Menarchial Age of Secondary School Girls in Urban and Rural Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria

The menarchial age of 859 secondary school girls consisting of 508 from urban and 351 from rural area of Rivers State, Nigeria were determined, using questionnaires and interview method. Data collation revealed that 69.2% (243) of the rural population were menstruating, while 70.1% (356) of the urban population were menstruating. Mean ages of menarche were 13.19±1.32 years and 14.22±1.47 years for urban and rural areas respectively .A statistically significant lower mean menarchial age was observed in urban area girls, compared to their rural counterparts. Girls from families of high socio-economic class has significantly lower mean menarchial age in both urban and rural area. The mean age of menarche was significantly higher in girls involved in vigorous sporting activity in rural areas compared to their non-sporting counterparts. Urban school girls attain menarche earlier than those in rural area. High socio-economic class and vigorous sporting activity can be predisposing factors to low and high age of menarche respectively. There is need for redefinition of high socio-economic class in Nigeria

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE RURAL AREA IN ROMANIA AND IN THE OTHER EU MEMBER STATES

For the achievement of the objectives of rural development (contained in CAP), EU Member States have the priority axis (the general objectives of rural development) and the measures (the operational objectives) which are financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). According a special attention to the rural area development is necessary for the solving of the structural problems and for the balanced development of this area, respectively for the achievement of the economic and social cohesion. The rural area in Romania has a great potential from an economical and a social point of view due to the dimension, the diversity, the human and the natural resources. In Romania, the development of the rural area is connected to: improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector, improving the environment and the countryside through land management, improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging the diversification of economic activity and implementing of local development strategies. We analyze the priorities of the rural area development for Romania and for the others EU member states, through a comparative analysis of the allocated funds and of the expenditure of the funds, appropriate for the objectives contained in the rural development programs. Also, we are analyzing the accomplishment of the objectives of rural area development and of the measures (operational objectives) at 30 September 2010, which are contained in the National Rural Development Program in Romania 2007 – 2013period (NRDP).rural economy, rural area, objectives of rural development.

Rural Diversification and Social Capital in Rural Japan

This study investigates the effect of community factors on the development and diversification of rural Japan. Diversification is a matter of concern in rural communities as a means of revitalizing regional socio-economies. To establish new diversified activities, cooperation between rural residents is essential. Social capital (SC) is an important community factor that facilitates collective community action. The area analyzed in this study is the Awa area, where various kinds of agro-related activities have emerged, including rural-urban exchanges and agro-tourism. Traditional customs are also preserved in the area. We conducted both community and household-level surveys to collect data and investigate the general characteristics of the study area. Various agribusiness activities have been established in the study area. Diversification of rural economy provides opportunities for a variety of rural residents to participate in agribusiness activities and contribute to the sustainable development of both household and rural economies. Our results indicate that various group activities at the local level support the process of rural diversification. Continuity of group activities has led to the accumulation of structural SC. SC provides the potential for activating community activities such as new agribusiness and has contributed indirectly to diversified rural development in the study area. High levels of the accumulation of cognitive SC are also observed, but we are unable to accurately evaluate the impact of cognitive SC on rural diversification in the study area.Community/Rural/Urban Development, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, M2, O18, Q13, Q26, R0,

Prevalence of allergic rhinitis among adults in urban and rural areas of China : a population-based cross-sectional survey

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to compare the prevalence of self-reported and confirmable allergic rhinitis (AR) with positive skin prick test (SPT) results among adults living in urban and rural areas of China. Methods: Adults from a community in Beijing and a village in Baoding were selected as representative urban and rural dwellers, respectively. All eligible residents were enrolled from the population register and received a face-to-face interview using modified validated questionnaires. Equal sets of randomly selected self-reporting AR-positive and AR-negative participants who responded to the questionnaires were also investigated using skin prick tests. Results: A total of 803 participants in the rural area and a total of 1,499 participants in the urban area completed the questionnaires, with response rates being 75.9% and 81.5% respectively. The prevalence of self-reported AR of the rural area (19.1%) was significantly higher than that of the urban area (13.5%). The elementary school of educational level increased the risk of having AR (adjusted OR=2.198, 95% CI=1.072-2.236). The positive SET rates among subjects with self-reported AR in the rural and urban areas were 32.5% and 53.3%, respectively; the confirmable AR prevalence of 6.2% and 7.2% among the rural and urban adults, respectively. Conclusions: The prevalence of confirmable AR is similar between rural and urban areas in China, although there is a higher prevalence of self-reported AR in the former

'I Only Looked Away for a Split Second...': The Role of Distraction in Driver and Rider Crashes in Rural and Remote North Queensland

The overall program goal is to reduce the incidence and economic, medical and social costs of road crashes in rural and remote Queensland. Why rural road safety? 21% of the population of Queensland live in rural areas. 39% of serious road crash injuries occur there. Study aims: - Understand behavioural and social factors contributing to crashes - Develop, identify and trial targeted interventions. Study area: - North and west of Bowen excluding urban areas of Townsville and Cairns - 40% of Queensland's land area

The climatic character of the Auckland rural area

The characteristics of the climate of the rural area surrounding the Auckland urban area are discussed. Data used, is predominantly from published reports of the New Zealand Meteorological Service giving annual summaries of observations made at the various climatological, synoptic and rainfall recording stations. The mean characteristics of the area's climatic elements are considered together with their extremes. It is concluded that warm temperatures throughout the year, high humidity, variations in amount and. intensity of rainfall, prevailing westerly and infrequent easterly winds and high sunshine hours characterise the climate of this part of northern New Zealand

Change in the countryside: raising economic wellbeing through targeted intervention

This paper reviews socio-economic conditions in rural areas. Rural areas are home to a significant proportion of the region's population. The most typical rural area is a village, quire close to urban areas, whose residents enjoy a high quality of life. There are also remote rural areas where conditions are much worse. The paper suggests that policy intervention needs to be tailored to reflect these differing conditions

The countryside in urbanized Flanders: towards a flexible definition for a dynamic policy

The countryside, the rural area, the open space, … many definitions are used for rural Flanders. Everyone makes its own interpretation of the countryside, considering it as a place for living, working or recreating. The countryside is more than just a geographical area: it is an aggregate of physical, social, economic and cultural functions, strongly interrelated with each other. According to international and European definitions of rural areas there would be almost no rural area in Flanders. These international definitions are all developed to be used for analysis and policy within their specific context. They are not really applicable to Flanders because of the historical specificity of its spatial structure. Flanders is characterized by a giant urbanization pressure on its countryside while internationally rural depopulation is a point of interest. To date, for every single rural policy initiative – like the implementation of the European Rural Development Policy – Flanders used a specifically adapted definition, based on existing data or previously made delineations. To overcome this oversupply of definitions and delineations, the Flemish government funded a research project to obtain a clear and flexible definition of the Flemish countryside and a dynamic method to support Flemish rural policy aims. First, an analysis of the currently used definitions of the countryside in Flanders was made. It is clear that, depending on the perspective or the policy context, another definition of the countryside comes into view. The comparative study showed that, according to the used criteria, the area percentage of Flanders that is rural, varies between 9 and 93 per cent. Second, dynamic sets of criteria were developed, facilitating a flexible definition of the countryside, according to the policy aims concerned. This research part was focused on 6 policy themes, like ‘construction, maintenance and management of local (transport) infrastructures’ and ‘provision of (minimum) services (education, culture, health care, …)’. For each theme a dynamic set of criteria or indicators was constructed. These indicators make it possible to show where a policy theme manifests itself and/or where policy interventions are possible or needed. In this way every set of criteria makes up a new definition of rural Flanders. This method is dynamic; new data or insights can easily be incorporated and new criteria sets can be developed if other policy aims come into view. The developed method can contribute to a more region-oriented and theme-specific rural policy and funding mechanism