Social Class

Musculoskeletal diseases are included as priorities among Public Health topics, particularly in Worker's Health, because of the high incidence and multiple factors that are associated with their occurrence. The purpose of this study is to assess the association between social and economic status of occupations, consolidated in the form of the socio-economic index of occupational status (ISEI) and the occurrence of musculoskeletal diseases. The population studied included 157,676 workers of both genders, with ages ranging from 18 to 65, included in the Brazilian National Household Survey (PNAD--"Pesquisa Nacional de Amostra de Domicílios") carried out in 2003. The types of occupations were classified using the Socio-Economic Index (ISEI), as proposed by Ganzeboom and Treiman (1996). Prevalence rates for self-referred pathologies such as tendinitis/tenosynovitis and back pain (low back pain) in large occupational groups and in speci fic occupations were calculated. Study...

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have revolutionized chronic hepatitis C (HCV) treatment, but real-world effectiveness among vulnerable populations, including uninsured patients, is lacking. This study was conducted to characterize the effectiveness of DAAs in a socioeconomically disadvantaged and underinsured patient cohort. This retrospective observational study included all patients undergoing HCV treatment with DAA-based therapy between April 2014 and June 2016 at a large urban safety-net health system (Parkland Health and Hospital System, Dallas, TX, USA). The primary outcome was sustained virologic response (SVR), with secondary outcomes including treatment discontinuation, treatment relapse, and loss to follow-up. DAA-based therapy was initiated in 512 patients. The cohort was socioeconomically disadvantaged (56% uninsured and 13% Medicaid), with high historic rates of alcohol (41%) and substance (50%) use, and mental health disorders (38%). SVR was achieved in 90% of patients...

Childhood poverty is a risk factor for poorer cognitive performance during childhood and adulthood. While evidence linking childhood poverty and memory deficits in adulthood has been accumulating, underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. To investigate neurobiological links between childhood poverty and adult memory performance, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a visuospatial memory task in healthy young adults with varying income levels during childhood. Participants were assessed at age 9 and followed through young adulthood to assess income and related factors. During adulthood, participants completed a visuospatial memory task while undergoing MRI scanning. Patterns of neural activation, as well as memory recognition for items, were assessed to examine links between brain function and memory performance as it relates to childhood income. Our findings revealed associations between item recognition, childhood income level, and hippocampal activation. Sp...

This study builds on earlier ethnography of friendship processes among children attending a Head Start program in a large city in the Midwest. Here, through intensive interviews and ethnographic observations of a small sample of the Head Start children's families, the researchers examine the values and concerns of lower-class Black mothers regarding their children's education. Earlier studies have shown that Black parents of all income levels place great value on education and have high expectations for their children's academic careers. The present research goes beyond these studies by directly addressing the strategies that parents employ in acting on these values. The article describes an impressive array of strategies that the study's respondents use to encourage their children's academic achievement and to promote the development of values that will keep them enthusiastic about schooling. The theoretical implications of the findings are then addressed. In pa...

The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between degree of fluorosis and varying fluoride concentrations in the drinking water in a relatively dry region in South Africa. A strong positive association was found between drinking water fluoride levels and fluorosis but only up to a level of approximately 2.0 ppm for areas with a high average daily temperature (approximately 79 degrees F). The results indicate that the optimum drinking water fluoride concentration for a region with a high average daily temperature should be less than 1.00 ppm.

... Melanie Nind. School of Education. University of Southampton. Correspondence: ProfessorMelanie Nind. Deputy Head of School (Research). School of Education. ... Mark's mum (2005) Wherever we went we would bump into somebody who knew Mark, in: S. Rolph et al. ...

A problemática das desigualdades educacionais evidencia a influência da origem social sobre aspectos que envolvem o acesso e a permanência dos estudantes no ensino superior e ao longo da trajetória profissional. Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar em que medida o Curso de Administração Pública (CSAP) da Fundação João Pinheiro (FJP) é atravessado pela reprodução da estrutura de classes, seja da perspectiva dos ingressantes, seja da perspectiva dos egressos, à luz do referencial teórico de Bourdieu e Lahire. Realizou-se uma análise quanti e qualitativa dos dados dos alunos egressos do Curso de Administração Pública da Fundação João Pinheiro. A abordagem quantitativa nos forneceu um perfil do grupo estudado, a partir da análise de variáveis relacionadas à origem de classe. Entrevistas foram utilizadas para entender os percursos específicos dos sujeitos entrevistados. Corroborando o que apontam estudos da sociologia da educação, verificou-se estatisticamente que a origem social impacta sobre as chances de acesso ao curso. Por outro lado, dentre os indivíduos oriundos das camadas populares, há aqueles que vencem a barreira do ingresso e constroem trajetórias de sucesso acadêmico e profissional. Assim, por meio de análise qualitativa, procurou-se vislumbrar os fatores que possibilitaram o acesso ao CSAP e a permanência na carreira. Percebeu-se a importância da socialização secundária, da bolsa de estudos assegurada pelo curso, da garantia do ingresso no serviço público prevista com a conclusão da graduação e da persistência.

To investigate contraceptive behavior of women belonging to three different ethnic and/or socioeconomic populations as well as to evaluate the main sources of information concerning contraception in each population. 150 Muslim women living in Germany (group A), 120 Muslim women living in Thrace, Greece (group B) and 140 Christian Orthodox women living in Thrace, Greece were enrolled in the study. Attitudes concerning contraceptive practices were assessed by means of a questionnaire. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of each group were compared with the method of contraception used. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by Turkey's test, chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis. The contraceptive pill (41.7%), the condom (35.1%), periodic abstinence (24.4%) and interrupted coitus were the most common methods of contraception. The gynecologist (23.4%), the family consultant (12.0%) and the sexual partne...

Caries is a prevalent condition in Saudi Arabia. At present, knowledge regarding caries risk factors in Saudi Arabia is limited. The present study aimed to identify characteristic features of Saudi preschoolers at high risk for caries, using the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry caries risk assessment tool (CAT ) and to report the most significant caries risk predictors. A sample of 407 children aged 4 and 5 years was selected randomly from private and public nursery schools. Their parents answered a questionnaire prepared using the CAT . Each child was examined for the presence of caries and his/her oral hygiene status. According to the CAT , almost all children (89%) were considered to be at high risk. Caries was significantly more prevalent among children attending public than private schools. All CAT variables were significantly related to the presence of caries except general health condition and water fluoridation. Logistic regression analysis showed previous caries experience, enamel demineralisation, and socio-economic status to be the most significant caries risk factors. Most of the Saudi children are considered to be at high risk for caries. Previous caries experience, enamel demineralisation and socioeconomic status are the most significant caries risk predictors. These groups should be targeted for inclusion in caries prevention programmes.

Adolescent bonding--attachment to, commitment to, and involvement in conventional social activities-decreases the likelihood of engaging in some risk-taking behaviors. The extent to which bonding opportunities in the school environment affect individual's bonding and risk-taking behaviors is less explored. This study tested a model that includes individual and environmental indicators of bonding to predict cigarette smoking, drinking, drug use, and sexual activity among ninth grade students. Survey data representing students in 20 schools in seven western states are reported. Twelfth grade students' bonding and other demographic variables aggregated by school served as environmental indicators of bonding opportunities to predict ninth grade students' bonding and risk-taking behavior. Path analyses indicate the school environment has a direct influence on ninth grade students' bonding and, in turn, on the likelihood they will engage in risky behavior. Implications of these findings for future research directions and intervention design are discussed.

This paper seeks to investigate the determinants of child health care seeking behaviours in rural Bangladesh. In particular, the effects of income, women's access to income, and the prices of obtaining child health care are examined. Data on the use of child curative care were collected in two rural areas of Bangladesh--Abhoynagar Thana of Jessore District and Mirsarai Thana of Chittagong District--in March 1997. In estimating the use of child curative care, the nested multinomial logit specification was used. The results of the analysis indicate that a woman's involvement in a credit union or income generation affected the likelihood that curative child care was used. Household wealth decreased the likelihood that the child had an illness episode and affected the likelihood that curative child care was sought. Among facility characteristics, travel time was statistically significant and was negatively associated with the use of a provider.

Epilepsy is a disease that significantly impairs the quality of life of the sufferers. Measures of quality of life have been developed to assess the overall impact of management on the patients. While studies on quality of life have been previously carried out in Nigerians, a standardised and validated inventory has not been used for this purpose because these are just being developed. Thirty-two epileptics (24 males and 8 females) attending the Neurology clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, were studied. Each subject had complete physical examination and elecroencephalography. A short screening quality of life questionnaire (QOLIE 10) was administered to the subjects during routine clinic visits. The commonest aspect of quality of life affected in the subjects was feeling of energy, which was impaired in 15 (46.8%) subjects. This was followed by memory problems in 11 (34.4%). Fear of experiencing the next seizure was reported by eight (25.8%) of subjects. Only five (1...