Biological and behavioural aspects of health and mortality

test 8 NOV

The main objective of this paper is to establish the prevalence, pattern, and risk factors for non-communicable disease in Botswana.

Data used in this study was obtained from the Botswana STEPS survey which was a population-based survey of adults aged 25-64. Using a multistage cluster design, a total of 4,003 respondents participated in the survey. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression analysis.

The study results showed that the prevalence of hypertension was 16% for both sexes, but more prevalent among women than men (20% and 11%, respectively). The prevalence of diabetes was 1.7% for both sexes, but more prevalent among women than men (2.4% and 1.0%, respectively). Both hypertension and diabetes increased with age of the respondent. The major risk factor associated with hypertension and diabetes was high body mass index, which is itself resulting from high consumption of tobacco and alcohol, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and high levels of physical inactivity.

The Government of Botswana should put in place effective intervention strategies to combat the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country. Failure to act now may result in serious socio-economic losses.

Although there has been increasing effort aimed at using biological, genetic and cognitive evidence to better assess patterns and levels of aging and longevity, it is still very troublesome to actually use that evidence in order to draw conclusions, in a demographic manner, about the phenomenon of mortality and longevity. Since there are various factors involved in determining mortality, many of which are seen from an environmental, behavioral and socioeconomic perspective, it is difficult to decompose those factors and try to understand which one has its prevalence in which context. That is a typical epistemological and methodological problem that social scientists face when trying to measure reality. Our argument is that with the advances of the natural sciences, for instance the field of neuroscience (which aggregates in its multidiscplinary perspective evidences from genetics, biology, cognitive science and social sciences), the path of linking individual-micro level to the macro-social level has become clearer to take. Our paper intents to discuss how demography could gain from using that amount of biological/neuroscientific evidence shrewdly, within its already developed frameworks and models.

ABSTRACT:
Aim: The aim of this study is to compare gender differences in risk and protection factors (tobacco, alcohol, diet and physical activity) for non-communicable diseases in Argentina and Chile, in 2009-2010.
Methods: Data sources used are “Second National Risk Factors Survey 2009” (Argentina) and “National Health Survey 2009-2010” (Chile) to analyze risk and protection factors like dependent variables for non-communicable diseases. Both age-standardized and crude prevalence rates for each behavior risk factor are calculated for men and women according to education level and marital status. We use logistic regression to estimate odds ratio (ORs) and corresponding 95 percent confidence intervals to indicate the link between gender and behavior risk factors adjusting by age group, education level and marital status.
Expected findings: We expect to find not only gender differences in behavioral risk between Argentina and Chile, but also within each country and due educational and generational differences.

Introduction: It has been shown that there is a relationship between mother’s health and fertility behavior and her birth’s health and survival. A mother is to fall in any of the high-risk fertility groups if she gives birth at age less than 18 years or 35 and above, when she is giving the fourth birth or above or when she is giving a birth after less than 24 months since she gave her previous one.
Study Rationale: Recent data from PAPFAM surveys show that in some Arab countries infant and child mortality rates are still high and that women still tend to marry at younger ages and almost 90% of women went through early marriage tend to have their first child soon after marriage. On the other hand age at first marriage reached 30 years in some other countries implying that women might give births after reaching 35 years or with short intervals in between.
Objectives: This study aims at investigating the high-risk fertility behavior prevalence, differentials and determinants in some Arab countries and its impact on infant and child mortality.
Methodology and Data Sources: The study will apply both descriptive and multivariate analyses using mainly PAPFAM surveys data.

We examined the effects of sedentary lifestyle and dietary factors on the change in Body Mass Index (BMI) in a follow up study of 325 women aged 15-49 years in Delhi, systematically selected from the 1998-99 NFHS-2 samples who were re-interviewed after four years in 2003. Information was collected on height, weight, dietary habits and sedentary lifestyle through face to face interviews. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios for BMI change, adjusting for various confounders. Overall, a 2 point increase in mean BMI was found among women in just 4 years (from 24.8 in 1999 to 26.8 in 2003). Every second normal BMI women, 2 in 5 overweight women and every fourth obese women experienced >2 point increase in their mean BMI from 1999 to 2003. Highest weight gain was found in women with a normal BMI. High sedentary lifestyle (OR:2.63;95%CI:1.29-5.35) emerged as the main predictor of >2 point increase in mean BMI in the adjusted analysis but there was a weak evidence of association with the dietary covariates. Findings suggest a high sedentary lifestyle as determinant of weight gain among adult women in urban India which call for relevant behavioural change interventions.

Objective: We examined the health status of adult Indian women in relation to their body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).

Methods: Data were from a community based follow up study of 325 women, systematically selected from the 1998-99 NFHS-2 Delhi samples, who were re-interviewed after four years in 2003. Women’s self reported health status was collected through face to face interview. Standing height and weight of each woman was measured to compute their present BMI. The association between BMI and health problems is estimated using binary logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders.

Results: The likelihood of women to perceive poorer or worst health condition was almost five times more (OR:4.87;p<0.0001) among obese women and two times more (OR:1.70;p=0.050) among women with a higher WHR (>0.90). Arthritis (OR:2.26;p<0.006), hypertension (OR:3.86;p<0.0001), and breathlessness while walking (OR:2.66;p=0.061) were found higher among obese women and women with a high WHR.

Conclusion: Our study found a strong evidence of association between BMI, WHR and perceived health status as well as self reported health problems among women in India. Considering the increasing prevalence of obesity and associated health problems among women in India, urgent public action is necessary.

The main objective of this paper is to establish the prevalence, pattern, and risk factors for non-communicable disease in Botswana.

Data used in this study was obtained from the Botswana STEPS survey which was a population-based survey of adults aged 25-64. Using a multistage cluster design, a total of 4,003 respondents participated in the survey. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics as well as logistic regression analysis.

The study results showed that the prevalence of hypertension was 16% for both sexes, but more prevalent among women than men (20% and 11%, respectively). The prevalence of diabetes was 1.7% for both sexes, but more prevalent among women than men (2.4% and 1.0%, respectively). Both hypertension and diabetes increased with age of the respondent. The major risk factor associated with hypertension and diabetes was high body mass index, which is itself resulting from high consumption of tobacco and alcohol, low intake of fruits and vegetables, and high levels of physical inactivity.

The Government of Botswana should put in place effective intervention strategies to combat the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country. Failure to act now may result in serious socio-economic losses.

In the context of the existing nutrition transition, this paper tries to assess the possible existence of the double burden of malnutrition, that is, the simultaneous existence of underweight and overweight problems, in Indian society. The paper throws light on the evidence of the changing face of malnutrition among the ever-married women in India, analysing data from NFHS-2 (1998-99) and NFHS-3 (2005-06). The new classification of overweight and obesity for the Asian population as prescribed by WHO (2004) has been considered besides the traditional definition. In 2006, around half of the women were malnourished. Over these seven years time, the pace of decline of underweight proportion has been one-third as compared to the rate of increment in overweight. Considering the Asian standard cut-off points for overweight and obesity, the scenario gets worse, as one-fourth of the women were overweight. The underweight problem seems to cut across all social and economic categories, whereas, the overweight/obesity problem seems to be more of a problem of wealthier, urban women, exposing them towards double burden of malnutrition. Hence, the research and policies in India has to focus on the paradoxical co-existence of underweight and overweight problems among women to tackle this emerging issue.

We aim to investigate long-term prostate cancer survivors’ quality of life (QoL) over time. We employ growth curve model to examine the panel data from a population-based survey of survivors with localized prostate cancer in southeast of U.S. (N=1008). Survivors on average are 3 years post-diagnosis at intake and followed-up annually for 3 years. QoL is measured using SF12. Time-invariant factors include age, race, and education at intake. Time-varying variables include family income, marital status, time since diagnosis, prostate cancer specific bowel, hormonal, sexual, and urinary symptoms (EPIC-26), and comorbid conditions (Charlson Index).
Being younger (p<.01), being black (p<.05), having higher family income (p<.0001), having college or higher education (p<.01), and having fewer bowel (p<.05), hormonal (p<.0001), urinary irritability (p<.01), and sexual (p<.05) symptoms and comorbidities (p<.001) predict better physical QoL over time. Being older (p<.0001), being married (p<.01), and having fewer hormonal (p<.001) and sexual (p<.05) symptoms and comorbidities (p<.05) predict better mental QoL over time.
Both time-invariant and time-varying factors contribute to survivors’ QoL over time. To improve their QoL, clinicians need to attend to both prostate cancer specific symptoms and aging-related factors.