Household Livelihood Vulnerability to Climate Change in West China

Climate change disproportionately affects natural resource-dependent communities in the ecologically vulnerable regions of western China. This study used the household livelihood vulnerability index under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (HLV-IPCC) to assess vulnerability. Data were collected from 823 households in Ningxia, Gansu, Guangxi, and Yunnan provinces, these being ecologically vulnerable regions in China. With a composite HLVI-IPCC and multiple regression model, the factors that affect households’ adaptive capability to HLVI-IPCC was estimated. Results indicate that Ningxia is the most vulnerable community, while Guangxi is the least vulnerable community across all indices. Moreover, Gansu has the heaviest sensitivity and exposure to climate change, whereas Ningxia has the highest adaptive capability to climate change. In addition, the age of household head and distance of the home to the town center had significant negative impacts on households’ adaptive capacity to HLVI-IPCC. The results also suggest that the HLVI assessment can provide an effective tool for local authorities to formulate prioritizing strategies with promoting climate-resilient development and increasing long-term adaptive capacity.

Social impact of renewable energy systems: solar energy system in vulnerable community case study

Photovoltaic lighting systems are unable to reach people with low purchasing power due to high installation costs, so they have traditionally been concentrated in families with high purchasing power and currently do not take into account the social power that this type of system represents. This article analyzes through bibliometric review the effect that lighting can have on human development and how a good lighting system can positively affect a community environment. It is proposed the social design of a photovoltaic lighting system which will be installed in a vulnerable community with resources obtained by the community itself and the whole process of accompaniment achieving a satisfactory impact on the community and achieving integration between the same from community participation. The development of workshops with the children of the community has also been proposed, leading to the training and recognition of alternative energy systems as a strategy of social appropriation.

Leadership Competences Education for Social Development: a TEC21 Model in the i Semester Experience

This article shows the results from the experience of the i Semester of the Modality in Leadership for he Social Development during the 2016 August to December semester at the Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey. One of the premises of a semester i is the development of the innovative strategies that facilitate the students the professional competence development by exposing them to challenging activities and the interaction with reality. This experience took place in the San Gilberto community center of the Social Development Secretariat in the state of Nuevo León, México. The approach to the vulnerable community was developed from the framing of social development, a social change plan process whose objective is to promote the population’s well being. To this end three challenges were selected whose follow up was leader by two professors, which work in the different roles set up by the new educational models, when guiding the work of seven students. Through the i semester experience the possibility of helping the community’s transformations was explored. Continuity to this coexisting project presented is expected, as an idea alternative to restore the community, which was fracture due to the conditions of insecurity in which it is currently immersed.

HEALTH STATUS AND LIFESTYLE HABITS OF VULNERABLE, COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER PEOPLE DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN

This study evaluated the health status and lifestyle habits of vulnerable, community-dwelling older adults during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Spain. A telephone assessment was carried out in 38 individuals (71% women), with a Barthel index ≥85 who were frail or had a high risk of falls. Data were compared with those from an assessment performed 9 months earlier. In the latter part of the lockdown, a high percentage of the studied individuals showed difficulties in walking up 10 steps and reported sleep problems (66%) and pain (74%). On the other hand, participants were not anxious/depressed (71%) and the majority did not report loneliness (60%). Compared to the earlier assessment, we identified a decline in functional capacity and worsening of nutritional status, but an increase in family support. Efforts should be made to implement intervention programs seeking to avoid accelerated decline under the current pandemic situation, and especially during possible new lockdowns.

Women with an open mind and chest: an experience report

Objective: To spread knowledge about breast cancer to women in a vulnerable community. Methodology: For the description of this research, we opted for the descriptive and qualitative approach, the type of experience report. The experience took place through the execution of an extension project developed in the city of Coelho Neto, in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, with 40 women and 3 three men. The activities developed were based on Freirian thinking, since it describes that knowledge must be passed on in an integrative and interactive way, making education with the other and not for the other. To support the synthesis of the experience, articles published in the journal Research, Society and Development were selected. Results: When asked about which of the participants had already undergone the mammogram, only two said they had already undergone the exam, the others reported not even knowing where to go to request the referral. There are several factors that lead the individual to develop breast cancer. Invited to describe the AEM, with the support of the material made by them, none of the women (or men) present knew how to perform the technique. Conclusion: The lack of knowledge about breast cancer among women and men participating in the conversation circle showed the fragility of preventing this type of cancer in the municipality where the extension project was developed. There is a need for more spaces that promote health education in order to favor comprehensive community care, as it expands its knowledge.