Articles: health.
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The 1980s will go into history as a decade of lost opportunities to increase contraceptive prevalence and improve reproductive health worldwide. As the decade closes, 500 million couples still have no access to fertility regulation, there are 30-50 million induced abortions each year, 15 million infant and child deaths (30% of all deaths worldwide), an estimated 250 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases and 60-80 million infertile couples. One of the major problems is that many policy makers are still unimpressed with the global demographic reality. ⋯ Where do we go from here? That will mainly depend on the number of years it will take to reach replacement level of fertility (around 2.1 children per couple) worldwide. If the level is reached in 2010 (the low projection of the United Nations), global population will stabilize by the end of the 21st century at 8 billion; if it is reached in 2035 (medium projection), population will stabilize around 10 billion; however, if it is reached only in 2065 (high projection), the global population in 2100 will consist of more than 14 billion people, with major consequences on every walk of life. To restrict the final population to 10 billion, contraceptive prevalence must increase from 51% to 58% of married women of reproductive age before the year 2000 and to 71% by 2020, implying an increase from the present 350 million users to 500 and 800 million, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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This study was conducted during 1987-1988 academic year in the rural areas of Tihama Saudi Arabia to assess the average duration of breast feeding and the effect of some factors. A multi-way analysis of variance approach was used to examine the effect of mother's age, parity and education on the duration of breast feeding. ⋯ The results showed that 98.3% support breast feeding and 78.9% of the sample were illiterates. These findings are discussed in relation to previous work.
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India aims at the elimination of neonatal tetanus by 1995 by providing TT immunization services to all pregnant women in the country. Strengthening of the surveillance system is part of the strategy for the elimination of neonatal tetanus. There is a wide range of performance at state and district level. Many states have the potential of achieving the difficult and challenging goal of neonatal tetanus elimination within a few years.
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S Afr J Commun Disord · Jan 1991
Attitudes of a group of South African speech and hearing therapists towards patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
The present study investigated the attitudes, knowledge and fears of a group of 31 speech-language pathologists and audiologists working in 13 hospital settings, concerning patients with AIDS/HIV. Individuals completed an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire assessing self-perceived level of knowledge, actual knowledge of modes of transmission of the AIDS virus and protection procedures, and attitudes and fears associated with treatment of AIDS/HIV patients. Qualitative data concerning responses to this epidemic were also obtained and statistical analyses were completed to determine the relationship between the above mentioned variables. ⋯ No correlation was found between respondents' level of actual knowledge and their attitudes. Information needs were identified which have important implications for future education. In addition, proposed policy guidelines for speech-language pathologists and audiologists in contact with AIDS/HIV patients, based on the above results of the study are provided.