Regional population trends in the city of Moscow during the 1979-1989 intercensal period

"This article investigates regional population trends in the city of Moscow during the intercensal period of 1979-1989. Results indicate that the Outer Zone grew more rapidly than the Inner Zone, which experienced population decline overall. As a result, the population of Moscow continued to shift to the Outer Zone. Although the Inner Zone still had a higher population density, the density gradient between the zones had flattened appreciably. Regional population growth rates were strongly and positively related to changes in housing space."

Diarrheal disease in Cambodian children at a camp in Thailand

The etiology of acute diarrhea (less than or equal to 3 days duration) and persistent diarrhea (greater than or equal to 14 days duration) was determined in Cambodian children under age 5 years in a refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border between May and October 1989; potential risk factors associated with persistent diarrhea were examined in an age-matched case-control study. Specimens collected from children and environmental sources were examined by standard microbiologic methods; Escherichia coli isolates were examined for hybridization with specific DNA probes and in tissue culture adherence assays. The same bacterial, viral, or parasitic agents were identified in 79 children with persistent diarrhea and in 408 children with acute diarrhea. Only one of nine children with persistent diarrhea excreted the same organism, Cryptosporidium, for that extended period. The most important risk factors identified for developing persistent diarrhea were living with other young children (odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 1.2-3.4) and being undernourished (OR = 2.6, 95% Cl 1.2-5.7). Persistent diarrhea in children in this camp was associated with several different agents rather than persistent infections with a single organism.

Outcome of very low birthweight neonates in a developing country: experience from a large Malaysian maternity hospital

Between January 1989 to April 1990 (16 months), a prospective observational study was carried out on 329 consecutive very low birthweight (VLBW) less than or equal to 1500 grams) Malaysian neonates born in the Maternity Hospital, Kuala Lumpur before their first discharge from the hospital. The objectives of the study were to determine the common causes of early morbidity and mortality of this group of Malaysian neonates. The study shows that the incidence of Malaysian VLBW neonates was 9.9 per 1000 livebirths (95% confidence intervals 9.0 to 10.8). The mean duration of stay in the hospital was 19.3 days (SD = 21.4). One hundred and ninety-six (59.6 percent) of the VLBW neonates died. They accounted for 60 percent (196/334) of all neonatal deaths in the hospital during the study period. Mortality was significantly higher in neonates of birthweight less than 1000 grams (p less than 0.01) and of gestation of less than 33 weeks (p less than 0.001). The three most common clinical problems were respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) (72.6 percent), septicemia (28.0 percent) and intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) (21.9 percent). Death occurred in 71.1 percent of the septicemic patients. The most common causative organisms of septicemia were multiresistant klebsiella (52.3 percent) and multiresistant acinetobacter (14.7 percent). RDS (33.2 percent), septicemia (29.6%) and IVH (17.9 percent) were the three most common causes of death. Improvement in the nursing staff situation and basic neonatal care facilities in this hospital and prevention of premature delivery could help to decrease morbidity and mortality in this group of neonates.

Vector-borne disease problems in rapid urbanization: new approaches to vector control

Owing to population growth, poor levels of hygiene, and increasing urban poverty, the urban environment in many developing countries is rapidly deteriorating. Densely packed housing in shanty towns or slums and inadequate drinking-water supplies, garbage collection services, and surface-water drainage systems combine to create favourable habitats for the proliferation of vectors and reservoirs of communicable diseases. As a consequence, vector-borne diseases such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis and dengue are becoming major public health problems associated with rapid urbanization in many tropical countries. The problems in controlling these diseases and eliminating vectors and pests can be resolved by decision-makers and urban planners by moving away from the concept of "blanket" applications of pesticides towards integrated approaches. Sound environmental management practices and community education and participation form the mainstay of some of the most outstanding successes in this area. On the basis of these examples, it is argued that the municipal authorities need to apply a flexible methodology, which must be based on the possibilities of mobilizing community resources, with minimal reliance on routine pesticidal spraying. In this way, vector control becomes a by-product of human development in the city environment. This is now a true challenge.

Salmonella and Shigella gastroenteritis at a public teaching hospital in Nairobi, Kenya

OBJECTIVE

To measure the proportion of nosocomial diarrhea cases associated with Salmonella and Shigella species.

DESIGN

Prospective 6-month survey.

SETTING

Tertiary care center in a developing country.

PATIENTS

Pediatric and adult patients admitted with the previous 24 hours and all consenting adult or pediatric medical patients with nosocomial diarrhea.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Prevalence of Salmonella and Shigella species isolated from rectal swabs at admission and among subjects with nosocomial diarrhea.

RESULTS

Salmonella species and Shigella species were isolated from 3.0% and 2.5%, respectively, of 667 patients screened on admission. All admission Salmonella isolates were identified in children under 13 years of age; Shigella prevalence was similar for children and adults. Children with Salmonella at admission were significantly older and more likely to have diarrhea, fever, and some indicators of malnutrition than those from whom Salmonella was not isolated. Salmonella and Shigella were isolated from rectal cultures in 36 (10%) and 9 (2.5%) of 360 nosocomial gastroenteritis cases, respectively. Nosocomial cases occurred equally in adults and children. In adults, nosocomial Salmonella acquisition was associated with sharing a room with a diarrhea patient and previous institutionalization. In children, it was associated with recent antimicrobial therapy, crowding at home, and age between 6 months and 6 years. Nine (41%) of 22 nosocomial Salmonella cases in adults occurred in patients with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) infection, while none of 79 HIV-1-positive patients had Salmonella isolated at admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Salmonella is a frequent cause of nosocomial gastroenteritis in this tertiary care institution in a developing country. Risk factors appear to differ for children and adults, and HIV-1-infected subjects may be at increased risk of acquisition. Control measures feasible for the limited resources available to such institutions require evaluation.

[[Reexamining the model of population density function: a study of Kaohsiung metropolis]]

"This paper [tests] both Clark's negative exponential model and Newling's quadratic exponential model [using data for] population densities in districts of Kaohsiung Metropolis [Taiwan]. It proposes four theoretical amendments and supplements to the population density function and the related theories." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Regional dimensions of population in India

"The present endeavour has an emphasis on analysing distributional patterns of some...population characteristics [in India] as a case perceived at the physiographic-regional level, that is to say, the variability of population characteristics over different natural environments as well as within a similar physical entity. Specifically it aims at analysing the pattern of population density, growth, urbanisation level and literacy varying from one physiographic region to [another] and the relationship of these four variables with each other at the same level of regional structure."

Population and development within the ecosphere: one view of the literature

"Contemporary academic economists, unlike those of the nineteenth century, find that although population growth and density can have bad effects on development, these will only be severe with wrong economic policies. Technical advance and substitution in free markets avoid major difficulties, for example shortage of materials. But ecologists see the poor cutting trees for firewood, the rich pouring carbon in to the atmosphere, and doubt the capacity of the environment to absorb the effects of dense and growing populations and their present technologies. On both sides are distinguished scholars, whose writings cannot here be covered exhaustively, but only enough said for background to the question posed to demographers: Should this central population issue not be on our research agendas?"

Population density and development potential in rural Zimbabwe: an assessment based on the 1969 and 1982 censuses

"Based on 1969 and 1982 census data, this paper examines the spatial association between high rural population density and development potential in Zimbabwe and its significance for national development policy. A 1982 grid cell density map was compiled on the same geographical frame as an existing 1969 density map, yielding an intercensal density change map. A land classification map and a composite map of development constraints were rasterized on the same spatial framework and subjected to computer analysis. Areas of critically high (and generally increasing) densities showed strong spatial associations with areas of severe development constraints...."