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Introduction: Although the relationship between mortality and self-rated health has been demonstrated in sub-Saharan Africa, information in this area is rudimentary. In Senegal, no study has been undertaken comparing self-rated health between urban and rural areas. The objective of this study is therefore to compare self-rated health and its main predictors in Dakar and in a rural isolated area, Tessekere municipality, taking into account socio-demographic and economic factors, social relations, as well as measures of physical and mental health., Material and Methods: This study was carried out in 2015 on a population sample of 1000 individuals living in Dakar and 500 individuals living in the municipality of Tessekere, constructed using the quota method. Self-rated health, health variables, psychosocial, sociodemographic and economic characteristics were collected during face-to-face interviews. Statistical analyses used were Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions., Results: Results show that self-rated health in Senegalese urban area (Dakar) is better than in rural area (Tessekere), but the determinants of self-rated health partly differ between these two environments. Age and gender play a fundamental role in self-rated health as much in Dakar as in Tessekere but diabetes and social support play a role in self-rated health only in urban environment, whereas economic well-being is associated to self-rated health only in rural area., Conclusion: The analyses carried out in these two environments show that despite the existence of common determinants (age, gender, stress), the determinants for formulating an answer to the question of self-rated health differ. People's social and cultural environments thus play a fundamental role in the process of rating one's health and, in the short and long term, in the mortality rate.

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of diabetes in the rural population of Tessekere (Senegal) and investigate associated risk factors., Methods: Data from a 2015 survey of 500 individuals age 20 and over representative of the population of the municipality of Tessekere were used. Sociodemographic characteristics, health related variables, capillary whole blood glucose, and weight and height measurements of individuals were collected during face-to-face interviews. Statistical analyses used were bivariate tests and binary logistic regressions., Results: The percentage of individuals having impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is 6.6%. Those with fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels ≥ 126 mg/dL and/or currently being treated for diabetes is 4.2%. Only mean body mass index (BMI) is significantly higher among diabetic individuals and among those having FBG levels ≥ 110 mg/dL. After adjustment for sex, age, educational level, BMI and hypertension, only BMI is associated with diabetes., Conclusion: Prevalence of diabetes and IFG in our study correspond to the high range of rural sub-Saharan Africa prevalence. Diabetes is thus becoming a pressing public health concern, even in rural areas. But the risk factors identified in Tessekere suggest that the diabetes epidemic is still in the early stages, such that concerted action would make it possible to contain the devastating impact of this chronic condition., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: No conflict of interest.

Introduction: The aim of this article is to assess prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension in rural Senegal (Sahelian Ferlo region)., Methods: This study was carried out in 2015 on a population sample of 500 individuals living in the municipality of Tessekere, constructed using the quota method. Sociodemographic characteristics, hypertension, hypertension awareness, treatment and control, and body mass index of individuals were collected during face-to-face interviews. Statistical analyses used were Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions., Results: Prevalence of hypertension was 31.40%. Prevalence of awareness, treatment and control among hypertensives, were 43.31%, 24.84% and 11.46% respectively. Logistic regression showed that the prevalence and awareness of hypertension increased with age. Overweight and obese subjects were more often hypertensive, but did not differ from others in awareness and treatment., Conclusion: Given the very high prevalence of hypertension in the region, a strategic approach to prevent and control hypertension is critically needed., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Background: Body size scales are a common method for diagnosing body image disturbances and assessing the cultural valorisation of stoutness, a phenomenon that plays a role in the development of overweight, especially among African populations. Traditionally, body size scales present a front view. In this study, we evaluated a complementary model of representing body shape: the side view of body outlines. In particular, we examined the association between the side-view and a set of bio-anthropometric indices in men and women., Methods: To cover the inter-ethnic variability in the Niger-Congo area, we selected a balanced sex-ratio sample of 80 Cameroonians and 81 Senegalese. Individuals wearing close-fitting clothes were photographed from the front-and side-view, and measured following a bio-anthropometric protocol synthesizing body shape variation: Body Mass Index, percentage body fat, somatotype profile, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, mean blood pressure and glycaemia. The shape of each front and side body outline was extracted and characterised by Normalized Elliptic Fourier Descriptors (NEFD). Finally, we assessed associations between NEFD and bio-anthropometric indices., Results: Variation in the shape of both front and side body outlines was associated with all bio-anthropometrics for at least one sex-population combination. Overall, the side view best captured body shape variation related to changes in almost all bio-anthropometrics in both sexes and populations, with the exceptions of female mesomorphy, male blood pressure and glycaemia (in both sexes). We found that the details of the relationship between bio-anthropometrics and body shape differed between the two male populations, a finding that was reflected in side-views for all criteria, but not front-views., Conclusions: Variation in body shape assessed by several bio-anthropometrics related to health and nutritional status was larger for side than front body outlines. Integrating side views in body size scales would improve the accuracy of body size assessment and thus, the assessment of behaviours leading to overweight, as well as symptoms of body image disturbances, in Africa and potentially in other populations.

In the Sahelian zone, the drought phenomenon, combined with anthropic factors (monoculture, bush fires, defect or deficit of manure, overgrazing, etc.), has seriously affected ecological great balances, involving a degradation of the natural resources as well as a fall in agricultural productions, pointing to a process of desertification. To face these challenges, in the course of the 8th ordinary session of the conference of the Heads of States of the African Union held in January 2007 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), 11 countries adopted the Panafrican project called the Green Great Wall (GGW). The total objective of the GGW is to contribute i) to the fight against the desert's advance, ii) to the development of the Saharan-Sahelian zones toward a durable management of the natural resources, and iii) to the fight against poverty. It deals with the construction of a set of zones of afforestation crossing the whole African continent in the long term (7000km of which are in the west). Even if some decisions in the launching phase the GGW must be taken quickly, one cannot do without investment in interdisciplinary research. In particular, associating fundamental research and applied research will allow us to ensure the success in the medium and long term of such a large-scale reforestation project. Research segmented in compartmentalized knowledge fields needed to get adequate tools, among which OHMi Tessékéré, initiated by INNEE (Centre national de la recherche scientifique [CNRS]), in partnership with UCAD, constitutes an example. This suitable scientific tool, capable of action flexibility, of self-financing capacity, anchored in civil society, ready to implement a pragmatic and local interdisciplinarity founded currently on the concept of socio-ecological system (SES), is the one we chose to conduct our studies on the Ferlo arid ecosystems., (Copyright © 2013 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.)

This article examines social and environmental influences on the development of hypertension in a sample of 568 adults (290 men; 278 women) aged 20 years and older from Dakar, Senegal. We test the hypothesis that more recent immigrants to the city of Dakar will have lower blood pressure and lower rates of hypertension than those who have lived there longer. Cross-sectional sociodemographic, anthropometric and blood pressure data were collected during 2009. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 27.1% (95% CI: 25.2-29.0). Hypertension rates were not significantly associated with place of birth; however, length of residence in Dakar was a significant predictor, with those living in the city for less than 10 years having reduced risks of developing hypertension (OR = 0.25; P = 0.003). Other important correlates of blood pressure and hypertension risk in this sample were age and body mass index. These findings suggest that length of exposure to the urban environment-and associated changes in lifestyle-are linked to hypertension. Public health officials should thus pay particular attention to this phenomenon, and future anthropological research should include measures of both environmental and biological characteristics to study hypertension in Senegal., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The peopling of Comoro Archipelago is defined by successive waves of migration from three main areas: the East African Coast (Bantu-speaking populations), the Persia and Arabian Peninsula, and Southeast Asia (especially Indonesia). It follows an apparent classic trihybrid admixture model. To better understand the Comorian population admixture dynamics, we analyzed the contributions of these three historical parental components to its genetic pool. To enhance accuracy and reliability, we used both classical and molecular markers. Samples consist of published data: blood group frequencies, 14 KIR genes, 19 mitochondrial DNA SNPs (to highlight female migrations), 14 Y chromosome SNPs (male migrations). We revealed distinct admixture patterns for autosomal and uniparental markers. KIR gene frequencies had never been used to estimate admixture rates, this being a first assessment of their informative power in admixture studies. To avoid major methodological and statistical bias, we determined admixture coefficients through nine well-tried estimators and their associated software programs (ADMIX95, ADMIX, admix 2.0, LEA, LEADMIX, and Mistura). Results from mtDNA and Y chromosome markers point to an important sex-bias in the admixture event. The original Bantu gene pool received a predominant male-mediated contribution from the Arabian Peninsula and Persia, and a female-mediated contribution from Southeast Asia. Admixture rates estimated from autosomal KIR gene markers point also to an unexpected elevated Austronesian contribution., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Blood donations by populations from the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa are a public health necessity for reasons of genetic polymorphism. This article aims to determine whether blood donors' social characteristics ? i.e. greater socio-economic integration and a strong sense of citizenship ? constitute deterrents to blood donation among foreign populations. Results show that donors from the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa are not better integrated than non-donors from the same areas. However, blood donors express a significantly greater sense of citizenship than non-donors. Donors from the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa feel a greater sense of citizenship than non-donors from the same areas. The study of blood donation in these categories of population has two major implications. In biological terms, blood donation by foreign populations constitutes a response to transfusion needs. In cultural terms, blood donation is used by populations from the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa as an active means of expressing their sense of citizenship.

The objective of this study was threefold: (1) assess the general perceptions of age stereotypes among older French and Moroccan adults, (2) analyze discourse associated with these different perceptions, and (3) compare aging self-perception scores of French and Moroccan (rural/urban) older adults and investigate the sociodemographic and health indicators likely to be associated with these self-perceptions. One-to-one structured interviews were conducted with 260 older French adults living in Marseille and 239 older Moroccans (123 living in Marrakech and 116 living in a Berber village). The same questionnaire comprising multiple-choice and short-answer questions was used in both countries. This methodology allowed us to perform quantitative and qualitative analyses. Participants averaged 73 years of age in both samples. The French and Moroccan older adults perceived positive and negative age stereotypes within their societies, but the Moroccan ones more often perceived positive stereotypes toward older adults. Moreover, almost as many Moroccan people living in Marrakech as French people perceived negative stereotypes toward older adults. The qualitative analysis allowed us to demonstrate that some notions associated with the status of older adults are shared in France and Morocco-such as respect is due to older adults-whereas other notions differ between these societies-such as the association between aging and affection/love in Morocco. Finally, this study also tended to show that the Attitudes Toward Own Aging Scale focuses mainly on the mental/physical domain of old age.

Background: In Morocco, few studies have specifically addressed the association between food variety and household socio-economic status and area of residence., Aim: The study's objective was to obtain a qualitative description of food consumption in samples of Moroccan households and to examine the influence of socio-economic factors and area of residence on their food variety., Subjects and Methods: A qualitative food frequency questionnaire was administered by adolescent school pupils in their own households between March 2005 and March 2006 in 526 households in the regions of Marrakesh north of the High Atlas range and Ouarzazate to the south. We calculated the Food Variety Index (FVI) based on 183 food items and compared scores for advantaged/disadvantaged and urban/rural households., Results: Mean FVI scores for all individuals and total food groups differ significantly between the area of residence, urban and peri-urban Marrakesh and urban Ouarzazate having the highest scores. The mean total FVI scores, presented according to the household's socio-economic status from highest to lowest, are 123.8 +/- 17.1 for urban Marrakesh, 107.6 +/- 21.6 for urban Ouarzazate, 92.0 +/- 22.4 for rural Skoura, 110.5 +/- 21.5 for peri-urban Marrakesh and 89.9 +/- 10.8 for rural Iguerferouane (F-test = 26.7, p < 0.001). Advantaged households have significantly greater variety than disadvantaged households for all variables only in the two urban samples. In peri-urban Marrakesh and rural Skoura, there are no significant differences between advantaged and disadvantaged households., Conclusion: In our Moroccan sample, food variety is distributed according to two patterns: One based on area of residence, urban areas having greater variety than rural areas, and the other on socio-economic factors, with advantaged households having higher FVI values but only in urban areas. The limited availability of certain foods and food preferences by the populations mean that not all households are able to diversify their diets.

Data sources are achieved records of men workers' passbooks and registry for work permits in two rural parts of Southern France. We obtained three samples: masons from Rancon, a Limousin village, local sedentary alpine workers and Italian immigrants. The results obtained provide two types of information. The first concerns adult height, which is thought to be a result of both a growth pattern and environmental factors. The second concerns growth rates at the end of adolescence. The results seem to contradict the statements made above concerning the relationships between misery, elevation and height. While the alpine inhabitants are shorter, the Limousin inhabitants are taller in sprite they live in a miserable environment. It appears that taller individuals select themselves into migration. Thus, this model would contradict the idea of a regional genetic base.

Background: As a result of blood group polymorphism, distinctive blood types have evolved in populations around the world. In countries with large migrant populations, finding rare blood types for transfusion can be challenging. This is especially true for sub-Saharan African immigrants living in countries with predominantly European populations. This problem is further compounded by hereditary disorders such as sickle cell disease and by traditional cultural values that discourage routine donation., Study Design and Methods: The purpose of this report is to describe the drive to recruit more safe rare blood type donors in a Comorian immigrant community living in Marseilles, France. With a culturally adapted message developed on an anthropologic approach and working in close collaboration with scientific and medical members of the Comorian community, it is proposed that this population be sensitized with the gift of blood., Results: Targeted collection of specific sub-Saharan African blood types was achieved. Taking into account the high rate of infectious markers among products collected in this targeted collection, however, it was decided to promote blood donation in this minority by addressing people directly toward our principal blood center site. Since setup of this adapted communication, regular donors present themselves spontaneously without community pressure. Infectious markers rate is then equal to general blood donor population's rate., Conclusion: The results of this drive demonstrate the utility of an anthropologic approach and cultural mediation in identifying donors with specific blood types in migrant communities and recruiting second-generation donors. The techniques described in this study could also be applied to collection of other tissues including organs and peripheral blood progenitor cells in minorities.

As part of a survey of the biological history of Alpine populations, the lineages of all the families of the Vallouise valley (a French 'department' of the Hautes Alpes) have been reconstructed over several centuries. The genealogies have been included in a computerized population record, known as 'Vallouise in the Briançon area (14th-20th centuries)', using the French-Canadian programme Analypop. Most of the professions of the family heads were included in the files. In this study, various profession groups were identified and their descents determined over successive generations. In this mountain area, where over 92% of marriages took place among relatives during the 19th century, the profession groups modulated their descents according to chosen strategies, sometimes with considerable differences among groups but with a remarkable consistency of behaviour. Moreover, there was weak interpenetration in the descents of each profession at both the 2nd and 3rd generations.

Sociocultural factors play a crucial role in the variation of consanguinity in a population. The choice of specific matrimonial strategies can favor the closure or opening of the group to the outside, whereas differential fertility affects the gene flow from one generation to another. In the present study we analyzed the role of socioprofessional groups in the maintenance of endogamy and consanguinity in a French Alpine valley: Vallouise in the Briançon area. In mountain environments, where the reproductive space is limited and quickly saturated, the autochthonous families adopt diversified matrimonial strategies. These marriage practices tend to prevent fragmentation of agricultural property. We analyzed the matrimonial behavior in the two main social groups of this population (décideurs and farmers) from 1550 to 1849. To better understand the behavior of the two social groups, we considered the two components of consanguinity, close and distant. Our study showed that the two groups had similar behavior regarding consanguinity. The way to prevent fragmentation of the patrimony was to choose a consanguineous spouse. This type of strategy inevitably leads to a high percentage of endogamy, which in this region of the Alps exceeded 90% through many centuries.

The Comorian population is historically considered a blend of influences from African Bantus, Arabs, and possibly Austronesians. In this study we present the first genetic data on the current Comorian population. Serologic analysis of the six major blood group systems (ABO, RH, KEL, FY, JK, and MNS) was performed on 164 individuals from Grande Comore Island (Njazidja). In addition, Duffy genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction using allele-specific primers. Our findings establish a high frequency of the Fy(a- b-) phenotype (86%), presenting the same genetic background as in sub-Saharan Africa. Analysis of genetic frequencies, distances, and admixture with other populations indicates that African Bantus made the main contribution to the gene pool (73.2%+/-15.5%). The Arab contribution from the Arabian peninsula was smaller (24.2%+/-7%) and the Indonesian contribution was minor (2.6%+/-9%). The major Bantu contribution was commensurate with the Bantu cultural influence. The contribution from the Arabian peninsula seemed in relation to its permeating religious and linguistic influence. As with the language, the Indonesian contribution to the Comorian gene pool was small. These results are in agreement with historical, sociological, and linguistic data.

The present study considers the evolution of consanguinity in the Vallouise, a high glacial valley in the French Alps. The genealogical method was used to estimate consanguinity in this Alpine population from the 17th to the 19th centuries. This method was then compared with three other methods used to measure consanguinity. The results indicate that while consanguinity increased through time (marriage dispensations and genealogies), the structural consanguinity (isonymy) was very stable throughout the entire period.

The aim of the present study was to provide a fuller clarification of the influence of sociocultural and socioeconomic data on the bucco-dental ageing. In Particular, was suspected, the influence of the parental behavior towards the wearing of their own prostheses in the wearing of removable prostheses among the descendants. The study was led in a dental service (CHU of Marseille) on 260 from 50 to 70 years old persons. Variables in the study were mainly basic sociocultural and socioeconomic variables (sex, age, educational level and social-professional groups...); the dental morbidity (DMF); the periodontal state (corrected CPITN, plaque index, gingival index), the prosthetic state of the subjects, the prosthetic state of the parents, the behavior of the parents towards the port of their prosthesis (CPP), the behavior of the subjects in front of dental care. The data were analyzed mainly by the method of logistic regression. They indicated that the most determining variables concerning the wearing of removable prostheses were: the plaque index (OR = 1.730), the behavior in front of dental care (OR = 1.306) and especially, the parental prosthetic behavior (OR = 4.420). In others words, the fact that the parents had removable prostheses and well tolerated it, constituted an important risk factor so that the children had removable prostheses. It was here, according to the authors, about sociological and psychological determinants on the bucco-dental aging.