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At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Development of the rural health insurance system in China.

Ever since the collapse of the once successful Rural Cooperative Medical System (RCMS) in the early 1980s, when China transformed its system of collective agricultural production to private production, many rural communities, especially the poorer residents, have faced several major problems. In 1993, insurance coverage for rural residents was already low, at 12.8%. By 1998, only 9.5% of the rural population was insured. User charges have effectively blocked access for many rural residents who lack adequate income to purchase basic health care when needed. Impoverishment due to medical expenses is also a serious problem, which begs the question: why has there been no vigorous development of the rural health insurance system in China despite the country's rapid economic growth? This paper analyzes the major underlying reasons for the lack of rural health insurance in China. We found that lack of demand for the voluntary community financing schemes and inadequate government policies are the two major hindrances. Recently, the Chinese government announced a new rural health financing policy that relies on 'matching-funds' by the central and local governments as well as household contributions. The potential for success of this new model might be inferred from China's past experiences, as well as from the pilot projects that are underway.

China↗
PubMed2001

Ecological impacts of arable intensification in Europe.

Although arable landscapes have a long history, environmental problems have accelerated in recent decades. The effects of these changes are usually externalized, being greater for society as a whole than for the farms on which they operate, and incentives to correct them are therefore largely lacking. Arable landscapes are valued by society beyond the farming community, but increased mechanization and farm size, simplification of crop rotations, and loss of non-crop features, have led to a reduction in landscape diversity. Low intensity arable systems have evolved a characteristic and diverse fauna and flora, but development of high input, simplified arable systems has been associated with a decline in biodiversity. Arable intensification has resulted in loss of non-crop habitats and simplification of plant and animal communities within crops, with consequent disruption to food chains and declines in many farmland species. Abandonment of arable management has also led to the replacement of such wildlife with more common and widespread species. Soils have deteriorated as a result of erosion, compaction, loss of organic matter and contamination with pesticides, and in some areas, heavy metals. Impacts on water are closely related to those on soils as nutrient and pesticide pollution of water results from surface runoff and subsurface flow, often associated with soil particles, which themselves have economic and ecological impacts. Nitrates and some pesticides also enter groundwater following leaching from arable land. Greatest impacts are associated with simplified, high input arable systems. Intensification of arable farming has been associated with pollution of air by pesticides, NO2 and CO2, while the loss of soil organic matter has reduced the system's capacity for carbon sequestration. International trade contributes to global climate change through long distance transport of arable inputs and products. The EU Rural Development Regulation (1257/99) provides an opportunity to implement measures for alleviating ecological impacts of arable management through a combination of cross-compliance and agri-environment schemes. To alleviate the problems described in this paper, such measures should take account of opportunities for public/private partnerships and should integrate social, cultural, economic and ecological objectives for multifunctional land use.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1998

Private-public sector co-operation to improve pesticide safety standards in developing countries.

This paper draws on the author's experiences of the pilot phase of the Safe Use Project (SUP) in Thailand; this project is a part of a major GIFAP initiative carried out in some developing countries. The SUP's objectives were; i) to raise awareness and compliance in the safe handling and storage of pesticides within the industry, the medical profession and the end-users; ii) to reduce the incidence of pesticide poisoning; iii) to protect the environment; iiii) to help relevant government agencies with resources, expertise and training. To achieve those objectives, the SUP used local-language training resources, provided basic training, lobbied for changes in governmental policies and regulations, and acted as a focal point for pesticide safety-related information. The SUP targeted the whole distribution chain, from importer/formulator, through to the endusers. Also medical profession, teachers and school students were targeted. On the base of independent audit and surveys, a general improvement in awareness has been shown within targeted groups; a longer time frame is required to detect meaningful changes in farmer practice. The SUP key programmes have been: I) training of trainers, retailers and farmers; II) schools programme; III) medical training; IV) protective clothing; V) industry standards; VI) model farm. The main conclusions of the pilot phase were: i) pesticide safety needs to be addressed by all concerned agencies in a joint effort; ii) a rural development perspective must be adopted in improving pesticide safety; iii) integrated pest management training programmes must include precautionary advice for proper handling, use and disposal of pesticides, wherever these are necessary.

Developing Countries↗
PubMed2003

Causes of low vision and blindness in rural Indonesia.

AIM: To determine the prevalence rates and major contributing causes of low vision and blindness in adults in a rural setting in Indonesia METHODS: A population based prevalence survey of adults 21 years or older (n=989) was conducted in five rural villages and one provincial town in Sumatra, Indonesia. One stage household cluster sampling procedure was employed where 100 households were randomly selected from each village or town. Bilateral low vision was defined as habitual VA (measured using tumbling "E" logMAR charts) in the better eye worse than 6/18 and 3/60 or better, based on the WHO criteria. Bilateral blindness was defined as habitual VA worse than 3/60 in the better eye. The anterior segment and lens of subjects with low vision or blindness (both unilateral and bilateral) (n=66) were examined using a portable slit lamp and fundus examination was performed using indirect ophthalmoscopy. RESULTS: The overall age adjusted (adjusted to the 1990 Indonesia census population) prevalence rate of bilateral low vision was 5.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 4.2 to 7.4) and bilateral blindness was 2.2% (95% CI 1.1 to 3.2). The rates of low vision and blindness increased with age. The major contributing causes for bilateral low vision were cataract (61.3%), uncorrected refractive error (12.9%), and amblyopia (12.9%), and the major cause of bilateral blindness was cataract (62.5%). The major causes of unilateral low vision were cataract (48.0%) and uncorrected refractive error (12.0%), and major causes of unilateral blindness were amblyopia (50.0%) and trauma (50.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The rates of habitual low vision and blindness in provincial Sumatra, Indonesia, are similar to other developing rural countries in Asia. Blindness is largely preventable, as the major contributing causes (cataract and uncorrected refractive error) are amenable to treatment.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stabilising the USSR's rural population through development of the social infrastructure.

This study is concerned with the problems caused by rural-urban migration in the USSR and with the policies that have been developed to deal with those problems. The author suggests that "the increase in the material prosperity of collective farmers since the Revolution, although a necessary condition for discouraging rural migration, has not in itself been sufficient to prevent the occurrence of rural manpower shortages. He points to the need for an all-round approach to improving conditions of life in the countryside, with due regard for cultural/utilitarian and socio-psychological factors, and suggests that the solution to the problem lies in agro-industrial integration, the improvement of public transport and the extension of the all-weather road network."

Demography↗
PubMed1994

Conservation and ethnobotanical exploration.

In recent years conservationists have realized that the maintenance of protected areas is closely linked to rural development. As part of their efforts to improve local people's standards of living, they have sought the advice of researchers who work in communities, especially those that border on nature reserves. Ethnobotanists, who are turning their attention to the cultural and ecological crises confronting the regions in which they work, are natural allies in this venture. The joint efforts of conservationists and ethnobotanists are being supported by non-profit organizations, intergovernmental agencies and research institutes. The search for new drugs and other natural products from plants is an important element in this collaboration, but it cannot be divorced from the broader objective of promoting the survival of biological and cultural diversity. Conservationists will support biodiversity prospecting and related efforts only if there is a clear benefit for local communities and protected areas. An example of the concrete actions being taken by conservation agencies is the People and Plants Initiative, a joint effort of the World Wide Fund for Nature, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The main objective is to support the work of ethnobotanists in developing countries in studies of sustainable plant use and application of their work to conservation and community development. The initiative provides training workshops and relevant literature; coordinators work in collaboration with local people to create inventories of useful plants and appraise the impact of harvesting specific plant resources in and around protected areas. Phytochemical screening of medicinal plants and preparation of extracts are carried out as part of some projects.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗
PubMed2004

Projecting large-scale area changes in land use and land cover for terrestrial carbon analyses.

One of the largest changes in US forest type areas over the last half-century has involved pine types in the South. The area of planted pine has increased more than 10-fold since 1950, mostly on private lands. Private landowners have responded to market incentives and government programs, including subsidized afforestation on marginal agricultural land. Timber harvest is a crucial disturbance affecting planted pine area, as other forest types are converted to planted pine after harvest. Conversely, however, many harvested pine plantations revert to other forest types, mainly due to passive regeneration behavior on nonindustrial private timberlands. We model land use and land cover changes as a basis for projecting future changes in planted pine area, to aid policy analysts concerned with mitigation activities for global climate change. Projections are prepared in two stages. Projected land use changes include deforestation due to pressures to develop rural land as the human population expands, which is a larger area than that converted from other rural lands (e.g., agriculture) to forestry. In the second stage, transitions among forest types are projected on land allocated to forestry. We consider reforestation, influences of timber harvest, and natural succession and disturbance processes. Baseline projections indicate a net increase of about 5.6 million ha in planted pine area in the South over the next 50 years, with a notable increase in sequestered carbon. Additional opportunities to expand pine plantation area warrant study of landowner behavior to aid in designing more effective incentives for inducing land use and land cover changes to help mitigate climate change and attain other goals.

Carbon↗
PubMed1991

A pilot study on family spacing attitudes and practices in rural Gezira.

The attitudes towards, and practice of, modern contraception among the rural population of the Gezira area of the Sudan were analyzed using a structured questionnaire. This was part of a comprehensive community survey carried out by the Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Sudan, as part of a rural development program. Eight villages belonging to the Sennar Sugar Scheme were included in the survey. The result showed a low percentage of contraceptive users in all villages. The main reasons given by mothers for not using contraceptives were that contraceptives were against religion, mothers had not heard about them, mothers wanted more children, and contraceptives were not available. These villages were also characterized by high illiteracy rate and large family size. There is a need for health education concerning child spacing. This should be combined with religious education by religious leaders to remove misunderstandings concerning modern contraceptive use. Adult education programs, especially for females, will also have an impact.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1984

Socio-economic problems related to animal trypanosomiasis in Africa.

Animal trypanosomiasis is one of the major constraints of rural development in Africa. If trypanosomiasis did not exist in these areas, it is estimated that some regions could carry 3-5 times more livestock. Chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis are old methods used to tackle the problem and are still valuable, provided the number of interventions is limited. Tse-tse fly control is a very useful tool to combat trypanosomiasis but expensive. The sterile male release technique is not economically feasible on a wide scale. Immunization or vaccination is not yet available. Trypanotolerance is a biological phenomenon; it seems to be a valid method, which allow African countries to keep and increase livestock within economically feasible conditions; but inevitably it will be a long exercise.

Africa↗
PubMed2005

Geographical determinants and environmental implications of livestock production intensification in Asia.

Under growing and urbanizing demand, livestock production is rapidly evolving in South, East and South-east Asia, with both an increase of production and a shift to intensive production systems. These changes infer impacts on the environment, on public health and on rural development. Environmental impacts are mainly associated with a mismanagement of animal excreta, leading to pollution of surface water, ground water and soils by nutrients, organic matter, and heavy metals. In the framework of the Livestock Environment and Development Initiative, this research aims at assessing, on a regional scale, the impacts of livestock production on nutrient fluxes. Phosphate (P(2)O(5)) mass balances were chosen as an indicator and were calculated on the basis of spatially modelled livestock densities, estimated excretion values and crop uptake. The results show a strong West--East gradient regarding the distribution of monogastrics, with clear concentration in densely populated areas and around urban centres. P(2)O(5) overloads are estimated on 23.6% of the study area's agricultural land, mainly located in eastern China, the Ganges basin and around urban centres such as Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila. On average, livestock manure is estimated to account for 39.4% of the agricultural P(2)O(5) supply (the remaining share being supplied by chemical fertilisers). Livestock is the dominant agricultural source of P(2)O(5) around urban centres and in livestock specialised areas (southern and north-eastern China), while chemical fertilisers are dominant in crop (rice) intensive areas.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Selecting agri-environmental indicators to facilitate monitoring and assessment of EU agri-environmental measures effectiveness.

Since its introduction in the early 1960s, the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has demonstrated a capacity to adapt and change in the face of new challenges. The reformed CAP, under AGENDA 2000, encourages more environmentally friendly farming practices. In the context of their rural development plans, Member States are required to link policies on agriculture with protection of the environment and to ensure that farmers meet environmental standards. Additionally, Member States should maintain and restore the quality of both their aquatic and adjacent terrestrial ecosystems according to the Directive 2000/60/EU, 'Establishing a framework for Community Action in the field of Water Policy'. Within this framework, agri-environmental indicators play an important role in planning and implementing CAP guidelines. However, selection and use of the proper indicators remains unresolved, considering that ecosystem processes are complex and interactions in most cases not obvious. This paper proposes a methodology for assessing the environmental state and impacts of current land use and management when implementing agri-environmental measures of CAP. The proposed methodology includes a modified Driving forces-Pressures-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR) framework, identification of Zones of Specific Functional Interest (ZSFI), and criteria for selecting agri-environmental indicators, which assess the functional performance of each zone and meet existing legislation. The Mygdonia Watershed (Greece) is an example where through use of both the appropriate Minimum Data Set of agri-environmental indicators at the identified zones and the proposed modified DPSIR, the functioning performance of each ZSFI can be assessed to evaluate the applied agri-environmental measures.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1997

Ecological implications of control strategies: arthropods of domestic and production animals.

The control of arthropods of veterinary importance represents a disturbance for the ecosystem and its animal community. This disturbance can influence the densities of target and non-target organisms and their associated indirect interactions in the food web, leading to reductions in the species richness and diversities in the communities involved. Finely tuned control affecting the target organism alone can have unexpected consequences, depending on the relationships between the target and other organisms within the food web. Broad-spectrum control methods will have more wide ranging and less predictable consequences. Modifications within the community caused by arthropod control can take place over generations and may not be immediately apparent. Most modern techniques of control are designed to minimize environmental impact by concentrating specifically on the target organism. The effects of control of arthropod pests of domestic and production stock must be seen against a background of more general effects caused by rural development which acts to modify the environment continuously over a long time span.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Using remote sensing to predict outbreaks of Oestrus ovis in Namibia.

The Directorate of Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development of Namibia issues warnings to farmers in the south of the country about the likelihood of infestation of small-stock by the nasal bot fly, Oestrus ovis. Farmers can then treat their stock at the most appropriate time. The O. ovis puparia develop at shallow depths in the soil and the timing of emergence is directly dependent on climate conditions, specifically the number of degree-days above a particular threshold soil temperature. Based on temperature measurements from only a few stations scattered throughout the country, the veterinary department warnings lack precision in space and time. This paper presents an attempt to support the programme of warnings with accumulated temperature information from Meteosat satellite images, in order to strengthen predictions of the time of emergence in specific places, and to improve the precision and reliability of warnings given to farmers.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Genetic diversity and gene flow among southeastern Queensland koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus).

Habitat fragmentation and destruction associated with the rapid urban and rural development of southeast Queensland presents an immediate threat to the survival of koala populations within this region. A sensitive method combining heteroduplex analysis (HDA) with temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) was optimized to detect within-species variation in a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control-region fragment, approximately 670 bp in length, from the koala. Eight different haplotypes were characterized in koalas, of which four were novel. Analysis of mtDNA diversity in 96 koalas from five populations in southeast Queensland revealed that the number of haplotypes in a single population ranged from one to five, with an average within-population haplotype diversity of 0.379 +/- 0.016, and nucleotide diversity of 0.22 +/- 0.001%. Nucleotide divergence between populations averaged 0.09 +/- 0.001% and ranged from 0.00 to 0.14%. Significant genetic heterogeneity was observed among most populations, suggesting that koala populations may be spatially structured along matrilines, although this may not be universal. The limited distribution of the central phylogenetic haplotype suggested the possibility of historical population bottlenecks north of the Gold Coast, while the presence of two highly divergent haplotypes at the Moreton site may indicate the occurrence of one or more undocumented translocation events into this area.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Analysis of worldwide earthquake mortality using multivariate demographic and seismic data.

In this paper, mortality in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake is studied on a worldwide scale using multivariate analysis. A statistical method is presented that analyzes reported earthquake fatalities as a function of a heterogeneous set of parameters selected on the basis of their presumed influence on earthquake mortality. The ensemble was compiled from demographic, seismic, and reported fatality data culled from available records of past earthquakes organized in a geographic information system. The authors consider the statistical relation between earthquake mortality and the available data ensemble, analyze the validity of the results in view of the parametric uncertainties, and propose a multivariate mortality analysis prediction method. The analysis reveals that, although the highest mortality rates are expected in poorly developed rural areas, high fatality counts can result from a wide range of mortality ratios that depend on the effective population size.

Disaster Planning↗
PubMed1995

Aggressive fluid resuscitation and broad spectrum antibiotics decrease mortality from typhoid ileal perforation.

One of the most severe complications of typhoid enteritis is perforation of ileal ulcerations. The typically high mortality rates from these perforations are in part due to extremely limited supportive care in hospitals in typhoid endemic areas. In the setting of a rural African hospital, this study demonstrated a decrease in overall mortality rate from 40% with one layer closure and chloramphenicol alone to 19% with two-layer closure and chloramphenicol, gentamicin and metronidazole. This was primarily due to a decrease in late (> 24 h) mortality. There was also a decrease in overall mortality rate from 43% with < 10 ml/kg of intraoperative fluid administration to 14% with > 10 ml/kg. This was primarily due to a decrease in early (< 24 h) mortality. Even within the constraints of the rural developing world, more aggressive initial fluid resuscitation can decrease early mortality, while broader spectrum antibiotics and two-layer closure can decrease late mortality from typhoid ileal perforation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Participatory environmental health research in Aotearoa/New Zealand: constraints and opportunities.

Within the Aotearoa/New Zealand context, this article identifies opportunities for, as well as constraints on, using participatory research to address environmental health concerns. In New Zealand, principles of partnership fundamental to the Treaty of Waitangi, and the requirements for consultation within the Resource Management Act, provide a framework for participatory approaches. Participatory environmental health research integrates knowledge from various scientific and community sources. It also fosters the innovation, evaluation, and sharing of information that new public health approaches demand. As an emerging field in Aotearoa/New Zealand, it must draw on experience from resource management, rural development, and public health research and practice. Water quality is used as an example of the complexity of environmental health issues and of the potential benefits of engaging stakeholders where long-term health and well-being require balancing ecosystem integrity, economic viability, and social processes.

Cooperative Behavior↗
PubMed1994

[Validation of the three color CIMDER band as an instrument for the detection of nutritional risk in preschool children].

The value of the use, by the health agents in Rondônia, Brazil, of the nutritional classification proposed by the Multidisciplinary Research Center for Rural Development (CIMDER), Colombia, known as the three color CIMDER band, is analyzed. The band, used to measure arm circumference, would be used as an instrument for the detection of nutritional risk in children under five years of age and for referring them to larger, more complex, health units. For this purpose, a sample of 1,268 children were studied. The results of the nutritional classification obtained by the band and the results of Gomez classification were compared. The application of the validations tests resulted in the following values: sensibility = 77.1%; specificity = 68.8%; positive predictive value = 59.0%; negative predictive value = 83.7%; rate of false positives = 31.2% and rate of false negatives = 22.9%. Except for the rate of false positives, the rest of the results were considered to be satisfactory, sufficiently so to recommend the use of the CIMDER band as an instrument of selection by the health agents in Rondônia. More specific indicators should be adopted at the larger, more complex health units, with a view to reducing the number of false positives in the programs for attendance to the undernourished.

Anthropometry↗