Selection intensities in menopausal and permanent contraceptor women of a rural population in India

Abstract

The opportunity for selection was estimated in the rural population of Visakhapat‐nam District, Andhra Pradesh, India. The index of total selection was found to be low. Selection in relation to birth control reveals that opportunity for selection is lower among the women who completed their fertility by family planning methods than in women who completed their fertility by attaining menopause. Further, the results showed that differential fertility and mortality make equal contributions to the total measure of selection in both groups.     

Education and cancer incidence in a rural population in south India

Background: Population-based studies describing the association between education and cancer incidence has not yet been reported from India. Methods: Information on the educational attainment of 4417 cancer cases aged 14 years and above, diagnosed during 2003–2006 in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, India, was obtained from the Dindigul Ambilikkai Cancer Registry, which registers invasive cancer cases by active methods from 102 data sources. Population distribution by 5-year age groups and for four educational levels namely no education, education ≤5 years, 6–12 years and >12 years, was obtained from census data. Standardized rate ratios based on age-standardized rates were calculated to study cancer risks for different educational levels. Results: Men and women with no education had higher overall cancer incidence rates compared to the educated population. The risk of cervix, mouth, esophagus, stomach and lung cancers were inversely associated with higher levels of education whereas a high incidence of breast cancer was observed with increasing educational levels. The standardized rate ratio of cervical cancer 0.32 (95% CI: 0.19–0.52) and of breast cancer was 6.08 (95% CI: 1.81–20.48) for women with more than 12 years of education compared to those with no education. There was paucity of cases in the highest education level for most cancers. Conclusion: With more and more women in rural India becoming educated, one could foresee breast cancer becoming more frequent even in rural areas of India in future.     

Ethics of care and HIV: a case for rural women in India

Recent literature shows that ethics of care can be used as a theoretical basis to add a new, important dimension to social issues. This paper argues for a similar extension of the theoretical support from ethics of care to an area in bioethics. Specifically, it contends that a justification based ethics of care can be constructed to argue for a moral obligation to give some priority in the HIV-related initiatives to one of most vulnerable groups; namely, the rural women in India. In an epidemic situation this care-based approach has certain advantages as a moral justification over the usual traditional approaches.     

Selection intensities and inbreeding among some caste groups of Andhra Pradesh,India

Abstract

An attempt is made to study the interaction of inbreeding levels with other factors in influencing the intensity of natural selection. Results suggest that selection intensity values are high in the inbred and low socioeconomic groups of Madiga and Mala (1.545, 0.687). On the other hand, the non‐inbred and high socioeconomic group of Maheshwari shows low selection intensity (0.543). Contribution of mortality to total index of selection is greater in the groups of Madiga and Mala (1.059, 1.062) than in the Maheshwari group (0.204).     

Selection intensities and consanguineity in the Yadava and Vadabalija of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The opportunity for intensity of selection is studied in two backward caste groups with different occupations, namely Yadava (pastoral) and Vadabalija (fishing) of Bheemunipatnam Taluk of Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh. The amount of selection intensity is found to be higher in Vadabalija (0.8583) than Yadava (0.5827). The contribution of mortality to the total index of selection is greater in Vadabalija (0.6095) than in Yadava (0.3326). When consanguineity is considered, the fertility components of selection intensity (0.1885) are lower in the consanguineous group of Yadava than in the nonconsanguineous group (0.2845), whereas in Vadabalija they are higher in the consanguineous group (0.5261) than in the nonconsanguineous group (0.2223).     

Perinatal mortality and adverse pregnancy outcomes in a low-income rural population of women who smoke

We describe adverse pregnancy outcomes, including congenital anomalies, fetal, neonatal, and infant mortality among a Missouri population of low-income, rural mothers who participated in two randomized smoking cessation trials. In the Baby BEEP (BB) trial, 695 rural women were recruited from 21 WIC clinics with 650 women's pregnancy outcomes known (93.5% retention rate). Following the BB trial, 298 women who had a live infant after November 2004 were recruited again into and completed the Baby Beep for Kids (BBK) trial. Simple statistics describing the population and perinatal and postneonatal mortality rates were calculated. Of the adverse pregnancy outcomes (n = 79), 29% were spontaneous abortions of less than 20 weeks' gestation, 23% were premature births, and 49% were identified birth defects. The perinatal mortality rate was 15.9 per 1000 births (BB study) compared with 8.6 per 1000 births (state of Missouri) and 8.5 per 1000 births (United States). The postneonatal infant mortality rate was 13.4 per 1000 live births (BBK) compared with 2.1 per 1000 live births (United States). The health disparity in this population of impoverished, rural, pregnant women who smoke, particularly in regard to perinatal and infant deaths, warrants attention.     

Changes in age at marriage of women in rural north India.

There has been a dramatic increase in age at marriage for women in a rural area of north India. Age at marriage rose from under 12 years before 1930 to about 19 years in 1988, mainly as a result of socioeconomic development and advances in education of women.     

Phytoestrogens in menopausal women: a review of recent findings

Many women seek alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Phytoestrogens are nonsteroidal compounds with estrogenic or antiestrogenic properties. Six of the 16 clinical trials suggest a significant reduction in alleviating symptoms but to a lesser degree than HRT. A meta-analysis showed that phytoestrogens improve lipid profile. The 14 recent clinical trials led, however, to divergent findings. Small clinical trials suggested a protective effect of phytoestrogens on bone metabolism. High concentration of phytoestrogens was associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk in case-control studies.     

AB0 blood groups and smallpox in a rural population of West Bengal and Bihar (India)

The problem was reexamined whether there is a relationship between the AB0 blood groups and incidence, severity and outcome of smallpox. In persons suffering from smallpox, and living in rural areas of West Bengal and Bihar, India, severity and outcome of the disease were registered, and the AB0 blood groups were determined. Healthy siblings were used as controls for incidence. Four series were available:

1. 1.
   200 suffering patients and 200 controls examined during summer 1965 in the Burdwan district. West Bengal.     
   
   

Genetic epidemiological study of blood pressure in a sedentary rural agricultural population of West Bengal, India

To study the genetic epidemiology of blood pressure (BP), data on 78 families were collected from a sedentary agricultural population of eastern India. The general levels of both systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures are found to be low (mean SBP = 106.41 mm Hg; mean DBP = 63.94 mm Hg). Trends of blood pressures with age are similar to those reported earlier (e.g., in the Framingham study). Environmental variables--e.g., occupation and tobacco use--do not have any direct significant effect on blood pressure variability in this population. Path analysis of family data shows a highly significant familial aggregation and yields a genetic heritability (maximum) estimate of 0.3 for both SBP and DBP. Sib-sib and mother-child correlation estimates are, respectively, 0.3 and 0.25. Father-child correlation estimates are 0.13 for SBP and near zero for DBP. A pseudopolygenic model yields the best fit to the data on SBP, while for DBP a proper resolution of various models considered could not be obtained.     

Educational status,coronary heart disease,and coronary risk factor prevalence in a rural population of India.

OBJECTIVE--To define the association between educational level and prevalence of coronary heart disease and coronary risk factors in India. DESIGN--Total community cross sectional survey with a doctor administered questionnaire, physical examination, and electrocardiography. SETTING--A cluster of three villages in rural Rajasthan, western India. SUBJECTS--3148 residents aged over 20 (1982 men, 1166 women) divided into various groups according to years of formal schooling. RESULTS--Illiteracy and low educational levels were associated with less prestigious occupations (agricultural and farm labouring) and inferior housing. There was an inverse correlation of educational level with age (rank correlation: mean -0.45, women -0.49). The prevalence of coronary heart disease (diagnosed by electrocardiography) was significantly higher among uneducated and less educated people and showed an inverse relation with education in both sexes. Among uneducated and less educated people there was a higher prevalence of the coronary risk factors smoking and hypertension. Educational level showed a significant inverse correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age showed that educational level had an inverse relation with prevalence of electrocardiographically diagnosed coronary heart disease (odds ratio: men 0.82, women 0.53), hypertension (men 0.88, women 0.56), and smoking (men 0.73, women 0.65) but not with hypercholesterolaemia and obesity. The inverse relation of coronary heart disease with educational level abated after adjustment for smoking, physical activity, body mass index, and blood pressure (odds ratio: men 0.98, women 0.78). CONCLUSION--Uneducated and less educated people in rural India have a higher prevalence of coronary heart disease and of the coronary risk factors smoking and hypertension.     

Perinatal mortality and adverse pregnancy outcomes in a low‐income rural population of women who smoke

We describe adverse pregnancy outcomes, including congenital anomalies, fetal, neonatal, and infant mortality among a Missouri population of low‐income, rural mothers who participated in two randomized smoking cessation trials. In the Baby BEEP (BB) trial, 695 rural women were recruited from 21 WIC clinics with 650 women's pregnancy outcomes known (93.5% retention rate). Following the BB trial, 298 women who had a live infant after November 2004 were recruited again into and completed the Baby Beep for Kids (BBK) trial. Simple statistics describing the population and perinatal and postneonatal mortality rates were calculated. Of the adverse pregnancy outcomes (n = 79), 29% were spontaneous abortions of less than 20 weeks' gestation, 23% were premature births, and 49% were identified birth defects. The perinatal mortality rate was 15.9 per 1000 births (BB study) compared with 8.6 per 1000 births (state of Missouri) and 8.5 per 1000 births (United States). The postneonatal infant mortality rate was 13.4 per 1000 live births (BBK) compared with 2.1 per 1000 live births (United States). The health disparity in this population of impoverished, rural, pregnant women who smoke, particularly in regard to perinatal and infant deaths, warrants attention. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Blood pressure trends and hypertension among rural and urban Jat women of Haryana, India

Hypertension is an important public health problem and the major causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among aged and elderly population in India. The present study is an attempt to assess age related trends of blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension in rural and urban women as well as correlation of blood pressure with obesity indicators (WC, BMI, and WHR). Data for present cross-sectional study were collected by purposive sampling method from six hundred Jat women (300 rural and 300 urban), aged 40 to 70 years. Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was employed to find the relationship between blood pressure and obesity indicators. The results revealed an age associated increase in mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in rural and urban women. Urban women showed significantly higher overall mean value of systolic (mm of Hg) (133.93 vs. 130.79, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (mm of Hg) (84.34 vs. 82.81, p < 0.01) and pulse rate (81.72 +/- 6.27 vs. 80.94 +/- 9.06, p > 0.05) as compared to rural women. The overall prevalence of hypertension was found to be 9% in rural and 26.66% in urban women as per JNC VII criteria. Increased prominence of hypertension among urban Jat women may be attributed to their modern lifestyle having more stress, less manual work and faulty dietary habits. There was a very low awareness of hypertension in the rural subjects (37%) than their urban (72%) counterparts. Rural and urban women revealed a positive and significant association of systolic blood pressure with body mass index, whereas only urban women displayed positive correlation of waist circumference with systolic (r = 0.183**) and diastolic (r = 0.151**) blood pressure.     

Twin seasonality in a rural Catalonian population

The seasonality of twinning in the Spanish populations has not been studied until now. Differences between seasonal distribution of the twin conceptions and those of the single births have been observed in other populations. The aim of this work is to explore the frequency of twinning in a rural population from Catalonia during the nineteenth century, as well as the seasonality patterns characterizing each of the twinning types. Data corresponding to all births recorded at Tortosa (South Catalonia) from 1801 to 1900 have been analyzed in order to study the twinning distribution. The distribution of the moving averages of the monthly rates of twins shows a peak in autumn. Twinning distribution differs from the total births' distribution in Tortosa. This fact is very clear in the case of unlike-sexed twins that have their greater incidence in the last quarter of the year, while the total maternities have their peak in the first one.     

Selection and segregation distortion in a sex-differentiated population

We extend the classical model for selection at an autosomal locus in a sex-differentiated population to include segregation distortion. The equations remain the same, but the fitness parameters are interpreted differently and refer to alleles instead of genotypes. We derive conditions for internal and external stability of the equilibria, i.e., stability with respect to perturbations of alleles that are already present at equilibrium and stability with respect to invasion attempts by newly arising alleles. We show that, in a sex-differentiated population, external stability of an equilibrium can be judged on the basis of Shaw--Mohler criteria. Throughout, we compare the situation in populations with and without sex differentiation. Interestingly, internal stability is more difficult to achieve in a population without sex differentiation than in a population in which selection and segregation distortion are restricted to one sex. In a companion paper we show how the general results of the present paper can lead to new insights into specific systems such as the t complex of the house mouse.     

Selection intensities in mothers of twins and in mothers of singletons

Abstract

Opportunity for selection was assessed in a group of mothers with twins and was compared with estimates obtained in mothers who gave birth to singletons only from the same population. Both groups were matched on a number of confounding variables in the framework of a case/control methodology. Two time periods involving demographic changes were studied separately. After appropriate adjustment for the increased family size of mothers of twins, results show that selection intensities are greater in twin‐bearing mothers than in controls. The fertility component of the selection index is lower than that of mortality if childless women are taken into account. However, the index of opportunity for selection is rather low by current standards but, given the methodology used, should reflect genetic rather than environmental selection. Notwithstanding, it would be difficult to explain the recent change in the twinning rates in the population by the actual level of selection indices.