Plants used during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum healthcare in Lao PDR: A comparative study of the Brou, Saek and Kry ethnic groups

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In many Southeast Asian cultures the activities and diet during the postpartum period are culturally dictated and a period of confinement is observed. Plants play an important role in recovery during the postpartum period in diet, traditional medicine, steam bath and mother roasting (where mother and child placed on a bed above a brazier with charcoal embers on which aromatic plants are laid). This research focuses on the use of plants during pregnancy, parturition, postpartum recovery and infant healthcare among three ethnic groups, the Brou, Saek and Kry. It aims to identify culturally important traditions that may facilitate implementation of culturally appropriate healthcare.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were collected in 10 different villages in Khammouane province, Lao PDR, through group and individual interviews with women by female interviewers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 55 different plant species are used in women's healthcare, of which over 90% are used in postpartum recovery. Consensus Analysis rejects the hypothesis that the three ethnic groups belong to a single culture for postpartum plant use, and multidimensional scaling reveals non-overlapping clusters per ethnic group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Medicinal plant use is common among the Brou, Saek and Kry to facilitate childbirth, alleviate menstruation problems, assist recovery after miscarriage, mitigate postpartum haemorrhage, aid postpartum recovery, and for use in infant care. The wealth of novel insights into plant use and preparation will help to understand culturally important practices such as confinement, dietary restrictions, mother roasting and herbal steam baths and their incorporation into modern healthcare.</p

Wohnstandortwahl der «Creative Class» in der Agglomeration Zürich

Richard Florida focuses on the selected determinants affecting the choice of residence by the creative class at the regional level. He defines these determinants with the concept “quality of place”. The question arises of whether this approach can be transferred to a subregional level. In the empirical research at the subregional level, variables are added to “quality of place” and the creative class is differentiated into sectors. In this article, Florida’s assessment is applied to the subregional level, as is usual for assessments used to explain the choice of residence location. This allows an investigation of which location factors have a deciding influence on the residence location choices of the creative class in the Zurich agglomeration and what differences, if any, can be found between the various branches. An empirical analysis of the data for the agglomeration of Zurich in 2000 supports the transferability of Florida’s approach to the subregional level. However, it is evident that the differentiation of the creative class and the addition of other determinants to “quality of place” are essential

Old-Age Security and Silver Workers: An Empirical Survey Identifies Challenges for Companies, Insurers and Society

As a result of demographic development, pension reforms have been passed to make them more sustainable for the future. More recently, understanding of the importance of the employment of older workers has been increasing but there is still the need for a policy shift. Moreover, the future shortage of qualified staff will noticeably affect the growth of many developed economies in the next decades. This explorative paper focuses on the present empirical situation and expectations of the workforce capacity of older persons in good mental and physical health: paid and unpaid active retirees in Germany (Silver Workers). The lifestyles of Silver Workers as well as reasons for engagement in post-retirement activities and necessary framework conditions of work during retirement are described. The qualitative and quantitative survey allows us to derive practical recommendations for leadership, human resource management and policies, as well as for the insurance industry. The authors estimate that integrating Silver Workers can contribute to macroeconomic growth potential, relieve old-age pension systems (“Fourth Pillar”) and provide new business opportunities. The Geneva Papers (2009) 34, 137–157. doi:10.1057/gpp.2008.44