Papua New Guinea has been classified by the World Health Organisation as an area where clinical vitamin A deficiency (VAD) exists. This is at variance with the experience of the local physicians who do not encounter classical VAD in clinical practice. This pilot study was carried out to resolve this contradiction, since many suggestions have been made to fortify foods with Vitamin A. If done in the absence of concrete data to back up this classification, it could take the focus away from the real problem as well as potentially create problems of Vitamin A toxicity. Therefore, answers from this study could have far reaching implications in a country such as PNG, which has high childhood mortality and limited financial and manpower resources. The objective of this study was to determine the vitamin A status and identify risk factors of VAD in children aged 6 months to 6 years in a rural area of Papua New Guinea. The survey was carried out in the Ramu region of Madang province. Households and children were randomly selected and standard questionnaires were used to collect information about diet, previous illnesses and night blindness. The weight and height of all children was recorded and an ocular and physical examination carried out by trained personnel. In addition, haemoglobin estimation and examination of blood films for malaria parasites was carried out in all the children. In a randomly selected number of children, estimations of serum retinol and other micronutrient levels were carried out. Results: A total of 609 children were enrolled in the study. Biochemical parameters were studied in 106 of them .The mean age of the children was 35 months. Possible night blindness was reported in 4 children. No xerophthalmia was seen. The prevalence of serum retinol levels ( 0.7 (mol/L (WHO suggested cut off values for subclinical VAD) was 10.3%. Anthropometric indicators indicated a high proportion of the children had stunting and wasting or both. Analysis of dietary patterns, maternal literacy, food availability and other surrogate indicators indicated that the population is at mild-moderate risk of developing VAD. In conclusion, no evidence of clinical vitamin A deficiency was found. Subclinical vitamin A deficiency seemed to occur in this population at a level of mild-moderate public health importance. Further studies need to be carried out to assess the situation in different areas in PNG before policy decisions can be made with regards to mass vitamin A supplementation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and attitudes of the Diploma of Educational Studies (Tertiary) students towards Educational Television. The subjects of the study were compared with a group of teachers college lecturers who had not studied overseas. The Diploma of Educational Studies (Tertiary) students who came to Canberra, Australia, to study, were surveyed at three different stages, (i) Three Weeks in Australia, (ii) Ten Months in Australia, and (iii) After twelve months back in Papua New Guinea. The statistical analysis of individual questions showed no statistical difference in the attitudes and perceptions, based on the questions asked, while the statistical analysis of the groups , based upon the questionnaires, also showed that the sample groups were not statistically different from each other. As this study was a pilot no firm conclusions can be drawn as to the difference in attitudes and perceptions of the D.E.S. (Tertiary) lecturers about Educational Television in Papua New Guinea. Areas of disagreement identified , were compared to those problems that emerged from the investigation of Educational Television in American Samoa and The Ivory Coast. Issues that required possible further investigation were then identified.

[6] 286 leaves : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 1974

Papua New Guinea, a society with diverse natural environments (muddy swamps to soaring mountains, snake-shaped winding rivers, open seas) and cultural environments (different languages, customs, traditions) is undergoing massive and rapid social changes. The occurrence of these social changes and social problems are due to a combination of diverse exogenous and endogenous changes in different areas such as politics, economic, cultural, bureaucratic structure, technology and changes in other societies. These changes are explicitly stipulated and reflected during the process of the discussion and analysis. The purpose of this paper is an attempt to analyze social change and the emerging social problems in light of the colonisation process right up to the post independence era. The social functions and dysfunctions of the innovated Western type education system during the contemporary modernisation and development process are also examined. The theoretical frameworks used to analyze social change are (1) the structural functionalism theory, (2) modernisation theory, and (3) the theories of change and development. The rapid social changes, modernisation and other developments occurring in Papua New Guinea are a new experience. Prior to this, people have lived in Papua New Guinea for 50,000 years, developing material and nonmaterial cultures such as the use of simple technology including stone axes, digging sticks, dug out canoes etc., houses made of sago or kunai grass, reciprocity or gift-exchanges, interdependence, sharing, consensus, behaviour controlled by established social norms, and the overall social, political, economic and cultural structures and functions fused into a single dynamic institution, predominantly through the family units and kinship relationships. The destabilisation of this traditional social structural system occurred as a consequence of the introduction of profound changes and transformations when Great Britain annexed Papua and Germany proclaimed New Guinea in 1884. Further developments that occurred during the colonisation process are discussed in the paper. Education, a powerful agent of social change, has and is playing a crucial role during the modernisation and development process in meeting such requirements as manpower needs of the country or enabling political and economic development. Not only that but it is maintaining the new social strata that are emerging in the society. The top cream of the new social strata, called here the social, political, and economic elite are enjoying the perks and privileges associated with the positions they hold. They have been emancipated from the hard rural life as far as Western schooling is concerned. Simultaneously, being a heterogeneous society, the dysfunctions of education are also playing a role in which students are screened using examinations as the criteria and a majority of them are leaving school annually along the different levels of the education system. This is contributing to the over-production of educated people for the limited supply of jobs in both the government and private sectors,'consequently leading to unemployment and an upsurge in social problems. It is argued here that it would be completely a false assumption if people believe that education is wholly responsible for the social stratification, social inequality, instability and unemployment related problems such as the break down of law and order, disrespect for authority and established social norms, or rascalism. According to Etzioni and Etzioni, all efforts to explain societal change, whether positive or negative, as originating in one single factor have so utterly failed, thus, contemporary sociologists have almost unanimously have adopted a multifactor approach (1964:7). Etzioni and Etzioni also claim that social change may originate in any institutional area, bringing about changes in other areas, which in turn make for further adaptations in the initial sphere of change. Technological, economic, political, religious, ideological, invention, demographic and stratificational factors are all viewed as potentially independent variables which influence each other, as well as the course of society. The current social situation in Papua New Guinea appears daunting and pessimistic and for the masses of the people, the prospect is one of rising inequalities, more intensive exploitation, chronic unemployment and insecurity, misgovernment, social disruptions and blighted opportunity during the modernisation and development process. The paper suggests some ways in which the national education system and the national government could address some of these socio-economic problems to bring about positive social changes in society. There is a need for strong genuine political will, firm policy direction, diversification and industrialisation of the economy, prudent planning, educational reforms, constitutional reforms, increased training of skilled manpower, coordinated integration, wise spending of available resources and critical examination and analysis of wider social, political, economic, and cultural issues and implications by those in power. Perhaps these actions may help in some ways to bring about equilibrium in the different components that make up the whole social system, consequently creating a more just and stable society. Social, political, and economic stability is vitally essential for economic investment, modernisation and industrial growth.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-104).

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1980. / Typescript.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1983.

published_or_final_version / Applied Statistics / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Anatomy / Master / Master of Philosophy

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