Objective To determine cut offs to define thinness in children and adolescents, based on body mass index at age 18 years. Design International survey of six large nationally representative cross sectional studies on growth. Setting Brazil, Great Britain, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United States. Subjects 97 876 males and 94 851 females from birth to 25 years. Main outcome measure Body mass index (BMI, weight/height2). Results The World Health Organization defines grade 2 thinness in adults as BMI Conclusions The proposed cut-off points should help to provide internationally comparable prevalence rates of thinness in children and adolescents.

https://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/335/7612/194.full.pdf

Body mass index cut offs to define thinness in children and adolescents: international survey

This text reassesses Freudian psychoanalysis in an attempt to develop an understanding of the psychology of femininity and the ideological oppression of women. Analyzing sexuality, femininity and the family as they are treated in the works of Freud, Estch and Laing, the author demonstrates that Freud's theories have much to offer women in the understanding of their sexuality, and compares him to Estch and Laing whose contributions to the feminist cause, in her opinion, are less radical and more ephemeral. To support her case she discusses some interpretations of Freud's work and shows how the misunderstanding of his concept of the unconscious mind has led to misinterpretation of his theories.

Psychoanalysis and Feminism

https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lancet/PIIS0140-6736(08)60345-1.pdf

Mortality in HIV-infected Ugandan adults receiving antiretroviral treatment and survival of their HIV-uninfected children: a prospective cohort study

Currently, migrants and other mobile individuals, such as migrant workers and asylum seekers, are an expanding global population of growing social, demographic and political importance. Disparities often exist between a migrant population's place of origin and its destination, particularly with relation to health determinants. The effects of those disparities can be observed at both individual and population levels. Migration across health and disease disparities influences the epidemiology of certain diseases globally and in nations receiving migrants. While specific disease-based outcomes may vary between migrant group and location, general epidemiological principles may be applied to any situation where numbers of individuals move between differences in disease prevalence. Traditionally, migration health activities have been designed for national application and lack an integrated international perspective. Present and future health challenges related to migration may be more effectively addressed through collaborative global undertakings. This paper reviews the epidemiological relationships resulting from health disparities bridged by migration and describes the growing role of migration and population mobility in global disease epidemiology. The implications for national and international health policy and program planning are presented.

/pdf/the-basic-principles-of-migration-health-population-mobility-3zmkoubxzb.pdf

The basic principles of migration health: Population mobility and gaps in disease prevalence

Purpose – Interest in women entrepreneurs from various backgrounds has led to increased publication in the literature about particular women's entrepreneurship issues. However, notwithstanding the importance of this area, little information exists about women entrepreneurs' business practices, survival and growth strategies and their perceptions of entrepreneurial careers; indeed, many questions remain unanswered. To address this gap, this study aims to explore some of these questions by considering women entrepreneurs in Arab countries, more specifically, women's entrepreneurship activities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), a country with unwritten social mores in a patriarchal, male dominant society. The key objective is to examine these women's personal characteristics, motivation factors, business challenges and perception on entrepreneurial behaviours.Design/methodology/approach – Because of the lack of statistical data and difficulties conducting studies in an Arabic society, this study employed...

Evidence of the characteristics of women entrepreneurs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An empirical investigation

The study of child mortality occupies a special place in the field of demographic research, since it represents the negative component of population growth. Also, the world food problem has become a familiar topic since the end of the World War II. The idea that population growth will sometime in the future outrun food supplies and universal starvation occurs. This study deals with what happened in global and regional variations regarding the child malnutrition and mortality rates. The main objective of the study is to explain and to explore the effect of the social, demographic, economic and health factors on child malnutrition and mortality rates among different regions in the globe. The study includes ten regions of the whole world compared to other studies that covered only one or two regions. Data were collected from various sources. The sample involved 191 countries. These countries divided by regions of world as following. East Southern Africa, West Africa, East Asia and Pacific, South Asi...

The global problems of child malnutrition and mortality in different world regions.

Outlines important changes in the role of women in Arab societies, particularly in urban areas. Considers what factors impede or contribute to women’s work in all economic sectors in an attempt to explain and determine the relationship between their activities and social, educational, economic, cultural and health factors. Suggests that findings are related to family size, fertility rates, illiteracy and population per nurse. Recommends increasing job opportunuties and more labour saving technology as ways to increase opportunity for Arab women.

Analytical study of women’s participation in economic activities in Arab societies

Examines the effects of demographic, mobility, economic, social and technology factors as independent variables upon industrialization, urbanization and modernization as dependent variables. Compares between results of the analysis of these factors related to both Cowgill’s and Kuznet’s models. Samples 22 different Arab societies. Suggests that results show a positive relationship between change rate in urban population, expenditure on education, energy consumption per capita, total exports, external debts and modernization. Shows a negative relationship between family size, illiteracy, total imports and modernization, and supports the Cowgill model.

Modernisation in Arab societies: the theoretical and analytical view

There is now a grow ing cross‐national empirical literature on the information technology, but it is limited, and an im portant lacuna remains. Al though widely hailed as a new, powerful engine of global social and economic change, there has been very little sociological theorising and research on the globalisation of the information technology. This study deals with what happened in global and countries variations regarding the information technology. It investigates whether the level of human development and the presence of a sizeable growth of Internet hosts around the globe are related. The objective of this study is to identify and explore the relationships between the demographic, socio‐economic factors and using information technology among and within different levels of development in the globe. Data were collected from various sources. The sample involved 120 countries that have available data. These countries are divided by level of development as follow ing: 41, 47, and 32 countries as more, moderate, and less developed countries, respectively. The statistical methods include descriptive statistics and standardised regression coefficients. In more developed countries, the results suggest that GNP per capita, percent of unemployment, and percent of public expenditure on education were statistically significant upon using information technology. The results in moderate developed countries indicate that about 49% of the variance in using information technology are explained by total population, percent of rural population, age dependency ratio, and GNP per capita. Rural population, percent of educated youth, and percent of expenditure on tele communications were the best predictor variables of using information technology in less developed countries. Clearly, without government policies and strategies and national organisations’ efforts, the world countries will continue to divide into the information rich countries and the information poor countries.

The Influence of demographic and socio‐economic factors upon using information technology among more, moderate, and less developed countries in the globe

Many factors influence the participation of women in political life in Arab societies. Some of these factors contribute to women’s participation in political life, while others have a negative effect. In this study, the reasons for limited participation of women in Arab parliaments, ministers, and governmental councils are investigated. Its aim is to identify, explain, and determine the relationship between women’s participation in political life in Arab societies and social, educational, economical, cultural, and health factors. Secondary data from several sources are used. Social, educational, economical, cultural, and health factors are assumed to be independent variables. Women’s participation in political life is the dependent variable. The sample includes all Arab societies (22 countries). The results of correlation analysis indicate that family size, number of children in family, and fertility rate had a significant and negative association with women’s participation in political life, while percent of family in urban areas was significant and positively related to the same variable. The results of path analysis show that the percent of women in Arab parliaments and in governmental organizations had significant direct effects on women’s participation in political life, while life expectancy of women, GNP per capita, and families in rural areas had significant indirect effects. The most important recommendation, one that can be used as a plan for women’s future in Arab societies, is to improve the social condition of women and increase their participation in decisionmaking at the local and national levels and to create conditions that will enhance the position of women. This can be accomplished by following a comprehensive method aiming at deepening women’s consciousness of their political and legal rights.

Ashraf Ragab El-Ghannam

Papers

The global problems of child malnutrition and mortality in different world regions.

Analytical study of women’s participation in economic activities in Arab societies

Modernisation in Arab societies: the theoretical and analytical view

The Influence of demographic and socio‐economic factors upon using information technology among more, moderate, and less developed countries in the globe

Analytical study of women’s participation in political life in Arab societies