The Forgotten Many

Limited economic resources and geographic challenges can lead rural schools in areas experiencing poverty to deprioritize gifted education. However, for the wellbeing of individual students and their communities, investing in quality rural gifted education is crucial. In this chapter, the authors discuss some of the challenges to providing equitable gifted programming to students in rural areas and present approaches to meeting those challenges (e.g., cluster grouping, mentoring). They then describe a large-scale federally-funded research project, Promoting PLACE in Rural Schools, which demonstrated methods districts can use to bolster gifted education programming. With 14 rural districts in high-poverty areas of the southeastern United States, researchers worked with teachers and school leaders to establish universal screening processes for identifying giftedness using local norms, to teach students the value of a growth mindset in reducing stereotype threat, and to train teachers on using a place-based curriculum to provide more impactful language arts instruction to gifted rural students.

The Notion of Continuing Education in Local Education Reports in Germany—An Analysis of Regional Disparities in Topics, Data, and Governance Recommendations

In Germany: continuing education (CE) is, to a large extent, controlled by municipalities (“Kommunen”). Municipalities have published an increasing number of education reports in recent years. These are intended as steering instruments for local education policy. Given that municipalities and the districts they represent differ in their structures, different challenges and opportunities associated with CE emerge. So far, it remains unclear which aspects of CE are considered by different types of municipalities in their reports and which steering potentials are seen. Based on a content analysis, we present findings on reported topics of CE, the extent of data usage, and derived recommendations for local governance. We separated four district types, showing different degrees of the dimension urban–rural. Although cities published education reports more frequently, rural districts were more likely to address CE issues. However, they had less data available, resulting in a lower range of topics and narrow overall opportunities for addressing CE. Therefore, improvement of data and accessibility of data are important to enhance the monitoring and governance of CE in municipalities. Regarding the reviewed recommendations, clear differences between district types emerged. For instance, expanding offers of CE for immigrants was mainly an issue of large cities, whereas rural districts emphasized the spatial and digital accessibility of offerings.

Helping new teachers stay and thrive in rural schools

Among the many challenges facing rural administrators, recruiting and retaining teachers is often at the top of the list. Given the time and energy they must invest to successfully attract, recruit, and hire a new teacher, there is a significant need to adopt strategies that will help to retain those new teachers. Rural administrators can support new teachers so that they stay — and thrive — in rural districts by connecting teachers with the community, supporting place-based practices in the classroom, and helping new teachers build relationships both in and out of school.

Unprecedented rainfall over Bangalore city during October, 2005

The Central Observatory of India Meteorological Department (IMD) at Palace Road, Bangalore reported a record highest monthly rainfall of 604 mm during October, 2005. It was the highest ever monthly rainfall recorded over Bangalore city. However, the surrounding stations in Bangalore district recorded less rainfall. To find out the physical processes leading to this rainfall, the characteristics of rainfall over different stations in Bangalore urban and rural districts during October, 2005 and associated synoptic and thermodynamic features during the month are analysed. The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect and role of pollution parameters and their relationship with this rainfall have also been analysed. This study can be utilized in better understanding of the impact of urbanization and pollution on rainfall, especially heavy rainfall. It can also help in predicting the heavy rainfall events over the urban centres. The study endorses the earlier finding that the UHI effect leads to moisture convergence and pollutants may work as hygroscopic nuclei over the region to enhance rainfall near the urban centre.

A Comprehensive Investigation on Potential Risk Factors for NSCL/P in a Rural District of Hebei Province, China

Non syndromic cleft lip with or without palate (NSCL/P), one of the most common birth defects, is closely related to various risk factors. However, information regarding risk factors for NSCL/P in rural districts in China is very limited thus far. The objective of this study was designed to identify the potential risk factors for NSCL/P in rural districts. A comprehensive retrospective investigation including 435 NSCL/P patients and 402 healthy children was carried out in Hebei Province, China. Multiple logistic regression analysis and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) were respectively used to identify non-genetic and genetic risk factors for NSCL/P, and then PLINK was used to explore the relationship between non-genetic and genetic risk factors. The results showed that maternal periconceptional exposure to pesticides and herbicides, as well as low parental education level were involved in the increased risk of NSCL/P, whereas maternal folic acid and multivitamin supplementation use during preconception period were associated with the reduced risk of NSCL/P. TDT analysis identified 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs7078160 and rs4752028) in VAX1 and one SNP (rs17563) in BMP4 as the genetic risk factors for NSCL/P. Further analysis showed that the genetic risk factors were closely related with the negative non-genetic risk factors. Our study identified the potential risk factors for NSCL/P in rural districts, thus providing a theoretical basis for the prevention of NSCL/P occurrence.

High Burden of Hypertension Among Adult Population in Rural Districts of Northwest Ethiopia: a Call for Community Based Intervention

Background: Estimating prevalence and identifying risk factors of hypertension are paramount important to develop strategies to prevent hypertensive disease. Although, hypertension is a major public health problem in Ethiopia, there is scarcity of evidence in rural areas of the country. Hence, this study is aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension among adult population in rural districts of northwest Ethiopia.Methods: Community based cross sectional study was conducted from June to October, 2020. Multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select 1177 study participants. A face to face interview was conducted using an adapted version of the WHO STEPwise approach questionnaire. The blood pressure was measured three times using aneroid sphygmomanometer and the mean of the last two readings were used for the analysis. Data were entered using Epidata and analyzed using STAT-14. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with hypertension.Results: Of the total participants, 218(18.5%) were found to be hypertensive. The prevalence of hypertension consistently increased with age. Hypertension was positively and significantly associated with female sex ((adjusted odd ratio (AOR)=2.30, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.45)), age group 45-54 years (AOR=4.63, 95% CI: 1.01, 21.37), 55-64 years (AOR=14.40, 95% CI: 3.07, 67.63), ³65 years (AOR=19.37, 95% CI: 4.03, 93.09), having history of alcohol consumption (AOR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.17, 9.02), used much amount of salt (AOR=2.37, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.60), used too much amount of salt (AOR=3.78, 95% CI: 1.85, 7.72), sleeping for a short duration (AOR=2.05, 95%CI: 1.30, 3.24), and having Family history of hypertension (AOR=2.12, 95% CI; 1.32, 3.39). Conclusions: Hypertension was significantly high among the rural population we studied and is emerging as a public health problem in rural areas. Female sex, older age, ever used alcohol, used much and too much amount of salt, inadequate sleep, and family history of hypertension were factors positively and significantly associated with hypertension. We recommend local health authorities integrate promotion of hypertension health education, lifestyle modification intervention on salt and alcohol reduction, and hypertension detection particularly for female and elderly population at health post level to avert the problem.

Barriers to Access of Healthcare Services for Rural Women—Applying Gender Lens on TB in a Rural District of Sindh, Pakistan

Background: Women in the rural districts of Pakistan face numerous barriers to healthcare, rendering gender-responsive health programming important, including for the disease of tuberculosis (TB). This study was conducted to assess the general understanding of TB and for women’s access to healthcare, as a first step towards implementation of a gender responsive TB program in Tando Allahyar, a rural district of Pakistan. Methods: A total of 36 participants were interviewed for the study. The focus group discussion guide comprised of questions on: (1) family/household dynamics, (2) community norms, (3) healthcare systems, (4) women’s access to healthcare, (5) TB Awareness, and (6) women’s access to TB Care. Results: Limited autonomy in household financial decision-making, disapproval of unassisted travel, long travel time, lack of prioritization of spending on women’s health and inadequate presence of female health providers, were identified as barriers to access healthcare for women, which is even higher in younger women. Facilitators to access of TB care included a reported lack of TB-related stigma, moderate knowledge about TB disease, and broad understanding of tuberculosis as a curable disease. Other suggested facilitators include health facilities closer to the villages and the availability of higher quality services. Conclusion: Significant barriers are faced by women in accessing TB care in rural districts of Pakistan. Program implementers in high burden countries should shift towards improved gender-responsive TB programming.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of melioidosis caused by gentamicin-susceptible Burkholderia pseudomallei in Sarawak, Malaysia

Background Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis, is intrinsically resistant to a broad range of antibiotics, including aminoglycosides. In Sarawak, Malaysia, a high proportion of melioidosis cases are caused by gentamicin-susceptible isolates. There are limited epidemiological and clinical data on these infections. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of culture-confirmed melioidosis among adults admitted to Bintulu Hospital in Sarawak, Malaysia, from January 2011 until December 2016. Results One-hundred and forty-eight adults with culture-confirmed melioidosis were identified. Of 129 (87%) tested, 84 (65%) had gentamicin-susceptible B. pseudomallei. The average annual incidence of melioidosis was 12·3 per 100,000 population, with marked variation between districts ranging from 5·8-29·3 per 100,000 population. Rural districts had higher incidences of melioidosis and overwhelmingly larger proportions of gentamicin-susceptible B. pseudomallei infection. Significantly more patients with gentamicin-susceptible infection had no identified risk factors, with diabetes less frequently present in this group. Ninety-eight percent had acute presentations. Pneumonia, reported in 71%, was the most common presentation. Splenic abscesses were found in 54% of those imaged. Bacteremia was present in 88%; septic shock occurred in 47%. Forty-five (35%) patients died. No differences in clinical, laboratory, or outcome characteristics were noted between gentamicin-susceptible and gentamicin-resistant infections. Conclusions Gentamicin-susceptible B. pseudomallei infections are common in Sarawak and dominate in the high incidence rural interior regions. Clinical manifestations and outcomes are the same as for gentamicin-resistant B. pseudomallei infections. Further studies are required to determine if all gentamicin-susceptible B. pseudomallei in Sarawak are clonal and to ascertain their environmental drivers and niches.