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- Buhaug, H., et al.
(author)
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One effect to rule them all? : A comment on climate and conflict
- 2014
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In: Climatic Change. - Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands. - 0165-0009 .- 1573-1480. ; 127:3-4, s. 391-397
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A recent Climatic Change review article reports a remarkable convergence of scientific evidence for a link between climatic events and violent intergroup conflict, thus departing markedly from other contemporary assessments of the empirical literature. This commentary revisits the review in order to understand the discrepancy. We believe the origins of the disagreement can be traced back to the review article's underlying quantitative meta-analysis, which suffers from shortcomings with respect to sample selection and analytical coherence. A modified assessment that addresses some of these problems suggests that scientific research on climate and conflict to date has produced mixed and inconclusive results.
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- Chi, PC, et al.
(author)
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The evolving role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health in post-conflict Africa: A qualitative study of Burundi and northern Uganda
- 2018
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In: SAGE open medicine. - : SAGE Publications. - 2050-3121. ; 6, s. 2050312117753631-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Many conflict-affected countries are faced with an acute shortage of health care providers, including skilled birth attendants. As such, during conflicts traditional birth attendants have become the first point of call for many pregnant women, assisting them during pregnancy, labour and birth, and in the postpartum period. This study seeks to explore how the role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health, especially childbirth, has evolved in two post-conflict settings in sub-Saharan Africa (Burundi and northern Uganda) spanning the period of active warfare to the post-conflict era. Methods: A total of 63 individual semi-structured in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions were held with women of reproductive age, local health care providers and staff of non-governmental organisations working in the domain of maternal health who experienced the conflict, across urban, semi-urban and rural settings in Burundi and northern Uganda. Discussions focused on the role played by traditional birth attendants in maternal health, especially childbirth during the conflict and how the role has evolved in the post-conflict era. Transcripts from the interviews and focus group discussions were analysed by thematic analysis (framework approach). Results: Traditional birth attendants played a major role in childbirth-related activities in both Burundi and northern Uganda during the conflict, with some receiving training and delivery kits from the local health systems and non-governmental organisations to undertake deliveries. Following the end of the conflict, traditional birth attendants have been prohibited by the government from undertaking deliveries in both Burundi and northern Uganda. In Burundi, the traditional birth attendants have been integrated within the primary health care system, especially in rural areas, and re-assigned the role of ‘birth companions’. In this capacity they undertake maternal health promotion activities within their communities. In northern Uganda, on the other hand, traditional birth attendants have not been integrated within the local health system and still appear to undertake clandestine deliveries in some rural areas. Conclusion: The prominent role of traditional birth attendants in childbirth during the conflicts in Burundi and northern Uganda has been dwindling in the post-conflict era. Traditional birth attendants can still play an important role in facilitating facility and skilled attended births if appropriately integrated with the local health system.
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- Rokling-Andersen, Merethe H, et al.
(author)
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Effects of long-term exercise and diet intervention on plasma adipokine concentrations.
- 2007
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In: The American journal of clinical nutrition. - 0002-9165. ; 86:5, s. 1293-301
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: In a randomized, controlled, 2 x 2 factorial trial on the effect of long-term changes in diet and exercise, a significant reduction in body weight and fat mass was observed. Alterations in leptin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 concentrations were previously reported from this study. OBJECTIVE: We examined the separate and combined effects of a 1-y exercise and diet intervention on several adipokines; adiponectin, interleukin-6 and -8, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, hepatocyte growth factor, nerve growth factor, C-reactive protein, and resistin. DESIGN: One hundred eighty-eight men with several risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease were randomly allocated to 4 groups: diet, exercise, combined diet and exercise, and control. RESULTS: Plasma adiponectin concentrations remained unchanged, whereas body mass index and fat mass decreased after dietary changes and an increase in physical activity. In the control group, adiponectin concentrations were reduced. Analyzed according to the factorial design, only diet intervention had a significant (P = 0.03) positive effect on plasma adiponectin relative to control, and this effect was largely explained by changes in fat mass. After adjustment for change in percentage body fat, there were significant positive effects on tumor necrosis factor-alpha in all 3 intervention groups (P = 0.01 for the diet group, 0.03 for the exercise group, and 0.05 for the combined diet and exercise group). Minor changes were observed for the other adipokines. Neither baseline concentrations of nor changes in adiponectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 were significantly correlated to the other adipokines, whereas concentrations of and changes in the other adipokines were significantly correlated. CONCLUSION: Diet intervention had a significant positive effect on adiponectin concentrations, which is largely explained by a reduction in fat mass.
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