Search

In foreign countries, rural tourism is developing with a high rhythm. Kazakhstan also has excellent opportunities for the development of this type of tourism. Currently, rural tourism in Kazakhstan is not fully developed. The article deals with the issues of organising rural tourism based on agriculture in the Aktobe Region. The study aims to improve methodological approaches to rural tourism development as an innovative activity type in the context of agricultural diversification. Three methodological stages have been identified: assessing the potential for rural tourism development, identifying priority types and subtypes of rural tourism, and identifying priority and promising areas for rural tourism development. The work assessed the possibilities of rural tourism development in the districts of the Aktobe Region using the ranking method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Essentially all women and babies irrespective of their economic and social status should reach their full potential for health and well-being. The study assessed the readiness of mothers and their preparedness for birth across three disadvantaged rural districts in Ghana. Methods A multi-centre quantitative survey from January to December 2018 using a multistage sampling approach was employed. Using a structured questionnaire data from mothers attending antenatal and postnatal clinics in three main ecological zones of Ghana were collected. Women who provided informed consent were consecutively recruited until the sample size was achieved. For categorical data, summary tables, proportions and percentage are presented. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the effect of selected characteristics on birth preparedness. Ethics approval was obtained from the Navrongo Health Research Centre. Results A total of 1058 mothers were enrolled: 33.6%, 33.4% and 33.0% respectively from the Ada west, Upper Denkyira west and Builsa south districts. About 94% of the women had prior knowledge of birth preparedness. Approximately 22.6% (95%CI 20.1, 25. 2) of the mothers were assessed to have poor birth preparedness: 8.0% in Builsa south, 27.8% in Ada west and 31.7% in Upper Denkyira west. Prenatal and postnatal data showed no statistically significant difference in poor preparedness (21.9% vs 23.3%; p-value > 0.05). Maternal age, employment status, religious affiliation and parity were not associated with birth preparedness (p-value > 0.05). Area of study (P

Introduction: Essentially all women and babies irrespective of their economic and social status should reach their full potential for health and well-being. The study assessed the readiness of mothers and their preparedness for birth across three disadvantaged rural districts in Ghana. Methods: A multi-centre quantitative survey from January to December 2018 using a multistage sampling approach was employed. Using a structured questionnaire data from mothers attending antenatal and postnatal clinics in three main ecological zones of Ghana were collected. Women who provided informed consent were consecutively recruited until the sample size was achieved. For categorical data, summary tables, proportions and percentage are presented. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the effect of selected characteristics on birth preparedness. Ethics approval was obtained from the Navrongo Health Research Centre. Results: A total of 1058 mothers were enrolled: 33.6%, 33.4% and 33.0% respectively from the Ada west, Upper Denkyira west and Builsa south districts. About 94% of the women had prior knowledge of birth preparedness. Approximately 22.6% (95%CI 20.1, 25. 2) of the mothers were assessed to have poor birth preparedness: 8.0% in Builsa south, 27.8% in Ada west and 31.7% in Upper Denkyira west. Prenatal and postnatal data showed no statistically significant difference in poor preparedness (21.9% vs 23.3%; p-value > 0.05). Maternal age, employment status, religious affiliation and parity were not associated with birth preparedness (p-value > 0.05). Area of study (P < 0.001), educational level (P < 0.016), marital status (p < 0.001) and antenatal contacts (< 0.001) were significantly associated with birth preparedness. Conclusions: As an important safe motherhood strategy woman should plan their pregnancy and birth well to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. Policy initiatives should take into consideration area of residence, education, marital status and antenatal contacts of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Optimal nutrition during the first two years of a child’s life is critical for the reduction of morbidity and mortality. In Ghana, majority of children miss out on optimal nutrition and only few (13%) of children receive a Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD). Several studies have investigated the influence of community-level factors on infants and young children feeding (IYCF) practices. However, little is known about the influence of maternal factors on IYCF practices in rural settings. Therefore, this study assessed the influence of maternal factors on the feeding indicators and nutritional status of children aged 6–23 months in two administrative districts in Ghana. Methods Data were collected among 935 mothers who had children aged 6–23 months and accessed 21 Child Welfare Clinics within the study area. The study involved a face- to-face interview using structured questionnaires to capture maternal characteristics, dietary intake and anthropometric measurements of children. Multivariate logistic regression was used to study the association between maternal factors and child nutrition outcomes (MAD, dietary diversity score (DDS) and anthropometric indicators) using Stata 16.0 software. Results Being employed (AOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.71—5.49, p

The paper features an overview of the rural settlements in the territory of the Crimean Peninsula that functioned during the Golden Horde period (from mid-13th to 15th centuries). Several centers of such settlement structures, formed near large cities, were revealed. The largest one was a cluster of settlements in the Southeastern Crimea, near the nomadic steppe, which also formed the outskirts of the Golden Horde town Solkhat-Krym. Its rural district increased as the city prospered, and waned in its decline. The second center of Golden Horde sedentary area formed at the end of the 13th century in the Southwestern Crimea, near the main group of lands occupied by the agrarian Byzantine (Greek) population, and also on the border of the steppe and the northern foothills of the Crimean Mountains. These were the settlement of Eski-Yurt – Kirk-Azisler, and later the town of Kirk-Yer. The third cluster was located in the Central Crimea and became a link between the settlements in the West and East of the Peninsula. The clusters of sedentary areas of the Golden Horde Crimea subsequently shaped the direction of the processes of organization and concentration of the rural population in the Crimean Khanate. An analysis of archeozoological materials from the excavations of rural settlements of the Golden Horde period revealed that the main slaughtered animal in the settlements was cattle, and the main meat product was beef. These evidences allow to assume that the most important specialization of the villagers was cattle breeding and, accordingly, not only nomads, but also sedentary inhabitants participated in the formation of the most important item of the Golden Horde export - the export of the bovine skins.

Background: Optimal nutrition during the first two years of a child's life is critical for the reduction of morbidity and mortality. In Ghana, majority of children miss out on optimal nutrition and only few (13%) of children receive a Minimum Acceptable Diet (MAD). Several studies have investigated the influence of community-level factors on infants and young children feeding (IYCF) practices. However, little is known about the influence of maternal factors on IYCF practices in rural settings. Therefore, this study assessed the influence of maternal factors on the feeding indicators and nutritional status of children aged 6-23 months in two administrative districts in Ghana.Methods: Data were collected among 935 mothers who had children aged 6-23 months and accessed 21 Child Welfare Clinics within the study area. The study involved a face- to-face interview using structured questionnaires to capture maternal characteristics, dietary intake and anthropometric measurements of children. Multivariate logistic regression was used to study the association between maternal factors and child nutrition outcomes (MAD, dietary diversity score (DDS) and anthropometric indicators) using Stata 16.0 software.Results: Being employed (AOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.71-5.49, p < 0.001) and attaining secondary or higher education (AOR = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.42-5.78, p = 0.003) were significant predictors of children receiving MAD. Similarly, having an average decision-making autonomy increased the child's odds of receiving MAD (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.02-2.76, p = 0.040). Children of mothers who attained secondary or a higher level of education (AOR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.36 -0.97, p = 0.040) and those whose mothers were employed (AOR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.47-1.07, p = 0.043) were associated with a reduced risk of underweight and stunting respectively. Children of mothers with average financial independence status were more likely to receive diversified meals (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.01-2.38, p = 0.045).Conclusions: High educational level and being employed have positive influence on MAD, stunting and underweight of children. High decision-making power and average financial independence of mothers are good predictors of children receiving MAD. Family planning, women empowerment in decision-making, providing employment opportunities for mothers and promoting girl-child education are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study assessed the non-utilization of PNC services, identified factors associated with PNC non-utilization, and explored barriers to PNC utilization in the rural community. Method: A community-based mixed-cross-sectional study was conducted from 20 March to 20 April 2020 among 521 women who gave birth in the last 12 months prior to this survey. A multistage sampling and face-to-face interview techniques were used for the quantitative data collection, and a purposive sampling technique was used to select the study participants. In-depth interviews were used for the qualitative data collection. The quantitative data were entered into EpiData version 3.1 and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to test the association between the independent and outcome variables. A p -value of <0.2 was used as the cutoff value to include variables in the multivariate analysis. Finally, a p -value of <0.05 was used to declare an independent association. The qualitative data were manually sorted, cleaned up, and labeled as themes. Every major theme was identified and enumerated, and the meaning units were cited together with the relevant participant's socio-demographic details. Result: The non-utilization of postnatal care was found to be 75.4% in the area. Normal delivery, fewer than four antenatal care visits, inaccessibility to transportation, and poor knowledge of postnatal care were all identified as factors enhancing non-utilization of postnatal care. However, being informed about postnatal care positively influences postnatal care utilization. Poor awareness, information gaps, cultural and religious beliefs, service inaccessibility, and the unfriendly approach of healthcare workers were all explored as barriers in the qualitative study. Conclusions: The non-utilization of PNC services in this study was higher than the majority, but not all, of the previous comparable local and worldwide findings. Mode of delivery, hearing postnatal care information, the number of antenatal visits, transportation availability, and knowledge of postnatal care services were factors affecting the non-utilization of postnatal care. The clients' poor awareness, information gaps, cultural and religious beliefs, service inaccessibility, and healthcare staff's inauspicious approach were barriers explored. Therefore, counseling and transportation access need to be reinforced in the setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper features the first results of the latest archaeological study investigations in 2020 were conducted at the Pesochnoe settlement located within the city boundaries of the Leninsky District of Saratov and was part of the medieval rural district of the Golden Horde city of Ukek. Excavation 1 (size 6×10 m) allowed to examine the cultural layer of the second half of the 13th – 14th centuries. The collection of mass ceramic materials comprised 150 fragments of medieval ceramic vessels. It includes 5 groups of both local and imported origin (Ukek, Northern Black Sea region, Byzantium), which, in addition to import directions, mark the presence of the Russian and Mordovian components among the population of the village. The ceramic collection, despite its small size, demonstrates all archaeological markers characteristic of rural settlements in the Ukek of the Golden Horde regions.

The 2 nd Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of the United Nations attempt to eliminate the potential hunger and food insecurity issues by 2030, but in the plight of COVID19 pandemic it has become far more critical and persistent issue globally as well as in India. The nation-wide socio-economic surveys of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in India are designed to produce reliable and representative estimates of important food insecurity parameters at state and national level for both rural and urban sectors separately but these surveys cannot be used directly to generate reliable district level estimates. Whereas, efficient and representative disaggregated level estimates for the extent (or incidence) of food insecurity prevalence has direct impact on strategizing effective policy plans and monitoring progress towards eliminating food insecurity. In this backdrop, the paper outlines small area estimation approach to estimate the incidence of food insecurity across the districts of rural Uttar Pradesh in India by linking data from the 2011–12 Household Consumer Expenditure Survey of NSSO, and the 2011 Indian Population Census. A spatial map has been generated showing spatial disparity for the incidence of food insecurity in Uttar Pradesh. These disaggregated level estimates are relevant and purposeful for SDG indicator 2.1.2 – severity of food insecurity. The estimates and map of food insecurity incidences are expected to deliver invaluable information to the policy-analysts and decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The data presented by us is characterize priority problems in the field of drinking water supply and quality of drinking water that are relevant for many regions of Ukraine, including for Hulyaipilskyi district of the Zaporizhzhskyi region, whose population receives drinking water with deviations in some indicators from hygienic standards. Objective - to study impact of mineral composition of drinking water on the health state population in five experimental districts (Vozdvyzhenskyi, Komsomolskyi, Novozlativskyi, Uspenivskyi and Malynovskyi) of Zaporizhzhskyi region in comparison with control Hulyaipilskyi district (with the lowest levels of diseases among population). Materials and methods. Study of drinking water quality from centralized and decentralized water supply sources in Hulyaipilskyi district (102 studies in total). Indicators of general and primary morbidity among adult population in Hulyaipilskyi district were studied for the last 5-year period (280 studies in total). Indicators of general and primary morbidity among adult population in the individual hospital districts were analyzed according to the medical records (350 studies totally). Results. Deterioration of the qualitative composition of drinking water with an increased level of total mineralization during 2015–2019 was established on the territory of individual rural areas: from 1.15 to 21.82 times. A reliably high level prevalence of kidney stones and diseases of the urinary system, diseases of the circulatory system, hypertension, coronary heart disease was shown in the territory of rural districts: Komsomolskyi, Novozlatopilskyi, Uspenskyi and Malinovskyi among adult population, compared with average annual indicator in the Hulyaipilskyi rural district (p < 0.001). Conclusions. There was a tendency to increase incidence of hypertension in all rural hospital areas during 2015–2019 years. Statistically significant correlation of average strength were revealed between individual components of the mineral composition of drinking water: hardness, dry residue, total mineralization and prevalence of III, XIV classes of diseases by ICD-10 (r = 0.30, p < 0.05).

Abstract Background In low-income countries like Ethiopia, where families have poor access to or do not utilize the services of formal health care systems, community health workers provide postnatal care services through home visits. However, the extent and effectiveness of home-based postnatal visits by community health workers such as the Ethiopian health extension workers (HEWs) are not well explored. This community -based study aimed to determine the coverage, contents of postnatal home visits and associated factors by health extension workers in Northern Ethiopia. Methods We conducted a community based cross-sectional study in the rural Districts in Northern Ethiopia from August to September 2018. A total of 705 mothers who gave a live birth in the year preceding the survey were selected using multistage random sampling. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect data by interviewing the mothers. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 statistical software. Association of postnatal home visits with possible explanatory variables was investigated using logistic regression. Results One hundred and two (14.5%) mothers and newborns received PNC home visit within three days after birth from HEW and 170(24.1%) reported postnatal home visits within 42 days. Among the mothers who received postnatal home visits, 6.5% measured their blood pressure, 11.2% measured their temperature, 20% counseled about family planning, 16.5% counseled on newborn danger signs, 11.2% counseled on the skin to skincare of the newborn and 14.1% of their newborns were measured their weight at home. Mothers who received at least one home visit during pregnancy (AOR, 7.49; CI 3.55–15.80), participated in pregnant women forum (AOR, 3.16; CI 1.67–5.99), notified their birth (AOR, 6.16; CI 3.50–10.84) and those members of community health insurance (AOR, 1.87; CI 1.13–3.10) were factors associated with postnatal home visit by a health extension worker. Conclusion The coverage of postnatal home visits by health extension workers remains low in rural districts of Northern Ethiopia. The existing health systems should consider interventions that improve pregnancy and birth notification strategies and more efforts should be made at improving community-based participation and linkages with community health workers.

Copyright of Revista Austral de Ciencias Sociales is the property of Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades, Intituto de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Austral de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Artikkelen diskuterer boforhold og boligtilfredshet blant innvandrere i norske distriktskommuner. Basert på registerdata, en spørreundersøkelse blant ulike kategorier innvandrere og norskfødte, samt feltarbeid i tre case-kommuner viser artikkelen at innvandrere i distriktene jevnt over bor romsligere enn både innvandrere og norskfødte i hovedstaden. Sammenligner vi med nordmenn, ser vi at en langt større andel innvandrere leier boligen sin. De fleste innvandrerne rapporterer høy grad av tilfredshet med boligen, dog i snitt noe lavere enn norske innfødte og norske innflyttere. Hvor fornøyde de er, har først og fremst sammenheng med hvordan de vurderer nabolaget de bor i. Også kvaliteter ved boligen, eieform, egen økonomi og tillit til lokale institusjoner er faktorer som bidrar til å forklare boligtilfredshet. Når det i regresjonsanalyser blir kontrollert for slike forhold, forsvinner betydningen av innvandrerstatus og geografi. Til tross for de ulike innvandrerkategorienes høye grad av tilfredshet er det også utfordringer rundt innvandreres boforhold i distriktene som blir diskutert i relasjon til de lokale kontekster. En del innvandrere opplever negativ forskjellsbehandling i boligmarkedet. Et stramt boligmarked i distriktene og begrenset, og ulik, tilgang til boliglån og andre boligvirkemidler er andre utfordringer. Funnene diskuteres i lys av teorier om migrasjon, integrering og boligtilgjengelighet.

Underrepresentation of women in the position of school superintendent has been identified as an equity issue in the field of education. National demographics show that approximately 73% of school superintendents are male as compared to only 27% female. Of these female superintendents, Latina and nonwhite female superintendents make up a small percentage of this group (Kominiak, 2016) and scarce in the literature. This research study revealed that Latina superintendents were attracted to small rural districts with a familial environment with high levels of parental and community involvement. They shared the perspective that small rural communities seemed to be more receptive to having a Latina superintendent than larger, more urban school districts. Gender discrimination occurred in some, but not all participant cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In low-income countries like Ethiopia, where families have poor access to or do not utilize the services of formal health care systems, community health workers provide postnatal care services through home visits. However, the extent and effectiveness of home-based postnatal visits by community health workers such as the Ethiopian health extension workers (HEWs) are not well explored. This community -based study aimed to determine the coverage, contents of postnatal home visits and associated factors by health extension workers in Northern Ethiopia.Methods: We conducted a community based cross-sectional study in the rural Districts in Northern Ethiopia from August to September 2018. A total of 705 mothers who gave a live birth in the year preceding the survey were selected using multistage random sampling. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect data by interviewing the mothers. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 statistical software. Association of postnatal home visits with possible explanatory variables was investigated using logistic regression.Results: One hundred and two (14.5%) mothers and newborns received PNC home visit within three days after birth from HEW and 170(24.1%) reported postnatal home visits within 42 days. Among the mothers who received postnatal home visits, 6.5% measured their blood pressure, 11.2% measured their temperature, 20% counseled about family planning, 16.5% counseled on newborn danger signs, 11.2% counseled on the skin to skincare of the newborn and 14.1% of their newborns were measured their weight at home. Mothers who received at least one home visit during pregnancy (AOR, 7.49; CI 3.55-15.80), participated in pregnant women forum (AOR, 3.16; CI 1.67-5.99), notified their birth (AOR, 6.16; CI 3.50-10.84) and those members of community health insurance (AOR, 1.87; CI 1.13-3.10) were factors associated with postnatal home visit by a health extension worker.Conclusion: The coverage of postnatal home visits by health extension workers remains low in rural districts of Northern Ethiopia. The existing health systems should consider interventions that improve pregnancy and birth notification strategies and more efforts should be made at improving community-based participation and linkages with community health workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sweden, the anti-establishment party, the Sweden Democrats, has seen growing support in the past four parliamentary elections. This rise is thought to be part of a broader trend where disenchanted voters in remote areas increasingly back anti-establishment parties. The present study investigates whether residing in a rural or peripheral district within a municipality increases the individual likelihood of voting for the Sweden Democrats in local elections. Drawing on a unique survey with respondents nested in 49 municipalities and approximately 1800 districts, the findings reveal that living in rural and peripheral districts increases the probability of supporting the Sweden Democrats in local elections even when accounting for individual- and context-level variables. Additionally, the results demonstrate that individuals in rural districts within non-rural municipalities are significantly more likely to vote for Sweden Democrats in local elections. This is explained as being driven by concerns about access to services and lack of optimism about the local development. • Place-Based Grievances: The study adds to understanding how place-based grievances influence support for radical right-wing parties, specifically the Sweden Democrats. • Rural Districts Influence: It shows that residing in a rural district significantly increases the likelihood of voting for the Sweden Democrats, even in local elections. However, the increased likelihood is mainly tied to voters in rural districts in non-rural municipalities. This implies that it is likely not rurality per se that increases the likelihood to support the Sweden Democrats. • Nativism and Diversity: The research finds a link between nativism and support for the Sweden Democrats. Additionally, it explores how the impact of neighborhood diversity on political preferences is moderated by positive intergroup contacts. • Local Services and Resentment: The study highlights how concerns about local service access, such as schools and municipal services, contribute to place-based resentment, influencing political preferences. • Urban-Rural Divide and Service Locations: It underscores the political implications of service concentration in administrative centers and how this can drive support for parties like the Sweden Democrats, especially in the context of urban-rural divides. • Perceptions of Future Decisions: The research points out the importance of perceptions regarding future access to public services and their influence on political support patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Unmet need for family planning has implications for women and their families, such as unsafe abortion, physical abuse, and poor maternal health. Contraceptive knowledge has increased across low-income settings, yet unmet need remains high with little information on the factors explaining it. This study assessed factors associated with unmet need among pregnant women in rural Burkina Faso. Method We collected data on pregnant women through a population-based survey conducted in 24 rural districts between October 2013 and March 2014. Multivariate multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the association between unmet need for family planning and a selection of relevant demand- and supply-side factors. Results Of the 1309 pregnant women covered in the survey, 239 (18.26%) reported experiencing unmet need for family planning. Pregnant women with more than three living children [OR = 1.80; 95% CI (1.11–2.91)], those with a child younger than 1 year [OR = 1.75; 95% CI (1.04–2.97)], pregnant women whose partners disapproves contraceptive use [OR = 1.51; 95% CI (1.03–2.21)] and women who desired fewer children compared to their partners preferred number of children [OR = 1.907; 95% CI (1.361–2.672)] were significantly more likely to experience unmet need for family planning, while health staff training in family planning logistics management (OR = 0.46; 95% CI (0.24–0.73)] was associated with a lower probability of experiencing unmet need for family planning. Conclusion Findings suggest the need to strengthen family planning interventions in Burkina Faso to ensure greater uptake of contraceptive use and thus reduce unmet need for family planning.

Copyright of Revista Espacios is the property of Talleres de Impresos Oma and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Decentralized systems play a big role in wastewater treatment in rural areas. The aims of this study are to address the wastewater treatment and disposal problems for rural districts of Istanbul, to discuss the efficiencies of currently operated systems and to offer new appropriate wastewater treatment systems for small communities having a population up to 5,000. The management and final disposal alternatives for sludge generated in septic tanks are also discussed within the scope of this study. A sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system serving 2,500 people and a hybrid constructed wetland system serving 500 people are presented as case studies. A thorough evaluation based on the capacity and performance of the existing wastewater treatment systems in rural districts revealed that a number of these systems are not operating at their optimum. Improperly constructed sewer lines receive a lot of infiltration and inflow (I & I) after rainfall events, decreasing treatment performance and causing operational difficulties. Natural treatment systems such as constructed wetlands prove a viable alternative in these communities, especially for villages with populations less than 500 people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding Soil Degradation Processes (SDPs) is a fundamental issue for humankind. Soil degradation involves complex processes that are influenced by a multifaceted ensemble of socioeconomic and ecological factors at vastly different spatial scales. Desertification risk (the ultimate outcome of soil degradation, seen as an irreversible process of natural resource destruction) and socioeconomic trends have been recently analyzed assuming “resilience thinking” as an appropriate interpretative paradigm. In a purely socioeconomic dimension, resilience is defined as the ability of a local system to react to external signals and to promote future development. This ability is intrinsically bonded with the socio-ecological dynamics characteristic of environmentally homogeneous districts. However, an evaluation of the relationship between SDPs and socioeconomic resilience in local systems is missing in mainstream literature. Our commentary formulates an exploratory framework for the assessment of soil degradation, intended as a dynamic process of natural resource depletion, and the level of socioeconomic resilience in local systems. Such a framework is intended to provide a suitable background to sustainability science and regional policies at the base of truly resilient local systems.

Since the early 1960, farms are one of the alternatively forms of hospitality in few Italian regions located predominately in the north and in the centre of peninsula. In 1985, Italian government promulgated a law in order to regulate this non-conventional form of tourism, by delegating to the regions the direct management of administrative procedures and inspections in farms. Nowadays, Italian agritourist farms represent a good chance to give value in favour of farm by the diversification of agrarian activities and also by holistically promoting local food in a direct connection to local gastronomy, rural heritage and tradition, with positive effects on the endogenous development in rural areas. The aim of the paper was to assess the role of agritourism in raising the socio-economic development of rural space by the diffusion of certified quality food using a quantitative approach and to assess if agritourist and certified quality food were tools able to implement the living conditions in the countryside. The findings have disclosed that tourists from abroad have increased the level of farmer income giving value towards high quality food and farm holidays farms. Instead, the impact of Italian agritourists has been relatively poor because of the economic crisis.

Objective: basing on the existing methods, to propose the improved method of estimating rural territories, which would allow to estimate the “stability” of the territory, and to group rural territories by types. Methods: abstract-logic, mathematical and statistical methods. Results: The author has elaborated the method of rural territories’ stable development estimating, basing on which, the typologization of municipal districts of Krasnoyarsk region was made, which improves the development policy of rural territories. Scientific novelty: The elaborated method allows not only to define the level of stable development of rural territories in general, but gives an opportunity to define the development level of a certain sphere of society, its sectors, which allows to carry out the deeper typologization of the regions’ stability (within a certain type). Practical value: By calculating the integral indicator of the stable development of rural territories, the municipal districts of Krasnoyarsk region were divided into 3 types: highly stable, of intermediate stability and unstable. Such division promotes the more detailed elaboration of development programs and, in general, improving the development policy of rural territories.

This article evaluates the social wellbeing of rural municipalities of the Kaliningrad region. The degree of social wellbeing is assessed on the basis of an analysis of statistical data and expert evaluations. Rural districts were identified in the Kaliningrad region on the basis of the following criteria: the share of population residing in the rural areas (threshold value of 50 %); the share of non-residential areas (threshold value of 75 %), the share of agricultural lands (threshold value of 50 %). Further analysis was based on the indices of geodemographic situation, investment potential, and production development. Rural municipalities were ranked according to these indices. The study showed that the best performing area are the suburban districts of Guryevsk and Bagrationovsk and the agricultural districts of Nesterov and Pravdinsk, whereas the worst performing ones are those of Gvardeisk, Krasnoznamensk, Ozersk, and Chernykhovsk. A comparison with the other constituent entities of the Northwestern federal district proved that the level of social wellbeing of Kaliningrad rural municipalities is rather high and most of them have made the transition from depression to sustainable development.

Background: Unmet need for family planning has implications for women and their families, such as unsafe abortion, physical abuse, and poor maternal health. Contraceptive knowledge has increased across low-income settings, yet unmet need remains high with little information on the factors explaining it. This study assessed factors associated with unmet need among pregnant women in rural Burkina Faso.Method: We collected data on pregnant women through a population-based survey conducted in 24 rural districts between October 2013 and March 2014. Multivariate multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the association between unmet need for family planning and a selection of relevant demand- and supply-side factors.Results: Of the 1309 pregnant women covered in the survey, 239 (18.26%) reported experiencing unmet need for family planning. Pregnant women with more than three living children [OR = 1.80; 95% CI (1.11-2.91)], those with a child younger than 1 year [OR = 1.75; 95% CI (1.04-2.97)], pregnant women whose partners disapproves contraceptive use [OR = 1.51; 95% CI (1.03-2.21)] and women who desired fewer children compared to their partners preferred number of children [OR = 1.907; 95% CI (1.361-2.672)] were significantly more likely to experience unmet need for family planning, while health staff training in family planning logistics management (OR = 0.46; 95% CI (0.24-0.73)] was associated with a lower probability of experiencing unmet need for family planning.Conclusion: Findings suggest the need to strengthen family planning interventions in Burkina Faso to ensure greater uptake of contraceptive use and thus reduce unmet need for family planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carlos Castaldi faz uma "descrição densa" da tragédia ocorrida no município de Malacacheta, em Minas Gerais, na Fazenda São João da Mata, no ano de 1955. Em abril desse ano, quatro crianças foram assassinadas por um grupo de parceiros convertidos à Igreja Adventista da Promessa, por estarem, segundo acreditavam, possuídas pelo diabo. Em seguida ao fato, por iniciativa conjunta da revista Anhembi, do Instituto Nacional de Estudos Pedagógicos e do Departamento de Sociologia da Faculdade de Filosofia da USP, o sociólogo, a antropóloga Eunice Ribeiro (depois Durham) e a psicóloga Carolina Martuscelli seguiram para o local com o objetivo de explicar o ocorrido, ali permanecendo entre 11 de julho e 8 de agosto. O texto relaciona o fato às mudanças sociais que teriam desestruturado o grupo, dialogando diretamente com a tese Os parceiros do Rio Bonito, defendida por Antonio Candido em 1954.Carlos Castaldi provides a 'dense description' of the tragedy that took place in the municipality of Malacacheta, in Minas Gerais, on the São João da Mata Farm in 1955. In April of that year, four children were murdered by a group of sharecroppers converted to the Adventist Church of the Promise, believing that the children had become possessed by the devil. After the incident, a joint initiative of the magazine Anhembi, the National Institute of Pedagogical Studies and the Department of Sociology of the São Paulo University Faculty of Philosophy led to the visit of a team formed by sociologist Carlos Castaldi, anthropologist Eunice Ribeiro (later Durham) and psychologist Carolina Martuscelli, who stayed at the locale from July 11th to August 8th with the aim of discovering the reasons behind the event. The text relates the incident to the social changes that had led to the destructuring of the group, dialoguing closely with the doctoral thesis The sharecroppers of the Bonito River, completed by Antonio Candido in 1954.

Copyright of Annales UMCS, Sectio K (Politologia) is the property of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the early 1960, farms are one of the alternatively forms of hospitality in few Italian regions located predominately in the north and in the centre of peninsula. In 1985, Italian government promulgated a law in order to regulate this non-conventional form of tourism, by delegating to the regions the direct management of administrative procedures and inspections in farms. Nowadays, Italian agritourist farms represent a good chance to give value in favour of farm by the diversification of agrarian activities and also by holistically promoting local food in a direct connection to local gastronomy, rural heritage and tradition, with positive effects on the endogenous development in rural areas. The aim of the paper was to assess the role of agritourism in raising the socio-economic development of rural space by the diffusion of certified quality food using a quantitative approach and to assess if agritourist and certified quality food were tools able to implement the living conditions in the countryside. The findings have disclosed that tourists from abroad have increased the level of farmer income giving value towards high quality food and farm holidays farms. Instead, the impact of Italian agritourists has been relatively poor because of the economic crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article integrates typically separate SME research on e-commerce, business networking, and knowledge management into a model explaining factors influencing the willingness of SME owner-managers to share knowledge online in business networks in rural districts. This is important because e-commerce can assist owner-managers, often dispersed in rural districts, to share knowledge between face-to-face networking events. The main factors associated with willingness to share knowledge online were their willingness to share knowledge face-to-face and their intensity of Internet use. Entrepreneurial factors such as owner-managers' expectations of rapid growth, trading outside the district, and seeking information about customers/competitors were indirectly associated with online sharing via intensity of Internet use only. The model suggests network coordinators could encourage online knowledge sharing by assisting owner-managers to see the business value of e-commerce and by ensuring that networking events are suitable for owner-managers, whether or not they have entrepreneurial goals, to facilitate face-to-face knowledge sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: This study determined the socio-demographic, nutritional and health status of children and their caregivers in two rural districts in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and one rural district in the Eastern Cape (EC), South Africa. Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Setting: The study population resided in Umkhanyakude (sub-district Jozini) and Zululand (sub-district Pongola) in KZN, and in OR Tambo (sub-district Nyandeni) in the EC province. Subjects: Children 0 to 59 months old (Umkhanyakude n = 398; Zululand n = 303; OR Tambo n = 364) and their caregivers were included. Methods: Structured interviewer-administered questionnaires were conducted and height and weight were measured. Results: Households in OR Tambo had less access to services (tap water 3%, toilets 33%), compared to Umkhanyakude (tap water 50%, toilets 82%) and Zululand (tap water 74%, toilets 98%). Wood was the main energy source used to cook food in all three districts (> 75%). Grants were a main source of income (Umkhanyakude and Zululand 61%; OR Tambo 55%). Many households obtained vegetables from their own garden (Umkhanyakude and Zululand 30%; OR Tambo 70%). The households that reportedly had enough food available at all times (Umkhanyakude and Zululand 25%; OR Tambo 17%), were in the minority. The diarrhoea prevalence reported by the caregivers was high (Umkhanyakude 35%; Zululand 24%; OR Tambo 24%). The prevalence of stunting was higher for children older than 12 months and varied between 22 and 26%. The prevalence of overweight among children 0 to 23 months exceeded the prevalence of underweight. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among caregivers was high (Umkhanyakude 42%; Zululand 60%; OR Tambo 56%). Conclusion: Concerted efforts are needed to address the adverse social, nutrition and health conditions in these districts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how a defense sector presence in sparsely populated areas influences (a) House of Representatives defense committee assignments and (2) defense procurement allocations from 1999 to 2005. Although previous work had shown that prime contracts typically flow to headquarter locations, this article goes beyond existing research by tracking the distribution of defense expenditures to major subcontracting locations. In doing so, I find a conditional relationship between defense industry presence and rural geography: Defense funds disproportionately flow to congressional districts that are more economically reliant on the defense sector of the economy. Constituency dependence on the defense sector is one of the most important factors leading members of Congress to seek representation on defense committees and to procure defense benefits. Local dependence on the defense industry may reinforce political relationships that contribute to inefficiency and excess in weapons contracting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the social changes that had led to the destructuring of social groups with special reference to an incident that took place in the municipality of Malacacheta in Minas Gerais in Brazil in April 1955. In Minas Gerais, four children were murdered by a group of sharecroppers. The sharecroppers believed that the children had become possessed by the evil. Following the incident, a team formed by sociologist Carlos Castaldi, anthropologist Eunice Ribeiro and psychologist Carolina Martuscelli reached the incident area. They stayed there in order to discover the reasons behind the incident.

As part of a larger Literacy Project a partnership was developed between U.S. educators and community leaders and educators in a rural district in Kenya. Based on needs in the community it was determined that there was a need for some sort of HIV/AIDS education for school children as well as community members. After an initial separate question and answer periods with cummunity elders and school children, a basic plan was developed and implemented. This paper focuses on an analysis of the questions and their implications for a culturally sensitive HIV/AIDS education curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Dental caries with its bacterial agent is an infectious disease, and shows a vertical transmission. The control of bacterial transmission of Mutans streptococci (MS) from mother to child has been studied, and its results on their children''s caries development, and on their siblings’ bacterial levels, have been analysed in a field-trial (for 4 years) in rural area. Material and methods: In the same tribe, 8 mothers and their 11 children (test children [TC]), and then (following years) their 9 siblings (test sibling [TSb]), were followed for 4 years. The study started when the TC group had just started to erupt. Test mothers were subjected to a preventive regime. Examination of caries development as well as determination of plaque levels of MS in TC and TSb were carried out annually and at 6-month intervals. At the end of 4 years, two control groups (control children [CC] and control siblings [CSb]) resembling TC and TSb were selected from the other tribe living in the same village, and bacterial data and caries status were compared to both test groups. Results: Microbial data demonstrated that the test children (p <0.01) and test siblings (p <0.05) had significantly low bacterial level in plaque samples. Accordingly, TC had significantly low dmf-t and -s number compared to corresponding control group (p <0.001 for dmf-t, p <0.0001 for dmf-s). Conclusion: The preventive regimen was applicable in rural southeastern Anatolia, where an introverted life style with a great tribal system is prevailing, any other preventive measures may have been practical or available, and babies are basically cared by mothers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: One of the key factors for the success of development strategies in rural areas is the setting up of appropriate governance patterns, whose main outcome is a fluid communication between public and private organisations and an effective integration of objectives and policies. Through a ‘post-rural’ approach, this paper aims to analyse an attempt to reconfigure patterns of governance taking place in a well-known rural area, the Chianti (Tuscany, Italy). The Chianti can be considered as a typical example of a post-rural area, characterised by a highly complex civil society, with a large number of organisations representing their constituencies’ interests, which strongly characterise the local social and economic processes. In this area wine is the most important industry, both for its weight in terms of added value and employment but also for the multiplier effects that its reputation has on the overall economy, and local wine elites have historically had a strong hold on local society. Along with rural change leading to social and economic diversification and growing administrative complexity, the dominance of wine elites is challenged by a coalition of actors led by the mayors of the local municipalities. The resulting struggle for hegemony is played out through an intense inside/outside interaction, which contributes to continuous attempts to redefine local identities. The paper explores the role that the building of social representations of rurality by local elites plays in the creation of new rural governance patterns in the area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article evaluates the social wellbeing of rural municipalities of the Kaliningrad region. The degree of social wellbeing is assessed on the basis of an analysis of statistical data and expert evaluations. Rural districts were identified in the Kaliningrad region on the basis of the following criteria: the share of population residing in the rural areas (threshold value of 50 %); the share of non-residential areas (threshold value of 75 %), the share of agricultural lands (threshold value of 50 %). Further analysis was based on the indices of geodemographic situation, investment potential, and production development. Rural municipalities were ranked according to these indices. The study showed that the best performing area are the suburban districts of Guryevsk and Bagrationovsk and the agricultural districts of Nesterov and Pravdinsk, whereas the worst performing ones are those of Gvardeisk, Krasnoznamensk, Ozersk, and Chernykhovsk. A comparison with the other constituent entities of the Northwestern federal district proved that the level of social wellbeing of Kaliningrad rural municipalities is rather high and most of them have made the transition from depression to sustainable development.

The article briefly reviewed a schem and a program of economic and geographical research in rural districts of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Emphasizes the scientific-practical significance of large-scale investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiencing climate changes and increased human pressure, Mediterranean regions are considered representative hotspots of desertification. However, relatively few studies have been devoted to quantify the individual impact of different factors shaping land sensitivity to desertification in these contexts. Our study contributes to this deserving (positive and normative) issue with a diachronic analysis of the impact of multiple drivers of desertification risk on six indicators of land sensitivity based on the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) approach. Indicators (average and maximum ESA score, coefficient of variation and normalized range in the ESA scores, share of 'fragile' and 'critical' areas in total landscape) were calculated in 777 rural districts of Italy at three time points (early-1960s, early-1990s, and early-2010s). Multivariate models were used to determine the impact of 12 predictors (climate, soil, vegetation, and land management quality) on each indicator of land sensitivity. Results of the analysis identified two non-redundant dimensions respectively associated with the average level of land sensitivity and its intrinsic variability across space. Impacts of climate and vegetation qualities on the level of land sensitivity were high, decreasing over time, and more intense respectively in Northern and Southern Italy. Impacts of soil and land management qualities were moderate, increasing over time, and involving almost all the country's area. Our study emphasizes the role of context-based measures promoting sustainable land management. The 'local' dimension proved to be crucial in any strategy of risk mitigation undertaken at disaggregated spatial scales. • Mediterranean regions are regarded as a representative hotspot of desertification. • Six indicators of land sensitivity to desertification were tested for stability and redundancy. • Impacts of climate and vegetation on the level of land sensitivity were high. • Impacts of soil and land management qualities were moderate. • We emphasize the role of context-based actions promoting sustainable land management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]