Active ageing in Pakistan: challenges and opportunities

Abstract The increasing number of ageing population is a signpost for re-directing the resources to ensure quality of life for elderly thus promoting active ageing. However, the challenges to achieve the goal outweigh the opportunities due to scarcity of resources. Several factors including, brain drain, poverty, lack of knowledge of elderly to protect their rights in association with poor state laws determines the poor quality of life for elderly in Pakistan. Although, the apparent scenario is quite unpleasant yet there are several opportunities such as improved crude birth and death rates, increased awareness about gerontology as a specialty care area and constitutions of Pakistan can be significant to ensure the well being of elderly and overcome the challenges to achieve active ageing in Pakistan. It is important to make best use of opportunities at hand by redirecting the resources to improve the quality of life to promote active ageing in Pakistan

Women\u27s health: an achievable goal for public health nursing in Pakistan

Monsoons of 2010; left devastated effects in Pakistan; it wiped away thousands of houses and damaged health infrastructure. The national and international communities rescued Internally Displaced People (IDP). Alongside the other health professionals\u27 Public health nurses (PHN) were instrumental in assisting IDPs. This is a case study of a 30 year old postnatal woman; who sustained an injury on her right breast and developed an abscess in IDP camp. The client was assisted by the team of public health nurses by timely referral to undergo incision and drainage for appropriate management. Moreover, post procedure follow-up assisted the woman in wound management and neonate care, especially the breast feeding. The family was also involved in client\u27s care to ensure their empowerment in managing the case. Thus, the efforts of PHN and their health assessment saved the life of one family by saving the life of a woman in that IDP camp

Women’s perception and attitude towards male dominancy and controlling behaviors

Introduction/Background: The study was conducted in urban Karachi, Pakistan to investigate women’s perceptions and attitudes towards male dominancy, female autonomy, and controlling behavior of husbands. Method: This was investigated in a population based study with a cross-sectional design, involving married women aged 25 to 60 years. A Structured questionnaire developed by World Health Organisation (WHO) on violence was used. Community midwives interviewed these married women living in pre-selected low, middle and upper socio-economic areas of urban Karachi, Pakistan.Findings: This study revealed women’s overall perception regarding male dominancy and controlling behavior and highlighted this attitude, as being acceptable to women. It was found that 96.7% (n=734) of females perceived their husband as authority figure in the family and 99.2% (n=753) consider themselves as good wives by being obedient to their husbands. Not only this, 88.9% (n=675) females perceived performing sex unwillingly with their husbands as an obligation. Conclusion: Perceptions of women regarding gender discrimination and male dominancy play a vital role in accepting gender discrimination. This study identified the declining status of women as compared to men in marital life due to various socio-cultural and religious beliefs, which promote controlling behaviour by the male partner. This is the result of learned behaviour and social norms in a patriarchal society adapted by women