The objective of the study was to explore the survival trends of centenarians in Japan. A cohort of centenarians born between 1881 and 1900 was analysed based on national census data, and the average life expectancy at 100 years of age, risk of death and maximum age were estimated. An analysis of covariance and a Cox regression analysis were performed to explore the factors associated with life expectancy and risk of death. The death rates in centenarians tended to decrease with birth year, and the average life expectancy from the age of 100 slightly increased at a rate of 0.013 years (95% CI: 0.007–0.019) by birth year in men and 0.026 in women. Women had a longer life expectancy than men, with a difference of 0.174 years (95% CI: 0.071–0.277) at birth year 1881 and increasing by 0.013 years per year thereafter. The risk of death in both sexes decreased significantly by birth year over the course of the period analysed, and the risk of death in men was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.14–1.19) times that of women. In women, death rates at every age significantly decreased with birth year over the course of the period analysed until age 104. However, this trend did not hold true for ages 105 and older. The average life expectancy of centenarians at the age of 100 in Japan increased by birth year in the 1881–1900 birth cohort. In addition, Japanese centenarians had the lowest death rates among several countries.

Consanguineous unions are a deeply rooted social practice among traditional societies. Despite their presumed social advantages, they can result in several health conditions. The aim of this study was: i) to compare consanguinity levels between Tunisian patients affected with autosomal recessive disorders (ARDs) and those with a chromosomal abnormality; and ii) to gain more insight into the mutational status of patients affected with ARDs. Data were collected from 290 files of patients affected by one of five ARDs confirmed by molecular analysis and 248 files of patients with confirmed Down syndrome. Information on the disease, mutation defining the disease, parents' relatedness and geographical origin was gathered. Consanguinity was found among 58% of the ARD patients and among 22% of Down syndrome patients, and a homozygous status was found in 90% of the patients born to related parents and in 70% of patients born to unrelated parents. Also, children from unrelated parents from the same geographical background were found to be more frequently affected by homozygous mutations than those from unrelated parents from different geographical backgrounds. The present study shows how marriage practices affect patterns of genetic variations and how they can lead to homogenization in the genetic pool.

The practice of dowry is widespread in India and refers to the payment of cash/gifts by the bride's family to the bridegroom's family before marriage. Though prohibited by law, dowry is widely practised, and often contributes to severe injuries and even death of young brides. This study examined the prevalence and risk factors for dowry demand and dowry harassment and its psychosocial correlates across different social strata in India, and also by husband and mother-in-law characteristics. In a cross-sectional survey of 9938 women in rural, urban and urban non-slum sites across India conducted in 1998–99, dowry demand was found to be significantly higher (p<0.001) in the urban non-slum and rural areas (26% and 23% respectively) than in urban slum areas (18%). Overall, 17% of groom's families were not satisfied with the dowry, this being higher in rural areas (21%) than in urban slum and non-slum areas (about 14% in both). The overall prevalence of dowry harassment among this group of women was 13.3%. Mothers-in-law who had themselves experienced dowry demand were 14 (95% CI 5.0–40.4) and 5 (95% CI 1.3–18.9) times more likely to demand and harass daughters-in-law over dowry, respectively. Another significant risk factor for dowry-related harassment was mother-in law's status in the family. Interventions related to modifiable risk factors, such as increased social support at the community level, should help reduce dowry harassment.

Both objective and, more recently, subjective measures of low social status have been linked to poor health outcomes. It is unclear, however, through which precise physiological mechanisms such standing may influence health, although it has been proposed that those of lower status may have biomarker profiles that are more dysregulated (and hence pose a greater risk for poorer health). The main objective of this study was to investigate whether lower subjective social standing is associated with riskier neuroendocrine biomarker profiles. Data were from the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS), a nationally representative survey of Taiwanese men and women (ages 54–91) conducted in Taiwan in 2000. Five neuroendocrine markers (cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) were analysed both separately and collectively in an index termed neuroendocrine allostatic load (NAL) in relation to status – both self-reported and as measured through objective socioeconomic status (SES) indicators. For the biomarker DHEAS, some connection was found between its levels and the measures of status, but for the other markers and the NAL index almost no connection was found. The overall negative finding of this paper would be further supported with more and different measures of neuroendocrine system function and a reordering of the subjective social status questions in the survey such that the one probing about status in the community (that has no prompt) was asked before the one probing about status in all of Taiwan (which has a SES prompt).

Worldwide, there is a consensus that parents must be involved in children's HIV/AIDS education. However, there is little evidence that speaks to this advocacy for improving adolescent health. This study developed and tested four hypotheses about (i) the relationship between parents' and adolescents' knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission routes and prevention strategies conditional upon (ii) parents' gender, (iii) communication about sexuality, and (iv) the parent–adolescent education gap. The sample consisted of 306 parent–adolescent dyads from the 2002 Cameroon Family and Health Survey. Adolescents were aged 12–19 years. Overall, fifteen items about HIV/AIDS transmission routes and prevention strategies were analysed. Descriptive results showed that parents fared better than adolescents regardless of the AIDS fact considered. An exception was the correct use of condoms (parents 57% vs adolescents 61%). The generation gap probably explains this result: parents are more conservative, reluctant and distant from condoms compared with adolescents, who are more receptive and open to discussing sex with peers. Multivariate ordered logistic regressions showed a significant positive effect of parents' HIV/AIDS knowledge on adolescents' HIV/AIDS knowledge, thus supporting the main hypothesis of direct parental influences. Parent–adolescent communication about sexuality showed positive and significant effects on adolescents' HIV/AIDS knowledge, suggesting an ‘enhancing effect’ when combined with the effect of parents' HIV/AIDS knowledge. Against the background that parents in sub-Saharan Africa do not teach their children about sexuality, the study demonstrated that families can play an important role in HIV/AIDS education. These findings have major implications for HIV/AIDS interventions involving adolescents, parents or both, in fostering accurate HIV/AIDS knowledge among adolescents, which could lead to protective sexual behaviours.

Indonesia's infant mortality rates are among the highest in South-East Asia, and there are substantial variations between its sub-national regions. This qualitative study aims to explore early mortality-related health service provision and gender inequity issues based on mothers' pregnancy, delivery and early-age survival experience in Ende district, Nusa Tenggara Timur province. Thirty-two mothers aged 18–45 years with at least one birth in the previous five years were interviewed in depth in May 2013. The results show most mothers have little knowledge about the danger signs for a child's illness. Mothers with early-age deaths generally did not know the cause of death. Very few mothers had received adequate information on maternal and child health during their antenatal and postnatal visits to the health facility. Some mothers expressed a preference for using a traditional birth attendant, because of their ready availability and the more extensive range of support services they provide, compared with local midwives. Unprofessional attitudes displayed by midwives were reported by several mothers. As elsewhere in Indonesia, the power of health decision-making lies with the husband. Policies aimed at elevating mothers' roles in health care decision-making are discussed as measures that would help to improve early-age survival outcomes. Widening the public health insurance distribution, especially among poorer mothers, and equalizing the geographical distribution of midwives and health facilities are recommended to tackle geographical inequities and to increase early-age survival in Ende district.

Consanguinity is widespread in Pakistan. The majority of studies on consanguinity in Pakistan have been carried out in urban metropolitan areas, and data on rural populations are scarce. The present cross-sectional study was conducted in Sargodha district, upper Punjab, Pakistan where the majority of the population reside in rural areas. A random sample of 1800 married females belonging to six tehsils of Sargodha district was obtained and differentials in consanguinity rates and inbreeding coefficient (F) were investigated. The consanguinity rate was calculated to be 56.72% and the inbreeding coefficient was 0.0348. First cousin unions had the highest representation (49.11% of all marriages), and marriages up to distantly related/Biradari constituted 67.94% of all marriages. Among the six tehsils, consanguinity rates ranged from 50.38% in Bhalwal to 62.88% in Sillanwali. A high rate of consanguinity was observed in subjects speaking the Punjabi language, those with self-arranged/arranged-love marriages and those engaged in professional jobs. With respect to the occupation of husbands the highest consanguinity rate was found among landowners (77.59%; F=0.0539) and businessmen (62.62%; F=0.0377). However, consanguinity did not appear to be associated with rural/urban origin or literacy level. The data showed a wide variation in consanguinity rate and inbreeding coefficient across socio-demographic strata in the Sargodha district population. A comparison of Sargodha with other populations of Punjab also showed regional heterogeneity in the pattern of consanguinity, warranting further studies.

The aim of this study was to assess the somatic development of children from an urban agglomeration in Poland at the end of preschool education and the beginning of primary education with respect to selected socioeconomic and educational conditions. Data were collected for 742 children from selected Warsaw kindergartens in spring 2011 and 2012. Their mean age was 5.84±0.31 years. The sex categories were equal: 371 boys and 371 girls. Kindergartens chosen for the study constituted a representative sample. The diagnostic survey method (questionnaire technique) was used to assess the selected environmental conditions of development in the participating children. Body height and the sum of six skin folds (over the biceps, over the triceps, under the scapula, on the abdomen, over the wing of ilium and on the calf) were chosen from the assessed anthropometric parameters for the purpose of determining somatic development of study participants. The obtained data were analysed using selected descriptive statistics methods (including cluster analysis), data standardization (normalization by mean values and SD) and the chi-squared test. The results showed certain relationships between the selected parameters of somatic development and family living conditions. These relationships involved differences between individual clusters depending on given living conditions and were most prominent for mother's education, for which variable differences between clusters were found for both sexes. The somatic build of boys (including body height and body adiposity) also differed depending on the number of offspring in the family, while the somatic build of girls differed depending on father's employment and father's education. Furthermore, the obtained results lead to the conclusion that the total number of differences between the analysed clusters was relatively low. This indicates that the biological effects of social stratification tend to diminish in the environment of an urban agglomeration.

Women's education is associated with positive social and health outcomes for women and their families, as well as greater opportunities and decision-making power for women. An extensive literature documents ways in which broader, societal changes have facilitated roles for women beyond reproduction, yet there is minimal exploration at the family level. This study used inter-generational cohort data from the Philippines to examine mothers' aspirations for their children's education, and how these aspirations predict children's subsequent educational attainment. Mothers' education, household wealth and a locally developed measure of women's status were positively associated with higher educational aspirations for children; however, only mothers with the highest fertility were less likely to desire their children to attend college or higher. Mothers' fertility and aspirations both significantly and independently predicted children's school completion. Together, these findings indicate that increased opportunities for Filipina women beyond childbearing may not only positively benefit these women themselves, but also future generations.

Fertility transition in Sri Lanka began in the mid-1960s and the declining trend continued over the decades. The Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) of 2000 showed the total fertility rate (TFR) reaching 1.9 births per woman, a level below replacement fertility. The next DHS of 2006/7 showed a TFR of 2.3. Some have interpreted this pattern as indicating a reversal of the fertility transition. This paper casts doubts on the below-replacement fertility revealed in the 2000 survey.