scholarly journals Evaluation of the impact of the voucher program for improving maternal health behavior and status in Bangladesh

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Talukder ◽  
Ubaidur Rob ◽  
Syed Abu Musa ◽  
Ashish Bajracharya ◽  
Kaji Keya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Voucher Program ◽  
The Impact

Analyzing the Impact of Healthy Behavior on Weight Change with a Provable Mathematical Model (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayan Chatterjee ◽  
Ram Bajpai ◽  
Pankaj Khatiwada
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Weight Change ◽  
Simulated Data ◽  
Negative Behavior ◽  
Healthy Behavior ◽  
Healthy Habits ◽  
Lifestyle Diseases ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Lifestyle diseases are the primary cause of death worldwide. The gradual growth of negative behavior in humans due to physical inactivity, unhealthy habit, and improper nutrition expedites lifestyle diseases. In this study, we develop a mathematical model to analyze the impact of regular physical activity, healthy habits, and a proper diet on weight change, targeting obesity as a case study. Followed by, we design an algorithm for the verification of the proposed mathematical model with simulated data of artificial participants. OBJECTIVE This study intends to analyze the effect of healthy behavior (physical activity, healthy habits, and proper dietary pattern) on weight change with a proposed mathematical model and its verification with an algorithm where personalized habits are designed to change dynamically based on the rule. METHODS We developed a weight-change mathematical model as a function of activity, habit, and nutrition with the first law of thermodynamics, basal metabolic rate (BMR), total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), and body-mass-index (BMI) to establish a relationship between health behavior and weight change. Followed by, we verified the model with simulated data. RESULTS The proposed provable mathematical model showed a strong relationship between health behavior and weight change. We verified the mathematical model with the proposed algorithm using simulated data following the necessary constraints. The adoption of BMR and TDEE calculation following Harris-Benedict’s equation has increased the model's accuracy under defined settings. CONCLUSIONS This study helped us understand the impact of healthy behavior on obesity and overweight with numeric implications and the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle abstaining from negative behavior change.

scholarly journals More Than Shelter: Housing for Urban Maternal and Infant Health

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3331
Author(s):  
Jason Reece
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
City Planning ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Housing Discrimination ◽  
Maternal Health Outcomes ◽  
The Impact

Housing quality, stability, and affordability have a direct relationship to socioemotional and physical health. Both city planning and public health have long recognized the role of housing in health, but the complexity of this relationship in regard to infant and maternal health is less understood. Focusing on literature specifically relevant to U.S. metropolitan areas, I conduct a multidisciplinary literature review to understand the influence of housing factors and interventions that impact infant and maternal health. The paper seeks to achieve three primary goals. First, to identify the primary “pathways” by which housing influences infant and maternal health. Second, the review focuses on the role and influence of historical housing discrimination on maternal health outcomes. Third, the review identifies emergent practice-based housing interventions in planning and public health practice to support infant and maternal health. The literature suggests that the impact of housing on infant health is complex, multifaceted, and intergenerational. Historical housing discrimination also directly impacts contemporary infant and maternal health outcomes. Policy interventions to support infant health through housing are just emerging but demonstrate promising outcomes. Structural barriers to housing affordability in the United States will require new resources to foster greater collaboration between the housing and the health sectors.

scholarly journals Health literacy, health status and health behaviors of German students– study protocol for the “Healthy Habits” cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Lange ◽  
Alexandra Löwe ◽  
Gerrit Stassen ◽  
Andrea Schaller
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Prospective Cohort Study ◽  
Prospective Cohort ◽  
The State ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Study Format

Abstract Background The emerging adulthood is traditionally viewed as a time of optimal health, but also as a critical life span, characterized by changing life circumstances and the establishment of an individual lifestyle. Especially university life seems to hold several challenges impeding the manifestation of a health supporting manner, as many students tend to show a poorer health behavior and a higher amount of health-related problems than comparable age groups. This, along with a steady growth of the higher education sector, brings increased attention to the university setting in the context of prevention. To date, there are few empirical longitudinal and coherent cross-sectional data on the status of students’ health literacy, health status, and health behaviors, and on the impact of the study format on students’ health. The aim of this prospective cohort study is to reduce this research gap. Methods Starting during winter semester 2020/21, the prospective cohort study collects data on health literacy, health status and health behavior on a semester-by-semester basis. All enrolled students of the IST University of Applied Sciences, regardless of study format and discipline, can participate in the study at the beginning of their first semester. The data are collected digitally via a specifically programmed app. A total of 103 items assess the subjectively perceived health status, life and study satisfaction, sleep quality, perceived stress, physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug addiction and health literacy. Statistical analysis uses (1) multivariate methods to look at changes within the three health dimensions over time and (2) the association between the three health dimensions using multiple regression methods and correlations. Discussion This cohort study collects comprehensive health data from students on the course of study. It is assumed that gathered data will provide information on how the state of health develops over the study period. Also, different degrees of correlations of health behavior and health literacy will reveal different impacts on the state of students’ health. Furthermore, this study will contribute to empirically justified development of target group-specific interventions. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00023397 (registered on October 26, 2020).

scholarly journals Improving maternal health services through social accountability interventions in Nepal: an analytical review of existing literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adweeti Nepal ◽  
Santa Kumar Dangol ◽  
Anke van der Kwaak
Keyword(s):  
Maternal Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health System ◽  
Maternal Health Services ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The persistent quality gap in maternal health services in Nepal has resulted in poor maternal health outcomes. Accordingly, the Government of Nepal (GoN) has placed emphasis on responsive and accountable maternal health services and initiated social accountability interventions as a strategical approach simultaneously. This review critically explores the social accountability interventions in maternal health services in Nepal and its outcomes by analyzing existing evidence to contribute to the informed policy formulation process. Methods A literature review and desk study undertaken between December 2018 and May 2019. An adapted framework of social accountability by Lodenstein et al. was used for critical analysis of the existing literature between January 2000 and May 2019 from Nepal and other low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) that have similar operational context to Nepal. The literature was searched and extracted from database such as PubMed and ScienceDirect, and web search engines such as Google Scholar using defined keywords. Results The study found various social accountability interventions that have been initiated by GoN and external development partners in maternal health services in Nepal. Evidence from Nepal and other LMICs showed that the social accountability interventions improved the quality of maternal health services by improving health system responsiveness, enhancing community ownership, addressing inequalities and enabling the community to influence the policy decision-making process. Strong gender norms, caste-hierarchy system, socio-political and economic context and weak enforceability mechanism in the health system are found to be the major contextual factors influencing community engagement in social accountability interventions in Nepal. Conclusions Social accountability interventions have potential to improve the quality of maternal health services in Nepal. The critical factor for successful outcomes in maternal health services is quality implementation of interventions. Similarly, continuous effort is needed from policymakers to strengthen monitoring and regulatory mechanism of the health system and decentralization process, to improve access to the information and to establish proper complaints and feedback system from the community to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of the interventions. Furthermore, more study needs to be conducted to evaluate the impact of the existing social accountability interventions in improving maternal health services in Nepal.

scholarly journals Public-private cooperation and agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review of Nigerian growth enhancement scheme and e-voucher program

Food Security ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin ◽  
Oreoluwa Ola ◽  
Hannes Lang ◽  
Gertrud Buchenrieder
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Growth Enhancement ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Voucher Program ◽  
Economy Of Scale ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe Growth Enhancement Scheme and e-voucher program, rolled out across Nigeria in 2011 by the federal government, provided the institutional basis for private agro-dealers to engage in the distribution of subsidized fertilizer, improved seeds and extension services to farmers. However, the impact of this policy on different modes of extension service delivery is still missing in literature. We apply an Ordinary Least Squared and Difference-in-Difference methodology on the (2010 and 2012) Living Standard Measurement Study of the World Bank. The results suggest that extension visitations as well as public extension services positively influence farm revenue. Furthermore, a substantial increase in fertilizer expenditure by farmers was observed, due to the e-voucher program, which could have contributed to the improved agricultural output witnessed in Nigeria post-Growth Enhancement Scheme era. Governments across Sub-Saharan Africa should implement policies that harness the economy of scale and scope of the private sector as well as information and communication technologies in delivering on time and adequate agricultural inputs to farmers.

scholarly journals How does area-level deprivation depress an individual’s self-rated health and life satisfaction? Evidence from a nationwide population-based survey in Japan

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Takashi Oshio ◽  
Hiromi Kimura ◽  
Toshimi Nishizaki ◽  
Takashi Omori
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Internet Survey ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Level Data ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Area-level deprivation is well known to have an adverse impact on mortality, morbidity, or other specific health outcomes. This study examined how area-level deprivation may affect self-rated health (SRH) and life satisfaction (LS), an issue that is largely understudied. Methods We used individual-level data obtained from a nationwide population-based internet survey conducted between 2019 and 2020, as well as municipality-level data obtained from a Japanese government database (N = 12,461 living in 366 municipalities). We developed multilevel regression models to explain an individual’s SRH and LS scores using four alternative measures of municipality-level deprivation, controlling for individual-level deprivation and covariates. We also examined how health behavior and interactions with others mediated the impact of area-level deprivation on SRH and LS. Results Participants in highly deprived municipalities tended to report poorer SRH and lower LS. For example, when living in municipalities falling in the highest tertile of municipality-level deprivation as measured by the z-scoring method, SRH and LS scores worsened by a standard deviation of 0.05 (p < 0.05) when compared with those living in municipalities falling in the lowest tertile of deprivation. In addition, health behavior mediated between 17.6 and 33.1% of the impact of municipality-level deprivation on SRH and LS, depending on model specifications. Conclusion Results showed that area-level deprivation modestly decreased an individual’s general health conditions and subjective well-being, underscoring the need for public health policies to improve area-level socioeconomic conditions.

scholarly journals Contributing Factors in Adolescents’ Mental Well-Being—The Role of Socioeconomic Status, Social Support, and Health Behavior

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9597
Author(s):  
Gabriella Nagy-Pénzes ◽  
Ferenc Vincze ◽  
Éva Bíró
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Health Behavior ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Unhealthy Eating ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Mental disorders are common in adolescents, and for effective interventions we should be aware of their determinants. However, there are only a small number of studies investigating the combined effect of multiple factors. Therefore, our aim is to assess the impact of socioeconomic status, social support, and health behavior on adolescents’ mental well-being. A cross-sectional health survey of 1641 children was carried out in accordance with the study protocol of the Hungarian Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey. Multivariate multiple regression was used to analyze the main determinants of mental well-being. The boys’ mental well-being was favorable compared to girls; lower subjective family wealth was associated with lower life satisfaction and depressive mood. Life satisfaction was positively related to healthy eating, social support, and physical activity. Unhealthy eating, sedentary lifestyle, and lower social support were associated with higher depression scores. Higher social support reduces psychosomatic symptoms, while unhealthy eating and spending a lot of time in front of the computer increase them. Both social support and healthy lifestyle seem to be protective against mental health problems among adolescents, and thus interventions should focus on these factors regardless of the socioeconomic status of the participants, with special attention given to girls.

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