The Perceived Value of a Universal Early Learning Program: A Parent Perspective

Pan-Canadian efforts to support universal access to quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) for families are underway. Focusing on a universally available ECEC program in Nova Scotia, this study explored the impact of the perceived value of this publicly funded ECEC program on parental decisions for enrollment. A thematic analysis of data from focus groups and interviews (n = 42 families represented) from two separate, but related studies, revealed themes (Ease of access, Communication, Supporting familiarity with school and Early learning) which provide insight on the value that parents place on a universal ECEC program and may help to inform other jurisdictions.

Strategic low-cost energy investment opportunities and challenges towards achieving universal access (SDG7) in each African nation

Strategic energy planning to achieve universal access and cover the future energy needs in each African nation is essential to lead to effective, sustainable energy decisions to formulate mitigation and adaptation climate change policy measures. Africa can not afford a cost-increasing green energy transition pathway towards achieving SDG7. In this analysis, least-cost power generation investment options using energy systems analysis enhanced with geospatial data for each African nation are identified, considering different levels of electricity consumption per capita (Low, High) and costs of renewables (New Policies, Renewable Deployment scenarios). The power generation capacity needs to increase between 211GW (NPLs) and 302GW (RDHs) during 2021-2030 to achieve SDG7 in Africa, leading to electricity generation to rise between 6,221PJ (NPLs) - 7,527PJ (NPHs) by 2030. Higher electricity consumption levels lead to higher penetration of fossil fuel technologies in the power mix of Africa. To achieve the same electricity demand levels, decreasing renewables' costs can assist in a less carbon-intensive power system, although higher capacity is needed. However, Africa is still hard to achieve its green revolution. Depending on the scenario, grid-connected technologies are estimated to supply approximately 85%-90% of the total electricity generated in Africa in 2030, mini-grid technologies roughly 1%-6%, and stand-alone technologies 8%-11%. Solar off-grid and solar hybrid mini-grid technologies play an essential role in electrifying the current un-electrified settlements in residential areas. Natural gas will be the dominant fossil fuel source by 2030, while the decreasing costs of renewables make solar overtake hydropower. Higher penetration of renewable energy sources in the energy mix creates local jobs and increases cost-efficiency. Approximately 6.9 million (NPLs) to 9.6 million (RDHs) direct jobs can be created in Africa by expanding the power sector during 2020-2030 across the supply chain. Increasing the electricity consumption levels in Africa leads to higher total system costs, but it is estimated to create more jobs that can ensure political and societal stability. Also, the decreasing costs of renewables could further increase the penetration of renewables in the energy mix, leading to a higher number of jobs.

Health professionals’ experiences of and attitudes towards mental healthcare for migrants and refugees in Europe: A qualitative systematic review

Migrants living in Europe constitute over half of the world's international migrants and are at higher risk of poor mental health than non-migrants, yet also face more barriers in accessing and engaging with services. Furthermore, the quality of care received is shaped by the experiences and attitudes of health professionals. The aim of this review was to identify professionals’ attitudes towards migrants receiving mental healthcare and their perceptions of barriers and facilitators to service provision. Four electronic databases were searched, and 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. Using thematic synthesis, we identified three themes: 1) the management of multifaceted and complex challenges associated with the migrant status; 2) professionals’ emotional responses to working with migrants; and 3) delivering care in the context of cultural difference. Professionals employed multiple strategies to overcome challenges in providing care yet attitudes towards this patient group were polarized. Professionals described mental health issues as being inseparable from material and social disadvantage, highlighting a need for effective collaboration between health services and voluntary organizations, and partnerships with migrant communities. Specialist supervision, reflective practice, increased training for professionals, and the adoption of a person-centered approach are also needed to overcome the current challenges in meeting migrants’ needs. The challenges experienced by health professionals in attempting to meet migrant needs reflect frustrations in being part of a system with insufficient resources and without universal access to care that effectively stigmatizes the migrant status.

Knowledge of Family Planning and Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services by Immigrant Youth in Hillbrow, South Africa: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: For countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially SDG3.7- universal access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) care services including information and education for family planning, immigrant youth must be ensured access to SRH services. This study examines the determinants of knowledge about family planning (KFP) and access to SRH services by sexually active immigrant youth in Hillbrow, South Africa.Methods: This cross-sectional study of 467 immigrant youth aged 18-34 years used a multistage-sampling technique. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires on socio-demographic, migration, KFP and access to SRH services from government health facilities. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine levels of KFP and access to SRH services among 437 sexually active youth. Results: The main sources of information on SRH issues were radio/television (38.7%) and friends (22.8%). Over half of the respondents have adequate KFP, while two out of five indicated a lack of access to SRH services from government health facilities. In the adjusted models, the determinants of having KFP were being a female (AOR= 3.85, CI: 2.33–6.35, belonging to the age groups 25–29 years (AOR=2.13, CI: 1.12–4.04; and 30–34 years (AOR=3.88, CI: 2.00–7.53); belonging to the middle and rich wealth index (AOR=1.84, CI: 1.05–3.20) and (AOR=2.61 (1.34–5.08) respectively. Not having received information about family planning (AOR=0.16, CI=0.09–0.28) and not using a contraceptive at the time of the survey (AOR=0.36, CI: 0.18–0.70) were associated with reduced odds of KFP. The determinants of having access to government health facility for SRH services were being a female (AOR=2.95, CI: 1.87–4.65), being 30–34 years of age (AOR=1.91, CI: 1.08–3.39), and not having received information about family planning (AOR=0.44, CI=0.27–0.73). Conclusion: Majority of the survey respondents lack access to information about family and SRH services provided by government health facilities, which resulted in them depending on unreliable sources of information about SRH issues. There is a need to advocate for universal access to SRH services, inclusive of immigrant youth in South Africa, to curb negative SRH outcomes and to achieve SDG 3.7.

Inequities in Drinking Water Quality Among Domestic Well Communities and Community Water Systems, California, 2011‒2019

Objectives. To evaluate universal access to clean drinking water by characterizing relationships between community sociodemographics and water contaminants in California domestic well areas (DWAs) and community water systems (CWSs). Methods. We integrated domestic well locations, CWS service boundaries, residential parcels, building footprints, and 2013–2017 American Community Survey data to estimate sociodemographic characteristics for DWAs and CWSs statewide. We derived mean drinking and groundwater contaminant concentrations of arsenic, nitrate, and hexavalent chromium (Cr[VI]) between 2011 and 2019 and used multivariate models to estimate relationships between sociodemographic variables and contaminant concentrations. Results. We estimated that more than 1.3 million Californians (3.4%) use domestic wells and more than 370 000 Californians rely on drinking water with average contaminant concentrations at or above regulatory standards for 1 or more of the contaminants considered. Higher proportions of people of color were associated with greater drinking water contamination. Conclusions. Poor water quality disproportionately impacts communities of color in California, with the highest estimated arsenic, nitrate, and Cr(VI) concentrations in areas of domestic well use. Domestic well communities must be included in efforts to achieve California’s Human Right to Water. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(1):88–97. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306561 )

Hierarchies and Universal Inclusion in Scientific Communities

This chapter explains the genesis of inequalities and hierarchies in modern science. It studies the forms and mechanisms of scientific communication on the basis of which the social structures of science are built: publications, authorship, co- and multiple authorship, citations as units of information and as social rewards, peer review as evaluation of publications (and of projects and careers). This is a network of institutions that seems to guarantee universal access to participation in science to all those who fulfill basic conditions. But the chapter demonstrates how in all these institutional dimensions differences arise between successful and not equally successful participations. Success generates influence and social attractiveness (e.g. as a co-author). Influential and attractive participants are recruited into positions where they assess the achievements of others and thereby limit and control inclusion in publications, funding and careers. Equality at the start is transformed into hierarchies of control. Finally, the chapter asks for potential alternative control structures that transform a conservative hierarchy into decentralized ‘market’ controls that involve everyone in a more dynamic production and evaluation of scientific achievements.

POTENCIALIDADES DA INTERAÇÃO HUMANO-COMPUTADOR NA REALIDADE TECNOLÓGICA DO PARÁ = HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION POTENTIALITIES IN PARÁ TECHNOLOGICAL REALITY

Análise, a partir de revisão de literatura em fontes secundárias, sobre as principais tendências que permeiam os estudos em interação humano-computador, com foco na realidade tecnológica no Pará. A pesquisa baseou-se em levantamento bibliográfico a partir de repositórios científicos digitais, sendo utilizados os verbetes interação humano-computador e Pará. O trabalho localizou duas principais vertentes de análise: inserção tecnológica em instituições de ensino no estado, e nos projetos e programas tecnológicos implantados no Pará a partir dos anos 2000. Percebeu-se, em ambas as vertentes, considerável ênfase em características ligadas a acessibilidade e acesso universal da informação, e de muitos dos projetos mostrarem informações preliminares ou indicarem descontinuidade. A pesquisa conclui que o estado do Pará, a partir dessas iniciativas, possui promissor campo de análise ligada à interação humano-computador, a partir de considerável espectro de programas de inserção computacional e informacional na região.AbstractThis study analyses the evolution and principal tendencies of research linked tohuman-computer interaction in technological reality of Pará. Data collection wasconducted in scientific repositories, using the terms Human-computer interaction and Pará. The research results in the recognition of two main issues: technological insertion in teaching institutions and technological projects implanted in Pará since 2000. It was noticed, in both aspects, considerable emphasis in accessibility and universal access, and also perceived that these projects present discontinuity and only preliminary information. This research concludes that the state of Pará has a promising field of study related to human computer interaction, related to informational and computational insertion.

STATUS OF SANITATION FACILITIES AND ITS IMPACTS ON HEALTH IN MAINPURI CITY OF UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

Nearly 60 million people in urban areas lack access to improved sanitation arrangements, and more than two-thirds of wastewater is let out untreated into the environment, polluting land and water bodies. Urban sanitation in India faces many challenges. To respond to these environmental and public health challenges, urban India will need to address the full cycle of sanitation, i.e., universal access to toilets, with safe collection, conveyance and treatment of human excreta. There has been a significant increase in waste generation because of rapid population growth and economic development. Thus, waste management and sanitation became major environmental and health problem. In rainy season condition gets worse. This paper outlines these concerns, and highlights the need for focusing on access to water and the full cycle of sanitation for the urban poor, as fundamental to addressing the sanitation challenge. In this paper an attempt has been made to identify the sanitation related risk factors and its relationship with associated diseases in Mainpuri city. The study is based on primary sources of data collected through household surveys in Mainpuri city. Households belong to different income groups. The total sample size consists of 1836 households. The result showed that the sanitation condition and associated diseases or living standards and health conditions are related to each other. In this paper typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, etc. diseases were observed. The lower income group households are most vulnerable. They suffer most because of their poor sanitation conditions.

Efficacy and Usefulness of an Independent Public Earthquake Early Warning System: A Case Study—The Earthquake Network Initiative in Peru

Public earthquake early warning (PEEW) systems are intended to reduce individual risk by warning people ahead of shaking and allowing them to take protective action. Yet very few studies have assessed their actual efficacy from a risk-reduction perspective. Moreover, according to these studies, a majority of people do not undertake safety actions when receiving the warning. The spectrum of PEEW systems has expanded, with a greater diversity of actors (from citizens to private companies), increased independence from national authorities, and greater internationality. Beyond differences in warning and messaging strategies, systems’ characteristics may impact the way the public perceive, trust, understand, and respond to these warnings, which in turn will influence PEEW systems’ efficacy and perceived usefulness, enhancing the need for additional research. We take the example of earthquake network, an independent, voluntary, community-based and free system that offers a PEEW service. Through a quantitative survey (n = 2625), we studied users’ perception and reaction to a warning sent related to an M 8.0 earthquake in Peru (where no national system existed). We observed that even though only a minority of users actually took protective action, the system was appreciated and perceived as useful by the majority because it enabled mental preparation before the shaking. We found evidence for a tolerance for perceived late, missed, and false alerts. However, because it is a voluntary and independent system, the social dimension of the warning was incomplete because only a fringe of the population benefited from the warning. Therefore, many users’ first reaction was to warn their relatives. We discuss the need for partnerships between PEEW operators and national authorities to guarantee universal access to the service and maximize PEEW system efficacy.