Revisiting labour and gender issues in Export Processing Zones : the cases of South Korea, Bangladesh and India

The establishment of Export Processing Zones (EPZs) is a strategy for economic development that was introduced almost fifty years ago and is nowadays employed in a large number of countries. While the number of EPZs including several variants such as Special Economic Zone (SEZs) has increased continuously, general interest in EPZs has declined over the years in contrast to earlier heated debates regarding the efficacy of the strategy and its welfare effects especially on women workers. This article re-evaluates the historical trajectories and outstanding labour and gender issues of EPZs on the basis of the experiences of South Korea, Bangladesh and India. The findings suggest the necessity of enlarging our analytical scope with regard to EPZs, which are inextricably connected with external employment structures, whether outside the EPZ but within the same country, or outside the EPZ and its host country altogether

How to promote the stockpiling of medication for disaster preparedness among Parkinson’s disease patients receiving home care services

The purpose of this study was to identify factors, using the Health Belief Model (HBM) associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) medication stockpiling for disaster preparedness among PD patients receiving home care services. The survey was conducted through an anonymous, self-administered postal questionnaire between March and September 2013, targeting all 1,398 members of Japan Parkinson’s Disease Association in nine prefectures in East Japan including the Hokuriku region. The analysis included 571 valid responses (40.8%). The results of a binary logistic regression analysis indicated that three of the modifying factors in the HBM, “possession of a disability certificate,” “bringing a medicine notebook or information sheet when going out,” and “awareness of the possibility of a future disaster” were significantly associated with stockpiling behavior. The “Cues to Action” factor (“encouragement from others or information promoting the stockpiling of medication”) was also significantly associated. However, the other constructs in the HBM, “Susceptibility,” “Severity,” “Perceived Threat,” “Barriers,” and “Benefits,” did not show significant association. We concluded that encouragement of stockpiling behavior from healthcare professionals and the PD Association, making a habit of always bringing a medicine notebook when going out, and raising awareness of the possibility of a disaster are useful in promoting medication stockpiling among PD patients

Health Status of Reproductive -age Females in Rural Laos from the Perspective of Anthropometry and Hemoglobin Level.

　The objectives of this study are to elucidate 1) the health status and its’ seasonal variation of reproductive age female villagers in Lahanam zone, Sonkhon district, Savannakhet province of Lao PDR, and 2) the relevant factors in relation to socioeconomic characteristics of their households. Data of the present study were collected in rainy season between 7th and 25th August 2005, and in dry season between 6th and 13th February 2006, based on the authors’ field research in five villages. Randomly selected 113 females, 20 to 40 years old, were studied in 2005; rainy season. Within 113 subjects of rainy season survey, 29 subjects were excluded; the person who were pregnant and breast feeding, moved to other place, thus 84 females were studied in 2006; dry season. Measurements were done for anthropometric variables, hemoglobin level, blood pressure, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and difference between two seasons were calculated. Socioeconomic characteristics of the subjects were obtained by village health volunteers, using structured interviews.　From the results of the anthropometric measurements and hemoglobin level, it can be said that the nutritional statuses of the five villagers were better than that of females in the national survey. Furthermore, the percentages of the overweight (BMI over 25) of the present study (16.8% in rainy season and 22.6% in dry season) were higher than the result of adult females in national survey (10.8 % ). It should be noted that the problems of undernutrition and overnutrition occur in the same village at same time, similarly to a modernizing populations in other developing countries. Among socioeconomic characteristics, the environmental factors such as area of irrigated rice field, and the main sources of the foods played important roles for the health status of the subjects in rural village in the Sonkhon district

Dietary intake and the indicators of dietary change for females of reproductive age

　The objectives of this study are to understand amount of food consumption and nutrients intake, and changing dietary pattern for females of reproductive age in Lowland of Laos, Lahanam zone in Sonkhon district, Savannakhet province. We randomly selected 113 women aged 19-40 years in 5 villages. The period of the data collection is August to September, 2005. One subjects was visited for 3 days with 4 days interval. The mean of 3 days dietary records was used as the person’s dietary data. The subjects living in Kokphok, where is in most traditional environment and lifestyle, consumed more cereals, other vegetables, mushrooms and sea/river weed than subjects living in other villages in average. The intake levels of fat 13g/day, calcium 406mg/day, iron 13mg/day, and retinal 320mg/day were very low compare with RDA of Thailand and WHO/FAO. The energy density values of protein, fat, carbohydrate in the subjects’ diet, were 13% , 7% , 80% . Fat intake level in energy density (% ) was related sugars, fat & oils, meats, eggs positively, but cereals and other vegetables negatively. It related skinfold thickness positively. High economic status, such as owner of TV/Video, relate fat intake both in crude value and energy density value. These results suggest penetrate of cash economy change dietary pattern, and induce high fat intake and physical fatness

Development and validation of food frequency questionnaire for estimating food and nutrient intakes of people in rural Laos

　Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) has been developed for estimating food and nutrient intakes at both individual and group levels. The foods listed for FFQ have been chosen based on the data of semi-weighed dietary record (DR) collected in autumn, 2004 from children in Lahanam area, and other qualitative information on the dietary habits of Lao population. The validation study with FFQ and 3-day DR was performed using 113 adult women in Lahanam in summer, 2005. Mean intakes of some food groups were severely overreported in FFQ than in DR although the food list of FFQ almost covered major foods necessary for the assessment of the target population. In order to minimize over/underreporting tendency by food group, the portion sizes in the calculation algorism of FFQ were corrected using the over/underreport ratios of food groups. After this correction, nutrient intakes estimated from FFQ were compared with those assessed with DR at individual and village levels. Mean nutrient intakes of the whole population estimated from FFQ were close to those assessed with DR. However, the correlation coefficients of nutrient intakes between the two methods were null or low (r ranged from -0.14 [ % energy of fat] to 0.21 [niacin]). In contrast, the correlation analysis showed a reasonable reproducibility between the two FFQs assessed one-month apart (r ranged from 0.07 [retinol] to 0.60 [carbohydrate]). Further consideration with careful checking of the collected data may be necessary to develop a reliable and usable FFQ for people in rural Laos