Men’s help-seeking attitudes in rural communities affected by a natural disaster

The article describes a mixed methods study of help-seeking in men living in the Chilean Central Valley, following exposure to a major earthquake event in 2010. The results identify that, within the sample, positive attitudes toward help-seeking correlated with younger age, higher education levels, above-average incomes, and stable personal relationships. It appears that education plays a significant role in shaping such positive attitudes, particularly by influencing views of gender roles and help-seeking. Conversely, older men’s reticence toward seeking help appeared linked to negative perceptions of available services and the influence of traditional notions of masculinity. The study concludes that adapting interventions and service offers to men’s needs in rural contexts must include an ecosystemic analysis of their reality and incorporate an understanding of masculinity socialization processes

Earthquake disasters and the long-term health of rural men in Chile : a case study for psychosocial intervention

The article focuses on the long-term health of a rural male population exposed to a major earthquake event in Chile, in 2010. The results show that a majority of the male study participants considered that their physical and mental health had deteriorated over a 7-year span following the earthquake and that these impacts were strongest in men aged 65 years or more. In considering potential lessons for intervention, the results must be interpreted within the context of the construction of male identities in a rural community, informed by generally conservative values and binary male-female gender roles. The article concludes that health and social services workers and administrators providing interventions to male populations following earthquake must work to reduce the gap between the service offer and men’s real needs, which are frequently insufficiently understood and inadequately coded

Guide to identifying alert thresholds for heat waves in Canada based on evidence

Among natural-disaster risks, heat waves are responsible for a large number of deaths, diseases and economic losses around the world. As they will increase in severity, duration and frequency over the decades to come within the context of climate change, these extreme events constitute a genuine danger to human health, and heat-warning systems are strongly recommended by public health authorities to reduce this risk of diseases and of excessive mortality and morbidity. Thus, evidence-based public alerting criteria are needed to reduce impacts on human health before and during persistent hot weather conditions.\ud The goal of this guide is to identify alert thresholds for heat waves in Canada based on evidence, and to propose an approach for better defining heat waves in the Canadian context in order to reduce the risks to human health and contribute to the well-being of Canadians. This guide is the result of the collaboration among various research and public institutions working on: 1) meteorological and climate aspects, i.e. the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC, Environment and Climate Change Canada), and the ESCER centre at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and 2) public health, i.e. Health Canada and the Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec

Dyadic adjustment and loneliness adult couples in Lima

La presente investigación de tipo descriptivo-correlacional tiene el objetivo de determinar la relación entre ajuste diádico y soledad en parejas adultas limeñas. La muestra está compuesta por 195 participantes en una relación de pareja heterosexual, seleccionados a través de una técnica no probabilística de muestreo intencional y de participación voluntaria. Los instrumentos aplicados son la Escala de Ajuste Diádico de Spanier (1976) y la Escala de Soledad De Jong-Gierveld (1985), para luego establecer la relación existente entre ambas variables. El análisis y procesamiento de los datos aplicó técnicas de estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Las correlaciones más significativas, en sentido negativo, se hallaron entre cohesión y las dimensiones de soledad, y expresión de afecto y las dimensiones de soledad. En ambas escalas no se hallaron diferencias significativas con relación al sexo y al estado civil. La soledad sería un factor que influye en el nivel de ajuste diádico de la pareja.The present descriptive-correlational research aims to determine the relationship between dyadic adjustment and loneliness in Lima adult couples. The sample was made up of 195 participants in a heterosexual couple relationship, selected by a non-probabilistic technique of intentional sampling and voluntary participation. The instruments used for this research were the Spanier Dyadic Adjustment Scale (1976) and the De Jong-Gierveld Solitude Scale (1985), both investigations helped to establish the relationship between both variables. The analysis and processing of the data applied descriptive and inferential statistics techniques. The most significant correlations, in a negative sense, were found between cohesion and the dimensions of loneliness, and expression of affection and the dimensions of loneliness. In both scales, no significant differences were found in relation to sex and marital status. Loneliness would be a factor that influences the level of dyadic adjustment of the couple.Tesi

Health impacts of the July 2010 heat wave in Québec, Canada

Abstract Background One of the consequences of climate change is the increased frequency and intensity of heat waves which can cause serious health impacts. In Québec, July 2010 was marked by an unprecedented heat wave in recent history. The purpose of this study is to estimate certain health impacts of this heat wave. Methods The crude daily death and emergency department admission rates during the heat wave were analyzed in relation to comparison periods using 95% confidence intervals. Results During the heat wave, the crude daily rates showed a significant increase of 33% for deaths and 4% for emergency department admissions in relation to comparison periods. No displacement of mortality was observed over a 60-day horizon. Conclusions The all-cause death indicator seems to be sufficiently sensitive and specific for surveillance of exceedences of critical temperature thresholds, which makes it useful for a heat health-watch system. Many public health actions combined with the increased use of air conditioning in recent decades have contributed to a marked reduction in mortality during heat waves. However, an important residual risk remains, which needs to be more vigorously addressed by public health authorities in light of the expected increase in the frequency and severity of heat waves and the aging of the population.</p

Excess mortality in istanbul during extreme heat waves between 2013 and 2017

Heat waves are one of the most common direct impacts of anthropogenic climate change and excess mortality their most apparent impact. While Turkey has experienced an increase in heat wave episodes between 1971 and 2016, no epidemiological studies have examined their potential impacts on public health so far. In this study excess mortality in Istanbul attributable to extreme heat wave episodes between 2013 and 2017 is presented. Total excess deaths were calculated using mortality rates across different categories, including age, sex, and cause of death. The analysis shows that three extreme heat waves in the summer months of 2015, 2016, and 2017, which covered 14 days in total, significantly increased the mortality rate and caused 419 excess deaths in 23 days of exposure. As climate simulations show that Turkey is one of the most vulnerable countries in the Europe region to the increased intensity of heat waves until the end of the 21st century, further studies about increased mortality and morbidity risks due to heat waves in Istanbul and other cities, as well as intervention studies, are necessary.Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Istanbul University-Cerrahpas

BUILDING TOGETHER : A reflection on community-based participatory research priorities in relation to hiv/aids in a remote region of Quebec

The objective of the article is to underline the importance of community-based participatory research, which involves institutional researchers and community practitioners, in establishing local and regional research priorities in relation to HIV/AIDS. We describe an 11-month-long reflection process conducted by a research collective in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region of northern Quebec. The significant results of the joint reflection and discussion process included: the development of local capacities for research and collective action, involving academics and practitioners; the valorization of participatory research; and the increased accessibility of research-based knowledge for community actors involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In contrast with more traditional research methods, the participatory approach situates the balance of power within a research collective that jointly determines, throughout the course of the project, the priorities that best reflect local needs for HIV/AIDS research. This initial process of discussion resulted also in the joint validation of a forthcoming grant application to be submitted to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).L’objectif de l’article est de souligner l’importance de la recherche participative communautaire, impliquant des acteurs locaux et les chercheurs institutionnels, dans l’établissement des priorités de recherche locales et régionales en matière de VIH/SIDA. Les auteurs décrivent un processus de réflexion de 11 mois mené par un collectif de recherche dans la région de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue, dans le Nord du Québec. Parmi les résultats importants du processus de réflexion et de discussion conjoint, mentionnons : le développement des capacités locales de recherche et d’action collective, impliquant des universitaires et des praticiens; la valorisation de la recherche participative; et l’accessibilité accrue des connaissances issues de la recherche pour les acteurs communautaires impliqués dans la lutte contre le VIH/SIDA. Contrairement aux méthodes de recherche plus traditionnelles, l’approche participative situe le pouvoir au sein d’un collectif de recherche qui détermine conjointement, tout au long du projet, les priorités qui reflètent le mieux les besoins locaux en matière de recherche sur le VIH/SIDA. Ce processus initial de discussion a également abouti à la validation conjointe d’une prochaine demande de subvention qui sera soumise aux Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC)