Monitoring socioeconomic inequity in maternal health indicators in Egypt: 1995-2005

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Egypt's longstanding commitment to safe motherhood and maternal health has paid off in substantial declines in maternal mortality ratio and significant improvement in the levels of many maternal health indicators. The current study aims to monitor trends of maternal health indicators and their socioeconomic inequities among Egyptian women over ten-year period (1995-2005). It poses the question "to what extent have the recent maternal health improvements been shared among the various socioeconomic categories of women?"</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The current paper uses data on maternal health available in three consecutive Demographic and Health Surveys (1995-2000-2005). Concentration index is used to assess the levels of health inequity over the ten year period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Although previous efforts in maternal health have contributed to substantial improvements in the general levels of maternal health indicators, these improvements were not enjoyed equally by women in various social groups. Indicators that have long been the focus of health policy such as fertility and contraceptive use showed some declines in disparities but they are far behind from achieving equity. Other indicators which relate to unmet need, prenatal care, delivery, postnatal care still loaded with high levels of inequity and call for more comprehensive policy interventions.</p

Are neighborhood education levels associated with BMI among adults I Cairo, Egypt

This study examined the association between area-level education and BMI among adults in Cairo, Egypt. A sample of 3993 households including 1990 men and 2003 women were analyzed from the 2007 Cairo Urban Inequity Study, a study which aimed to identify potential intra-urban inequities in health related to the environment and living conditions in Cairo. Using multilevel analysis, we found that residents of high education neighborhoods were significantly less likely to be obese compared to low education neighborhoods. An inverse association between neighborhood education and individual BMI was observed whereby each unit increase in percentage of households with greater than a high school education was associated with a 0.036 kg/m2 decrease in BMI of individuals. This translated into a difference between high and low education neighborhoods of 6.86 kg (15.1 lb) for women based on an average height of 1.65 m and 6.10 kg (13.4 lb) for men based on an average height of 1.75 m after adjusting for sociodemographic, socioeconomic, health and environmental factors. These findings suggest that programs aiming to reduce BMI among adults in this setting may be well-served by focusing on education since it appears to have an effect at the neighborhood level over and above the impact it has at the individual level. This may be due to several factors such as greater access to knowledge and information regarding health and nutrition, greater food availability, and shifting cultural perceptions of beauty away from an ideal body shape of plumpness in favor of thinness in high education neighborhoods. The cross-sectional nature of our study does not allow for causal interpretations, however, so further studies exploring why the neighborhood education-BMI association is so significant is warranted

Differences in Self-Reported Physical Limitation Among Older Women and Men in Ismailia, Egypt

Objectives. This study explores the reasons for gender differences in self-reported physical limitation among older adults in Ismailia, Egypt. Method. 435 women and 448 men, 50 years and older in Ismailia, Egypt, participated in a social survey and tests of physical performance. Ordered logit models were estimated to compare unadjusted gender differences in reported disability with these differences adjusted sequentially for (a) age and objective measures of physical performance, (b) self-reported morbidities and health care use, and (c) social and economic attributes. Results. Compared with men, women more often reported higher levels of limitation in activities of daily living (ADLs), upper-extremity range of motion (ROM), and lower-extremity gross mobility (GM). Adjusting for age and objective measures of physical performance, women and men had similar odds of self-reporting difficulty with ADLs. With sequential adjustments for the remaining variables, women maintained significantly higher odds of self-reported difficulty with upper-extremity ROM and lower-extremity GM. Discussion. Cross-culturally, gender differences in self-reported disability may arise from objective and subjective perceptions of disability. Collectively, these results and those from prior studies in Bangladesh and the United States suggest that gender gaps in self-reported physical limitation may be associated with the degree of gender equality in society

Changes in the Demographic Profile of the Egyptian Population: Prospects and Implications

Currently, Egypt is experiencing significant age structure changes that will have major implications for its socioeconomic development. Continuing declines in mortality, combined with recent rapid declines in fertility offer Egypt the potential for a demographic dividend on one hand and rapid pace aging process on the other. Although the demographic dividend is considered a gift for many developing countries, it is not permanent. Therefore, it is essential that Egypt seizes this gift and channel it toward national development. At the same time, the rapid pace population ageing combined with the ongoing social and economic changes can result in eroding some of the main traditional sources of support needed for the welfare of the rapidly increasing ageing cohorts. Confronting and benefiting of these two new emerging demographic phenomena requires the adoption of new strategies. These new strategies should secure better the needed labor market skills for the new generations to enable them to compete in the global labor market and hence achieve the full potential of the demographic dividend. They are also required to secure a better quality of life for the ageing population and enable them to work and live independently in their own communities

Differences in levels of social integration among older women and men in Egypt

The current study explores factors underlying the observed gender differences in levels of social integration among older adults within the context of the Arab countries. Reports on older adults\u27 engagement in social activities were classified into two broad categories; private activities that are child-centered and public activities that are adult-centered and extend beyond the realm of the family\u27s children. Findings revealed that gender differences in older adults\u27 involvement in both types of activities were found to be insignificant, a result that indicates older women\u27s withdrawal from shouldering private-type activities and their increase engagement in public-type activities. Patrilocal residence, which is very common in the Arab countries, exhibited two different patterns of effects on levels of social integration. It increased older adults\u27 reports of involvement in private-type activities in general, but decreases older women\u27s reports of their involvement in these activities. Modernization and its impact on older adults\u27 levels of social integration were also investigated in terms of both education and urban/rural residence. Education was positively correlated with older adults\u27 engagements in private-type activities, but not public-type activities. Urban residence and living in a less restricted social environment in general was associated with decreases in older adults\u27 reports of their involvement in private-type activities. Nevertheless, older women residing in urban settings were found to report more involvement in both private and public activities. The current study highlights the need for more future studies that explore aspects of older adults\u27 integration within the family and the community, the interplay between attributes of older adults and members of their social network as well as the impact of social integration on the well-being of older adults within various normative cultural contexts. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Living arrangements and social support systems of the older population in Egypt.

This research examines the living arrangements and social support of older persons in Egypt. Traditionally, social support of the elderly is the responsibility of the family, and especially the children. Continuing declines in fertility and mortality levels are contributing to the rapid aging of Egypt's population, which raises questions regarding the persistence of informal arrangements. In Egypt, formal social support has not developed enough to supplant traditional types of support. This research does not substantiate certain propositions derived from the rational choice model regarding elderly living arrangements. Unlike the preferences observed in developed countries, older Egyptians of higher economic status are more likely to coreside with married children rather than live independently. Moreover, given the preference for coresidence with children, the importance of health status on coresidence with children versus living alone is reduced dramatically in Egypt. A review of the anthropological literature reveals that these norms and traditions are nourished by strong family ties which encourage children to support their parents. This research shows that levels of material support received including material goods and monetary transfers are dependent on educational attainment, and social class. The analysis shows that higher levels of education and social status, and urban residence decrease levels of material support for older persons. Sons are also found to be the main providers of support and their absence is not offset by daughters. Emotional support is measured in terms of children's visits, participation in family events and having a confidant. Children's visits are not affected by older persons' attributes, supporting the proposition that the children's characteristics are more important than those of the elderly. Elderly participation in family events substantially decreases by old age and poor health, while higher levels of education and urban residence substantially increase it. Daughters emerge as important confidants for their older parents. Older persons, particularly men and persons of higher socioeconomic status, frequently participate in family decision making. Finally, across all these issues, rural residence is associated with strong family ties that promote traditional old age support, while urban residence weakens these ties and promotes the adoption of nontraditional attitudes.Ph.D.Ethnic studiesGerontologyIndividual and family studiesPublic policySocial SciencesUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/130514/2/9732116.pd

Knowledge Gaps: The Agenda for Research and Action

The Arab world is a distinct geographic and cultural entity, with a complex demographic. Public Health in the Arab World reviews and dissects the public health concerns specific to this region. This volume will interest not only researchers, practitioners and students in the Arab world, but also the wider constituency of international public health specialists and social scholars interested in this region. With contributions from a multidisciplinary group of leading regional and international experts, this volume addresses a comprehensive range of contemporary topics, including the social determinants of health, and health issues in different population groups. Synthesizing a large body of knowledge in an accessible manner, the authors critique and adapt public health concepts, frameworks and paradigms to the context of the Arab world, engaging readers in current debates. This is a valuable addition to the library of anyone interested in global public health and in Arab world studies. Presents a diverse perspective on health issues through a multidisciplinary approach including public health, social and anthropological perspectives Describes the practical relevance of current theoretical debates, allowing readers to apply the theory in different frameworks Highlights the differences and commonalities between various Arab countries and population groups, helping readers understand the complexity of the regionhttps://fount.aucegypt.edu/faculty_book_chapters/2207/thumbnail.jp

Egyptian red crescent in Zeinhum: impact assessment of comprehensive community development model for slums upgrading

This report presents the findings of the impact assessment study of upgrading intervention on the lives of Zeinhum population, carries out in August 201