Factors Associated With Small Size at Birth in Nepal: Further Analysis of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2011

Background: The global Low Birth Weight (LBW) rate is reported to be 15.5% with more than 95% of these LBW infants being from developing countries. LBW is a major factor associated with neonatal deaths in developing countries. The determinants of low birth weight in Nepal have rarely been studied. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with small size at birth among under-five children. Methods: Data from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) were used. The association between small size at birth and explanatory variables were analysed using Chi-square tests (χ2) followed by logistic regression. Complex Sample Analysis was used to adjust for study design and sampling.Results: A total of 5240 mother- singleton under five child pairs were included in the analysis, of which 936 (16.0%) children were reported as small size at birth. Of 1922 infants whose birth weight was recorded, 235 (11.5%) infants had low birth weight (<2500 grams). The mean birth weight was 3030 grams (standard deviation: 648.249 grams). The mothers who had no antenatal visits were more likely (odds ratio (OR) 1.315; 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.042-1.661)) to have small size infants than those who had attended four or more antenatal visits. Mothers who lived in the Far-western development region were more likely to have (OR 1.698; 95% CI (1.228-2.349)) small size infants as compared to mothers from the Eastern development region. Female infants were more likely (OR 1.530; 95% CI (1.245-1.880)) to be at risk of being small than males. Conclusion: One in every six infants was reported to be small at birth. Attendance of antenatal care programs appeared to have a significant impact on birth size. Adequate antenatal care visits combined with counselling and nutritional supplementation should be a focus to reduce adverse birth outcomes such as small size at birth, especially in the geographically and economically disadvantaged areas such as Far-western region of Nepal

The Level of Compliance of Food Handlers with National Regulations on Food Hygiene and Safety Practices: A Case of Selected Fast Food Outlets in Thohoyandou, South Africa

Abstract Food safety is becoming a key public health priority because a large number of people consume their meals outside their homes. As a result, they are exposed to food borne illnesses that originate from food stalls, restaurants and other food outlets. Hence the study focused on level of compliance of food handlers with national regulations on food hygiene and safety practices. The method used to collect data was participant observational checklist where the researcher had to go round with the workers during their daily chores. Simple random sampling was used to select 122 food handlers as participants in the study. Fast food outlets were also evaluated according to codified regulations and sixty food premises were observed for compliance using a checklist and compared with standards and the requirements prescribed by in Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act of 1972, regulation Data analysis involved descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and analysis was made based on the standards and the requirements prescribed by Regulation R962 of November 2012. The findings showed that food handlers observed personal hygiene by wearing clean uniforms, covering their heads with hair nets, and washed their hands, indicating that food handlers maintained accepted standards in terms of personal hygiene regulations

Original article - DETERMINATION OF INDIGENOUS AND FOREIGN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES’ LEVELS IN URINE BY QUANTITATIVE INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

The comparative levels of indigenous and foreign alcoholic beverages in the urine of 24 University students after drinking a cup or shot of the beverages have been reported. The Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy was used for the analysis. From the results, the percentage content of alcohol (%v/v) in burukutu, palmwine, beer, Ogogoro, gin and ethanol (standard) were 3.2, 6.8, 7.0, 40.0, 41.0 and 96.0 respectively. Similarly, the average levels of alcoholic beverages in the urine (mg/dL) of the students were 120, 200, 210, 220 and 230mg/dL respectively. In conclusion, the present work has shown that there is a relationship between the levels of alcohol consumed and those excreted. Secondly, the study has provided a scientific basis that some of our local beverages such as palmwine, and ogogoro can serve as good substitutes for some of the foreign beverages such as beer and gin respectively

How to study migrant workers, precarious labour and community organisation in the north of Ireland : between sectarian communities and labour markets. Participative methodology (video and theatre)

This is an innovative participative long term action research project being carried out by an action research group on the initiative of migrant workers. The research group is known as the Migrant Action Research Project (MARP) and is sponsored by the Independent Workers’ Union, Strathclyde University and CAIRDE (an association of communities in Armagh City). The team (six nationalities) comprises; migrant workers, former migrant now long term settled workers, academics, union activists, youth and community workers and media workers in the north of Ireland and Scotland. The research utilises semi-structured interviews and focus groups and is conducted by the team who are subject-initiator-participants. This action research will be presented at a range of fora, inter alia, the Armagh and Belfast festivals and local migrant community events though the medium of video and theatre. Our project is based upon a democratic participative methodology deriving from Freire’s (1970) Education for critical consciousness and Boal’s (1979) Theatre of the Oppressed. In MARP’s research practices interviewer and interviewee are understood as action participant-subjects as opposed to objects of research. MARP goes beyond, while recognising the import of the academy and union recruitment, objectification of our participants. Research aims are: to present our agenda to increase shared knowledge with the goal of participant social change in work and the community; second, for the purposes of social and political change, to link together the relationships engendered between work, or non paid work, and community-worker organisation. In discussing of our methodology we present some of initial findings