bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Some Characteristics of Children With Severe Disabilities
Authors: Bradshaw Jonathan , Lawton Dorothy
Published: July 2008

Routinely collected data on the 37,094 families with severely handicapped children who have applied to the Family Fund are used to examine the relationship between certain handicapping disorders and the year of birth, season of birth, birth order, region of domicile, social class, sex and presence of a disabled sibling. Differences between each handicapping disorder, and differences between the handicapping disorders and the general population are noted.
Social characteristics of diaphragm users in a family planning clinic
Authors: McEwan John
Published: July 2008

The use of the diaphragm and other vaginal caps has declined in the last decade with the rise of oral contraceptives and intrauterine devices. This is particularly clearly shown in the group of women attending family planning clinics. These changes have been accompanied by a shift in predominance from male methods to those initiated and managed by women.

Various characteristics of diaphragm acceptors at the King's group of hospital clinics have been studied from January 1972 to May 1976 and compared with those of women accepting other methods such as the pill and intrauterine device. There are marked differences in age at first attendance, and at various stages of family building; there are also differences in marital status and whether working outside the home or not. In the group of housewives accepting the diaphragm, there is an increased proportion whose partners are in non-manual occupations.

These differences are discussed in relation to the acceptability of vaginal barriers, the duration of their use and their effectiveness in the long term. If immediate acceptability could be improved by a new design, they might play a more useful part as a women's method of fertility control.
Aspects of the increasing triplet rate in Australia
Authors: Brackenridge C. J.
Published: July 2008

The sex composition of 862 sets of Australian triplets was independent of decade and State of birth during the period 1920–69. The triplet rate increased by 40% during the 50 years in contrast with declining rates reported elsewhere. The increase was due to dizygotic and trizygotic types, together but not individually, and occurred despite an 8·6% decrease in the average national maternal age over the same period. Adjustment for age led to standardized individual zygosity rates, estimates of which were compared with reported values obtained elsewhere. The dependence of zygosity rates on maternal age was shown to rise progressively as the number of ova released in triplet formation increases.
Estimated fertility rates of Asian and West Indian immigrant women in Britain, 1969–74
Authors: Iliffe Lynne
Published: July 2008

Current fertility rates of Asian and West Indian immigrant women in Britain are estimated by an indirect procedure. The data on which the estimates are based are the published statistics of registered births, and the 1971 Census country of birth tabulations.

It is shown that between 1969 and 1974 the total fertility rate of both groups declined at a faster rate than that of the indigenous population. The estimated total fertility of Asian women is, however, higher than that of West Indian women; the differences can be attributed at least partly to differential timing of migration.

The estimates of fertility rates for Asian and West Indian women provide a basis for a more realistic appraisal of local birth data.
Red/green colour defect among the Roman Catholic and non-denominational population
Authors: Cobb Stephen R.
Published: July 2008

Pupils in schools in the Glasgow area show incidences of colour vision defect higher in the Roman Catholic schools than in the non-denominational. This may be due to the Celtic origins of Roman Catholics in the West of Scotland.
Induced abortion after feeling fetal movements: its causes and emotional consequences
Authors: Brewer Colin
Published: July 2008

Of 40 women who had abortions between 20 and 24 weeks gestation and had felt fetal movements, eleven had a history of significant menstrual irregularity, six had changed their minds about an initially welcome pregnancy, five had been told that they were not pregnant, and five had either been refused by the NHS or were unable to get sympathetic advice at an earlier stage. In only fourteen cases was ‘wishful thinking’ or an unrealistic attitude to the possibility of pregnancy an important cause.

Twenty-five of the women were followed-up at a minimum of 3 months after their abortion. Five reported feeling depressed because of their abortion but none of them had required specialist advice, and only one had time off work or school for this reason.
A field study of the choice and continuity of use of three contraceptive methods in a rural area of Thailand
Authors: Somboonsuk A. , Xuto N. , Gray R. H. , Grossman R. A.
Published: July 2008

The present study was designed to assess the preference for and the continuation rates achieved with two previously available contraceptives (the pill and the IUD), and one newly introduced method (depomedroxypro-gesterone acetate, or DMPA), in a rural area of Thailand. After the presentation of balanced educational material on the three contraceptives, women were offered a free choice of method. It was found that 73·8% of all women adopted DMPA as their method of choice, and that this preference was not influenced by the educational lecture. In contrast, 16·9% of women chose the pill and 9·3% chose the IUD. The injection was perceived as a convenient method when compared to the other routes of administration, but the dominant preference for DMPA appeared to be largely due to ill-defined personal factors and the influence of friends. The 1-year life-table continuation rates with DMPA (75·5 per 100 women) were significantly higher than the continuation rate achieved with the IUD in this rural population (66·5 per 100 women). The continuation rates with the pill were 72 per 100 women, but the excessively high loss to follow-up with this method made the interpretation of the results difficult. It is suggested that if women are offered a free choice of contraceptive methods under a quasi experimental situation, useful information can be obtained on the potential value of new methods for an on-going family planning programme.
Sex differences, personality and study difficulty in university students
Authors: Stringer Peter , Crown Sidney , Lucas C. J. , Supramaniam S.
Published: July 2008

A study difficulty inventory and three sets of personality scales were administered to 145 students attending a university health centre. Motivational and psychoneurotic components of study difficulty were identified, which were differentially related in male and female students to basic personality characteristics and to psychiatric symptomatology. Syllabus-boundness emerged as more salient in the female students, and self-esteem in the males. Poor academic performance was found to be associated with distinctive personality profiles in the two sexes. Both intra-personality and social–psychological interactional factors appear to underlie the pattern of results.
An extension of the waiting time distribution of first conceptions
Authors: Pathak K. B.
Published: July 2008

A discrete time probability model has been developed to describe the waiting time until the first conception for a woman who is married before the age of 20 years. The model is illustrated by applying it to data on the time of first conception on the basis of the moment estimates of the parameters.
The diffusion of a mass genetic screening programme
Authors: McQueen David V.
Published: July 2008

This paper reports the diffusion of knowledge of screening for a genetic disorder (Tay–Sachs disease) in two fairly well defined, urban, Jewish populations in the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan areas, and on some of the sociological variables which influence the diffusion. Differences between the two populations are shown.
Evaluation of an unsuccessful sex Preselection clinic in Singapore
Authors: Williamson Nancy E. , Lean T. H. , Vengadasalam D.
Published: July 2008

This paper evaluates a Singapore experiment to test the Shettles ‘rhythm and douche’ method of sex control. The clinic was set up in the hope that if couples could have the son they desired, they would keep their families small in accordance with the goverment's strong commitment to population control. From March 1975 to July 1977, 10,000 newly-wed women were invited to attend the clinic. A thousand women, not all newlyweds, attended at least once. Of the 31 women who had definite sex preferences, who attempted to follow the method, and who gave birth between March 1975 and November 1977, all wanted boys. By chance alone, one would expect about sixteen to have boys. In fact, fourteen had boys. Only six of the 31 women reported using the method completely correctly.

Women attending the clinic at least once were more likely to have an outside job, to have a husband with a professional or managerial job, and to be of Chinese origin compared with the Singapore population. Clients coming either had fertility problems and had no sex preferences or wanted a boy. Of those coming at least once, 70% had no previous children; the rest had had 403 girls and 58 boys.

To test this sex control technique adequately, one would need a large sample of highly committed couples who are given intensive counselling and follow-up. This particular method appears to be impractical on a mass basis, apart from questions about its effectiveness. Other sex control methods currently under research may prove more practical and effective. A better solution would be to discourage boy preference and improve the opportunities for girls.
A consideration of Some retrospective data on breast-feeding in Great Britain
Authors: Langford C. M.
Published: July 2008

Some retrospective data collected in a survey carried out in 1967–68 show that the practice of breast-feeding declined markedly in Great Britain between the 1930s and the 1960s. Throughout, women higher up the social-educational scale breast-fed more than those lower down. Women marrying before the age of 20 (as well as those marrying at age 30 or older) tended to breast-feed less than those marrying in their twenties; for the former, the explanation was probably ‘social’. Needing, or choosing, to return to work soon after confinement was not, in general, an important inhibiting factor so far as breast-feeding was concerned. From the 1967–68 data, there seemed to be a negative association between the level of breast-feeding and birth order, but this may not have been ‘genuine’ since other data did not agree. There was a positive association between level of breast-feeding and family size, for family sizes up to four, but a drop for those with five or more children. This latter feature could be the result of a tendency for those with large families to arrive at this situation by way of short interbirth intervals, this in turn being associated with low levels of breast-feeding; the former might possibly reflect a positive link between women' capacity to breast-feed and their capacity to bear children.
Effect of supplementary feeding on infant growth in an Aboriginal family
Authors: Cox John Warwick
Published: July 2008

The weight charts for the six infants of a 20-year-old Aboriginal woman are examined. They all show satisfactory growth whilst being exclusively breast-fed, yet all demonstrate growth failure following the introduction of supplementary feeding. The double benefits of optimal infant growth and delay in the next conception derived from exclusive breast-feeding indicate its desirability for women in these circumstances. The problems associated with supplementary feeding and the non-utilization of family planning methods are demonstrated in the low maternal age at first pregnancy, the lack of adequate family spacing during the mother's teenage years, excessive family size and the impaired growth rate of the children.
Misreporting in rural fertility data: an analysis of husband–wife disagreement
Authors: Vlassoff C. , Vlassoff M.
Published: July 2008

Two independent, concurrent demographic surveys in rural India, one male, the other female, were used to examine misreporting of ever-born children among 223 couples common to both samples. Husband-wife disagreements were checked in detail and characteristics of the errors and of the misreporters themselves were analysed. ‘Forgetting’ of dead children was the main cause of mistaken reporting. Another type of error was found to be sex-related: men, but not women, confused fetal deaths with live births. Of the various correlates of male misreporting tested, only age appeared to be a determining factor. On the other hand, traditional attitudes and overall response reliability were more important than age in explaining female errors. No significant relationships between faulty reporting and socio-economic status or family size were established. Various suggestions are made for minimizing fertility misreporting in surveys of rural, illiterate populations.
Relationships between the ABO blood group system and some obstetric factors
Authors: Brackenridge C. J.
Published: July 2008

Analysis was made of relations between the ABO blood group system and mother–child pairs in an ethnically homogeneous sample of Australian births. There was an increase in the proportion ofB-positive (AB or B) children with increasing number of pregnancies and maternal age. A discriminant analysis indicated that pregnancy number was the basic determinant of the effect. A decreasing proportion of parturients of group O was noted as the number of previous fetal deaths, due to natural abortion or stillbirth, increased. This was independent of maternal Rh type. A dominant effect whereby the gestation period lengthened according to the proportion ofO-containing genes in the phenotypes was also observed.
Fertility differentials of Japanese agricultural settlers in eastern Boliveia
Authors: Kashiwazaki Hiroshi
Published: July 2008

Fertility variation in Japanese agricultural immigrant women in Bolivia is examined by birth cohort, educational status, religious affiliation, the agricultural system of their households, and prefectural origin in Japan. Only the place of origin in Japan makes a singnificant contribution to variations in fertiligy; higher fertility was found among the women from the Nagasaki prefecture. The results suggest that fertility differentials in this community represent the survival of different fertility norms from the area of origin, which are not due to educational and religious differences.
Some comparisons of data from medical records and from interviews with women who had recently had a live birth or stillbirth
Authors: Cartwright Ann , Smith Christopher
Published: July 2008

Data from interviews with 131 women who had a live birth and 109 who had a stillbirth about their experience of childbearing have been compared with information obtained from doctors.

For the live births medical information was more often obtained for those in teaching than in non-teaching hospitals. It is estimated that 84% of miscarriages, abortions and stillbirths were reported by women whereas 62% were recorded accessibly in the notes. Nerves and depression during pregnancy were reported much more frequently by the women than by the doctors.

Correlations over gestation were around 0·8. Concordance was greater over induction than over acceleration; it was high in relation to epidural anaesthesia and less good for other types of anaesthetic. Among the live births, reports of the baby's weight fell in the same half-pound group in 82% of instances and within adjoining groups for a further 12%. There appeared to be a tendency for mothers to report a slightly higher weight. In general agreement was less good for the stillbirths than for the live births.

Probable reasons for the discrepancies are discussed. Problems of precise definition, inaccuracies and inadequacies in the medical records and limitations of women's knowledge appeared to be the main sources of disparities.
Epidemiological analysis and reproductive characteristics of incomplete abortion patients in khartoum, the Sudan
Authors: Rushwan Hamid
Published: July 2008

A study of 2447 patients treated for incomplete abortion in three major hospitals in Khartoum, the Sudan, was carried out from 1974 to 1976. Analysis focused particularly on socio-demographic variables, reproductive history and contraceptive behaviour before and after the abortion. This paper presents the epidemiological analysis and reproductive characteristics of these patients in an attempt to show the value of such service oriented research in evaluating clinical problems.
Prior induced abortion experience among clinic patients in Australia
Authors: Davis Geoffrey , Church Antonia
Published: July 2008

A survey of 15,324 abortion patients of the Population Services International clinics in Sydney revealed that 16·7% reported prior induced abrotion experience. Comparisons with other Australia clinics produced similar findings. World figures indicate that Australian patients have had fewer prior abortions than those in most other countries, with the exception of England, and Wales. Significant factors were age, material status, religious affiliation, reproductive history, employment status and education. Use of contraception increased after the abortion experience.
Mortality and age differences in marriage
Authors: Fox A. John , Bulusu Lak , Kinlen Leo
Published: July 2008

That married people have lower death rates than either the unmarried or the widowed has been recognized since the mid-19th century. Marital condition involves diverse and complex selection processes and is associated with differences in life style, factors which may contribute to differences in mortality. Mortality statistics of married people are presented here by age of surviving partner in an attempt to assess the influence of age difference between spouses.
Nuptiality, education, infant mortality and fertility in Sri Lanka
Authors: Fernando Dallas F. S.
Published: July 2008

The determinants of fertility variation among districts of Sri Lanka are explored by multiple regression analysis. The proportion of young women who are married (age 20–24), and the proportion of women of reproductive age who have received at least 5 years of education, account respectively for 46% and 24% of district variation in total fertility. Infant mortality variation accounts for only 8%. From the results it is argued that encouragement of education of women and postponement of marriage is one practical measure which will help to reduce Sri Lankan fertility.
The role of medical factors in the failure to achieve desired family size
Authors: Young Christabel M.
Published: July 2008

Because of the widely held view that a family size of less than two children is undesirable, this paper investigates the extent to which medical conditions occur among one-child and childless families and influence ultimate family size. A partial solution to the inability to have more than one child is adoption, and the extent to which couples use adoption to attain the desired family size is discussed.

Regardless of whether or not family size is directly affected, medical factors represent a form of crisis in the lives of women concerned, and thus the incidence rates themselves are of interest. The data suggest that more than one-half of women in Australia experience such a crisis during their childbearing history.
An association between tongue-rolling phenotypes and subjects of study of undergraduates
Authors: Azimi-Garakani C. , Beardmore J. A.
Published: July 2008

The distribution of phenotypes in the tongue-rolling polymorphism in two samples of university undergraduates, totalling 1066 individuals, shows no difference between the sexes but large differences between groups drawn from different faculties and particularly between the life sciences and the arts. There are also indications of a difference in distribution between arts students living in halls of residence and those living elsewhere.

The genetics of tongue-rolling is not yet critically established but, on
the assumption that most of the phenotypic variation observed has a genetic basis, the data suggest that the loci governing this character may also contribute to variation in personality characteristics which influence choice of subject of study.
The relationship of income and consumption of modern goods to fertility: a study of working class families in Iran
Authors: Aghajanian Akbar
Published: July 2008

This paper examines the effects of income and consumption of modern goods on fertility level and contraceptive practice among working class families in three Iranian cities. A j-shaped relationship is found between fertility and income after controlling for other variables. Expectation about future changes in income does not have any significant effect on the number of children ever born, but those who expect an increase in their income in the near future are more likely to be currently using contraception. Consumption of modern goods is positively related to fertility level and does not have any significant effect on contraceptive practice.
Teratoepidemiology
Authors: Klingberg Marcus A. , Papier Cheri M.
Published: July 2008

A review of the field of human teratoepidemiology—the epidemiology of congenital malformations—is presented here along with a discussion of the importance of international collaboration in monitoring congenital malformations. Studies implicating various environmental teratogens such as drugs, industrial and agricultural chemicals, intrauterine infections, radiation and nutritional factors are discussed at some length as well as problems encountered in detecting human teratogenic agents.
A study of marriage and mobility in Reading, England
Authors: Coleman D. A.
Published: July 2008

Survey of recently married couples was carried out in Reading, Berkshire, UK in 1974. Its purpose was to provide information about the geographical and social origins of marriage partners, and to show how the town's social and geopraphical features might influence marital choice.

A list marriage certificate was preferred to the electoral register as a sample frame. Despite a lower than usual response rate the method was judged successful. Basic data on the geographical distribution of the husband and wife are given here, together with the fitting of the aggregate frequency distribution of distances to the log-normal distribution and their summary description in terms of the geometric means.
Inbreeding levels in Orkney islanders
Authors: Roberts D. F. , Roberts M. J. , Cowie J. A.
Published: July 2008

From pedigree analysis of a sample of 214 Orcadians, inbreeding levels are high by comparison with limited dada for Britain. The mean inbreeding coefficient is 0.001834, with a zero baseline taken as 1750. There appears little secular change for subject born over the period 1879–1940. Local variations occur within Orkney, and possible reasons for these are suggested.
Health, growth and development of pre-school children in Newcastle upon Tyne
Authors: Fellowes H. Mary , Hytten Catherine A. , Billewicz W.Z. , Thomson A.M.
Published: July 2008

One hunderd and forty 'normal' children aged 0—5 years, selected from three large general medical practices to represent a wide socioeconomic range, were seen monthly for periods of at least one year. Average growth patterns, previously shown to be related to the energy value of diets, conformed to British standards. Height and weight were not significantly related to socioeconomic status, maternal 'efficiency', number of sibs nor place in family. About half the children aged 0.5 years or less changed growht 'channels', falling to 0.4% in children aged 2 years or more. Respiratory illnesses showed seasonal changes, but growth rates did not, and there was no evidence that illness of any kind or severity had more than a transient effect on growth rates. Developmental test scores were not found to be related to growth rates. Girls tended to have higher scores than boys. Children from non-manual families and those with sїbs at least 5 years older scored more highly in tests of language than those in other types of family.
Infertility and age at first coitus: a possible relationship
Authors: Cutler Winnifred B. , García Celso-Ramon , Krieger Abba M.
Published: July 2008

Reported age at first coitus was shown to be associated with incidence and degree of infertility. Infertility patients reported later first coital ages than gynaecological patients in a sample of 792 women seen in a major infertility service. Among the infertility patients, those who had never conceived presented a later first coital age than those who had previously conceived. Routine gynaecological patients reported the youngest first coital age of the groups studied.
Patterns of discussion and decision-making amongst abortion patients
Authors: Ashton John R.
Published: July 2008

Discussion and decision-making amongst Wessex women who obtained an induced abortion at two centres are studied. The most important discussants were family doctors, boy-friends, girl-friends, husbands, mothers and pregnancy counsellors. In the majority of key discussions which occurred the patient had been able to discuss the pregnancy fully, had a sympathetic reception and met a discussant who was favourable to her having a termination. However, younger patients were less likely to have such an experience and were later in arriving at their abortion decision and were more prone to uncertainty. It is argued that alternative counselling and referral systems need to be developed for younger patients with unplanned pregnancies who may request abortion.
Components of delay amongst women obtaining termination of pregnancy
Authors: Ashton John R.
Published: July 2008

A study of the factors involved in delay amongst a group of Wessex women obtaining induced abortions is reported and the importance of age is stressed. Only 47% of women aged 17–18 years obtained their operation before 12 weeks gestation compared with more than 70% of women of other age groups. The implications of this for the health of these women is discussed and the case stated for the development of adequate sex education, birth control and early abortion services orientated towards late teenagers.
Repeat induced abortion: single, married and divorced women
Authors: Aguirre B. E.
Published: July 2008

This examination of the effects of marital status on repeat abortion assesses, by multiple classification analysis, the importance of a set of predictors of repeat abortion (age, education, occupation, residence, religion, social support for the abortion, attitudes towards abortion, ambivalence to the abortion, source of idea of the abortion, referral source, contraceptive use) in a clinic sample of 984 single, married and divorced women. The different results for the three categories of women demonstrate the centrality of man–woman relations for an understanding of repeat abortion behaviour, and the need to orient future work on repeat abortion away from a predominant concern with contraception. Abortion can be understood only in terms of the cultural values and social practices which regulate different couple relations.
Some characteristics of intentionally childless wives in Britain
Authors: Baum Frances , Cope David R.
Published: July 2008

Intentional childlessness in Britain has been investigated by means of a postal questionnaire survey of married women who to date had never had a child. These wives were categorized according to their fertility intentions. As a group the wives were well-educated, likely to be employed and to be married to men in professional or managerial occupations, although there were some with husbands in manual occupations. The main reason perceived by the wives for their decision not to have children was the value they placed on the freedom they consequently gained. A majority of the wives felt there were no disadvantages in remaining childless. The remainder who felt that there were disadvantages identified these as: missing the positive features of children; possible loneliness and lack of support in old age; feelings of deviancy; and economic and social discrimination resulting from their childlessness.
Factors influencing the duration of breast-feeding
Authors: West Christine P.
Published: July 2008

A group of 239 mothers breast-feeding on leaving hospital were followed up 6 months later by a postal questionnaire; 216 (90%) responded and, of these, 41% had discontinued breast-feeding before the end of the 12th week, the greatest decline occurring within the first 6 weeks. Duration of breast-feeding was significantly influenced by social class and, for parous mothers, previous breast-feeding success. Seventy-two per cent of the mothers who stopped breast-feeding within the first 12 weeks gave inadequacy of the milk supply or an unsettled baby as contributory reasons. Maternal fatigue and painful nipples were the other two most frequent contributory problems. Only 6% of all the mothers admitted to not having enjoyed breast-feeding. The person most commonly consulted about breast-feeding problems was the health visitor. Regardless of how long they had breast-fed, 43% of the mothers would have liked more help.
Incidence of ovulation in young women
Authors: Metcalf Mary G. , Mackenzie Judith A.
Published: July 2008

Urine was collected at weekly intervals for 3 months from 254 menstruant women aged 15–39 years, all of whom were 4 or more years from the menarche. Menstrual cycles were classed as ovulatory if the 24-hr pregnanediol output was 5 μmol or over on a single occasion, or if the total excreted on 2 days, 1 week apart, was 7 μmol or over. Of the 108 women aged 20–24 years, only 62% ovulated in every cycle compared with 88% for the 58 women aged 25–29 years, and 91% for the 44 women aged 30 or over. Unfailing ovulation occurred more often in non-students (99 women, of whom 83·5% ovulated in every cycle) than in age-matched students (111, 59·5%), and more often in women who lived with relatives (127, 83·5%) than in those living in flats and hostels (72, 51·4%).
A survey of attitudes towards permanent contraceptive methods
Authors: Reading A. E. , Sledmere C. M. , Newton J. R.
Published: July 2008

In this survey of attitudes towards permanent contraceptive methods, four groups were studied: (A) men having undergone a vasectomy 12 months previously (n = 61); (B) men currently attending for vasectomy (n = 58); (C) female partners of men currently undergoing vasectomy (n = 60); and (D) women undergoing sterilization by tubal ligation (n = 52). All patients completed a questionnaire which included questions on the reasons for selecting their chosen method, and attitudes towards permanent methods and hypothetical pills and injectable contraceptives for men. Results showed that contraception was generally regarded as a mutual responsibility. This attitude was more pronounced in the vasectomy groups than among the sterilization women. Generally favourable reactions were elicited with respect to vasectomy, although substantial proportions expressed a preference for alternative methods (40%). Women undergoing sterilization exhibited predominantly negative attitudes towards this procedure. The implications of these findings, in terms of enhancing the acceptability of new male methods and improving subsequent adjustment to currently available permanent methods, are discussed.
Ethnic and religious factors in marriage in Sri Lanka
Authors: Fernando Dallas F. S.
Published: July 2008

The study examines the sex imbalance at the marriageable ages according to ethnic group and religion, utilizing data obtained from the complete tabulations of the 1971 Census of Population in Sri Lanka. The active enforcement of Indian repatriation, commencing in 1971, played a major role in increasing net migration rates to significant levels in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975 and thereby reducing the island's growth rate to 1·45% and 1·71% in 1974 and 1975. These out-movements were further increased by the exodus of Sri Lanka citizens which began in 1972 and continued in the years 1973–75, presumably dominated by males aged 20–44 years. This emigration of Sri Lanka citizens is expected to continue and will aggravate further the difficulties of contracting a marriage within each ethnic and religious group. Possible demographic consequences are suggested.
Detection of natural selection by methods based on models of the behaviour of neutral alleles
Authors: Averill B. K.
Published: July 2008

The allele frequency data of artificial populations were examined by several methods which test whether various configurations of allele frequencies are the result of drift or selection. Although no genotypic selective differences were included in these populations the methods indicated that selection was operating in some instances; hence the models are not reliable. Distinguishing between the actions of drift and selection would be facilitated if data for many loci were included, so that a notion of the variance of the genetic variation measure could be obtained.
The evolution of human disease: new findings and problems
Authors: Klepinger Linda L.
Published: July 2008

The pattern of human disease is not immutable. Some diseases change their expression; new diseases arise, and some die out. Man's diseases have influenced his history and evolution and, conversely, his biological and cultural evolution have affected his pathology, most powerfully through his alteration of the environment and his changing demographic patterns. This paper briefly reviews the history of those diseases which are, or have been, the leading causes of human morbidity and mortality and draws attention to a curious contrast between the Old and New Worlds.
The social environment of malnourished children compared with that of other children in Jamaica
Authors: Sheffer M. L. , Grantham-McGregor S. M. , Ismail S. J.
Published: July 2008

This investigation was part of a longitudinal study of mental development of seventeen Jamaican children who were admitted to hospital with severe protein energy malnutrition. The children were compared with 20 adequately nourished children who were admitted to hospital for other reasons.

Previous research had shown that, 1 month after the children left hospital, both groups had similar scores on a modified Caldwell Inventory of Home Stimulation. When, in the present investigation, the inventory was repeated 24 months later, scores remained similar in both groups. When compared with data collected from a survey in a poor neighbourhood, again the scores of the neighbourhood children were similar to those of the malnourished group. The malnourished children were however living in poorer houses and had failed to catch up to the other groups in nutritional status.

Comparison of these findings with those from other countries suggests that the ecology of malnutrition differs in different cultures and that Jamaican mothers of malnourished children are characterized by poverty rather than poor maternal–child relationships.

It also appears that, at this age, poor levels of home stimulation were not a major factor in producing the deficit in development manifested by the malnourished group.
Sexual behaviour and contraceptive use among socioeconomic groups of young women in the United States
Authors: Ford Kathleen , Zelnik Melvin , Kantner John F.
Published: July 2008

Although much research has been devoted to understanding differences in contraceptive behaviour among socieconomic groups of married women, little is known about group differences among young unmarried women. In this paper, data from a national survey of women 15–19 years of age are used to study the relationship between socioeconomic status, sexual activity, and contraceptive use. The socioeconomic status of the young women is related to age at first intercourse, contraceptive use at first intercourse, regularity of use, and use of medical methods. The results indicate that both an earlier initiation of sexual activity and less regular use of contraceptives in all probability lead to a concentration of pregnancies in the lower socioeconomic groups.
Changing Profile of Iud Users in Family Planning Clinics in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Bhatia Shushum , Faruque A. S. G. , Chakraborty J.
Published: July 2008

In a rural area of Bangladesh IUD acceptors in the 2 years prior to the introduction of a family planning health services programme differed from the women who accepted IUDs following the initiation of the programme. The pre-programme acceptors were older, higher parity women who were using IUDs to terminate childbearing, in contrast to the post-programme acceptors who were younger, lower parity women who were using IUDs to space the next pregnancy. The reasons for these differences are examined. The result of the programme has been a pronounced drop in the birth rate.
Socioeconomic Factors, Intermediate Variables and Fertility in Bangladesh
Authors: Lee Che-Fu , Amin Ruhul
Published: July 2008

Cumulative fertility as measured by deviation from the natural fertility schedule is determined more by intermediate variables such as child mortality, the use of supplementary food, lactation, and husband's absence, than by the practice of fertility control using modern contraceptive methods. Socioeconomic factors like education, urban residence and the possession of household assets, though differentiating these intermediate variables of fertility, do not have direct effects on cumulative fertility among the sample of Bangladeshi women in the Bangladesh Fertility Survey. The effect of age, controlling for the effect of these intermediate variables, remains strongly negative, suggesting an early onset of subfecundity. The implications of these findings for fertility trends and differentials in recent decades are discussed.
The Tokelau island study: fertility of New Zealand migrants
Authors: Stanhope J. M. , Prior I. A. M. , Harding W. R.
Published: July 2008

Atoll-dwelling people of Tokelau in the central Pacific have been studied in their home environment and after migration to the industrial culture of New Zealand (NZ). The NZ migrants reflect the predominantly male and young composition of the migrating group. Recent migration has eased the lot of the surplus young women from Tokelau, resulting in earlier marriage and less long-term spinsterhood. The apparently higher fertility of women residing in NZ is largely explained by selection of female migrants who already have two or more children. Earlier menarche and earlier marriage in NZ probably contribute little. Future trends will be monitored, and a decline in migrant fertility is expected, if Tokelauans follow the pattern of other Polynesian migrants to urban environments.
Factors influencing the infant mortality rate in Sri Lanka
Authors: Fernando Dallas F. S.
Published: July 2008

This study examines by multiple regression analysis the factors influencing district variation in infant mortality rate in Sri Lanka in a given year (1971). It shows that 83% of the district variation is explained by differences in the proportion of the population that is Indian Tamil, the proportion of female employees, and the proportion of females aged 15–19 with at least 5 years of education.
Breast-feeding and child survival in Egypt
Authors: Janowitz Barbara , Lewis Joann Henderson , Parnell A. , Hefnawi F. , Younis M. N. , Serour G. A.
Published: July 2008

In a retrospective study, the impact of breast-feeding on the survival probabilities of children born to women in hospitals in Cairo, Egypt, is estimated. The analysis shows that early cessation of breastfeeding is associated with higher mortality and the effects are more severe the lower the education level of the mother.
Obesity, socioeconomic variables and eating habits in New Zealand
Authors: Birkbeck J. A.
Published: July 2008

Evidence from a national sample of New Zealand adults demonstrates a high prevalence of obesity, including severe obesity. Maori subcutaneous fat distribution is different from white, the former having relatively greater subscapular than triceps skinfolds compared to whites. Obesity is more prevalent in Maori. In whites, higher educational attainment tends to be associated with lesser indices of obesity and greater stature. The obese do not appear to have greater dietary energy intakes, but are less likely to consume breakfast than the non-obese.
Anthropometric measurements and Darwinian fitness
Authors: Mueller William H. , Lasker Gabriel W. , Evans F. Gaynor
Published: July 2008

The relationship between anthropometrics and three measures of Darwinian fitness—number of surviving children, number of living siblings and marital status—was sought in a population practising no contraception. The pattern suggestive of stabilizing selection was evident for one dimension, destabilizing selection for another dimension, and directional selection for yet another. The dimensions studied were those least intercorrelated one with another. Stabilizing selection for human physical characteristics may not be a universal phenomenon.
Genetic structure in Cumbria
Authors: Roberts D. F. , Jorde L. B. , Mitchell R. J.
Published: July 2008

Genetic structure of the Cumbrian population is examined from data on gene and genotype frequency distributions, on geographical location, and on population movement in two generations.

The population is genetically heterogeneous; the central Lake District particularly, and also Carlisle and the southern periphery, stand out as distinct from the remainder and from each other. Regional subdivision of the population is sufficient to lead to some increased overall homozygosity, but its effect on inbreeding is considerably lower than the inbreeding level within regions, the latter being highest in the Lake District and the southern periphery. Examination of isolation by distance shows distance to be an important determinant of genetic differentiation in Cumbria; local and regional kinship levels are similar to those in alpine Swiss areas. Migration analysis suggests the distinctness of the west coast and southern periphery, and a slight increase in kinship between regions in the last generation.

The measures of genetic distance are closely correlated with each other. The measures of kinship derived from migration frequencies between regions are highly correlated with each other, and with geographical distance, but not with genetic distance. Present migration patterns are insufficient to account for the affinities within and between regions indicated by the genetic variation. It is possible that retention of Norwegian influence over a great length of time in the central Lake District is a major contributory element in present-day genetic heterogeneity in Cumbria.
Economic condition and demography among the Mahishyas of Chakpota village, Howrah district, West Bengal
Authors: Bharati Premananda
Published: July 2008

Demographic and socioeconomic data were collected from the Hindu, Mahishya caste community of Chakpota village, Amta Police Station area, Howrah district, West Bengal, to examine the possible effects of economic differences on fertility and mortality, and their potential genetic consequences. The age structure of the low, medium and high economic groups suggests decreasing growth potentials from the former to the latter, with a recent decline of fertility in all the three groups. Analogously, a trend of fertility and mortality decline from the low to high economic groups seems to exist, although with some exceptions. The index of total selection intensity (I) is the highest in the low economic group. Genetic selection seems to be sensitive even to very small differences in economic condition, among related subpopulations of the same population, sharing very similar physical environmental stresses.
Lifetime patterns of childbearing and employment: a study of second-generation Japanese American women
Authors: Leonetti Donna L. , Newell-Morris Laura
Published: July 2008

With the increase in labour force participation by wives and mothers in the United States, family roles of modern women are becoming increasingly complex. As mother/provider, women are faced with problems in planning their lives to accommodate their modern roles. Three variant lifetime patterns of fertility and employment are identified in a study of second-generation Japanese American women, a group which has experienced high rates of labour force participation. Analysis of socio-economic background factors suggests that these patterns are alternative modes of integrating the complex lifetime demands on women in the modern world.
Sibling and family environment correlates of children's achievement: ethnic group differences
Authors: Marjoribanks Kevin
Published: July 2008

Regression surface analysis was used to examine relationships between sibling variables and measures of cognitive performance at different levels of family environment measures, for children from different Australian ethnic groups. Included in the sample were 460 Anglo-Australian, 170 Greek, and 120 Southern Italian families. Each family had an 11-year-old child and interviews with parents related to those children. There were no associations between the sibling variables and intellectual ability scores. For word-test scores the findings provided some tentative support for an admixture explanation of sibling correlates of children's cognitive performance. Generally, the study revealed that at different levels of family environment dimensions, sibling variables had few associations with various cognitive measures for children from different ethnic groups.
Fertility control and the voluntarily childless: an exploratory study
Authors: Carlisle Elaine
Published: July 2008

The widespread availability of effective means of fertility control in many developed countries has made voluntary childlessness a viable alternative to parenthood. Little attention however has been given to the family planning requirements of those who take this minority decision. Data from Scotland suggest that the voluntarily childless have contrasting needs and that usage of and perspectives on contraceptive techniques, sterilization, and abortion depend primarily upon the extent and basis of individual commitment. It is important that those involved in providing family planning services should be aware of the variations in the childless condition and how these might influence individual behaviour in relation to fertility control.
Isonymy and population structure of Irish isolates during the 1890s
Authors: Relethford John H.
Published: July 2008

The estimation of genetic similarity from correspondence of surnames (isonymy) allows investigation of historical population structure. This study uses surname data from seven isolates located along the west coast of Ireland during the 1890s to assess geographic and historic influences on population structure. Observed genetic variation among populations shows a close fit with the expected isolation by distance model, with estimated parameters of isolation and migration being similar to those obtained in other studies of isolated populations. Local genetic variation appears to be due primarily to the size of the local breeding population, with deviations being explained in terms of recent emigration.
Social and environmental factors as criteria for success in artificial insemination by donor (AID)
Authors: Ledward R. S. , Symonds E. M. , Eynon S.
Published: July 2008

This study analyses the first 366 couples attending the AID Clinic at Nottingham and outlines those social factors which appear to have some bearing on the success of AID treatment. Residence close to the clinic, social class and the employment of the wife all appear to affect success rates.