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Author(s): Towfiqua Mahfuza Islam[sup.1] , Md. Ismail Tareque[sup.2] , Makiko Sugawa[sup.1] , Kazuo Kawahara[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Health Care Management and Planning, Graduate School of Medical and Dental [...], This study uses the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey-2007 to identify factors associated with Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) for currently married Bangladeshi women. Twenty five percent of women reported experiencing at least one form of IPV. The most prevalent form of IPV is slapping; and, according to respondents, the main reason given for IPV is without any reason. However, results show that women who think their husbands are justified in beating them, and who witnessed their fathers hit or beat their mothers, are more likely to experience IPV. Results revealed that such women are, respectively, 1.21 and 2.37 times more likely to experience violence than their counterparts. Therefore, these two important factors need urgent attention to reduce IPV against women in Bangladesh.

The number of elderly people aged 65 and over is increasing in Japan. Elderly, terminal patients in acute care hospitals receive aggressive therapy treatments, leading to higher national medical costs; however, reports indicate that patient discussions regarding end-of-life medical care can reduce unnecessary aggressive therapies. This study investigated whether the presence of home-based medical care impacted the use of aggressive therapies in terminal, elderly patients who had died of pneumonia during hospitalization. Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) patient data were obtained for the period April 2014 to March 2017. We conducted a multicenter, cohort study of inpatients aged 65 years or older who were hospitalized for pneumonia and subsequently died. We analyzed the relationship between pre-hospitalization, home-based medical care, and aggressive therapies during the terminal stages of pneumonia using the chi-square test, t-tests, and logistic regression analyses. Data extracted included 13,582 cases of patients with pneumonia over the age of 65 years. The mean patient age was 83.1 (±7.02) years, 64.7% were male, 47.8% underwent ambulance transport, and 17.2% had home-based medical care. Aggressive therapy was administered in 33.3% of the cases. Effects of the independent variables on incidence of aggressive therapy were observed in 2,332 cases (17.2%; OR: 0.879; 95% CI: 0.791-0.977). Odds ratios were higher for patients undergoing ambulance transport, a higher Barthel index, and a higher A-DROP. We found that incidences of aggressive therapy during terminal stages of pneumonia were significantly lower for elderly patients who received home-based medical care prior to hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Sexual abstinence is the best available option for preventing both pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS. Identifying the factors associated with sexual abstinence among youths would have meaningful implications in a generalized HIV epidemic country such as the Côte d'Ivoire. Thus, we explored sexual abstinence behavior among never-married individuals aged 15 to 24 in Côte d'Ivoire and assessed factors that predict sexual abstinence. Methods We obtained data from the nationally representative and population-based 2005 Côte d'Ivoire AIDS Indicator Survey, conducted from September 2004 to October 2005. Our sample included 3041 never-married people aged 15 to 24. Of these, 990 reported never having sexual intercourse (primary abstinence) and 137 reported sexual experience but not in the 12 months prior to the survey (secondary abstinence). In all, 1127 youths reported sexual abstinence practice. Results Of the 3041 never-married youths, 54.4% were male and 45.6% were female. About 33.0%, 6.7%, and 37.1% of them were practicing primary, secondary, and sexual abstinence behavior, respectively. Females of higher education level were significantly 11.14 times as likely as those of no education to practice either primary or secondary abstinence. Males who were animists, had no religion, or were practicing religions other than Christianity or Muslim were significantly less likely than other male youths to practice sexual abstinence (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.30–0.95). Living in the north-west region of the country significantly decreased the odds of sexual abstinence among female youths. Similarly, female youths living in rural areas were significantly 0.42 times as likely as those in the urban zones to practice sexual abstinence. Conclusion HIV/AIDS prevention program components could include media campaigns, educational intervention improvement, as well as promoting policies that shape female youth livelihoods. Likewise, youth involvement in initiatives to design appropriate messages, and activities to promote positive behaviors or to change negative perceptions could impact on youths' decision to exert abstinence behavior.

Abstract Background In Japan, the emergency medical system is categorized into three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary, depending on the severity of the condition of the patient. Tertiary care centres accept patients who require 24-h monitoring. In this research, the average travel times (minutes) from the centroids of all municipalities in Japan to the nearest tertiary care centre were estimated, using the geographic information system. The systems affecting travel time to tertiary care centres were also examined. Regression analysis was performed to determine the factors affecting the travel time to tertiary care centres, using selected variables representing road conditions and the emergency transfer system. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify specific benchmarks that would be effective in reducing the average travel time to tertiary care centres in prefectures with travel times longer than the average 57 min. Results The mean travel time was 57 min, the range was 83 min, and the standard deviation was 20.4. As a result of multiple regression analysis, average coverage area per tertiary care centre, kilometres of highway road per square kilometre, and population were selected as variables with impact on the average travel time. Based on results from linear regression analysis, benchmarks for the emergency transfer system that would effectively reduce travel time to the mean value of 57 min were identified: 26% pavement ratio of roads (percentage of paved road to general roads), and three tertiary care centres and 108 ambulances. Conclusion Regional gaps in the travel time to tertiary care centres were identified in Japan. The systems we should focus on to reducing travel time were identified. Further reduction of travel time to tertiary care centres can be effectively achieved by improving these specific systems. Linear regression analysis showed that a 26% pavement ratio and three tertiary care centres are beneficial to prefectures with an average time longer than the mean score, to achieve a reduction of travel time. Measures for reducing travel time need to be considered in policy-making to re-evaluate the current locations of tertiary care centres to provide equality of access to emergency medicine.