A Multilevel Study of Socio-economic Inequalities in Self-reported Oral and General Health in South-east Norway

This study assesses the association between socioeconomic determinants and self-reported health using data from a regional Norwegian health survey. A total of 9,068 participants 25+ were included. Survey data were linked to registry data on education and personal income. Self-reported oral health and general health were separately assessed and categorized into ‘good’ and ‘poor’. The exposures were educational level, personal income, and economic security. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were computed to assess the associations between socioeconomic determinants and self-reported health using multilevel Poisson regression. Participants with low education or income had poorer oral and general health than those with more education or higher income. Comparing the highest education level versus the lowest, adjusted PRs for poor oral and general health were 1.44 (95%CI 1.26-1.65) and 1.53 (95%CI 1.35-1.74). Correspondingly, with the highest income quintile versus the lowest, estimates were 1.64 (95%CI 1.39-1.94) and 2.34 (95%CI 1.97-2.79) for oral and general health. Lack of economic security was also significantly associated with poor self-reported oral and general health. Positive linear trends between levels of education and income were documented for both outcomes (P-linear trends <0.001), including a pattern of socioeconomic gradients, both for oral and general health.

The socioeconomic determinants of timber use in the buffer zone of the Sumaco Napo Galeras National Park, Ecuadorian Amazon

Este trabajo evalúa las determinantes socioeconómicas del uso forestal maderable, tipos de ingresos económicos y la dependencia del aprovechamiento de madera a nivel de hogares en poblaciones indígenas kichwas y colonas/mestizas asentadas en la Región Amazónica Ecuatoriana (RAE). Los datos se obtuvieron a través de una encuesta socioeconómica en 180 hogares, realizada en siete comunidades de la parroquia Hatun Sumaku. Los resultados indicaron que, en promedio, los ingresos económicos son un 12% mayor para los hogares colonos/mestizos (USD 2787.68) que para los hogares kichwa (USD 2445.45), para quienes en esta zona su principal ingreso económico es el aprovechamiento de madera (33%), mientras que para los colonos/mestizos el 3% dado que sus ingresos principales provienen de actividades fuera de la finca (43%) a diferencia de los Kichwa (17%). El modelo de regresión Probit mostró que el área en bosques secundarios y el acceso a comunicación celular influyen positivamente en el aprovechamiento maderero, mientras que las áreas en cultivos influyen negativamente en la probabilidad de que un hogar decida aprovechar madera del bosque.

Prevalence, Trends, and Socioeconomic Determinants of Coexisting Forms of Malnutrition Amongst Children under Five Years of Age in Pakistan

In Pakistan, malnutrition is a chronic issue. Concerns regarding coexisting forms of malnutrition (CFM) in an individual child are emerging, as children suffering from CFM have a 4 to 12-fold higher risk of death compared with healthy children. This study assessed the prevalence, trends, and socioeconomic determinants of various types of CFM using Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) datasets. Data from children aged 0–5 years old, with complete height and weight information, and valid anthropometry, from all regions of Pakistan (except residents of Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and non-de jure residents), were included. The prevalence of CFM was 30.6% in 2012–2013 and 21.5% in 2017–2018 PDHS. Both PDHSs reported a significantly higher prevalence of CFM in Sindh and Baluchistan compared with other regions of Pakistan. Improved socioeconomic status significantly reduced the odds of various types of CFM, except the coexistence of underweight with wasting. The high prevalence of CFM in Pakistan can be averted by multisectoral collaboration and by integrating nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions.