In 2013, Mississippi State University recovered 67 individuals from the Mississippi State Asylum Cemetery (1855-1935) in Jackson, Mississippi. The first goal of this research was to investigate heterogeneous frailty and varying life histories between MSA skeletal demographic groups. The second goal was to contextualize the MSA skeletal data via comparisons of MSA oral pathology and mortality data to other contemporaneous institutional skeletal samples in the U.S. as well as non-institutional skeletal samples in the southern U.S. Oral pathology data included linear enamel hypoplasias, caries, and antemortem tooth loss and demographic data included age and sex estimations. Results did not reveal any significant differences in oral health or mortality within the MSA sample. Additionally, the comparison of institutional samples exhibited generally similar prevalence of oral pathologies, but the MSA sample exhibited fewer individuals with oral pathologies and higher life expectancy than non-institutional comparative samples.

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No description available.

The high number of maternal deaths in the 1920s and 1930s, and the attempts to alleviate this problem, represents an important segment in the history of childbirth. Although the issue of maternal health care has been examined in relation to other countries, such as England and the United States, it has received little scholarly attention in Canada. This thesis is an examination of this one segment in the history of childbirth. Maternal mortality was the second leading cause of death for women of childbearing age during the 1920s and 1930s in Canada. In 1928 alone, over 1500 women died in childbirth. The central concern in this thesis is how the problem of maternal mortality was defined and resolved in Canada, with an empirical focus on Ontario. The activities and involvement of the medical profession and state officials provide the major focus of attention. State officials were primarily responsible for the medicalization of the problem of maternal deaths, and concomitantly, played a crucial role in the medicalization of pregnancy and childbirth. The findings in this work contrast with previous analyses of the history of childbirth, in that the majority of practitioners were apathetic to the problem of maternal mortality, and were reluctant to extend their control over obstetrical care to include all classes of women. The profession did not seriously address the issue of maternal health care until they anticipated a crisis in their legitimation. The findings are congruent with previous analyses in that it was found that physicians were responsible for a number of maternal deaths because of their excessive and unsanitary interference with labour and delivery. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

BACKGROUND: Social isolation (SI) has been seen as an emerging socioeconomic factor that negatively affects health. A considerable body of research has found that SI is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality. However, the magnitude of the association varies in different studies. Besides that, these studies were conducted mainly in high-income countries. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the effect size of SI on mortality. Also, we examined the associated mortality risk using data from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study of over 140,000 middle-aged adults from 21 countries with different income levels. RESULTS: Our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that the pooled hazard ratio of SI for all-cause mortality was 1.37 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28-1.46). The PURE study showed that the hazard ratio of SI for all-cause mortality was 1.26 (95% CI 1.16-1.36). Similar associations of SI with cardiovascular- and non-cardiovascular mortality as well as with incident diseases including stroke, cardiovascular disease, and injury were observed. The associations between SI and health outcomes were observed in diverse populations with different social structures and different country income levels. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The impact of SI on mortality would be expected to be greater in the future as the number of people with SI is projected to increase with population ageing in most societies. Our findings can be used by public health providers and policy makers to develop targeted strategies to reduce the risks associated with SI. / Thesis / Master of Health Sciences (MSc) / Social isolation (SI) is an emerging socioeconomic factor that could negatively affect health. Prior studies regarding SI were conducted mainly in high income countries. This thesis examines the effect of SI on mortality. This was done first in a systematic review and meta-analysis and, second, by examining the association between SI and health in an international large-scale cohort study (PURE: Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology) conducted in 21 countries at different country income levels. Our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that SI was associated with 37% increased risk for mortality. The PURE study showed that the association of SI with mortality was seen in diverse populations with different social structures. The impact of SI on mortality would be expected to increase in the future as the number of people with SI is projected to increase with population ageing. This calls for measures to reduce mortality and morbidity in the socially isolated.

Thesis (MSc. (Statistics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Under-Five Mortality (U5M) remains a major health challenge in most sub Saharan African countries including SouthAfrica,despite the significant progress made in child survival and the government’s efforts and commitment to reduce U5M. The failure of achieving the fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG) by 2015 has led to an implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) which aims to have no more than 25 deaths per 1000 live births by 2030. To achieve this goal, more information is needed. Hence, the purpose of this study was to apply count models to identify the determinants of underfive mortality rate in South Africa. To identify these determinants, the study reviewed generalized linear models and utilised the 2016 South African Demographic and Health Survey data. The models studied were Logistic Regression (LR), Poisson Regression (PR) and Negative Binomial Regression (NBR). The findings revealed that baby postnatal check-up, child’s health prior discharge, child birth size, toilet facility, maternal education, province, residence and water source were significantly associated with U5M in South Africa. It was further concluded that children who are at high risk of dying before the age of five are those who did not attend their postnatal check-up within the first two months, those whose health was not checked prior discharge, whose birth size was very small, whose household utilised bucket toilets, who resided in Western Cape, North West and Mpumalanga province, who resided in urban areas as well as those whose household utilized piped, tube well and spring water as source of drinking water. / Department of Science and Technology(DST) National Research Foundation Centre of excellence in mathematical and statistical sciences(CoE-NasS) of South Africa.

In the New Zealand context, considerable academic and government attention has been given to the socioeconomic and ethnic disparities in health, and how they have evolved over time. Despite evidence of clear regional health patterning within New Zealand, there has been very little research monitoring how the geographical trends in health have evolved over time. The period 1980 to 2001 is very important in New Zealand's contemporary history, as it was a time of rapid social and economic change. For this reason, researchers are motivated to examine the extent to which health differentials evolved during the same period. The reduction of health inequalities are at the top of the Government's health agenda, it is therefore important not only to monitor the success, or otherwise, of a reduction in social inequalities, but also, geographic inequalities. This thesis examines the extent of geographic inequalities in mortality in contemporary New Zealand, and whether or not mortality has become geographically polarised between 1981 and 2000. This thesis builds on research carried out in New Zealand, and seeks to delve deeper into the specifics of the geographic variation of mortality. Importantly, it fills several knowledge gaps during this period, which include: the geographic inequality of cause-specific mortality, the difference in regional cause-specific mortality between males and females, and the inequalities of mortality at a finer geographic resolution. A significant debate revolves around the relative contribution of compositional and contextual explanations for the geographic variation of health outcomes. The research undertaken in this thesis examines the contribution of population change and deprivation to the geographic inequalities of mortality. Numerous key findings were identified in this research, four of which are as follows: In 2000, significant geographic inequalities in cause-specific mortality existed within New Zealand; between 1981 and 2000 the geographic mortality gap remained relatively stable; and when the geographic areas are sorted by deprivation, the results indicate that there has been a widening of the mortality gap. Analysis of the relationship between population change and mortality provide cautious support for the finding that mortality rates are higher in areas that have experienced population decline and conversely, that mortality rates are lower in areas where there has been a growth in population. The high and stable levels of geographic inequality should be of great concern to policy makers as the results of this research indicate that policies addressing health inequalities in New Zealand are not sufficiently potent.

The Great Recession has brought income inequality to the forefront of the American psyche. Parallels have been made between the Great Depression and the Great Recession, and as such, economic history can act as a powerful analytical tool in directing policy. The first essay in Income Inequality during the Great Depression is a qualitative analysis of income transitions from 1929 to 1933 using 33 representative cities as surveyed by the Civil Works Administration. The second essay investigates the welfare effects of income inequality on infant mortality during the Depression. And the third essay on noninfant mortality gives context to the analysis of infant mortality and stillbirths.

Student Number : 0516841M - MSc research report - School of Public Health - Faculty of Health Sciences / Objective This work investigates the hypothesis that individuals recently migrating into rural areas have a higher mortality than those always resident and that migrant deaths are more likely to be HIV/AIDS related than non migrant deaths. Methods Data from the Africa Centre Demographic Surveillance System (ACDIS), South Africa, was used for the analysis. A total of 41519 adults aged 18 to 60 years since their last visit dates were categorized into three groups; internal migrants, external in migrants and always resident individuals since 2001. Follow up period was from 1st January 2001 to 31st December 2005. Cox proportional hazard regression method was used to quantify the additional risk of dying for migrants who have recently migrated into the DSS area. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between migration status and dying from AIDS related complications for the members in the sample whose cause of death have been identified using verbal autopsy procedures. Results External in migrants into the DSS area were 1.52 times more likely to die than those always resident. After adjusting for the effects of sex, age group, socio-economic status and educational level an external in migrant has a relative risk of 1.19, [adjusted HR=1.19, P=0.001, 95% CI (1.08,1.32)] of dying compared to those always resident. Internal migrants were 18% less likely to die compared to always resident individuals, [adjusted HR=0.82, P=0.008, 95% CI (0.71, 0.95)] and males were 1.38 times more likely to die within the follow up period compared to females, [HR=1.38, P<0.001, 95% CI (1.28, 1.49)]. These results were statistically significant at 95% confidence level. Out of a total of 1119 deaths that occurred in 2001 and 2002 whose cause of death have been identified through verbal autopsy procedures, 763 (66%) died of AIDS. The odds of dying from AIDS are 2.09 if you are an external in migrant compared to an always resident member, [unadjusted OR = 2.09, P = 0.009 95% CI (1.38, 3.16)]. After controlling for other factors in the model, the odds of dying from AIDS as an external immigrant was 1.79 times, [adjusted OR = 1.79, P = 0.009, 95% CI (1.15, 2.77)] compared to those always resident. There was no significant difference in AIDS mortality between always resident individuals and internal migrants. The odds of a female dying of AIDS was 2.33 times, [OR = 2.33, P<0.001, 95% CI (1.78, 3.06)] compared to males after controlling for migration status, age, socioeconomic status and educational level. Conclusion External in migrants have an increased risk of death among adults aged 18 to 60 years compared to those always resident. External in migrants are also more at risk of dying from AIDS related illnesses than those always resident. Internal migrants are less likely to die than those always resident. Females are more at risk of dying from AIDS than males. In resource-poor settings, especially in many parts of Africa and other developing countries with very high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and over burdened health services in rural areas, it is important to identify and quantify some of these trends contributing to high disease burdens and mortality in rural areas in order to put in place effective interventions to better the health conditions of the people in these areas.

A RESEARCH THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG, IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN DEMOGRAPHY AND POPULATION STUDIES. October 2013. / The burden of disease and mortality in South Africa is a challenge. In the area of HIV/AIDS, an estimated 316,900 new infections to persons aged 15 and older were reported in 2011. For persons below the age of 15 years, 63,600 new infections were detected in this year (Stats SA, 2011). South Africa is also doing poorly with regard to other development indicators. The infant mortality rate for this year was estimated at 37.9 deaths per 100,000 live births and under- five mortality is 54.3 deaths per 100,000. With adolescents in South Africa constituting approximately 20% of the total population, a substantial percentage of adolescents could then be orphans. Adolescents in contemporary South Africa are affected by HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, domestic violence and other reproductive health issues (Pettifor et al., 2005; Kaufman et al., 2001; King et al., 2004). They are also faced with poverty and unemployment (Ngoma, 2005). Given the overall optimistic forecast for South Africa’s economic and political growth, based on the end of Apartheid, these grave challenges that youth face persist, making South Africa a very interesting study area to examine the determinants of other-health related and mortality risks for adolescents. The main objective of this study is to identify the levels, causes and determinants of adolescent mortality in South Africa. More specifically the study examines a host of natural, unnatural and broad-underlying causes of death. In addition, individual, household and community, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are tested as determinants of adolescent mortality. This study is a cross - sectional study using nationally representative data from the South African Census 2001; the Community Survey 2007 and Death Notification Forms as collated by Statistics SA. The Community Survey is nationally representative and collects the same information as the Census. Thus demographic, socioeconomic and mortality questions are similar in both sources and are suitable for a nationally representative study on mortality trends. Death Notification Forms articulate immediate and broad- underlying causes of death, this is useful in identifying specific risks. Adolescents aged 10 to 19 years old are covered in this study. Both adolescent males and females are studied. A total of 41,261 adolescent deaths were recorded in 2001 and 54,046 adolescent deaths were noted for 2007. Demographic and socioeconomic indicators are included for all adolescents represented in the surveys. This study is a quantitative study of adolescent mortality in South Africa. STATA 11(SE) was for the management and analysis of data in this study. The methods of analysis for this study follow the order of the study objectives. To determine levels of adolescent mortality, frequency distributions, age and sex specific mortality rates and proportional mortality ratios were used. In identifying and evaluating prevalent causes of death age- standardized death rates by cause and cause- specific mortality rates are initially used. Then multiple and associated decrement life tables ( in particular, probability of dying, survival function, life expectancy and cause- deleted life expectancy) and Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) are calculated. To identify determinants of adolescent mortality logistic regression and multilevel logistic regression is applied. Among other results, the main findings of this study are first the levels of adolescent mortality in South Africa increased from 2001 to 2007 by approximately 1.3%. Second among adolescents, the levels of male mortality (21,686) exceed that of their female (19,575) counterparts in 2001, however the reverse is true of 2007, where female adolescent mortality (28,517) exceeds that of males (25,529). This particular finding is unusual since male mortality during youth (15- 24 years) is generally higher among males. This is due to the increased burden of disease on females in the country, which is now affecting adolescent females too. This is shown in results that the see plight of Tuberculosis- related deaths is more concentrated among females than males. In addition, the probability of adolescent females dying from Tuberculosis increased for 1.45 in 2001 to 1.75 in 2007 in South Africa. In addition, this study shows that for specific causes of adolescent mortality the elimination of causes of death such as Tuberculosis and pneumonia could produce substantial gains in life expectancy. Females have consistently lower odds of adolescent mortality from unnatural causes of death compared to males. Finally, having a few household assets, 6 or more people living in a residence, and high ethnic diversity within the community is associated with increased odds of adolescent mortality in South Africa in 2001. A main conclusion of this study is that with adolescent mortality in the country increasing future economic growth is compromised. Adolescents will soon enter the labour force and contribute to the country’s growth. With fewer adolescent’s surviving to adulthood this means the country’s economic growth with be slow. In addition, increasing adolescent mortality compromises the economic support available to dependent populations. With fewer economically active adults, the country’s dependency ratio will be high, thus increasing the burden placed on government to provide for the elderly and children.