Mob justice in Tanzania: a medico-social problem.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the magnitude of mob justice and associated factors. BACKGROUND: Mob justice is a social and public health problem that has grown in Tanzania in recent decades that has negative effects on social and health of the country, communities, and families. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A four-year autopsy study was conducted at the Department of Pathology, MUCHS. Information on the cases was obtained from police, the relatives, friends and other witnesses if available. RESULTS: 1,249 persons were killed by mobs in Dar es Salaam during the period of 5 years (2000-2004). The alleged offense ranged from a serious crime like theft or murder to a mere violation of local customs or religious beliefs. The mode of the killings were mostly burning (48.11%) and stoning (49.96%). Other modes accounted for only 3.0% of the cases. The pattern of injuries ranged from skull and other skeletal fractures to viscera rupture. CONCLUSION: MJ is a social, legal and public health problem in Tanzania that needs immediate attention. Unemployment of youth and perceived economic inequalities should be addressed. As long as the judicial system doesn't work and corruption is not punished, people will continue to organize their own trials and judge their suspects in the street. These must be tackled in order to reduce the growing incidences of mob justice, hence saving life. It must be ensured that criminals do not violate the freedom, dignity and respect of each and every human or member of the society. (+info)
A Social Problem-Solving Model of Adherence to HIV Medications.
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HIV medication adherence remains a challenge and limits the degree to which treatment benefit can be maximized. This study tested an explanatory model of HIV medication adherence using a social problem-solving (SPS) framework. Associations of SPS with adherence are hypothesized to be direct and/or indirect via psychological health. HIV+ adults were interviewed using validated measures of SPS, psychological health, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication adherence. Structural equation modeling (SEM) techniques were used to test hypothesized relationships and to evaluate overall fit of the model to the data. SEM supported an indirect association (but not direct) of SPS on adherence via psychological health among the 545 HIV+ adults included in the analyses. Overall, the findings resulted in a model of adherence that offered very good fit to the data and correctly classified 97% of the cases as adherent versus nonadherent. Results support the use of SPS as a conceptual framework for understanding adherence to ART. Findings offer rationale and direction for SPS interventions to enhance adherence by improving psychological health. Such approaches, if effective, have the potential to positively impact psychological well being and adherence, thereby maximizing clinical benefit from treatment, which is linked to lower mortality from AIDS. (+info)
Interpersonal violence among women seeking welfare: unraveling lives.
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OBJECTIVES: Exposure to violence is a widespread problem among women who receive welfare benefits. Research has focused on partner violence among women with children on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), ignoring low-income women without dependent children who are eligible for General Assistance (GA). METHODS: We report findings from a survey of 1235 women seeking TANF (N=1095) and GA (N=140) throughout a California county. RESULTS: Estimates of recent physical, sexual, and severe violence were high in both populations. However, the highest rates occurred among women without children seeking GA, suggesting that they are at higher risk for sexual violence and more severe forms of physical violence, especially from intimate partners. This increased risk is partly accounted for by the co-occurrence of other serious health and social problems. In multivariate analyses, past-year violence was associated with substance use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5, 2.9), recent homelessness (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.4, 2.6), family fragmentation including divorce or separation (AOR=3.1, 95% CI 1.8, 5.2), or foster care involvement (AOR=2.2, 95% CI=1.1, 4.5) CONCLUSIONS: Welfare reform created TANF programs to address domestic violence. Women seeking GA may need similar services because of the high prevalence of violence. (+info)
Memories for life: a review of the science and technology.
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This paper discusses scientific, social and technological aspects of memory. Recent developments in our understanding of memory processes and mechanisms, and their digital implementation, have placed the encoding, storage, management and retrieval of information at the forefront of several fields of research. At the same time, the divisions between the biological, physical and the digital worlds seem to be dissolving. Hence, opportunities for interdisciplinary research into memory are being created, between the life sciences, social sciences and physical sciences. Such research may benefit from immediate application into information management technology as a testbed. The paper describes one initiative, memories for life, as a potential common problem space for the various interested disciplines. (+info)
How are health professionals earning their living in Malawi?
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BACKGROUND: The migration of health professionals from southern Africa to developed nations is negatively affecting the delivery of health care services in the source countries. Oftentimes however, it is the reasons for the out-migration that have been described in the literature. The work and domestic situations of those health professionals continuing to serve in their posts have not been adequately studied. METHODS: The present study utilized a qualitative data collection and analysis method. This was achieved through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with health professionals and administrators to determine the challenges they face and the coping systems they resort to and the perceptions towards those coping methods. RESULTS: Health professionals identified the following as some of the challenges there faced: inequitable and poor remuneration, overwhelming responsibilities with limited resources, lack of a stimulating work environment, inadequate supervision, poor access to continued professionals training, limited career progression, lack of transparent recruitment and discriminatory remuneration. When asked what kept them still working in Malawi when the pressures to emigrate were there, the following were some of the ways the health professionals mentioned as useful for earning extra income to support their families: working in rural areas where life was perceived to be cheaper, working closer to home village so as to run farms, stealing drugs from health facilities, having more than one job, running small to medium scale businesses. Health professionals would also minimize expenditure by missing meals and walking to work. CONCLUSION: Many health professionals in Malawi experience overly challenging environments. In order to survive some are involved in ethically and legally questionable activities such as receiving "gifts" from patients and pilfering drugs. The efforts by the Malawi government and the international community to retain health workers in Malawi are recognized. There is however need to evaluate of these human resources-retaining measures are having the desired effects. (+info)
Alcohol misuse in older people: heavy consumption and protean presentations.
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BACKGROUND: Alcohol misuse, especially binge drinking in young people, and alcoholic liver disease are major public health concerns. However, alcohol misuse in older people is underestimated and often goes undetected. OBJECTIVE: To document alcohol consumption and clinical presentation of alcohol misuse in hospital inpatients aged >or=60 years. METHODS: 208 inpatients aged >or=60 years, referred to the alcohol liaison nurse between 1998 and 2003 at the Royal Bolton Hospital, Bolton, UK, were assessed for sex, alcohol intake, primary and secondary reasons for admission, and other concurrent health problems and death. RESULTS: 90% of men drank >21 units weekly and 93% of women drank >14 units weekly. Median weekly alcohol intake was 78.5 units for men and 47 units for women. Acute intoxication, falls, circulatory problems and alcoholic liver disease were the main primary reasons for admission. Neglect or malnutrition, alcoholic liver disease and hypertension were the main secondary reasons and concurrent health problems. 30% of patients died between 1998 and 2003. CONCLUSION: In inpatients aged >or=60 years who were referred to the alcohol liaison nurse in a district general hospital, heavy alcohol consumption, often to very high levels, was characteristic in both men and women and was associated with a wide variety of primary and secondary clinical presentations, including death. (+info)
Child slavery in Hong Kong: case report and historical review.
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An 11-year-old girl was admitted with multiple injuries sustained during a 1-year servitude of domestic labour. She was acquired from her parents in Mainland China by a relative in Hong Kong. The child's parents received a sum of money that the child had to repay with work. Her hardship was characterised by long hours of incessant labour and physical torture when she failed to meet the demands of her mistress or her mistress' children. This case resembles Mui Tsai, a form of child slavery and exploitative domestic labour that was rife in Hong Kong a century ago, and illustrates the new challenges to child rights and protection consequent to the increasing social and economic integration between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Mainland China. (+info)
Constructing public and political discourse on alcohol issues: towards a framework for analysis.
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AIMS: To examine the possibilities for research into news reporting and its role in reflecting and informing public and political beliefs and action in relation to alcohol and drinking practices. METHOD: Studies on media and alcohol, focusing on the role of media in relation to alcohol consumption and drinking-related practices, policies and beliefs. RESULTS: Most research on alcohol and media has focused on either advertising or entertainment media content, rather than on news reporting and its wider social implications. CONCLUSION: The role of news reporting could usefully be widened. We offer a framework for analysing the role of news media in relation to public debate and practice with regard to alcohol and drinking. (+info)