Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development

Determinants of Health Condition and Estimation of Demographic Parameters of Street Children in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

2021-01-01T00:00:00Z

Determinants of Health Condition and Estimation of Demographic Parameters of Street Children in Dhaka City, Bangladesh Shahiduzzaman, Md. Health and demographic condition of street children are important issues for the development of any country. Several researchers estimated that a substantial percent of total street children in Bangladesh are living in the Capital City, Dhaka, Bangladesh. But no study is available which concentrated to in-depth study of health condition and estimation of demographic parameters for the street children. So the aim of this study is to identify the determinants of health condition and estimation of demographic parameters of street children in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. We have used convenient sampling for selection of samples. The data were collected from 1108 street children in different places of Dhaka City using a comprehensive questionnaire. In this study, x2 statistic was used to test the significance of the association between the dependent and independent variables of the street children. Binary logistic regression model was also employed to identify the effect of the some important independent variables on dependent variable. To have a smooth pattern of age 3 years moving average technique and "4253H twice" smoothing technique were applied in this study. It was found that among total sample data 84.9% were male and only 15.1 % were female. Age structure of street children followed a polynomial function of degree four. Probability of dying (qJ calculated for street Children showed an expected pattern. The migration rate from rural to urban of male street children was higher than that of female street children. Migration rate of street working children was the highest among four types of street children. Migration rate of street children of illiterate fathers was higher than that of street children of literate fathers. Migration rate of street children of illiterate mothers was higher than that of street children of literate mothers. This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Awareness of People on HIV/ AIDS in Bangladesh

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Awareness of People on HIV/ AIDS in Bangladesh Sarkar, Prosannajid Attempts have been made in this study to examine awareness of people on HIV/AIDS in Bangladesh, using the data from field level and Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, 2007 (BDHS). Some statistical techniques are used to investigate the significance between selected dependent and independent variables. Raising awareness of respondents about the long run effects of these diseases is the principal objective of reproductive health programs recently executed in the world. This study gives an idea about floating and frequently moving and permanent resident respondent's perception about these types of health problems. It is expected that the result of this study will play a vital role to asses the national population policy and will help policy makers to formulate better policies in order to fight against the current situation. It has been found from the survey data that about 92 percent floating respondents heard the name of HIV/ AIDS by various sources of media; On the other hand, the same amount (99.00%) frequently moving and permanent resident heard the name of HIV/AIDS by various sources of media. But 52 percent floating, 31 percent frequently moving and 28.40 percent permanent residents don't know the fearfulness of HIV/ AIDS. It is also found that uncontrolled and unsafe sexual relation is the main cause of HIV/AIDS. Also, they know only safety way to avoid HIV/AIDS is condom during intercourse. Further, all the variables (respondent's age, marital status, educational level and occupation) of contingency analysis are significantly associated with HIV/AIDS in permanent resident respondents but the same variables were not seen in floating respondents. In multivariate logistic analysis, it has found that in case of floating respondents variables like respondent's age, marital status, educational level and occupation exert the significant effect on the knowledge about the fearfulness of HIV/AIDS whereas in respect of permanent residents variables like age and marital status exert the significant effect on the knowledge about the fearfulness of HIV/AIDS. Further, the study provide a brief impression of the major findings of respondents' personal experience regarding HIV/ AIDS situation by the descriptive way through compare and evaluation with affected and non-affected respondent's personal opinion and vivid picture of respondents' perception about HIV/AIDS. This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Fertility Intention, Social Capital and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh

2014-01-01T00:00:00Z

Fertility Intention, Social Capital and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh Karmaker, Arun Kumar Fertility intention has been drawn increasing attention on the significance of social capital and NGOs because there is interrelation among fertility intention, social capital and NGOs. It is interesting to note that NGOs has a great role to build up a social network which can be treated as a medium by which individuals learn about demographic behavior. Social networks can also be sources of valuable resources that help to reduce the costs of having children and that build a stock of fertility-related social capital. In general, social interactions in personal networks affect individual's reproductive attitudes and behavior. However, social capital is a multidimensional concept and is used to refer to the goodwill, trust, and cooperation evident in any particular organization or society. It is the fruit of social relations and consists of the expectative benefits derived from the preferential treatment and cooperation between individuals and groups. In other words, social capital means relationships with others by trust, norms and social networks that an individual can change his/her socioeconomic phenomena. Trust, social norms and social networks are the elements of social capital, by these elements one can improve the society and can get economic benefits by which changes his/her status. NGOs have great impact and contribution to make social capital through various programs such as, micro-credit. In this context, an attempt has been made to know the interrelationships among fertility intention, social capital and NGOs at Charghat Thana, Rajshahi. For this purpose, data were collected from 498 ever married women who are the members of different NGOs and from women who are not involved with NGOs through purposive sampling. Based on primary data, the impact of social capital measured on intentions to have a second child has been investigated. This study also identifies the determinants of fertility intention and the determinants of fertility at Charghat Thana. It also investigates the role of NGOs to build up social capital. The result indicates that most of the respondents are middle aged groups 26- 45 years (43.4%), 20.1 % women are young in the age group 15-25 years, 36.5% women are older age groups above 45 years. 31.7% of the women have completed primary education, majority of women are house wife (87.6%) and a few numbers of women are involved with petty business (7.6%). Most of the women are Muslims (77.7%). It is observed that 34. I% families have monthly income below 5000 Taka, 37.1 % families have monthly income in the range 5000-8000Taka, 11.4% families have monthly income in the range 8000-10000 Taka, and 17. I% families have monthly income above 10000 Taka and the average monthly income is 6171.69 Taka. It is also observed that 49.4% families have monthly expenditure below 5000 Taka, 30.3% families have monthly expenditure in the range 5000-8000Taka, 12.2% families have monthly expenditure in the range 8000-10000 Taka, and 8% families have monthly expenditure above 10000 Taka and the average monthly expenditure is 5286.75 taka. About fifty percent (50%) women marry at age under 18 years. 76.4% are using contraception who are involved with NGOs which impact on reducing fertility. The result shows that 20.8% women who involved with NGOs have intention to bear more children and 21.1 % women have intention to bear more children who are not involved with NGOs. The social capital index is constructed to observe social capital formation among NGO members. To know the determinants of fertility intention, the prominent multivariate analysis such as, logistic regression analysis has been employed. The results reveals that middle aged women 26-35 years have 76 percent less likely and older women aged 35 and over have 98 percent less likely to have fertility intention respectively than younger women aged less than 25 years. Muslim women are 1.2 times more likely to have fertility intention than their non-Muslim counterparts. The result shows that primary completed women have 42 percent less likely and secondary and higher educated women have 22 percent less likely to have fertility intention respectively than illiterate women. Women who have married under 18 years old have 21 percent less likely to have fertility intention than the women who have married above and equal 18 years. Women who have household assets are 1.4 times more likely to have fertility intention than those women who have no household assets. The result indicates that the women who are involved with NGOs are 1.5 times more likely to have fertility intention than women who don't involve with NGO. It shows that women who attend regular group meeting of NGOs are 35 percent less likely to have fertility intention than those women who don't attend regular group meeting. 22% women who belong middle social capital index are less likely to have fertility intention than those women who have lower social capital index and the women who have upper social capital index are 31 percent less interested to have fertility intention than those women who have lower social index. The multiple classification analysis has been conducted to evaluate the contribution of socio-economic and demographic variables on fertility. The important determinants of fertility are women age, religion, education, age at marriage, contraceptive use, having electricity, mass media exposure, NGO membership and social capital index. Consciousness has grown among members exposed to NGO led activities. Most of the members have a strong knowledge about AIDS, arsenic contamination, Immunization program, health, nutritional needs, family planning, etc., after involvement into NGO activities. It is note that the average monthly family income of the respondents had TK. 4125.25 before joining the NGO as a member. After joining as a member, the average monthly family income has increased to TK. 6171.69. Before the membership, the average family expenditure was 3917.35, and after membership the average expenditure is measured at TK. 5286.75. The average savings has increased to TK. 884.94 (mean) due to a NGO member. Illness as well as awarding education for the member s' children depends on several independent variables like income, savings, hygienic condition, sanitation, TT vaccine, family planning, member s' education, etc so as to remove illness, and to expand educational facilities of the children. NGO has played a significant role by increasing family income, ensuring healthy sanitation facilities, providing educational facilities, enlarging knowledge on health education, etc. The correlation and path analysis have been used to know the relationship and the factors affecting fertility intention, social capital and NGOs. From the correlation analysis, it is found that social capital has significantly positively correlated with total family member and NGO membership. On the other hand, age at marriage and wealth are significantly inversely correlated on SCI. To examine the causal link (direct, indirect and total effects) among socio-economic and demographic variables, a multivariate technique known as path model analysis has been applied. The total association, the direct effects, non-causal effects, and total effects of exogenous and endogenous variables on the residual variable such as social capital have been investigated. The total association with SCI is statistically significant with age at first marriage, total family member, wealth and NGO membership. The age at first marriage, total family member and wealth are also statistically significant with NGO membership through total association. The total association with fertility intention is statistically significant as women age, age at first marriage and total family member. But women age, education, total family member, fertility intention and NGO membership have favorable total effects on social capital; age at marriage and wealth have adverse total effects on social capital. This study will help to policy makers to give idea to understand the NGOs contribution about social capital formation and to identify the relationships among fertility intention, social capital and NGOs at Charghat Thana in Rajshahi District in Bangladesh. This Thesis is Submitted to the Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

An Assessment of Vulnerability to HIV Infection of Female Smugglers in Hilli Port, Bangladesh

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

An Assessment of Vulnerability to HIV Infection of Female Smugglers in Hilli Port, Bangladesh Islam, Md. Shahidul Female smugglers in Hilli port of Bangladesh are more vulnerable of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS because of their high mobility. Therefore, the assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection among female smugglers has long been an interesting topic to population and health researchers in Bangladesh. This study is an effort to assess the determinants of knowledge and awareness about HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS contamination risks, sexually abused through smuggling, perpetrators of sexually abused and perpetrators of drug affection among female smugglers based on the data of 300 female smugglers in Hilli port, Bangladesh collected by purposive sampling technique, which are the key elements of the assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection. To carry out the objectives, univariate, bivariate and multivariate techniques like descriptive statistics, chi-square test, binary logistic regression analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis have been employed in accordance with their importance. In this study, it is observed that most of the female smugglers are belonged to <30 years of ages (82%) in which a remarkable numbers (22.3%) are teenagers, i.e., 10-20 years aged. The majorities have primary (30%) and under secondary (31.7%) level of education. Similar pattern of parent’s educational qualification has been observed where mother’s education has downgraded relative to father’s education in every level of education. Again, the majorities (63%) have earned 500-1000 Tk per month and all of female smugglers have improved their living conditions through this profession. Poverty (95%), pressure of family (56.3%) and absence of husband (38%) have been found as main cause of involvement in this profession. However, only 50% have details knowledge, 51.3% have knowledge about the way to protect from HIV/AIDS and 45% have awareness about HIV/AIDS. Although 70% female smugglers know that condom can protect this epidemic but only 30% use condom at the time of sex. The majorities (69.3%) think that they have the risks of HIV/AIDS contamination because 74% have been sexually abused by male colleagues (53.5%), Indian track drivers (30.9%), BSF (13.4%) and BGB (2.3%) through this profession, in which 55% exercise unsafe sex. Furthermore, most of the female smugglers (92.3%) have been influenced to take drug by male colleagues (39.7%), Indian track drivers (45.5%), BSF (11.2%) and BGB (3.6%) through the profession of smuggling. However, it has been identified that educated respondents, those have awareness by person, doctor and NGO workers, those have knowledge about the bad impact of HIV/AIDS from media, those are participated in HIV/AIDS seminar and in religious seminar are more likely to have knowledge about HIV/AIDS as compared with their counterparts respectively; and respondents who are belonged to >20 years of age group, those have awareness by person, doctor and NGO workers and who have any understanding with HIV affected persons are more likely to have awareness about HIV/AIDS as against their counterparts respectively. Again, there have been found the statistical significant association of HIV/AIDS contamination risks with knowledge about the way to protect from HIV/AIDS, exercise unsafe sex, participation on HIV/AIDS seminar, sexually abused passing through smuggling, using condom in sexual relation and influence to taking drugs in this profession respectively. In addition, respondents who exercise unsafe sex, those are sexually abused and influenced to take drugs passing through smuggling have found to be having more risks of HIV/AIDS contamination as against their counterparts respectively. In this study, smuggler’s age, father’s education, marital status, reasons of coming to smuggling, monthly income through smuggling and unsafe sex have statistical significant association; and smuggler’s age, reasons of coming to this profession, monthly income through smuggling, unsafe sex and drug affecting have statistical significant effect on sexually abused through smuggling respectively. It is also mentionable that female smugglers are more vulnerable of sexually abused after 25 years of their ages and poverty is one of the main reasons to coming this profession which is also significant reason of sexually abused. Nevertheless, the chance of sexually abused has been decreased with increasing the monthly income through smuggling. It has been determined through multinomial logistic regression analysis that father’s education, marital status, unsafe sex and types of drug affecting have significant effect on Indian track driver; and respondent’s educational status, marital status, reasons of coming to smuggling and monthly income through smuggling have significant effect on BSF/BGB by whom female smugglers are sexually abused. It is clear that the vulnerability of sexually abused by BSF/BGB decreases with increasing the smuggler’s educational level and monthly income through this profession; and unmarried female smugglers and those have the habit of unsafe sex and injection or other types of drug using have been sexually abused more by Indian track driver respectively. There have also been found the significant associations of perpetrators of drug affecting with smuggler’s age, educational status, father’s education, mother’s education, marital status, reasons of coming to smuggling, monthly income through smuggling, unsafe sex and types of drug affecting respectively. The tendency of drug affecting through male colleague of smuggling and Indian track driver is increasing with increasing smuggler’s age, and unmarried female smugglers have more chance of drug affecting by them. Moreover, the smugglers whose reasons of coming to this profession is poverty have more chance of drug affecting by male colleague of smuggling and the smugglers who exercise unsafe sex have more chance of drug affecting by Indian track driver as against their counterparts. In the light of the present study, it is strongly recommended that enhancing education with community based health related educational program through mass media, avoiding unsafe sex with increasing the effective use of condom, stopping the sexual harassment or sexually abused through smuggling and the influence to take drugs by their male colleagues, Indian track drivers or others in the profession, empowering the female smugglers and poverty reduction strategy are essential for reducing the vulnerability to HIV infection as well as for stopping smuggling among female smugglers in Hilli port, Bangladesh. Hopefully, this study would be very helpful for policy makers, program designers/planners to design or redesign program(s) or existing program(s) considering the identified risk factors. This thesis is Submitted to the Department of Population Science and Human Resource Development, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The Degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil)