TOEPLITZ DETERMINANTS IN ONE AND HIGHER DIMENSIONS

In this study,we derive the sharp bounds of certain Toeplitz determinants whose entries are the coefficients of holomorphic functions belonging to a class defined on the unit disk U.Furthermore,these results are extended to a class of holomorphic functions on the unit ball in a complex Banach space and on the unit polydisc in C^(n).The obtained results provide the bounds of Toeplitz determinants in higher dimensions for various subclasses of normalized univalent functions.

Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Self-Perceived Resilience: An Exploratory Study of Two Cohorts of Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

Social determinants of health(SDOH)affect quality of life.We investigated SDOH impacts on self-perceived resilience among people with adult congenital heart disease(ACHD).Secondary analysis of data from two com-plementary studies:a survey study conducted May 2021–June 2022 and a qualitative study conducted June 2020–August 2021.Resilience was assessed through CD-RISC10 score(range 0–40,higher scores reflect greater self-perceived resilience)and interview responses.Sociodemographic and SDOH(education,employment,living situa-tion,monetary stability,financial dependency,area deprivation index)data were collected by healthcare record review and self-report.We used linear regression with robust standard errors to analyze survey data and performed a thematic analysis of interview data.Survey participants(N=127)mean age was 42±14 years;51%were female,87%white.ACHD was moderate(75%)or complex(25%);41%functional class C or D.Resilience(mean 30±7)varied by monetary stability:compared to people with difficulty paying bills,resilience was 15.0 points higher(95%CI:6.9–23.1,p<0.001)for people reporting having enough money and 14.2 points higher(95%CI:5.9–22.4,p=0.001)for those reporting just enough money.Interview participants’(N=25)mean age was 32 years(range 22–44);52%were female,72%white.ACHD was moderate(56%)or complex(44%);76%functional class C or D.Participants discussed factors affecting resilience aligned with each of the major SDOH,prominently,economic stability and healthcare access and quality.Financial stability may be important for supporting self-perceived resi-lience in ACHD.This knowledge can inform the development of resilience interventions for this population.

Determinants of Modern Contraceptive Uptake among the Youth in Akuse Township in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality, Ghana

Background: Access to safe and effective contraception is crucial for sexual and reproductive health to be at its best. This allows improved pregnancy results and the avoidance of unintended births. Teenagers’ views on using contraceptives are influenced by the information available at their disposal. The study assessed the influential factors affecting the utilization of modern contraceptives among the youth in Akuse in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Methods: The data for the study were gathered from 378 consented youth aged 15 - 24 years using a quantitative cross-sectional study design and a well-structured questionnaire. Person’s Chi-Square test was adopted to measure the association between the outcome variable and selected independent variables. Logistic regression models were utilized to measure the odds of the factors influencing modern contraceptive use among the respondents. Results: The results of the study suggested a high knowledge level of contraceptives;however, the prevalence of utilization was low. The level of education and age were factors found to influence the uptake of contraceptives. A bivariate analysis to examine the association between selected socio-demographic variables revealed that educational level (p = 0.044), religious affiliation (p = 0.002), and ethnicity (p = 0.016) were statistically associated with modern contraceptive use among the respondents. All other tested demographic variables including the age groups, gender, marital status, and residential status proved otherwise at the observed p-values greater than the 0.05 threshold. Respondents who indicated staying with partners were 6.79 times more likely to use contraceptives compared to their counterparts staying with a parent, after controlling for all other covariates. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that high contraceptive knowledge influences the choice of contraceptive preferred by the youth, and contraceptive use is also influenced by the advancement in age and educational level of the youth. It is however recommended that parents, guidance, and teachers be entreated to offer relevant and timely sexual information or education as these will most likely improve the uptake of modern contraceptives among the targeted population.

Solving Invariant Problem of Cauchy Means Based on Wronskian Determinant

This paper studied the invariance of the Cauchy mean with respect to the arithmetic mean when the denominator functions satisfy certain conditions. The partial derivatives of Cauchy’s mean on the diagonal are obtained by using the method of Wronskian determinant in the process of solving. Then the invariant equation is solved by using the obtained partial derivatives. Finally, the solutions of invariant equations when the denominator functions satisfy the same simple harmonic oscillator equation or the denominator functions are power functions that have been obtained.

Rabies by Dog Bites in Benin: Determinants of Good Knowledge of the Rabies Risk among Subjects Exposed in the Plateau Department in 2023

Rabies, a viral zoonosis, is one of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) that mainly affects poor and vulnerable populations. Human rabies is endemic in Benin. Although listed among the notifiable diseases, it nevertheless remains a neglected and under-reported disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the determinants of knowledge of rabies risk among subjects exposed to human rabies by dog bites in the Plateau department of Benin. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with an analytical aim which involved a sample of 900 people aged at least 18 years old chosen randomly and residing in the Plateau department for at least six months. A pre-tested and validated digital questionnaire served as a data collection tool. Data analysis was done with R 3.4.1 software. The prevalence ratio was used as a measure of association. The confidence threshold was set at 5%. We carried out a multiple logistic regression using the likelihood ratio (top-down approach) in order to identify the main factors which influenced the good knowledge of human rabies in the population of Plateau. Results: In the study population, 80.89% of the subjects surveyed lived in a rural area. The sex ratio (Male/Female) was 1.11. The average age of the subjects was 40.24 ± 14.52 years. The prevalence of dog bites was 4.11% (95% CI = [3.00;5.63]) or 37 subjects bitten. After evaluation of knowledge of rabies risk in the study population, the main factors which positively influenced good knowledge of human rabies were age (p linear trend 0.01), residence of the subject in the municipality of Pobè (ORa = 8.34;95% CI = 0.83 - 1.23;p < 0.01), individual dwelling (ORa = 17.95;95% CI = 13.12 - 49.58;p < 0. 01), educational level of at least secondary (ORa = 5.53;CI 95 = 3.06 - 10.15;p = 0.01), the existence of a veterinary center (ORa = 3.66;CI 95 = 1.07 - 12.43 p = 0.01) and knowledge of a dog bites victim (ORa = 6.55;95% CI = 2.73 - 8.25;p < 0.01). Conclusion: This population study confirms that human rabies remains a public health problem with a need to raise awareness among populations on good prevention practices against human rabies after a dog bite in the Plateau department. This could help to improve strategies surveillance for the control and eradication of human rabies through the implementation of the One Health approach.

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine and its related determinants in Nigeria:An online survey

BACKGROUND Vaccine hesitancy is a major challenge in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.Identifying the sociodemographic factors associated with vaccine acceptance among Nigerians is crucial for improving vaccine uptake.AIM To assess the acceptance rate of COVID-19 vaccine and its related determinants among Nigerians.METHODS An online cross-sectional survey(observational study)was conducted between February 2021 and May 2021,using a questionnaire hosted on SurveyMonkey.The invitation to take part in the poll was sent out to participants through social networking platforms.A logistic regression was used to determine which sociodemographic factors were associated with vaccine acceptance constructs.RESULTS A total of 1800 persons responded to the survey,a larger proportion of whom were males(53.9%)and within the age group of 21-30 years(29.4%)and earned an average income of less than$500 per month(43.3%).Only 0.56%of participants had a high perceived risk of COVID-19 infection,while only 1.11%had a perceived risk of dying from COVID-19.The perception rate of the COVID-19 vaccine among participants was 51.1%,while the acceptance rate was 63.9%.There was no significant association between the COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rate and related determinants assessed,particularly age(χ²=3.049,P=0.550),sex(χ²=0.102,P=0.749),average income(χ²=3.802,P=0.875),and religion(χ²=2.819,P=0.420).Participants with chronic conditions demonstrated a higher acceptance rate compared to the general population.CONCLUSION Despite the positive perception observed and substantial vaccine acceptance rate among the study participants,more public health interventions are still needed to enhance vaccine acceptability in Nigeria.

Unintended Pregnancy Determinants among Antenatal Clinic Attendees: A University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Experience

An unintended pregnancy is a pregnancy that is either mistimed or unplanned. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of unintended pregnancy as well as to document the determinant factors among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. It was a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 215 women attending the antenatal clinic of UPTH from July to August 2022. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, reproductive history, desirability of the current pregnancy at the time of conception, knowledge and use of contraceptive methods were collected using a pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Chi-square test was used for test of associations with the level of significance set at P < 0.05. The prevalence rate of unintended pregnancy from the study was 16.28% (≈16%). The contraceptive awareness was very high (209, 97.21%), however, 101 (46.98%) participants had never used any form of contraceptives. Univariate analysis using Chi-square test showed a statistically significant association between age and unintended pregnancy (P = 0.042), level of education and unwanted pregnancy (P = 0.033) as well as parity and unintended pregnancy (P = 0.019). The prevalence of unintended pregnancy among women attending antenatal clinics was high, possibly due to low contraceptive usage. More efforts should be geared towards ensuring access to comprehensive contraceptive care and contraceptive methods, this will enhance uptake and reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy.

Determinants of Early Survival of Breast Cancer Patients in Yaoundé-Cameroon

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. We carried out this study with the aim of evaluating the determinants of early survival of women with breast cancer in two hospitals in the city of Yaoundé. Methodology: This was an analytical cross-sectional study with retrospective and prospective data collection of breast cancer patients during 6 years in two Hospitals of Yaoundé from January 2017 to December 2022. We consulted the files in search of epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and survival variables. We completed the survival data directly from the patients or their relatives after their consent. We analyzed the data using SPSS version 23.0 software. Survival analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier method and survival curves were compared using the Log Rank test. Factors influencing survival were evaluated using the Cox model. The significance threshold (P value) was set at 0.05 at 95% confidence interval. The study was approved by the ethics committees. Results: We included 500 patients whose ages varied between 22 and 83 years with a mean age of 47.19 ± 11.61 years. The most represented age group was 30 to 45 years old (45.8%). Less than half (41.6%) were postmenopausal. The most frequent reason for consultation was a breast lump (79.9%). The most common clinical stage at presentation was stage-3 (47.6%). Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the most represented histological type (84.7%). The most represented histological grade was grade 2 (40.2%). Immunohistochemistry was performed in 34.20% of cases. The most represented molecular subtype was triple negative (41.8%) followed by Luminal A (30%). Concerning treatment, 17.2% did not receive any, 45% had surgery, 79.4% had chemotherapy, 34.2% hormone therapy, and 14.6% radiotherapy. The survival of patients with breast cancer at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years was respectively 90.6%;83.1%;74.2%;69.8% and 59.2%. The median survival was not reached;however, the first quartile (Q1) was 36 months (3 years). Independent factors associated with reduced survival were breast ulceration (aHR = 3.23;p = 0.002), bilateral tumor location (aHR = 9.2;p < 0.001) and clinical stage 3 (aHR = 1.72;p = 0.010) while patients classified ACR3 on imaging (aHR = 0.19;p = 0.005) had improved survival. Conclusion: Breast cancer survival from 1 to 5 years decrease from 90 to 59%. Mortality was highest in the first 40 months. Independent factors associated with reduced survival were breast ulceration, bilateral tumor location and clinical stage 3 while patients classified ACR3 on imaging had improved survival.

Disparities in Prevalence and Determinants of Hypertension amongst Bamiléké Adults Residing in Two Different Agroecological Zones of Cameroon

Background: Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension (HTN) are one of the main causes of death in Cameroon. This study aimed at assessing prevalence disparities and determinants of hypertension amongst Bamiléké adults residing in two different agroecological zones of Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional and descriptive survey was conducted among Bamiléké population living in the Highlands zone (Western region) and in the Monomodal Rainforest zone (Littoral region) of Cameroon from August 2016 to August 2017. Participants (962) were aged at least 20 years old. Data on sociodemographic, hemodynamic, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters and lifestyle of the participants were collected. Results: Results obtained revealed that 34.2% were hypertensive and those residing in the highland zone were more affected than those living in the monomodal rainforest zone (44.5% vs 22.9%). The different subtypes of HTN (Isolated systolic hypertension (14.1%), isolated diastolic hypertension (7.2%) and Systo-diastolic hypertension (23.3%)) were also more prevalent in the Highlands Zone. The most prevalent stage of HTN was pre-HTN (31.5%). However, people living in the monomodal rainforest zone were more affected by pre-HTN compared to Bamiléké living in the highland zone (33.6% vs. 29.6%). Results also showed that high consumption (≥ 3 times/week) of carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods, ageing, obesity, and marital status were associated with high blood pressure in both agroecological zones. Besides, secondary education (OR = 0.68;95% CI: 0.42 - 0.99) in the Highlands Zone and high (≥3 times/week) vegetable consumption (OR = 0.66;95% CI: 0.44 - 0.98) in the Monomodal Rainforest Zone had a protective effect on elevated blood pressure of population. Conclusion: There is a disparity in the prevalence of hypertension and some of its determinants among Bamiléké adults residing in different agroecological zones. This work highlights the need to advocate for local and ethno-cultural health policies to prevent, diagnose and manage hypertension.

Sociodemographic determinants associated with breastfeeding in term infants with low birth weight in Latin American countries

BACKGROUND A progressive decrease in exclusive breastfeeding(BF)is observed in Latin America and the Caribbean compared with global results.The possibility of being breastfed and continuing BF for>6 months is lower in low birth weight than in healthy-weight infants.AIM To identify factors associated with BF maintenance and promotion,with particular attention to low-and middle-income countries,by studying geographic,socioeconomic,and individual or neonatal health factors.METHODS A scoping review was conducted in 2018 using the conceptual model of social determinants of health published by the Commission on Equity and Health Inequalities in the United States.The extracted data with common characteristics were synthesized and categorized into two main themes:(1)Sociodemographic factors and proximal determinants involved in the initiation and maintenance of BF in low-birth-weight term infants in Latin America;and(2)individual characteristics related to the self-efficacy capacity for BF maintenance and adherence in low-birth-weight term infants.RESULTS This study identified maternal age,educational level,maternal economic capacity,social stratum,exposure to BF substitutes,access to BF information,and quality of health services as mediators for maintaining BF.CONCLUSION Individual self-efficacy factors that enable BF adherence in at-risk populations should be analyzed for better health outcomes.

Determinants of Tobacco Cultivation and the Associated Impacts of Adoption in Hurungwe District, Zimbabwe

Tobacco is an essential cash crop in Zimbabwe and a strategic livelihood option for hundreds of thousands of rural households. However, the crop is linked to negative environmental, economic, and social impacts. The existing studies on tobacco cultivation in Zimbabwe present contradictory findings on the determinants and impacts of adoption, leaving unanswered questions about the crop’s sustainability impact in the country. This article investigates the determinants of smallholder farmers’ decisions to grow tobacco and the associated impacts of adoption. Random and purposive sampling were used to select 273 household surveys, including tobacco and non-tobacco smallholder farmers, and 56 expert interviews to answer the research questions. We employed regression models alongside expert interviews and document analysis to identify the determinants influencing the decision-making process of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe regarding tobacco cultivation. Additionally, our investigation aimed to elucidate the perceived impacts associated with the adoption of this agricultural practice. The regression analysis indicated that the farmer’s age, education level, farming experience, family size, household income, and perceived high farm profitability are significant drivers of tobacco adoption. We also discovered divergent and convergent perceptions of the critical impacts of tobacco cultivation. The study highlights the need for proactive multi-stakeholder collaboration and sustainable financial arrangements to address the negative impacts of tobacco production. As the primary stakeholder responsible for regulating and promoting agricultural activities, the Zimbabwean government should provide meaningful financial support, increase access to credit, and ensure better market facilities for alternative crops to reduce the over-dependence on tobacco.

Rationale of a Cross Sectional Analytic Study on Determinants of Recurrent Preeclampsia at University Clinics of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and at Victor Dupouy Hospital Center (France)

Research Background: Pre-eclampsia is one of main causes of materno-foetal mortality and morbidity worldwide, with a prevalence of 3% - 7%. Although considered a primiparous condition, it can nevertheless recur. Several factors appear to be associated with risk of recurrence of pre-eclampsia, such as the term of delivery of previous pregnancy, severity of disease, the existence of co-morbidities and the inter-genital space. Purpose: The aim of our study will be to analyse and identify in a population of pregnant women with a history of preeclampsia risk factors associated with occurrence of recurrent preeclampsia at University clinics of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and at Victor Dupouy Hospital Center (France). Methods: In this study, pregnant women with an history of preeclampsia who will give birth between November 2018 and October 2024 at University Clinics of Kinshasa (UCK) and Victor Dupouy Hospital Center (VDHC) will be included. This will be a cross-sectional analytical study, data from previous and subsequent pregnancies will be studied. Expected Result: The prevalence of recurrent preeclampsia in the study population will be determined. And we will highlight the factors that will determine the recurrence of preeclampsia by analysing the risk factors. Conclusion: Knowledge of the factors associated with recurrent preeclampsia could be an excellent tool for predicting and preventing the disease.

Determinants of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Young Adults Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Selected Tertiary Hospitals in Shandong Province, China

Objective: The purpose of this study is to understand the current situation of knowledge, attitude, and practice of self-management in young patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to explore the relationship between general conditions (personal, social, and environment, clinical factors) and their knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of diabetes self-management, This aims to provide patients with high-quality nursing care management and services, as well as to provide relevant recommendations for effective self-management. Methods: This study is a descriptive correlational study that used the purposive sampling method to investigate 359 patients with T2DM aged 18-25 years in four designated tertiary hospitals in Shandong Province. Results: Knowledge of self-management was correlated with sex, age, education level, occupation and work situation, monthly household income, medical payment method, family and friend support, frequency of diabetes health education, and diabetes complications. The attitude subscale was correlated with sex, age, education level, work situation, and family and friend support. The practice subscale was associated with age, education level, work situation, family and friend support, frequency of diabetes health education, and HbA1c values. Conclusion: Young adults aged 18-25 with T2DM have positive attitudes towards diabetes self-management, but there are still deficiencies in knowledge acquisition and behavioral practice. The KAP of self-management of diabetes is influenced by personal factors such as sex, age, and education level, and socio-environmental factors such as family income and family or friends’ social support. Additionally, clinical factors such as complications and HbA1c values significantly impacted the patient’s disease self-management ability.

Assessing the dynamics of human activity intensity and its natural and socioeconomic determinants in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Investigating the spatiotemporal variation of human activity intensity and its determinants is a crucial basis for further revealing the mechanism of human-environment interaction and optimizing the human development mode.In this study,the human activity intensity on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP)from 1990 to 2020 was measured based on the quantitative model of land use data and the actual regional background,and the under-lying natural and socioeconomic determinants were investigated using spatial econometric methods.The results demonstrate that(1)the human activity intensity in QTP has increased by 11.96%,and there are differences in different spatial scales;the areas with high human activity intensity are distributed in the Hehuang Valley where Xining City and its surrounding areas are located,as well as the One-River and Two-River Area where Lhasa City and surrounding areas are located.(2)Human activity intensity has significant positive spatial spillover,suggesting that local changes will cause changes in the same direction in adjacent areas.(3)The human activ-ity intensity in QTP is affected by various determinants.Concerning socioeconomic factors,the economic level has no significant impact on the human activity intensity in QTP,which differs from the general regional law.Both urbanization and traffic conditions have a significant positive effect,and the impact intensity continues to increase.Concerning natural factors,topographic relief has a significant positive effect;the impacts of temper-ature and vegetation coverage have changed from insignificant to a significant positive effect;the impacts of precipitation and river network density have not been verified;there is no linear relationship between altitude and human activity intensity in the entire QTP,while it exists in local regions.Finally,this study proposes three policy implications for the realization of a more harmonious human-environment relationship in QTP.

AN ALGEBRAIC APPROACH TO DEGENERATE APPELL POLYNOMIALS AND THEIR HYBRID FORMS VIA DETERMINANTS

It is remarkable that studying degenerate versions of polynomials from algebraic point of view is not limited to only special polynomials but can also be extended to their hybrid polynomials.Indeed for the first time,a closed determinant expression for the degenerate Appell polynomials is derived.The determinant forms for the degenerate Bernoulli and Euler polynomials are also investigated.A new class of the degenerate Hermite-Appell polynomials is investigated and some novel identities for these polynomials are established.The degenerate Hermite-Bernoulli and degenerate Hermite-Euler polynomials are considered as special cases of the degenerate Hermite-Appell polynomials.Further,by using Mathematica,we draw graphs of degenerate Hermite-Bernoulli polynomials for different values of indices.The zeros of these polynomials are also explored and their distribution is presented.

Rural-urban differences in distributions and determinants of facility delivery among women in Bangladesh

Introduction:The utilization of facility delivery is crucial to achieve sustainable development goals by reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.This study aimed to compare the distributions and determinants of childbirth in health facilities in urban and rural regions of Bangladesh.Methods:Cross-sectional data from the 2017-2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey were analyzed.Multilevel logistic regression was applied.Results:A total of 4751 women were included in the analyses.Only 50%of childbirths took place in health facilities,63.4%and 44.6%in urban and rural regions,respectively.Overall,the odds of the association between facility delivery and the studied factors were similar.Multiparous women had significantly lower odds of facility delivery in both rural(adjusted odds ratio[AOR]=0.3,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.2 to 0.5)and urban(AOR=0.2,95%CI:0.1 to 0.5)regions.In both regions,women with higher education levels,highly educated husbands,antenatal care(ANC),and higher wealth indexes had significantly higher odds of facility delivery.Conclusion:Several common associated factors were identified.However,differences were observed regarding distributions of these factors.The differences in facility delivery utilization could result from lower ANC utilization,socioeconomic status,and transportation facilities in rural regions than urban regions;therefore,improving these conditions could increase facility delivery in these regions.

Profiling and Determinants of Impaired Lipid Profile Parameters among Breast Cancer Women of Childbearing Age Living in Douala, Cameroon

Objective: Breast cancer in women of childbearing age (WCBA) is a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine variation and determinants in lipid profile among Cameroonian WCBA diagnosed with breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A case-control study took place at two reference hospitals in Douala, Cameroon. A total of 176 WCBA (88 cases and 88 controls) were finally enrolled. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical and anthropometric data. Three millilitres of venous blood were collected for analysis of total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and triglycerides (TG). Results: Overweight was predominantly seen in cases and controls. Serum levels of TC and LDL-c were significantly lower in cancer women (167.02 ± 45.46 vs 183.12 ± 27.38 mg/dL, p = 0.005 for TC;85.83 ± 40.34 vs 105.25 ± 29.95 mg/dL, p = 0.0004 for LDL-c), while HDL-c levels were higher in controls (45.09 ± 7.20 vs 38.24 ± 11.14 mg/dL, p Conclusion: This study suggests the influence of breast cancer on lipid profile parameters especially HDL-c and LDL-c, and possibly their putative clinical utility for early diagnosis in premenopausal women in Cameroon.

In the Lake Zone of Tanzania, Behavioral Determinants Are Associated with Hygiene but Not Sanitation Practice

Understanding why individuals do or do not adopt optimal water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices is critical to designing successful behavior change interventions. However, policy makers and program implementers often fail to obtain the context-specific information on behavioral determinants of WASH practices. This two-stage, randomized survey among 5000 female primary caregivers in the Lake Zone of Tanzania assessed associations between behavioral determinants and a range of hygiene and sanitation practices. Behavioral determinants of hygiene were almost always significantly associated with cleaning one’s own hands after cleaning the baby’s bottom and being able to show at least one place where family members wash their hands. In regression models, those who knew when to wash their own hands (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 2.1) and their child’s hands (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.7) and mothers who thought that their female friends washed their hands after cleaning the baby’s bottom (OR = 5.5, 95% CI: 4.5, 6.7) were significantly more likely to frequently clean their own hands after cleaning the baby’s bottom. This research suggests that in the Lake Zone of Tanzania, numerous determinants are associated with hygiene practices. Identifying context-specific determinants of WASH behaviors is the first step toward developing effective interventions.

Determinants of the Frequency of Prenatal Consultations among Women Giving Birth in the Maternity Wards of the Commune of Agbangnizoun (Zou), Benin

Antenatal care is a safe way to prevent pregnancy-related health problems, difficult deliveries and even further to anticipate low birth weight [1]. But pregnant women, especially in Africa, do not attend antenatal clinics as recommended by the WHO. The general objective of this study was to study the norm in terms of Antenatal Consultation (ANC) frequency as well as the determinants of the frequency among women who gave birth in the maternity hospitals of Agbangnizoun. Our research was a cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective and quantitative type, which was carried out among 335 women in Agbangnizoun, Benin from 1 February to 3 April 2020 (3 months), in order to find out the general or specific characteristics of women that we associate with the frequency of prenatal consultation. At the end of the study, we found that 60%, 68% and 15% of the surveyed population had received ANC in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. Ethnicity, income level of spouses over the three trimesters as well as the level of their knowledge and overall practice of ANC are determinants of the frequency of prenatal consultation.

Determinants of Household Choice of Livelihood Diversification Strategies in Selected Drought Prone Areas of the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region, Ethiopia

The study aimed at identifying the determinants of household’s choice of livelihood diversification strategies. The result of the study based on a total of 384 sample respondents selected using multistage sampling procedures. Furthermore the study employed bivariate Probit econometric model to identify factors affecting household’s choice of livelihood diversification strategies. The result of the descriptive statistics showed that households in the study area were engaged in four types of combination of livelihood diversification strategies: on-farm only, on-farm plus off-farm, on-farm plus non-farm, and on-farm plus off-farm plus non-farm with their respective share of 34.9, 11.5, 47.9 and 5.7 percent respectively. The econometric model result showed that wealth, sex, education level, livestok holding, and training were negatively and significantly determined households choice of off-farm livelihood strategies;whereas past erosion hazard and distance to market were positively and significantly determined their choice of off-farm livelihood strategies. On the other hand, wealth, dependency ratio, past erosion hazard, market availability, yield loss/reduction due to drought, distance to credit source, distance to market, frequency of extension contact, and ICT ownership (Radio, TV and/or Mobile phone) positively determine household’s choice of non-farm livelihood strategies whereas access to irrigation and distance to credit negatively determined their choice of non-farm livelihood strategies.