Social differentiation and embodied dispositions: a qualitative study of maternal care-seeking behaviour for near-miss morbidity in Bolivia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Use of maternal health care in low-income countries has been associated with several socioeconomic and demographic factors, although contextual analyses of the latter have been few. A previous study showed that 75% of women with severe obstetric morbidity (near-miss) identified at hospitals in La Paz, Bolivia were in critical conditions upon arrival, underscoring the significance of pre-hospital barriers also in this setting with free and accessible maternal health care. The present study explores how health care-seeking behaviour for near-miss morbidity is conditioned in La Paz, Bolivia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thematic interviews with 30 women with a near-miss event upon arrival at hospital. Near-miss was defined based on clinical and management criteria. Modified analytic induction was applied in the analysis that was further influenced by theoretical views that care-seeking behaviour is formed by predisposing characteristics, enabling factors, and perceived need, as well as by socially shaped habitual behaviours.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The self-perception of being fundamentally separated from "others", meaning those who utilise health care, was typical for women who customarily delivered at home and who delayed seeking medical assistance for obstetric emergencies. Other explanations given by these women were distrust of authority, mistreatment by staff, such as not being kept informed about their condition or the course of their treatment, all of which reinforced their dissociation from the health-care system.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The findings illustrate health care-seeking behaviour as a practise that is substantially conditioned by social differentiation. Social marginalization and the role health institutions play in shaping care-seeking behaviour have been de-emphasised by focusing solely on endogenous cultural factors in Bolivia.</p

On finding the non-isomorphism classes of the (n x n)/k semi-latin squares

We give and prove group-theoretic lemmas which would enable one to find the non-isomorphism classes of the (n × n) / k semi-Latin squares. These lemmas are most useful when the sizes and number of semi-Latin squares under consideration are large, and the computing method via the ‘nauty package' for finding their isomorphism classes, given by Bailey and Chigbu, is not readily available. Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Volume , No 1 January (2001) pp. 189-198 KEY WORDS: Concurrence parameters, enumeration, semi-Latin square, non-isomorphism, Trojan square

Enumeration of semi-Latin squares

AbstractAn (n × n)/k semi-Latin square is an n × n square in which nk letters are placed so that there are k letters in each row-column intersection and that each letter occurs once per row and once per column. It may be regarded as a family of nk permutations of n objects subject to certain restrictions. Squares of a given size fall into strong isomorphism classes (interchange of rows and columns not permitted), which are grouped into weak isomorphism classes (interchange of rows and columns permitted). We use group theory, graph theory, design theory and computing to find all isomorphism classes of (4 × 4)/k semi-Latin squares for k = 2, 3, 4