A Survey of Social Nutrition Status of the Elderly in theUrban Area of Chengdu, Sichuan Province

The social nutrition status was investigated among 246 subjects aged 60-90 living at three urban communities in Chengdu of Sichuan Province. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate socirydeweraphic background, the subjects' nutrition knowledge, and the support systerns for geriatric nutrition. Fasting venous blcod was colected for the analysis of biochemical parameters. Blood pressure, bene mineral contents (BMC), body weight (BW) and they height (BH) were measured at the same time. Only 49. 7% of the subjects correctly an swered four basic questions on nutrition. Food patterns for the elder1y were simple and modest. Several nutrition-related disorders for the elderly were including high systolic bbo pressure (44. 6 % ), hyPertriglyceridemia (25. 9 % ), high diasto1ic blood pressure (25. 1% ),obesity (24. 5% ), high PBG (20. 6% ), emaciation (19. 9%), high FBG (17.9%) and osteoporosis (16. 8%). These data indicate that the support systems for the geriatric nutrition will have to be improved.

Three Development Stages for the Tibetan Family and Tibet's Modernization——A Survey of Social Changes in Tibet in Last 50 Years

I Since 1990, as a person in charge of key research projects of the China Tibetology Research Center, I have had opportunities almost every year to conduct field surveys on anthropology in Tibet together with my colleagues. Our investigations focus on the family. The purpose of our surveys is to see social changes in Tibet during the 50 years after the Democratic Reform through the study of the family as a social cell.

Awareness and attitudes regarding Helicobacter pylori infection among university students:a national cross-sectional survey

Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection is one of the most common chronic bacterial infections all over the world.University students are a group with strong comprehensive ability.Their cognition and behavior can exert great impact on society.However,up to now,reports on the awareness and attitudes regarding H.pylori infection among university students are scarce.This study aimed to survey dietary,habits,knowledge,and attitudes towards H.pylori infection.A total of 5794 participants,including undergraduates,postgraduates,and doctoral students,were recruited from the top 100 universities in China.A selfconstructed questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and attitudes of students toward H.pylori infection and its impact.In our study,most of the population preferred dining in the canteen(69.6%),whereas 20.6% chose restaurants or takeaway.Up to 24.1% of the respondents had at least one lifestyle habit associated with H.pylori colonization.Almost half had at least one digestive symptom related to H.pylori infection.Most students were aware of its association with gastritis(84.4%)and peptic ulcer(86.6%).However,only half of them were aware of its association with gastric cancer(57.9%).Furthermore,only 14.1% of the respondents had been tested for H.pylori,and 25.1% of them tested positive.The H.pylori-detection rate was higher in Hunan province compared with Guangdong and Jilin provinces.Regarding knowledge of H.pylori,65.4% of the respondents had known about it,and 24.3% correctly answered all questions.When comparing the acquisition of H.pylori knowledge between tested and untested students,32.5% of the tested participants answered all questions correctly,which was significantly higher than the untested group(13.1%).There was no significant difference between genders in H.pylori knowledge and detection.University students are highly educated population.If they were fully aware of the harm of H.pylori infection,their parents,friends,and even future families would benefit,thus reducing the incidence of H.pylori infection,as well as gastric cancer and healthcare finances.This survey not only investigated but also spread the awareness of H.pylori among university students,which is of great medical,economic and sociological importance.

Energy poverty in the mountainous town of Metsovo,Greece

In an attempt to enhance knowledge on the energy poverty phenomenon in mountainous areas,a primary social survey was conducted in a typical mountainous town of Greece,Metsovo in the Region of Epirus.The survey recorded quantitative data of energy expenses and incomes of households and it also captured qualitative indicators related to energy poverty.The findings showed that nine out of ten households in Metsovo are exposed to energy poverty,based on the objective 10%index.The subjective indicators revealed other interesting aspects of the problem.Over one-third of the local population live in houses that are inadequately heated and/or present damp problems.Almost two-thirds of the local population have been forced to restrict other basic needs,in order to respond to high energy costs.Studying the relationships between variables of the survey also revealed some notable issues.Households inadequately heated present statistical significant correlation with the heating system used.The inadequately heated houses are also correlated with houses that presented damp-mould problems,as well as households that report arrears in energy bills.Moreover,reduction in hours of heating system operation is correlated with health problems.Current energy policy in Greece does not include specific strategies for mountainous areas,apart from some differentiations in heating oil subsidies.The great extent of energy poverty in mountainous Greece,highlighted by the present representative(with respect to mountainous Greece)study,may have irreversible social impacts.Hence,a need for specific and effective action is necessary,whose main axes should be an extensive upgrade of buildings’energy efficiency in mountainous settlements and special fuel tariffs for mountainous areas.

Cascade Tank Water Quality Management: A Case Study in Thirappane Tank Cascade System, Sri Lanka

Tank cascade system(TCS)is a series of tanks located in a meso-catchment and has been accepted as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System found in Sri Lanka.Ecosystem components of the TCS play a major role in purifying water within the system.This study attempted to investigate the water quality status and the farmers’willingness to rehabilitate the ecosystem components of the Thirappane TCS.Drinking and irrigation water quality parameters were tested in 34 locations and drinking and irrigation water quality indexes were calculated.Participatory rural appraisal and a questioner survey were conducted to gather social data.Water of TCS was observed to be appropriate for irrigation but not for drinking during the Maha cropping season.Based on the results of the Nitrate(as NO_(3)^(-))and Total Phosphate(as PO_(4)^(3-)),water of TCS can be categorized as eutrophic.Presence of ecosystem features of tank cascade system,annual income of the respondents,satisfaction on the quality of water for drinking,and the awareness about the tank cascade system significantly influenced the participatory decisions of the community on the rehabilitation of TCS.This study shall be an example and an eye opener to formulate sustainable tank cascade management plan.

Reconstituting China's Social Security System——A Survey of the Seminaron Theory and Practice of Social Welfare

As China’s market-oriented economic reforms deepen, an urgent task lying ahead of us is to develop, standardize and improve the system of social security. What, however, is meant by a unified, standardized and perfect social security system? How can we institute such a system? These questions remain urgently in need of study.This then was the setting of a national seminar on "The Theory and Practice of

Measuring Natural Hazard-Related Disasters through Self-Reports

Exposure to multiple natural hazard-related disasters will become more common due to climate change.This article reports on the development and validation of a cumulative measure of exposure to natural hazard-related disasters(2013–2017)at the area level,and an individual-level measure of disaster impact using data from the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child and linked data from the International Disaster Database(EM-DAT).Caregiver reports of cumulative exposure to disasters had statistically significant associations with disasters reported by neighborhood officials and with disasters in EM-DAT.Using ecometric techniques we generated a reliable community average measure of exposure to natural hazard-related disasters.Based on neighbor but not individual self-reports this exogenous measure of disaster exposure in the local area was more strongly related to EM-DAT and official neighborhood reports than individual reports.To capture household variation we developed an individual-level measure of disaster impacts.Disaster impact was associated with measures of exposure(individual and community average),community ratings by officials,and EM-DAT but only moderately associated with the community average exposure.Both the community average and disaster impacts measures were associated with household income and the adequacy of income in households.

Higher Education Expansion, Selections Based on Non-Cognitive Abilities and Gender Differences: The Case of China

We assess how implicit selections based on non-cognitive abilities may have changed in the context of the great higher education expansion in China,applying the classic supply-demand framework and utilizing the Big Five personality model.Using the Chinese General Social Survey(CGSS)data from 2012,difference-in-difference(DID),difference-in-difference-in-difference(DDD)and descriptive analyses establish the following three major findings.First,from the generation entering college before the expansion-post-70s-to the generation entering college after the expansion-post-80s and post-90s-implicit selections in higher education based on personality have weakened with the increased supply of higher education opportunities.Second,selections have significantly weakened in terms of the openness dimension of personality,yet there is some evidence that selections have strengthened in terms of conscientiousness.This reflects that open-mindedness has become a relatively higher supply trait and conscientiousness has become a relatively lower supply trait among members of the post-90s generation.Third,selections have weakened only on the openness dimension for males,but on multiple dimensions beginning with agreeableness for females,reflecting a greatly increased supply of higher education opportunities for females with this dominant trait.The finding on strengthened selections based on conscientiousness has important implications for what and how to educate today’s college students.