severe reduction in yield had a higher level of depression. Suicidal ideation was influenced by gender, small-scale farming, fewer years of experience in farming, and the impact of drought on yield. The mean resilience score was 49.4 ± 10. Gender and years of experience in farming had a significant association with resilience. Conclusion: High prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation and low level of resilience has been observed among the farmers. Interventions need to be provided for marginal and small-scale farmers, male farmers in the affected area to reduce the impact of drought in these farmers.

1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Battaglia ◽  
JB Reid

The correlation between microsite and seedling numbers was determined in field sowings, and the impact of microsites on germination and seedling survival tested in artificial seedbeds in the glasshouse. Small scale variation in soil conditions, at the scale of tens of centimetres, markedly affected the germination and establishment of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T.Baker seeds and seedlings. Under conditions of limiting soil moisture, microsites that afforded protection, and probably resulted in increased humidity, caused a marked increase in germination number and rate. The mean survival time was significantly higher on these protected microsites than on less protected microsites, or on microsites that restricted root penetration. The importance of this variability in microtopography was strongly influenced by season and the level of environmental stress, and was diminished as seedlings aged. Due to the different requirements for seed germination and seedling growth, a favourable microsite for germination was not necessarily a favourable site for seedling survival. A comparison of seed and seedling responses to water stress indicated that for E. delegatensis, at least, selection due to microsite differences at the time of germination may not have an impact on the developmental characteristics of the seedlings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Terefa Adunya ◽  
Fedhasa Chalchisa Benti

<p>Increasing temperature and altered precipitation patterns lead to the extreme weather events such as drought and flood, which severely affects the agricultural production. This study was aimed to assess the impact of climate change-induced agricultural drought on four cereal crops in Bako Tibe District. Time-series climate and crop yield data, recorded from 1989 to 2018, were acquired from NASA’s data portal and Bako Research Institute. The changes in temperature and precipitation were analyzed using Mann Kendall trend test. The agricultural drought index was analyzed using R-software. The correlation between the selected yield crops and drought indices were evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient. The results show that trends of seasonal and annual maximum and minimum temperatures were significantly increased (P&lt;0.05). However, seasonal and annual precipitations were insignificantly decreased (P&gt;0.05). Moderate to severe agricultural drought intensities happened four times in the last three decades. These drought spells spatially covered about 36% of the total area of the district. Crop yields and drought indices were significantly correlated at p-values; 0.0034, 0.043, 0.003 and 0.001 for teff, wheat, barley and maize, respectively. The coefficient of determination (R2) values of crop yields were 28.3%, 30.9%, 28.5% and 34.6% for teff, wheat, barley and maize, correspondingly. The study clearly suggests that the increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation enhanced the frequency and intensity of drought events and these impacted the selected crop yields during the past three decades. The map-based results could be used as guides for governmental and non-governmental organizations concerning on drought impact mitigation activities in the district by encouraging farmers to adopt appropriate agricultural technologies, drought tolerant crop varieties and small scale irrigation.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
Ramamani D. ◽  
Iyanar Kannan

Background: The Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) is useful to screen and monitor the severity of asthma in children. Many studies have documented that age, height and weight are some of the main factors that affect the PEFR. Thus, the present study was done to find the PEFR values among the school children and to find the factors that influences the PEFR values in our geographical area.Methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted in school children belong the rural area of Kancheepuram district, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 378 students of both the gender at the age group of 5-10 years were selected for the study. The PEFR was measured by making the participant seated comfortably. One peak flow meter was used for 25 children and mouthpiece was changed for each student.Results: The PEFR value among and male and female participants was analyzed statistically (Table 2). The mean value of male and female study population was 169.53±37.38 and 146.24±33.01 respectively. The difference in the mean values were statistically significant (p=0.001) and found to be high in male participants. The Pearson correlation r between PEFR with height is 0.463, thus showing a positive correlation with the p˂0.001 which is statistically significant. The Pearson correlation r between PEFR and chest circumference is 0.335 thus indicating a positive correlation between PEFR and chest circumference.Conclusions: From the present study, the normal values of PEFR has been deduced for the healthy school children in our geographical area. Further, it was found that the height and chest circumference are influencing factors for PEFR. Further regression equation has been derived that can help us to find the approximate PEFR values with the help of height and chest circumference of the children.


Author(s):  
Mohammad Hossein Sorbi ◽  
Ali Issazadegan ◽  
Esmaiel Soleimani ◽  
Hamid Mirhosseini

Introduction: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological-motor disorder in which most patients tend to shake their legs during sleep and describe it as an unpleasant feeling. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of RLS, its relationship with demographic characteristics, depression, and insomnia and comparison of the mentioned variables in the group with and without RLS.  Methods: This was a case-control analytic study. The sample consisted of 429 adults aged 17-70 years who had referred all the psychiatric and neurological clinics of Yazd (center of Iran) in 2019. Participants were selected by cluster sampling method. Research tools included a demographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and an International Restless Legs Syndrome Questionnaire (IRLSQ). The data were analyzed by SPSS-21, chi-square, Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, and linear regression. Significant level was considered 0.05. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the age of participants was 34.43± 10.82. Furthermore, the mean and standard deviation of the age group with RLS was 36.07± 10.95 while in group without RLS was 33.92± 10.75. Prevalence of RLS in adults was 23.5% (n= 101), in women was 32% (n= 66) and in men was 28.7% (n= 35). The t-test showed patients with RLS had a higher degree of depression and insomnia than those without RLS (p<0.05). Multiple linear regression also showed that insomnia (β= 0.36), age (β= 0.13), and depression (β= 0.15) had a significant effect on RLS score.  Conclusion: The prevalence of RLS among adults in Yazd is high. Severe insomnia, depressed mood, and aging are considered as important factors in predicting this disease. According to what was mentioned early detection, prevention, and treatment of this disorder in adults is necessary.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Zinat Ghaedi ◽  
Abdolali Keshtegar ◽  
Mohammad Ghasemi

<p>The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of knowledge management on success of customer relationship<br />management: mediating impacts of organizational factors (staffs, leadership, organizational structure) in capital<br />bank by descriptive-correlation method. Accordingly, to measure knowledge management, the Fang and Choai<br />(2009) questionnaire was applied, to evaluate organizational variables (staffs, leadership, organizational<br />structure), Greve &amp; Albers (2006) questionnaire was used and to assess technology of customer relationship<br />management, Chang et al (2006) questionnaire was employed and regarding success of customer relationship<br />management, Bang (2005) and Chen and Chung (2004) questionnaires were used. The population of this study<br />included all staffs of capital bank in Tehran city that were 642 staffs which based on Cochran formula, 240 staffs<br />were selected by cluster sampling. To analyze data, Pearson correlation test and structural equation model were<br />employed by using SPSS and AMOS software. The obtained results of this study indicated that the knowledge<br />management affected significantly on organizational factors (staffs, leadership, organizational structure).<br />Furthermore, the technology of interaction management affected significantly on success of customer<br />relationship management and also technology of customer relationship management influenced significantly on<br />organizational factors (staffs, leadership, organizational structure). Organizational factors (staffs, leadership,<br />organizational structure) affected significantly on success of customer relationship management. The findings of<br />this study showed that the knowledge management did not affect significantly on success of customer<br />relationship management. Technology of customer relationship management by mediating variable of<br />organizational factors did not affect significantly on success of customer relationship management.</p>


2005 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 2555-2567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Knyazikhin ◽  
R. B. Myneni ◽  
A. Marshak ◽  
W. J. Wiscombe ◽  
M. L. Larsen ◽  
...  

Abstract Most cloud radiation models and conventional data processing techniques assume that the mean number of drops of a given radius is proportional to volume. The analysis of microphysical data on liquid water drop sizes shows that, for sufficiently small volumes, this proportionality breaks down; the number of cloud drops of a given radius is instead proportional to the volume raised to a drop size–dependent nonunit power. The coefficient of proportionality, a generalized drop concentration, is a function of the drop size. For abundant small drops the power is unity as assumed in the conventional approach. However, for rarer large drops, it falls increasingly below unity. This empirical fact leads to drop clustering, with the larger drops exhibiting a greater degree of clustering. The generalized drop concentration shows the mean number of drops per cluster, while the power characterizes the occurrence frequency of clusters. With a fixed total number of drops in a cloud, a decrease in frequency of clusters is accompanied by a corresponding increase in the generalized concentration. This initiates a competing process missed in the conventional models: an increase in the number of drops per cluster enhances the impact of rarer large drops on cloud radiation while a decrease in the frequency suppresses it. Because of the nonlinear relationship between the number of clustered drops and the volume, these two opposite tendencies do not necessarily compensate each other. The data analysis suggests that clustered drops likely have a stronger radiative impact compared to their unclustered counterpart; ignoring it results in underestimation of the contribution from large drops to cloud horizontal optical path.


Author(s):  
Md Ekbal Hussain Khadim ◽  
Soma Roy Dey Choudhury

It is well-recognised that micro and small enterprises (MSEs) are acting as specialist and soul of economic growth in India as well as in the world. MSEs are lifeblood of most economies and play a dominant role in the economic development of a country. Research on micro and small business development has shown that the rate of failure in developing countries is higher than in the developed world (Arinaitwe, 2006). The past studies indicate that three out of five businesses fail within the first few months of operation. A study by Peacock (1987) found that the lack of accounting records have led to the failure of these enterprises. This research study investigated the impact of record keeping on the growth of MSEs in the Cachar district of Assam. The objectives of the study were to analyse the relationship between record keeping practice and the growth of MSEs in the study area and to identify the status of record keeping in MSEs in the study area. To achieve these objectives, a sample of 93 entrepreneurs were selected from the targeted population. Primary data were collected by means of structured questionnaire. For data analysis, the study used descriptive statistics, and ‘Pearson’ correlation was used to establish the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. The finding of the study shows that there is a significance positive strong relationship between record keeping practice and growth of the MSEs in the study area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (10) ◽  
pp. e9.2-e9
Author(s):  
Nicholas Groom ◽  
Sarah Taylor ◽  
Ed England ◽  
Helen Pocock ◽  
Charles D Deakin

BackgroundThere is a lack of data relating to frequency and presentation of anaphylaxis to the ambulance service in England. Little research exists relating to the patients’ self-treatment of anaphylaxis and there is an absence of evidence to evaluate the impact of self-administered adrenaline, there is a need to describe this patient group to evaluate any potential to develop their care.MethodsRetrospective data were collected from the electronic patient records of a single NHS ambulance service serving a population of approximately four million. Records between 1stApril 2017 and 31st March 2018 were included where a diagnosis of anaphylaxis was recorded. Gender, age, incident location, allergy history, were summarised to identify any trends in presentation. The frequency of patient self-administration, as well as ambulance administration, of adrenaline was also included for analysis to determine any correlation.Results326 records were included in the analysis. The mean, median and modal patient ages were 34, 29 and 20 respectively. Patient ages ranged from six months to 95 years. Patients were 65% female, 35% male and 59% of incidents occurred at home. 76% of patients reported having a known allergy with food being the most common allergen (44%). Peak times for calling 999 were midday and 6pm. 35% of patients had self-administered adrenaline. 52% received ambulance-administered adrenaline. The doses of self-administered adrenaline ranged from 0–3 doses and ambulance administered adrenaline ranged from 0–8 doses. Patients who self-administered adrenaline were less likely to receive further adrenaline from the ambulance service. No correlation was found between the number of self-administered doses and ambulance administered doses.ConclusionPatient demographics such as age, gender and allergies were consistent with two previous small-scale studies. This study suggests that early self-administration of adrenaline is beneficial. Opportunities for improvements in data recording as well as patient education were identified.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-79
Author(s):  
K. Jeevika ◽  
S. Pragadeesh ◽  
A. Mohamed Haroon

To assess the impact of nutrient ratios N/P, N/K and N/S on sugarcane productivity, a survey was conducted during its grand growth stage (October, November and December) influenced by various yield levels based on soil quality zones in Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India. The leaf samples were collected from cane yielding zones of the district was classified into three categories viz., low yielding (less than 75 t ha-1), medium (75 to 100 t ha-1) and high yielding (more than 100 t ha-1). Computation of nutrient ratios for sugarcane at its grand growth stage implied that the mean N/P, N/K and N/S ratios 8.31, 1.60 and 15.0 respectively in the third leaf of sugarcane in the high yielding zone resulted in maximum cane yields compared to relatively higher ratios in the top dewlap leaves from soils of low soil quality category which indicates that maintenance of high quality in sugarcane soils influences crop nutrient uptake, optimum nutrient ratios, the yield and quality of sugarcane.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 1471-1522
Author(s):  
J. Struzewska ◽  
M. Zdunek ◽  
J. W. Kaminski ◽  
L. Lobocki ◽  
M. Porebska ◽  
...  

Abstract. In the scope of the AQMEII Phase 1 project the GEM-AQ model was run over Europe for the year 2006. The modelling domain was defined using a global variable resolution grid with a rotated equator and uniform resolution of 0.2° × 0.2° over the European continent. Spatial distribution and temporal variability of the GEM-AQ model results were analysed for surface ozone and PM10 concentrations. Model results were compared with measurements available in the ENSEMBLE database. Statistical measures were used to evaluate performance of the GEM-AQ model. The mean bias error, the mean absolute gross error and the Pearson correlation coefficient were calculated for the maximum 8 h running average ozone concentrations and daily mean PM10 concentrations. The GEM-AQ model performance was characterised for station types, European climatic regions, and seasons. The best performance for ozone was obtained at suburban stations and the worst performance was obtained for rural stations where the model tends to underestimate. The best results for PM10 were calculated for urban stations, while over most of Europe concentrations at rural sites were too high. Discrepancies between modelled and observed concentrations were discussed in the context of emission data uncertainty as well as the impact of large scale dynamics and circulation of air masses. Presented analyses suggest that interpretation of modelling results is enhanced when regional climate characteristics are ta ken into consideration.


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