Factors Associated with Rising Trend in Teenage Pregnancy within the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region of Ghana

Background: Teenage pregnancy is a major public health problem worldwide, also in northern Ghana. The aim of this study was to identify factors contributing to the rising trend in teenage pregnancy and the resultant effects. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a quasi-structured questionnaire on 60 pregnant teenagers. Demographic data and factors associated with teenage pregnancy were collected/analyzed. Results: The mean age of respondents was 17.25 ± 1.93 years. Junior high school students or graduates accounted for 55%. About 35% of participants dropped out of school due to pregnancy. The following factors were identified to be associated with teenage pregnancy: low socio-economic status, no/less sexual- and reproductive-communication with parents, low level of education, no sexual and reproductive health knowledge, and unsafe sexual behaviours. The consequences of teenage pregnancy identified were: truncation of the girls’ education, psychological trauma, and worsening family relationships. The following health consequences were identified;anaemia in pregnancy, severe malaria, hypertension in pregnancy, and prolonged labour. Conclusion: The following factors may account for the rising trend in teenage pregnancy in this area: family-related problem, sociocultural factors, low education level, and the lack of adequate knowledge on reproductive health. Teenage pregnancy caused several problems in themselves and their family members.

The New Trend of India's Rising as a Great Power

Since Modi took office as Indian prime minister in 2014,India has quickened its pace toward great power status.Although the Indian government did not issue relevant documents and did not systematically give official statements,from the perspective of Modi’s domestic and foreign policies the outline of its strategy of rising as a great power

Factors Determining Health Expenditure in the Asian and the OECD Countries

It is widely recognized that developed countries have been spending more than developing countries on health care. Objective of the study is to examine determinants of health expenditure and what factors influence it. Fifteen Asian countries and 30 OECD countries were chosen to explore the difference of their health expenditure structures. Model of health expenditure per person was estimated to be dependent on market demand, market supply, and other exogenous factors. A model with country specific and time effects of health expenditure was used and estimated. The study found a negative but insignificant relationship between price and health expenditure and a positive and significant relationship between GDP and health expenditure. Urban population density as proxy of urbanization was found to induce the health expenditure in the OECD. Out-of-pocket payment was also found to induce health expenditure for both the Asian and the OECD countries. A net effect of improvement in the health status or a lower mortality rate and a higher life expectancy caused an increase in the health expenditure among the Asian countries studied but decreased health expenditure in the OECD countries. In terms of income elasticity, it was found to be smaller than one in both groups of the countries. Since the income has changed faster than the other factors, the net effect of changes of all factors over period of time will cause rising in health care expenditure. Finally, the model indicated that both the Asian and OECD countries will continue to have a rising health expenditure per person over a period of time.

Chinese Economists’ Confidence Survey The Economy as a Whole Is Stabilized with a Trend of Rising Again While the Positive Policies Remain Unchanged

As shown in the results of the survey of the confidence of 100 Chinese economists,conducted by China’s Economic Monitoring and Analysis Centre,National Bureau of Statistics,the confidence index of the economists in the second quarter of 2009 was 5.60,the range of possible indices being from 1 to 9.It was 1.63 points higher than that of the first quarter,continuing the stabilized situation with a trend of rising again.The situation had appeared since the beginning of 2009.