Suchergebnisse

Purpose of the study: The current study was conducted to investigate Holland's circular order model of interest, congruence between career interest and career aspiration, and congruence impact on students' academic performance in an indigenous context. Methodology: Data have collected from 669 (356 boys & 313 girls) students studying in grade 10th from 16 high schools, 8 boys school (4 government & 4 private sectors), and 8 girls school (4 government & 4 private sector)-from significant towns of Gilgit division, Pakistan. Career interest was measured using the Urdu version of Career Key (Jones, 2010), students' obtained marks measured academic achievement in the last examination, and career aspirations were assessed by asking about aspired future careers from students. A randomized test of hypothesized order (Hubert & Arabie, 1987) was applied to determine the circular model, congruence was measured using Holland's (1963) first-letter agreement, and academic achievement of congruent, incongruent, and ambivalent groups of students was compared using one-way analysis of variance. Main Findings: The study's findings revealed that the results did not support Holland's circular order model of interest. The congruence hypothesis was partially funded, and the impact of congruence on academic achievement was fully supported in the present study. Gender differences were found in some career interests as well as in aspired occupations. The findings are discussed in a cultural context. Applications of this study: The results of the study are applicable and valuable for the educational institutes. In the present study, we have evaluated three assumptions of Holland's theory: circular order model of interest structure, congruence between career aspiration and career interest, and impact of congruence on students' academic achievement. Novelty: In Pakistan, career success and relevant domains are least explored by researchers. However, it is imperative to provide academic and career counselling services to ensure academic and career success and satisfaction. Therefore, the current study was conducted to assess Holland's model of interest, congruence between career aspiration and interest, and its impact on student's academic achievement in Pakistan.

In this working paper, I investigate the role which solidarity networks based on different types of shared identities, perceived relatedness and kinship affiliations played for enabling, shaping, facilitating and intensifying migration processes from Gojal since the 1940s, using the example of the high mountain communities of Hussaini and Passu in lower Gojal. With the help of selected cases from these villages, I will try to show how support based on different forms of solidarity enabled new forms of migration and increasing numbers of migrants. Particular focus will be placed on the role of pioneering migrants in the early decades of out-migration from Gojal to the cities (1940s to 1970s), which mark a period of far-reaching mobility changes and decisive events for the creation of the current state of a highly mobile, translocal Gojali community. These processes eventually have led to the currently prevailing diversified migration patterns. Their characteristics and recent dynamics will be outlined in the first part of this paper. The results presented here are based on three months of fieldwork in Pakistan in autumn 2011 and 2012. A multi-local fieldwork approach was chosen (MARCUS 1995), in which communities in the sending region Gojal (Gulmit, Hussaini, Passu), as well as selected migration targets (Central Hunza, the regional centre Gilgit and the national capital Islamabad) have been visited. In these places, oral history and narrative interviews have been conducted with current and former migrants from Gojal, as well as with village elders and local experts in Gulmit, Hussaini and Passu. Particularly the narratives of 48 former military, labour and student migrants, some of them being among the earliest migrants of their villages, have helped to shed light on the early phase of migration from Gojal to Karachi. In addition, a comprehensive village census has been conducted each for the villages of Hussaini and Passu in October 2012, revealing – among other data – the migratory biographies of all household members of these villages and their close kin.

Abstract
Mercury and methyl mercury are poisonous to human body. In the recent times, exposure to mercury has been anthropogenic in nature. Within the past several decades, many incidences of mercury poisoning have been documented in several countries including Pakistan. Mercury has been ingested where it has been used to preserve crops, through the point and non-point source discharge into the surface water, and consequently entering the food chain. We conducted this scoping review of mercury and its health effects in Pakistan in order to raise the flag to a silent ongoing Minamata disease in the country. We conducted a systematic search of the available literature in Google Scholar, PubMed, and grey literature of unpublished theses and reports of various universities across the country. We found that in the northern Pakistan, suspended sediments were the major pathway of the riverine mercury transport. Sediments of Hunza and Gilgit River were found high in mercury concentrations. Gold mining leads to an increase in mercury concentration in soil and river waters flowing in this region. High concentrations up to 108 ng/L were found in Shimsal River. It is suspected that that high level of mercury transport may be leading to accumulation of mercury in major water bodies and lakes downstream. Occupational exposure to mercury and other heavy metals is common in an unregulated private sector of the country. Goldsmiths burn the amalgamated gold without personal protective measures. Direct exposure to the fumes of mercury leads to respiratory, dermatological, systemic and neurological ailments specific to mercury poisoning. We found good evidence of bioaccumulation of mercury in fish and fish products in Pakistan. The untreated waste water discharge is responsible to not only afflicted the fish but also the birds which feed on this fish. Further, the same untreated waste water from factories and agriculture runoffs affect vegetables grown in it. Studies looking at the biomarkers for mercury in humans have shown increased and even toxic levels of mercury among the most vulnerable populations of the country. Other sources of mercury exposure included mercury in traditional medicines and cigarette products. Though no evidence was found for its presence in drinking water, its existence in the food chain and occupational exposure pose great threat to the humans as well as animals.

Abstract
During the past two decades, mercury has come under increasing scrutiny with regard to its safety both in the general population and in occupationally exposed groups. It's a growing issue of global concern because of its adverse environmental and health impacts. Very few investigations on mercury amalgam use in the dentistry sector have been carried out in South Asia and there is little data reported on mercury contamination of indoor/outdoor air at dental sites. According to an earlier SDPI study, reported in 2013, alarmingly high mercury levels were observed in air (indoor as well as outdoor) at 11 of the 34 visited dental sites (17 dental teaching institutions, 7 general hospitals & 10 dental clinics) in five main cities of Pakistan. 88% of the sites indicated indoor mercury levels in air above the USA EPA reference level of 300 ng/m3. According to our study, carried out at 38 dental teaching institutions in 12 main cities (in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh provinces) of Pakistan, respondents were of the opinion that the currently offered BDS curriculum does not effectively guide outgoing dental professionals and does not provide them adequate knowledge and training about mercury/mercury amalgam and other mercury related human health and mercury waste issues. 90% of respondents supported the review and revision of the present dental curriculum offered at dental teaching institutions in the country, at the earliest. A study has also been conducted to assess the status of mercury amalgam use in private dental clinics in Gilgit, Hunza, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. More than 90 private dental clinics were visited and dental professionals/private clinics in-charge were interviewed during June–July, 2015. The focus areas of the study were Hg amalgam toxicity, its waste management practices and safety measures practiced among the dental practitioners. In the light of the findings described and discussed in this brief report, to safeguard public health and for the protection of environment, it is strongly recommended that since mercury amalgam use cannot be banned immediately in the country, its use may be regularized and allowed subject to use of "Amalgam Separators," "Capsulated Mercury" and "Mechanized Mixing," use of mercury amalgam be banned for children (below 12 years age) and pregnant women. The curriculum currently being taught at medical and dental colleges in the country be reviewed and revised, to ensure adequate training towards minimizing mercury exposure.

Year 2020 proved to be a nightmare for global health and economy by widespread outbreak of coronavirus across the globe. First reported at Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province of China as pneumonia of unknown cause on December 31, 2019.1 Within a week, a novel coronavirus was isolated from patients in Wuhan,2 and within next month WHO declared it as "Public Health Emergency of International Concern". WHO named this disease as new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on February 11, 2020.1 On March 11, 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 as pandemic.3 As per WHO COVID-19 situation Report–70, total confirmed cases of COVID-19 until March 30, 2020 were 693224 and deaths due to COVID-19 were 33106 in the world.4 COVID-19 has affected more than 200 countries and regions in a very short period. In Pakistan, since the confirmation of first case on February 26, 2020; the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 are 1,865 and 25 deaths till March 31, 2020.5The unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19 led to a panic situation around the world. The major issue is to prevent the spread of corona virus to other regions. Recent reports have confirmed the person-to-person transmission of COVID-19, leading to affect the immediate contacts of patients including health-care workers. People traveling from the affected areas are the potential source of disease transmission.6,7 This led to international and domestic travel and/or trade restriction in affected areas and quarantine for returning travelers by various countries. To ensure social distancing among common people, lock-down of provinces, regions and cities was executed by various countries. WHO recommends public health education regarding promotion of personal hygiene like washing hands, use of sanitizers, ensuring cough etiquette and avoiding crowded places (religious places, markets, etc) as preventive strategy. However, decision regarding lockdown and travel restriction is very difficult due to financial reasons and to maintain the supply-chain of essential goods and food items. Delay in decision-making regarding such actions by some countries resulted in rapid spread of COVID-19 with increased morbidity and mortality. Italy (n=10781) and Spain (n=6528) are such countries with highest number of COVID-19 related deaths so far.4 In resource-poor countries like Pakistan, the decision regarding complete lock-down and social distancing could be very challenging due to socioeconomic and other reasons. Preparedness and response of the country to such pandemics is critical for disease surveillance, diagnostics workup, clinical management, prevention and control of infection and risk communication. COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2) and until now, there is no vaccine or cure available for it.8, 9 Majority of patients are with mild to moderate severity and have good survival. However, critically ill patients require intensive care and mechanical ventilation for hypoxemic respiratory failure. Mortality in these patients is very high even in best centres of the world.9 Availability of necessary equipment for critically ill COVID-19 is a global issue and shortage of ventilators and other equipment has been reported from USA as well.10 In developing countries like Pakistan, the shortage of high dependency units, fully equipped intensive care units and ventilators is a main challenge for governments. Availability of intensivist and trained staff for operating ventilators is another major issue in managing seriously ill COVID-19 patients in developing countries. Another major challenge faced during coping with COVID-19 pandemic was ensuring the safety of frontline health-care workers. So far, more than 3300 health-care providers were infected with COVID-19 at China11 and more than 60 doctors died in Italy.12 In Pakistan, Dr. Osama Riaz, a young doctor who was infected with COVID-19 during handling patients died at Gilgit.13 These frontline health-care workers are fighting "unarmed" against COVID-19. Health-care workers should be fully equipped with adequate number of personal protection equipment including N95 respirator and surgical masks, gloves, face shields, goggles, gowns and hand sanitizers. Proper triage system should be established at every health-care facility for screening of COVID-19 patients. Number of trained frontline health-care workers should be increased to reduce the overburden and exhaustion of the health workforce.This is a critical time for all stakeholders of the government to establish a national command and control system to combat COVID-19 and similar outbreaks. A substantial increase in current health budget is crucial to meet the requirements of national health related issues. Government must prioritize the health and rationalize the number of beds per 1000 people in hospitals and intensive care units as per international requirements. Specialised training in field of intensive care and other relevant specialties must be ensured to doctors, nurses and paramedics to provide and maintain high-quality critical care to patients. Community education regarding various Public health issues and personal hygiene through electronic and social media as well as at school level can prove vital in prevention of such outbreaks.